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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to livestock feed, and more particularly to a method of preparing a livestock feed and feeding of livestock to increase utilization of protein by ruminant animals.
Numerous methods are described in the prior art for treating feed for ruminant animals so that fed protein does not undergo degradation by microorganisms located in the rumen of the animal. Prior art methods include chemical treatments of feed as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,507,662 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,200. However, these methods are not widely accepted as they have been found to render a large portion of fed protein unavailable for digestion in the post-rumen tract. Also, the chemicals themselves are often undesirable for various reasons. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 3,619,200 protects fed protein by chemical modification with formaldehyde but formaldehyde is not approved for use in feeds in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration due to toxicity concerns.
Heat treatments to protect fed protein from degradation by ruminal microorganisms are also described in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,891 is an early example of the use of heat treating. Heat treatment reduces degradability by reducing protein solubility and by blocking sites of enzyme attack through temperature-induced chemical reactions between components of the feed. However, heat treatments described in the early prior art did not recognize that heat treating to protect fed protein is a very sensitive reaction. It is now known that too little heat provides very little protection to the fed protein while too much heat renders the treated protein indigestible in the post-rumen track.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,748, 5,023,091 and 5,064,665 teach that the efficiency of utilizing protein in feed by ruminants may be increased by mixing a protein-containing feed and a reducing carbohydrate and subsequently heating at a temperature, pH and time to reduce degradability of the feed protein by rumen microorganisms. The resistance to degradability is due in large part to protected protein forms formed during a set of chemical reactions known as the early Maillard reactions. Early Maillard reactions are thoroughly discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,748, 5,023,091 and 5,064,655 and those discussions are specifically incorporated herein by reference. Briefly, the early Maillard reactions comprise a reversible condensation between the carbonyl group of a reducing sugar and the amino groups of a protein to form substituted sugar amines. The conversion of the free amino groups of fed proteins to a substituted form results in protein molecules resistant to microbial proteases present in the rumen. Once past the rumen, the condensation product between the reducing carbohydrate and the amino groups of the protein is free to undergo hydrolysis and the fed protein is therefore available for digestion in the post-rumen tract. The heating step necessary to induce early Maillard reactions is commonly termed “browning”.
Addition of reducing carbohydrates to protein-containing feeds and subsequent browning has proven to be an effective means of increasing the proportion of undegraded intake protein (UIP) in ruminant animal feeds. Current commercial application of the technology commonly utilizes lignin sulfonate, a xylose-containing byproduct of the wood pulping industry, as a source of reducing carbohydrate to promote the early Maillard reaction. However, these reactions may be carried out with a large variety of commercially available reducing carbohydrates.
Although food science technology has advanced admirably in identifying methods to reduce ruminal protein degradability, the current technology is still deficient for several reasons. First, because present technology generally relies on the addition of reducing carbohydrates to protein-containing feed, this can impact on the dilution of protein, thus making the finished product less nutritionally efficient. Second, the addition of reducing carbohydrates to protein-containing feeds also makes the feed less conducive to shipment over long distances due to added bulk. Third, some existing treatment methods appear to significantly reduce the bioavailability of proteins in the post-rumen track resulting in a feed with lowered nutritional efficiency. Inferior availability of the amino acid lysine is often due to undesirable protein modifications. Fourth, reducing carbohydrates must be purchased, shipped and typically stored prior to their use in feed browning processes. The operational costs associated with purchasing and maintaining such supplies and associated handling equipment are relatively high. Thus, an improved method of manufacturing a protein-containing feed with reduced ruminal protein degradability that would alleviate the above-mentioned problems is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the invention, a ruminant animal feed is manufactured by first mixing together a protein and carbohydrate-containing material suitable for livestock feed and a carbohydrase enzyme where the carbohydrase enzyme is effective in hydrolyzing carbohydrate molecules contained within the material. The mixture is then steeped at a temperature, pH and percent moisture for a time sufficient for the carbohydrase enzyme to effectively hydrolyze a portion of the carbohydrates contained within the material to their reducing forms. Following steeping, the mixture is heated at a temperature and time sufficient to: (1) significantly lower the degradability of proteins contained within the material to microorganisms in the rumen; and (2) maintain relatively high protein bioavailability in the post-rumen tract.
This method has the advantage over prior art methods in that it requires no additions of reducing carbohydrates from external sources. The enzymatic treatment allows conversion of a sufficient amount of carbohydrate molecules within the feedstuff itself to reducing forms to allow adequate protein protection in the subsequent heating, or browning, step. Thus, the feedstuff material, while having a protein content with reduced ruminal degradability, also has not been diluted by the addition of large amounts of reducing carbohydrates as required in some prior art methods. The cost of purchasing reducing carbohydrates and handling them is also eliminated by this method. In addition, the problem of shipping unnecessarily bulky feedstuffs is reduced.
As an alternative approach in the manufacturing method, the enzyme may be added to the steeping reaction in the form of a microorganism that secretes the particular carbohydrase enzyme or enzyme mixture. Suitable microorganisms may include fungi or bacteria. The microorganism may be in the form of a by-product from another industrial process such as brewer's yeast discarded from the brewing process.
In another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of feeding animals a feedstuff with reduced ruminal protein degradability. This method includes the steps of selecting a protein-containing feed suitable for a ruminant animal, and feeding to the ruminant animal a product formed by mixing the protein and carbohydrate-containing feed and a carbohydrase enzyme so that, after steeping and browning, the product has a protein content substantially resistant to degradation by rumen microorganisms.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a method of hydrolyzing carbohydrates in carbohydrate-containing material is provided. A carbohydrate-containing material suitable for livestock feed is mixed together with a carbohydrase enzyme so that the carbohydrase enzyme may hydrolyze the carbohydrates to reducing forms. The resulting material is useful in the subsequent preparation of ruminant animal feed.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to produce a novel method for preparing a feed which reduces the ruminal degradation of protein-containing feed in a manner superior to prior methods.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method for preparing a feed which provides improved digestibility of undegraded intake protein in the post-rumen tract.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method of making a protein-containing feed resistant to ruminal microorganism degradation where the method of manufacture requires no substantial dilution of protein content.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel method for feeding livestock a feed with decreased ruminal protein degradability.
Various other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be made apparent from the following description.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The method of making a ruminant animal feed according to this invention is initiated by selecting a protein and carbohydrate-containing material that is known to be suitable as an animal feed. The source of the protein and carbohydrate-containing material is not significant as long as it is a material suitable for livestock and such materials are well-known. Protein/carbohydrate sources may include oil seeds, grains, bean meal, sunflower seed meal, peas, canola meal, soybean meal, peanut meal, cottonseed meal, safflower meal, sesame meal, linseed meal, early bloom legumes, meat and bone meal, silages, corn gluten meal, by-product protein feedstuffs, milk products, poultry products, brewers grains, distillers grains, wheat middlings, soybean hulls, hays, corn, wheat, barley, sorghum, alfalfa, and mixtures thereof. The preferred protein and carbohydrate-containing material is soybean meal.
A carbohydrase enzyme is then selected and added to the protein and carbohydrate-containing material. As a general class, carbohydrase enzymes may be viewed as enzymes capable of breaking polysaccharides, oligosaccharides and disaccharides down into smaller carbohydrate units, many of the smaller units being reducing carbohydrate species. Representative carbohydrates include starches, dextrins, fibers, polysaccharides, sugars, pectins, amylose, amylopectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, xylans, pectic substances, arabinans, mannans, glucans, dextran, inulin, arabans, arabinoxylans, oligosaccharides, disaccharides, maltose, maltotriose, sucrose, lactose, raffinose, stachyose, gums and mixtures thereof.
A carbohydrase enzyme suitable for the invention may be from plant, animal, or other origin and include but is not limited to, invertase, α-galactosidase, α-amylase, amyloglucosidase, cellulases, hemicellulases, pentosanases, arabinofuranosidase, xylanase, amylases, glucoamylase, endoglucanase, pectic enzymes, pectin methylesterase, polygalacturonase, isomaltase, isoamylase, cyclomaltodextrinase, pullulanases, isopullulanase, hydrolases, glucosidases, dextranases, glucanases, galactosidases, mannanase, inulinase, and mixtures thereof. This list should not be considered inclusive of all carbohydrase enzymes suitable for use with this invention. Enzymes having vastly different catalytic mechanisms than those listed but with similar carbohydrate hydrolyzing abilities will also be suitable. The preferred carbohydrase enzyme is invertase.
Amounts of enzyme(s) needed for the hydrolysis of carbohydrates are dependent on the enzyme activity found in the specific enzyme source used. The number of units of a specific enzyme needed is a function of, among other factors, the amount and source of substrates, amount of reducing sugars desired, steeping time and temperature, water activity, pH, and combinations of enzymes used. For example, if steeping time is doubled, only around one-half the original number of enzyme units is needed to obtain similar results. The suggested range for invertase enzyme is about 8 Sumner units to about 800,000 Sumner units per 100 grams of soybean meal, dependent on aforementioned factors. One Sumner unit is the quantity of enzyme which will convert 1 mg of sucrose (in a 5.4% (w/v) sucrose solution at pH 4.5 and 20° C.) to glucose and fructose in five minutes.
As an alternative approach, carbohydrase enzymes may be supplied to the manufacturing process by a microorganism where the microorganism produces the desired enzyme. The microorganism(s) may be fungi, protozoa, algae, bacteria, or combinations thereof. The microorganism may further be supplied in the form of a commercial by-product such as brewer's yeast discarded from a brewery. Baker's yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) may be added to a suitable feed at a level of 200,000 colony forming units (cfu) to 100 billion cfu per 100 g of soybean meal, depending on, among other factors, the amount and source of substrates (carbohydrates), amount of reducing sugars desired, steeping time and temperature, water activity, and pH. Suitable organisms include, but is not limited to, direct-fed microbials, fungi, protozoa, algae, bacteria, Saccharomyces cerevisiae , yeast cultures, active dry yeast, Candida utilis, Kluyveromyces marxianus , Torula yeast, brewers yeast, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, Bacillus species, Bacteroides species, Lactobacillus species, Bifidobacteria species, Trichoderma viride, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus species, Propionibacteria species, Saccharomyces species, Streptococcus species, or combinations thereof.
The incubation of the mixture at suitable temperature, pH, moisture content and time is carried out in a steeping step. The temperature for the steeping step may be from about 20° C. up to about 75° C. although the particular steep temperature will depend on the particular enzyme or enzyme mixture being used. The preferred steep temperature is from about 45° C. to about 65° C. for the enzyme invertase. The pH for steeping may be from 4 to about 10.5 with the preferred pH being from about 5 to about 7. The steep may be allowed to run from around 10 minutes up to about 12 hours with about 40 to 90 minutes being the preferred time. Optimal steeping time is dependent, among other factors, on the amount and source of substrates (carbohydrates), amount of reducing sugars desired, steeping temperature, water activity, pH, and enzyme concentration. The amount of moisture added to the mixture may be up to about 40% by weight with about 10% to about 20% being preferred when using the soybean meal and invertase combination.
Following steeping, the mixture is heated to a temperature ranging from about 80° C. to about 180° C. for about 30 minutes to 3 hours to effectively brown the material. The preferred temperature is about 90° C. to about 120° C. for 45 minutes to about 90 minutes. During browning, reducing carbohydrates formed by the action of the carbohydrase enzyme undergo condensation reactions with free amino groups of protein molecules to form protein species resistant to degradation by microorganisms located in the rumen. Thorough discussion of the browning reaction can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,957,748, 5,023,091 and 5,064,665, each of which is specifically incorporated herein by reference.
The efficacy of a feedstuff prepared by the foregoing method is illustrated by the following nonlimitive examples. These examples are directed at showing reduced protein degradability qualities as well as improved protein bioavailability aspects of a feedstuff made according to the present invention.
EXAMPLES
The soluble oligosaccharide content of the dry seeds of various plants is shown in Table 1. Solvent-extracted SBM contains 1.6% fructose, 5.4% sucrose, 0.8% raffinose, and 4.9% stachyose (Huisman et al., 1998). Sucrose and its α-D-galactosides (galactooligosaccharides), raffinose and stachyose, are non-reducing and can therefore not participate in non-enzymatic browning reactions. However, the use of exogenous hydrolytic enzymes can liberate reducing sugars from sucrose and galactooligosaccharides. Invertase (β-D-fructofuranoside fructohydrolase: EC 3.2.1.26) is capable of liberating fructose not only from sucrose but also from raffinose and stachyose resulting in the formation of melibiose and manninotriose, respectively. Alpha-galactosidase (α-D-galactoside galactohydrolase: EC 3.2.1.22) has the ability to hydrolyze the α-1-6 linkages of melibiose, raffinose, and stachyose (Slominski, 1994). Baker's yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) is also capable of cleaving sucrose into glucose and fructose by means of its periplasmic invertase.
TABLE 1
Soluble oligosaccharides (% of defatted meal) in dry seeds
of various plants
Seed
Stachyose
Raffinose
Sucrose
Soybean
Sosulski et al., 1982
2.85
1.15
6.35
Kennedy et al., 1985 1
3.72
0.84
5.82
Kuo et al., 1988 2
4.22
1.21
6.85
Cotton 3
2.36
6.91
1.64
Cow peas
Sosulski et al., 1982
4.44
0.41
2.64
Kuo et al., 1988
4.64
0.37
2.59
Peanut 3
0.99
0.33
8.10
Sunflower 3
0.14
3.09
6.50
Safflower 3
—
0.52
1.86
1 Average of four cultivars
2 Average of two cultivars
3 Kuo et al., 1988
Example 1
Preliminary studies were conducted to determine whether additions of various carbohydrase enzymes to oilseed meals were effective in inducing non-enzymatic browning. Visual appraisal was used initially to evaluate the extent of browning. Enzymes evaluated included invertase, α-galactosidase, α-amylase, and amyloglucosidase. Further research was pursued using invertase due to its relative low cost and ability to yield satisfactory browning. Dehulled, solvent extracted soybean meal (SBM) was used to manufacture the browned samples. All samples were prepared in duplicate. Invertase treated SBM (ESBM) was prepared by mixing 200 g SBM and 400 mg invertase enzyme (54,000 units/g, Grade V: Practical, from bakers yeast, Sigma Chemical Co, P.O. Box 14508 St. Louis, Mo., 63178, USA) dissolved in cold tap water (10 g) using a commercial food mixer at low speed for 60 seconds. One hundred grams of the enzyme/SBM-mixture were weighed into a 9×12×5 cm aluminum pan, covered with aluminum foil and allowed to steep for 60 minutes at room temperature (23° C.). Following steeping, the pans were placed into a preheated forced air oven set at 150° C. for 60 minutes. Following heating, the aluminum foil was removed, samples were cooled to room temperature, and air-dried for 72 hours. Half of each sample was ground to pass through a 2-mm screen. The same procedures were followed to prepare control samples except that no enzyme was added.
In vitro. Microbial degradation of treated SBM samples was measured by the in vitro ammonia release procedure as described by Britton et al. (1978) with some minor modifications. Untreated SBM and SOYPASS also were included in the in vitro run. SOYPASS is a trademarked product of Lignotech USA, Inc. and is a commercially available, protein protected, non-enzymatically browned SBM prepared by adding reducing carbohydrate from an external source to the SBM prior to browning. All SBM samples (ground) were added at 20 mg nitrogen to 50 ml plastic centrifuge tubes in duplicate. Whole ruminal contents were collected from two cannulated Holstein steers fed a diet consisting of 50% alfalfa hay, 40% dry rolled corn, 5% SBM, 4% molasses, and 1% vitamin/mineral mixture. Ruminal contents were strained through four layers of cheesecloth and subsequently placed in a pre-warmed insulated container. Equal volumes of ruminal fluid from each steer were mixed to make up the ruminal fluid portion of the inoculum. Equal volumes of ruminal fluid and McDougall's buffer (McDougall, 1948) were mixed and 30 ml of this inoculum were dispensed into centrifuge tubes containing samples. Tubes were flushed with CO 2 , stoppered and incubated in a 39° C. room for 12 hours. Fermentation was terminated, by adding 2 ml of 6N HCL to each tube. Tubes were centrifuged at 30,000×g and the supernatant was frozen until analyzed. Ammoniacal N was determined by the indophenol method (Broderick and Kang, 1980). Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design using the GLM procedure of SAS (SAS System for Windows, Release 6.11; SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, N.C.), with batch as the blocking factor.
In situ. The treated SBM samples (unground) also were subjected to a 14-h ruminal incubation in polyester bags (Ankom, 140 Turk Hill Park, Fairport, N.Y., 14450) to estimate ruminal protein degradability. A 1.25 g sample of each source was weighed in duplicate into 5×10 cm polyester bags (53×10 micron pores) and sealed with a heat sealer. The bags were placed into a weighted 36×42 cm polyester lingerie bag and pre-soaked in 39° C. tap water for 20 minutes before ruminal incubation using one of the same Holstein steers used for the in vitro trial. Two in situ incubations were done on consecutive days. Duplicate 0 hour bags were pre-soaked in 39° C. tap water for 20 minutes and later rinsed with the rest of the bags. Upon in 39° C. tap water for 20 minutes and later rinsed with the rest of the bags. Upon removal from the rumen, bags were washed in cold water, in a commercial top-loading washing machine, until the rinse water was clear. Bags were subjected to 10 consecutive rinse cycles, each consisting of a 1 minute agitation (delicate setting) and a 2 minute spin. After rinsing, bags were dried for 24 hours in a forced-air oven set at 105° C. Following drying, bags were weighed to determine residual dry matter (DM). Residual material was analyzed for Kjeldahl N (AOAC, 1984). Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design using the GLM procedure of SAS, with incubation as the blocking factor.
Example 2
Extensive browning can be deleterious to overall protein quality as a result of decreased lysine availability. The objective of these trials was to compare the relative bioavailability of the invertase treated SBM to that of other non-enzymatically browned SBM sources using broiler chick growth assays. One hundred kilograms of SBM were weighed into a paddle feed mixer. Two hundred grams invertase enzyme (Grade V: Practical, from bakers yeast, Sigma Chemical Co.) were dissolved in 5 L of 55° C. tap water by stirring with a glass rod for 2 minutes. The enzyme solution was added to the SBM while mixing (3 minutes). Seven kilograms of the enzyme/SBM-mixture were weighed into 60×30×10 cm aluminum pans and covered with aluminum foil. The pans were placed into preheated forced air ovens set at 105° C. Thermocouples were inserted into the soybean meal core of one pan on each oven rack. Half of the pans were removed as soon as the core temperature reached 100° C. (ESBM1), whereas the remaining pans were removed 30 minutes later (ESBM2). Following heating, aluminum foil was removed, samples were cooled to room temperature, and air-dried for 72 hours.
Six hundred, day-old, Cobb×Cobb male broiler chicks were secured from a commercial source. One hundred and sixty of these were wing-banded and weighed individually on arrival. The remaining chicks were placed on a common corn/soy diet for 7 days. Ten randomly chosen, wing-banded chicks were subsequently placed into each of 16 thermoregulated starter batteries (Petersime Incubator Co., Gettysburg, Ohio 45328) with raised wire floors. Chicks had continuous access to feed and water throughout the 7 day study. Diets (Table 2) were formulated using one of four SBM sources: untreated SBM, SOYPASS, SOYPLUS or ESBM1. SOYPLUS has been previously described in Example 1. SOYPLUS is a trademarked, protein protected product (U.S. Pat. No. 5,225,230) of West Central, P.O. Box 68, Ralston, Iowa 51459 and is manufactured by a modified expeller process. The SBM sources were added to diets to provide an estimated 80% of daily lysine requirements (NRC, 1994). All diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and first-limiting in lysine. Diets were randomly assigned to cages (four cages per diet). The final weight was obtained after a 12 hour feed withdrawal on day 7. Total weight gain per cage (mortalities included), feed consumption, and feed efficiency were determined for each cage.
TABLE 2
Composition of experimental diets used in the first broiler trial (Exp. 2)
SBM
ESBM1
SOYPASS
SOYPLUS
% DM
Ground corn
58.5
58.5
58.5
58.5
Corn starch
7.0
7.0
6.0
3.1
SBM
26.5
—
—
—
ESBM1
—
26.5
—
—
SOYPASS
—
—
27.5
—
SOYPLUS
—
—
—
30.4
Soybean oil
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
D/L Methionine
.25
.25
.25
.25
Calcium Phosphate
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
Limestone
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
Salt
.5
.5
.5
.5
Vitamin/mineral premix 1
.25
.25
.25
.25
1 Contained 4% Mn, 4% Zn, 2% Fe, 0.45% Cu, 0.06% I, 0.006% Se, 3,080,000 IU vitamin A/kg, 660,000 ICU vitamin D 3 /kg, 6,600 IU vitamin E/kg, 4.4 mg vitamin B12/kg, 330 mg menadione (vitamin K)/kg, 2,640 mg riboflavin/kg, 440 mg thiamine/kg, 2,640 mg pantothenic acid/kg, 11,000 mg niacin/kg, 550 mg vitamin B6/kg, 275 mg folic acid/kg, 154,000 mg choline/kg and 13.2 mg biotin/kg.
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM1 = SBM was treated with invertase enzyme and heated in ovens set at 105° C. until the core temperature reached 100° C.
Three hundred and twenty of the chicks that were fed the common corn/soy diet were used in a second 7 day broiler trial. On day 7, eight randomly chosen chicks were weighed as a group and placed into each of 40 rearing cages in a thermoregulated house. Chicks had continuous access to feed and water throughout the 7 day study. Diets (Table 3) were formulated using one of five SBM sources: untreated SBM, SOYPASS, SOYPLUS, ESBM1 or ESBM2. The soybean meal sources were added to diets to provide an estimated 80% of daily lysine requirements (NRC, 1994). All diets were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and first-limiting in lysine. Diets were randomly assigned to cages (eight cages per diet). The final weight was obtained after a 12 hour feed withdrawal on day 14. Total weight gain per cage (mortalities included), feed consumption, and feed efficiency were determined for each cage. Data were analyzed as a completely randomized design using the GLM procedure of SAS.
TABLE 3
Composition of experimental diets used in
the second broiler trial (Exp. 2)
SBM
ESBM1
ESBM2
SOYPASS
SOYPLUS
% DM
Ground corn
58.5
58.5
58.5
58.5
58.5
Corn starch
7.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
3.1
SBM
26.5
—
—
—
—
ESBM1
—
26.5
—
—
—
ESBM2
—
—
26.5
—
—
SOYPASS
—
—
—
27.5
—
SOYPLUS
—
—
—
—
30.4
Soybean oil
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
D/L Methionine
.25
.25
.25
.25
.25
Calcium Phosphate
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
1.1
Limestone
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
1.9
Salt
.5
.5
.5
.5
.5
Vitamin/mineral
.25
.25
.25
.25
.25
premix 1
1 Contained 4% Mn, 4% Zn, 2% Fe, 0.45% Cu, 0.06% I, 0.006% Se, 3,080,000 IU vitamin A/kg, 660,000 ICU vitamin D 3 /kg, 6,600 IU vitamin E/kg, 4.4 mg vitamin
B12/kg, 330 mg menadione (vitamin K)/kg, 2,640 mg riboflavin/kg, 440 mg thiamine/kg, 2,640 mg pantothenic acid/kg, 11,000 mg niacin/kg, 550 mg vitamin
B6/kg, 275 mg folic acid/kg, 154,000 mg choline/kg and 13.2 mg biotin/kg.
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM1 = SBM was treated with invertase enzyme and heated in ovens set at 105° C. until the core temperature reached 100° C.
ESBM2 = Same as ESBM1 except that product was removed from ovens 30 min later.
In situ. The treated SBM samples used in the second broiler trial also were subjected to a 10 and 14 hour ruminal incubation in polyester bags to estimate ruminal protein degradability following the same procedures described in Example 1 except that each source was weighed in quadruplicate. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design using the GLM procedure of SAS, with incubation as blocking factor.
Example 3
The objective of this study was to establish the optimal level of invertase alone, or in combination with α-galactosidase, needed to optimize non-enzymatic browning of SBM. Five Invertase (80,000 SU/g, VALIDASE Invertase, Valley Research, Inc., P.O. Box 750 South Bend, Ind. 46624-0750) levels, 0, 0.0125, 0.025, 0.05 and 0.1% (w/w), and 3 α-galactosidase (25,000 ADSU/g, VALIDASE AGS 25 Concentrate, Valley Research, Inc.) to invertase ratios, 0:1, 0.5:1 and 1:1, were evaluated in this trial. Dehulled, solvent extracted SBM was used to manufacture the browned samples. All samples were prepared in duplicate. One hundred grams of SBM were weighed into a plastic mixing bowl (25 cm diameter). The appropriate amounts of invertase and α-galactosidase enzymes were dissolved in 55° C. water (10 g) by stirring with a glass rod for 2 minutes. The enzyme solution was added to the SBM while mixing with a commercial food mixer at low speed for 60 seconds. The enzyme/SBM-mixture was transferred to a 9×12×5 cm aluminum pan, covered with aluminum foil and allowed to steep for 60 minutes in a preheated convection oven set at 55° C. Following steeping, the pans were placed into a preheated forced air oven set at 150° C. for 60 minutes. The aluminum foil was removed after cooking, samples were cooled to room temperature, and air-dried for 72 hours. The treated SBM samples were subjected to a 14 hours in situ incubation following the same procedures described in Example 2. Data were analyzed as a randomized complete block design with a 5×3 factorial arrangement of treatments (5 invertase levels and 3 ∀-galactosidase:invertase ratios); incubation was the blocking factor. Linear and quadratic effects were tested using orthogonal contrasts when no interactions were detected.
Example 4
The objective of this experiment was to compare different enzyme and yeast treatments of SBM to the addition of various reducing sugars to SBM, as well as to various commercial non-enzymatically browned SBM sources. Enzymes evaluated, included 0.05% (w/w) invertase (VALIDASE Invertase, Valley Research, Inc.), and a combination of 0.05% (w/w) invertase and 0.05% (w/w) α-galactosidase (VALIDASE AGS 25 Concentrate, Valley Research, Inc.). Two baker's yeast ( Saccharomyces cerevisiae ) sources, WESTERN yeast (WESTERN Yeast Culture 2X-2-2-5 Plus, Western Yeast Company, 305 West Ash Street, Chillicothe, Ill., 61523-0257) and FLEISCHMANN'S yeast (Fleischmann's Yeast, Fenton, Mo., 63026), included at 0.5% (w/w) were evaluated. Reducing sugars evaluated included, 2% (w/w) glucose, fructose, or xylose or a combination of 1% (w/w) glucose and 1% (w/w) fructose. Commercial non-enzymatically browned SBM sources including extruded SBM, SOYPLUS and SOYPASS also were included in the comparison. The same procedures described in Example 2 were used to manufacture the browned samples except that the yeast treatments were steeped at 30 rather than 55° C. The same procedures described in Example 2 also were followed for 14 hour in situ incubations and for statistical analyses.
Example 5
The optimal temperature range for invertase and α-galactosidase lies between 55 and 60° C. However, the optimal temperature for yeast fermentation is around 30° C. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effects of different steeping temperatures on the ability of yeast cells to liberate reducing sugars from SBM carbohydrates. Three steeping temperatures, 23 (ambient), 30 and 55° C., were evaluated using two yeast sources, WESTERN yeast and FLEISCHMANN'S yeast, included at 0.5% (w/w). The same procedures described in Example 2 were followed for manufacturing the browned samples, for 14 hour in situ incubations, and for statistical analyses.
Example 6
The objective of this experiment was to evaluate whether the addition of different enzymes to various protein-rich feedstuffs are effective in hydrolyzing native carbohydrates to reducing sugars that are able to participate in non-enzymatic browning reactions. Enzymes evaluated included, combinations of 1) 0.1% (w/w) α-galactosidase and 0.1% (w/w) invertase, 2) 0.1% (w/w) α-amylase (EC 3.2.1.1, 40,000 SKBU/g, Sigma Type XII-A bacterial from Bacillus licheniformis , Sigma Chemical Co.) and 0.1% (w/w) glucoamylase (300-330 AG/ml, VALIDASE GA, Valley Research, Inc.), and 3) 0.1% (w/w) hemicellulase (400,000 HUC/g, VALIDASE DP 374 Hemicellulase), 0.1% (w/w) cellulase (4,000 CU/g, Cellulase 4000, Valley Research, Inc.), and 0.1% (w/w) xylanase (100,000 XU/g, VALIDASE X, Valley Research, Inc.). Soybean meal, peanut meal, corn gluten meal, sunflower meal, linseed meal, canola meal, and cottonseed meal were treated with aforementioned enzymes following the same procedures described in Example 2. The same procedures described in Example 2 also were followed for 14 hour in situ incubations, and for statistical analyses.
Results and Discussion
Example 1
In vitro ammonia release values and crude protein (CP) remaining after ruminal incubation for 14 h are shown in Table 4. The invertase treated SBM (ESBM) and SOYPLUS treatments did not differ from each other but had 38.9 and 31.8% lower (P<0.05) in vitro ammonia release values than the control SBM, respectively. The ESBM treatment had 15.7 and 185% more (P<0.05) CP remaining after 14 hour ruminal incubation than the SOYPASS and control SBM treatments, respectively. These results suggest that invertase treatment was effective in liberating reducing sugars from the sucrose and galactooligosaccharides present in SBM, and that these sugars were available to participate in non-enzymatic browning reactions.
TABLE 4
In vitro ammonia release and crude protein remaining after ruminal
incubation for 14 hours (Exp. 1)
SBM
ESBM
SOYPASS
SEM
Ammonia release (mM)
49.67 a
30.33 b
33.88 b
2.132
CP remaining after 14-h (%)
28.77 a
82.17 b
71.04 c
3.163
abc Within a row, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM = SBM treated with invertase enzyme.
Example 2
Performance data of broiler chicks fed diets containing SBM, ESBM1, SOYPLUS, or SOYPASS are presented in Table 5. The SOYPASS treatment resulted in a 17, 20.9, and 23.5% lower (P<0.05) feed intake compared to the ESBM1, SOYPLUS and control SBM treatments, respectively. The ESBM1 and SOYPLUS treatments resulted in similar gains but resulted in 37 and 37.5% faster (P<0.05) gains compared to the SOYPASS treatment and 18.8 and 18.5% slower (P<0.05) gains compared to the control SBM treatment, respectively. The ESBM1 treatment resulted in 12% less (P<0.05) efficient gains compared to the control SBM, but 4.5 and 13.7% more (P<0.05) efficient gains compared to the SOYPLUS and SOYPASS treatments, respectively. The observation that the non-enzymatically browned SBM sources resulted in poorer chick performance compared to untreated SBM, suggests that some Amadori compounds or later Maillard reaction products were formed since these products are no longer bioavailable (Mauron, 1981; Hurrell, 1990). Fernandez and Parsons (1996) reported that the digestible lysine bioavailability of SBM treated with dextrose and autoclaved for 30 minutes was markedly reduced to 60%. Batterham et al. (1990) and Van Barneveld et al. (1994) reported similar results in hogs fed cottonseed meal and overheated field peas, respectively.
TABLE 5
Performance of broiler chicks fed different non-enzymatically
browned soybean meal sources (Exp. 2, first chick trial)
SBM
ESBM1
SOYPASS
SOYPLUS
SEM
Feed Intake (g/d)
16.49 a
15.19 a
12.61 b
15.94 a
.540
ADG (g/day)
13.18 a
10.70 b
7.81 c
10.74 b
.404
Gain to Feed
.800 a
.704 b
.619 c
.674 d
.0072
abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM1 = SBM was treated with invertase enzyme and heated in ovens set at 105° C. until the core temperature reached 100° C.
Performance of broiler chicks during the second growth trial is shown in Table 6. The ESBM1, ESBM2 and SOYPLUS treatments resulted in similar feed intakes but resulted in 12.6, 8.2 and 12.2% higher (P<0.05) intakes compared to the SOYPASS treatment and 8, 11.7, and 8.3% lower (P<0.05) intakes compared to the control SBM treatment, respectively. The ESBM2, ESBM1, SOYPLUS and control SBM treatment resulted in 25.2, 33.9, 34.9, and 68.5% faster (P<0.05) and 16, 18.9, 20.1, and 36.5% more efficient (P<0.05) gains compared to the SOYPASS treatment, respectively. These data suggest that lysine availability of ESBM1 was similar to that of SOYPLUS treatment, whereas the ESBM2 treatment had lower lysine availability compared to the SOYPLUS treatment. The ESBM1 and ESBM2 treatments resulted in higher availability compared to the SOYPASS treatment.
TABLE 6
Performance of broiler chicks fed different non-enzymatically browned
soybean meal sources (Exp. 2, second chick trial)
SBM
ESBM1
ESBM2
SOYPASS
SOYPLUS
SEM
Feed Intake (g/d)
37.50 a
34.50 b
33.13 b
30.63 c
34.38 b
.587
ADG (g/day)
24.83 a
19.74 b
18.45 c
14.74 d
19.88 b
.378
Gain to Feed
.658 a
.573 bc
.559 c
.482 d
.579 b
.0051
abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM1 = SBM was treated with invertase enzyme and heated in ovens set at 105° C. until the core temperature reached 100° C.
ESBM2 = Same as ESBM1 except that product was removed from ovens 30 min later.
Amounts of CP remaining after ruminal incubation of the different treated SBM sources for 10 and 14 hours are shown in Table 7. The ESBM1 treatment had 7.8 and 10.1% less (P<0.05) CP remaining after 10 hours and 29 and 29.9% less (P<0.05) after 14 hour ruminal incubation than SOYPASS and ESBM2 treatments, respectively. However, the ESBM1 treatment had 7.2 and 61.9% more (P<0.05) CP remaining after 10 hours ruminal incubation than SOYPLUS and control SBM treatments, respectively. ESBM1 treatment had similar amounts of CP remaining after 14 hours ruminal incubation than SOYPLUS but had 160.1% more (P<0.05) CP than the control SBM treatment. ESBM2 treatment had similar amounts of CP remaining after 10 and 14 hour ruminal incubation than SOYPASS but had 11.2, 19.2, and 80% more (P<0.05) CP after 10 hours and 42.7, 36.6, and 271% more (P<0.05) after 14 hours compared to the ESBM1, SOYPLUS and control SBM treatment, respectively.
TABLE 7
Crude protein remaining after ruminal incubation for
10 and 14 hours (Exp. 2)
SBM
ESBM1
ESBM2
SOYPASS
SOYPLUS
SEM
10 hour
45.28 a
73.31 d
81.52 d
81.12 d
68.41 c
1.257
14 hour
19.28 a
50.14 b
71.53 c
70.68 c
52.38 b
3.261
abcd Within a row, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
SBM = soybean meal.
ESBM1 = SBM was treated with invertase enzyme and heated in ovens set at 105° C. until the core temperature reached 100° C.
ESBM2 = Same as ESBM1 except that product was removed from ovens 30 min later.
It can be concluded from preceding results that the treatment of SBM with invertase enzyme before heating is an effective means of protecting the SBM protein against degradation by ruminal microbes while still maintaining high lysine bioavailability.
Example 3
There was no significant interaction between invertase level and α-galactosidase:invertase ratio; therefore only main effects will be discussed. Increasing the α-galactosidase:invertase ratio only tended (P=0.10) to increase the amount of SBM, DM and CP remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours. However, increasing invertase level increased linearly (P<0.01) the amount of SBM, DM and CP remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours (Table 8). Theoretically, invertase and α-galactosidase should have synergistic effects since invertase hydrolyzes raffinose and stachyose to melibiose and manninotriose (Slominski, 1994). Activity of α-galactosidase is greater on melibiose and manninotriose (Quemener and Brillouet, 1983) than on raffinose and stachyose. Slominski (1994) reported that α-galactosidase in concert with invertase yielded greater hydrolysis of galactooligosaccharides found in SBM and canola meal than α-galactosidase acting alone. Unfortunately, they did not include a treatment with invertase alone. It is unknown why the combination of invertase and α-galactosidase did not have a significant synergistic effect in this study. However, the possibility that the enzyme preparations used in this study contained significant side activities can not be ruled out.
TABLE 8
Invertase level main effect on soybean meal dry matter (DM) and crude
protein (CP) remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation
for 14 hours (Exp. 3) 1
Invertase 2 level
DM 3
CP 3
% (w/w)
%
0.0000
34.6
50.2
0.0125
47.7
68.0
0.0250
48.7
69.4
0.0500
53.8
75.6
0.1000
53.3
74.8
SEM
.84
1.09
1 Samples were steeped for 60 min at 55° C. and then cooked for 60 min at 150° C.
2 80,000 SU/g.
3 Linear effect of invertase level (P < 0.0001).
Example 4
A comparison of DM and CP remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours of various commercial non-enzymatically browned SBM products and SBM treated with different reducing sugars, enzymes or yeast products are presented in Table 9. Treatment of SBM with yeast, invertase, or a combination of invertase and α-galactosidase enzymes resulted in similar amounts of CP remaining after 14 hour ruminal incubation compared to SOYPASS but higher (P<0.05) amounts compared to SOYPLUS. Extruded soy and SOYPLUS had similar amounts of CP remaining after ruminal incubation compared to SBM to which 10% water was added. Treatment of SBM with FLEISCHMANN'S yeast, invertase, or a combination of invertase and α-galactosidase enzymes resulted in similar amounts of CP remaining after ruminal incubation compared to treatment with a combination of 1% glucose and 1% fructose or 2% xylose but higher (P<0.05) amounts compared to 2% glucose or fructose. SOYPASS had similar amounts of CP remaining after ruminal incubation compared to all reducing sugar treatments. The 2% xylose treatment did not differ from the combination of 1% glucose and 1% fructose treatment but more (P<0.05) CP remained after ruminal incubation compared to the 2% glucose or fructose treatments. This observation is supported by results of Cleale et al. (1987a), who found that xylose was more reactive than glucose, fructose and lactose. The combination of 1% glucose and 1% fructose treatment resulted in more (P<0.05) CP remaining after ruminal incubation compared to either 2% glucose or 2% fructose, suggesting that a positive associative effect might occur. Glucose treatment did not differ from fructose treatment. Cleale et al. (1987a) reported that fructose reacted similarly to glucose after heating for 30 minutes, but after 60 minutes of heating ammonia release was suppressed to a greater extent with glucose than fructose. Reyes et al. (1982) found that fructose reacted similarly to glucose over short reaction times, but to a lesser degree over extended reaction periods.
TABLE 9
Dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) remaining in dacron bags after
ruminal incubation for 14 hours of various commercial non-enzymatically
browned SBM products and SBM treated with different reducing sugars,
enzymes, or yeast products (Exp. 4)
Treatments
DM
CP
%
Untreated control
22.6 a
31.3 a
10% Water 1
34.6 b
50.2 b
Extruded soy
35.9 b
48.9 b
SOYPLUS
44.0 c
55.8 b
SOYPASS
50.2 def
72.2 cde
0.5% WESTERN Yeast 1
48.9 cde
69.5 cd
0.5% FLEISCHMANN'S yeast 1
54.3 ef
75.8 de
0.05% Invertase 1,2
52.1 ef
73.4 de
0.05% Invertase 2 + 0.05% α-galactosidase 1,3
55.4 f
77.6 e
2% Glucose 1
45.9 cd
65.7 c
2% Fructose 1
46.3 cd
66.1 c
1% Glucose + 1% Fructose 1
53.1 ef
75.0 de
2% Xylose 1
55.2 f
77.0 e
SEM
1.93
2.58
abcdef Within a column, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
1 Treatments were applied on a weight/weight basis.
2 80,000 SU/g.
3 25,000 AGSU/g.
The results of this trial suggest that the treatment of SBM with yeast, invertase, or a combination of invertase and α-galactosidase enzymes compare favorably with commercial non-enzymatically browned SBM products and SBM treated with different reducing sugars.
Example 5
Effects of steeping temperature of SBM treated with yeast on DM and CP remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours are shown in Tables 10 and 11, respectively. Steeping at 23° C. resulted in less (P<0.05) SBM, DM and CP remaining after 14 hour ruminal incubation than steeping at 30° C. Steeping SBM treated with WESTERN yeast at 30° C. resulted in a numerical increase of 8.3% in CP remaining, compared to steeping at 55° C. Steeping SBM treated with FLEISCHMANN'S yeast at 30° C. increased (P<0.05) CP remaining after ruminal incubation by 7.4% compared to steeping at 55° C. suggesting that the higher temperature may kill the yeast prematurely. These data suggest 30° C. as an optimal steeping temperature for SBM treated with yeast.
TABLE 10
Effects of steeping temperature on soybean meal dry matter remaining in
dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours (Exp. 5)
0.5%
Steeping
0.5% WESTERN
FLEISCHMANN'S
Temperature
yeast 1
yeast 1
Control SBM 2
° C.
%
23
36.0 a
44.7 a
—
30
48.9 b
54.3 b
—
55
44.7 b
50.0 c
34.6
SEM
2.17
1.34
—
abc Within a column, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
1 Samples were steeped for 60 min at 23, 30 or 55° C. and then cooked for 60 min at 150° C.
2 Water (10% w/w) was added to the same soybean meal, steeped at 55° C. and then cooked for 60 min at 150° C. to serve as a reference point only.
TABLE 11
Effects of steeping temperature on soybean meal crude protein remaining
in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours (Exp. 5)
0.5%
Steeping
0.5% WESTERN
FLEISCHMANN'S
Temperature
yeast 1
yeast 1
Control SBM 2
° C.
%
23° C.
52.0 a
64.6 a
—
30° C.
69.5 b
75.8 b
—
55° C.
64.2 b
70.6 c
50.2
SEM
2.76
1.59
—
abc Within a column, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
1 Samples were steeped for 60 min at 23, 30 or 55° C. and then cooked for 60 min at 150° C.
2 Water (10% w/w) was added to the same soybean meal, steeped at 55° C. and then cooked for 60 min at 150° C. to serve as a reference point only.
Example 6
Dry matter and CP remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubation for 14 hours of various protein-rich feedstuffs treated with different enzyme combinations are shown in Tables 12 and 13, respectively. Compared to 10% water addition, the combination of 0.1% (w/w) α-galactosidase and 0.1% (w/w) invertase, increased (P<0.05) CP remaining after ruminal incubation for all protein sources except peanut meal, corn gluten meal, and cottonseed meal. Crude protein remaining after ruminal incubation was similar for the combination of 0.1% (w/w) α-amylase and 0.1% (w/w) glucoamylase treatment and the 10% water treatment among all protein sources, with the exception of SBM and corn gluten meal, where it was higher (P<0.05) for the enzyme treatment. This result was not unexpected since SBM contains around 1% starch (Huisman et al., 1998) and corn gluten meal contains residual starch as a consequence of incomplete starch extraction. Crude protein remaining after ruminal incubation was similar for the combination of 0.1% (w/w) hemicellulase, 0.1% (w/w) cellulase, and 0.1% (w/w) xylanase treatment and the 10% water treatment among all protein sources, with SBM and corn gluten meal again being the exceptions. Huisman et al. (1999) reported very little degradation after incubating SBM polysaccharides with a combination of endo-galactonase, endo-arabinase, rhamnogalacturonan hydrolase, and rhamnogalacturonan acetyl esterase. They suggested that the network of the cell wall polysaccharides present in SBM appears to be too complex or too dense to be penetrated by the applied enzymes.
TABLE 12
Dry matter remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubatic
(14-h) of various protein source treated with different enzymes (Exp. 6)
Protein Source
Soybean
Peanut
Corn Gluten
Sunflower
Linseed
Canola
Cottonseed
Treatment*
meal
Meal
Meal
Meal
meal
meal
meal
%
Untreated control
22.6 a
8.1 a
63.4 a
39.5 a
38.9 ab
27.4 a
48.9 a
10% Water
34.6 b
16.1 bc
74.7 b
56.3 b
39.4 ab
41.1 b
55.9 bc
0.1% Inv 1 + 0.1% α-GS 2
53.6 d
22.1 c
75.3 b
53.8 b
45.0 c
51.3 c
58.9 c
0.1% αa-A 3 + 0.1% GA 4
44.4 c
21.4 c
76.5 b
48.9 b
41.3 bc
41.7 b
55.1 b
0.1% HCell 5 + 0.1% Cell 6 +
41.4 bc
13.9 ab
75.7 b
51.0 b
35.9 a
42.9 b
54.3 b
0.1% Xyl 7
SEM
2.37
2.41
0.69
2.61
1.37
0.93
1.22
abc Within a column, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
*Treatments were applied on a weight/weight basis.
1 Inv = Invertase (80,000 SU/g).
2 α-GS = α-Galactosidase (25,000 AGSU/g).
3 α-A = α-Amylase (40,000 SKBU/g).
4 GA = Gluco-amylase (300-330 AG/ml).
5 HCell = Hemicellulase (400,000 HUC/g).
6 Cell = Cellulase (4,000 CU/g).
7 Xyl = Xylanase (100,000 XU/g).
TABLE 13
Crude protein remaining in dacron bags after ruminal incubatic (4-h) of various protein sources treated
with different enzymes (Exp. 6)
Protein Source
Soybean
Peanut
Corn Gluten
Sunflower
Linseed
Canola
Cottonseed
Treatment*
meal
Meal
Meal
Meal
meal
meal
meal
%
Untreated control
31.3 a
7.1 a
82.0 a
24.0 a
42.1 ab
22.5 a
53.4 a
10% Water
50.2 b
23.0 bc
92.7 b
48.9 b
44.9 ab
47.9 b
66.7 bc
0.1% Inv 1 + 0.1% α-GS 2
75.2 d
33.1 c
93.3 b
61.7 c
57.7 c
64.9 c
69.8 c
0.1% α-A 3 + 0.1% GA 4
62.9 c
31.6 c
95.2 c
50.1 b
48.5 b
49.4 b
65.5 bc
0.1% HCell 5 + 0.1% Cell 6 +
60.5 c
19.0 ab
94.6 c
52.7 b
39.1 a
44.0 b
62.7 b
0.1% Xyl 7
SEM
3.18
4.01
0.26
1.55
2.55
3.56
2.01
abc Within a column, means without a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).
*Treatments were applied on a weight/weight basis.
1 Inv = Invertase (80,000 SU/g).
2 α-GS = α-Galactosidase (25,000 AGSU/g).
3 α-A = α-Amylase (40,000 SKBU/g).
4 GA = Gluco-amylase (300-33- AG/ml).
5 HCell = Hemicellulase (400,000 HUC/g).
6 Cell = Cellulase (4,000 CU/g).
7 Xyl = Xylanase (100,000 XU/g).
It can be concluded from preceding results that the treatment of protein-rich feedstuffs with various enzymes before heating is an effective means of producing reducing sugars that can participate in non-enzymatic browning reactions, thus protecting proteins against degradation by ruminal microbes.
From the above description, it can be understood that the method of making and using the feed of this invention has several advantages, such as, for example:
relatively high protein bioavailability is maintained in the post-rumen tract;
no substantial dilution of protein content occurs;
the protein content of the feed is substantially protected from ruminal degradation; and
the method of making and using are economical to carry out.
Although particular embodiments have been described, many other modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated and are possible from and with the above teachings. Accordingly, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.
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A feedstuff with reduced ruminal protein degradability is prepared by mixing a carbohydrase enzyme with a material suitable for livestock feed and steeping the mixture under suitable conditions for the carbohydrase enzyme to hydrolyze carbohydrates contained within the material to reducing forms. The mixture is then heated to induce browning so that the protein contained within the material is rendered inert to ruminal degradation. The carbohydrase enzyme may be supplied to the steeping step by the addition of a microorganism capable of secreting the enzyme. A method of feeding a feedstuff with reduced ruminal degradability is also provided.
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RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] The present application is based on, and claims priority to the Applicant's U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/618,248, entitled “Propellant for Fracturing Wells,” filed on Oct. 13, 2004, and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/621,693, entitled “Propellant for Fracturing Wells,” filed on Oct. 25, 2004.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to the field of well fracturing. More specifically, the present invention discloses a propellant assembly for fracturing wells.
[0004] 2. Statement of the Problem
[0005] Propellant charges have been used for many years to create fractures in oil, gas and water-bearing formations surrounding a well. FIG. 1 is a cross-section diagram of a well 10 with a packer 12 and a series of propellant charges 20 . The propellant charges 20 are ignited to rapidly generate combustion gases that create sufficient pressure within the well bore to generate fractures in the surrounding strata.
[0006] In order to achieve proper pressure-loading rates and adequate minimum pressures for sustained periods of time sufficient to extend fractures in the surrounding formations using gas-generating propellants, it is necessary that a sufficient surface area of propellant be burning to generate the volume of gas required to extend such fractures, as gas generation is a function of the surface area of the propellant burning at any given time.
[0007] Typical ignition systems for propellant incorporate detonating or deflagrating materials in a cord-like format. Such ignition systems, however, ignite only small areas of the propellant immediately adjacent to the detonating or deflagrating cord. In addition, detonating cords tend to have two problems: (1) if too brisant, the cord tends to shatter the surrounding propellant, resulting in initial burn areas that are unknown and difficult to model; and (2) the cord only ignites small areas immediately adjacent to the cord, relying on flame spread to initiate adjacent surface areas. Deflagrating cords have limited burn rates (on the order of 1000 ft/sec) that are insufficient to ignite large areas of the propellant surface within a multi-millisecond time frame.
[0008] If ignition of the propellant is limited to small areas of the propellant surface, the flame from the initial burning area of the propellant must spread across the face of the propellant to ignite the remaining surface area. This flame spread rate is a key limiting factor to achieving proper pressure loading rates and adequate minimum pressures for fracture propagation in the surrounding formations. If the flame spread from a localized ignition point is too slow, then the burning surface area at any given point in time will be limited, and the overall time that the propellant burns to completion may have to be extended sufficiently to compensate for the reduced amount of time that pressures exceed the minimum required fracture extension pressure, resulting in a longer but less efficient propellant burn.
[0009] In addition, the propellant burn should be predictable and reproducible for the purpose of accurately modeling the fracturing process. It is difficult to accurately model a propellant burn unless the entire exposed surface of the propellant is ignited almost simultaneously. Modeling of propellants has been contemplated in the past, but with the assumption that ignition of the propellant surface over the entire exposed area of the propellant is simultaneous. Practically speaking, such simultaneous ignition is difficult to achieve.
[0010] The problem is further complicated by the presence of well fluids. When propellants are submerged in well fluids such as water (or water and potassium chloride), flame spread rates tend to decrease. In addition, certain chemical coverings that are used as surface coatings on propellants to prevent leaching of the propellant fuel oxidizers into the surrounding well fluids also tend to inhibit the flame spread rate, thus exacerbating the problem. When such coatings are not applied to the surface of the propellant, sufficient leaching of the fuel oxidizer can take place over relatively short periods of time (i.e., about 1 hour) to result not only in a reduction in the available energy to do work on the formation, but also create an outer boundary layer absent of fuel oxidizer and comprised primarily of the propellant binder, which tends to inhibit the flame spread rate because the exposed fuel oxidizer in the binder has been leached away. Furthermore, because gas generation is a function of the area of propellant burning at any given time, it is also useful to engineer a propellant fracturing system that accounts for the required initial burning surface area to provide adequate pressure rise, in addition to taking into account the flame spread rate.
[0011] In addition, it would be preferable to configure the propellant such that there is a rapid decrease in the burning surface area, rather than a slow regressive decrease in area to maintain the pressures above that of the fracture extension pressure as long as possible. This provides the most efficient use of the available bond energy of the propellant that is burned in the well.
[0012] In summary, the prior art has the following shortcomings:
Detonating cord does not ignite sufficient surface area and relies on flame spread. Detonating cord, if made too energetic to overcome the limited ignition area problem, can be too brisant and may shatter the propellant, resulting in an unknown burning surface area. Flame spread is too slow to achieve adequate burning surface area of propellant for proper loading rate to cause multiple fractures. Slow flame spread results in slow pressure rise, increasing heat loss by conduction into the surrounding well fluids, reducing the useful work available to extend fractures. Insufficient burning surface areas do not result in generated pressures above that of fracture extension, limiting effectiveness. Burning rate and flame spread are limited when the propellant is surrounded by well fluids. Sealers tend to inhibit the flame spread.
[0020] Solution to the Problem. One solution to address the problems discussed above is to rapidly ignite the entire surface of the propellant charge by means of a metallic foil (e.g., a bimetallic nickel-aluminum, nickel-palladium, or nickel-zirconium foil) in order to produce a burn that is reproducible, and can be accurately modeled to predict the resulting conditions in the well and surrounding strata during the fracturing process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] This invention provides an apparatus for fracturing wells that employs a propellant charge with a metallic foil to rapidly ignite the surface of the propellant charge. The resulting rapid ignition of the propellant surface can be modeled more accurately and results in a more efficient use of the propellant charge in fracturing the well.
[0022] These and other advantages, features, and objects of the present invention will be more readily understood in view of the following detailed description and the drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The present invention can be more readily understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional diagram of a well 10 with a packer 12 and a series of propellant charges 20 .
[0025] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a propellant assembly prior to ignition.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the propellant assembly in FIG. 2 after ignition.
[0027] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the propellant assembly prior to ignition.
[0028] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the propellant assembly in FIG. 4 after ignition.
[0029] FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of another embodiment of the propellant assembly.
[0030] FIG. 7 is an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the embodiment of the propellant assembly shown in FIG. 6 .
[0031] FIG. 8 is a top view of another embodiment of the propellant assembly using a series of bimetallic ignition strip fuses 80 to ignite the metallic foil 30 . A portion of the outer protective layer 40 has been removed to show the ignition strip fuses 80 and foil 30 .
[0032] FIG. 9 is an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0033] Turning to FIG. 2 , a cross-sectional view is shown of one embodiment of the propellant assembly prior to ignition. The propellant charge has been divided longitudinally into two segments 20 a and 20 b having opposing interior surfaces. Alternatively, the propellant charge could be divided into thirds, quarters, or any other desired fractional shape. The outer surface of the combined segments of the propellant charge 20 a , 20 b has a generally cylindrical shape with dimensions suitable for insertion into a well bore.
[0034] A metallic foil 30 is sandwiched adjacent to the interior surfaces of propellant segments 20 a , 20 b and optionally around the circumference of the propellant to ignite these surfaces. Bimetallic foils 30 have been demonstrated to generate enough heat to ignite the surfaces of the propellant segments 20 a , 20 b . For example, a bimetallic foil having a thickness of approximately 30 microns made of nickel-aluminum, nickel-palladium or nickel-zirconium has been found to be suitable, although other metallic foils could be substituted. It should be understood that a thin metallic mesh could also be substituted, and should be interpreted as falling with the scope of a “foil” for the purposes of this invention.
[0035] An ignition element 50 is employed to initially ignite the metallic foil 30 . Preferably, an extremely mild detonating cord is used as the ignition element 50 . The detonating cord is sufficiently mild to not shatter the foil 30 or propellant segments 20 a , 20 b , yet it ignites the metallic foil 30 , which in turn ignites the propellant segments 20 a , 20 b . For example, a mild detonating cord having 2.5 grains per foot of HNS explosive sheathed in lead could be employed. The detonating cord 50 can be ignited conventionally (e.g., with an igniter patch). The detonating cord 50 can either be enclosed in a metal sheath (e.g., a lead or mild steel tube), or placed directly in contact with the foil 30 . Mild detonating cord is also commercially available with various metal sheathes, such as silver, aluminum or tin.
[0036] The propellant 20 a , 20 b is configured to directly contact the metallic foil 30 such that it maximizes the exposure to the fuel oxidizer component of the propellant 20 . The mild detonating cord has a burn rate of approximately 17,000-20,000 ft per second, and thus the metallic foil 30 is ignited along the area adjacent to the mild detonating cord 50 within approximately 2.5 milliseconds for a practical-sized propellant treatment (less than 50 ft). Note that most propellant treatments are in the range of 10 to 20 ft., reducing this initiation time to less than 1 millisecond. The metallic foil 30 is then ignited. Because the foil 30 ignites all or nearly all of the exposed interior surfaces of the propellant segments 20 a , 20 b , and because the distance that the foil 30 must ignite is limited to the approximate radius of the propellant charge 30 , the burn rate of the foil 30 is not as critical as the detonating cord 50 . Furthermore, the propellant area adjacent to the foil 30 can be roughened by cutting, rather than extruded, thus exposing more fuel oxidizer to facilitate ignition. After the propellant 20 is burning, combustion gases 55 generated from the burn are directed as shown in FIG. 3 , thereby preventing any well fluid from entering the area of burn. This allows the propellant 20 to establish and maintain a rapid burn.
[0037] Alternatively a rapid deflagrating cord could be employed in place of detonating cord, although rapid deflagrating cord has a much slower speed on the order of about 1000 ft/sec. Both detonating cord and deflagrating cord should be considered as examples of the types of the ignition elements that could be employed.
[0038] The entire propellant assembly can be wrapped or sealed in a protective layer or coating 40 as depicted in the cross-section view provided in FIG. 2 . The propellant assembly can be wrapped in a water-tight aluminum scrim, heat shrink plastic, or other similar materials. For example, the propellant assembly can be wrapped with a polymeric or fluoroelastomeric shrink-wrap material, such as the VTN-200 material marketed by the 3M Corporation of St. Paul, Minn.
[0039] The protective layer 40 serves to protect the propellant assembly during transportation, handling, and insertion into the well bore. In particular, the protective layer 40 keeps all propellant and related ignition components dry, thus reducing leaching and eliminating the requirement to apply a sealer. It also compresses the propellant segments 20 a and 20 b against the foil 30 , facilitating heat transfer and ignition. Thus, there is little inhibition to flames spreading along the surfaces of the segments 20 a , 20 b of the propellant charge. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the propellant assembly in FIG. 2 after ignition. The sharp increase in pressure resulting from the combustion gases produced by the propellant charge 20 ruptures the protective layer 40 . As a result, sufficient surface area can be rapidly initiated as required to provide controlled pressure loading and sustained to assure fracture extensions which result in more efficient use of the propellant bond energy for improved production that would result from such multiple fractures and their extension.
[0040] An alternative embodiment of the propellant assembly is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with the detonating cord 50 in a groove on the outer surface of the propellant charge 20 . A protective coating 40 covers both the detonating cord 50 and propellant charge 20 to keep them dry. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the propellant assembly prior to ignition and FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the propellant assembly after ignition.
[0041] An additional embodiment of the propellant assembly is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 with metallic foil 30 covering the exterior surface of the propellant charge 20 . FIG. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of this embodiment of the propellant assembly and FIG. 7 is an orthogonal cross-sectional view. A protective layer 40 covers the foil 30 and propellant charge 20 . The metallic foil 30 adjacent to the exterior surface of the propellant charge 20 is ignited by a small piece of propellant 53 at one or more locations in the assembly. A number of channels or grooves 25 in the exterior surface of the propellant charge 20 can be used to facilitate the spread of hot combustion gases from the ignition element 53 over large areas of the metallic foil 30 .
[0042] For example, a dowel or rod 53 of propellant could be used for this purpose as the ignition element for the foil 30 . The propellant dowel 53 is ignited by a shaped charge igniter 51 that fires through an isolating bulkhead 52 into the top of the propellant assembly. The propellant dowel 53 then ignites producing a burst of hot gas that is oriented directionally along the channels 25 down the longitude of the propellant charge 20 . This burst of hot gases produces temperatures over large areas of the foil 30 sufficient to ignite the foil 30 very rapidly. In turn, the foil 30 rapidly ignites the exterior surface of the propellant 20 beneath the protective layer 40 . The protective layer 40 is distended and then ruptured by the internal pressure created by these combustion gases.
[0043] Alternatively, the metallic foil could be ignited electrically using capacitors in an electrical circuit to create the required power output to simultaneously ignite bimetallic ignition strip fuses 80 that in turn ignite the metallic foil 30 at multiple locations. FIG. 8 is a top view of this embodiment with a portion of the outer protective layer 40 removed to show the ignition strip fuses 80 and metallic foil 30 . FIG. 9 is an orthogonal cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 8 . Positive and negative wire braid conductors 82 and 83 are connected to the electrical power source and run longitudinally along the propellant assembly. These leads 82 , 83 are diametrically-opposed to one another and are shown at the top and bottom in FIG. 9 . The metallic foil 30 does not completely cover the circumference of the propellant charge 20 , but rather leaves two narrow, diametrically-opposed gaps beneath the conductors 82 , 83 . As shown in FIG. 9 , this results in an electrical path running from the upper conductor 82 through the upper set of ignition strip fuses 80 , both sides of the metallic foil 30 , and the lower set of ignition strip fuses 80 to the lower conductor 83 . The electrical current through the ignition strip fuses 80 causes them to ignite, which in turn ignites the metallic foil 30 and the propellant 20 . The ignition strip fuses 80 can be located at selected intervals along the length of the propellant assembly, as shown in FIG. 8 , to achieve a desired pressure rise. The capacitors can be charged by the wire line conveying device, or batteries in tubing conveyed applications.
[0044] The above disclosure sets forth a number of embodiments of the present invention described in detail with respect to the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in this art will appreciate that various changes, modifications, other structural arrangements, and other embodiments could be practiced under the teachings of the present invention without departing from the scope of this invention as set forth in the following claims.
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An apparatus for fracturing wells employs a propellant charge with a metallic foil to rapidly ignite the surface of the propellant charge. The assembly can be covered with an protective coating to protect against fluids in the well bore.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for setting a temperature of a glow plug, in particular for igniting a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine in which the temperature of the glow plug is set with the aid of a control as a function of a resistance of the glow plug, as well as a control unit for carrying out the method.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
[0002] Glow plugs, which are installed in internal combustion engines for igniting a fuel/air mixture, are preheated in the cold state until their temperature is high enough to be sufficient to ignite the fuel/air mixture. For this purpose, the glow plug has a heater which applies an excessively high heating voltage to the cold glow plug during a short time period of 1 to 2 seconds, so that the glow plug is overloaded at this point in time. After completion of this so-called push phase, the tip of the glow plug reaches a temperature of more than 1000° C., while the rest of the glow plug still has a temperature which is way below this temperature of 1000° C.
[0003] By activating the glow plug using an excessively high heating voltage, a temperature overshoot is produced on the glow plug. The temperature of the glow plug reached during the preheating phase represents an input variable for a control using which the temperature of the glow plug is set if same has reached a steady-state temperature characteristic. Since this input variable for the control is, however, ascertained during a transient reaction, this results in errors during the following control.
SUMMARY
[0004] An object underlying the present invention is thus to provide a method for controlling the temperature of a glow plug in which the temperature overshoot occurring during the preheating phase is reliably prevented, although the glow plug is acted on by an excessively high heating voltage.
[0005] According to the present invention, the object is achieved in that the temperature is controlled in a preheating phase of the glow plug in which an overvoltage is applied to the glow plug. The advantage of the present invention is that the glow temperature is now modulated at high quality over the entire glow process of the glow plug, and the control of the glow temperature takes place at every point in time of the glow phase, advantageously also during the preheating phase (push phase) during which the heater of the glow plug applies an excessively high heating voltage to the cold glow plug during a short time period of 1 to 2 seconds. This makes it possible to better manage the preheating phase during a key start as well as during long starting phases.
[0006] To control the temperature of the glow plug during the preheating phase, a resistance difference, which exists in relation to a measured resistance at the end of the preheating phase, is advantageously anticipatorily determined during the preheating phase with the aid of a physical model. In this way, the temperature is controlled with the aid of the predictive model during the preheating phase during which an overvoltage is applied to the glow plug. In this way, the preheating phase of the glow plug is more robust, since no or only small temperature overshoots occur and exact input values are also made available for the control of the further glow characteristic of the glow plug. Thus, the control is closely adjusted to the desirable temperature setpoint value already during the preheating phase. By determining the resistance difference, the input variable of the resistance is initialized for the control, and the point in time is also taken into account during the initial energization of the glow plug. Furthermore, the development effort is reduced, since an application for a controlled preheating is not necessary and the input parameters are determined only once and are maintained for the lifetime of the glow plug.
[0007] In one embodiment, the measured resistance of the glow plug is added to the resistance difference, and the sum formed from the measured resistance and the resistance difference is supplied to the control. In this way, the measured resistance is increased by an anticipatorily determined absolute value which corresponds to the temperature actually occurring in the glow plug during the preheating phase.
[0008] In one refinement, the resistance difference includes multiple, in particular summed up, partial resistance differences, each partial resistance difference being determined as a function of at least one operating parameter of the glow plug. In this way, the state of the glow plug is characterized at the start of a glow process during the initial energization of the glow plug and optimized by using corresponding characteristic curves.
[0009] In one variant, a first partial resistance difference is determined as a function of an energy content of the glow plug which the glow plug has at the point in time of the start of the glow process. In this way, the initial characteristic of the glow plug at the point in time of the start of the glow process is taken into account for the determination of the resistance difference.
[0010] In particular, the energy content of the glow plug is characterized by an initial resistance, an initial amount of heat, or an initial performance. Thus, the heat balance of the cold glow plug prior to the initial energization is taken into account. Since, for example, the initial resistance of the cold glow plug is very small, while the initial resistance of a glow plug which has already been preheated once is greater, it is ensured that the correct input variable is always used for the determination of the resistance difference.
[0011] In another specific embodiment, a second partial resistance difference is determined as a function of a temperature setpoint value of the glow plug which the glow plug should have at the end of the glow process. By incorporating the temperature setpoint value, it is ensured during modeling that the end state of the glow plug in the form of the temperature setpoint value, which is to be reached and which corresponds to the temperature to be set at the end of the heating process of the glow plug following the preheating phase, is also taken into account.
[0012] Furthermore, a third partial resistance difference is determined as a function of a starting temperature of the glow plug which the glow plug has at the point in time of the start of the glow process. Since the glow plug behaves differently at different temperatures during the initial start, this starting temperature of the glow plug is also taken into account to be able to model the correct behavior of the glow plug.
[0013] In particular, the starting temperature corresponds to an ambient temperature of the glow plug at the point in time of the start of the glow process. The ambient temperature of the glow plug is easily ascertainable, since motor vehicles, in whose internal combustion engines glow plugs are installed, have an outside temperature gauge. In this way, additional hardware for determining the ambient temperature may be dispensed with.
[0014] Advantageously, a fourth partial resistance difference is determined as a function of a glow process of the glow plug which directly precedes the start of the glow process. This, in particular, accounts for the state of the glow plug which the glow plug had when the ignition of the internal combustion engine, which results in the glow plug being heated, took place, was turned off shortly after, and was reactivated within a few moments.
[0015] In one embodiment, the directly preceding glow process is characterized by its glow period or glow energy, a factor, which is multiplied by the fourth partial resistance difference and added to the resistance difference, being determined as a function of an initial resistance of the glow plug. The glow period, which corresponds to the switch-on time of the glow plug, allows conclusions to be drawn regarding how much energy is still stored in the glow plug. Depending on the degree of the starting resistance set during the preceding glow period of the glow plug, the fourth partial resistance difference, which was ascertained as a function of the glow period preceding the glow process, is added to the resistance difference.
[0016] In another variant, a temperature actual value is ascertained from a characteristic curve, which is determined individually for each glow plug during the heated, steady-state operation of the glow plug, based on the sum of the measured resistance and the resistance difference, the temperature actual value being subtracted from the temperature setpoint value, the thus ascertained temperature difference being supplied to the control from which an activating voltage for the glow plug is ascertained in order to set the desired temperature setpoint value. The incorporation of the resistance difference into the determination of the temperature actual value results in a control of the temperature of the glow plug being ensured even during the rapid preheating phase.
[0017] One refinement of the present invention relates to a control unit for setting a temperature of a glow plug, in particular for igniting a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine which sets the temperature as a function of a resistance of the glow plug with the aid of a control. To prevent temperature overshoots from occurring during the preheating phase, an arrangement is present which controls the temperature during a preheating phase during which an overvoltage is applied to the glow plug.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the system of a glow plug in an internal combustion engine.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration regarding the modeling of the temperature of a glow plug during a rapid preheating phase.
[0020] FIG. 3 shows a temperature/time diagram with and without predictive temperature modeling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0021] Cold internal combustion engines, in particular diesel engines, require a starting aid for igniting the fuel/air mixture introduced into the diesel engine in the case of ambient temperatures of <40° C. As the starting aid, glow systems are then used which include glow plugs, a glow control unit, and a glow software which is stored in an engine control unit or in the glow control unit. Moreover, glow systems are also used to improve the emissions of the vehicle. Other areas of application for the glow system are the burner exhaust gas system, the engine block heater, when preheating the fuel (flex fuel) or when preheating the cooling water.
[0022] FIG. 1 shows such a glow system 1 . Here, a glow plug 2 protrudes into combustion chamber 3 of diesel engine 4 . Glow plug 2 is on the one hand connected to glow control unit 5 and on the other hand leads to a battery 6 which activates glow plug 2 at the nominal voltage of 11 volts, for example. Glow control unit 5 is connected to engine control unit 7 which, in turn, leads to diesel engine 4 .
[0023] To ignite the fuel/air mixture, glow plug 2 is preheated by the application of an overvoltage during a preheating phase, also referred to as a push phase, which lasts for 1 to 2 seconds. The electric power which is thus supplied to glow plug 2 is converted into heat in a heater coil (not illustrated in greater detail), which is why the temperature rises rapidly at the tip of glow plug 2 .
[0024] The heating power of the heater coil is adapted via electronic glow control unit 5 to the requirement of particular diesel engine 4 . The fuel/air mixture is conducted past the hot tip of glow plug 2 and heats up in the process. In conjunction with an intake air heating during the compressor stroke of diesel engine 4 , the combustion temperature of the fuel/air mixture is reached.
[0025] Glow plug 2 has different glow phases. As already explained above, an overvoltage, which is above the nominal voltage of glow plug 2 , is supplied to cold glow plug 2 during a preheating phase which lasts for 1 to 2 seconds. During this short time period, the tip of the glow plug is heated to approximately 1000° C., while the rest of glow plug 2 is still below this temperature, whereby a non-steady-state temperature characteristic forms within glow plug 2 . This preheating phase is followed by a heating phase of glow plug 2 during which the non-steady-state temperature distribution is balanced out to a steady-state temperature distribution over entire glow plug 2 . Such a heating phase normally lasts for approximately 30 seconds. After the preheating phase of the glow plug, the resistance difference is dynamically adapted during the heating phase. The heating phase is followed by the glow phase during which a steady-state temperature distribution is ensured over the entire glow plug.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a schematic diagram for temperature modeling of glow plug 2 during the rapid preheating phase which is integrated as software into engine control unit 7 or glow control unit 5 and is taken into account there in the case of a temperature control of the glow plug. A temperature setpoint value T DES is provided as the control input variable by engine control unit 7 for the general temperature control of glow plug 2 in the course of the entire glow process. At the same time, a resistance Rm of the glow plug is measured which represents a value for the instantaneous temperature at glow plug 2 . This measured resistance Rm is determined for each energization process which takes place in consistent time intervals. In a block 17 , this measured resistance Rm is added to a resistance difference ΔR which is determined with the aid of a predictive model 8 . This predictive model 8 models the temperature of glow plug 2 during the rapid preheating phase. An initial resistance R01 of glow plug 2 is initially ascertained within predictive model 8 . This initial resistance R01 is supplied to a characteristic curve 9 which was ascertained during the steady-state operation of the glow plug. A first partial resistance difference ΔR1 is ascertained from this characteristic curve 9 based on measured initial resistance R01.
[0027] Temperature setpoint value T DES , which identifies the end temperature of glow plug 2 to be reached, is provided as another input variable of predictive model 8 . This temperature setpoint value T DES is provided on another characteristic curve 10 as an input variable which is also used to ascertain a second partial resistance difference ΔR2. Partial resistance differences ΔR1 and ΔR2 thus ascertained are added in block 14 .
[0028] In addition to the already mentioned input variables in the form of initial resistance R01 and of temperature setpoint value T DES , operating temperature Tc of glow plug 2 is determined at the point in time of the start of the glow process, i.e., at point in time t=0. Third partial resistance difference ΔR3 is determined from this temperature Tc with the aid of a third characteristic curve 11 . In block 15 , third partial resistance difference ΔR3 is added to first and second partial resistance differences ΔR1 and ΔR2. These input variables in the form of initial resistance R01, temperature setpoint value T DES , and operating temperature Tc are determined once at point in time t=0 upon activation of glow plug 2 and may be stored in engine control unit 7 or glow control unit 5 .
[0029] To take into account that, shortly before the glow process to be carried out, glow plug 2 has already been subjected once to a glow process from which glow plug 2 has not yet sufficiently cooled down, a glow time/glow energy E (E=U*I*t) of the glow process of glow plug 2 , which directly preceded the instantaneous glow process, is taken into account. A fourth partial resistance difference ΔR4 is determined from glow time/glow energy E with the aid of a fourth characteristic curve 12 . Since due to glow time/glow energy E of the directly preceding glow process the resistance of glow plug 2 changes if the heat, which has built up during the preceding glow process within glow plug 2 , has not yet cooled down, resistance R01 is supplied to another characteristic curve 13 which supplies as a result a factor F which is multiplied by fourth partial resistance difference ΔR4 in block 22 . Factor F is selected here in such a way that it is equal to 1 if initial resistance R01, which was measured once, is greater than a predefined threshold value of resistance R01. Factor F moves towards the value zero if initial resistance R01 is lower than the predefined threshold value of resistance R01. This poses the precondition that the input variables of glow time/glow energy E having the modification of initial resistance R01, associated therewith, are only used to determine resistance difference ΔR if glow plug 2 still has a sufficiently large resistance which is accompanied by a changed temperature of glow plug 2 , due to a preceding glow process. In block 16 , fourth partial resistance difference ΔR4 is added to previously described partial resistance differences ΔR1, ΔR2, and ΔR3, resulting in a resistance difference ΔR which corresponds to a predetermined temperature which occurs at the end of the preheating process at glow plug 2 .
[0030] In block 17 , resistance difference ΔR, determined in predictive model 8 , is added to measured resistance Rm. This sum of resistance difference ΔR and measured resistance Rm is supplied to a characteristic curve 18 in which the resistance is plotted against the temperature. This characteristic curve 18 is a characteristic curve ascertained individually for each glow plug 2 in the case of a steady-state temperature distribution, since glow plugs have discrete transfer functions due to production tolerances. A basis temperature TBAS of glow plug 2 is ascertained from this resistance/temperature characteristic curve 18 . In block 19 , this basis temperature TBAS is aligned with a heat conduction model in which it is taken into account to what extent there is a temperature difference between the inside of the heater of glow plug 2 and the surface temperature of glow plug 2 . In block 19 , a temperature difference is supplied to basis temperature TBAS, the sum of which yields actual temperature T ACT of glow plug 2 . This actual temperature T ACT is now used in the control cycle where it is subtracted from temperature setpoint value T DES in block 20 . The difference between temperature setpoint value T DES and actual temperature T ACT is supplied to a controller 21 which determines a voltage U GOV which is supplied to glow plug 2 , in particular to the heater of glow plug 2 , for rapidly setting temperature setpoint value T DES .
[0031] FIG. 3 shows two temperature-time diagrams in which measured temperature T m is illustrated without predictive modeling ( FIG. 3 a ) and with predictive modeling ( FIG. 3 b ). It is apparent from FIG. 3 a that measured temperature T m , which is to be adjusted to temperature setpoint value T DES , has, shortly after the start of the glow process, a temperature overshoot which approaches temperature setpoint value T DES only after a period of approximately 30 seconds. For comparison purposes, temperature T mo is illustrated which is modeled mathematically according to FIG. 2 without model 8 and which reaches the level of temperature setpoint value T DES approximately after 5 seconds, and is controlled around this level.
[0032] In contrast, FIG. 3 b shows the characteristic of measured temperature T m taking into account resistance difference ΔR anticipatorily determined with the aid of predictive temperature model 8 . Measured temperature T m does not show a temperature overshoot, but approaches modeled temperature T m immediately after the preheating phase. With the aid of this control, temperature setpoint value T DES is reached already after approximately 4 seconds and is controlled around this level.
[0033] Due to predictive model 8 , it is possible that a temperature control of glow plug 2 may occur not only during the steady-state operation, during which fluctuations between the resistance and temperature no longer occur, but also during the non-steady-state operation, preferably during the rapid preheating phase at the start of the glow process and during the heating phase. During the temperature modeling of glow plug 2 in the rapid preheating phase, it is modeled how large resistance difference ΔR will be at the end of the preheating process, this resistance difference ΔR being supplied to the control process as an input variable.
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A method is described for setting a temperature of a glow plug, in particular for igniting a fuel/air mixture in an internal combustion engine in which the temperature of the glow plug is set as a function of a resistance of the glow plug with the aid of a control. To prevent temperature overshoots from occurring during the preheating phase of the glow plug, the temperature is controlled with the aid of a predictive model during a preheating phase during which an overvoltage is applied to the glow plug.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to carburetors and carburetor air filters and especially to a system for heating the air passing through the carburetor by means of an independent heating element and blower.
In the past, it has been common to provide carburetors on internal combustion engines with various devices to increase the efficiency of the carburetor during normal operation and especially during warm up of the engine when the car is first started. In normal operation, heated water from the engine is sometimes directed adjacent the carburetor to heat the carburetor and the gas and air passing therethrough to increase the efficiency of the operation of the vaporization of the gas and of the operation of the engine. Many internal combustion engines on automobiles have valves for directing warm exhaust air into pipes adjacent the carburetor for heating the carburetor rather than using hot water. However, these heating devices are ineffective until the engine is sufficiently warm to produce the necessary heat to heat the carburetor and the gas being fed thereinto. To start a cold engine, a choking mechanism is generally used which reduces the amount of air that enters the carburetor relative to the amount of gas being fed to the carburetor to substantially enrich the mixture of the air being fed to the engine until the engine is warmed up. In addition, accelerator valves and other devices splash gasoline into the carburetor to substantially enrich the mixture. This makes the engine start better and run better initially but substantially reduces the efficiency of the engine which frequently also has a device for increasing the idling speed of the engine while the engine is warming up and thereby further reducing the efficiency of operation of the engine. It has also been suggested in various prior patents to provide various means for heating the gasoline being fed to the carburetor along with heating elements and the like and also to return exhaust gases to the intake manifold in order to reduce the pollution output of the engine.
In addition, there have been various U.S. patents for heating the air and gas being fed to the carburetor such as U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,366 for a control device for the air intake of carburetor-type internal combustion engines and U.S. Pat. No. 3,777,728 for a process and apparatus for assisting in starting internal combustion engines by heating the intake air of an fuel-air mixture before the air reaches the carburetor of the engine with a halogen bulb enclosed by a metal grid through which the intake air flows. U.S. Pat. No. 3,782,349 teaches an intake air temperature automatic adjusting device and air cleaner with such device for internal combustion engines while U.S. Pat. No. 2,756,730 teaches a water cooler and hot air intake assembly in which the heated water from the engine cooling system heats the intake air being fed to the carburetor. U.S. Pat. No. 3,830,210 illustrates an air intake system with a temperature control warm air valve which directs warm air via a flat valve to the air filter from the manifolds of the engine. U.S. Pat. No. 3,672,342 illustrates a system for controlling air and fuel temperature utilizing a small heat exchanger for mixing heated and ambient air being fed to the carburetor while U.S. Pat. No. 1,381,434 illustrates a liquid fuel internal combustion engine of an older type.
The present invention on the other hand teaches a system which is readily attachable to existing vehicles or which may be added to new vehicles which allows the air to be heated in a cold engine just being started and to heat the air, as well as to direct some of the heated air for heating the carburetor and gas being fed to the carburetor while also applying a positive pressure of air from a blower.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines and especially to internal combustion engines for automobiles and to carburetors for vaporizing the fuel for the vehicle. A carburetor air cleaner adapted to fit upon an engine carburetor is provided with a plurality of electrical heating elements to heat the air passing into the air cleaner and into the carburetor. The heating elements are thermostatically controlled to operate only when the entering air is blowing a predetermined temperature and an electrical motor driven blower is attached to the air cleaner casing to blow warm air into the air filter and into the carburetor. An opening in the bottom of the air cleaner has a deflector plate for directing warm air against the carburetor bowl and beneath the air filter casing for the accumulation of warm air thereunder for heating the carburetor and the gas therein being fed into the carburetor. The blower has a swirl plate for causing a swirling motion of the air entering the air cleaner to increase the efficiency of the flow of the air and an adjustable thermostat for disengaging the heating elements when the air passing therethrough reaches a predetermined temperature.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the present invention attached to the carburetor of an internal combustion engine.
FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view of the heating elements of the invention of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the heating elements and air cleaner illustrating the flow of air through the air filter casing. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a blower having a swirl plate attached thereto; and
FIG. 5 is a cutaway top plan view and electrical schematic of the invention illustrating the flow of the air and the operation of the system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings, an engine 10 is illustrated having a carburetor 11 attached thereto with an air filter casing 12 mounted on the carburetor 11. Air filter casing 12 has a removable top 13 held with a wing nut 14 which top 13 allows the removal and replacement of an air filter. Carburetor 11 has a fuel line 15 feeding into the carburetor bowl 16 where the gas is held temporarily while being fed into the throat of the carburetor. The carburetor also has an accelerator linkage 17. The air filter 12 has an air intake spout 18 whereby air comes into the air spout 18 at the opening, circles around the filter inside the filter casing 12 and into the throat of the carburetor 11.
In the present invention a squirrel cage blower 20 has an electric motor drive 21 connected by electrical conductors 22 through the ignition switch to the battery of the vehicle. The blower 20 is attached through a flange 23 to cover the end of the air intake spout 18 which has been provided with a flange 24 which flanges may be bolted together with bolts 25. It will, of course, be clear that other means of attaching the air blower 20 to the filter casing 12 or air intake spout 18 can be provided without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The blower 20 blows a larger volume of air under increased pressure into the air filter casing 12 and into the throat of the carburetor 11. A plurality of heating elements 25 have been mounted in the air intake spout 18 from the positive base 26 across to a negative base 27 so as to heat the air passing through the air intake spout 18 and into the carburetor. Heating elements 25 are connected through a thermostat 28 having a control panel 30 for adjusting the exact temperature in which the heating elements 25 are to come on and be disconnected. The thermostat in turn is connected through conductors 30, and through the ignition switch to the battery. The particular thermostat in this case is a flat plate thermostat having a plate on the bottom thereof that reads the temperature for actuating the thermostat. It will, of course, be clear that other types of thermostats, such as those having a probe sticking into the passageway of the air intake spout 18, may also be utilized within the scope of the invention.
At this point it can be seen that the blower 20 applies positive air pressure into the spout 18 and into the air filter casing 12 to the carburetor, blowing the air past the heating elements so that warm air is directed into the carburetor. This allows better vaporization of the fuel and allows a better operation of the engine during starting and warm up and also allows the carburetor 11 to be utilized without an automatic choke which is one of the more troublesome features of most carburetors while increasing the efficiency of the engine and saving fuel. The air being blown into the casing 12 which has been warmed is also directed through an opening 31 located in the bottom of the filter casing 12 and having a deflector plate 32 thereon which can be cut and formed directly from the bottom of the casing 12. The opening is located directly over the carburetor fuel bowl 16 so that warm air is directed directly thereupon as soon as the ignition is turned on to start warming the gas in the bowl prior to the gas entering the carburetor which is accomplished very rapidly because of the warm air blowing directly upon the metal. The air also circulates around the carburetor, and accumulates under the filter casing 12 which casing generally has an arcuate under surface 33 to help maintain the warm air while the entire carburetor is being warmed. Once the engine is warmed up and warm air is being received by air filter casing 12 having an air filter 34 therein, the thermostat 28 will switch off the heating coils 25. The filter 34 forces the air which is being applied under greater pressure and a higher velocity into the casing 12 to circulate around the outside of the filter 34 thereby directing additional air through the opening 31.
In FIG. 4 a swirl plate 35 is illustrated attached by bolts 36 to the blower 20 which plate has a disc shape and has randomly placed openings 37 therethrough which forces the air to circulate or swirl better, increasing the turbulence and efficiency of the system. The blades 38 of the squirrel cage blower 20 can also be seen in this view. It should, of course, be clear that while a particular swirl plate 35 has been illustrated, other types such as those having vanes or slits can also be utilized without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
FIG. 5 more clearly shows the overall operation including a wiring diagram having the ignition switch 40 which is connected through a conductor 41 to the battery and through a conductor 42 to a fuse block 43 which in turn is connected through a conductor 30 to the thermostat 28. The fuse block is also connected through conductors 22 to the motor 21 and both are connected to ground through a ground wire 44.
It should be clear at this point that an improved carburation system has been provided in which actuation of the ignition of a vehicle will allow warm air to be directed directly into the carburetor and around the carburetor to warm the carburetor providing conditions in the carburetor similar to those that are provided in a warmed up engine thereby eliminating the necessity of an automatic choke and improving the efficiency by reducing the inefficiency of the enriched mixtures, and the sloshing of gas in a cold engine while also providing additional advantages such as slower idling during warm up with the elimination of special fast idling mechanisms while reducing dieseling of the heating engine by the continued blowing of air by the blower 20. It will, of course, be clear that the blower 20 operates at all times giving an increased air pressure to the carburetor while the heating elements are switched on and off automatically by the thermostat 28. Thus, the air being blown by the blower 20 into the air intake 12 and through the opening 31 actually helps cool the carburetor after the engine has been substantially warmed up.
The present invention stabilizes the temperatures of the air and fuel entering the carburetor at all times that the engine is in operation by heating the cold carburetor, air and fue when starting the engine and then cooling the carburetor once the engine is heated up. The carburetor, fuel and air may be preheated by turning the ignition on prior to starting the engine. It should, therefore, be clear that other embodiments are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention which is not to be construed as limited to the particular forms disclosed herein since these are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.
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An air heater and blower system is incorporated into an air filter for an internal combustion engine carburetor and blows heated air into the filter and into the carburetor under control of a thermostat. The air filter has an opening and a deflector plate to deflect some of the heated air against the carburetor and bowl beneath the filter so as to accumulate heat around the carburetor under the filter casing thereby increasing the efficiency of the engine in cold weather or when the temperature drops below the setting of the thermostat.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
The present invention is directed generally to multi-layer combined rigid and flexible printed circuit configurations in which flexible sections extend from or join one or more rigid sections normally as part of the interconnect system used in electronic packaging.
Description of the Related Art
Processes and techniques for manufacturing multi-layer printed circuit devices have been evolving over a long period of time. In this regard, flexible circuits have been widely recognized as a substitute for wire harnesses because they are lighter, have greater flexibility, greater reliability and require less labor to assemble. As the complexity and the electrical performance requirements of printed circuits increased over a period of time there evolved a reduction in the trace widths, trace spaces and pad-to-hole ratio and, simultaneously, an increase in the complexity or number of conductor layers utilized. To meet this challenge, multi-layer flexible and rigid-flex circuits were developed.
Conventional flexible printed circuit material for rigid-flex manufacturing include Kapton (a trademark of E. I. Du Pont De Nemours and Company of wilmington, Delaware) for polyimide dielectric flexible film and acrylic adhesive materials. Other dielectric flexible files used for fabrication flexible printed circuits include Nomex, Mylar, for a polyester material and Teflon, for polytetrafluoroethylene, (all are also trademarks of Du Pont). Conventional flexible laminates consist of a flexible dielectric film such as polyimide film bonded to a copper substrate using a flexible type of adhesive. The conductive patterns on the flexible materials are formed by a print and etch operation. The etched flex layers are then laminated using heat and pressure with a cover layer material which includes a flexible dielectric film attached with a flexible type of adhesive.
Rigid printed circuit laminates are normally copper clad materials using an epoxy or a polyimide laminate. The conductive patterns on the rigid materials are also formed by a print and etch operation. The etched rigid layers are then laminated with other layers to make a rigid-flex printed circuit.
Multi-layer flexible circuits are normally built by using multiple individual flexible layers sandwiched using a flexible adhesive material for flexibility or with fiberglass sheets impregnated with a resin or adhesive such as epoxy and are known as "prepreg" (also referred to as a B-stage).
The rigid-flex printed circuits normally include individual flexible layers and rigid layers stacked to form a many-layered composite. The flexible layers are an integral part of both the flexible and rigid portions of the device; whereas, the rigid layers are normally a part of only the rigid portion of the device. Adhesive normally used to bond the rigid and flexible layers in a rigid-flex circuit board is normally either a flexible type such as an acrylic/epoxy adhesive or a rigid type, for example, glass reinforced prepreg.
The flexible dielectric and adhesive materials such as those recited above exhibit excellent flexibility, stability and heat resistance properties and can be readily bonded to copper sheets for circuit pattern delineation. However, difficulties have been encountered because of the relatively high co-efficient of thermal expansion associated with these materials compared to copper, tin/lead conductor and connecting materials. Thus, when the printed circuits using these materials are subjected to cyclical thermal environment, the flexible type of material expands and contracts at a much higher rate than the other materials used in the printed circuit fabrication.
Normally, the various layers of patterned circuits in the rigid and the flexible laminate are connected together electrically by utilizing "through-holes" which are holes drilled in the board and extending down through all the layers which are subsequently plated with a conducting material to form a coating on the inside of the hole in the form of a conductive layer which forms a common connection joining the layers connected by the given through-hole. The conductor is normally a copper or solder material depending on the application.
Because the flexible materials in the composite rigid-flex board expand at a much higher rate than the rigid materials, the expansion during soldering or other heat-related operations which take place after plating or cladding of the through-holes tends to create a great deal of stress relative to the connections between the various levels of patterned circuitry in the through-holes. If expansion along the through-holes in the direction normal to the plane of the laminated sandwich is sufficient, the integrity of the plated conductor in the holes may be broken. This also occurs after repeated cyclical stresses over a specified temperature range. In any event, this phenomenon causes failures in the printed circuits including a much higher rate of manufacturing rejection than is desirable.
One approach to solving this problem is illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,687,695 which describes a process for making flexible printed circuits which addresses the problem of fabricating through-holes in the rigid areas of the flexible circuit. That solution involves substituting epoxy glass or conventional rigid printed circuit materials for the flexible printed circuit material in the rigid areas of the flexible printed circuits. This process avoids the process of plating through-holes in flexible printed circuit materials at all.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
By means of the present invention many problems associated with thermal expansion in multi-layer flex and rigid-flex circuit boards have been solved by a provision of a process for making a new configuration of multi-layer printed circuit boards that overcomes the problems discussed above particularly related to thermal expansion. The multi-layer flex and rigid-flex board fabricated in accordance with the present invention substantially reduces the amount of expansion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the board which occurs between laminated pattern circuit layers in a manner that substantially reduces the tendency of the through-hole plated connections to fail. This is done without sacrificing the attributes of using some flexible material in the rigid zones.
The process of the preferred embodiment includes forming conductor patterns on a pair of conductor layers of the flexible material in both the rigid and flexible sections of the device utilizing imaging and etching techniques in a well-known manner. Thereafter flexible dielectric film layer is applied to the patterned conductor layers in the flexible sections using a flexible adhesive. The conductor patterns in the rigid material are also formed by utilizing imaging and etching techniques. The rigid material may then be removed in the flexible section of the device. The adhesive material utilized to laminate flexible layers in a multi-layer flex board and rigid layers flexible layers in a rigid-flex board may be removed in the flexible section of the device to add flexibility in the flexible section. The through-holes are then drilled in the structure and the joining conducting material plated therein.
In alternate process, the first pair of conductor layers are laminated on opposite surfaces of an insulator layer which has at least a partially flexible composition on the flexible sections and a rigid composition in the rigid sections.
Both embodiments create a laminar structure in which the patterned conductor layers are separated by one or more layers of reduced expansion material at the sites of the through-holes. The configurations made by these processes shows superior thermal stability. The flex layers used in the rigid sections normally are quite thin relative to the rigid layers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, wherein like numerals are utilized to designated like parts throughout the same;
FIG. 1 is a top plane view of a fragment of a multi-layer flexible printed circuit in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a elevational cross-section view of one embodiment of a multi-layer flexible circuit in accordance with the invention taken substantially along the lines 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a elevational cross-section view similar to FIG. 2 of an alternative embodiment of a multi-layer rigid-flex printed circuit of the invention;
FIG. 4 depicts the flexible material layers of a portion of the rigidized area of the configuration of FIGS. 2 and 3; and
FIG. 5 depicts a layered material stacked up in the rigidized area of a typical prior art multi-layer flex and multilayer rigid-flex printed circuit.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 depicts a plan view of a fragment of a typical rigidflex multi-layer printed circuit in accordance with the invention which may contain any number of laminated layers. The figure shows a conductor, normally copper, connecting the sites of two through-holes 13 contained in terminal pads 12 situated on top of a rigid or flexible dielectric layer as at 29. The through-holes 13 are located in rigid areas of the printed circuit and are designed to contain pins or connectors which may be soldered in place in a well-known manner.
As better shown in the general elevational cross-section view of FIG. 2, the fragment is generally divided into a flexible area 15 flanked by symmetrical or non-symmetrical rigid areas 16 and 17. Flexible area 15 is designed to allow the device to be connected or flexed at that point or bent as desired depending on the application. The illustrated system may, in turn, be one of many segments making up the total board thickness.
The laminated multi-layer flexible circuit board of FIG. 2 includes a central, normally rigid dielectric layer 18 which may be substantially composed of one or more fiberglass sheets impregnated with an adhesive such an epoxy commonly referred to as B-stage or prepreg. It is further understood that the layer 18 may also be composed of a flexible material, if desired. The layer 18 in the flexible area of FIG. 2 may be removed, if desired, to increase flexibility. Copper substrate layers 19 and 20 are respectively fixed by flexible adhesive layers 21 and 22 to flexible dielectric films 23 and 24. The electrical conductor layers 19 and 20 are patterned a desired by photo printing the desired circuit pattern on the material normally utilizing a negative photo resist. After the photo printing operation the unwanted copper is etched and the electrical conductors are established in the desired pattern on the copper substrate 19 or 20. Next, cover layers, each consisting of a respective flexible dielectric film layer attached by an adhesive layer are selectively attached to the flexible areas or sections. In this manner a cover layer consisting of flexible dielectric layer 25 of Kapton or the like is attached to the conductor layer 19 by adhesive 26, and dielectric layer 27 is attached to conductor layer 20 by adhesive 28. Additional flexible adhesive layers 29 and 30 attach the outer most conductive layers 11 and 11a.
The dielectric film specified in 23, 24, 25, 27 and the flexible type adhesive specified in 21, 22, 26, 28, 29 and 30 can be the same material, if desired. The cover layers such as 25 and 26 or 27 and 28, for example, are attached to the etched flexible printed circuit material using a lamination process. The lamination process utilizes heat and pressure and can be done with or without a vacuum. The cover layer is selectively laminated only in the flexible area 15 of the printed circuit so that the rigid areas 16 and I7 do not have the flexible type adhesive. So as to reduce stress concentrations at the rigid area and the flex area interface, especially when the flex area is bent, he selective cover layer lamination is preformed in a manner such that there may be a slight protrusion of the cover layer into the rigid areas 16 and 17 of the printed circuit. The protrusion of the cover layer is dependent on the specific application of the printed circuit.
This design represents an improvement over the prior art in which the cover layer lamination extended over the entire etched flexible printed circuit material encompassing both the rigid and flexible areas thereby introducing additional expansion in the direction normal to the surfaces of the layers. To introduce additional flexibility into the flexible area 15, it is further understood that the prepreg or flexible adhesive material 18 can be removed from the flexible are 15 during fabrication of the circuit.
FIG. 3 depicts a cross-sectional elevational view of a rigid-flex printed circuit which represents a slightly different embodiment from that of FIG. 2. In FIG. 3, patterned circuit layers 40 and 41 with cover layers are mounted back-to-back forming a laminate including dielectric layer 42 and adhesive layers 43 and 44 extending across flexible zone 45 and rigid zones 46 and 47. The conductor layers 40 and 41 are provided with respective cover layers in the flexible zone 45 including flexible adhesive layers 48 and 49 attached by adhesive layers 50 and 51. Additional rigid laminate layers 52 and 53 are provided in the rigid areas laminated by adhesive layers 54 and 55, respectively. The adhesive material of 54 and 55 may be substantially similar to that depicted at 18 in FIG. 2. It is preferably a resin impregnated glass or prepreg which allows the system again to achieve a lower overall thermal coefficient of expansion. Additional conductor connections are shown at 56-59 associated with through-holes 60 and 61. The flexible zone 45 in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 3, may contain no rigid layers, if dielectric layer 42 is flexible.
The rigid zones 46 and 47 are made with substantially less flexible adhesive material compared to prior devices. While not preferred, if the dielectric layers 42, 43 and 44 are rigid and layers 52-56 are also rigid, the rigid areas are free of flexible layers entirely. The rigid material 52 and 53 is normally a copper clad material comprising a rigid core of polyimide or epoxy bonded to the copper. It should be noted that the conductor layers as at 11 and 11a in FIG. 2 and 56 and 57 of FIG. 3 are not photo printed or patterned prior to the lamination process. As a result, during the lamination operation, the entire printed circuit has no unetched copper on the internal patterned conductor layers. After the lamination process, which is performed in a well-known manner under heat and pressure, with or without a vacuum, the throughholes are drilled and subsequently plated with copper and/or tin-lead solder material. Prior to plating the through-holes, a plasma process may be required to clean the through-holes. The drilling, cleaning and plating of the through-holes in the printed circuits utilizing this invention are done utilizing well-known industry standard techniques.
FIG. 4 shows a rigid area material stack-up or laminated layered structure of a possible embodiment of the invention. This can be compared and contrasted with the rigid area material stack-up of FIG. 5 which illustrates a prior standard construction. The material stack-up of FIG. 4 can be divided into three relatively rigid dielectric prepreg layers including a central rigid layer 70 and outer rigid layers 71 and 72 separated by etched di-clad flex layers 73 and 74 which include patterned circuits as at 75, 76, 77 and 78 separated by dielectric layers 79 and 80, joined by adhesive layers 81, 82, 83, and 84. Note the predominance of rigid layers in the structure.
The material stack-up illustrated in FIG. 5 includes only one central rigid or prepreg layer 90 separating the etched conductors shown at 91, 92, 93 and 94. The remainder of the materials consist of alternate layers of soft dielectric material such as Kapton and acrylic adhesive as at 95 and 96, respectively. FIG. 5, then, illustrates the great predominance of flexible materials making up the laminate of the prior art. By replacing most of the flexible layers in the laminate by rigid materials in the rigid areas or zones of the multi-layer circuit board, the stresses due to unequal expansion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the layers is substantially reduced. While it has been found in accordance with the present invention that all of the flexible material can be eliminated from the rigid sections, for most applications thermal stresses are sufficiently reduced by the replacement of some of the flexible layers with rigid layers to eliminate it as a problem. Likewise, with respect to the flexible areas, the complete elimination of the rigid materials may be desireable for some applications but not necessary for many others. The present invention does provide rigid sections incorporating insulating materials which, when subjected to elevated temperatures, do not expand sufficiently in the direction perpendicular to the plane of lamination to cause failure of the circuit.
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A process for fabricating a multi-layer flex and rigid-flex board and the board disclosed which substantially reduces the amount of expansion in the direction perpendicular to the plane of the board which occurs between laminated pattern circuit layers in a manner that substantially reduces the tendency of the through-hole plated connections to fail. This is done without sacrificing the attributes of using some flexible material in the rigid zones.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/869,804, filed Jun. 4, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,025,861; which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/156,266, filed Nov. 22, 1993, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 5,675,370.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to thermal printers, and more particularly, to a method and apparatus for improving the printing quality, speed, and capabilities of such printers.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Thermal printers are commonly used to print alphanumeric characters and bar codes on a variety of printing media such as paper, label stock, tubing, etc. Thermal printers utilize a thermal printhead having a line of thermal printing elements, each of which may be selectively heated. As each printing element is heated, appropriate markings are applied to the printing media, either directly or through a meltable transfer medium.
The thermal printheads used in thermal printers generally include both mechanical components containing the printing elements and associated electrical circuitry applying heating signals to the printing elements. The mechanical printhead is generally formed by a fairly thick substrate of aluminum or some other material that conducts heat readily. A ceramic insulating layer having a high thermal conductivity is then formed on the upper surface of the aluminum. The insulating layer preferably not only conducts heat well, but it also has a relatively low heat capacity so that it does not itself retain heat transferred to the substrate. A relatively thin underglaze layer coats the insulating layer, and a metallic pattern is then placed on top of the underglaze layer to form the conductors for the printing elements. The conductive pattern may include an elongated anode conductor extending along the length of the printhead, and a plurality of spaced-apart finger conductors projecting perpendicularly from the elongated anode. Individual conductive leads are interleaved with the finger conductors. A bar of resistive material overlies the finger conductors and individual leads so that current will flow through the resistive material from a finger conductor to any individual lead that is connected to ground. Thus, a “dot” of resistive material can be heated by simply grounding an individual lead positioned between two finger conductors. The length of the dot corresponds to the distance between adjacent finger conductors. An electrically insulative but thermally conductive overglaze is then placed over the resistive material and conductors.
The above-described structure is used for a thick film printhead. A thin film printhead has substantially the same structure except that the individual leads are generally positioned adjacent a projecting finger conductor rather than between two finger conductors. A resistive sheet overlies the finger conductors and individual leads so that localized “dots” of the resistive sheet may be heated by selectively grounding the individual leads.
The electrical components of the printhead generally include a set of registers which receive a serial data stream of data bits corresponding in number to the number of printing elements. The registers retain the data bits and ground the individual leads corresponding to the registers that store a logical “1”. However, the data output by each register is generally ANDed with a strobe signal to precisely control the timing and duration of the grounding of the individual leads.
One important limitation on the operating capability of thermal printers is their printing speed. The printing speed of a thermal printhead is limited by the time required to heat a printing element to an appropriate temperature in order to form a mark on a printing medium, as well as the time required for the printing element to cool so that a mark is not formed on the printing medium when no mark is desired. The time required to heat the printing element is a function of the current flowing through the resistive bar or sheet between conductors. The time required for a printing element to cool is a function of the thermal conductivity from the printing element to the substrate. While the print speed can be improved by using thin film printhead technology having a lower thermal mass, it would nevertheless be desirable to increase the speed of thermal printers.
Another problem with conventional thermal printers is that they lack the capability to perform various printing functions that are available with other types of printers. For example, thermal printers generally are incapable of performing high quality “gray scale” printing. For this reason, the use of thermal printers has generally been limited to printing alphanumeric letters, bar codes, and the like. Similarly, the resolution of conventional thermal printers is generally set at a fixed value, such as 150 dots per inch (“DPI”), and this fixed resolution cannot be varied without changing the printhead. However, different types of printing needs often require different printing resolutions. It would therefore be desirable to have a thermal printer that could provide the relatively high speed and low data requirement capabilities of a low resolution printhead yet also be able to provide the high quality printing capabilities of a high resolution printhead.
Another limitation of conventional thermal printers is their inability to alter the shape or aspect ratio of their printing elements. As explained above, the shape of the printing element is determined by the physical structure and geometry of the conductive pattern and overlying resistive layer. While different printing element shapes and aspect ratios can be achieved with different physical designs, the shape and aspect ratio of the printing element is nevertheless fixed for any particular design.
Another problem that sometimes occurs with conventional thermal printers results from changes in the resistivity of the resistive coating either with age or as a result of a malfunction. If the resistivity of some printing elements changes more than the resistivity of other printing elements, then the image formed on the printing medium will not have a uniform print density. If the resistance increases significantly, the printing element may even become unusable.
While thermal printers have found common acceptance, the above-described problems have nevertheless limited their usefulness for certain printing needs where optimum print quality, speed, and/or capabilities are required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a thermal printer that is capable of significantly higher speeds than conventional thermal printers.
It is another object of the invention to provide a thermal printer that has advanced capabilities, such as the capability of performing gray scale printing and variable resolution printing.
It is still another object of the invention to provide a thermal printer that can operate in an optimum manner despite degradations in the components of the thermal printhead with age and malfunction.
These and other objects of the invention are provided by a printhead having a plurality of spaced apart parallel print lines, each of which include a plurality of sequentially positioned printing elements that are selectively heated. The thermal printhead is preferably formed by a unitary printhead substrate having a plurality of discrete, separately energizable, parallel print lines spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance. The printhead may further include means for selectively applying respective heating signals to each printing element in the print lines so that the print lines can print independently of each other on a common print media passing over the printhead from one print line to the next.
The printhead is connected to a printhead controller that receives data corresponding to an image to be printed on the print media. The printhead controller then selectively applies heating signals to the printing element in each of the print lines to thermally print a line of the image on the printing media. The printhead controller also preferably includes an image memory containing printhead data corresponding to the heating signals. The data is preferably stored in the memory in an order corresponding to the order that the heating signals are applied to the printhead. The printhead data may be stored in the memory in an N×M matrix where N is a number of scan line columns corresponding to the number of scan lines needed for the printhead to print the image on the print media, and M is a number of printing element rows corresponding to the number of printing elements in each print line of the printhead. In one embodiment of the invention, each line of the image is printed by superimposing the printing from all of the print lines. In another embodiment, each line of the image is printed by superimposing the printing from different combinations of print lines to produce an image having a variable image density. In this other embodiment, each of the print lines preferably prints with a different print density. In still another embodiment, each line of the image is printed by a single print line in a time-staggered sequence so that each print line has a relatively small duty cycle, thus increasing the printing speed of the printhead. The printhead controller may also include means for determining the resistance of the printing elements of each line of the printhead. The controller then applies a heating signal to one printing element in each set of correspondingly positioned printing elements as a function of the resistance of the printing elements in the set. As a result, when a heating element of a print line is found to be defective, correspondingly positioned printing elements in other print lines may be used.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram of a preferred embodiment of the inventive thermal printer.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of one embodiment of the printhead control unit used in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is illustration of an image printed by the thermal printer of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the manner in which the printing elements used in the thermal printer of FIG. I are heated during each of several scan lines to print the image shown in FIG. 3 using all three printhead lines to print each line of the printed image.
FIG. 5 is a memory map showing the data stored in an image memory used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 2 to print the image shown in FIG. 3 .
FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the software that is executed by a processor used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 2 to print the image shown in FIG. 3 using all print printhead lines for each pixel of the printed image.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the manner in which the printing elements used in the thermal printer of FIG. 1 are heated during each of several scan lines to print the image shown in FIG. 3 using one printhead line to print each line of the printed image.
FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the software that is executed by a processor used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 2 to print the image shown in FIG. 3 using one printhead line to print each line of the printed image.
FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a single line of an image having a variable print density printed by the thermal printer of FIG. 1 shown along with the decimal and binary values of the print density of each pixel of the image.
FIG. 10 is a three-dimensional memory map showing the data stored in an image memory used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 2 to print the single line image shown in FIG. 9 .
FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the software that is executed by a processor used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 2 to print the single line image shown in FIG. 9 .
FIG. 12 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the printhead control unit used in the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1 that checks the condition of each printing element in each printhead line, and alters its operation as a function of such check.
FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the software that is executed by a processor used in the printhead control unit of FIG. 12 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A preferred embodiment of the inventive printer is illustrated in FIG. 1 . The printer 10 includes a printhead 12 connected to a printhead control unit 14 . The printhead 12 utilizes a conventional substrate, such as aluminum, and it is preferably covered with a single layer of insulative material, although separate, discrete areas of insulated material may be used. The insulative material is also preferably covered by an underglaze material (not shown) of conventional design. Where the inventive printhead 12 departs from conventional design is in the use of multiple lines 16 , 18 , 20 of printing elements rather than a single line of printing elements as in conventional designs. Each line 16 - 20 of printing elements is formed in a conventional manner with selectively grounded individual leads positioned adjacent or between common anode finger conductors, and each line of conductors is coated with a bar or layer of resistive material which is then covered with a protective overglaze. Although the printhead 12 is shown in FIG. 1 as having three printhead lines 16 - 20 , it will be understood that any number of multiple printhead lines (i.e., two or more) may be used.
The printhead control unit 14 provides a serial stream of data bits to the printhead 12 for each print line 16 - 20 , with the number of bits in the bit stream corresponding to the number of printing elements in each line 16 - 20 . The bits determine whether the corresponding printing element is energized or not energized during each scan line.
In operation, a sheet of print media 24 , such as paper, passes over the printhead 12 in the direction of the arrow with the surface of the print media 24 in contact with the printhead lines 16 - 20 . As explained in greater detail below, the printing elements in each of the lines 16 - 20 are selectively heated to create an image on the print media 24 , either directly or through a thermal transfer medium (not shown).
One embodiment of a printhead control unit 14 is illustrated in FIG. 2 . The printhead control unit 14 includes a microprocessor 30 of conventional design which receives alphanumeric or bar code data, for example, from an external unit (not shown) via an input bus 32 . The microprocessor determines which printing elements of each printhead line 16 - 20 should be energized during each scan line to produce an image corresponding to the data input via bus 32 . The bits indicative of the energization state of each printing element are then stored in an image memory 34 , which may be a conventional random access memory. The microprocessor 30 selectively reads the image data from image memory 34 and applies it to the printhead 12 via serial data lines 36 , 38 , 40 corresponding to printhead lines 16 , 18 , 20 . As is well known in the art, the printing elements in lines 16 - 20 are not immediately heated when the microprocessor 30 applies the data to the printhead 12 . Instead, the heating elements are energized only during a strobe signal. Strobe signals for each of the printhead lines 16 - 20 are generated by respective counter/timers 46 , 48 , 50 which are, in turn, programmed by the microprocessor 30 in a conventional manner.
In operation, data indicative of whether each printing element of each line 16 - 20 is to be heated during a scan line is transferred from the microprocessor 30 to the printhead 12 , as explained above. The counter/timers 46 - 50 are then programmed by the microprocessor 30 to produce a predetermined strobe signal. The microprocessor 30 then applies a trigger signal to the counter/timers 46 - 50 . The counter/timer 46 generates a strobe signal for the printhead line 16 , the counter/timer 48 generates a strobe signal for the printhead line 18 , and the counter/timer 50 generates a strobe signal for the printhead line 20 . The manner in which the printing elements for each printhead line 16 - 20 are heated in various operating modes is explained below.
As mentioned above, the inventive thermal printer can be used to print virtually any type of image, including alphanumeric characters and bar codes. One alphanumeric character that can be printed by the inventive thermal printer (the letter “E”) is illustrated in FIG. 3 . The image shown in FIG. 3 is composed of 60 pixels, shown generally at 56 , in a 6×10 pixel array. The pixels marked with an “X” are pixels that have been thermally marked, while pixels without an “X” are pixels that have not been thermally marked. Since the print media is moving from right to left, the leftmost column of pixels 58 reaches the printhead 12 first while the rightmost column of pixels 68 reaches the printhead 12 last.
In one operating mode of the inventive thermal printer, each printhead line 16 - 20 contributes to the printing of each line of image 58 - 68 . In other words, printhead line 16 first marks the pixels on image line 58 to a slight degree, the marking of the image line 58 is increased by heat from the second printhead line 18 , and the image line 58 is darkened to its final image density by heat from the third printhead line 20 . A diagram showing the heating condition of each of ten printing elements in each printhead line 16 - 20 for ten different scan lines is illustrated in FIG. 4 . As shown in FIG. 4A, the first image line 58 has not yet reached the first printhead line 16 . As a result, none of the printing elements in the printhead 12 are being heated. When the first image line 58 reaches the first printhead line 16 , all ten of the printing elements of line 16 are heated, as illustrated in FIG. 4 B. The print media is then incrementally stepped so that the first image line 58 is adjacent the second printhead line 18 , as illustrated in FIG. 4 C. In this position, the second printhead line 18 further increases the image density of the first image line 58 , while the first printhead line 16 initially marks the second image line 60 (FIG. 2 ). As shown in FIG. 4D, the first image line 58 has reached the third printhead line 20 . In this position, the first image line 58 is marked by printhead line 20 to its final image density, image line 60 is further marked by printhead line 18 , and the third image line 62 is initially marked by the first printhead line 16 . Note that four of the printhead elements of the first printhead line 16 are not heated during the scan line shown in FIG. 4D, thereby forming the initial portion of the openings between the arms of the “E”.
The printing media 24 is sequentially incremented past the printhead as shown in FIGS. 4E, F and G until it has stepped to the position shown in FIG. 4 H. In this position, the last image line 68 is being printed by the second printhead line 18 while the second to last image line 66 is being printed by the third printhead line 20 . As shown in FIG. 4I, the last image line 68 is being printed by the third printhead line 20 . Finally, the image shown in FIG. 3 has passed entirely beyond the printhead as shown in FIG. 4 J.
With reference to FIG. 5, the manner in which data are stored in the image memory 34 (FIG. 2) to allow the printhead control unit 14 to operate as shown in FIG. 4 is illustrated in FIG. 5 . The image memory 34 can be visualized as a 10×6 bit array of data corresponding to the 6×10 pixel array forming the image of FIG. 3 . In practice, the data can be stored in the image memory 34 in any order as long as it is transferred by the microprocessor 30 to the printhead 12 in the manner shown in FIG. 5 . Each column of data stored in the image memory has an address corresponding to an arbitrary starting column address and a column address increment which, as shown in FIG. 5, ranges between zero and seven. When N is equal to zero, the memory address is equal to the address of the starting column. The data bytes in column zero are transferred in serial to the printhead 12 to cause the first printhead line 16 to be heated as shown in FIG. 4 B. During the next scan line, the column increment N is incremented to 1 so that the data shown in column 1 are transferred to the first printhead line 16 . At the same time, the data in column 0 are transferred to the second printhead line 18 . During the next scan line, the data stored in column 0 are transferred to printhead line 30 , the data stored in column 1 are transferred to printhead line 18 , and the data stored in column 2 are transferred to printhead line 16 . In this same manner, the serial bytes of data stored in each column of the image memory 34 as shown in FIG. 5 are transferred to the printhead lines 16 - 20 .
One embodiment of software for controlling the operation of the microprocessor 30 to operate as explained above is illustrated in FIG. 6 . The program initializes the microprocessor 30 at step 80 . During this initialization step 80 , various registers and counters in the microprocessor 30 , including a scan line counter N are reset or cleared. At step 82 , the microprocessor 30 generates the printhead data (such as the data shown in FIG. 5) corresponding to the image data input via bus 32 , and stores the printhead data in the image memory 34 . The program then progresses to step 84 where the microprocessor 30 loads data from an address corresponding to the sum of the starting column and the scan line counter N into line 16 of the printhead. In the example illustrated in FIG. 5, the data byte “111111111” is loaded into the printhead line 16 . The program then progresses to step 86 where the microprocessor 30 loads data from the next lower column of image memory into printhead line 18 . In the above example, the data in this column are all zero. Finally, at step 88 the microprocessor 30 loads data from the second to next lowest column of image memory into printhead line 20 . In the example above, this data would be all zero's, although it is not shown in the image memory map.
After the printhead 12 has been loaded data for each printhead line 16 - 20 , the microprocessor 30 determines a value of strobe for each printhead line at step 90 . The microprocessor then outputs the strobe data to the counter/timers 46 - 50 at step 92 . The actual printing by the printhead line 16 - 20 occurs at step 94 when the microprocessor 30 applies the trigger signal to the counter/timers 46 - 50 . The microprocessor 30 then generates a paper advance pulse via line 33 to a conventional external paper control device at step 96 (not shown). The program then checks at step 98 to determine if the final image line has been printed. If not, the internal scan line counter N is incremented at 100 , and the program returns to step 84 . Since N is now equal to two, data from the second image memory column are loaded into printhead line 16 at step 84 , data from image memory column one are loaded into printhead line 18 at step 86 , and data from image memory column zero are loaded into printhead line 20 at step 88 . The program then causes strobe signals to be generated as explained below, advances the paper an additional image line and once again increments the scan line counter N at 100. This time, since N is equal to three, the third column of image memory is loaded into printhead line 16 at step 84 , the data in the second column of image memory are loaded into the second printhead line 18 at step 86 , and the data in the first image memory column are loaded into printhead line 20 . In the same manner, the program sequentially step through 84 - 100 until N has been incremented to eight. Data stored in the eighth image memory column are then loaded into printhead line 16 , data in image memory column line 7 are then loaded into printhead line 18 , and data stored in image memory column 6 are loaded into printhead line 20 . In this scan line, the final printing of the image shown in FIG. 3 is performed by the third printhead line, and the printing of the image is now complete. Thus, when the program checks at step 98 to determine if the image is complete, the program will now branch back to step 80 where the scan line counter N is reset to “1”. Printing then resumes with receipt of the next image data via line 32 .
As an alternative to using all three printhead lines 16 - 18 to print each image line, the inventive printer may also be used to print each image line using a single printhead line 16 - 20 , but energizing only one printhead line at a time in a predetermined sequence. The advantage of this operating mode is that the duty cycle of each printhead line 16 - 20 is 33% so that the printhead line 16 - 20 is allowed to cool for at least approximately two-thirds of the time. These relatively long cooling time allows the printhead 12 to operate at a relatively high speed, thus allowing the inventive printer to print significantly faster than conventional thermal printers. With reference to FIG. 7, the heating of each of ten printing elements of the printhead line 16 - 20 are illustrated in FIGS. 7 A-J in the same manner as in FIGS. 4 A-J. However, the diagram of FIGS. 7 A-J have been further marked with an asterisk (“*”) to designate the printhead line that is currently active. Thus, in FIG. 7A, printhead line 16 is active, although the first image line has not reached the printhead line 16 so that none of the printing elements of line 16 are energized. The next printhead line that is energized is line 20 as illustrated in FIG. 7 B. However, in this position the first image line has only reached the first printhead line 16 , so that none of the printing elements of line 20 are energized. Further, since printhead line 16 is not active, none of the printing elements of line 16 are energized, even though the first image line has reached the printhead line 16 . In FIG. 7C, printhead line 18 is active, and, in this position, the first image line 58 (FIG. 3) has reached printhead line 18 so that all of its printing elements are energized. The energization sequence of printhead lines 16 , 20 , 18 shown in FIGS. 7 A-C, respectively, then begins anew at FIG. 7 D. In this position, the third image line 62 has reached the active printhead line 16 so that the printing elements of line 16 are heated as illustrated in FIG. 7 D. In FIG. 7E, the second image line 60 is printed by the active third printhead line 20 . In the third scan line of the sequence illustrated in FIG. 7F, the fourth image memory line 64 is printed by the active second printhead line 18 . The above-described operation continues through FIG. 7G where the final image line 68 is printed by the first printhead line 16 and FIG. 7H where the image line 66 is printed by the third printhead line 20 .
A flow chart for causing the microprocessor 30 (FIG. 2) to operate as shown in FIG. 7 is illustrated in FIG. 8 . As with the flow chart of FIG. 6, the program is entered at an initialization step 110 during which a scan line counter N is reset to 1 and a printhead line counter X is also reset to 1. The program then causes the microprocessor to generate the printhead data from the image data input via bus 32 and store the printhead data in the image memory 34 at step 112 in the same manner as in step 82 of FIG. 6 . The program then progresses to 114 where data is loaded from a memory address designated by the sum of the starting column, N and X into printhead line X. Since N and X are both equal to 1 during the first pass through 114 , the data is loaded from the starting column into printhead line 1 corresponding to printhead line 16 . At 116 , the program determines a value of strobe for printhead line X (where X=1) and outputs that data to the counter/timers 46 - 50 at 118 . At 120 , the microprocessor 30 triggers the counter/timers 46 - 50 , thereby causing printhead line X (where X=1 for the first pass through 114 - 120 ) to print an image on the printing media. The microprocessor 30 then generates a paper advance pulse on line 33 at step 122 and checks to determine if the image is complete at line 124 . During the initial pass through the software, the image will not be complete so that the program will check at lines 126 to determine if the print line counter X is equal to 1. During the first pass through the program, X will be equal to 1 so that the program will branch to 128 to set the printhead counter X=3. The program then increments N by 1 at 134 and returns to step 114 where data from image memory address column − 1 (since X=3 and N=2) is loaded into printhead line 3 , which corresponds to line 20 , as shown in FIG. 2 . The microprocessor 30 then causes line 20 to print in steps 116 - 120 and advance the paper at step 122 before progressing to 126 . At 126 , the program branches to 130 since X was previously set to 3 at step 128 . For this reason, the program will now branch to step 132 to set the program line counter equal to 2 before increment N by 1 at 132 and returning to step 114 . At 114 , the program loads data from memory address column 1 (since X=2 and N=3) into printhead line 2 , which corresponds to printhead line 18 in FIG. 2 . The microprocessor 30 once again causes the printhead line 18 to print in advance of the paper one line before progressing through 126 to 130 . Since X is now equal to 2, the program will branch to 136 and reset X=1 then N is incremented at 134 , and the program branches back to 114 . At this time, data from memory location 3 (since N=4 and X=1) is loaded into printhead line 1 corresponding to printhead line 16 in FIG. 2 . Printhead line 16 is then caused to print at steps 116 - 120 and the paper is advanced one line at 122 . The program then loops as explained above until the program determines at 124 that the image is complete. The program then returns to 110 to await image data for the next image via bus 32 .
As mentioned above, the inventive thermal printer is capable of variable density printing. With reference FIG. 9, a single line 150 of an image is printed. The line 150 contains 10 pixels, each of which is printed with an image density between 0 and 7 as indicated by the decimal numbers shown to the right of the image line 150 . The binary numbers for the optical density are shown in the three columns to the right of the decimal column. The binary printhead data shown in FIG. 9 can be stored in memory as shown in FIG. 10 . The printhead data is shown as a three-dimensional array where “X” corresponds to the column of printhead data, “Y” corresponds to each printing element, and the “Z” corresponds to the 3 bits used to determine the density of the printed pixel. However, it will be understood that the data need not be stored as illustrated in FIG. 10, as long as it is loaded into the printhead 12 in the form illustrated in FIG. 10 . The inventive thermal printer is able to print with variable image density because the printing elements in each printhead line 16 - 20 (FIG. 1) print with different image densities. In the example illustrated, the printing elements of printhead line 16 have a relative density of 4, the printing elements of printhead line 18 print with a relative density of 2 and the printing elements of printhead line 20 print with a relative density of 1. Thus, by combining correspondingly positioned printing elements in each of the three printhead lines 16 - 20 , eight different image densities may be printed for each pixel of the image.
A flow chart of software for causing the microprocessor 30 (FIG. 2) to operate as shown in FIG. 9 is illustrated in FIG. 11 . As before, the program is entered through an initialization step 170 , and the printhead and density data shown in FIG. 10 is stored in the image memory 34 at step 172 . At 174 , the microprocessor 30 loads data bit D N,Y,1 from a memory address column N, row i, and bit 1 into printhead line 1 , which corresponds to line 16 of FIG. 2 . In the example given, the data “1011110001” would be loaded from memory 134 into printhead line 16 . Thus, data corresponding to the most significant bit of the image density is loaded into printhead at line 16 . At 176 , the data bits from column 0 (which had been reset to zero) are loaded into printhead line 2 , which corresponds to printhead line 18 of FIG. 2 . Finally, at 178 , data from column − 2 is loaded into printhead line 3 , which corresponds to printhead line 20 of FIG. 2 . The microprocessor then determines the value of a strobe signal for each printhead line 16 - 20 at 180 , outputs the strobe data to the counter timers 46 - 50 at 182 and then triggers the counter timers 46 - 50 at 184 . After generating a paper advance pulse at 186 as described above, the program checks at 188 to determine if the image has been printed. In the first pass through of steps 174 - 178 , only the first printhead line 16 contains data since the image line 150 is then positioned adjacent the printhead line 16 . Since the image is not yet complete, the scan line counter is incremented to 1 at 190 before returning to 174 . A column of image memory data 2 (which, as illustrated in FIG. 9, is zero) is loaded into printhead line 16 at 174 . At 176 , printhead data in column 1 (N−1 where N=2) bit 2 is loaded into printhead line 2 which corresponds to printhead line 18 of FIG. 2 . In the above example, the data in column 1 , bit 2 is “1100110111.” Thus, when the program steps through 180 - 184 , printhead line 18 will print the pixels on image line 150 with a relative image density of 2. After the scan line counter 1 is incremented again at 190 , the program causes the printhead line 20 to print the pixels of image line 150 with a relative image density of 1 at step 178 . At 178 , data from column 1 (N −2 where N=3) bit 3 is loaded into printhead line 3 , which corresponds to printhead line 20 . In the above example, the data in column 1 , bit 3 , are “1000111101.” As mentioned above, this data causes the printhead line 20 to print the pixels of image line 150 with a relative image density of 1. Thus, after the image line 150 has been printed by all three printed lines 16 - 20 , the image density of each printed pixel has density between 0 and 7. After the image has been completely printed, the program branches from 188 back to the initialization step at 170 to await additional image data via bus 32 (FIG. 2 ).
Another embodiment of the inventive multiple print line thermal printer is illustrated in FIG. 12 . The printer 200 of FIG. 12 is similar to the printer 10 of FIG. 1 except that it includes means for identifying the failure of individual printing elements of a print line and taking corrective action to allow the printer to continue to operate properly despite the failure. With reference to FIG. 12, the printhead 12 is identical to the printhead 12 of FIG. 1, and it is thus then provided with the same reference numerals 16 , 18 and 20 to identify the three print lines. The printhead is supplied with data by conventional microprocessor 202 which is connected to an image memory 204 and a counter timer 206 which operate in essentially the same manner as the printhead control system 14 of FIG. 2 . However, the printhead control system of FIG. 12 utilizes a switch 210 operated by a control bit from the microprocessor 202 to switch the power terminals of the printhead 12 between either the normally supplied 24 volt source and a 5 volt source supplied to the switch 210 through resistor 212 . When the switch 210 connects the printhead to the ±5 volt source, the resistor 212 serves as a current-sensing resistor to generate a voltage that is proportional to the resistance of the printing elements that are energized. By energizing one printing element at a time, the voltage input to the switch across the resistor 212 is proportional to the resistance of the energized printing element. This voltage is read by a conventional analog-to-digital converter 216 which supplies a data byte to the microprocessor 202 indicative of the printing element's resistance.
In operation, the microprocessor 202 sequentially applies a logic “1” through the data lines D 1 -D 3 to each printing element of each print line 16 - 20 in sequence so that only one printing element is energized at a time. As each printing element is energized, the voltage drop across resistor 212 is measured by the analog-to-digital converter 216 . The output of the analog-to-digital converter 216 is then read by the microprocessor 202 so that the microprocessor 202 can determine the resistance of each printing element. The microprocessor 202 then alters the printing operation of the printer in the event that any of the printing elements are found to have an excessively high resistance.
The resistance checking operation can be performed in a variety of manners. For example, the microprocessor can check the resistance of each printing element during an initialization phase prior to starting a printing operation. However, in order to minimize the time required to perform the resistance checking operation, the microprocessor 202 preferably first checks the resistance of each printing element of the first print line 16 . If any of the printing elements in print line 16 are found to have an excessively high resistance, then the microprocessor 202 checks the resistance of the corresponding printing element in print line 18 . If any of those printing elements in print line 18 have an excessively high resistance, then the microprocessor 202 checks the corresponding printing elements in print line 20 . Using this approach, the microprocessor 202 checks all of the printing elements of print line 16 , and only checks the printing elements of print lines 18 and 20 if needed because of an excessively high resistance of a printing element in an earlier check print line.
A flow chart of the software for controlling the resistance checking and printing operations of the microprocessor 202 is illustrated in FIG. 13 . The program is entered at 230 in an initialization step in which various internal registers, counters and flags are cleared. At 232 , the microprocessor 202 causes the switch 210 to connect the ±5 volt current sensing voltage to the power input of the printhead 12 , as explained above. At 234 , the microprocessor 202 programs the counter/timer 206 so that it will generate a predetermined strobe signal when triggered. The microprocessor 202 then loads printing element N of the first printhead 16 with a test bit at 240 . As explained above, the microprocessor 202 loads all but the N printing element with a logic “0”, and it loads printing element N with a logic “1”. The strobe signal is generated at 242 when the microprocessor 202 triggers the counter/timer 206 . As explained above, current then flows through the resistor 212 in proportion to the resistance of the N printing element of line 16 , and this resistance is read at 242 when the microprocessor 202 samples the output of the analog-to-digital converter. The microprocessor then checks at 242 to determine if the resistance of printing element N is larger than a predetermined value R MAX . R MAX is a resistance value which serves as the dividing line between a printing element considered to have an acceptable resistance and a printing element considered to have an excessively high resistance. If the resistance of printing element N is not excessively high, the program sets a flag at 244 to provide an indication that printing element N of printhead 16 has an acceptably low resistance for use in a subsequent printing operation. If the resistance of printing element N is excessively high, the program bypasses step 244 so that no flag is set for printing element N of printhead 16 . Regardless of whether a flag is set for printing element N of printhead 16 , the program checks at 250 to determine if N has been incremented to N MAX . N MAX corresponds to the number of printing elements in printhead 16 . During the initial pass through steps 230 - 244 , N will be less than N MAX so that the program will branch from 250 to 252 in order to increment N by 1 and will then return to 240 to perform a resistance test on the next printing element of printhead 16 , as described above. When all of the printing elements of print line 16 have been checked, N will be equal to N MAX , thereby causing the program to branch from 250 to 254 where the printing element index N is reset to 1. At this stage, all of the printing elements of print line 16 have been checked.
The program then proceeds to 260 to check the resistance of printing elements of the remaining print lines 18 and 20 if the corresponding element of print line 16 has not been flagged. At 260 , the program determines if printing element 1 (N having been reset to 1 at 254 ) of print line 16 has been flagged. If not, the corresponding printing element of print line 18 is checked by first loading printing element N of print line 18 with a test bit at 262 . This step is performed in the same manner as described above with reference to step 240 except that it is performed on print line 18 instead of print line 16 . The microprocessor 202 then triggers the counter/timer 206 at 264 in the same manner as at step 240 . The analog-to-digital converter 216 is similarly sampled at 266 in the same manner as in step 240 , and the resistance of printing element N of print line 18 is compared to R MAX at 268 . If the printing element N of print line 18 has an acceptably low resistance, a flag is set for that printing element at 270 . The program then checks at 272 to determine if the printing element index N has reached it maximum value. If the resistance of printing element N of print line 18 is too high, the program proceeds directly from 268 to 272 without first setting the flag for that print element. Thus, in steps 260 - 272 , the printing elements of print line 18 corresponding to the printing elements of print line 16 that had an excessively high resistance are checked and flagged if they are suitable for use in printing. After the printing element N is checked for its maximum value, it is either incremented at 274 to repeat steps 260 - 272 until the final printing element is reached at which point the program proceeds from 272 to a sequence of printing steps, described below.
If the flag has not been set for a printing element of print line 16 , and a flag has not been set to the corresponding printing element of print line 18 , then that printing element has an excessively high resistance in both print line 16 and print line 18 . Accordingly, the program defaults to using the corresponding printing element of print line 20 as described below. Alternatively, the print line 20 may also be checked before it is used for printing using substantially the same steps that were used to check the print lines 16 , 18 .
The printing operation begins with step 280 in which the microprocessor 202 causes the switch 210 to apply the +24 volt power to the printhead 12 . The program then causes the microprocessor 202 to generate printhead data corresponding to the energization pattern of the printed elements on the printhead 12 and store that data in the image memory 204 at step 282 . The printing element index N is then set to 1, and a scan line index M is set to the starting column of the printhead data in the memory 204 at 284 . The program then begins the printing operation by determining if printing element 1 (since N is now equal to 1) of print line 16 is flagged. If so, the program causes the microprocessor 202 to load a data bit for scan line M (i.e., the first column of data) into printing element 1 of print line 16 . Thus, at the end of step 288 , printing element 1 of scan line 16 has been programmed if its resistance was found to be acceptably low in the steps described above. If the program determines at 286 that printing element 1 of print line 16 was not flagged, the program checks at 290 to determine if printing element 1 of print line 18 has been flagged. If so, data for scan line M- 1 is loaded into printing element 1 of print line 18 at 292 . The reason that the data is loaded into scan line M- 1 is that the data in memory must be offset by one scan line to correspond to the spatial offset of print line 18 from print line 16 . Specifically, the printhead data for scan line M is not loaded into print line 18 until the image formed by other printing elements of print line 16 has reached print line 18 . At this time, the printhead data for the next scan line is being loaded into print line 16 .
If the program determines at steps 286 and 290 that printing element N of neither print line 16 nor print line 18 are flagged, the program defaults to using the corresponding printing element of print line 20 , as mentioned above. Accordingly, at step 292 data for scan line M- 2 is loaded into printing element N of print line 20 . Once again, the printhead data being loaded into print line 20 is offset by two scan lines from the printhead data being loaded into print line 16 because print line 20 is spatially offset from print line 16 by two scan lines. Alternatively, as mentioned above, the print line 20 may be checked before being used and, if found to be defective, the printer may be disabled.
After the data bit for the first printing element has been programmed, the program checks at 296 to determine if the printing element index N is equal to N MAX . As before, N MAX corresponds to the final printing element of the printhead 12 . After the initial pass through steps 280 - 292 , N will not be equal to N MAX so that the program will increment N by 1 at 298 and return to 286 to program the next printing element of the printhead 12 . When the final printing element has been programmed, the program will progress from 296 to 300 . At that point, all of the printing element of the printhead 12 that are to be used in printing an image have been programmed. At step 300 , the microprocessor 202 programs the counter/timer so that it can generate an appropriate strobe signal when triggered. However, the counter/timer 206 is not triggered until 302 when the microprocessor 202 generates an appropriate strobe signal. The program then causes the microprocessor to output a paper advance pulse at 304 on an output line 320 of the microprocessor 202 . This pulse causes other portions of the printer not forming part of this invention to advance the print media pass the printhead 12 by a distance equal to the distance between adjacent print lines 16 - 20 . The program then checks at 308 to determine if the image has been completely printed. If not, the scan line index M is incremented by 1 and N is set to 0 at 310 , and the program returns to 286 to program the printing elements of the print lines 16 - 20 . As mentioned above, because of the spatial offset between the print lines 16 - 20 , the printing elements of print line 16 will be programmed with the incremented value of scan line M, while the printing elements of print line 18 will be programmed with printhead data from scan line M- 1 and the printing elements of print line 20 will be programmed with printhead data from scan line M- 2 . When the program determines at 308 that the image has been completely printed, the program returns to 282 to generate and store printhead data for the next image to be printed, as explained above.
The inventive printhead control system of FIGS. 12 and 13A is thus able to continue operating despite the failure of the same printing element in up to two different print lines.
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A printhead having multiple print lines of conventional design and a printhead control system for using the multiple print lines in a variety of operations. In one embodiment, the printhead control system prints an image by superimposing the printing from multiple print lines. In another embodiment, the image is printed by alternating the energization of one print line so that each print line is used to print only ⅓ of the image lines. As a result, the print lines are allowed a relatively long time to cool, thus allowing the printhead to be operated at a faster speed. In another embodiment, the printing elements of each print line print with a different image density, and images printed by superimposing the printing elements in the print lines with a variety of combinations depending upon the desired magnitude of the image density. In still another embodiment of the printhead control system, the resistance of each printing element is checked and, if found to be unacceptably high, corresponding printing elements of other print lines are used for printing.
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[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/334,177, filed 10 May 2016, the specification of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] One or more embodiments of the invention are related to the field of low profile drug delivery systems worn on the skin such as patch devices and/or patch device systems and/or adhesive patch devices and/or patch injection systems and the use of the same in methods for delivery of medicaments or therapeutic substances into tissue such as skin and/or muscle. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, one or more embodiments of the invention enable a spring-driven drug delivery device.
Description of the Related Art
[0003] There is a significant demand for the development of improved wearable drug delivery devices and/or systems for delivery of medicaments to the body. This observation is supported by the abundance and wide range of current drug delivery device designs currently in the field. However, there remains an unmet need for providing efficient drug delivery with a mechanical device that supports various delivery modes including for example a constant rate of infusion.
[0004] Syringe technology is well known and is the most common device for drug delivery. A basic syringe delivers its contents in a single bolus and the user typically attempts to minimize the elapsed time the needle pierces the skin. Indeed, often unappreciated for syringes, is the fact that the force available with a hand and thumb is only several pounds (lbs.), but the area of a plunger (especially in syringes and pen-type devices) is so small that the actual pressure in the fluid may well be over 100 lbs. per square inch.
[0005] Another variation of syringe technology is the syringe pump which functions to deliver contents over some extended period of time by moving the plunger of the syringe at a fixed or variable rate. Often, a syringe barrel is transparent so that quantitative aspects (amount, appearance, rate of delivery) of the drug solution can be assessed by the user.
[0006] Other variations of syringe technology include systems which mimic the performance of the basic syringe and syringe pump, however, because these systems are advantageously wearable and relatively low profile, the technology fails to provide the user with a strong enough source of driving force to administer an injection as a single bolus in a short period of time. Rather, these systems are designed to infuse drug solutions over a prescribed period of time. Additionally, these systems fail to provide the user with a visual of the drug solution before and/or during use.
[0007] Some wearable delivery devices and systems include a sliding interface such as a plunger sliding along the inside of a syringe barrel. However, such devices and systems suffer from a common issue known as slip-stick where the plunger motion is not uniform down the barrel. Slip-stick can cause inadvertent bolus delivery when the plunger is actuated after rest. It can cause the barrel to leap forward erratically when it finally moves because static friction is larger than sliding friction. This is also true in syringe pumps where rotary motion of the plunger driver motor is smooth, the motion of the plunger down the barrel is not smooth because of the changing frictional force of the plunger on the barrel.
[0008] U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,693,018; 5,957,895; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,369 describe devices which are low profile and can be worn on the skin more comfortably than a syringe. While such devices and systems are designed to overcome the common slip-stick issue, they do not provide a strong enough source of driving force to administer an injection as a single bolus in a short period of time. Additionally, they fail to provide the capability of variably controlled administration rates following diurnal or other desired administration chrono-pharmacological patterns. These devices and systems also do not provide the user with a visual indication of the drug solution so that the user can verify original contents, and whether such contents are flowing appropriately into the body from the concealed pouch from which they are contained.
[0009] In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 5,957,895; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,074,369 describe a design underpinned by the use of Belleville washers, which have an inherent non-constant force and which such force can only be minimized but not completely eliminated. U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,018 describes a design incorporating elastomeric members, which change shape as the reservoir housing the drug solution empties, and which reduce the desired force during drug delivery.
[0010] While many various delivery devices may be found, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,430,848; 8,449,504; 8,109,912; 7,927,306; 8,128,597; 8,361,030; 8,870,821; 8,187,228; 8,202,250; 7,407,491; 7,331,939; 7,314,463; 7,311,694; 7,309,326; 7,300,419; 7,297,138; 8,444,604; 8,512,287; 6,896,666; 7,678,079; 7,250,037; 7,981,085; 6,074,369; 6,447,475; 5,597,865 and 5,693,018; United States Application Numbers 2014/0148761; 2012/041338; 2009/0259182; 2009/0088682; 2008/0091149; and 2004/0010207; European Application Number 2591815 A1; and International Publication Numbers WO 2013/136327; WO 2013/068900; WO 2012/042517; and WO 2012/032411; none of these references disclose the embodiments of the delivery device disclosed herein.
[0011] Therefore, the drug delivery device disclosed herein provides innovative improvements and several advantages in the field of drug delivery because the novel design of the device disclosed herein provides the capability of delivering a drug solution efficiently and quickly for a bolus injection and also provides the capability for delivering a drug solution at a variably controlled constant rate for infusion.
[0012] All documents and references cited herein and in the referenced patent documents, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0013] For at least the limitations described above there is a need for a spring-driven drug delivery device.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] One or more embodiments described in the specification are related to a spring-driven drug delivery device. Embodiments of the invention enable a drug delivery device, such as a low profile patch wearable on the user's skin, capable of delivering medicament at a desired constant or variable rate. Embodiments of the drug delivery device disclosed herein may deliver medicaments at a rate which is a rapid or prolonged constant rate or a variable rate where drug solution is delivered in either a diurnal manner or some other desired function of time. The device disclosed herein is also capable of delivering a loading dose of drug which is then followed by a prolonged delivery rate of the drug.
[0015] One or more embodiments of the invention may include a device for delivering medicament to a user's body. The device may have a medicament containment reservoir with an inner cavity that contains a fluid incorporating one or more medicaments. The outer surface of the reservoir may be capable of being placed under mechanical pressure. The device may have a cannula that contacts the body, and a flow path for conveying the medicament from the reservoir to the cannula and into the body. The device may include a source of force for exerting pressure on the reservoir to cause medicament to flow along the flow path; the source of force may for example include one or more springs. A force transmission member may transmit this force from the source to the outer surface of the reservoir. This force transmission member may have an inclined surface that contacts an inclined surface follower coupled to the outer surface of the reservoir. Force from the source may generate motion of the force transmission member, which causes the inclined surface to move relative to the inclined surface follower; motion of the inclined surface exerts a force on the outer surface of the reservoir. This force on the outer surface may generate pressure on the fluid contained in the inner cavity of the reservoir, which causes the fluid to flow on the flow path to the cannula and into the body.
[0016] In one or more embodiments, the force transmission member may include a wedge. In one or more embodiments, the force transmission member may include a screw.
[0017] The slope of the inclined surface of the force transmission member may be engineered to generate any desired rate of drug delivery. For example, without limitation, it may be engineered to generate a relatively constant force on the outer surface of the reservoir over a portion of the motion of the force transmission member, which results in a relatively constant rate of drug delivery. In one or more embodiments, the spring force driving the force transmission member may vary over time (for example, it may decrease as the spring returns towards its equilibrium position, per Hooke's Law). The inclined surface may be engineered to compensate for this decreasing spring force, such that the overall force on the reservoir remains relatively constant even as the spring force decreases.
[0018] In one or more embodiments, the device may include a cannula deployment assembly that deploys the cannula outside the device during drug delivery and retracts the cannula inside the device after drug delivery. In further embodiments, the inclined surface may be operably connected to the cannula deployment assembly, wherein the source of force causes force transmission member with the inclined surface to move. Motion of the force transmission member may for example include a cannula extension motion, followed by a medicament delivery motion, followed by a cannula retraction motion.
[0019] In one or more additional embodiments, at least a portion of the inclined surface of the device may be visible through a transparent viewing window. The viewing window may have indicator markings showing status of the delivery of the medicament or operation of the device. The device may also have indicator markings on the back of a moving member that, through the inclined surface follower, applies force to the reservoir. These indicators or markings may provide visual indicators of the amount of medicament that has been delivered, or the amount of medicament remaining in the reservoir.
[0020] In one or more embodiments, the device may be low-profile, wearable, adhesive, or a combination thereof. In one or more embodiments, the device may have a housing that contains device components such as the reservoir, the force transmission member, and the spring. The housing may be configured to be worn on the user's skin, for example as a patch device. In one or more embodiments, the housing may have a low-profile, for example with a relatively low height compared to its width and length along the user's skin.
[0021] In one or more embodiments, the inclined surface of the device may include the profile of a linear cam, wherein the inclined surface may have varying slopes such that the pressure in the reservoir is constant, which results in an essentially constant delivery rate.
[0022] In one or more embodiments, the device may include a flow resistor that limits the rate at which fluid flows along the flow path into the user's body. A flow resistor may for example be used for extended delivery of a medicament over a long period of time.
[0023] In one or more embodiments, a medicament containment reservoir system may include a first reservoir and a second reservoir, where the second reservoir comprises additional medicament, and a flow path and force system (which may include an inclined surface) for conveying the medicament from either reservoir system to the body.
[0024] In one or more embodiments, the device may have a first reservoir containing a medicament, and a second reservoir that contains an auxiliary fluid that may be used to apply force to the first reservoir. For example, the first reservoir may have a rigid outer shell and an inner liner that is not coupled to the outer shell, which separates the inner cavity of the reservoir from a secondary chamber between the rigid outer shell and the inner liner. The device may have flow path between the second reservoir and the secondary chamber of the first reservoir. The force transmission member may apply force to the second reservoir, which causes the auxiliary fluid to flow into the secondary chamber of the first reservoir; this applies pressure to the liner and forces the medicament along the flow path towards the body. The flow path between the second reservoir and the secondary chamber of the first reservoir may incorporate a flow restrictor. In one or more embodiments, the auxiliary fluid may be more viscous than the fluid containing the medicament.
[0025] One or more embodiments of the invention enable a method of delivering medicament to a patient, the method comprising: providing a device disclosed herein to the patient, instructing the patient to wear the device, and instructing the patient to actuate the device, thereby triggering the source of force configuration to move the inclined surface to an actuated position, thereby urging the medicament from the reservoir along the flow path to the patient's body.
[0026] Also, disclosed herein is a kit comprising the device disclosed herein and a cannula for operable use therein. Additionally, disclosed herein is a kit comprising the device disclosed herein and instructions for use thereof. Also, disclosed herein is a kit comprising the device disclosed herein and a vial or container of medicament for delivery using the device thereof.
[0027] Additionally, disclosed herein are methods and kits for manufacture and/or delivery and/or deployment of the delivery device or patch device disclosed herein.
[0028] In other embodiments, the delivery device in the preceding paragraphs may incorporate any of the preceding or subsequently disclosed embodiments.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0029] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:
[0030] FIG. 1 illustrates perspective views of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a medicament containment reservoir in the full state.
[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a medicament containment reservoir in the partially full state.
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates perspective views of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a medicament containment reservoir in the depleted state.
[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates perspective views of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing an inclined surface comprising a constant slope.
[0034] FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing an inclined surface comprising a variable slope.
[0035] FIG. 6 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing an inclined surface comprising a slope for delivery of a medicament over a prolonged period of time.
[0036] FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein (and shown in FIG. 6 ) showing the magnified perspective view of the location of a flow resistor comprising within the flow path of the device.
[0037] FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a source of force configuration comprising torsion springs.
[0038] FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a perspective view of when the device is ready for activation.
[0039] FIG. 10 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein showing a source of force configuration comprising torsion springs. In this perspective view, about half of the medicament has been delivered.
[0040] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein (and shown in FIG. 8 ) when about half the medicament is delivered.
[0041] FIG. 12 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein comprising a configuration with torsion springs, an emptied drug reservoir and a needle retracted.
[0042] FIG. 13 illustrates another perspective view of an embodiment of a device disclosed herein (and shown in FIG. 12 ).
[0043] FIG. 14 illustrates a perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein comprising a configuration with a spiral spring when the drug reservoir is full.
[0044] FIG. 15 illustrates another perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein comprising a configuration with a spiral spring when the drug reservoir is full.
[0045] FIG. 16 illustrates perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein comprising a configuration with a spiral spring when the drug reservoir is about half full and the needle is deployed.
[0046] FIG. 17 perspective view of an embodiment of a delivery device disclosed herein comprising a configuration with a spiral spring when the drug reservoir is empty and the needle retracted.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0047] A spring-driven drug delivery device will now be described. In the following exemplary description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of embodiments of the invention. It will be apparent, however, to an artisan of ordinary skill that the present invention may be practiced without incorporating all aspects of the specific details described herein. In other instances, specific features, quantities, or measurements well known to those of ordinary skill in the art have not been described in detail so as not to obscure the invention. Readers should note that although examples of the invention are set forth herein, the claims, and the full scope of any equivalents, are what define the metes and bounds of the invention.
[0048] The delivery device disclosed herein is illustrated in the drawings and description in which like elements are assigned the same reference numerals. However, while particular embodiments are illustrated in the drawings, there is no intention to limit the delivery device disclosed herein to the specific embodiment or embodiments disclosed. Rather, the delivery device disclosed herein is intended to cover all modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling within the spirit and scope of the invention. As such, the drawings are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive.
[0049] Unless otherwise defined, all technical terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this technology belongs.
[0050] Exemplary embodiments of the delivery device disclosed herein are depicted in FIGS. 1-17 .
[0051] For the purposes of the delivery device disclosed herein, the terminology “corresponds to” and/or “in operable connection with” means there is a functional and/or mechanical relationship between objects and/or mechanisms and/or members and/or components of and/or within the delivery device which correspond to each other. For example, a delivery device component such as a cannula deployment system corresponds to (or is compatible with) and/or is in operable connection with an inclined surface component or member of the device in the context of deployment thereof.
[0052] For the purposes of the delivery device disclosed herein, the terminology “delivery device” means and/or may be interchangeable with terminology such as, without limitation, “device” or “delivery device system” or “delivery system” or “system” or “delivery patch device” or “patch” or “patch system” or “delivery device patch system” and the like.
[0053] For the purposes of the delivery device disclosed herein, the terminology “reservoir system” means and/or may be interchangeable with terminology such as, without limitation, “reservoir subsystem” or “reservoir” or “system” or “subsystem” or “medicament-containing reservoir” or “fluid-containing reservoir” or and the like.
[0054] For the purposes of the delivery device disclosed herein, the terminology “driving system” means and/or may be interchangeable with terminology such as, without limitation, “force delivery system” or “system” or “force delivery subsystem” or “delivery subsystem” or “subsystem” or “driver” or “force driver” and the like.
[0055] For the purposes of the delivery device disclosed herein, the terminology “inclined surface” means and/or may be interchangeable with terminology such as, without limitation, “wedge” or “ramp” or “wedge member” or “ramp member” or “inclined surface member” or “member” and the like.
[0056] The delivery device and/or patch disclosed herein may be configured to overcome a burdensome and significant limitation in the field of delivery devices. The principle of Hooke's law, in such devices where the source of energy is a spring or spring-like component designed to force medicament or fluid from a reservoir, states that the force provided by the spring component changes in a linear fashion as the spring returns from its initial loaded position to its relaxed position. In this spring-driver delivery device context, Hooke's law is true for spring components such as, without limitation, extension springs, spiral springs, compression springs, torsion springs, watch springs and the like including elastomeric springs such as in U.S. Pat. No. 5,693,018. Therefore, as the spring component applies the force to deliver the drug, the amount of force provided by the spring decreases which can often lead to non-constant delivery and/or poor control.
[0057] The delivery device and/or patch disclosed herein may comprise a novel configuration which overcomes Hooke's Law and the inherently small amount of force available to such spring components (in the aspect where the source of energy is a spring component designed to force medicament from a reservoir). Foundationally, the delivery device and/or patch disclosed herein may comprise the following two subsystems: 1) the reservoir system, and 2) the driving system. These two subsystems may be contained in a device case, for example in a low-profile patch-like housing or encasement. An exemplary patch-like housing is shown in FIG. 1 , wherein the reservoir system comprises a 10 reservoir which is in a “filled” status, in that it contains the desired and/or required volume of medicament or drug solution or fluid to be delivered to the user or patient. The reservoir system comprises a 10 medicament-containing reservoir which is fillable through a 11 fill port. The patch-like 13 housing comprises the flow path which is a path running from the 11 fill port to the 10 reservoir and from the 10 reservoir to the patient through the needle assembly and 14 cannula. FIG. 1 shows the embodiment of the flow path and additionally shows the blockage of the 10 reservoir to the 14 cannula so that the reservoir is sealed. Such a 10 reservoir and/or reservoir system can be made from a variety of readily available materials which function with the mechanical strength to contain fluid, maintain fluid in a sterile and non-contaminated state, and prevent the evaporation or leakage of fluid or its solvent. In one embodiment, the 10 reservoir is also made of flexible material which is capable of moving from a full condition as shown in FIG. 1 to a completely collapsed condition as shown in FIG. 3 . FIG. 2 also shows the 10 reservoir system after the flow path from the 10 reservoir to the 14 cannula (and to the user/patient) once the delivery device disclosed herein is actuated and is in the process of delivering medicament. In this exemplary embodiment of FIG. 2 , the 12 needle assembly is rotated such that the flow path from the 10 reservoir (which is shown to be partially collapsed as the medicament has flowed out of the reservoir) is open to the 14 cannula and the 14 cannula has been moved from a position within the device or patch to a position where the cannula has moved outside the device case and is in position to have entered the skin of the user if the device had been placed on a patient. FIG. 3 shows an embodiment wherein the reservoir system is complete after delivery of the medicament. In this scenario, 12 needle assembly rotates again so that the 14 cannula is once again back inside the device and the 10 reservoir collapses indicating its empty condition/status. Such materials for function of fluid containment in a 10 reservoir or reservoir system may include for example, without limitation, poly-olefins such as polyethylene. In another embodiment, one wall of the 10 reservoir is rigid and one wall is flexible. Although rigidity and flexibility are dependent on material thickness, materials capable of rigidity may include, for example and without limitation, thermoplastics such as polycarbonate. Materials capable of flexibility may include, for example and without limitation, spring metals such as stainless steel.
[0058] The delivery device disclosed herein and illustrated in the Figures may comprise a novel configuration of an inclined surface orientated between a spring component and a medicament-containing 25 reservoir, as illustrated in FIG. 4 . Such an inclined surface may be part of the driving system (or force delivery system) of the device or patch disclosed herein. Indeed, the 25 reservoir system disclosed herein may be driven by the spring-pushing 22 wedge (or inclined surface) of the force delivery system. FIG. 4 shows an exemplary schematic of an embodiment of a force delivery or driving subsystem. Such a configuration overcomes the limitations described above related to Hooke's Law and often associated with a spring-based source of force (in the aspect of devices where the source of energy is a spring component designed to force medicament from a 25 reservoir or pouch). In an embodiment, the medicament-containing 25 reservoir may be, for example, lined with a 24 biocompatibility liner. In one embodiment, the 20 upper outer member of the reservoir may be rigid, and may be made of material such as, without limitation, polycarbonate, and the 26 lower outer member may be made of a material, such as for example, without limitation, stainless steel. As the 21 spring component pushes the 22 wedge, the 26 lower reservoir member is pushed towards the 20 upper outer member thereby emptying the 25 reservoir (through the 23 outlet). The 27 shape (contour) of the 22 wedge (or inclined surface) determines the rate at which the 25 reservoir is emptied since the 23 outlet may also serve as a 29 flow resistor or flow restrictor. Indeed, the inclined surface (or 22 wedge) is capable of being implemented with a constant (any) slope, or a slope engineered to affect a desired delivery rate. A certain 27 shape, as derived and/or designed through the formulas below, will permit constant flow of the medicament through the 23 outlet tube. Other 27 shapes will permit other alternative and/or variable flow versus time profiles. An embodiment exemplified in FIG. 4 shows the 22 wedge (or inclined surface) with a slightly concave profile. FIG. 5 shows the 22 wedge with a convex profile. A linear profile and/or additional shapes of the 22 wedge can also be selected as per the desired time profile of the delivery of the medicament.
[0059] The relationship between source of force and the inclined surface in the embodiment of FIG. 4 can be described in mathematical terms as follows:
[0060] When “W” is the force on the 25 reservoir, “S” is the force exerted by the 21 spring, “⊖” is the slope of inclined surface, and “C” is coefficient of friction, then
[0000] W=S *Cos(⊖)/(Sin(⊖)+ C *Cos(⊖)).
[0061] In an embodiment of the delivery device or patch disclosed herein, when the angle of the inclined plane is small, as shown in FIG. 4 , Cos(⊖) is approximately 1 and Sin(⊖) is approximately ⊖, the relationship is shown as
[0000] W=S /(⊖+ C ).
[0062] In another embodiment of the delivery device or patch disclosed herein, when the delivery of the medicament from the 25 reservoir is constant (based on the constant inclined surface), then the force on the reservoir, W, is essentially constant. Hence, the slope, ⊖, is directly calculated as a function of the spring force, S, as follows:
[0000] ⊖=( S−WC )/ W.
[0063] The delivery device and/or patch disclosed herein comprises a novel configuration comprising a “slope profile” which is key to obtaining the desired drug delivery rate profile (amount delivered per unit time). Referring to FIG. 4 , for example, and specifically 22 wedge (inclined surface), as the 22 wedge is pushed to the left, drug solution is forced out of the 25 reservoir as the 22 wedge applies force to the 26 bottom of the 25 reservoir. The rate at which the drug solution is forced out depends on the force provided by the 21 spring and slope of the lower 27 surface of the 22 wedge. If the lower surface is parallel to the top surface of the 22 wedge, no drug would be forced out. Accordingly, the “slope profile” relates to the thickness of the 22 wedge as it varies from the thin tip on the left to the thicker section on the right. This thickness variation from left to right is what is referred to in this invention as the “slope profile.” The slope profile can be made in essentially an infinite number of variations and based on the guidance herein, drug delivery devices of the invention disclosed herein can be calculated according to the equations disclosed herein with a preferred slope profile to suit the required and/or desired drug delivery variables relevant to the patient as well as to the properties of the medicament to be delivered. One slope profile, for example, provides an essentially constant rate of delivery. Such a slope profile providing an essentially constant rate of delivery by providing constant pressure on the drug solution or on the 25 reservoir holding the drug solution or medicament. With respect to the slope profile of this embodiment, as the driving 21 spring loses force, it relaxes towards its unconstrained shape, thereby providing a delivery device or patch with an essentially constant rate of delivery.
[0064] In another embodiment of the delivery device or patch disclosed herein, when the 26 pressure plate is a relatively stiff metal member, the pressure plate flexes like a drum-head to cause essentially complete delivery of the medicament from the 25 reservoir and applies its own force to the 25 reservoir. This force decreases as the drug solution is delivered from the 25 reservoir. In this embodiment, the slope, ⊖, is designed in a manner wherein the calculation compensates for the decreasing force and still provides an essentially constant pressure on the fluid in the 25 reservoir. As such, when the coefficient of friction, C, is small, and the slope, ⊖, is small, the force on the reservoir, W, is many times the force available from the 21 spring. In an additional embodiment, the slope, ⊖, is made variable over the length of the inclined surface and in this manner, the changes in force inherent in the 21 spring and the 25 reservoir are accommodated for in order to achieve the desired rate of delivery of the medicament as the 25 reservoir empties.
[0065] In another embodiment, the delivery device or patch disclosed herein provides for automatic deployment and retraction of the 12 needle or 14 cannula for piercing the skin of the user. In this regard, a needle deployment and retraction mechanism may be connected with the inclined surface. In one aspect of the needle deployment and retraction mechanism, the inclined surface is at an initial position and the cannula is retracted in a position inside the drug delivery device before delivery of the medicament begins. When the device is activated and before the medicament is released from the 10 reservoir, the inclined surface moves to exert force on the 10 reservoir. In the early stages of this motion of the inclined surface, the deployment and retraction mechanism engages with a portion of the inclined surface, causing the 14 cannula (or 12 needle) to be deployed. Once the 14 cannula is deployed, the inclined surface exerts force on the 10 reservoir to cause the medicament to be delivered to the user. Once delivery is complete, a second portion of the inclined surface engages with the needle deployment and retraction mechanism and the 14 cannula is retracted. In this way, once the device is placed on the body or adhered to the skin of the user, the activation of the device by the user may cause needle deployment, medicament delivery, and needle retraction. All these actions may be accomplished by the user without the direct action by the user to pierce his or her skin, or directly visualizing the 12 needle at any time point during the actuation and operation of the device.
[0066] In one or more embodiments, the delivery device or patch disclosed herein may possess the capability to deliver medicament or drug solutions at a constant rate over relatively long periods of time. In one or more additional embodiments, a 29 flow resistor is incorporated in the flow path to reduce the rate at which the medicament flows into the body, as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7 . The 29 flow resistor—flow path configuration works well for relatively short periods of time up to about an hour for most medicaments or drug solutions having a viscosity close to that of water. In one or more embodiments, particularly suited for longer periods of time, a 28 second reservoir may be incorporated into the delivery device or patch so that it works in conjunction with the medicament-containing 25 reservoir. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the delivery device or patch disclosed herein configured with a 28 second reservoir. The 28 second reservoir may contain a separate fluid (auxiliary fluid) with a relatively high viscosity, and may be isolated from the medicament-containing 25 reservoir so that there is no fluid connection between the interiors of the two reservoirs. Rather, the fluid from the second reservoir flows through a 29 flow resistor in such a manner so that a force is exerted on the 25 first reservoir. When the patch is activated (or device is actuated), the driving force is applied to the 28 second reservoir. The fluid in the 28 second reservoir flows through the 29 flow resistor to exert force on the 25 first reservoir in such a manner so that the medicament is displaced or emptied from the 25 first reservoir. As the flow of the fluid out of the 28 second reservoir is at a desired drug delivery rate, and as it displaces the medicament of equal volume, the rate of delivery of the medicament equals the flow rate of the fluid in the 28 second reservoir. Since the rate of flow of the fluid in the 28 second reservoir is determined by the slope of the inclined surface, a variety of flow profiles can be created. The flow path functioning as a 29 flow resistor is shown in greater detail in FIG. 7 .
[0067] FIG. 7 shows this embodiment of the drug delivery patch after delivery of the medicament begins. The 21 spring moves the 22 wedge (inclined surface or ramp) to the left, thereby causing the auxiliary fluid to leave the 28 second reservoir through the flow path. The flow path may be constructed with one or more pinholes and/or may be 29 flow resistors of a selected size to regulate the flow of the auxiliary fluid from the 28 second reservoir at a desired rate. Depending on the desired rate of flow, one may adjust either the size of the pinholes, or the diameter and length of the 29 flow resistor, or the viscosity of the auxiliary fluid, or any combination thereof. For example, as the term (time period) of the desired flow increases, the viscosity of the auxiliary fluid would need to increase, the size or number of pinholes would need to decrease, the length of the 29 flow resistor would need to increase, the diameter of the 29 flow resistor would need to decrease, and/or any combination thereof. FIG. 7 also shows the flow path as a 29 flow resistor with an 30 opening exposed to the reservoir, an 32 additional opening exposed to the reservoir, and a 31 flow resistor length. Some of the auxiliary fluid flows through the flow path into a space between the bottom of the 25 first reservoir element outer wall and the lower 24 biocompatibility member. This reduces the volume of the 25 reservoir, thereby forcing a portion of the medicament through the 23 exit port.
[0068] FIG. 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the device or patch disclosed herein, wherein the driving force is supplied by 42 torsion springs which are positioned to drive 41 wedge member (inclined surface) to the right. The 41 wedge further extends to the left as a 47 extension to wrap around the 48 needle assembly. The 43 casing, in this embodiment, is transparent so that the user can observe the upper surface of the 41 wedge. When the 41 wedge member moves to the right, it will cause 50 pressing member to press against the 49 reservoir thereby putting pressure on the medicament. If the flow path shown in the 48 needle assembly were open, then the medicament would leave the 49 reservoir. However, 46 pin holds the 41 wedge member in place until the user desires administration of the medicament. The 44 top and 45 bottom of the reservoir are also shown herein. FIG. 9 shows the low profile outside of a delivery device or patch disclosed herein as it would appear to a user when it has been placed on the body. In this embodiment, the 46 pin is ready for pulling, and the back of the 41 wedge (inclined surface) is seen as a green band which indicates to the user that the low profile patch is ready for use.
[0069] FIG. 10 shows an embodiment of a delivery patch disclosed herein after it has been activated and a portion of the medicament has been administered. 42 torsion springs have moved the 41 wedge to the right and the 50 pressing member has compressed the 49 reservoir. As the 41 wedge moved to the right, the 47 wedge extension member rotated the 48 needle assembly so that the cannula moved out of the case and entered the body (pierced the skin) of the user, and the flow path from the 49 reservoir to the user's skin is open to fluid flow or movement thereby delivering a portion of the medicament to the user (as shown in FIG. 11 ). FIG. 11 also shows that the 41 wedge progresses to the right so that an additional portion of the back of the 41 wedge is now visible to the user as a reducing portion of green and an increasing portion of red indicators thereby giving a visual delivery status to the user as the medicament is in the process of being delivered.
[0070] FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the device/patch disclosed herein wherein delivery of the medicament is complete. 42 Torsion springs move the 41 wedge completely to the right and the 50 presser member has fully compressed the 49 reservoir thereby causing the desired dose of the medicament to leave the 49 reservoir. The 47 wedge extension causes the 48 needle assembly to rotate, closing the flow path and causing the cannula to be removed from the body/skin of the user. FIG. 13 shows the back of the 41 wedge member as red indicating to the user that medicament delivery is completed. Color combinations relating to indicator status are only exemplary and can vary as any of a range of colors.
[0071] For example, in yet another aspect of an embodiment of the delivery device or patch disclosed herein, user indicator status capabilities may be incorporated into the device. In one or more embodiments, indicator status information relating to any or all of medicament dose, appearance, flow, and delivery may be provided on a display panel or window on the backside of the inclined surface. Such a window provides the user with the capability to observe such indications. Additionally, particularly for persons who are visually impaired, certain status indicators, such as proper needle deployment, proper needle retraction, and completeness of medicament delivery may be provided in both a tactile and audible manner.
[0072] Alternative embodiments of the device disclosed herein are shown in FIGS. 14 through 17 . The reservoir subsystem is essentially the same as described for FIGS. 8, 10 and 12 . Fluid is held between an 75 inner biocompatible layer, a 74 flexible member with a similar biocompatible layer, and an 70 outer case. The 76 needle assembly and fluid outlet assembly is also similar to that shown in prior Figures. In FIG. 14 , a 72 watch spring is used as the source of mechanical force. As it rotates after the 79 pin is pulled, 71 rotating member drives 73 pushing member which is rigidly attached to 74 flexible upper member. As the 71 rotating member rotates, the 76 needle assembly is rotated to drive the needle downward and to open the fluid path, in a manner similar to that shown and described in FIGS. 8, 10, and 12 , so that the medicament flows to the patient through the needle in the 76 needle assembly.
[0073] FIG. 15 shows an alternative prospective top view (from above) of the embodiment shown in FIG. 14 which shows the delivery status indicator markings on the outward facing surface of 71 rotating member. In this embodiment, the device is ready for use but has not yet been activated since activation 79 pin is still in place. The upper surface of the 71 rotating member, seen through the viewing window shows a green arc indicating the device is unused and full of medicament.
[0074] FIG. 16 shows a device disclosed herein after the activation 79 pin is removed and the 72 driving spring is rotated through a portion of its rotational travel. In this embodiment of the device or patch disclosed herein, the ramp (inclined surface or wedge), in the form of a portion of the thread of a screw, is on the inner vertical surface of the 71 rotating member. The 73 pushing member follows the ramp and thereby presses the 78 reservoir to force medicament from the 78 reservoir. Furthermore, as the 71 rotating member rotates, the outer edge of the rotating member rotates the 76 needle assembly within 77 hub so that the needle moves from inside the device 70 housing to outside the device 70 housing thereby piercing the skin of the user. The flow path within the 76 needle assembly opens so that the medicament flows to the patient. The 71 rotating member rotates to make visible the indicator status information through the viewing window which indicates the device is delivering the medicament. A red section of the arc on the 71 rotating member appears through the window, in a manner similar to a familiar gas gauge in an automobile, providing an indication that the fluid is flowing and giving an approximation of the amount of medicament left to be delivered. A 72 spring continues to drive the delivery process to complete the delivery of the medicament as shown in FIG. 17 . The 71 rotating member rotates as far as possible and the 73 pushing member fully compresses the 78 reservoir so that the entire dose of medicament is delivered. During the final several degrees of rotation of the 71 rotating member, it further rotates the 76 needle assembly thereby, through an action of a cam, for example, within the 76 needle assembly, drawing the needle back inside the device housing and closing the flow path from the 78 reservoir to the needle. This aspect of an embodiment of the device disclosed herein, provides a device design configuration precluding the possibility of inadvertent reuse of the device.
[0075] In other embodiments, the delivery device or patch disclosed herein may further be provided in a kit or set and may incorporate adjunctive elements and/or device members or components such as cams, screws, and/or a combination device disclosed herein, and/or the various components and/or members which make up the device such as, for example, without limitation, the device 43 , 70 case or housing, the 10 , 25 , 49 , 78 reservoir and/or reservoir walls, the inclined surface, the 24 , 75 biocompatibility liner, the visual or audio indicator members, the viewing window, may be constructed and/or configured with materials such as, without limitation, poly-olefins such as polyethylene, thermoplastics such as polycarbonate and/or spring metals such as stainless steel as are known to those skilled in the art and are capable of performing in the required way.
[0076] The delivery device disclosed herein may incorporate reasonable design parameters, features, modifications, advantages, and variations that are readily apparent to those skilled in the art in the field of delivery devices.
[0077] While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.
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A drug delivery device or patch-like delivery device which employs a spring force and an inclined surface to apply pressure on a fluid reservoir, thereby delivering medicament to a user's body. The slope of the inclined surface may be engineered to control the drug delivery rate. The device may be low profile and wearable, for example in the form of a patch. A visual indicator of the amount of medicament delivered or remaining may be incorporated, for example via a transparent window that shows the progression of an inclined surface as it presses on the reservoir. The device may incorporate mechanisms for automatic extension and retraction of a cannula at the beginning and end of drug delivery. Drug delivery rate may be limited with flow restrictors, and by using a two-reservoir system with a viscous liquid displacing a reservoir containing the medicament.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/547,424, filed Feb. 26, 2004, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to sliding doors, and more specifically to top guides for guiding sliding doors along top tracks.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] Sliding panel doors, such as those used in closets, are constructed from thin panels that gain rigidity from the application of a perimeter frame formed by two side, one top, and one bottom roll formed or extruded metal sections that are mechanically joined at each corner by means of a metal or plastic joining plate. The weight of the panel door is typically supported by a bottom track, and the door is provided with wheels or other slidable elements that can slide or roll within the bottom track. The top portion of the door is often retained and guided in a top “E” section track, which provides downwardly depending leg portions defining vertical surfaces in which the upper portion of the panel door is retained and guided. Particularly, the upper portion of the panel door is typically provided by a top guide assembly that is attached to the metal or plastic frame joining plate at each top corner of the door. The top guide assembly typically includes a pair of top guide wheels (or rollers or other slidable elements) each rotatable about a vertical axis. As the door travels along the bottom and top tracks, the top guide wheels rotate against the inside parallel vertical edges of the E track and keep the sliding door positioned centrally within the track cavity. U.S. Pat. No. 6,449,906 illustrates one such conventional top guide and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0006] When the top and bottom tracks are perfectly parallel and the top guide assemblies are properly mounted to the sliding door, the top guide wheel axes are perfectly perpendicular to the direction of travel of the sliding door, and the top guide wheels roll smoothly along the inside parallel vertical edges of the top E track. However, in some installations, the top and bottom tracks are not perfectly parallel to each other (i.e., the top and bottom tracks angle toward each other) due to variations and imperfections in the floor, ceiling, or other substrate onto which the tracks are mounted. These imperfections may occur over time with the settling of the building or structure. When the top and bottom tracks are so skewed, the top guide wheel axes will not be perpendicular to the direction of travel of the sliding door, which follows the bottom track. Such a misalignment of the top guide wheel axis relative to the direction of travel of the sliding door may also result from a misaligned attachment of the top guide assembly to the sliding door. Consequently, the natural rolling path of the top guide wheels will be skewed relative to the actual direction of travel of the sliding door. The skewed path over which the top guide wheels roll causes the top guide wheels to vibrate or jitter as they attempt to follow their natural path, but are forced to follow the actual path of the sliding door. This vibration often generates noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, one aspect of one or more embodiments of this invention provides a top guide assembly that operates quietly, smoothly, and effectively, even when the top and bottom tracks are not parallel to each other or the top guide is not perfectly positioned on the sliding door.
[0008] Another aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a sliding door assembly that includes a sliding door panel and a guide arm movably connected to an upper portion of the sliding door panel. The guide arm is movable relative to the sliding door panel in a vertical direction. The sliding door assembly also includes a top guide wheel pivotally connected to the guide arm at a top guide wheel axis. The guide wheel moves with the guide arm relative to the sliding door panel.
[0009] According to a further aspect of one or more of these embodiments, the movable connection between the guide arm and the sliding door panel is a pivotal connection that defines a guide arm axis. The guide arm axis is spaced from the top guide wheel axis. The top guide wheel axis extends in a lateral, horizontal direction relative to the sliding door panel. The top guide wheel axis and guide arm axis are parallel to each other. An interference between the guide arm and the sliding door panel limits the range of the pivotal movement of the guide arm relative to the sliding door panel.
[0010] The sliding door assembly may further include a top guide base mounted to the upper portion of the sliding door panel. The guide arm pivotally connects to the sliding door panel by way of a pivotal connection between the guide arm and the top guide base.
[0011] According to a further aspect of one or more embodiments, the sliding door assembly also includes a spring operatively extending between the top guide base or the sliding door panel and the guide arm to bias the guide arm and top guide wheel upwardly away from the sliding door panel.
[0012] The assembly may also include an elongated top track adapted to be mounted to a substrate. The top track has an elongated guide wheel channel. The top guide wheel extends into the channel so that the channel guides the movement of the guide wheel along the top track. The channel has opposing sides that provide lateral support to the sliding door panel by way of the top guide wheel.
[0013] An additional aspect of one or more embodiments of the present invention provides a top guide assembly for mounting a sliding door panel to a top track. The top guide assembly includes a top guide base adapted to be mounted to an upper portion of the sliding door panel. The top guide assembly also includes a guide arm movably connected to the top guide base. The guide arm is movable relative to the top guide base in a vertical direction. The top guide assembly also includes a top guide wheel pivotally connected to the guide arm at a top guide wheel axis. The guide wheel moves with the guide arm relative to the top guide base.
[0014] According to a further aspect of one or more embodiments of this invention, an interference between the guide arm and the top guide base limits the pivotal movement of the guide arm relative to the top guide base.
[0015] According to a further aspect of one or more of these embodiments, the guide arm pivots about a first axis and the top guide wheel axis is spaced from the first axis.
[0016] According to a further aspect of one or more of these embodiments, the movable connection between the guide arm and the sliding door panel allows the guide arm to move in a linear, vertical direction relative to the sliding door panel.
[0017] Additional and/or alternative advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, disclose preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] Referring now to the drawings which from a part of this original disclosure:
[0019] FIG. 1 is a partial front view of a sliding door assembly according to one embodiment of the present invention;
[0020] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a top guide assembly in FIG. 1 , taken along the line 2 - 2 in FIG. 1 ;
[0021] FIG. 3A is a top perspective view of a top guide base of the top guide assembly in FIG. 2 ;
[0022] FIG. 3B is a bottom view of the top guide base in FIG. 3A ;
[0023] FIG. 3C is a side cross-sectional view of the top guide base in FIG. 3A , taken along the line 3 C- 3 C in FIG. 3B ;
[0024] FIG. 4A is an upper perspective view of a guide arm of the top guide assembly in FIG. 2 ;
[0025] FIG. 4B is a lower perspective view of the guide arm in FIG. 4A ;
[0026] FIG. 4C is a front view of the guide arm in FIG. 4A ;
[0027] FIG. 4D is a side cross-sectional view of the guide arm in FIG. 4A , taken along the line 4 D- 4 D in FIG. 4C ;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a partial side cut-away view of a top guide assembly according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention; and
[0029] FIG. 6 is a top view of the top guide assembly in FIG. 5 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] FIG. 1 shows a sliding door assembly 10 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The sliding door assembly 10 includes at least one sliding door or door panel 20 , a top E track 30 , and a top guide assembly 100 that connects the sliding door 20 to the top track 30 to guide the sliding door 20 along the top track 30 . The sliding door assembly 10 may also include a second sliding door 20 (not shown) operatively connected to the top track 30 via a second top guide assembly 100 . One top guide assembly 100 is preferably provided for each end (front and back as shown in FIG. 1 ) of the sliding door 20 . The sliding door assembly 10 also includes a bottom track (not shown) and at least one bottom guide assembly (not shown) that connects the sliding door 20 to the bottom track. The top track 30 and bottom track are secured to a substrate (e.g., floor, ceiling, house frame, etc.) in a parallel, vertically spaced relationship.
[0031] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top track 30 is an elongated structure. The top track 30 has two elongated, parallel, running channels 50 . The running channels 50 are designed to engage the top guide assembly 100 along the top track 30 . It is contemplated that three or more running channels 50 could be provided, depending on the number of sliding doors 20 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the top track 30 also includes three downwardly projecting legs 60 that create an “E” shape. The legs 60 hide the top guide assembly 100 from view, discourage foreign objects from interfering with the operation of the top guide 100 , and guide the sliding door 20 if the top guide assembly 100 disengages from the channel 50 .
[0032] As shown in FIG. 2 , the top guide assembly 100 includes a top guide base 110 , a guide arm 120 , a guide wheel 130 , a spring pin 140 , and a spring 150 .
[0033] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the top guide base 110 mounts to an upper portion of the sliding door 20 . As shown in FIG. 3B , the top guide base 110 has a channel 200 that is press fit onto an upper corner of the sliding door 20 (see FIG. 2 ). Alternatively, the top guide base 110 may be secured to the sliding door 20 in any other suitable fashion (e.g., screws, glue, bolts, etc.). Alternatively, the top guide base 110 may be integrally formed with the sliding door 20 .
[0034] As shown in FIGS. 2, 3B , and 3 C, two guide arm axles 210 are formed on an inside portion of the top guide base 110 and extend into the channel 200 . The guide arm axles 210 define a guide arm axis 220 . Inner axial ends of the guide arm axles 210 abut the sliding door 20 when the top guide base 110 is mounted to the sliding door 20 . The guide arm axis 220 extends laterally (or horizontally) relative to the sliding door 20 in a direction that is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the sliding door 20 .
[0035] As shown in FIG. 3A , the top guide base 110 includes a mounting slot 230 that is adapted to securely engage an enlarged head 500 of the spring pin 140 (see FIGS. 1 and 2 ).
[0036] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4B , and 4 D, the guide arm 120 has a laterally extending bore 300 . As shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 D, a laterally extending slot 310 extends between the bore 300 and a lower perimeter of the guide arm 120 . The guide arm 120 pivotally connects to the top guide base 110 when the slot 310 and bore 300 are press fit over the axles 210 so that the bore 300 is concentric with the axles 210 (see FIG. 2 ). The slot 310 is slightly narrower than the outside diameter of the axles 210 so that the slot 310 holds the axles 210 in the bore 300 . The bore 300 has an inside diameter that is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the axles 210 of the top guide base 110 so that the guide arm 120 can freely pivot relative to the top guide base 110 about the guide arm axis 220 .
[0037] As shown in FIG. 2 , the range of pivotal movement of the guide arm 120 relative to the top guide base 110 and sliding door 20 is limited by lower portions 320 , 330 of the guide arm 120 , which abut a top edge of the sliding door 20 when the guide arm 120 reaches its extreme pivotal positions. As shown in FIGS. 2, 3A , 3 B, and 3 C, two catch plates 340 formed on the inside of the top guide base 110 and a middle portion 360 of the guide arm 120 also limit the range of pivotal movement of the guide arm 120 relative to the top guide base 110 .
[0038] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4A , 4 B, 4 C, and 4 D, a through slot 350 is formed in the middle portion 360 of the guide arm 120 and is designed to slide over the spring pin 140 .
[0039] As shown in FIGS. 2, 4A , and 4 D, a laterally extending guide wheel bore 370 is formed in an upper portion of the guide arm 120 . A laterally extending slot 380 connects the bore 370 to an upper edge of the guide arm 120 .
[0040] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the guide wheel 130 has a laterally extending axle 400 that defines a guide wheel axis 410 . The guide arm axis 220 and the guide wheel axis 410 are parallel to and spaced from each other. The guide wheel 130 pivotally connects to the guide arm 120 when the guide wheel axle 400 is press fit into the slot 380 and bore 370 of the guide arm 120 so that the bore 370 is concentric with the axle 400 . The slot 380 is slightly narrower than the outside diameter of the axle 400 so that the slot 380 holds the axle 400 in the bore 370 . The bore 370 has an inside diameter that is slightly larger than the outside diameter of the axle 400 so that the guide wheel 130 can freely rotate relative to the guide arm 120 about the guide wheel axis 410 .
[0041] While the pivotal connection between the top guide base 110 and guide arm 120 and the rotational connection between the guide arm 120 and the guide wheel 130 comprise axles that are press fit into slotted bores, a variety of other pivotal/rotational connections may alternatively be used. For example, a bolt could be used as an axle and fit through aligned bores in the top guide base and guide arm. A similar bolt axle could be used to pivotally connect the guide arm to the guide wheel. Various other rotational joints that would be known to those of ordinary skill in the art may alternatively be used without deviating from the scope of the present invention.
[0042] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the guide wheel 130 includes a central circumferential ridge 450 surrounded by two circumferential shoulders 460 . The circumferential ridge 450 fits into the channel 50 formed in the top track 30 . Opposing inner sides 470 of the channel 50 provide lateral support to the guide wheel 130 to prevent the guide wheel 130 and the sliding door 20 from moving laterally relative to the channel 50 . The circumferential edges of the shoulders 460 abut and roll along the top track 50 . Alternatively, a circumferential edge of the ridge 450 may abut and roll along the top middle of the channel 50 .
[0043] The top guide base 110 , guide arm 120 , and guide wheel 130 are molded and machined parts that preferably comprise a strong light material such as acetal homopolymer, nylon, plastic, etc. The axles 400 , 210 and bores 300 , 370 are preferably polished so that the rotational joints facilitate smooth pivotal movement.
[0044] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 , the spring pin 140 has an enlarged head 500 that is secured in the slot 230 formed in the top guide base 110 . Alternatively, the spring pin 140 can have a threaded end that mates with complementary threads on the slot 230 . An opposite end of the spring pin 140 has two radially extending, spaced flanges 510 . The spaced flanges 510 form a stop for the compression spring 150 . The flanges 510 are flexible so that they can be pressed together to reduce their combined outer diameter. The spring pin 140 may be integrally formed with the top guide base 10 .
[0045] Assembly of the top guide assembly 100 is described with reference to FIG. 2 . The guide arm 120 is pivotally connected to the top guide base 110 by press fitting the bore 300 of the guide arm 120 over the axles 210 of the top guide base 110 .
[0046] The spring 150 is placed on the guide pin 140 and located within a channel formed in the guide arm 120 . The spring 150 contacts the middle portion 360 of the guide arm 120 and the guide pin 140 extends through the slot 350 in the middle portion 360 . The pin 140 is then secured to the slot 230 in the top guide base 110 . As shown in FIG. 2 , a left end of the spring 140 is supported by the middle portion 360 of the guide arm 120 . The slot 250 in the middle portion 360 of the guide arm 120 is narrower than the diameter of the spring 140 so that the spring 140 does not extend through the slot 350 with the spring pin 140 . Finally, the axle 400 of the guide wheel 130 is press fit into the bore 370 in the guide arm 120 .
[0047] As shown in FIG. 2 , the entire top guide assembly 100 is then press fit onto an upper corner of the sliding door 20 . The guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 are then pushed downward relative to the sliding door until the guide wheel aligns with the channel 50 in the upper track 30 , at which point the guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 are released to allow the guide wheel 130 to engage the channel 50 .
[0048] The operation of the top guide assembly 100 is described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2 . As shown by the curved arrows in FIG. 2 , the guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 pivot upwardly and downwardly relative to the sliding door 20 and top guide base 110 about the guide arm axis 220 . The compression spring 150 biases the guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 upwardly (counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2 ), which keeps the guide wheel 130 engaged with the channel 50 in the top track 30 . If the top track 30 and bottom track spread away from each other, the guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 move upwardly so that the guide wheel 130 remains engaged with the channel 50 despite the greater distance between the top track 30 and bottom track. Conversely, if the top track 30 and bottom track converge toward each other over any portion of the sliding door assembly 10 , the guide arm 120 and guide wheel 130 move downwardly and compress the spring 150 . Consequently, the guide wheel 130 remains engaged with the channel 50 and smoothly rolls over the channel 50 regardless of whether or not the top track 30 is perfectly parallel to the bottom track.
[0049] FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate a sliding door assembly 600 according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. The sliding door assembly 600 includes a sliding door 610 , a top track 630 , and a top guide assembly 620 that operatively connects the top track 30 to the sliding door 610 .
[0050] The top track 630 is identical to the top track 30 and includes a channel 640 like the channel 50 described above.
[0051] A round bore 650 is formed in an upper portion of the sliding door 610 and extends downwardly from a top edge of the sliding door 610 . As shown in FIG. 5 , a square bore 660 extends downwardly into the sliding door 610 from the lower end of the round bore 650 . The round and square bores 650 , 660 are axially aligned. A shoulder 655 is defined by the round bore 650 at the intersection between the round bore 650 and the square bore 660 .
[0052] In the illustrated embodiment, the round and square bores 650 , 660 are formed directly in the sliding door 610 . Alternatively, the round and square bores may be formed in a top guide base that mounts to a top or side of the sliding door.
[0053] As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the top guide assembly 620 includes a guide arm 680 , a top guide wheel 690 , a compression spring 700 , and a pin 710 .
[0054] The guide wheel 690 rotationally mounts to an upper, U-shaped portion 730 of the guide arm 680 via the pin 710 , which extends through aligned bores in the guide arm 680 and guide wheel 690 . The pin 710 defines a guide wheel axis 720 about which the guide wheel 690 rotates. The guide wheel axis 720 extends in a generally horizontal direction that is perpendicular to a direction of travel of the sliding door 610 . As in the previously described embodiment, the guide wheel 690 engages the channel 640 formed in the top track 630 to guide the sliding door 610 along the top track 630 .
[0055] While the illustrated rotational joint between the guide wheel 690 and the guide arm 680 comprises a pin 720 , the rotational joint may alternatively comprise any other rotational joint. For example, as in the previously described embodiment, an axle formed on the guide wheel 690 could rotationally engage a slotted bore in the guide arm 680 .
[0056] The guide arm 680 includes an upper U-shaped portion 730 and a lower square pin 740 that extends downwardly from the U-shaped portion 730 . The guide wheel 690 extends into the U-shaped portion 730 . A shoulder 735 is defined by the U-shaped portion 730 at the intersection between the U-shaped portion 730 and the square pin 740 .
[0057] The square pin 740 extends downwardly into the round and square bores 650 , 660 in the sliding door 610 . The square bore 660 is slightly wider that the square pin 740 so that the guide arm 680 can freely slide upwardly and downwardly in the bore 660 , but cannot pivot about a vertical axis relative to the bore 660 . While the illustrated embodiment utilizes a square pin 740 and a square bore 660 , the pin 740 and bore 660 may alternatively comprise a variety of other mating cross-sectional shapes. For example, the pin 740 and bore 660 may have cross-sectional shapes such as rectangles, “+” signs, etc. that allow relative axial movement but prevent relative pivotal movement.
[0058] The compression spring 700 fits over the square pin 740 and has an inner diameter that is slightly larger than a diagonal width of the square pin 740 . The spring 700 extends into the round bore 650 and has an outer diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the round bore 650 . An upper end of the spring 700 engages the shoulder 735 on the guide arm 680 . A lower end of the spring 700 engages the shoulder 655 of the round bore 650 . Consequently, the spring 700 biases the guide arm 680 and guide wheel 690 upwardly (in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5 ) to keep the guide wheel 690 engaged with the top track 630 .
[0059] The top guide assembly 620 preferably includes a mechanism that limits the vertical movement of the guide arm 680 to prevent the guide arm 680 from disengaging from the sliding door 610 under the biasing force of the spring 700 . For example, the mechanism may comprise a laterally extending pin that extends through a slot in the side of the sliding door 610 and into the square pin 740 .
[0060] While the round bore 650 advantageously conceals part of the spring 700 , the round bore 650 may be eliminated altogether without deviating from the scope of the present invention. In such an embodiment, the lower end of the spring 700 would abut the top edge of the sliding door 610 .
[0061] The foregoing description is included to illustrate the operation of the preferred embodiments and is not meant to limit the scope of the invention. To the contrary, those skilled in the art should appreciate that varieties may be constructed and employed without departing from the scope of the invention, aspects of which are recited by the claims appended hereto.
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A sliding door assembly includes a sliding door that is slidingly mounted to a top track via one or more top guide assemblies. The sliding door is also slidingly mounted to a bottom track. Each top guide assembly includes a top guide wheel that rotationally mounts to the top guide assembly and engages the top track to guide the sliding door. The guide wheel rotates relative to the top guide assembly about an axis that extends horizontally in a direction perpendicular to a direction of travel of the sliding door. The guide wheel also movably mounts to the top guide assembly so that the guide wheel moves upwardly and downwardly relative to the top guide assembly and sliding door to correct for any variation in the gap between the top and bottom tracks.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for feeding fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising an injection valve opening into the combustion chamber, which is used for taking compressed gas from the cylinder and injecting the gas together with the fuel supplied by a metering device, and further comprising a gas storage cell holding the compressed gas.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
A device of this type is described in EP-A 0 328 602, for example, where a gas exchange chamber is controlled by an injection valve opening into the cylinder of an internal combustion engine. In this variant compressed gases are taken from the cylinder during one working cycle, and are stored temporarily, and are then injected into the cylinder of the internal combustion engine during the subsequent working cycle, together with the fuel fed into the gas exchange chamber on the side of the valve.
As regards adjustment of control times of the injection device to various engine parameters such as load or speed, several variants permitting control of the lifting rate of the valve needle or a change of the needle lift are described in EP-A 0 328 602. The advantages over versions without variable needle lift become apparent when the engine is operated at low load or at full load, above all, the positive influence on the emission behavior of the engine.
In the above device possible eccentricities in the position of the injection valve relative to the valve seat may have a negative influence on the shape of the fuel jet, however,--in particular with small valve lifts--, which will make special demands on the quality of valve stem guide and valve seat. Besides, control of the valve lift requires considerable technical expense and production efforts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to develop a device of the above type in a mechanically simple manner such that optimum conditions of injection are achieved even for small injection volumes and low injection rates during operation under conditions of idling or partial load, while permitting possible eccentricities in the area of the valve seat.
In the invention this object is achieved by providing a variable throttle between the valve seat of the injection valve and the gas storage cell, whose flow cross-section can be controlled in accordance with load and speed parameters of the engine. The use of separate elements for controlling injection time and injection rate, i.e., an injection valve with constant needle lift on the one hand and a variable throttle on the other hand, will permit functional improvements and better adaptation to the available space, which is different for different engines and assemblies. Due to the constant needle lift, which is comparatively large, faults in the valve seat will have no adverse effects on the shape of the fuel jet.
In this version control of the injection rate or the amount of gas entered per unit time is performed by a variable throttle located behind the now constant throttle of the valve seat, unlike in the known device, where this control is obtained by varying the lift of the injection valve. Connecting elements for connection with the gas storage cell are configured so as to contain only a small volume, such that most of the stored gas will pass the variable throttle both when the storage cell is being charged and when the fuel/gas mixture is injected into the combustion chamber.
Depending on the flow cross-section opened at the site of the variable throttle the flow of gas entering the storage cell during the filling process is throttled more or less, which will lead to a higher or lesser pressure level in the gas storage cell after the injection valve has closed.
When the injection valve is opened again during the subsequent injection process, the pressure difference between cylinder and storage cell, and thus the energy available for the injection process, is greater or smaller, depending on the position of the throttle, the beginning of injection being kept constant. In addition, the gas flowing from the gas storage cell during the injection period is throttled by a varying degree, depending on the position of the throttle.
As a consequence a comparatively small volume of gas is exchanged during the injection process if the throttle is in a more or less closed position, and the gas stored in the storage cell flows out at comparatively low speed during injection. If the throttle is open the reverse is true; a large gas volume is exchanged and injection is performed at a high rate.
In this manner the injection jet may be adapted to the different demands made by different operational states of the engine. At partial load, for instance, a weak injection jet is useful for obtaining a good stratification of the charge in the combustion chamber, whereas at full load a high injection rate will bring about the desired homogeneity of the charge in the combustion chamber.
Another advantage over known devices is that it is mechanically simpler and less expensive to control a throttle element than to control the valve lift.
Another variant of the invention provides that the gas storage cell be configured as a rotatable or axially movable storage tube, which is held in the housing of the injection valve and is provided with an adjusting element and a wall opening connected via a feed line to an annular chamber adjoining the valve seat, the variable throttle being formed by the opening in the wall of the storage tube and the corresponding feed line into this tube, and the metering device preferably opening into the annular chamber adjoining the valve seat. The storage tube may be rotated to vary the area of overlap of the two openings. This will result in different cross-sections available for the gas flow.
In a particularly advantageous variant of the invention the individual injection valves of a multi-cylinder engine have a joint storage tube located parallel to the crankshaft axis, which is held by lateral projections on the housings of the individual injection valves and is divided into individual storage sections, each of which is connected via a wall opening to a feed line of the corresponding injection valve. Due to the lateral and horizontal arrangement of the storage tube the height of the injection device may be kept small, which is required especially for two-stroke engines.
It may be provided in the invention that the individual storage sections in the storage tube be connected by throttling ports, thus establishing identical mean pressures in the individual sections.
Further improvement is achieved by providing that the feed line located between the annular chamber adjoining the valve seat and the gas storage cell, open into the annular chamber tangentially, which will impart a stabilising torque to the injection jet.
In another variant of the invention, which is particularly well suited for four-stroke engines, a tubular throttling element is provided, which can be shifted axially and surrounds the valve guide of the injection valve, and whose end facing the valve seat has a cylindrical gap towards the housing of the injection valve, acting as the variable throttle between valve seat and gas storage cell. Since no space is available for a lateral and horizontal storage tube due to the space required for the valve gear, the gas storage cell is placed coaxial with the injection valve in this variant.
In an enhanced version of the invention the metering device may open into the annular gap between injection valve and valve guide.
If the throttling element is actuated pneumatically, i.e., preferably by the fuel pressure generated by a pump, the proposal is put forward that the throttling element carry an annular plate at its far end away from the valve seat, which should be movably sealed against the wall of the housing, and that the annular plate should separate two annular chambers located in the valve housing, one of these annular chambers, which is subject to a control pressure medium, being separated from the gas storage cell by means of an annular projection in the valve housing, and the other annular chamber being provided with an element or medium operating in closing direction of the throttling element.
Finally it is possible according to the invention that the annular chamber containing a pressure medium which is effective in closing direction of the throttling element, have a flow-connection into the gas storage cell. In this way automatic control is obtained of the pressure in the gas storage cell.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be further described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 shows a device according to the invention, as a section along line I--I in FIG. 2,
FIG. 2 shows the device of FIG. 1, as a section along line II--II in FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 shows another variant of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Instead of separate discussions of the numerous possible variants of the invention two significant variants will be discussed in detail below, corresponding to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, respectively.
The device for feeding fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine shown in FIG. 1 has an injection valve 2 guided in a housing 1. Between the valve seat 3 of the injection valve 2 and the gas storage cell 5 configured in this variant as a storage tube 4 rotatable about its axis 4', a feed line 7 into the storage cell 5 is provided, which departs from an annular chamber 6 adjacent to the valve seat 3. The wall opening 8 in the storage tube 4 and the feed line 7 cooperating with this opening together form the variable throttle 9. By means of an adjusting element 10 the storage tube 4 can be rotated and the overlap of the wall opening 8 and the feed line 7 can be varied accordingly, which in turn will give a variable gas flow through the throttle 9. In order to save space the storage tube 4 may be positioned in a lateral projection 11 of the housing 1, which will result in a compact design especially for two-stroke engines.
The fuel is fed via the metering device 12 into the annular chamber 6 near the valve disk 13 of the injection valve 2, such that the entire volume of incoming or outgoing gas may be charged with fuel in each operational state of the engine.
The mode of actuation of the injection valve 2 is freely selectable; to ensure a small overall height, short opening and closing periods and precise control while permitting variations of the injection timing it is recommended, however, to open and close the valve with the use of the pressure generated by a fuel pump, as described in EP-A 0 328 602 mentioned at the beginning of this paper. The fuel pump also supplies the metering device 12 used for fuel injection into the annular chamber 6.
To open the valve an actuating plunger 14 connected with the injection valve is subjected to high pressure (20 to 100 bar) on the side facing away from the valve seat 3, and is thus pressed against a stop 15 in the housing 1. The travel length of this movement corresponds to the lift of the injection valve 2. The valve is closed by the constant pressure of a pressure medium delivered via line 16, which is applied to the other side of the actuating plunger 14.
The actual opening and closing of the valve is effected via a solenoid-controlled three-way valve 17 opening the high pressure line 18 from the beginning of the opening cycle of the injection valve 2 to the time of its immediate closing, and thus acting upon the actuating plunger 14 on the side away from the valve. The pressure applied to the other side of the plunger either is lower than the high pressure from line 18, or different actuating forces are produced at the plunger by making the pressure-effective areas on the two sides of the plunger different in size. In this way no second pressure level is needed.
For closing the injection valve 2 the three-way valve 17 releases the return line 19. The pressure on the side of the plunger away from the valve decreases, and the pressure applied to the other side via line 16 will close the injection valve 2 and keep it closed against the gas pressure in the storage cell.
In multi-cylinder engines the storage tube 4 is placed parallel to the crankshaft axis, thus connecting the injection valves 2 arranged in line (FIG. 2). The storage tube 4 is held in the lateral projections 11 of the housings 1 of the individual injection valves 2, and is divided into individual storage sections 5'. Each storage section 5' is connected with a feed line 7 of the respective injection valve 2 via a wall opening 8.
In between the individual storage sections 5' throttling ports 21 are placed in partition walls 20, which ports are configured so as to produce identical mean pressures in the individual storage sections 5' corresponding to the individual cylinders. This is effected in such a way, however, that the different timings of the injection processes of the individual injection valves and the subsequent differences in the instantaneous pressures in the individual storage sections 5' do not interfere with one another. Arranging the gas storage cells of all injection devices of a cylinder bank in a joint and rotatable storage tube 4 offers the advantage that only one single adjusting element 10 is required for rotation of the storage tube 4 and thus for control of the variable throttle passages 9. The rotatory motion of the storage tube 4 also is of advantage.
In order to compensate for possible changes in length or tolerances in the direction of axis 4' of the storage tube 4 the wall openings 8 of the storage tube 4 may be configured as slots at the site of the variable throttle 9.
The feed line 7 into the storage section 5' is best configured so as to permit the gas emerging from the storage section 5' upon injection to enter the annular chamber 6 around the injection valve 2 tangentially. In this way the injection jet is imparted a stabilising torque.
In the variant of the invention presented in FIG. 3 all parts corresponding to those in the variant of FIGS. 1 and 2 have the same reference numbers again. The gas storage cell 5 now is coaxial with the injection valve 2 and is bounded by the cylindrical wall 22 of the housing 1. The variable throttle 9 between valve seat 3 and storage cell 5 is constituted by the valve-side end of a throttling element 23 forming a variable, cylindrical gap 24 together with the housing 1 of the injection valve 2. The tubular throttling element 23 surrounds the valve guide 25 on which it slides axially, such that the height of the cylindrical gap and thus the cross-section of the throttle 9 may be varied linerarly. In order to avoid any adverse effects of inaccuracies in the guiding of the throttling element 23, the throttle 9 closes with a flat seat.
Due to its structural shape and outer dimensions the variant shown here is mainly suitable for use in four-stroke engines.
Since the throttle 9 is rotationally symmetrical around the axis of the injection valve 2, and the flow conditions on the way into and in the storage cell 5 are also symmetrical, as is the fuel delivery via the annular gap between valve guide 25 and injection valve 2, it is possible to obtain good stratification of the charge in the gas storage cell 5. In this way it will be possible even as the gas is flowing into the storage cell to charge with fuel only that air volume which is entered into the cylinder during the subsequent injection process, bringing advantages for the non-stationary operation of the internal combustion engine.
Feeding the fuel from above via the valve guide 25 also is of advantage because of the fact that the fuel feed connection and the metering device 12 are located at a higher point, which is usually desirable in four-stroke engines with their large heights. Moreover, in designs where the fuel flows along the injection valve 2, valve stem and valve guide 25 are protected against the build-up of dirt.
In addition to various ways of actuating the throttling element 23 mechanically, the solution shown in FIG. 3 is recommended, i.e. automatic adjustment of the pressure in the gas storage cell 5 in accordance with a variable pressure level to be given, which level in turn can be controlled in accordance with performance characteristics. As described above, the pressure in the gas storage cell 5 is the decisive variable for the injection rate. The upper end of the throttling element 23 is shaped as an annular plate 26, which is movably sealed against the wall 22 of the housing of the injection valve 2. The annular chamber 27 thus formed between the housing wall 22 and the throttling element 23 has a flow-connection 28 to the gas storage cell 5. Below the plate 26 of the throttling element 23 an annular projection 29 is provided in the housing 1, which is parallel to the plate 26 and is movably sealed against the tubular throttling element 23. In this way an annular chamber 30 is formed between the annular plate 26 and the projection 29, which is necessary for control of the throttle and is subjected to the variable control pressure via the connection 31.
If a control pressure is given, it will act on the underside of the annular plate 26, the gas pressure in the annular chamber 27 acting as a counterforce on the other side of the plate. If the force of the control pressure is larger the throttling element 23 slides upwards axially. As a consequence the flow cross-section at the variable throttle 9 is enlarged and the gas pressure in the gas storage cell 5 is increased. Via the flow connection 28 gas from the gas storage cell 5 will flow into the annular chamber 27, and the higher pressure prevailing in the storage cell is established in the annular chamber as well. The process of adjusting the valve and thus the pressure in the storage cell is terminated when a balance of forces is achieved between the upper side and the underside of the plate 26 of the throttling element 23. If the control pressure in the annular chamber 30 is reduced the throttling element 23 slides downwards in axial direction due to the pressure in the annular chamber 27, which is stronger now than the control pressure. The gap 24 opened by this movement is reduced at the site of the variable throttle 9 and the pressure in the gas storage cell and in the annular chamber 27 is lowered. Again, the adjusting process ends when a balance of forces is established at the throttling element 23.
The throttling effect of the flow-connection 28 should be adjusted so as to obtain a medium pressure in the annular chamber 27, while the pressure changes in the storage cell taking place in every injection cycle are prevented from having any effects.
Instead of the flow connection 28 communication between the gas storage cell 5 and the annular chamber 27 may also be established by a gap between the throttling element 23 and the valve guide 25. In this instance the seal against the annular chamber 30 is superfluous, which is otherwise needed for regulation of the throttle.
If a fluid is used as a control pressure medium oscillations from the engine cannot lead to any unchecked motion of the throttling element 23, since due to the incompressibility of the fluid each movement of the throttling element relative to the housing of the injection valve would require a comparatively large change of the volume in the annular chamber 30, which is counteracted by the throttling force generated by the comparatively small cross-section of the connection 31.
It is an advantage of this system that temperature-dependent changes in length and manufacturing tolerances of throttle element and injection valve do not affect the set pressure in the gas storage cell 5, since this pressure is continuously adjusted directly in accordance with the given control pressure. This will also permit controlling and synchronising of the injection rates of several injection devices in a simple manner, by subjecting them to the same control pressure.
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For control of the injection rate of a device for feeding fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, comprising an injection valve opening into the combustion chamber, which is used for taking compressed gas from the cylinder and injecting it together with the fuel supplied by a metering device, and further comprising a gas storage cell for holding the compressed gas, the proposal is put forward that a variable throttle be provided between the valve seat of the injection valve and the gas storage cell, whose flow cross-section can be controlled in accordance with load and speed parameters of the engine.
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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/022,026, filed on Jan. 18, 2008, U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/080,196, filed on Jul. 11, 2008, and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/090,147, filed on Aug. 19, 2008, the disclosure of all of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND
Certain industrial processes depend on well-controlled flows of gas. One example is in the field of semiconductor device manufacturing, which uses a wide variety of gases for processing silicon wafers into integrated circuits (ICs).
Plasma etching is a particularly important semiconductor process that depends upon carefully controlled flows of a number of different gases. In plasma etching, various gases are introduced into a vacuum chamber. Electrical power (typically in the form of radio frequency excitation) is used to ignite a plasma that creates reactive gas species. The reactive gas species etch patterns into the silicon wafer to define different components of the IC.
Because of the extremely small dimensions of the components of modern ICs, effective manufacturing requires the use of gas flows exhibiting very stable and consistent mass flow characteristics. Conventionally, such mass flow is measured in standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm).
Typically however, the electro-mechanical mass flow controllers (MFCs) used to control the flows of gases, are prone to drift over time. Semiconductor fabrication processes are especially sensitive to these drifts, since variations as small as a few percent can severely degrade the performance of the integrated circuit. Accordingly, maintenance of stable gas flows may require frequent testing and calibration of the mass flow controllers.
Conventionally, testing of the MFCs is accomplished by introducing the gas into a vacuum chamber of a known volume, while monitoring the pressure within that chamber. Based upon the known correlation between pressure, volume, and the mass of the gas introduced (which defines the number of molecules of the gas), the rise in pressure (“rate of rise”) as the gas flows into the vacuum chamber can be monitored. This information regarding pressure change within the chamber can then be used to determine the actual flow rate of gas through the mass flow controller.
For reasons of convenience, the vacuum chamber often used for the measurement of gas flows is the process chamber itself. The volume of the process chamber can be measured, for example, by monitoring a rise in pressure as gas is flowed through an MFC that is known to be accurate. Then, measurement of gas flow through any of the mass flow controllers connected to the process chamber can be readily accomplished.
One potential drawback of this conventional approach is loss in throughput of the process chamber. Specifically, the gas flow testing procedure consumes highly valuable time, during which no productive processing by the equipment can take place.
Another potential adverse consequence of this conventional approach is that deposits on the chamber walls from previous processing can serve to adsorb or desorb gases during the test. Where these deposits adsorb gases, the measured rate of the rise in pressure will be too low. Where the chamber deposits desorb gases, the rise in pressure will be too high. Either case will result in inaccuracies.
Moreover, even if there are no deposits present in the chamber, under certain conditions materials present on the walls of the chamber could adversely affect accuracy of the measurement. In one example, moisture on the walls of the chamber could react with a gas being flowed (such as silane), producing another gas (such as hydrogen) that throws off the pressure change and hence the flow rate calculation. In another example, ammonia bound to the chamber walls may react with TiCl 4 flowed into the chamber, throwing off a flow rate calculation.
Still another potential disadvantage to the conventional approach for measuring gas flows is that any change to the volume of the process chamber will require another measurement of the chamber volume. For example, the addition or removal of a component such as a pressure gauge, can change the volume of the chamber, thereby causing the flow rate calculated from the rate of rise of pressure to be incorrect.
Certain approaches have been proposed in the past to deal with some of these issues. For example, a separate volume can be positioned upstream of the process chamber, where the rate of rise measurement can take place. Since this volume will not have the types of deposits present in the process chamber and since this volume will not change by having components removed from it or added to it, some of the disadvantages cited above are not present. This method, however, still requires a separate step during which no productive processing can occur, and there is the possibility of the gas reacting with adsorbed species on the volume wall present from a previous gas. A refinement of this approach includes a heat conductive assembly inside the volume for maintaining a constant temperature as the gas flows into or out of the volume. In one approach the volume already present within the mass flow controller is used as the known volume, instead of a separate container.
Yet another approach allows measurement of the gas flow while the gas continues to flow as a normal part of its process. In this approach, a known volume and a valve are positioned upstream of a gas flow controller that is maintaining a constant gas flow. Closure of the valve while the gas flow controller is maintaining a constant gas flow creates a pressure drop in the volume, where the rate of the pressure drop is proportional to the gas flow rate.
Although this allows measurement simultaneous with the gas flow controller going about its normal production use, it is limited to those applications where the change in pressure does not influence the operation of the gas flow controller. To avoid this problem, a pressure regulator may be installed upstream of the gas flow controller (or, as described below, upstream of a flow restriction) and downstream of a known volume and a valve to interrupt the gas flow. One of the disadvantages of such a solution is that the requirements on this pressure regulator are so rigorous that standard pressure regulators will not be adequate in this role. Although the function of a pressure regulator is to keep the downstream pressure constant while the upstream pressure can take on any value higher than the downstream pressure, in reality the downstream pressure is influenced by the upstream pressure. In addition, most regulators have some amount of hysteresis. Any change in pressure downstream of the pressure regulator will create errors in the measurement of the gas flow; consequently, these systems require highly sophisticated pressure regulators to work effectively.
A sophisticated pressure regulator may actually be part of a mass flow controller, which is composed of the pressure regulator, pressure transducer, and a flow restrictor used as a critical orifice. In this case, it makes sense to use a known volume and a valve arrangement to test the gas flow rate, since the pressure regulator is already in place. Most gas flow controllers in production use, however, such as the many mass flow controllers used in the processing of silicon wafers, do not contain such a pressure regulator as part of their design. Consequently, to test these mass flow controllers would require the addition of this sophisticated pressure regulator.
It is undoubtedly a result of these significant disadvantages that, for example, the semiconductor industry, which has great need for testing its mass flow controllers, has made only extremely limited use of these approaches.
FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of an apparatus 100 representative of the prior art. (See, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,245 and U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,958). The apparatus comprises a gas line 101 having an inlet 103 in fluid communication with a gas source 104 , and an outlet 105 in fluid communication with either a flow restrictor or mass flow controller. The pressure regulator 102 is used to establish a constant pressure of the gas flowing to the flow restrictor or mass flow controller. Under standard process conditions, the valve 106 would be open and gas would be flowing through the pressure regulator to the flow restrictor or mass flow controller, and then ultimately into the process chamber.
In FIG. 1 , the volume V 110 , represents the total fixed volume inside the pipes and other components present between the valve 106 and the gas flow controller (GFC), where the GFC can be, for example, a flow restrictor or mass flow controller (MFC). A pressure transducer 112 is configured to measure the pressure in the volume V 110 immediately upstream of the pressure regulator 102 .
The function of the pressure regulator 102 is to maintain a constant pressure downstream of the regulator regardless of the pressure upstream of the regulator (as long as the upstream pressure is equal to or larger than the downstream pressure). Under these conditions, there is no increase of decrease in the number of moles of gas between the pressure regulator and the flow restrictor or MFC. Consequently, the flow of gas out of the MFC or flow restrictor is equal to the flow of gas through the pressure regulator.
If valve 106 is closed, then since there is no gas entering or leaving the volume 110 from the left, any gas leaving the volume must flow through the pressure regulator 102 , but since the flow through the pressure regulator is equal to the flow through the MFC or flow restrictor, the flow out of the volume is equal to the flow through the MFC or flow restrictor. Since the amount of gas leaving the volume 110 can be calculated from the rate of drop of pressure in the volume, such a calculation allows a determination of the flow rate through the flow restrictor or MFC.
Unfortunately, as Ollivier explains in U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,958, most pressure regulators cannot control the downstream pressure to the level of precision that is required for an effective implementation of this flow measurement system. If the downstream pressure is not sufficiently controlled, two significant errors can be introduced: (1) the flow of gas leaving the volume 110 will not be equal to the flow of gas through the MFC or flow restrictor, and (2) the flow of gas through the flow restrictor, which is proportional to the pressure upstream of the flow restrictor, will not be the desired value.
For further information the reader is directed to: U.S. Pat. No. 5,684,245 to Hinkle; U.S. Pat. No. 5,925,829 to Laragione, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,948,508 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,136,767 to Shajii, et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,245 to Kennedy; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,958 to Ollivier.
From the above, it is seen that improved techniques for testing for gas flows through gas flow controllers are desired.
Preliminary, due to the multitude of arrangements discussed herein, it is helpful to define a convention when referring to various plumbing elements. As used herein, a valve is a plumbing element used to shut off or turn on the flow of fluid. The on/off actions may be manual or automatic using some control scheme. A metering valve is a plumbing element that is used to shut off and fully or partially turn on the flow of fluid. This is a similar metering valve to that used in home water plumbing, where the user may turn the flow to a desired level. The on/off and partial on actions may be manual or automatic using some control scheme. A pressure regulator is a plumbing element that automatically cuts off the flow of fluid at a certain pressure at its output. Pressure regulators react to the pressure on their output side, and close when the pressure in the plumbing reaches the designated level. Should the pressure come down (for example, if someone were to open a faucet, i.e., open a metering valve downstream of the regulator), the regulator then opens and allows flow until the pressure is brought back up to its desired level, which is typically referred to as the set point. A typical pressure regulator uses the outside air, i.e., atmosphere, as a reference to bring the output (i.e., downstream) pressure to the desired set point. It regulates not on the pressure difference between the inlet and outlet, but rather the pressure difference between the outlet and the atmosphere.
SUMMARY
The following summary is included in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects and features of the invention. This summary is not an extensive overview of the invention and as such it is not intended to particularly identify key or critical elements of the invention or to delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of the invention in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented below.
Embodiments of the present invention employ a rate of drop in pressure upstream of a GFC to accurately measure a rate of flow through the GFC; however, in contrast to the prior art, these embodiments allow measurement of the gas flow through the many gas flow controllers in production use today, without requiring any special or sophisticated pressure regulators or other special components. According to one embodiment, the timing of the closure of the valve is chosen such that none of the changes in pressure that occur during or after the measurement perturb the constant flow of gas through the GFC under test.
In another embodiment, the rise in pressure after the valve is reopened is controlled such that the constant flow of gas through the gas flow controller is not perturbed or not perturbed beyond a set level, e.g., 10%, 5% or 1%.
According to yet another embodiment, which allows direct insertion into the gas panels of existing semiconductor and related process tools and allows continuous operation of the GFC without recharging any volume, prior to measuring the flow of gas through the GFC, the set point of a standard pressure regulator upstream of the volume and GFC is momentarily increased. A drop in the pressure then reveals the accurate rate of flow of the gas through the GFC.
In yet another embodiment, the gas flow controller under test is replaced by a control valve that is in closed loop control with the measurement of the drop in pressure, such that the drop in pressure, and consequently the flow, is kept at a desired level.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, exemplify the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the description, serve to explain and illustrate principles of the invention. The drawings are intended to illustrate major features of the exemplary embodiments in a diagrammatic manner. The drawings are not intended to depict every feature of actual embodiments nor relative dimensions of the depicted elements, and are not drawn to scale.
FIG. 1 is a simplified schematic diagram of the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a simplified schematic diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention for testing gas flow controllers.
FIG. 2A is a simplified diagram illustrating a flow of steps performed according to the embodiment of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 2B illustrates a flow chart of one possible method for timing the closure and opening the valve according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2C shows the rise in pressure and the perturbation in the flow of gas through the gas flow controller when the valve that is used to interrupt the gas flow is opened.
FIG. 3 shows the timing of the pressure drop and rise for one implementation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 , while FIG. 3A shows the timing of the pressure drop and rise for another implementation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 is a simplified schematic diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention for testing gas flow controllers, where the rate of rise in pressure is controlled to a certain value.
FIG. 4A is a simplified schematic diagram of another embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention for testing gas flow controllers, where the rate of rise in pressure is controlled to a certain value.
FIG. 4B shows the control of pressure and the lack of perturbation of the flow of gas through the gas flow controller when the gas flow into the volume is controlled in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a simplified schematic diagram of a typical gas delivery system used in the semiconductor and related industries.
FIG. 6 is a simplified schematic diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention for testing gas flow controllers that allows direct insertion into existing semiconductor and related gas delivery systems.
FIG. 6A is a simplified diagram illustrating a flow of steps performed according to the embodiment of FIG. 6 .
FIG. 7 is a simplified schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment to that in FIG. 6 , and FIG. 7A illustrates the process in its general form.
FIG. 8 is a simplified schematic diagram of an embodiment of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention that allows control of the gas flow rate through a control valve.
FIG. 8A is a simplified diagram illustrating a flow of steps performed according to the embodiment of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment according to the invention, which allows determination of volume without having to change out any of the existing components.
FIG. 9A provides a simplified diagram of the flow 950 of steps utilized with the apparatus of FIG. 9 , according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9B illustrates a variation on the idea or variable volume, according to an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 9C illustrates a generalization on the idea or variable volume, according to an embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of an apparatus 200 for use in accordance with the present invention. The apparatus comprises a gas line 201 having an inlet 203 in fluid communication with a gas source 204 , and an outlet 205 in fluid communication with a process chamber (not shown). Under standard process conditions, the valve 206 would be open and gas would be flowing through the volume 210 to the gas flow controller (GFC) 208 , and then ultimately into the process chamber.
The GFC, which establishes the desired flow rate of gas to the process chamber, can be any one of several types of flow controllers typically employed in the semiconductor industry or in other fields. Most commonly, the GFC is a mass flow controller (MFC). Alternatively, the GFC can be a volumetric flow controller.
In FIG. 2 , the volume V 210 , represents the total fixed volume inside the pipes and other components present between the valve 206 and the GFC 208 . A pressure transducer 212 is configured to measure the pressure in the volume V 210 immediately upstream of the GFC.
A temperature sensor 214 is positioned to measure the temperature in the vicinity of the components. In certain embodiments, the sensor 214 may be a specialized sensor in direct thermal communication with one or more components. However, since typical semiconductor fabrication facilities are temperature-controlled, it is not expected that the temperature will vary greatly from place to place or time to time. Consequently, in other embodiments, a thermometer positioned near the gas delivery system will provide sufficient information regarding the temperature of interest.
The procedure for testing the flow of gas through the GFC may be summarized in the process flow 250 of FIG. 2A as follows.
1. In step 252 , the GFC is set to a desired flow rate, and a flow of gas is established.
2. In step 254 , the valve 206 is closed.
3. In step 256 , the pressure is measured at regular periods, typically every second or fraction of a second, by the pressure transducer 212 over a defined period of time, typically ranging from several seconds to several minutes.
4. After the pressure has dropped by some amount (typically 5-30% of the starting value), in step 258 the valve 206 is opened, and the testing procedure concluded.
5. In step 260 , the temperature in the vicinity of the components shown in FIG. 2 is noted.
There is some amount of flexibility in the ordering of these steps; for example, steps 1 and 2 can be interchanged. Step 5 can be done at any time during the testing procedure. In general, both for this procedure and others described below, this type of flexibility may be present.
According to the ideal gas equation, the amount of gas in the volume V 210 , is given by:
n=PV/RT ,where Equation (1)
n=amount of gas (measured in moles)
P=pressure measured by the pressure transducer
V=volume of gas
R=ideal gas constant=1.987 calories per mol per K
T=absolute temperature in K.
To some extent, all real gases are non-ideal. For these non-ideal gases, Equation (1) can be rewritten as:
n=PV/ZRT ,where Equation (2)
Z=compressibility factor.
The compressibility factor may be determined from experimental measurements for any particular gas, and is a function of temperature and pressure.
The flow rate of a gas can be written as the change in the amount of gas per unit time; i.e.:
flow rate=Δ n/Δt ,where Equation (3)
t=time.
Substituting into Equation (3) from Equation (2), yields:
flow rate=(Δ P/Δt ) V/ZRT. Equation (4)
The first factor (ΔP/Δt) is merely the slope of the pressure measurements as a function of time taken in step 3 of the procedure above. Thus, taking these pressure measurements in conjunction with the volume, temperature, and the compressibility factor (which can be found in various handbooks), the actual rate of flow of the gas through the GFC can be determined according to embodiments of the present invention.
While the above description relates to accurate calculation of an actual magnitude of flow rate from a pressure drop, this is not required by the present invention. In accordance with alternative embodiments, a relative change in flow rate may be determined based upon a comparison of different pressure drop measurements.
For example, in certain embodiments two sets of pressure drop measurements may be taken to provide a relative measure of changed flow rate. In one embodiment, the first measurement may be taken from the GFC that is to be tested, with the second measurement taken from a GFC of known performance. A difference between the two pressure drop readings could reveal deviation of flow rate by the tested device, without determination of the actual flow rate.
In an alternative embodiment, a first pressure drop measurement may be taken at a first time with the GFC that is to be tested, with the second pressure drop measurement being taken from that GFC at a second time. Again, a difference between the two pressure drop measurements readings could reveal the magnitude of change (drift) in the flow rate from the tested device, over time.
One or more steps of the various embodiments of the present invention could be performed with manual or automatic operation. For example, the steps of opening/closing valves and taking pressure readings could be conducted automatically according to computer control. Alternatively, one or more of the various valves could be actuated manually, with the resulting flow rate calculated automatically from the detected pressure drop. Automatic operation of one or more steps could be accomplished based upon instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium, utilizing communication through control lines as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
Another benefit of this measurement system is that if a discrepancy is found between the desired flow rate and the measured flow rate, the setting of the GFC could be changed to correct for the discrepancy and provide the desired flow rate. This correction could be done in the same process step or in a subsequent process step. This type of correction is greatly simplified if the system is under computer control.
Many gas flow controllers, particularly the MFCs used in the semiconductor industry, can accommodate slow changes in upstream pressure while still maintaining a constant flow rate; however, if the pressure changes too abruptly, they will exhibit deviations from the desired flow rate. In the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the rate of change in pressure during the time that valve 206 is closed is sufficiently small to keep from disrupting the flow through typical MFCs. On the other hand, when valve 206 is opened, the rapid rise in pressure will invariably create significant perturbations in the flow rate through the MFC. An example of these perturbations is shown in FIG. 2C , where the opening of the valve at approximately 57 seconds creates a rise in the flow rate from 50 sccm to over 70 sccm, followed by a drop to 40 sccm, before settling back at the desired 50 sccm. Consequently, in one of the implementations of the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the timing of the closure and opening of valve 206 is chosen such that the opening does not occur during the actual process step.
FIG. 2B illustrates a flow chart of one possible method for timing the closure and opening the valve, while FIG. 3 shows a timing chart for the closure and opening of valve 206 . The pressure is shown by trace 350 . At time t 0 , step 272 , the GFC is turned on; however, there frequently is a stabilization step during which time the GFC as well as other components on the process tool take on their desired values. At time t 1 , step 274 , the processing in the fabrication or processing chamber begins. It is at this time, for example, that the RF power during a plasma etch or deposition process would be turned on. As mentioned above, there is no problem with the closure of valve 206 taking place during the processing, and such a closure occurs at time t 2 , step 276 . At step 278 pressure is measured at regular intervals to enable calculating the flow rate. At time t 3 , step 280 , the processing in the fabrication chamber ends and, thereafter, at time t 4 , step 282 , the valve 206 is opened. Optionally, at step 284 the temperature is noted.
It is important to note that the closure of the valve at step 276 is timed such that the opening of the valve, which takes place at time t 4 , step 282 , occurs after time t 3 , step 280 , the end of the process step. In this way, the GFC is not perturbed by the rapid rise in pressure. This may be achieved by first recording the total time needed for the process and the total time needed for the pressure drop measurement. For example, if processing takes 30 seconds and measurements takes 10 seconds, then the valve may be closed 21 seconds after the start of the process and re-opened 31 seconds after the start of the process, ensuring that the valve is re-opened after process is completed. Of course, this determination can be done once beforehand and utilized for all runs of the process.
Alternatively, measurement of the flow rate could be carried out during the stabilization step, with the opening of valve 206 taking place prior to the beginning of the process step. In this case, the closure of the valve could actually take place prior to the stabilization step beginning. This is illustrated in FIG. 3A . At time t 0 the valve is closed; however, since the GFC is also closed, pressure is not dropping. At time t 1 the GFC is opened for the stabilization step, and pressure begins to drop, so measurements may be taken during this period. At time t 2 , which is still during the stabilization step, the valve is opened so that the pressure returns to the set point. At time t 3 the processing in the fabrication chamber begins and at time t 4 the processing ends. No measurements are taken during the time period between time t 3 and time t 4 .
If the measurement is carried out during the stabilization step as shown in FIG. 3A , any correction of flow rate could be implemented for the current process step, whereas if the measurement is carried out at the end of the process step as shown in FIG. 3 , only the subsequent step could be corrected. This is not a significant drawback, however, since most drifts in gas flow controllers, especially the MFCs used in the semiconductor industry, occur over a period of time that encompasses many process steps.
FIG. 4 shows another embodiment, similar to that of FIG. 2 ; however, with the shutoff valve 206 replaced by metering valve 406 , which is a valve designed to provide varying gas flow rates over a range of settings. That is, while shutoff valve 206 is a simple on/off valve, the amount of opening and closure of metering valve 406 can be controlled to generate different flow rates through the valve. That is, in this embodiment, when metering valve 406 is opened at the end of the measurement period, the controller controls the amount of valve opening such that the rise in pressure, as determined with pressure transducer 412 , is maintained at a certain rate that is sufficiently low so that the flow through the GFC is not perturbed. In other words, the opening of metering valve 406 is performed gradually rather than abruptly, so that the GFC is not perturbed. Alternatively, rather than raising the pressure at all during the process step, the pressure could be held constant at the end of the measurement period and then raised once the process step was terminated. This approach would have the least effect on any perturbation of the GFC flow rate. An example is shown in FIG. 4B , where it is seen that there is no observable deviation in the flow rate during either the drop in pressure or the transition to a constant pressure.
In yet another embodiment shown in FIG. 4A , valve 406 ′ remains a shutoff valve, but a flow restrictor 422 is placed in series with valve 406 ′ such that when the valve is opened, the flow into the volume 410 is restricted to a value that keeps the rate of rise in pressure to a sufficiently low value. Consequently, even if the valve 406 ′ is opened abruptly, the pressure increase is gradual due to the flow restrictor 422 . In this case, it is important to make sure that the flow rate that the restrictor allows is higher than the highest flow rate of the GFC.
Although the above embodiments are completely effective in achieving the desired objective of measuring gas flow rates in standard industrial processes, such as semiconductor manufacturing, without the addition of sophisticated pressure regulators, they still require the addition of a controlled valve upstream of the volume and they require some level of control of either the timing of when the valve is opened or rate of pressure rise when the valve is opened.
FIG. 5 shows the typical configuration of almost all gas delivery systems used in the semiconductor and related industries. There will most likely be some additional components, such as a manual safety shutoff valve to the left of the pressure regulator and/or a shutoff valve before and/or after the MFC; however, FIG. 5 shows the major components relevant to the present discussion. In this figure, the pressure regulator 502 is a standard pressure regulator, which possesses some amount of hysteresis and some amount of influence of upstream pressure on downstream pressure control.
Especially in the semiconductor and related industries, where gas purity is critical, there is a great reluctance to change any plumbing in the gas delivery systems. Certainly this is true for already installed systems, but it is also true for new systems being built. Almost all of the new systems being designed and built are identical to FIG. 5 . This is not to say, though, that components are never changed. In fact, the gas delivery systems are designed to allow replacement of valves, pressure regulators, MFCs, etc.; they just do not allow addition of any components. Consequently, implementing the embodiments shown in FIG. 1 , 2 , or 4 would be difficult in the semiconductor and related industries.
FIG. 6 shows an embodiment of the present invention that allows direct insertion into existing semiconductor and related gas delivery systems. This embodiment takes advantage of the fact that many regulators in current use have a rarely exploited configuration that allows an increase in set point to take place by increasing the pressure above the pressure regulator's diaphragm. Normally, the volume above the diaphragm is exposed to atmosphere; however, by increasing the pressure in this volume to a level above atmospheric pressure, the regulated pressure also rises. In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , this increase in pressure is achieved by the addition of valve 606 , that may be controlled to deliver a prescribed amount of compressed air or other compressed gas, such as nitrogen, to the top-side of the regulator 602 , hereby controlling the set point of regulator 602 . Since the compressed air is delivered to the top-side of regulator 602 , the air does not mix with the gas delivered to the process chamber.
Whereas the embodiments in FIGS. 2 and 4 use a fixed volume defined by the closure of a valve ( 206 or 406 ), the embodiment in FIG. 6 does not use a valve. Rather, the embodiment of FIG. 6 uses the flow vs. pressure relationship of the pressure regulator to create the conditions required for the present invention. Significantly, these conditions exist only while the pressure downstream of the pressure regulator is larger than the pressure that under normal circumstances would be established by the regulator.
Although one would not consider an upstream pressure regulator to be defining a fixed volume, i.e., acting as a valve, for the purposes of the present invention, the important property of the regulator is that, during the measurement of the flow of gas through the GFC, there is no flow of gas in either direction through the regulator. According to the behavior of a pressure regulator, as long as the pressure of the gas downstream of the regulator is no lower than the pressure to which it is set, it will not allow any flow of gas to the downstream side of the regulator. In addition, even if the pressure of the gas downstream of the regulator is higher than the pressure that it is set to establish, there is no capability of the regulator that would allow it to flow gas from the downstream side to the upstream side. Since there is no gas flowing in either direction through the regulator under these conditions, it satisfies the conditions required for measurement of the gas flow through the GFC according to the present invention.
It should be noted that in FIG. 6 a key advantage of this embodiment is that only pressure regulator 602 , volume 610 , pressure transducer 612 , and GFC 608 are part of the high purity gas delivery system. Significantly, these are the same conventional components shown in FIG. 5 . The valve 606 is outside the high purity gas delivery system, and is similar to the valves that supply the compressed air or other gas for actuation of various pneumatic valves in the fabrication system. As such, it is easily added to the gas delivery system. It should also be noted that if for any reason the actual pressure regulator or pressure transducer required for the present invention is different from that already existing in the system, these components can be easily changed out. In addition, if the volume of the existing system is not as large as desired, a specially fabricated volume that also includes a pressure transducer could be inserted in place of the currently existing pressure transducer.
Another key advantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6 is that since there is no fixed volume closed off by a valve, the supply of gas is not limited as it is, for example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 4 .
The procedure for testing the flow of gas through the GFC may be summarized in the process flow 650 of FIG. 6A as follows.
1. In step 652 , the GFC is set to a desired flow rate, and a flow of gas is established.
2. In step 654 , the valve 606 is opened.
3. In step 656 , the valve is closed after establishing a predetermined pressure downstream of regulator 602 . This pressure could be measured by pressure transducer 612 , and valve 606 controlled accordingly by the system controller, or alternatively, the pressure of the gas being delivered by valve 606 could be maintained at a certain pressure that provides exactly the right pressure rise in the volume 610 when valve 606 is opened for a sufficient time and then closed. At the time valve 606 is closed, or immediately thereafter, the set point of regulator 602 is returned to its normal value (i.e., its value prior to step 2 ). This can be done by the proper selection of valve 606 (e.g., using a 3-way valve) or by the addition of valve 606 ′ that opens to the atmosphere, which allows the pressure above the diaphragm of the regulator to return to atmosphere.
At the point when the valve 606 is closed and the set point returns to its normal value, since the pressure downstream of the regulator 602 is higher than its set point, regulator 602 shuts off and no fluid flows downstream of regulator 602 . However, since processing in the chamber continues and consumes fluid from the plumbing downstream of regulator 602 , the pressure in volume 610 starts to decrease.
4. In step 658 , while processing in the chamber proceeds, the pressure is measured at regular periods, typically every second or fraction of a second, by the pressure transducer 612 over a defined period of time, typically ranging from several seconds to several minutes.
5. After the pressure has dropped by some amount (typically 5-30% of the starting value), and before the pressure decreases to the set point of the pressure regulator, the testing procedure is concluded.
6. In step 660 , the temperature in the vicinity of the components shown in FIG. 6 is noted.
The flow rate of the GFC for this embodiment is calculated in a manner identical to that of the embodiment of FIG. 2 , and is consequently given by Equation (4).
It is not critical that the GFC be set to the desired flow rate prior to opening and closing the valve 606 . In fact, the GFC could be set to the desired flow rate after the valve 606 is opened, but before it is closed, or it could be set to the desired flow rate after the valve has been both opened and closed.
Although FIG. 6 shows one specific embodiment for controlling the rise in pressure as effected by the pressure regulator, any approach that will momentarily increase the pressure downstream of the pressure regulator will be adequate. What is required is that the measurement is taken place after the pressure in the volume upstream of the GFC has been increased to above the normal set point, so that as gas is delivered to the chamber the pressure is reduced towards the normal pressure so that perturbations on the GFC are avoided. Also, while the normal set point is assumed to be that produced by atmospheric pressure above the diaphragm, this is not necessary. What is required is that the opening of valve 606 would raise the set point of regulator 602 to a pressure higher than its normal set point.
FIG. 7 is a simplified schematic diagram of an alternative embodiment to that in FIG. 6 . The embodiment of FIG. 7 , utilizes the standard regulator 702 , volume 710 , transducer 712 and GFC 708 , but adds a bypass valve 706 in parallel with the pressure regulator 702 . As can be understood, in normal operation the pressure in line 701 upstream of the regulator 702 is higher than the pressure downstream of the regulator. Bypass valve 706 enables increasing the pressure downstream of regulator 702 , beyond the set point of the regulator 702 . This creates a similar effect as that of the embodiment of FIG. 6 . Of course, in this case the additional bypass valve 706 is part of the high purity gas delivery system and needs to comply with cleanliness standards of the system.
The operation of the embodiment of FIG. 7 is similar to that of FIG. 6 . That is, the steps would mimic that of FIG. 6 , except that rather than operating the air pressure valve, in the embodiment of FIG. 7 the bypass valve 706 is opened to increase the pressure downstream of regulator 702 , and is then closed. In this condition, gas will not flow through the regulator 702 until the pressure downstream would be reduced below the set point of the regulator 702 . The measurement is performed during the period after closing the valve 706 and prior to the pressure downstream reaching the set point of regulator 702 .
Stated another way, in both the embodiments of FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 , the pressure downstream of the regulator is elevated in order to perform the measurement. In FIG. 6 the pressure is elevated “indirectly,” in that the set point of the regulator is elevated to cause the regulator to allow flow and establish a downstream pressure that is higher than the normal set point. On the other hand, in FIG. 7 the pressure is elevated “directly” by by-passing the regulator. However, from the testing view the results are the same.
Thus, FIG. 7A illustrates the process in its general form. In step 752 the flow of the GFC is established while the regulator is set to its standard set point. At step 754 the pressure downstream of the regulator is increased. Note that the order of steps 752 and 754 can be reversed. At step 758 , while processing in the chamber proceeds, the pressure downstream of the regulator is measured at intervals. Also, at step 760 , which can be done at any time, the temperature is measured. The flow is calculated using the pressure measurements taken in step 758 .
One of the simplest ways to use the embodiment of FIG. 6 or 7 is to use the compressed air (or any other compressed gas, such as nitrogen) of FIG. 6 or the bypass flow of process gas through Valve 706 of FIG. 7 to increase the pressure downstream of the pressure regulator to a certain value and then during the operation of the GFC, allow the pressure to decrease to the normal set point of the regulator. With this approach, for all but the highest GFC flows, the pressure will still be decreasing after the flow rate measurement has been made. For optimum operation of the GFC, it might be desirable to attain a steady pressure upstream of the GFC as quickly as possible. In such a case, this pressure could be controlled in such a way that as soon as the flow measurement is made, the pressure is held constant for the remainder of the process step.
If one knew, a priori, the flow rate to which the GFC was set, one could raise the starting pressure to just the right value such that immediately after the flow rate measurement was made, the pressure would be at the normal set point pressure of the regulator. More likely, however, is that the flow rate of the GFC will not be known ahead of time. In this case, it would be preferable to keep the starting pressure the same each time, but control the pressure at the end of the measurement. This can be done with the embodiment of FIG. 6 by controlling the compressed air or other gas to effectively increase the set point of the pressure regulator to the pressure that exists at the end of the flow rate measurement and holding that effective set point for the entire process step.
It should also be noted that whereas FIG. 6 shows an embodiment with control of the regulator being carried out with the use of compressed air of other gas, one could envision other electromechanical means by which the effective set point of the regulator could be controlled.
Yet another approach to achieve the well controlled timing for the pressure drop as described above is to use the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 , with the metering valve 406 in closed-loop control with the pressure transducer 412 . To carry out the flow rate measurement, the metering valve 406 would be closed; however, rather than using the metering valve to bring the pressure back to the starting point after the conclusion of the measurement, one could control the opening of the valve such that the pressure downstream of the valve was maintained at a constant value, e.g., the value of the pressure immediately after the flow rate measurement was made. If the metering valve was used in this manner, it could take the place of the pressure regulator 602 in FIG. 6 , and could also be easily retrofit into existing gas delivery systems.
Although a benefit of the embodiments of FIGS. 4 , 6 and 7 is the use in currently existing semiconductor and related gas delivery systems, there is no reason that the GFC shown in the figures could not be the combination of the special regulator along with the pressure transducer and critical orifice described by Ollivier in U.S. Pat. No. 6,363,958. See, e.g., optional pressure regulator 202 shown in broken line in FIG. 2 .
While the above descriptions relate to accurate calculation of an actual magnitude of flow rate from a pressure drop, this is not required by the present invention. In accordance with alternative embodiments, a relative change in flow rate may be determined based upon a comparison of different pressure drop measurements.
For example, in certain embodiments two sets of pressure drop measurements may be taken to provide a relative measure of changed flow rate. In one embodiment, the first measurement may be taken from the GFC that is to be tested, with the second measurement taken from a GFC of known performance. A difference between the two pressure drop readings could reveal deviation of flow rate by the tested device, without determination of the actual flow rate.
In an alternative embodiment, a first pressure drop measurement may be taken at a first time with the GFC that is to be tested, with the second pressure drop measurement being taken from that same GFC at a second time. Again, a difference between the two pressure drop measurements readings could reveal the magnitude of change (drift) in the flow rate from the tested device, over time.
Since the present invention can be performed with automatic operation and since the measurements are being carried out in real time as the gas is being flowed into the process chamber, the present invention makes it possible to correct any deviation in the actual flow of gas while the process is being carried out. If, for example, the gas flow controller is set to 100 standard cubic centimeters per minute (sccm) of gas mass flow, and if the measured result is 98 sccm, the set point could be increased to 102 sccm, thus bringing the actual flow to the desired 100 sccm.
Taking this concept to its logical conclusion, FIG. 8 shows an embodiment in which the gas flow controller under test is replaced by a control valve. Instead of the present invention being used to correct the set point of a gas flow controller to obtain the desired flow, in this case the present invention is used to directly control the output control valve to provide the desired flow.
In a conventional mass flow controller, if the set point is changed, the controller notes a difference between the measured flow rate and the desired set point, and it changes the valve opening to minimize this difference. Within a matter of one to several seconds, the actual flow rate is very close to the desired flow rate. In the embodiment of FIG. 8 , however, such an approach would take much longer. Since a number of measurements would need to be made as the position of control valve 808 was changed, and each measurement takes from approximately one-half to a few seconds, the time to get to the desired flow rate would be far too long. Fortunately, the present invention allows the capability for the controller that is taking the measurements and controlling the control valve 808 to have information, a priori, on the required valve position for a desired flow rate.
In the method of operation, referring to FIG. 8 , before the system is used for control of gas flowing into a process, an initial calibration would take place in which a table would be generated relating pressure, temperature, drive signal for the control valve 808 , and flow rate. This could be accomplished by carrying out a series of measurements where the valve position, as noted by the drive signal, was controlled such that the rate of pressure drop for each run was held constant. This pressure drop, in conjunction with the temperature and use of Equation (4), would provide the flow rate for that run. For each run, the rate of pressure drop would be held at a different level, thus allowing the generation of a table of valve positions for different flow rates at different pressures (and temperatures). Alternatively, one could merely use a separate measurement technique, such as a rate of rise volume positioned downstream of the control valve 808 , to note the valve position for a given flow rate at a certain pressure and temperature, where the pressure was set and held constant by the pressure regulator. Since this initial calibration would only be done once, it would not be a large inconvenience to use a separate technique for measuring the flow.
Once the table was established, the procedure for controlling the flow of gas through the control valve 808 may be summarized in the process flow 850 of FIG. 8A as follows.
1. In step 852 , the temperature is measured. This will be used in the lookup table as well as in the calculation of actual flow rate.
2. In step 854 , the pressure is measured at regular intervals, typically every fraction of a second, starting before the time at which the flow begins. Using the temperature measured in step 852 , and the pressure measured in this step, the lookup table is used to determine the required drive signal for control valve 808 to provide exactly the desired flow rate.
3. In step 856 , at the time that the flow is to begin, the drive signal determined in step 854 is exerted on the control valve 808 .
4. In step 857 , the pressure is continuing to be measured at regular periods, and this pressure is used in the lookup table to determine the required position of the control valve 808 , which will change as the pressure changes.
5. In step 858 , after the pressure has dropped by some amount (typically 5-30% of the starting value), but before the pressure decreases to the set point of the pressure regulator 802 , the flow rate is calculated (per Equation 4) from the measured pressure drop.
6. In step 860 , the calculated flow rate as a function of pressure, temperature, and control valve drive signal is compared to the values in the lookup table.
7. In step 862 , if the discrepancy is too large, typically more than 1%, an alarm is sent to notify the appropriate people to check the possible reasons for the discrepancy.
8. In step 864 , if the discrepancy is sufficiently small, the lookup table is merely updated with the new values.
9. In step 866 , as the pressure continues to decrease and eventually attains the value established by the pressure regulator 802 , i.e., the normal regulator set point, the controller controls the drive signal to the control valve based on the new lookup table.
10. In step 868 , at the end of the process, or at some other appropriate time, the control valve 808 is closed.
In an alternative approach, in step 866 , rather than waiting for the pressure to drop to the set point of the regulator 802 , one could control the effective set point, in a manner as described with respect to FIG. 6 , such that soon after the flow rate was measured, the pressure was brought to a steady value.
In yet other embodiments, the metering valve of FIG. 4 or the shut off valve and restrictor of FIG. 4A could be substituted for the regulator 802 and valve 806 of FIG. 8 . After the flow rate measurement is complete, the shut off valve and restrictor of FIG. 4A could be used to bring the pressure to the starting point, or the metering valve of FIG. 4 could be used to either hold the pressure constant or to slowly raise it.
In these alternative approaches, since there is the capability to undergo yet further pressure drops, one could make multiple measurements during the same process step. This could be especially valuable if the process step has a long duration.
FIG. 9 illustrates another embodiment according to the invention, which allows determination of volume without having to change out any of the existing components. While this feature is illustrated with respect to an arrangement mimicking that of FIG. 2 , it should be readily appreciated that this feature may be implemented using any of the embodiments discussed above. In FIG. 9 , apparatus 900 allows for in situ measurement of the volume V, where V=the total volume of the gas delivery system between the GFC and shut off valve 906 (or metering valve when the embodiment of FIG. 4 is used, or regulator when the embodiments of FIGS. 6 and 7 are used). In the specific embodiment of FIG. 9 , the volume V is equal to V 1 +V 2 , where V 2 is the volume of chamber 911 having a known volume, and V 1 is the fixed volume (represented by box 910 ) of all other components in the gas delivery system between the GFC 908 and Valve 906 .
In FIG. 9 , the known volume V 2 is the volume of the chamber 911 when the Valve 912 is closed. This known volume V 2 can be determined prior to incorporation of chamber 911 into the gas delivery system, in any one of a number of ways. One direct method is to (1) fill the chamber with a liquid to a point beyond the valve 912 , (2) close the valve 912 , (3) pour off any liquid that is outside of the valve 912 , and then (4) open the valve 912 and pour out the liquid into a measurement vessel such as a beaker or burette.
With the chamber 911 of known volume incorporated into the gas delivery system, the measurement of V may proceed. Specifically, evacuation of the fixed volume 910 by flow through the gas flow controller 908 , followed by opening the second valve 912 to unite the fixed volume 910 with the chamber 911 , can produce a pressure drop that allows accurate calculation of the fixed volume 910 .
FIG. 9A provides a simplified diagram of the flow 950 of steps of this approach, which may be executed by computer 920 .
1. In step 952 , Valve 912 is opened (if it was closed). Valve 906 is assumed to be already open.
2. In step 954 , the regulator 902 is set to its standard value (or any other appropriate value).
3. In step 956 , the GFC is set to zero flow.
4. In step 957 , Valve 912 is closed.
5. In step 958 , Valve 906 is closed.
6. In step 960 , the pressure under these conditions, P 1 , is noted on the pressure transducer 913 .
7. In step 962 , the GFC is set to a flow that allows the pressure to decrease to essentially zero in a reasonable amount of time, evacuating the fixed volume V 1 .
8. In step 964 , after the pressure has reached zero, the GFC is set to zero flow.
9. In step 966 , Valve 912 is opened, uniting the fixed volume V 1 with the known volume of chamber 911 .
10. In step 968 , the pressure under these conditions, P 2 , is noted on the pressure transducer 913 .
The amount of gas in the system at step 964 is given by
n=P 1 V 2 /Z 1 RT ,where Equation (5)
Z=compressibility factor at pressure P 1 .
The reason that V 2 is present in Equation (5) instead of V, is because in step 964 everything in the system except chamber 911 of volume V 2 was emptied of any gas.
At step 966 , the total amount of gas in the system is still n, since no gas entered or exited the system between steps 964 and 966 . In step 966 however, the gas is distributed throughout the total volume, V. Consequently, we can write:
n=P 2 V/Z 2 RT ,where
V=V 1 +V 2 Equation (6)
Z 2 =compressibility factor at pressure P 2 .
Combining Equations (5) and (6) yields:
P 1 V 2 /Z 1 RT=P 2 V/Z 2 RT Equation (7)
Simplifying Equation (7) produces:
V=P 1 V 2 Z 2 /P 2 Z 1 .
V 1 can then be obtained from the following equation:
V 1 =V−V 2 .
Determination of V and V 1 in this manner does require a separate step during which no productive use can be made of the processing chamber. However, this volume measurement would be expected to be carried out only relatively infrequently. Whereas the measurement of gas flow rate described above in connection with the other embodiments might be conducted on a daily basis or even more frequently, measurement of the volumes V and V 1 as described in connection with FIGS. 9-9A would be done upon first installation of the apparatus, and then perhaps only when a component of the system is changed.
The embodiment in FIG. 9 also provides yet another advantage. Specifically, depending on the magnitude of the flow rate or other factors, it may be advantageous to use either a smaller volume or a larger volume for testing the flow rate. For example, where the flow rate is small relative to the combined volume V, an excessively long testing period would be required to produce a pressure drop of sufficient magnitude to yield an accurate measurement of flow rate. Thus, after determination of the volume V 1 , valve 912 could be closed such that only volume V 1 is used in lieu of V for the gas flow measurement. Conversely, where the flow rate is large relative to the fixed volume V 1 , it may be appropriate to leave the second valve open to provide a larger combined volume (V 1 +V 2 ) and thereby provide sufficient time for the pressure drop to take place. When the process performed in the process chamber requires changes in the gas flow rate during the process, the host computer may control valve 912 to match the volume to the gas flow. When the chamber consumes gas at a low rate, the host computer closes valve 912 , so that only volume V 1 is utilized. Conversely, when the gas flow is increased, the host computer would open valve 912 , so that volume V is utilized.
FIG. 9B illustrates a variation on the idea of variable volume, according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 9B , system 900 B includes two additional volumes 911 and 931 , which may be opened or closed to the system using valves 912 and 932 . Volumes 911 and 931 may be of same or different value. Thus, depending on the flow of GFC 908 , the utilized volume may be V 1 , V 1 +V 2 , V 1 +V 3 , or V 1 +V 2 +V 3 . Of course, additional volumes with corresponding valves may be added if needed.
FIG. 9C illustrates a conceptual generalization on the idea of variable volume, according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 9C the volume V 1′ is made variable, as conceptually illustrated by the membrane 911 and the double-headed arrow. The volume can be varied manually or using host computer, as illustrated by the broken line. The size of volume V 1′ may be set once for all processes, or may be changed during the process if the flow rate is changed during processing.
Yet another method can be used with the embodiment of FIG. 9 to determine the unknown volume V 1 . The GFC is set to a flow rate that allows an accurate measurement of (ΔP/Δt) while utilizing either volume V 1 alone or V 1 +V 2 . For the initial part of the measurement, Valve 912 is open. A measurement, (ΔP/Δt)′, is made under these conditions. While the GFC is still flowing, Valve 912 is closed. Another measurement, (ΔP/Δt)″, is made. As shown in the equations below, the ratio of these two values of (ΔP/Δt) allows a determination of the unknown volume.
Repeating Equation (4):
flow rate=( ΔP/Δt ) V/ZRT Equation (4)
Since the flow rate is unchanged for both parts of the measurement,
( ΔP/Δt )′ V/ZRT =( ΔP/Δt )″ V 1 /ZRT Equation (8)
This simplifies to
V 1 =V 2 /((Δ P/Δt )″/(Δ P/Δt )′−1) Equation (9)
One or more steps of the various embodiments of the present invention could be performed with manual or automatic operation. For example, the steps of opening/closing valves and taking pressure readings could be conducted automatically according to computer control, with the actual determination of the volume taking place manually or automatically. Alternatively, one or more of the various valves could be actuated manually, with the resulting flow rate calculated automatically from the detected pressure drop. Automatic operation of one or more steps could be accomplished based upon instructions stored in a computer readable storage medium of a host computer comprising a processor, utilizing communication through control lines as indicated by dashed-lines in the Figures.
Embodiments of the present invention may offer a number of advantages over conventional approaches. One advantage is that the testing of flow rate may be performed while the mass flow controller is going about its normal operation. Specifically, because the pressure variations caused by the opening and closing of the valves are controlled to prevent disturbance of the GFC, the GFC is able to maintain its specified flow rate despite the intentionally introduced changes in inlet pressure.
Gas flow testing can take place while the gas flow controller is operating normally to deliver gas to a processing chamber during production. Moreover, the testing apparatus is an integral part of the gas delivery system, and all steps of the gas flow testing can be automated. Accordingly, embodiments of the present invention lend themselves to fully automated operation, including the initiation of the testing procedure. For example, utilizing appropriate communication with the gas flow controller, the process tool, and/or the facility network, the flow rate test can be programmed to occur at every process step, or at a particular event, such as during a particular step of a particular process when the gas flow controller is set to a particular flow rate. Alternatively, the test can be programmed to take place at a certain time or times each day.
Embodiments of the present invention can also provide an alarm, which could include an audible or visual alarm located on the process tool. Alternatively or in conjunction with audio or visual alarms, an alarm in the form of an e-mail can be sent to one or more designated persons, if the measured flow rate is outside of certain limits. Such an approach works well in conjunction with the fully automated initiation and operation described above.
Embodiments of the present invention can also be used to measure the transient response of the MFC. When an MFC is perturbed, for example by turning it on or changing its set point or by suddenly increasing the pressure upstream of the MFC, it will take a few seconds to attain its steady state flow. During those few seconds, the flow rate of the MFC will deviate from the set point, often oscillating above and below the set point. The manner in which it deviates can be measured by the present invention by taking multiple pressure readings at a relatively high sampling rate (e.g., 10 to 100 readings per second) immediately after the MFC is perturbed. This measurement of the transient response has several advantages. One can monitor the transient response of a particular MFC over time; if changes are seen, it could be an indication of deterioration of one or more components within the MFC. One can also compare the transient response of identical MFCs from one chamber to another, thus enabling effective chamber matching. One could also use the transient response as a measure of the quality of a particular MFC or particular model or brand of MFC in order to choose the optimum MFC for the application.
Embodiments in accordance with the present invention also allow for essentially an unchanging environment to be presented to the gas being measured. Such unchanging conditions essentially prevent any errors associated with reactions with deposits or adsorbed gases inside the system, from disturbing the outcome.
Embodiments of the present invention also allow for a rapid determination of the system volume, measured by the system itself, if anything associated with the system is changed. This obviates the need for manually-intensive time-consuming measurements, such as those that would be needed to determine the volume of the process chamber.
It should be understood that processes and techniques described herein are not inherently related to any particular apparatus and may be implemented by any suitable combination of components. Further, various types of general purpose devices may be used in accordance with the teachings described herein. It may also prove advantageous to construct specialized apparatus to perform the method steps described herein. The present invention has been described in relation to particular examples, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many different combinations of hardware, software, and firmware will be suitable for practicing the present invention. Moreover, other implementations of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. Various aspects and/or components of the described embodiments may be used singly or in any combination in the server arts. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
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Methods and apparatus utilize a rate of drop in pressure upstream of a gas flow controller (GFC) to accurately measure a rate of flow through the GFC. Measurement of the gas flow through the many gas flow controllers in production use today is enabled, without requiring any special or sophisticated pressure regulators or other special components. Various provisions ensure that none of the changes in pressure that occur during or after the measurement perturb the constant flow of gas through the GFC under test.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to drains and vents for sinks, basins, tubs, and toilets, and pertains more particularly to an electrically controlled system for normally closing the drain, yet permitting the drain to be opened when the user wishes to empty the sink or automatically when water has accumulated from a leaky faucet.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U-shaped traps have been utilized in connection with household sinks, tubs and basins to seal such fixtures from the sewer, the water in the trap, as long as it remains there, preventing sewer gases from passing through the trap into the building. Generally speaking, such simplified arrangements have functioned satisfactorily, although at times siphoning takes place which will draw all of the water from the trap, thereby rendering the trap ineffectual for its intended purpose. The trapped water prevents any discharge of objectionable odors from the room via the drain line, for the trapped water serves as a blocking medium. Of course, if the water were removed, then the odors could escape, but then the trap, as explained above, would not function to prevent a reverse flow of sewer gases. Still further, the prior art systems with which I am acquainted require the use of manually manipulated stoppers for holding water in the sink, basin or tub.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one important object of my invention is to provide an electrically controlled drain system which is quite versatile and which performs a number of useful purposes.
Another object of the invention is to provide an electrically controlled drain system for sinks and the like which can be readily installed.
Another object of my invention is to eliminate the need for either a P or S drain connection, as well as the U-shaped trap normally associated therewith. However, my invention can be employed in association with these items.
The invention also has for an object the elimination of the customary stack or roof vent, although my invention can readily be used therewith.
A further object is to permit the use of flexible hose in the drain line, thereby readily accommodating for any offsetting or misalignment that may exist between the tailpiece and the line continuing to the sewer.
Yet another object is to prevent the flow of sewer gases upwardly through a drain line without relying upon the usual trap, thereby obviating any chance of the trap water being siphoned out as occasionally happens with the usual type of drain system. Stated somewhat differently, my invention provides a positive assurance that sewer gases will not enter a building.
A further object of the invention is to obviate the need for a drain stopper in the sink, basin or tub.
Still further, an object is to automatically remove any dripping water that might collect in a drain system of the envisaged character.
A very general object of the invention is to fulfill all of the requirements dictated by plumbing codes, and yet provide additional advantages that will make my electrically controlled drain system exceedingly appealing and thus encourage its widespread adoption.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my drain system when connected to a fragmentarily depicted sink;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view depicting details not visible in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken in the direction of line 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken in the direction of line 4--4 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the solenoid valve assembly sectionally portrayed in FIGS. 2 and 4.
FIG. 6 is an electrical diagram exemplifying a circuit employed when practicing my invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
My electrically operated drain system has been denoted generally by the reference numeral 10. From FIG. 1 it will be discerned that the system 10 is depicted in association with a fragmentarily pictured sink 12. It will be understood that the sink 12 can be a tub, basin or toilet which requires a drain connection. Extending downwardly from the sink 12 is a tailpiece 14. Also, it can be observed from FIG. 1 that a portion of a drain line 16 has been presented, the drain line leading to the sewer not shown.
As far as the control apparatus employed when practicing my invention, it has been designated by the reference numeral 18. While the invention is adaptable to other types of piping, it will be assumed for the sake of facile discussion that a section of plastic tube 20, such as nylon, acrylic, polyethylene or vinyl, has been utilized. The plastic tube 20 is modified by a cutout at 22, the configuration of which will be better appreciated as the description progresses.
As can also be noted from FIG. 1, there is an upper rubber sleeve 24 that encircles the lower end of the tailpiece 14. It simplifies the description somewhat to show only the rubber sleeve 24 along with a pair of upper hose clamps 26 and 28. It will be appreciated, however, that various types of threaded arrangements using slip nuts can be employed instead of the rubber sleeve 24 and the hose clamps 26, 28. Similarly, a lower rubber sleeve 30 encircles the bottom end of the plastic tube 20 and the upper end of the drain line 16. Here again, a pair of hose clamps 32 and 34 have been pictured which simply hold the sleeve 30 in place with respect to the upper end of the drain line 16 and the lower end of the plastic tube 20. The use of flexible sleeves 24 and 30 of appropriate length will enable a considerable degree of misalignment or offsetting between the tailpiece 14 and line 16 to be accommodated.
Describing now the control apparatus 18, it can be best understood from FIG. 5 that a valve casing 36, which is preferably of the same plastic material as the tube 20, is employed. The valve casing 36 has a top wall or panel 38, a bottom wall or panel 40 and side walls 42, 44. The top wall 38 has a curved edge at 46, whereas the bottom wall 40 has a curved edge at 48. The forward ends of the side walls 42 and 44 have vertical edges 50 and 52, respectively. In this way, the various edges 46, 48, 50 and 52 fit snugly against the edges of the cutout 22. Inasmuch as the edges 46-52 fit the edges of the cutout 22, a suitable adhesive can be employed for fixedly securing the valve casing 36 to the tube 20, the adhesive being applied to the edges of the cutout 22 and the edges 46-52.
At this time, attention is directed to a solenoid valve assembly indicated generally by the reference numeral 54. More specifically, the solenoid valve assembly 54 includes a soft elastomeric valve member 56 having a flat top 58, a flat bottom 60, parallel vertical sides 62, 64 and a curved end 66, the curvature of the end 64 corresponding to that of the tube 20 so as to bear or seat against the inside of the tube 20 in performing a sealing or closing action.
Connected to the valve member 56 is a valve stem or rod 68, the valve stem 68 having a threaded end 70 which is received in the valve member 56, and a second threaded end 72 which is threadedly received in an armature 74 of an electromagnet or solenoid 76, the solenoid 76 being part of the previously alluded to solenoid valve assembly 54. Although the solenoid 76 is of conventional construction, nonetheless it will be no harm to point out that it includes a dielectric spool-like support 78 having a winding disposed thereon. A cylindrical housing 82 contains the spool 78 and winding 80 therein.
As can be appreciated from FIGS. 2, 4 and 5, the solenoid housing 82 is fastened or attached to the valve casing 36. To accomplish this, the solenoid housing 82 is formed with an end wall 84. A removable end plate 86 has a centrally disposed hub 88 containing a rubber O-ring 90 for the sliding and sealing accommodation of the valve stem 68, the plate 86 being sandwiched between the end wall 84 and a flange 92 on the valve casing 36. As best seen in FIG. 5, a plurality of screws 94 fasten the removable end plate to the end wall 86, and an additional plurality of screws 96 fasten the removable end plate 86 to the flange 92.
Inasmuch as the elastomeric valve member 56 is intended to normally be in a closed position, a coil spring 98 encircles the valve or rod 68, one end bearing against the hub 88 on the end wall 86 and the other end against the valve member 56, the spring 98 being under compression so as to urge the valve member 56 to the left as viewed in FIGS. 2 and 5, thereby closing the plastic tube 20. It will be recalled that the valve member 56 is formed with a curved end 66. From FIG. 4, it should be obvious that the curved end 66 conforms to the inner curvature of the tube 20, whereas the vertical sides 62, 64 fit within the valve casing 36, more specifically between the side walls 42, 44 thereof.
As already pointed out, the spring 98 normally biases the valve member 56 into a closed or blocking relationship so that water from the sink 12 cannot drain downwardly into the line 16. It is only when the solenoid 76 is energized that the valve member 56 is retracted so as to open or connect the drain line 16 to the sink 12 via the tailpiece 14 and the intermediate plastic tube 20.
Whereas the details of the schematic diagram set forth in FIG. 6 will not be completely comprehensible at this stage, it can be pointed out that the control apparatus 18 makes use of a power source 100, being shown in the form of a step-down transformer, although it could be a d-c source such as a battery. Whereas the primary of the transformer can be connected to a 120 volt a-c outlet, the secondary of the transformer provides a low voltage on the order of six volts for energizing the solenoid 76 and other components still to be referred to.
Although the components now to be described can be mounted within the plastic tube 20 in various ways, the particular mounting means will depend largely on the material of the tube 20. It has already been explained that the tube 20 can be plastic and when a plastic tube is utilized, then the arrangement now to be described can be effectively employed.
From FIGS. 2 and 3 it will be discerned that a resilient split ring 102, which can also be of plastic, has been shown which can be positioned at virtually any height within the plastic tube 20, the circumferentially spaced ends 102a, 102b simply being pressed closer together so as to permit the ring 102 to be inserted into the plastic tube 20 via its upper end. When the ring 102, which is resilient as pointed out above, is permitted to expand, it pressurally bears against the inside of the tube 20 and will in this way be held in place. However, an adhesive can be employed to retain the ring 102 at the desired location within the tube 20, if desired.
The apparatus 18 is constructed so as to be both float responsive and flow responsive. In this regard, a vane 104 of buoyant material, such as foamed polyurethane is employed. The vane 104 is pivotally attached at one end to a pair of hinges 106 projecting inwardly from the ring 102, a pin 108 extending through the hinges 106 and the end of the vane 104 adjacent thereto.
An arm 110, which can be of thin metal or a strip of plastic, has a base portion 112 which is adhesively secured to the vane 104, the arm 110 angling upwardly from the hinged end of the vane 104, as can be seen in FIG. 2. The free end of the arm 110 carries a small permanent magnet 114, which is adhesively secured to this portion of the arm 110.
When there is a sufficient accumulation of water, such as from a leaky faucet dripping into the sink 12, the vane 104 will be buoyed upwardly so that the magnet 114 will be moved into a closer relationship with the side of the plastic tube 20, as denoted in phantom outline in FIG. 2.
By means of a holder (not shown), which can be a strip of adhesive tape encircling the outside of the plastic tube 20, a magnetically responsive reed switch 116 is retained in an appropriate portion so that when the magnet 114 is brought into a proximal relation therewith the switch 116 is closed. Although conventional, it can be pointed out that the switch includes a tubular glass envelope 118 containing therein two metallic reeds 120 and 122 (see FIG. 6). One end of each reed 120, 122 is hermetically sealed within the ends of the glass envelope. However, their free or innermost ends overlap and form normally open contacts 120a and 120b. The metallic reed 120 is connected through the agency of a conductor 122 to one side of the secondary winding of the power source 100, whereas another conductor 124 connects the other side of the power source 100 to the winding 80 of the solenoid 76.
An additional conductor 126 connects the metallic reed 122 to one fixed contact 128 of a latching relay denoted generally by the reference numeral 130. The latching relay 130 also includes a movable blade or contact 132 which is actuated upwardly when the relay's winding 134 is energized and held by a pivotal dog or latch element 136 which is biased such as by a small coil spring 137, in a counterclockwise direction about a pivot pin 138 but which can be manually rotated in a clockwise direction about its pivot pin 138 for a reason hereinafter made manifest. A second fixed contact 140 is connected via a conductor 142 to the solenoid winding 80.
In this way, when the contacts 120a, 120b carried on the metallic reeds 120, 122 are closed, which they are when the buoyant vane 102 is pivoted upwardly by the buoyant action of water collected above the valve member 56, then the closing of the contacts 122a, 122b establishes an electrical path from the power source 100 through the now closed or latched contacts 128, 132 and 140 of the latching relay 130 so as to energize the solenoid 76 and thus retract the valve member 56, thereby providing communication directly from the tailpiece 14 downwardly through the plastic tube 20 to the drain line 16.
As a consequence, any accumulated water, which has collected as a result of a leaky faucet, will automatically be permitted to gravitationally flow downwardly into the drain line 16. As soon as the water that has been collected drains, then the float or buoyant vane 104 will swing downwardly so that the small permanent magnet 114 will be moved away from the magnetically responsive reed switch 116 with the result that the magnetically closed contacts 120a, 120b will now open so as to deenergize the solenoid 76.
As a result, the coil spring 98, which biases the valve member 56 in a closed direction, will cause the valve member 56 to return once again to the position depicted in FIG. 2 where it again blocks the flow of any liquid downwardly and concomitantly blocks the flow of any sewer gases upwardly that might enter the drain line 16 from the sewer to which the line is connected.
The valve member 56, when closed, functions as a stopper and water can intentionally be held in the sink 12 without using a separate stopper or closure member. However, when the valve member 56 is to be retracted so as to drain deliberately any waste water from the sink 12, a normally open pushbutton switch 146 comprising a pair of fixed contacts 148, 150 and a bridging contact 152 is actuated. The contact 148 is connected to the power source 100 via a conductor 154, whereas the contact 150 is connected to the solenoid 76 through the agency of a conductor 156. In this way, when the normally open pushbutton switch 146 is manually closed, a circuit is completed through the solenoid winding 80 and the energization of the solenoid 76 will retract or open the valve member 56.
Quite obviously, one would not wish to keep the pushbutton switch 146 closed for the entire time that it would take for the contents of the sink 12 to drain. Consequently, my invention provides for maintaining the solenoid 76 energized, and the valve member 56 retracted or opened, during the entire draining period without the person having to keep depressing the pushbutton switch 146.
Accordingly, a flow responsive mechanism is employed. This involves the use of an arm 158 dangling downwardly from a base portion 160, which base portion 160 is adhesively fastened to the underside of the vane 104 in the same fashion the base portion 112 of the arm 110 is attached to the upper side of the same vane 104. The arm 158 at its free end carries a permanent magnet 162 which can be identical to the earlier-mentioned magnet 114.
In this case, however, the flow responsive mechanism includes a bowed leaf spring 164 having one leg portion thereof adhesively attached to the arm 158 so that its other leg portion bears against the inside of the plastic tube 20. In this way, the vane 104 is biased into a generally horizontal position. On the other hand, when the valve member 56 is retracted by energizing the solenoid 76 via the pushbutton switch 146, the flow of the waste water from the sink 12 downwardly through the tube 20 will deflect the vane 104 downwardly. Since the arm 158 is integrally attached to the underside of the vane, such action causes the magnet 162 to be moved into a closely adjacent position with the inside of the plastic tube 20.
A second magnetically responsive read switch 168 is suitably held in place by a holder (also not shown but which can be just an adhesive tape). Here again, the magnetically responsive reed switch 168 includes a tubular glass envelope 170 containing therein two metallic reeds 172 and 174. As with the previously mentioned reed switch 116, one end of each reed 172 and 174 is hermetically sealed within the ends of the glass envelope 170. However, their free or innermost ends overlap, as do the free or innermost ends of the previously mentioned reed switch 116, and form normally open contacts 172a and 174a. In this way, when the permanent magnet 162 is swung into juxtaposition with the reed switch 168, as it will do when the downwardly flowing waste water deflects the pivotal vane 104 downwardly, overcoming the biasing action of the leaf spring 164 in the process, the magnet 162 will cause the contacts 172a, 174a to close.
The reed 172 is connected through the agency of a conductor 176 to one side of the power source 100 and the other reed 174 of this particular switch 168 is connected through the agency of another conductor 178 to the solenoid 76 (and to the contact 150 of the pushbutton switch 146 by way of the conductor 156). Stated somewhat differently, the magnetically responsive reed switch 168 is in parallel with the pushbutton switch 146.
There must be a flow of water downwardly through the plastic tube 20 before the contacts 172a, 174a of the second reed switch 168 are closed. The flow of water can be readily initiated, it is believed evident, by the momentary closing of the pushbutton switch 146 because this action completes a circuit through the solenoid 76 via the conductors 154, 156 and 124. It is, of course, possible, and even likely, that the closing of the contacts 120a, 122a of the first-mentioned reed switch 116 will cause a flow of water which will close the contacts 172a, 174a of the second-mentioned reed switch 168, but this has no practical effect because under these circumstances the pushbutton switch 146 would not be closed because, as indicated above, the pushbutton switch 146 is only closed to drain the sink 12. The point to be kept in mind, though, is that as soon as the water has drained out, referring now to the water that has collected due to a leaky faucet, and the flow has ceased, then both the float responsive switch 116 opens (and since there is no longer any flow of water, then the flow responsive switch 168 opens as well), this action resulting in the deenergization of the solenoid 76 and the reclosing of the valve member 56 under the influence of the coil spring 98.
Another event that transpires when the pushbutton switch 146 is closed and the second reed switch 168 is closed (as a result of the flowing water) is that the winding 134 of the latching relay 130 becomes energized which lifts the bridging contact 132 to a height such that the latch or dog 136 can swing beneath the contact 132 to hold it in a raised position and thus close the two contacts 128, 140 which must be closed in order for the first or float responsive switch 116 to be effective in energizing the solenoid 76. The winding 134, it will be appreciated, is connected to the conductors 124 and 156 by means of conductors 180 and 182, respectively.
The dog or latch 136 can be manually swung in a clockwise direction to permit the opening of the contacts 128, 140 of the latching relay 130 in preparation for the closing of the pushbutton switch 146. The contacts 128, 140 will be reclosed after the latching relay 130 has been energized again, this taking place whenever the solenoid 76 is energized because the winding 134 is in parallel with the solenoid winding 80. More specifically, the latching action occurs as a result of the closing of the contacts 172a, 174a of the flow responsive switch 168 by having first closed the pushbutton switch 146. The second reed switch 168 is closed, of course, by reason of the flow of water downwardly through the plastic tube 20.
In this way, the float responsive reed switch 116 is always in readiness to close should water collect to a sufficient level in the plastic tube 20. It has already been mentioned that such a collection of water can occur due to a leaky faucet. Of course, when the float responsive switch 116 is closed, it remains closed only as long as the water is at a sufficient height to pivot the vane 104 upwardly. When the float responsive switch 116 is closed, however, then the solenoid 76 becomes energized with the consequence that the valve member 56 is opened to drain out the accumulated water. It is important to keep in mind that the valve member 56 remains open only for the length of time needed to drain out the collected water. In other words, the presence of the float responsive switch 116 assures that water will never back up into the sink 12 and overflow the rim thereof, yet there is always a positive seal against any reverse flow of sewer gases upwardly through the drain pipe 16, the plastic tube 20, the tailpiece 14 into the sink 12 (basin, tub or toilet bowl, as the case may be) from which the fumes would then emanate directly into the room.
When practicing the teachings of my invention, it should be readily apparent that each time that the pushbutton switch 146 is closed or the float responsive switch 168 becomes closed, there is an automatic release of the water contained in the system and there is a concomitant venting of odors, due to the flowing water and the concomitant reduced pressure, that may have become present in the room where the sink is installed.
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A deenergized solenoid operated valve normally closes the drain line of a sink, basin, tub or toilet bowl, the valve thus serving as a stopper. When a pushbutton switch is closed, the solenoid is energized to retract the valve and open the drain, a flow responsive switch maintaining the solenoid energized until all of the water has drained from the sink or bowl. A float responsive switch will also energize the solenoid to retract the valve and open the drain if water accumulates from a leaky faucet. Whenever water is drained, the low pressure or vacuum that results produces an accompanying venting action. The invention may be used with a P or S-type drain connection and/or with a conventional stack vent, but does not require that any of these be employed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the electrodeposition of bright zinc from alkaline, aqueous, zinc electroplating baths and to brighteners and additives to be used in such baths.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
Many brighteners and additives are known for obtaining a bright zinc deposit in an alkaline zinc electroplating bath. Examples are described in the German Pat. Nos. DT 2412356, DT 2712515 and in the French Pat. No. 2.423.557; in these cited patents are discovered brighteners prepared from heterocyclic pentagonal or hexagonal compounds including at least two nitrogen atoms in the ring.
One inconvenience of the known brighteners prepared from these heterocyclic compounds is that they provide zinc deposits which are non uniform in structure over a range of the cathodic current densities used in practice and, namely, produce zinc deposits presenting streaks and pittings.
The bath and the process of the present invention supersedes such inconvenience of the prior art, by allowing the production of bright and uniform zinc electrodeposits, presenting no streaks or pittings, under a wide range of current densities.
According to one aspect of this invention, it has been found that bright, ductile and uniform zinc electrodeposits, without streaks or pitting, may be obtained from an alkaline, non cyanide, zinc plating bath containing an effective amount of a water soluble nitrogen-containing polymer, compatible with said bath, said polymer being obtained by the three successive chemical reactions A, B and C, as follows:
Reaction A: An heterocyclic pentagonal or hexagonal compound, comprising at least two nitrogen atoms in the aromatic ring, is reacted with a cyclic carbonate comprising carbon, hydrogen and oxygen atoms;
Reaction B: The product of the reaction A is further reacted with an epihalohydrin or an alpha-dihalohydrin, in order to obtain a water soluble nitrogen-containing polymer;
Reaction C: The product of reaction B is further reacted with a compound of general formula (1): ##STR2## wherein: X represents a hydrogen atom or a phenyl radical;
R 1 represents an alkenylene, alkylene, haloalkenylene, hydroxyalkenylene or carboxy (hydroxy) alkenylene group; and
R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl or halohydroxyalkyl.
The reactions A, B and C are realized, preferably, in aqueous media or in a polar solvent.
The aqueous solution of the nitrogen-containing polymer obtained by the successive reactions A, B and C is utilized, according to this invention, as brightener for alkaline zinc electroplating baths.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The heterocyclic pentagonal or hexagonal compounds which may be used for the reaction A are the following: imidazole, pyrrole, piperazine, benzotriazole and their derivatives of substitution at their carbon or nitrogen atoms.
Here are some preferred compounds: imidazole, 1-methylimidazole, 2-methylimidazole, 1-hydroxyethylimidazole, 2-hydroxyethylimidazole, 2,4-dimethylimidazole, 1,2-dimethylimidazole, 2-ethylimidazole, 2-ethyl-4(5)-methylimidazole, 2-isopropylimidazole, 2-phenylimidazole, 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole, 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)imidazole, pyrrole, 2,5-dimethylpyrrole, piperazine, 1-ethylpiperazine, 1-(2-hydroxyethyl)piperazine.
The cyclic carbonates which may be utilized for the reaction A have the general formula: ##STR3## wherein:
R 3 and R 4 are, independently one of another, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, or the group R 5 OCH 3 -- wherein R 5 is hydrogen or alkyl, and R 3 and R 4 may represent together an alkylene radical comprising at least two carbon atoms.
Examples of cyclic carbonates according to formula (2) are: ethylene carbonate, propylene carbonate, glycerol carbonate, allylglycerol carbonate, 2,3-butylene carbonate and phenylene carbonate. The reaction between the heterocyclic compounds comprising two nitrogen atoms, described above, and one or several cyclic carbonates of formula (2) is realized, preferably, in aqueous media, at a pH comprised between 7 and 10 and at a temperature of 80° to 100° C.
The molar ratio between the nitrogen containing heterocyclic compound and the cyclic carbonate is comprised, preferably, between 1/1 and 1/10. The reaction time is 30 to 120 minutes.
At this stage of the invention, the product resulting from the reaction A is not exactly known, but it is presumed that this product is a mixture of carbamates of the type: ##STR4## with N-hydroxylated compounds of the type: ##STR5##
Reaction B
According to the present invention, the products resulting from the Reaction A are further reacted with an epihalohydrin or an alpha-dihalohydrin. Epichlorohydrin or alpha-dichlorohydrin is preferably utilized and is gradually added to the aqueous solution obtained from reaction A, at a temperature comprised between 40° and 100° C., the reaction time being of 1 to 3 hours.
The molar ratio between the heterocyclic compound of the reaction A and the epihalohydrin or the alpha-dichlorohydrin is chosen between 5/1 to 1/1.5. The pH is maintained between 6.5 and 10, during the reaction.
Reaction C
After the reaction is accomplished, the aqueous solution obtained is, according to this invention, further reacted with a compound of formula (1).
The Table I gives some non limiting examples of compounds of formula (1):
TABLE I__________________________________________________________________________COMPOUND OF FORMULA (1)__________________________________________________________________________1°/ ClCH.sub.2CO.ONa2°/ CH.sub.2CHCO.OCH.sub.2CH.sub.2OH3°/ CH.sub.2CHCO.OH ##STR6##5°/ HOCH.sub.2CO.OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2Cl6°/ C.sub.6 H.sub.5CH.sub.2CO.OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2Cl7°/ CH.sub.2 (COOH)C(OH)(COOH)CH.sub.2CO.OCH.sub.2CH(OH)CH.sub.2Cl__________________________________________________________________________
The compound of formula (1) is added to the aqueous solution resulting from the successive reactions A and B in a proportion of 0.5 to 15.0 percent of the total mass of reactants.
This reaction takes place at a temperature of 80° to 105° C. and at a pH of 7 to 9. The reaction time is 1 to 3 hours.
The final aqueous solution of polymer, obtained by the successive reactions A, B and C, is utilized as brightener for alkaline zinc electroplating according to this invention.
For practical reasons, this solution is diluted with water to a concentration of 10 to 20 percent of active matter.
In accordance with another aspect of this invention, one may realize certain variants of the above described reactions, namely of the reaction B, with the scope of modifying the structure of the nitrogen-containing polymer obtained by these reactions.
Following a preferred embodiment of the invention, the product of the reaction A is mixed with other compounds able to react with the epihalohydrin or the alpha-dihalohydrin, before being put in reaction B, namely with cyclic or aliphatic amines or polyamines comprising at least one primary or secondary nitrogen atom.
Examples of aminated compounds which may be associated with the products of the reaction A, in performing the reaction B, are the following: methylamine, ethylamine, dimethylamine, diethylamine, isopropylamine, ethylenediamine, diethylenetriamine, tetraethylenepentamine, 1,2-dimethylpropylamine, di-n-propylamine, N-methylpropylamine, 2-methoxyethylamine, cyclohexylamine, 2-diethylaminoethylamine, methylethanolamine.
The proportion of the amine added to the product of the reaction A may vary between 0.5 to 50.0 percent of the mass of the heterocyclic compound used in reaction A.
It is obvious that a supplementary quantity of epihalohydrin or alpha-dihalohydrin is to be added, in the reaction B, in order to react with the amine, a preferred ratio being the equimolar.
The following examples illustrate, in a non limiting manner, the preparation of the nitrogen containing polymers which may be utilized, according to this invention, as zinc electroplating brighteners.
EXAMPLE 1
Reaction A: 68.1 g imidazole, 300 g water, 5 g potassium carbonate and 40 g ethylene carbonate are introduced in a reaction vessel and heated, under reflux and stirring, at 80° C. during one hour and at 100° C. during two hours.
Reaction B: The product of the reaction A is cooled at 50° C. and 92.0 g of epichlorohydrin are added under stirring, drop by drop. The solution is then heated under reflux at 100° C. during two hours.
Reaction C: To the polymer solution obtained in reaction B, there are added 8 g of compound No. 5 of Table 1. The mixture is heated under stirring at the reflux temperature during two hours, the pH of the solution being maintained, during the reaction, at 7.5-8.5 by additions of a 50% solution of sodium hydroxide in water.
The solution of nitrogen containing polymer resulting from the reactions A, B and C is diluted with water to a concentration of 20% of active matter and is utilized as alkaline zinc electroplating brightener according to this invention.
EXAMPLE 2
Reaction A: 40.8 g imidazole, 8.2 g 1-metylimidazole, 6.7 g pyrrole, 300 g water, 4 g potassium carbonate, 35 g ethylene carbonate and 10 g propylene carbonate are introduced in a reaction vessel. The mixture is heated under reflux and stirring one hour at 80° C. and 3 hours at 100° C.
Reaction B: The product of reaction A is cooled at 50° C. and 85 g epichlorohydrin are added, drop by drop with stirring, followed by 5 g alpha-dichlorohydrin. The solution is then heated at 100° C. during 3 hours, under reflux and stirring.
Reaction C: To the polymer solution obtained by the reaction B, there are added 6 g of compound No. 1 and 3 g of compound No. 7 of Table 1. The reaction mixture is heated at 100°-105° C. under reflux and stirring, the pH of the solution being maintained at 7.5-8.5 by additions of a 50% solution of sodium hydroxide.
The resulting solution of nitrogen-containing polymer is diluted with water to a concentration of 20% active matter and is utilized as alkaline zinc electroplating brightener as per this invention.
EXAMPLE 3
Reaction A: 61.2 g imidazole, 8.2 g 2-methylimidazole, 300 g water, 5 g potassium carbonate and 40 ethylene carbonate are introduced in a reaction vessel and heated, under stirring and reflux, at 80° C. during one hour and at 100° C. during two hours.
Reaction B: The product of reaction A is cooled at 50° C. and then, under stirring, there are added 13 g dimethylamine and (slowly) 117 g epichlorohydrin. THe solution is then heated at 100° C. during two hours, under reflux and stirring.
Reaction C: To the polymer solution remaining from reaction B, there are added 5 g of compound No. 4 and 4 g of compound No. 5 of Table 1. The mixture is heated two hours at 100°-105° C. maintaining the pH at 7.5-8.5 by 50% sodium hydroxide additions.
The resulting solution of nitrogen-containing polymer is diluted with water at a concentration of 20% active matter and is utilized as zinc electroplating brightener, according to this invention.
The zinc electroplating baths which are the object of this invention consist of an aqueous solution of an alkaline zincate, like the sodium or potassium zincate, in presence of an excess of alkaline hydroxide (e.g. sodium or potassium hydroxide) and may comprise, eventually, an alkaline cyanide, although the principal object of this invention is to provide cyanide free alkaline zinc electroplating baths.
The concentration of zinc in these baths is usually comprised between 5 and 20 grams per liter of bath, and the concentration of the alkaline hydroxide between 70 and 200 g/l.
Apart from the basic constituents mentioned above, the electroplating baths of this invention comprise, in solution, an effective amount of one or several nitrogen-containing polymers, in conformity with those described above, the total concentration of these polymers being comprised between 0.5 and 50.0 grams per liter of bath.
According to another aspect of this invention, the nitrogen-containing polymers described above are associated, in the zinc plating bath, with one or several secondary brighteners or additives, with the purpose to enhance the brilliance or the bright plating range of the zinc electrodeposits obtained from these baths.
As secondary additives, one may utilize aromatic aldehydes, phenol aldehydes, quaternary pyridinium derivatives, quaternary derivatives of nicotinic acid, the reaction products of aromatic aldehydes with amines and, also, some natural or synthetic water soluble polymers, known in the art, such as polyvinyl alcohol, various qualities of glues, gums and gelatins, the homopolymers of acrylamide, or the homopolymers of acrylic acid. The concentration range of these secondary additives, in the zinc plating bath, is from 0.05 to 10.0 grams per liter of bath.
The Table 2 gives nonlimiting examples of secondary additives which may be advantageously associated with the nitrogen containing polymers of this invention.
TABLE 2__________________________________________________________________________SECONDARY ADDITIVES Optimal concentration in the zinc platingCompound bath g/l__________________________________________________________________________1° BENZOIC ALDEHYDE 0.1-1.52° o- and p-METHOXYBENZALDEHYDES 0.1-1.53° o-,m- and p-HYDROXYBENZALDEHYDES 0.1-1.54° VANILLIN 0.1-0.55° HELIOTROPIN 0.1-1.56° VERATRALDEHYDE 0.1-0.87° 1-BENZYL-PYRIDINIUM-3-CARBOXYLATE 0.05-1.58° SODIUM POLYACRYLATE 0.5-5.09° The quaternary compound: ##STR7## 0.05-1.8__________________________________________________________________________
The following examples show zinc electroplating baths in conformity with the invention:
EXAMPLE 4
A stock of basic solution of alkaline zinc plating bath of the following composition is prepared:
______________________________________Sodium hydroxide 110 g/lZinc oxide 12 g/l______________________________________
The sodium hydroxide and zinc oxide, of pure quality, are dissolved in water to form an alkaline solution of sodium zincate, comprising about 9.5 g/l of zinc metal.
In this bath, there are added the additives as per the following examples, to obtain bright zinc electrodeposits:
EXAMPLE 5
In the bath of example 4 there is added:
______________________________________Nitrogen-containing polymer solution 20 ml/lobtained as per Example 1______________________________________
Under a cathodic current density of 0.1 to 3.0 A/dm 2 and at a bath temperature of 20° to 35° C., there are obtained, on a metallic object made cathode, uniform and fine grained zinc electrodeposits, without blisters, streaks or pitting and with a medium brilliance.
EXAMPLE 6
In the bath of example 4 there is added:
______________________________________Nitrogen-containing polymer solution 20 ml/lobtained as per example 1p-Methoxybenzaldehyde 0.1 g/lHeliotropin 0.15 g/l______________________________________
The aldehydes are utilized in the form of an alcoholic solution at 10% concentration, or in the form of an aqueous solution of their bisulfite adduct.
Under a cathodic current density of 0.1 to 8.0 A/dm 2 and a bath temperature of 20° to 35° C., there are obtained bright, uniform and ductile zinc electrodeposits presenting no pitting, streaks or blisters.
EXAMPLE 7
In the bath of Example 4 there is added:
______________________________________Nitrogen-containing polymer solution 16 ml/lobtained as per Example 3Veratraldehyde 0.1 g/lThiophenaldehyde 0.1 g/l1-Benzylpyridinium-3-carboxylate 0.05 g/l______________________________________
Bright, uniform and non pitted zinc electrodeposits are obtained under cathodic current densities of 0.1 to 9.0 A/dm 2 .
EXAMPLE 8
In the bath of Example 4 there is added:
______________________________________Polymer solution obtained as per Example 2 3 ml/lPolymer solution obtained as per Example 3 15 ml/lp-Methoxybenzaldehyde 0.2 g/lThiophenaldehyde 0.05 g/lPolyvinylalcohol 0.05 g/l______________________________________
A Hull cell test is made with this bath, on a steel cathode, at 25° C. temperature, the total current being of 3 A and the plating time of 30 minutes.
There is obtained a zinc electrodeposit which is uniform, bright and ductile and without blisters, pitting or streaks, under cathodic current densities of 0.1 to 10 A/dm 2 . This deposit is easily passivated by the current techniques.
EXAMPLE 9
In order to put in evidence the advantages of this invention compared with the known art, a Hull cell test is made with the bath of Example 4 wherein is added 3 g/l of the polymer obtained as per the German Pat. No. DT 2 412 356, namely by reacting, in a reaction vessel, 68.1 g imidazole, 300 g water and 92.0 g epichlorohydrin.
There is also added, in this bath 0.3 g anisaldehyde. The cathode is of steel, the total current is 3 A, the temperature of the bath 25° C. and the plating time 30 minutes.
There is obtained a zinc electrodeposit presenting strong pitting between cathodic current densities of 1.5 and 8.0 A/dm 2 .
The present invention is not limited to the above examples, numerous other variants being realizable by the man of the art, by applying the formulae and methods described in this specification.
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A zinc electroplating bath comprising as a brightener additive a reaction product of an heterocyclic pentagonal or hexagonal compound with a cyclic carbonate; the ensuing product is then reacted with an epihalohydrin or an alpha-dihalohydrin which ensuing product is then reacted with a compound of the general formula ##STR1## wherein x represents a hydrogen atom or a phenyl radical;
R 1 represents an alkenylene, alkylene, haloalkenylene, hydroxyalkenylene or carboxy (hydroxy) alkenylene group; and
R 2 represents a hydrogen atom or an alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, haloalkyl or halohydroxyalkyl group.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/847,000 filed Sep. 25, 2006, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
GOVERNMENT RIGHTS IN THIS INVENTION
[0002] This invention was made with U.S. government support under contract number DAAD19-01-2-0012. The U.S. government has certain rights in this invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention relates generally to a visual means for a mobile sensing system for refining camera poses used to acquire multiple views of a scene. More specifically, the invention relates to an improved system and method for estimating range including objects in the images from various distances.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A persistent issue in the sensing system is the need to determine the structure of a scene, including objects seen at long distances using a mobile platform. Scene structure recovered in the range of 50 m-1000 m is useful for planning for autonomous mobility and mapping unobserved areas. Sensing from 100 m-200 m is useful for reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA), target designation, and cueing automatic target recognition (ATR). The difficulty with using images from a moving platform is knowing the precise relationship (position and direction) between the cameras that acquired the images. In particular, the relative pointing angles between the cameras must be known to a milliradian or better.
[0005] A conventional approach is to use a laser range finder or LADAR, but these ranges require high power, and LADAR is emissive. So, the scene structure typically recovered from LADAR sensing has power/speed/resolution limitations at the ranges of interest (hundreds of meters to a kilometer or more).
[0006] Vision stereo with a fixed baseline can also be used to acquire range information. Accurate range estimates for objects that are a kilometer away, however, requires a 10 m baseline, which is impractical for a mobile, fixed-baseline system. Passive depth recovery at mid-ranges requires longer baselines than can be achieved by a practical fixed-baseline stereo system. So, scene structure recovered from conventional stereo vision systems have a fixed baseline that limits range and/or mobility of the stereo system.
[0007] Thus, a need exists in the art for an improved sensing system for estimating range and detecting the objects from large distances.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a method for detecting range of at least one object of a scene. The method comprises receiving a set of images of the scene having multiple objects from at least one camera in motion. The images are obtained at different locations of the camera. The method also comprise selecting images having at least one of the object and computing data related to estimation of a position and orientation of the camera and position and orientation of the selected images. The method further comprise determining a projected location of the object based on the computed data and adjusting the estimated orientation of the camera for each of the selected images based on the projected location of the object.
[0009] Furthermore, there is provided a computer program product comprising computer readable storage medium having a computer program stored thereon for performing the method described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 illustrates a flow diagram of the procedure of the visual means of the sensing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows an illustration of the exemplary sensing system in accordance with the of the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 3A shows an exemplary imagery illustrating the processing steps of the in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3B illustrates a block diagram of the architecture of the algorithm of the sensing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4A shows a graphical representation of the ray bundles of the location of the features of the image.
[0015] FIG. 4B shows a graphical representation of the slope of the ray bundles of FIG. 4A as a function of the position.
[0016] FIG. 4C shows a graphical representation of the ray bundles corresponding to the trend line of FIG. 4B .
[0017] FIG. 5 illustrates a block diagram of the adjustment pose of the algorithm of the system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The basic scenario in the present invention is that images of essentially the same scene are captured from multiple viewpoints. The images are captured preferably due to one camera mounted on a moving platform or alternatively due to multiple cameras mounted on the moving platform that are moving through the scene. So, if the relative camera positions are known, the present invention proposes to rectify the images (correct them for differing camera orientations) prior to computing the stereo disparity (through image-matching techniques) to determine the range to objects in the scene. Referring to FIG. 1 , there is shown a flow diagram of the procedure of visual means of the sensing system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A series of raw images are captured at step 102 from the camera (not shown) mounted on a moving platform. Note that these images are captured at different camera locations or at different camera separations relative to the first camera image. Simultaneously, the camera metadata 104 is obtained from the inertial navigation system (INS) also installed on the moving platform. Preferably, the camera orientation 106 and the camera position 108 are derived from the metadata 104 . The steps described above are known to one skilled in the art.
[0019] The current invention assumes that the positions of the cameras are known well enough but that individual orientation measurements are not accurate enough to permit range estimation at distances of interest. So, in order to correct the error in individual camera orientations, a multiple view pose adjustment of the raw images are performed at step 110 using the measurements of the camera metadata 102 . Then, using the multiple view pose adjustment 110 and the camera orientation 106 , an improved orientation of the camera is obtained at step 112 . Upon obtaining the adjusted improved orientation 112 , the images can be rectified at step 114 , which is followed by the standard stereo analysis of image pairs to obtain dense range maps at step 116 . Image rectification 114 and standard stereo pair analysis 116 are procedural steps well known in the art.
[0020] The procedural steps of multiple view pose adjustment 110 and improved orientation 112 will be described in greater detail herein with respect to FIGS. 2 , 3 A and 3 B. The procedural steps depends on tracking multiple objects in multiple images. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary sensing system for the procedural steps. FIG. 3A and 3B illustrates an exemplary imagery and the corresponding block diagram of the architecture of the algorithm to execute the major processes of multiple view pose adjustment 110 and the improved orientation 112 .
[0021] In FIG. 2 , there is shown multiple cameras 200 on a moving platform (not shown), each of the cameras 200 capturing images 202 of a scene 204 having multiple features or objects 206 . These images 202 are captured at different locations of the cameras 200 . In this application, a “feature” or an “object” is any small region corresponding to a single distance in the world, and having sufficient texture to be tracked. Note that the range of the images 202 obtained are both for a distant background as well as a foreground and the range can vary from about 5 m to about 2000 m. Consider one object, for example a tree 206 ′ in FIG. 3 that is visible in multiple images 202 . In each image 202 , the location of the tree 206 ′ in the image and the estimation of the camera position and orientation define a ray 208 in space. A bundle of rays 208 defines the likely location of the tree 206 ′ in three dimensions (left-right, up-down, and range) relative to a reference coordinate system (e.g. the one defined by the first camera). This step of the bundle analysis is preferably repeated for multiple objects in the scene 204 .
[0022] Referring back to FIG. 2 , now, consider one camera 200 on a moving platform, and the objects 206 that it are in its field-of-view. Using the 3D object locations determined earlier, one can compute the places where the objects 206 should be located in the image 202 , based on the estimated camera orientation. Then, adjust the estimated orientation angles for the camera 200 in order to make the computed locations match the locations where the objects were actually observed. This step of orientation adjustment may preferably be repeated for multiple cameras. The procedure steps defined above may be iterated, but the iteration is not required.
[0023] The imagery including the general steps of FIG. 3A will be described simultaneously with the architecture of FIG. 3B . Referring now to FIG. 3A , there is shown a camera 300 preferably integrated with an INS, on a moving platform 301 , to capture video and vehicle pose while moving to generate sufficient camera separation. The captured images, INS poses and camera calibration are buffered in a memory 302 as shown in FIG. 3B . Then, using stereo calculations with the initial camera poses (positions and orientations), identify and track objects or features 303 as shown in FIG. 3A , preferably at a distant region, that could be expected to be visible across many images. This process is identified as a Add features 304 in FIG. 3B . Any small image patch with enough texture to allow matching in a subsequent images was considered to be an “object” or “feature.” As described above, the location of each object 303 in the image and the estimation of the camera position and orientation defines a ray 305 in space as shown in FIG. 3A . A bundle of these rays 305 define the likely or projected location of the objects 303 in three dimensions relative to a reference coordinate system .
[0024] Now referring back to FIG. 3B , the process of Register Existing Features 306 is computed in which when a new image arrives via the camera (typically after vehicle travel of 0.5 m), image registration techniques are used to obtain a gross alignment of the distant region of the previous image with the new image. The exact locations of tracked features are then determined by local registration of image patches surrounding the expected feature location. Even though it is not required, these processes are preferably iterated to obtain sufficient history of the features. If sufficient history is available, adjust the camera poses by adjusting the estimated orientation angles for the camera in order to make the computed locations match the locations where the objects were actually observed. This is computed by the Adjust Pose 308 process of FIG. 3 to minimize the global error measure. Then, using the resulting pose compute dense stereo for the current image at process 310 .
[0025] Dense stereo for foreground objects is computed most effectively by comparing the current image with a nearby image, for which the effective baseline is short (for example, 1 m or less). Dense stereo for distant objects is computed most effectively by comparing images with a wider separation, for which the effective baseline is longer (for example, 10 m). In general, different baselines can be chosen to compute dense stereo for different regions of the image, according to the distance of features in that part of the image. Short-baseline stereo indicates where the disparity is small, requiring a longer baseline. Stereo in these areas can be computed with increasing separation between cameras, until the range to the most distant features is determined. The output is a composite range image having range estimates obtained for the distant background (1800 m) as well as the foreground (5 m)as shown in FIG. 3A .
[0026] This implementation involves a “boot-strap” element, known to one skilled in the art, in which un-corrected poses are used to identify regions of the image that are not close to the camera, to seed the feature selection. The output of the system improves as a history of tracked features accumulates, and pose adjustment becomes possible. Alternatively, one can use a conventional fixed-baseline stereo with a short baseline (on the order of 0.5 m) to obtain the range estimates needed to choose distant features.
[0027] Note as described above in FIG. 1 , that for each stereo pair, the refined/adjusted poses (improved orientation 112 ) of the cameras are preferably used to rectify the images at step 114 prior to the stereo calculation at step 116 . The image rectification involves making the raw images 102 appear as they would through this improved orientation of the camera.
[0028] The pose adjustment process 308 will now be described in greater details with respect to the graphical representation of the ray bundles in FIGS. 4A , 4 B and 4 C. Referring to FIG. 4A , a feature-track consists of x, y image location (image pixels from upper left corner) of the same object in the scene from one image to the next. Relative to the camera, the object is located at coordinates X,Y,Z where X is to the right, Y is down and Z is away from the camera (meters). As described above, when combined with the nominal camera poses, the image locations describe rays 402 in space that should intersect in a single point. In practice, the rays 402 form a bundle without a single intersection point, as illustrated schematically in FIG. 4A .
[0029] To estimate a single intersection point, consider the slope of each ray 402 as a function of its initial X coordinate, as illustrated in FIG. 4B . A line that is fit to this data defines an approximation to the specified bundle, with the property that the approximation does have a single intersection point. A robust technique is used to identify outliers. The inliers are fit using standard techniques (such as least squares). FIG. 4C shows the ray bundle corresponding to the trend line. The range obtained from the bundle in the X-Z plane can then be used to compute a mean Y value for the intersection point. (Here X is to the right, Y is down, and Z is along the viewing direction.)
[0030] Referring to FIG. 5 , there is shown a block diagram of the process summary of the adjustment pose 308 . So, initially, the ray bundles 402 are analyzed at step 502 for each image xy(i,k), i stands for a feature and k is the camera pose. Step 502 includes analyzing the ray bundles 402 to estimate world points. Once a set of world points is obtained, X,YZ (i), the points can be projected into the images from the cameras. This is shown in step 504 where XYZ is projected into the camera and the output is the projected image, Proj. x,y (i,k). Each projection depends on the orientation of the respective camera, i.e. Pose (k). This mathematical projection, Proj. x,y (i,k) is used to adjust the orientation angle, pose k of the camera at step 506 , thus outputting the Adj. Pose (k). The feed back loop shows that these process steps are iterated for each camera. The Adj. Pose (k) forces the camera to align in order to refine poses, thus, forcing the projected locations to match the locations of the tracked images having the objects or features. Note that the initial camera angles, i.e. Pose (k) are accurate to about 10 mR (0.6 degree), however, after the pose adjustment, the angles, i.e. Adj. Pose (k) are accurate to about 0.1 mR. Although, not shown, the yaw, pitch and roll of each camera is adjusted by the adjustment pose 308 to minimize the error between the locations of the projected points and the observed (tracked) locations.
[0031] Furthermore, for efficiency and fidelity the correction for lens distortion is performed as part of the stereo calculation. The projective transformation used to rectify images is combined with the lens distortion correction to obtain an overall flow field. This overall flow field is applied to the raw image to obtain a rectified image with just one warp. Tn principle, the pose adjustment needs an image corrected for lens distortion, but without any correction for camera orientation.
[0032] In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the camera lens distortion correction and projective rectification are combined in a single image warping operation, to reduce processing time and image smoothing due to multiple warping operations. The problem is resolved by tracking features in the raw (distorted) image, but converting the image coordinates of each feature to those for an undistorted image when the feature track is stored. The pose adjustment is then carried out using an ideal camera model. A similar problem arises with the selection of distant features. Tracking is performed with raw (distorted) images, but the range information needed for selecting features is computed in undistorted, rectified images. Here the solution is to warp the range image from rectified to distorted coordinates.
[0033] Thus, the present invention provides a visual means to determine the range to distant objects by simultaneously locating points in the world and refining camera pointing angles. The techniques described above could be used with intermediate and long range observations to refine the camera poses (positions and orientations) to obtain a self-consistent set of range information. Note that the present invention is not limited to moving platforms on ground and may preferably include moving platforms on air needed to sense the environment.
[0034] Although various embodiments that incorporate the teachings of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, those skilled in the art can readily devise many other varied embodiments that still incorporate these teachings without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention.
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The present invention provides an improved system and method for estimating range of the objects in the images from various distances. The method comprises receiving a set of images of the scene having multiple objects from at least one camera in motion. Due to the motion of the camera, each of the images are obtained at different camera locations Then an object visible in multiple images is selected. Data related to approximate camera positions and orientations and the images of the visible object are used to estimate the location of the object relative to a reference coordinate system. Based on the computed data, a projected location of the visible object is computed and the orientation angle of the camera for each image is refined. Additionally, pairs of cameras with various locations can then be chosen to obtain dense stereo for regions of the image at various ranges. The process is further structured so that as new images arrive, they are incorporated into the pose adjustment so that the dense stereo results can. be updated.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] (a) Technical Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention is related to a truck trailer, and more particularly to one for vehicle transportation in simplified construction for reduction of production cost allowing fast and diversified changeability depending on the load to increase its applicability and load volume.
[0003] (b) Description of the Prior Art
[0004] To transport semi-products of vehicles or vehicles pending issuance of license plate that are prevented from driving on the highway, a truck trailer for the transportation of those vehicles has been developed. To cope with the various types and sizes of vehicles, dedicated truck trailers are made available. However, those dedicated truck trailers fail to meet the needs of the transportation companies since the dispatch of a dedicated truck trailer just for the transportation of few vehicles would cost too much costs. Therefore, the transportation companies are always seeking for the type of truck trailer that can handle different types of vehicles and in larger transportation capacity for a single run.
[0005] In order to improve changeability and capacity, the construction of the truck trailer has become more complicated, and caused operating difficulties to result in higher production cost and the problem of insufficient strength that significantly affect the safety of the truck trailer.
[0006] The prior art as described above is generally found with the defectives of poor interchangeability, low applicability, difficult operation, higher production cost and low safety.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The primary purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a truck trailer that offers convenient changeability to facilitate the operation by the user.
[0008] Another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a truck trailer that offers wider range of applicability to handle vehicles of different types.
[0009] Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a truck trailer that is simplified in construction to lower the production cost of the truck trailer.
[0010] Yet another purpose of the present invention is to provide an improved structure of a truck trailer that upgrades the structural strength and permits good positioning to better assure of driving safety.
[0011] The foregoing object and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0012] Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing a layout of the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a first slope and a main deck of the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a layout of the movement of the first slope of the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 3A is an enlarged portion showing a layout of the movement of the first slope of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a second slope and an elevation slope of the present invention.
[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B are enlarged portions showing a second slope and an elevation slope of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a layout of the movement of the second slope of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 5A is an enlarged portion showing a layout of the movement of the second slope of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the elevation deck set of the present invention.
[0022] FIGS. 7 and 7 A are schematic views showing a layout of the movement of the elevation deck set of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of an access slope of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the access slope of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a layout of the movement of the access slope of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The following descriptions are of exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0027] The present invention is related to a truck trailer allowing easy changeability and wide range of applicability. Referring to FIG. 1 , the trailer is essentially comprised of a main deck 10 , a first and a second slope 15 , 20 with both retractable, an elevation deck set 30 provided over the main deck 10 , and an access slope set 7 related to a lane comprised of a front section 70 , a middle section 80 and a rear section 90 is provided to the rear end of the main deck.
[0028] Also referring to FIG. 2 , the main deck 10 for lowering its central gravity indicates concave in relation to front and rear wheels of the trailer. A front deck 11 extends laterally from the front end of the main deck 10 to provide more loading area for the main deck 10 . The rear end of the first slop 15 is pivoted to the front end of the main deck at where in relation to the rear wheels. The front end of the first slop 15 is connected to the main deck 10 with a lifting cylinder to operate the first slope 15 to extend at an inclination or retract horizontally in relation to the main deck 10 as illustrated in FIG. 3 . A plunging stud 17 is disposed on the side edge of the front end of the first slop 15 , an insertion hole 18 for positioning is disposed at the lower end of the plunging stud 17 . A retractable rod set 19 is disposed at the front end of the first slope 15 to merely when stretched out uphold the top of the plunging stud 17 or stick into the insertion hole 18 . Accordingly, when the first slope 15 extends or retracts, it is upheld and secured in position to improve its bearing capacity.
[0029] As illustrated in FIGS. 4, 4A and 4 B, the second slope 20 has its rear end pivoted to the middle section of the main deck 10 . Another lifting cylinder 21 is used to connect the front end of the second slope 20 to the main deck 10 to operate the second slope 20 to extend at an inclination or retreat horizontally in relation to the main deck 10 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and FIG. 5B . Once the second slope 20 is upheld to its paramount, its top edge is coupled to the front deck 11 to facilitate the vehicles for the transportation to access to the front deck 11 . An extension rod set 23 is disposed at the front end of the second slope 20 while a plunging stud 24 is provided at the side edge of the extension rod of the second slope 20 and an insertion hole 25 for positioning is provided at the lower end of the plunging stud 24 . Accordingly, when the extension rod set 23 of the second slope 20 is stretched out, it merely upholds against the top of the plunging stud 24 or sticks into the insertion hole 25 for the second slope 20 when extending or retreating to uphold or secure in position to improve its bearing capacity.
[0030] Now referring to FIGS. 4, 5 , and 6 , the elevation deck set 30 provided over the main deck 10 is adapted each on both side edges of the front section of the main deck 10 at where close to the front deck 11 with a first rod 31 extending upwardly. The first rod 31 containing a telescopic rod 32 that slides up and down using a telescopic cylinder 33 . An upper front deck 40 extending forwardly is disposed between both tops of those two telescopic rods 32 and may be stacked inside the front deck 11 of the main deck as illustrated in FIG. 7A . Furthermore, a bolting set 45 disposed at the rear end of the upper front deck 40 is used to lock up an upper deck 50 extending backwardly. The bolting set 45 has provided on both sides of the rear end of the upper front deck 40 each a bolting sleeve 46 adapted with an bolt 47 ,which slides laterally for positioning in relation to the bolting sleeve 46 . A corresponding insertion sleeve 48 is provided at the front edge of the upper deck 50 to receiver insertion of the bolt 47 to couple the upper front deck 40 and the upper deck.
[0031] A first lifting cylinder 51 and a second lifting cylinder 52 are pivoted to the middle section of the upper deck 50 . Another ends respectively of the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 52 are pivoted to the front and the rear sections of the main deck 10 for the upper deck 50 to elevate by the extension and retraction of both of the first and the second lifting cylinders as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 7 A. To position the upper deck 50 and to increase its bearing capacity for improved operation safety, a telescopic cylinder set 53 for positioning is provided to the outer tube, of the second lifting cylinder 52 and a series of corresponding insertion holes 54 for positioning are disposed on the inner tube of the second lifting cylinder 52 . An extension deck 55 capable of engaging internal and external slide is provided in the rear end of the upper deck 50 , and an active lifting cylinder 56 is provided between the extension deck 55 and the upper deck 50 . On both sides of the upper deck 50 at where closer to the first rod 31 , a mobile stud set 60 extending downwardly is each provided and fixed to an extension rod 61 on both sides of the upper deck 50 . The extension rod 61 is inserted with a second rod 62 and a lifting cylinder 63 to operate both of the extension rod 61 and the second rod 62 is disposed between the extension rod 61 and the second rod 62 . A lockset 65 to lock up the main deck 10 is provided at the lower end of the second rod 62 , and the lock set 65 is adapted with a bolting sleeve 66 provided with an insertion bolt 67 at the lower end of the second rod 62 . The insertion bolt 67 laterally slides for positioning purpose in relation to the bolting sleeve 66 . Another bolting sleeve 68 in relation to the bolting sleeve 66 is provided on the main deck for the user to operate the insertion bolt 67 for the control of the engagement or disengagement of the second rod 62 to or from the main deck 10 .
[0032] As illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9 , the access slope set 7 relates to a whole-piece of a lane comprised of front, middle, and rear sections 70 , 80 , and 90 that can be relative extended and retreated. The front section 70 is comprised of a lip-rounding steel frame 71 provided with multiple partitioning plates 72 arranged at equal spacing to define three open ways 75 to be engaged to the middle section 80 . A guide plate 73 is each provided to the lip-rounding steel frame 71 and each partitioning plate 72 , and a rolling rod 76 is provided to the bottom edge of the outlet of each open way 75 of the lip-rounding frame 71 to permit smooth slide by the middle section 80 of the lane. The front section 70 has a limiting insertion hole 77 provided on one side of the lip-rounding steel frame 71 for securing both of the middle section 80 and the rear section 90 of the lane in position when retreated.
[0033] The middle section of the lane 80 is comprised of three pieces of lip-rounding steel 81 in relation to those three open ways 75 from the front section 70 . All three pieces of lip-rounding steel 81 are kept at a proper spacing among one another for easy slide into their respective open ways 75 from the front section 70 of the lane. Two partitioning plates 82 at equal spacing are provided inside each piece of lip-rounding steel 81 and one open way 83 is provided to each piece of lip-rounding steel 81 for the rear section 90 of the lane to slide in. A square frame 84 is used to confine the front ends of three pieces of lip-rounding steel 81 to improve their strength. A first lifting cylinder 85 is provided between the middle section 80 and the front section 70 of the lane to operate the extension or retraction of the middle section 80 against the front section 70 of the lane. Multiple casters 86 in relation to the bottom edges of the guides in the lip-rounding steel frame 60 of the front section 60 of the lane are provided to the rear end of each of those three pieces of lip-rounding steel of the middle section 80 to improve the smooth engagement of both of the middle and the front sections 80 , 70 of the lane. An insertion hole 87 is provided on the farthest side of the middle section 80 to facilitate securing the middle section 80 to the front section 70 .
[0034] The rear section 90 of the lane is comprised of nine pieces of lip-rounding steel 91 in relation to those open ways 83 from each piece of lip-rounding steel of the middle section 80 of the lane. All nine pieces of lip-rounding steel 91 are kept at proper spacing to facilitate engagement into those open ways 83 from the middle section 80 of the lane. A caster 92 is provided to the top edge of the terminal of each piece of the lip-rounding steel 91 to help achieve smooth slide into those open ways 83 from the middle section 80 . A fixation steel plate 93 is used to lock up the front ends of all nine pieces of the lip-rounding steel 91 to improve their strength. The lower surface of the tip of the fixation steel plate 93 is provided with a ramp 94 flushed against the ground as illustrated in FIG. 10 to increase the stability of the rear section 90 of the lane. A second lifting cylinder 95 is provided between the rear and the middle sections 90 , 80 of the lane to operate the contraction and extension of the rear section 90 against the middle section 80 of the lane. A limiting insertion hole 96 is provided on the farthest side of the rear section 90 to be inserted with a limiting insertion pin 100 when aligned with the limiting insertion holes 87 , 77 respectively from the middle and the front sections 80 , 70 of the lane as illustrated in FIG. 9 .
[0035] In practice as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 9 , and 10 , the limiting insertion pin 100 in the access slope set 7 is first removed, and both of the first lifting cylinder 85 from the middle section 80 of the lane and the second lifting cylinder 95 from the rear section 90 of the lane are operated to allow both of the middle and the rear sections 80 , 90 of the lane to extend while having the ramp 94 of the rear section 90 of the lane flushed against the ground to significant increase its stability. Whereas all the front section 70 , the middle section 80 , and the rear section 90 are connected by engaging those pieces of lip-rounding steel, they provide excellent structural strength and facilitate the access of the vehicles to the trailer.
[0036] In case of any vehicle in extra long body is loaded on the main deck 10 , the chassis may be stuck when the front wheels have entered on the main deck 10 and the rear wheels of the vehicle have not yet climbed on the access slope set 7 . To avoid this problem, the first slope 15 will be lifted at a certain inclination as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 to let down the first slope 15 only until the rear wheels have climbed on the access slope set 7 . The first slope 15 may be also lifted up in the event that the vehicle in transition has to enter on the upper deck 50 of the elevation deck set 30 . When the first slope 15 is lifted at a certain inclination, the extension rod set 19 upholds the top of the plunging stud to improve the bearing capacity of the first slope 15 .
[0037] The changeability of the second slope 20 can be done to compromise the type of the vehicle to be loaded on the deck. For example, upon loading a small car, the second slope 20 is lifted up to permit the car to enter onto the front deck 11 . Alternatively, in case of loading a large car or the elevation deck set 30 must be lowered, the second slope 20 is lowered and retreated onto the main deck 10 . As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 , the lifting cylinder 21 operates the second slope 20 to rise at an inclination for allowing the front edge of the second slope 20 aligned to the rear edge of the front deck 11 to permit the car to access to the front deck 11 while the extension rod unit 23 upholds the top of the plunging stud 24 as the second slope 20 is rising at a certain inclination so to improve the bearing capacity of the second slope 20 . When the second slope 20 must be lowered, the extension rod set 23 is retreated and the lifting cylinder 21 is also retreated to allow the second slope 20 stack up on the main deck 10 . The extension rod set 23 is then extending once again and inserted into the insertion hole 25 for positioning to give the better positioning results for the second slope 20 .
[0038] Furthermore, as illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6 , and 7 when the service of the elevation deck set 30 is required, the positioning telescopic cylinder set 53 of the second lifting cylinder 52 is retracted to free the second lifting cylinder. The extension rod 32 of the first rod 31 and the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 52 are synchronously retracted to descend the upper deck 50 and the upper front deck 40 on the elevation deck set 30 thus for the rear end edge of the upper deck 40 aligned to the first slope 15 rising at a certain inclination to facilitate the access of the car to the elevation deck set 30 . Upon completing the access, the extension rod 32 and the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 52 uphold synchronously while allowing the positioning telescopic cylinder set 53 on the second lifting cylinder 32 to once against constrict the slide of the second lifting cylinder 52 for facilitating the access of the car to the main deck 10 on the lower deck, thus to improve its bearing capacity. In case of a car with a longer body or as required, the lifting cylinder 56 in the upper deck 50 is operated to extend the extension deck 55 at the rear of the upper deck 50 to permit more loading space and to increase the changeability of the upper deck 50 .
[0039] If a car of extra height is directly loaded on the lifted elevation deck set 30 , it may violate against the height limit on the general highway, and the car is prevented from being placed at where between the main deck 10 and the upper deck 50 ; simply lower the upper front deck 40 and the upper deck 50 of the elevation deck set 30 until the upper front deck 40 is completely stacked upon the front deck 11 of the main deck 10 , and have the insertion bolt 67 at the lower end of the second stud 62 of the mobile stud set 60 to be placed into the insertion sleeve 68 of the main deck. Accordingly, the mobile stud set 60 is coupled to the main deck 10 . The insertion bolt 47 of the bolting set 45 located between the upper deck 50 and the upper front deck 40 is pulled away from the insertion sleeve 48 to disengage the upper deck 50 from the upper front deck 40 . Meanwhile, the extension rod 61 of the mobile stud set 60 , and both of the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 52 remain retreated to stack the upper deck 50 upon the top of the main deck for making possible for the trailer to take up excessively high vehicle to significantly improve the applicability of the present invention.
[0040] On the contrary, to return to the original status, operate the extension rod 61 of the mobile stud set 60 and both of the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 52 in opposite direction to lift the upper deck 50 up to where in align with the upper front deck 40 to lock up the bolting set 45 and separate the bolting set 65 of the mobile stud set 60 from the main deck 10 , thus to rise synchronously the upper front deck 40 and the upper deck 50 of the elevation deck set 30 using both of the first and the second lifting cylinders 51 , 42 and the extension rod 32 of the first rod 31 .
[0041] It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together may also find a useful application in other types of methods differing from the type described above.
[0042] While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.
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A truck-trailer for easy changeability and wider range of applicability in simplified construction to increase transportation capacity and improve changeability and applicability having the front and the rear sections of the main deck each pivoted with a retractable slope; the rear end of the main deck being disposed of a multi-sectional access slope for the access by different types of vehicles; and an elevation deck set being provided on the main deck to cope with the load of various types of vehicles to increase loading capacity.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This application relates to distributed computing using the client/server model and, more specifically, to an improved name service for a client/server system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In recent years, the internet has become extremely popular. Using the internet, a group of users in widely scattered locations can retrieve information located at a centralized site. The site, which may offer one or more “services” (also called “resources”), is connected to the internet through a high speed connection. A user can access the site via the internet to read electronic mail, read news via Usenet, or view World Wide Web pages. As the speed of the connections between the user and the site improves, more users will be attempting to access the site's resources at a given time.
Internet services in a site are accessed via the servers of the site. Multiple servers can provide access to a single service. Similarly, a single server can provide access to multiple services.
Resources on the internet are accessed via names. A resource name typically contains multiple name components. The first name component is a domain name. This domain name typically refers to one or more hosts and conventionally is resolved through the Domain Name Service (DNS) of the site. An implicit or explicit second name component identifies the communications endpoint or server that will be used to access the resource on a particular host. The remaining name components are processed by the identified server to access the specified resource on the located host.
For example, a WWW hypertext document is named by a Uniform Resource Locator (URL), such as:
http://www.sun.com/welcome.html.
To access this document, the domain name component, www.sun.com, is first resolved to locate a host. Then, the hypertext transfer protocol (http) name component identifies a communications endpoint on the located host. An http server communicates with the client through this endpoint and retrieves the document specified by the remaining component of the name, /welcome.html. The File Transfer Protocol (FTP) service uses similar URLs.
Usenet news articles are named in a similar way. To obtain a news article, the news reader client resolves a domain name to locate a news server. It then communicates with the news server using a well-known endpoint to retrieve a particular article on the news server.
Many internet systems include a process called a “name service” that examines the type of service required by each incoming request and returns a list of addresses of servers that can handle the request. It is the responsibility of the name service to balance the workload of the system by returning the addresses in such a way that work is spread evenly between the servers.
In a redundant server system, a site has more then one server. These servers collectively serve the entire user population. A problem arises when certain servers are performing more than their share of the workload of incoming user tasks. Some servers are operating at or near their capacity while other servers that could be sharing the workload remain idle. Such a system is said to have an “unbalanced” workload. It is desirable to balance the workload of the servers as much as possible.
In addition, servers go in and out of service. Because any server can serve any user, the workload of a failed server can be assigned to other working servers. A conventional redundant server system effects load balancing using a “round robin” scheme to assign incoming requests to servers. As each request is received, the DNS service assigns a next server of the available servers. A round robin scheme for load balancing is not always satisfactory because the name service does not always have up-to-date information about which servers are actually available. For example, a server may have failed or may have been added to the system without the name service being notified. Conventional name services often rely on a human being to reconfigure the knowledge that the name service has about the system.
A site installs one or more internet servers to gain access to the internet and its services. The primary goal is to enable a site to deploy its internet servers in a highly “scalable” and “reliable” manner. A “scalable deployment” architecture allows the site to support a large number of users and to increase capacity gracefully as the number of users increases. A “reliable” architecture minimizes the impact of component failures. It may mask failures by redistributing the workload of failed components to working components.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the prior art by implementing a self-reconfiguring name service that distributes workload among the available servers in a system. A Service Monitor for each host system of a site periodically broadcasts information about available servers. As new servers are added to the host, they are announced by way of this broadcast message. The broadcast message also indicates the workload of the host.
Each name service has an associated process called a Name Binder Modifier that receives the broadcast messages from the Service Monitors. Periodically, each Name Binder Modifier reviews the information it has received from various Service Monitors. The Name Binder Modifier maintains a list for each service of available servers. For each service, servers executing on a host whose workload exceeds a predetermined workload value are deleted from a list of available servers. The list of available servers for each service contains at least a minimum number of servers whenever possible, however.
The Name Binder Modifier periodically updates a plurality of zone files for respective services in accordance with its lists to indicate which servers are available to have work routed to them. The Name Binder Modifier assumes that servers which have not broadcast a message within an update interval are no longer available. The DNS service loads information from the updated zone files for use in its routing scheme.
Each Service Monitor has an associated configuration file specifying, for each service, a time interval after which the Service Monitor should send a broadcast message. Furthermore, each Name Binder Modifier has a configuration file specifying, for each service, a time interval after which the zone files should be updated in accordance with the broadcast messages, a minimum number of servers for the service, and a maximum desirable workload per server.
In accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, the invention is a method for reconfiguring a load balancing system, comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of sending, by a Service Monitor, for a service of the data processing system, a broadcast message containing a workload of a host on which the service is located and a list of addresses of the host; receiving, by a Name Binding Modifier, the broadcast message; and updating, by the Name Binding Modifier, a zone file in accordance with the information in the broadcast message.
Objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and in part will be obvious from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by means of the elements and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate several embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a host system having a plurality of servers and services.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of steps performed by a Service Monitor of FIG. 1 to send a broadcast message.
FIG. 4 shows an example of a format of a broadcast message.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart of steps performed by a Name Binding Modifier of FIG. 1 when it receives a broadcast message.
FIGS. 6 ( a ) and 6 ( b ) are flow charts of steps performed by the Name Binding Modifier when a timer for a service expires.
FIG. 7 shows an example of a configuration file for a Service Monitor.
FIG. 8 shows an example of a configuration file for a Name Binder Modifier.
FIG. 9 shows an example of a configuration file for a DNS service.
FIG. 10 shows an example of several previous and next lists in the Name Binding Modifier.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Reference will now be made in detail to the preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or like parts.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a computer system in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention. A client 130 communicates with server 140 over line 106 , which can be, for example, a LAN, a WAN, or an internet connection. Line 106 can also represent a wireless connection, such as a cellular network connection. Server 140 includes a first computer 110 and a second computer 120 . First computer 110 and second computer 120 are connected together via line 107 .
First computer 110 includes a CPU 102 ; a memory 104 ; input/output lines 105 ; an input device 160 , such as a keyboard or mouse; and a display device 150 , such as a display terminal. First computer 110 further includes an input device 161 for reading a computer usable medium 162 having computer readable program code means embodied therein. Input device 161 is, for example, a disk drive.
Memory 104 of first computer 110 includes two server processes (also called “daemons”): Domain Name Server (DNS) server 170 and Name Binding Modifier 176 . Name Binder Modifier 176 runs on every system that has a DNS server. Name Binder Modifier server 176 has an associated configuration file 178 and one or more associated header files 172 (one per zone file). DNS server 170 has a plurality of zone files 173 , 174 . Each zone file corresponds to a service available on the system.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a second DNS server (not shown) to provide redundancy. A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that memory 104 also contains additional information, such as application programs, operating systems, data, etc., which are not shown in the figure for the sake of clarity.
Second computer 120 includes a CPU 102 ′ and a memory 104 ′. Second computer 120 further includes an input device 161 ′ for reading a computer usable medium 162 ′ having computer readable program code means embodied therein. Input device 161 ′ is, for example, a disk drive. Memory 104 ′ of second computer 120 includes a Service Monitor process (also called a “daemon”) 180 and a plurality of servers and services 185 (not shown). Service Monitor 180 has an associated configuration file 186 . Generally, each host system has its own Service Monitor 180 .
A person of ordinary skill in the art will understand that memory 104 ′ also contains additional information, such as application programs, operating systems, data, etc., which are not shown in the figure for the sake of clarity. It will be understood by a person of ordinary skill in the art that computer system 100 can also include numerous elements not shown in the Figure for the sake of clarity, such as additional disk drives, keyboards, display devices, network connections, additional memory, additional CPUs, LANs, input/output lines, etc. A preferred embodiment of the invention runs under the Solaris operating system, Version 2.5. Solaris is a registered trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc.
In a preferred embodiment, the services in the system are divided into “zones.” Specifically, the DNS name space is divided into zones. Each zone provides authoritative bindings between domain names in the zone and host addresses. Each binding preferably is stored in respective ones of zone files 173 , 174 . When a client resolves a domain name, DNS server 170 sends to the client all host addresses associated with the domain name. Typically, the client uses the first host address.
DNS server 170 loads the data for each zone from a separate zone file 173 , 174 . Preferably, information for each service is stored in an independent zone. The bindings in a zone may change to add host addresses of new servers that provide the service or to remove host addresses of failed or overloaded servers. Having a zone per service allows binding changes to each individual service to be independent of changes to other services or zones.
Service Monitor 180 determines the availability of services and load on its host system. It also advertises the server's services the load level of its host through broadcast messages. Name Binding Modifier 176 listens to the broadcast messages and uses the information in the broadcast message to modify the zone files.
FIG. 2 shows an example of a plurality 185 of servers and services. In FIG. 2, three servers 202 , 204 , and 206 provide access to two services: http 210 and news 220 . Server 202 has an address of 129.144.168.1. Server 204 has an address of 129.144.168.2. Server 206 has an address of 129.144.168.3.
FIG. 3 is a flow chart of steps performed by Service Monitor 180 to send a broadcast message. Broadcast messages are known to persons of ordinary skill in the art and preferably are received by all components of the system, including Name Binder Modifier 176 . The system includes a Service Monitor for each host in the system. Initially, Service Monitor 180 initializes a system timer for each service (not shown). Each timer times out after a respective, predetermined period of time. In the system of FIG. 2, there are two services and, thus, two timers. When the timer for a particular service times out in step 302 , Service Monitor 180 determines in step 304 whether the service associated with the timer is still available from the host or whether the service is not available.
To determine availability, Service Monitor 180 probes the availability of the service on the local host by attempting to connect to a TCP port of the service, determined in accordance with the configuration file of FIG. 7 . If the connect fails, then the service is not available. If the connect is successful, then the service is available on the host.
If the service is still available, in step 308 , Service Monitor 180 sends a broadcast message, as shown in FIG. 4. A broadcast message contains a service ID for the service, a current load of the host, and a list of all the host's addresses (excluding those addresses in the exclusion list, as described below). Thus, a broadcast message for a service indicates that the service is available and which addresses can be used to access the service. Step 310 resets the timer for the service. The steps of FIG. 3 are repeated every time a timer for a service times out.
FIG. 5 is a flow chart of steps performed by Name Binding Modifier 176 of FIG. 1 when it receives a broadcast message. In step 502 , the message sent in step 308 is received. The broadcast message includes a service ID, a current load, and a list of addresses. Steps 504 - 516 are performed for a “current list” of the service ID, as described below. If a current list is not found, one is created (along with an empty previous list).
FIG. 10 shows an example of several previous and next lists stored in memory 104 and used by Name Binding Modifier 176 . (The term “list” is used herein for convenience of explanation and it will be understood that any appropriate data structure could be used to hold the information shown in FIG. 10.) Name Binding Modifier 176 includes a pair of lists for each service 1 . i in the system. Each pair of lists includes a previous list 1002 and a current list 1004 . Previous list 1002 reflects the services that were available at the end of a previous update period. Next list 1004 reflects the services that will be available after the current update period. Each element in lists 1002 , 1004 contain an address 1006 and a load value 1008 . Each address 1006 reflects an address of the host. Each load value 1008 reflects a workload of the host.
In FIG. 5, steps 506 through 516 form a loop that is performed by Name Binding Modifier 176 for each address in the list of addresses in the broadcast message received in step 502 . In step 508 , Name Binding Modifier 176 searches current list 1004 of the service ID. If the address is not found in the current list in step 510 , then a new entry is added to the current list in step 512 . The new entry contains the current address and the current workload (from the broadcast message). If the address in the message is found in the current list in step 510 , then the workload value from the broadcast message is used to update the found entry in step 514 . Thus, the current list for the service ID contains the current workloads and addresses of hosts providing available services. Note that broadcast messages can be received from multiple Service Monitors.
FIGS. 6 ( a ) and 6 ( b ) are flow charts of steps performed by Name Binding Modifier 176 of FIG. 1 . Initially, Name Binding Modifier 176 initializes respective system timers for each service (not shown). When one of the timers times out in step 602 , Name Binding Modifier 176 locates the current and previous lists for the service in step 604 . In step 606 , the current list is sorted by load. In step 608 , Name Binding Modifier 176 counts the number of entries in the current list (N bli ) that contain workload values below a desired load index. The desired load index is determined in accordance with the configuration file of FIG. 8 . In step 610 , if N bli is greater than the minimum number of entries in the current list, then there are more than enough entries in the list that contain load values less than the load index and, in step 612 , the current list is pruned of entries having a workload value above the workload index (i.e., so that N bli entries remain). If not, in step 614 , the current list is pruned so that the minimum number of entries remain. After steps 612 and 614 , control passes to FIG. 6 ( b ).
In step 620 of FIG. 6 ( b ), the host addresses of the current and previous lists for the service are compared. If the two lists are not the same, then it is necessary to modify the zone files in step 624 . Step 624 creates a temporary output file. Header file 172 is copied to the output file. Next, the address records for the addresses in the current list are written to the output file. Lastly, Name Binder Modifier 176 signals DNS server 170 to reload a zone file for the service from the output file. DNS server 170 will now have up-to-date information on the state of the system. In step 626 , the current list for the service ID becomes the previous list and the current list is made empty.
If, for example, there are four available news servers (one host address each) and the maximum load for each service is 60%, the minimum number of servers for each service is two, and the services are advertising the following loads:
10%: news 1
65%: news 2
70%: news 3
80%: news 4
Only entries for news 3 and news 4 are removed from the current list. Even though the host of news 2 has a workload value greater than 60%, removing news 2 from the list would leave less than two entries in the list, so news 2 is not removed. For a given service, proper operation requires that the update interval used by Service Monitor 180 be of much shorter duration (half or less) than the update interval used by Name Binder Modifier 176 . Otherwise, it would be possible that not all available services would send a broadcast message during each update interval of Name Binder Modifier 176 .
FIG. 7 shows an example of a configuration file 182 for Service Monitor 180 . The configuration file includes three types of statements: “service” statements, “sample” load statements, and “exclude” statements. A “service” statement 702 , which specifies the service available at a site, includes the term “service” followed by three arguments. A first argument (e.g., “60”) is the update interval for the service (also called the “refresh interval”) or the “heartbeat interval.”) in a time unit such as seconds. The update interval is specified in time units, such as seconds. For example, in FIG. 7, the duration of the http timer is 60 seconds and the duration of the news timer is 120 seconds.
A second argument (e.g., “http”) is the name of a service. A third argument (e.g., “80”) is a communications endpoint used to verify the availability of the service on a host. In the described embodiment, this communication endpoint is a TCP port number.
When a service is initialized, Service Monitor 180 obtains an update interval for the service from the configuration file. A broadcast message is sent by the service at the expiration of each update interval if it is determined that the service is available on the host. At initialization, the service also obtains the communications endpoint for the service in accordance with the configuration file.
Thus, the example configuration file of FIG. 7 corresponds to the servers of FIG. 2 . In the configuration file, the update interval for the service http is 60 time units (e.g., 60 seconds) and the update interval for the service news is 120 time units (e.g., 120 seconds). The http service uses port 80 and the news service uses port 119 .
A “sample” load statement 704 specifies how frequently the load on a host should be measured. In this example, the sampling interval is 120 seconds. In the current implementation, only CPU utilization is measured. Various implementations may use any various known methods of measuring load. In one implementation, the configuration file contains the name of a routine to be used to measure load.
An “exclude” statement eliminates certain host addresses and subnets from being advertised. This exclusion reduces the number of broadcast messages if certain addresses should not participate in providing services.
Other implementations may provide support for UDP based services and more sophisticated per service liveliness test and load measurements. Service Monitor 180 can query the host operating system kernel to determine if there is any process listening on a specified UDP port. More sophisticated per service load measurement may be accomplished through loadable modules that are service specific. For example, an http modules may retrieve a document from the http server to test for liveliness, and use the response time as an indication of load on the http server. Value added http servers may also provide its measured average response time to the http module.
FIG. 8 shows an example of a configuration file for Name Binder Modifier 176 . The operation of Name Binder Modifier 176 is controlled by dns-update statements. One “dns-update” statement 802 occurs for each service. The statement includes the term “dns-update” followed by six arguments. A first argument (e.g., “120”) is the update interval (also called the “refresh interval”) for a service. It determines how frequently bindings associated with a service/zone are updated. A second argument (e.g., “http”) is the name of the service. Third and fourth arguments are the names of the header and output files for the service. A fifth argument is the minimum number of addresses that should be in the zone when possible. A sixth argument is the desired maximum load index for the service.
FIG. 9 shows an example of a configuration file for DNS service 170 . For each zone, the configuration file specifies a method to be used for load-balancing within the zone. Thus, DNS service 170 may use different methods, such as round robin, etc. to load balance within different zones. The first field of the configuration file holds the domain name of the zone. The second field of the configuration file holds a file name of a file containing descriptions/information on the zone.
In summary, the load distributing DNS server provides finer grain load distribution during each name resolution, while the Name Binding Modifier provides coarse grain load balancing based on load information provided by the Service Monitor. In addition, broadcast messages by the Service Monitor advertises available servers. The Name Binding Modifier depends on these broadcast messages to add and remove host addresses to zones to reflect new servers, as well as failed servers.
Together the load distributing DNS server, the Service Monitor, and the Name Binding Modifier provide scalability and reliability for TCP based services on redundant servers. Multiple servers provide scalability, and reconfiguration around failed servers provide reliability.
Other embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. It is intended that the specification and examples be considered as exemplary only, with a true scope of the invention being indicated by the following claims.
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A self-reconfiguring name service that distributes workload among the available servers in a system. A Service Monitor for each host system of a site periodically broadcasts information about available servers. The broadcast message also indicates the workload of the host. Each name service (DNS) has an associated process called a Name Binder Modifier that receives the broadcast messages from the Service Monitors. Periodically, each Name Binder Modifier reviews the information it has received from various Service Monitors and updates zones that are used by the DNS to perform load balancing. The Service Monitor and the Name Binding Modifier have associated configuration files.
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TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention concerns in vivo imaging and in particular in vivo imaging of peripheral benzodiazepine receptors (PBR). An aryloxyanilide in vivo imaging agent is provided that binds with nanomolar affinity to PBR, has good uptake into the brain following administration, and which has good selective binding to PBR. The present invention also provides a precursor compound useful in the synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent of the invention, as well as a method for synthesis of said in vivo imaging agent comprising use of said precursor compound, and a kit for carrying out said method. A cassette for the automated synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent is also provided. In addition, the invention provides a radiopharmaceutical composition comprising the in vivo imaging agent of the invention, as well as methods for the use of said in vivo imaging agent.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
[0002] The peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) is known to be mainly localised in peripheral tissues and glial cells but its physiological function remains to be clearly elucidated. Subcellularly, PBR is known to localise on the outer mitochondrial membrane, indicating a potential role in the modulation of mitochondrial function and in the immune system. It has furthermore been postulated that PBR is involved in cell proliferation, steroidogenesis, calcium flow and cellular respiration. PBR has been associated with a variety of conditions including acute and chronic stress, anxiety, depression, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, brain damage, cancer (Gavish et al Pharm Rev 1999; 51: 629), Huntington's disease (Meβmer and Reynolds Neurosci Lett 1998; 241: 53-6), asthma (Pelaia et al Gen Pharmacol 1997; 28(4): 495-8), rheumatoid arthritis (Bribes et al Eur J Pharmacol 2002; 452(1): 111-22), atherosclerosis (Davies et al J Nucl Med 2004; 45: 1898-1907) and multiple sclerosis (Banati et al Brain 2000; 123: 2321). PBR may also be associated with neuropathic pain, Tsuda et al having observed activated microglia in subjects with neuropathic pain (TINS 2005; 28(2): 101-7).
[0003] Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging using the PBR selective ligand, (R)-[ 11 C]PK11195 provides a generic indicator of central nervous system (CNS) inflammation. Despite the successful use of (R)-[ 11 C]PK11195, it has its limitations. It is known to have high protein binding, and low specific to non-specific binding. The role of its radiolabelled metabolites is not known and quantification of binding requires complex modelling. There have been efforts to provide compounds having high affinity and selectivity for PBR to enable improved measurement of PBR in the CNS.
[0004] Aryloxyalinine derivatives have been proposed that have high affinity for PBR, as well as high selectivity for PBR over the central benzodiazepine receptor (CBR) (Chaki et al Eur J Pharmacol 1999; 371: 197-204). [ 11 C]-DAA1106 and [ 18 F]-FE-DAA1106 are PET radioligands based on these aryloxyalinine compounds. These PET radioligands are taught in U.S. Pat. No. 6,870,069, and have been studied in humans (Ikomo et al J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 2007; 27: 173-84 and Fujimura et al J Nuc Med 2006; 47: 43-50). Alternative radiofluorinated DAA1106 derivatives are taught in WO 2007/074383. Alternative 11 C-labelled DAA1106 derivatives are described in WO 2007/036785. Radioiodinated DAA1106 is described in EP 1854781, and by Zhang et al (J Med Chem 2007; 50: 848-55). The chemical structures of [ 11 C]-DAA1106, [ 18 F]-FE-DAA1106 and [ 123 I]-DAA1106 are as follows:
[0000]
[0005] However, the kinetic properties of these compounds are not ideal for in vivo imaging such that their application to quantitative studies are believed to be limited.
[0006] More recently, a compound known as PBR06 has been reported as having improved properties for in vivo imaging as compared with the above-described compounds. The structure of this compound is as follows:
[0000]
[0007] Although metabolised quite rapidly in the periphery, the metabolites of PBR06 do not penetrate the blood-brain barrier (Briard et al J Med Chem 2009; 52: 688-699). In contrast to the earlier compounds, almost the entire signal coming from the brain is from intact PBR06. This enables the concentration of PBR in the brain to be accurately determined. PBR06 is therefore regarded as a promising in vivo imaging agent.
[0008] However, and as presented in the present specification, the ratio of uptake of PBR06 in tissues that have a relatively high expression of PBR (i.e. olfactory bulb) as compared with background tissues (i.e. striatum) is less than optimal for in vivo imaging. There is also scope to improve the proportion of intact compound in the brain.
[0009] There is therefore a need for alternative in vivo imaging agents having improved properties for in vivo imaging as compared with PBR06, i.e. higher specific uptake in PBR-expressing tissues, and/or higher proportion of intact compound in the brain.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention provides a novel radiolabelled aryloxyalinine derivative suitable for in vivo imaging. In comparison to known aryloxyalinine derivative in vivo imaging agents, the in vivo imaging agent of the present invention has better properties for in vivo imaging. The in vivo imaging agent of the present invention demonstrates improved specific binding to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), in addition to having good brain uptake and favourable in vivo kinetics.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Imaging Agent
[0011] In one aspect, the present invention provides an in vivo imaging agent of Formula I:
[0000]
wherein:
A 1 is —CR 1 R 2 —(CH 2 ) n — wherein R 1 and R 2 are independently selected from hydrogen, fluoro, or C 1-3 alkyl, and n is 0, 1 or 2;
A 2 is —CH 2 —, —O— or —O—CH 2 —; or,
-A 1 -A 2 - is —CH═CH—.
[0016] An “in vivo imaging agent” in the context of the present invention is a radiolabelled compound suitable for in vivo imaging. The term “in vivo imaging” as used herein refers to those techniques that non-invasively produce images of all or part of the internal aspect of a subject. Examples of such in vivo imaging methods are single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and positron emission tomography (PET).
[0017] Unless otherwise specified, the term “alkyl” alone or in combination, means a straight-chain or branched-chain alkyl radical containing preferably from 1 to 3 carbon atoms. Examples of such radicals include, methyl, ethyl, and propyl.
[0018] Examples of some in vivo imaging agents of the invention are as follows:
[0000]
[0019] A 1 of Formula I is preferably —CR 1 R 2 —(CH 2 ) n —, most preferably —(CH 2 ) m — wherein m is 1, 2 or 3, and especially preferably 1 or 2. A 2 of Formula I is preferably —CH 2 — or —O—. Especially preferably -A 1 -A 2 - is selected from —CH 2 —CH 2 —, —CH 2 —O— and —CH 2 —CH 2 —O—. Preferred in vivo imaging agents of the invention are in vivo imaging agents 1-4, most preferably in vivo imaging agents 1-3, especially preferably in vivo imaging agents 1 and 2 and most especially preferably in vivo imaging agent 1.
[0020] Example 11 describes the rat biodistribution model that was used to compare in vivo imaging agents of the invention with PBR06. Evaluation of the OB:striatum uptake as compared with PBR06 revealed that in vivo imaging agent 1 was taken up relatively more in the OB as compared with the striatum (see FIG. 1 herein), and in vivo imaging agents 2 and 3 were comparable with PBR06 (see FIGS. 2 and 3 ). As OB is known to express higher levels of PBR compared with other areas of rat brain (see “Handbook of Substance Abuse” by Tarter, Ammerman and Ott; Springer 1998:398-99) the ratio OB:striatum is a measure of specificity of test compound uptake.
[0021] Example 12 describes the assay used to evaluate the amount of intact test in vivo imaging agent in rat brain at 60 minutes post-injection. In vivo imaging agents 1-4 demonstrated the same favourable metabolism profile as PBR06, i.e. a high proportion of radioactivity in the brain at 60 minutes post-injection was found to be intact test compound. In vivo imaging agents 1 and 2 were found to have an even higher proportion intact in the brain at 60 minutes post-injection as compared with PBR06.
[0022] In vivo imaging agents of the present invention are shown herein to have superior properties for in vivo imaging of PBR as compared with known such agents.
Method for Preparation
[0023] In a further aspect, the present invention provides a method for the preparation of the in vivo imaging agent as defined herein, wherein said method comprises reacting a suitable source of 18 F with a precursor compound of Formula II:
[0000]
wherein A 1 and A 2 are as suitably and preferably defined herein for the in vivo imaging agent of Formula I, and LG is a leaving group.
[0025] A “precursor compound” comprises a non-radioactive derivative of the in vivo imaging agent, designed so that chemical reaction with a convenient chemical form of 18 F occurs site-specifically; can be conducted in the minimum number of steps (ideally a single step); and without the need for significant purification (ideally no further purification), to give the desired in vivo imaging agent. Such precursor compounds are synthetic and can conveniently be obtained in good chemical purity.
[0026] The term “a suitable source of 18 F” means 18 F in a chemical form that is reactive with a substituent of the precursor compound such that 18 F becomes covalently attached thereby forming the desired in vivo imaging agent.
[0027] Broadly speaking, the step of “reacting” the precursor compound with said suitable source of 18 F involves bringing the two reactants together under reaction conditions suitable for formation of the desired in vivo imaging agent in as high a radiochemical yield (RCY) as possible. Some more detailed routes are presented in the experimental section below.
[0028] The term “leaving group” refers to an atom or group of atoms that leaves a molecule with a pair of electrons in heterolytic bond cleavage, usually to be replaced by a nucleophile. A leaving group can be an anion or a neutral molecule. Preferred leaving groups (LG) are mentioned below.
[0029] Okubu et al (2004 Bioorg. Med. Chem.; 12: 423-38) describe methods to obtain non-radioactive aryloxyanilide compounds. Synthetic schemes to obtain aryloxyanilide compounds are also described by Briard et al (J. Med. Chem. 2008; 51; 17-31), Wilson et al (Nuc. Med. Biol. 2008; 35; 305-14), and Zhang et al (J. Med. Chem. 2007; 50: 848-55). These prior art methods can be easily adapted to obtain a precursor compound of Formula II.
[0030] Scheme I below is a generic reaction scheme to obtain non-radioactive standards, and precursor compounds suitable for preparation of the in vivo imaging agents of the present invention:
[0000]
[0031] In the above reaction scheme, LG is a leaving group as defined herein, and R* represents the fused bicyclic ring structure that includes the A ring, as comprised in both Formula I and Formula II above. Reduction of the nitro group in commercially-available 2-nitrobiphenyl ether (a) by hydrogenation gives the corresponding aniline (b). Reductive alkylation with an aromatic aldehyde (c) gives the benzylamine (d). Reaction with the appropriate acetyl (e) results in the desired non-radioactive standard or precursor compound.
[0032] Labelling with 18 F is achieved by nucleophilic displacement of the leaving group LG from the precursor compound of Formula II. Preferred leaving groups (LG) include chloride, bromide, iodide, tosylate, mesylate, and triflate, with bromide and tosylate being most preferred. The precursor compound of Formula II may be labelled in a one step reaction wherein the suitable source of 18 F is [ 18 F]-fluoride. [ 18 F]fluoride ( 18 F ) for radiofluorination reactions is normally obtained as an aqueous solution from the nuclear reaction 18 O(p,n) 18 F and is made reactive by the addition of a cationic counterion and the subsequent removal of water. Suitable cationic counterions should possess sufficient solubility within the anhydrous reaction solvent to maintain the solubility of 18 F . Therefore, counterions that have been used include large but soft metal ions such as rubidium or caesium, potassium complexed with a cryptand such as Kryptofix™, or tetraalkylammonium salts. A preferred counterion is potassium complexed with a cryptand such as Kryptofix™ because of its good solubility in anhydrous solvents and enhanced 18 F reactivity.
[0033] To ensure that radiofluorination takes place at a particular site, the precursor compound may need to be selectively chemically protected. Protecting groups have been discussed above.
[0034] The precursor compound is ideally provided in sterile, apyrogenic form. It can accordingly be used for the preparation of a pharmaceutical composition comprising the in vivo imaging agent together with a biocompatible carrier suitable for mammalian administration. The precursor compound is also suitable for inclusion as a component in a kit for the preparation of such a pharmaceutical composition.
[0035] In a preferred embodiment, the precursor compound is provided in solution and as part of a kit, or of a cassette designed for use in an automated synthesis apparatus. These aspects are discussed in more detail below in relation to additional aspects of the invention.
[0036] In another preferred embodiment, the precursor compound is bound to a solid phase. The precursor compound is preferably supplied covalently attached to a solid support matrix. In this way, the desired product forms in solution, whereas starting materials and impurities remain bound to the solid phase. As an example of such a system, precursor compounds for solid phase electrophilic fluorination with 18 F-fluoride are described in WO 03/002489, and precursor compounds for solid phase nucleophilic fluorination with 18 F-fluoride are described in WO 03/002157.
[0037] Preferably, the method of the present invention is automated for ease of performance.
Precursor Compound
[0038] The precursor compound as suitably and preferably described above in relation to the method of the invention itself forms an additional aspect of the present invention.
Radiopharmaceutical Composition
[0039] In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides a “radiopharmaceutical composition”, which is a composition comprising the in vivo imaging agent of the invention, together with a biocompatible carrier in a form suitable for mammalian administration.
[0040] The “biocompatible carrier” is a fluid, especially a liquid, in which the in vivo imaging agent is suspended or dissolved, such that the radiopharmaceutical composition is physiologically tolerable, i.e. can be administered to the mammalian body without toxicity or undue discomfort. The biocompatible carrier is suitably an injectable carrier liquid such as sterile, pyrogen-free water for injection; an aqueous solution such as saline (which may advantageously be balanced so that the final product for injection is either isotonic or not hypotonic); an aqueous solution of one or more tonicity-adjusting substances (e.g. salts of plasma cations with biocompatible counterions), sugars (e.g. glucose or sucrose), sugar alcohols (e.g. sorbitol or mannitol), glycols (e.g. glycerol), or other non-ionic polyol materials (e.g. polyethyleneglycols, propylene glycols and the like). The biocompatible carrier may also comprise biocompatible organic solvents such as ethanol. Such organic solvents are useful to solubilise more lipophilic compounds or formulations. Preferably the biocompatible carrier is pyrogen-free water for injection, isotonic saline or an aqueous ethanol solution. The pH of the biocompatible carrier for intravenous injection is suitably in the range 4.0 to 10.5.
[0041] Suitable and preferred embodiments of the in vivo imaging agent when comprised in the radiopharmaceutical composition of the invention are as defined above.
[0042] The radiopharmaceutical composition may be administered parenterally, i.e. by injection, and is most preferably an aqueous solution. Such a composition may optionally contain further ingredients such as buffers; pharmaceutically acceptable solubilisers (e.g. cyclodextrins or surfactants such as Pluronic, Tween or phospholipids); pharmaceutically acceptable stabilisers or antioxidants (such as ascorbic acid, gentisic acid or para-aminobenzoic acid). Where the in vivo imaging agent of the invention is provided as a radiopharmaceutical composition, the method for preparation of said in vivo imaging agent may further comprise the steps required to obtain a radiopharmaceutical composition, e.g. removal of organic solvent, addition of a biocompatible buffer and any optional further ingredients. For parenteral administration, steps to ensure that the radiopharmaceutical composition is sterile and apyrogenic also need to be taken.
Kit and Cassette
[0043] In a preferred embodiment, the method for the preparation of the in vivo imaging agent of the invention is carried out by means of a kit, or using a cassette that can plug into an automated synthesiser. These kits and cassettes in turn form further aspects of the invention, and are particularly convenient for the preparation of the radiopharmaceutical composition of the invention as defined herein.
[0044] The kit of the invention comprises the precursor compound of the invention in a sealed container. The “sealed container” preferably permits maintenance of sterile integrity and/or radioactive safety, plus optionally an inert headspace gas (e.g. nitrogen or argon), whilst permitting addition and withdrawal of solutions by syringe. A preferred sealed container is a septum-sealed vial, wherein the gas-tight closure is crimped on with an overseal (typically of aluminium). Such sealed containers have the additional advantage that the closure can withstand vacuum if desired e.g. to change the headspace gas or degas solutions.
[0045] Suitable and preferred embodiments of the precursor compound when employed in the kit of the invention are as already described herein.
[0046] The precursor compound for use in the kit may be employed under aseptic manufacture conditions to give the desired sterile, non-pyrogenic material. The precursor compound may alternatively be employed under non-sterile conditions, followed by terminal sterilisation using e.g. gamma-irradiation, autoclaving, dry heat or chemical treatment (e.g. with ethylene oxide). Preferably, the precursor compound is provided in sterile, non-pyrogenic form. Most preferably the sterile, non-pyrogenic precursor compound is provided in the sealed container as described above.
[0047] Preferably, all components of the kit are disposable to minimise the possibilities of contamination between runs and to ensure sterility and quality assurance.
[0048] In another aspect, the present invention provides a cassette which can be plugged into a suitably adapted automated synthesiser for the synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent of the invention. [ 18 F]-radiotracers radiotracers in particular are now often conveniently prepared on an automated radiosynthesis apparatus. There are several commercially-available examples of such apparatus, including Tracerlab™ and Fastlab™ (both available from GE Healthcare). The radiochemistry is performed on the automated synthesis apparatus by fitting the cassette to the apparatus. The cassette normally includes fluid pathways, a reaction vessel, and ports for receiving reagent vials as well as any solid-phase extraction cartridges used in post-radiosynthetic clean up steps.
[0049] The cassette for the automated synthesis of the in vivo imaging agent of the invention comprises:
(i) a vessel containing a precursor compound as defined herein; and (ii) means for eluting the vessel with a suitable source of 18 F, as defined herein.
[0052] The cassette may additionally comprise:
(iii) an ion-exchange cartridge for removal of excess 18 F; and optionally, (iv) a cartridge for deprotection of the resultant radiolabelled product to form an in vivo imaging agent as defined herein.
[0055] The reagents, solvents and other consumables required for the automated synthesis may also be included together with a data medium, such as a compact disc carrying software, which allows the automated synthesiser to be operated in a way to meet the end user's requirements for concentration, volumes, time of delivery etc.
Methods of Use
[0056] In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides an in vivo imaging method for determining the distribution and/or the extent of PBR expression in a subject comprising:
(i) administering to said subject an in vivo imaging agent as defined herein; (ii) allowing said in vivo imaging agent to bind to PBR in said subject; (iii) detecting by an in vivo imaging procedure signals emitted by 18 F of said in vivo imaging agent; (iv) generating an image representative of the location and/or amount of said signals; and, (v) determining the distribution and extent of PBR expression in said subject wherein said expression is directly correlated with said signals emitted by said 18 F.
[0062] For the in vivo imaging method of the invention, suitable and preferred aspects of the in vivo imaging agent are as defined earlier in the specification.
[0063] “Administering” the in vivo imaging agent is preferably carried out parenterally, and most preferably intravenously. The intravenous route represents the most efficient way to deliver the in vivo imaging agent throughout the body of the subject, and therefore also across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and into contact with PBR expressed in said subject. The in vivo imaging agent of the invention is preferably administered as the pharmaceutical composition of the invention, as defined herein. In an alternative embodiment, the administration step can be understood as a preliminary step carried out before the in vivo imaging method itself, such that step (i) can be defined as providing a subject to whom the in vivo imaging agent has been pre-administered.
[0064] Following the administering step and preceding the detecting step, the in vivo imaging agent is allowed to bind to PBR. For example, when the subject is an intact mammal, the in vivo imaging agent will dynamically move through the mammal's body, coming into contact with various tissues therein. Once the in vivo imaging agent comes into contact with PBR, a specific interaction takes place such that clearance of the in vivo imaging agent from tissue with PBR takes longer than from tissue without, or with less PBR. A certain point in time will be reached when detection of in vivo imaging agent specifically bound to PBR is enabled as a result of the ratio between in vivo imaging agent bound to tissue with PBR versus that bound in tissue without, or with less PBR. Ideally, this ratio is 2:1 or greater.
[0065] The “detecting” step of the method of the invention involves detection of signals emitted by the 18 F by means of a positron-emission tomography (PET) detector. This detection step can also be understood as the acquisition of signal data.
[0066] The “generating” step of the method of the invention is carried out by a computer which applies a reconstruction algorithm to the acquired signal data to yield a dataset. This dataset is then manipulated to generate images showing the location and/or amount of signals emitted by said 18 F. The signals emitted directly correlate with the expression of PBR such that the “determining” step can be made by evaluating the generated image.
[0067] The “subject” of the invention can be any human or animal subject. Preferably the subject of the invention is a mammal. Most preferably, said subject is an intact mammalian body in vivo. In an especially preferred embodiment, the subject of the invention is a human. The in vivo imaging method may be used to study PBR in healthy subjects, or in subjects known or suspected to have a pathological condition associated with abnormal expression of PBR (a “PBR condition”). The in vivo imaging agents of the invention are particularly suited to in vivo imaging PBR expression in the central nervous system (CNS).
[0068] In an alternative embodiment, the in vivo imaging method of the invention may be carried out repeatedly during the course of a treatment regimen for said subject, said regimen comprising administration of a drug to combat a PBR condition. For example, the in vivo imaging method of the invention can be carried out before, during and after treatment with a drug to combat a PBR condition. In this way, the effect of said treatment can be monitored over time. PET imaging is particularly suitable for this embodiment. PET has excellent sensitivity and resolution, so that even relatively small changes in a lesion can be observed over time, which is advantageous for treatment monitoring. PET scanners routinely measure radioactivity concentrations in the picomolar range. Micro-PET scanners now approach a spatial resolution of about 1 mm, and clinical scanners about 4-5 mm.
[0069] Preferably, said method relates to the in vivo imaging of a subject known or suspected to have a PBR condition, and therefore is useful as part of a method for the diagnosis of said condition. The in vivo imaging method of the invention may therefore comprise the further step (vi) of attributing the distribution and extent of PBR expression to diagnose whether said subject is suffering from a PBR condition. Examples of such PBR conditions where in vivo imaging would be of use include neuropathologies such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease where neuroinflammation is present. Other PBR conditions that may be usefully imaged with the compounds of the invention include neuropathic pain, arthritis, asthma, atherosclerosis, a range of malignant diseases including but not limited to colorectal cancer and breast cancer, and also a range of mood disorders including but not limited to bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder.
[0070] In another aspect, the present invention provides the in vivo imaging agent as defined herein for use in the in vivo imaging method as suitably and preferably defined herein.
[0071] In a yet further aspect, the present invention provides the in vivo imaging agent as defined herein for the manufacture of a radiopharmaceutical composition as defined herein for use in the in vivo imaging method as suitably and preferably defined herein.
[0072] The invention is now illustrated by a series of non-limiting examples.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLES
[0073] Example 1 describes the synthesis of the direct labelling precursor for in vivo imaging agent 1.
[0074] Example 2 describes the synthesis of the direct labelling precursor for in vivo imaging agent 2.
[0075] Example 3 describes the synthesis of the direct labelling precursor for in vivo imaging agent 3.
[0076] Example 4 describes the synthesis of the direct labelling precursor for in vivo imaging agent 4.
[0077] Example 5 describes the radiofluorination method used to obtain in vivo imaging agents 1-4.
[0078] Example 6 describes the synthesis of a non-radioactive standard for in vivo imaging agent 1.
[0079] Example 7 describes the synthesis of a non-radioactive standard for in vivo imaging agent 2.
[0080] Example 8 describes the synthesis of a non-radioactive standard for in vivo imaging agent 3.
[0081] Example 9 describes the synthesis of a non-radioactive standard for in vivo imaging agent 4.
[0082] Example 10 describes the in vitro assay used to evaluate the affinity of non-radioactive standards of the imaging agents of the invention for PBR.
[0083] Example 11 describes the animal model used to determine biodistribution of the imaging agents of the invention following intravenous administration.
[0084] Example 12 describes the assay used to evaluate the metabolism of the imaging agents of the invention following intravenous administration.
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS USED IN THE EXAMPLES
[0000]
° C. degrees celsius
aq aqueous
BGO Bismuth germanate
DCM dichloromethane
DMF dimethyl formamide
DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide
EtOAc ethyl acetate
g grams
h hours
K i concentration of a compound required for half maximum inhibition
MBq megabequerels
mg milligrams
min minutes
ml millilitres
mM millimolar
mmol millimoles
n number of experiments
NMR nuclear magnetic resonance
PBR peripheral benzodiazepine receptor
rpm revolutions per minute
TEA triethylamine
TLC thin layer chromatography
Tris tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane
UV ultraviolet
EXAMPLES
Example 1
Synthesis of the Direct Labelling Precursor for In Vivo Imaging Agent 1
Example 1(i)
2-Aminodiphenyl ether
[0109]
[0110] 2-Nitrodiphenyl ether (16 g, 74 mmol) in methanol (250 ml) was shaken with palladium on charcoal (1.6 g) under an atmosphere of hydrogen at 20-50° C. for 30 min. There was a rapid uptake of hydrogen and a detectable exotherm 20-50° C. with the temperature rapidly rising before cooling. Shaking was stopped for short periods to control the temperature from rising above 50° C. The reaction was then filtered through celite and concentrated in high vacuum to give 2-aminodiphenyl ether as an oil (13.5 g, 72.9 mmole, 98%) that crystallized on standing to give a buff solid.
[0111] 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ) 300 MHz δ 3.82 (2H, brm, NH 2 ), 6.7-7.1 (7H, m, ArH) 7.33 (2H, m, ArH).
[0112] 13 C NMR (CDCl 3 ) 75 MHz δ•116.41, 117.03, 118.70 (2C), 120.22, 122.57, 124.85, 129.65 (2C), 138.70, 142.97, 157.43.
Example 1(ii)
N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine
[0113]
[0114] 2-Aminodiphenyl ether (1 g, 5.4 mmol) was treated with 2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-carbaldehyde (1 g, 7.02 mmol) and toluene (10 ml) and heated at reflux for 4 h under an atmosphere of nitrogen with vigorous stirring. The solution became yellow and homogeneous. The reaction was then concentrated in vacuum to remove the toluene, cooled to 0° C., diluted with methanol (15 ml), and treated with sodium borohydride (612 mg 16 mmol) in portions over a period of 20 min. The reaction was then allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for a further 30 min. 2N hydrochloric acid (5 ml) was added and the reaction stirred for a further 30 min. The reaction was then concentrated in vacuum to a gum and 10% aq potassium carbonate (50 ml) added. The product was then recovered by extraction into ethyl acetate (50 ml), the extract was dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in vacuum to a gum. The gum was chromatographed on a 120 g silica column in a gradient of 10-30% ethyl acetate in petrol. The main fast running fraction, N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine was collected as a gum (1.2824 g, 4.04 mmole, 74.9%) that crystallized on standing.
[0115] 1 H NMR CDCl 3 300 MHz, δ•3.19(2H, t, CH 2 Ph), 4.35 (2H, s, CH 2 N) 4.51 (2H, t, CH 2 O) 4.87 (1H, brs, NH), 6.6, −7.31(12H, m ArH).
[0116] 13 C NMR CDCl 3 , 75 MHz δ•29.69, 42.63, 71.11, 112.01, 116.82, 117.27, 119.34, 120.31, 122.48, 123.64, 126.96, 129.55, 140.50, 143.07, 157.71, 157.83.
Example 1(iii)
2-Bromo-N-(2,3-dihydrofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-acetamide
[0117]
[0118] N-(2,3-Dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)amine (0.5 g, 1.57 mmol) in dichloromethane (10 ml) was cooled to 0° C. and treated with bromoacetyl chloride (272 mg, 1.73 mmol) and triethylamine (175 mg, 1.73 mmol) and stirred for 1 h under an atmosphere of nitrogen. The reaction was diluted with dichloromethane (50 ml) and washed with 5N hydrochloric acid (20 ml) to remove the triethylamine and aqueous potassium carbonate (20 ml) to remove excess bromoacetyl chloride. The organic layer was separated, dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in high vacuum to give 2-bromo-N-(2,3-dihydrofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide. (661 mg, 1.51 mmole, 96%).
[0119] 1 H NMR (CDCl 3 ) 300 MHz, δ•3.06(2H, m, CH 2 Ph), 3.8 (2H, d, d CH 2 O), 4.2-4.4 (2H, d, q, CH 2 Br) 4.7, (1H, d, CHN), 5.12, (1H, d, CHN), 6.62-7.32 (12H, m, ArH).
[0120] 13 C NMR (CDCl 3 ) 75 MHz δ 27.81, 29.68, 46.78, 70.89, 118.04, 119.36, 120.26, 123.06, 124.13, 124.17, 129.82, 153.48, 155.59, 158.55, 166.64.
Example 2
Synthesis of the Direct Labelling Precursor for In Vivo Imaging Agent 2
Example 2(i)
N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)amine
[0121]
[0122] A mixture of 2-phenoxy-phenylamine (410 mg, 2.22 mmol) and 2,3-(methylenedioxy)-benzaldehyde (500 mg, 3.33 mmol) was heated at 90° C. for 2 h under nitrogen. The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and MeOH (4 mL) was added, followed by NaBH 4 (253 mg, 6.70 mmol) in portions over 20 min. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 h. Formic acid (0.4 mL was added and the mixture stirred for 15 min. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 (50 mL), extracted with DCM (2×30 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with petroleum spirit (A) and ethyl acetate (B) (5% B, 80 g, 4.0 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 360 mg (51%) of N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl) amine as a white solid.
[0123] 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.35 (2H, d, J=5.2 Hz, ArC H 2 ), 4.66 (1H, s, N H ), 5.88 (2H, s, OC H 2 O), 6.60-7.10 (10H, m, ArH), 7.24-7.34 (2H, m, ArH).
Example 2(ii)
N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-2-Bromo-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)acetamide
[0124]
[0125] To a solution of N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)amine (0.18 g, 0.58 mmol) dissolved in DCM (4 mL) was added triethylamine (0.24 g, 2.32 mmol, 0.32 mL). The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and bromoacetyl chloride (0.18 g, 1.16 mmol, 0.10 mL) was added. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 h. LC-MS indicated starting material and product (1:1). Further triethylamine (0.24 g, 2.32 mmol, 0.32 mL) and bromoacetyl chloride (0.18 g, 1.16 mmol, 0.10 mL) were added and stirred at room temperature for 2 h. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with water (10 mL), extracted with DCM (2×20 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with DCM (A) and MeOH (B) (1% B, 80 g, 2 CV, 60 mL/min). The impure product was further purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with DCM (A) and EtOAc (B) (1-5% B, 80 g, 4.5 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 120 mg (47%) of N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-2-Bromo-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)acetamide as a colourless oil.
[0126] 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 3.76 (1H, d, J=11 Hz, BrC H ), 3.82 (1H, d, J=11 Hz, BrC H ), 4.72 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, ArC H ), 5.13 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, ArC H ), 5.63 (1H, d, J=1 Hz, OC H O), 5.79 (1H, d, J=1 Hz, OC H O), 6.65-7.40 (12H, m, ArH).
[0127] LC-MS: m/z calcd for C 22 H 18 BrNO 4 440.3; found, 441.9 (M+H)+.
Example 3
Synthesis of the Direct Labelling Precursor for In Vivo Imaging Agent 3
Example 3(i)
N-(2,3-Dihydrobenzo[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine
[0128]
[0129] 2-Aminodiphenyl ether (1 g, 5.4 mmol) was treated with 2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxinyl-5-aldehyde. (885 mg, 5.4 mmol) and toluene (10 ml) and heated at reflux for 4 h under an atmosphere of nitrogen with vigorous stirring. The solution became yellow and homogeneous. The reaction was then concentrated in vacuum to remove the toluene, cooled to 0° C., and diluted with methanol (25 ml) and treated with sodium borohydride (1 g, pellet) with continuous stirring. The reaction was then allowed to warm to room temperature overnight when a white crystalline solid had precipitated. The solid collected by filtration was (N-(2,3-Dihydrobenzo-[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine, 1.128 g, 3.56 mmole, 66%.
[0130] 1 H NMR CDCl 3 300 MHz, δ 4.16, (4H, s, CH 2 —Ox2), 4.35 (2H, d, CH 2 N), 4.68 (1H, t, NH), 6.6-7.1 (10H, m ArH), 7.29, (2H, t, ArH).
[0131] 13 C NMR CDCl 3 , 75 MHz, δ•42.6, 64.06, 64.21, 112.18, 116.25, 117.09, 119.57, 120.62, 120.79, 124.97, 128.00, 129.58, 140.55, 141.00, 142.97, 143.33, 157.78.
Example 3(ii)
N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo-[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-2-bromo-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide
[0132]
[0133] N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]dioxin-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine (pure) (0.5 g, 1.5 mmol) in dichloromethane (20 ml) was treated with bromoacetyl chloride (259 mg, 1.65 mmol) and triethylamine (168 mg, 1.65 mmol) at 0° C. for 1 h. The reaction was then diluted with dichloromethane (50 ml) and washed with 2N hydrochloric acid (20 ml) to remove the triethylamine and 10% aq potassium carbonate solution to remove excess fluoroacetyl chloride. The organic layer was separated dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in high vacuum to 2-bromo-N-(2,3-dihydro-benzo-[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide, 637 mg, 1.40 mmole, 93%.
[0134] 1 H NMR CDCl 3 . 300 MHz, δ 3.77(2H, dd, CH 2 Br), 3.85-4.2 (4H, m, CH 2 Ox2), 4.75, and 5.15(1H, d, together CH 2 N), 6.65-7.4 (12H, m, ArH).
[0135] 13 C NMR CDCl 3 75 MHz, δ 27.77, 46.08, 63.95, 64.02, 116.68, 119.39, 120.66, 122.97, 123.00, 124.78, 124.28, 124.70, 129.50, 129.90, 130.40, 131.00 141.98, 143.16, 153.58, 155.50, 166.53.
Example 4
Synthesis of the Direct Labelling Precursor for In Vivo Imaging Agent 4
Example 4(i)
N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)amine
[0136]
[0137] A mixture of 2-phenoxy-phenylamine (350 mg, 1.89 mmol) and 2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-7-carbaldehyde (500 mg, 2.83 mmol) was heated at 90° C. for 2 h under nitrogen. The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and MeOH (4 mL) was added, followed by NaBH 4 (216 mg, 5.70 mmol) in portions over 20 min. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 h. Formic acid (0.4 mL was added and the mixture stirred for 15 min. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with saturated aqueous NaHCO 3 (50 mL), extracted with DCM (2×30 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with petroleum spirit (A) and ethyl acetate (B) (5-10% B, 80 g, 3 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 560 mg (86%) of N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)amine as a colourless oil.
[0138] 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 1.43 (6H, s, C(C H 3 ) 2 ), 2.98 (2H, s, ArC H 2 ), 4.32 (2H, s, NC H 2 ), 4.79 (1H, s, N H ), 6.60-7.10 (10H, m, ArH), 7.30 (2H, m, ArH).
Example 4(ii)
2-Bromo-N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)acetamide
[0139]
[0140] To a solution of N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)amine (0.20 g, 0.58 mmol) dissolved in DCM (2 mL) was added triethylamine (0.24 g, 2.32 mmol, 0.32 mL). The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and bromoacetyl chloride (0.18 g, 1.16 mmol, 0.10 mL) was added. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 h. LC-MS indicated starting material and product (1:1). Further triethylamine (0.24 g, 2.32 mmol, 0.32 mL) and bromoacetyl chloride (0.18 g, 1.16 mmol, 0.10 mL) were added and stirred at room temperature for 2 h. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with water (10 mL), extracted with DCM (2×20 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with petroleum spirit (A) and EtOAc (B) (30% B, 80 g, 2.5 CV, 60 mL/min). The impure product was further purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with DCM (A) and EtOAc (B) (1-5% B, 80 g, 5 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 170 mg (63%) of 2-Bromo-N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)acetamide as a colourless oil.
[0141] 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 1.14 (3H, s, C H 3 ), 1.31 (3H, s, C H 3 ), 2.83 (1H, d, J=15 Hz, ArC H ), 2.90 (1H, d, J=15 Hz, ArC H ), 3.74 (1H, d, J=11 Hz, BrCH), 3.80 (1H, d, J=11 Hz, BrC H ), 4.59 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, NC H ), 5.22 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, NC H ), 6.65-7.40 (12H, m, ArH)
[0142] LC-MS: m/z calcd for C 25 H 24 BrNO 3 466.4; found, 467.9 (M+H)+
Example 5
Radio Fluorination of the Precursor Compounds of Examples 1-4 to Obtain In Vivo Imaging Agents 1-4
5(i) Drying [ 18 F] Fluoride
[0143] To 18 F-fluoride supplied in 15 μl water, a further 200 μl water was added, and the fluoride drawn into a COC vessel. In the presence of Kryptofix (2 mg, 5.3×10-6 moles), dissolved in 0.5 ml acetonitrile and 0.1 M potassium hydrogen carbonate solution (50 μl, 5×10-6 moles), the 18 F-fluoride was dried at 110° C./30 minutes under a flow of nitrogen (0.3 L/min for ˜20 minutes followed by 0.1 L/min when the long tap was opened. The flow was turned up to 0.5 L/min when the risk of splashing was no longer (for ˜10 min) and then cooled to room temperature.
5(ii) Radio Fluorination
[0144] To the dry residue obtained in step 5(i) was added 0.7 mg of the selected precursor compound in 1 ml acetonitrile and the reaction heated in a sealed system at 100° C./10 minutes. After cooling, the reaction mixture was transferred to an N46 vial and the COC vial rinsed with 1.5 ml water. The washings were transferred to same glass vial. The prep (whose total volume was ˜2.5 mL) was drawn onto the prep HPLC and the HPLC cut diluted in ˜15 ml water prior to loading onto a Sep-Pak tC18 light (pre-conditioned with 2.5 ml ethanol and 5 ml water). The Sep-Pak was then eluted with 0.5 ml ethanol (collected into a P6 vial) followed by 4.6 ml Dulbecco's phosphate buffered saline collected into the same P6 vial. The RCP was measured by HPLC.
Example 6
Synthesis of a Non-Radioactive Standard for In Vivo Imaging Agent 1
Example 6(i)
N-(2,3-Dihydrobenxofuran-7-ylmethyl)-2-fluoro-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide
[0145]
[0146] N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine (0.5 g, 1.78 mmol) in DCM (20 ml) was treated with fluoroacetyl chloride (199 mg, 1.96 mmol) and TEA (199 mg, 1.96 mmol) at 0° C. for 1 h. The reaction was then diluted with DCM (50 ml) and washed with 2N hydrochloric acid (20 ml) to remove the TEA and 10% aq potassium carbonate to remove fluoroacetyl chloride. The organic layer separated dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in high vacuum to give N-(2,3-Dihydrobenxofuran-7-ylmethyl)-2-fluoro-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide 455 mg, 1.61 mmole, 91%.
[0147] 1 H NMR in CDCl 3 , 300 mHz, δ 2.9-3.13 (2H, m, CH 2 Ph), 4.22, and 4.38(1H, q, together CH 2 O) 4.7 and 4.9 (1H, q, together CH 2 F), 4.8 and 5.1 (1H, d, together CH 2 N), 6.63-7.5 (12H, m, ArH).
13 C NMR in CDCl 3 , 75 MHz, δ 26.73, 43, 31, 68.03, 77.00, 114.00, 115.00 116.39, 117.32, 120.23, 121.34, 124.00, 126.36, 126.94, 127.45, 150.84, 152.58, 155.76, 164.11, 164.38.
Example 7
Synthesis of a Non-Radioactive Standard for In Vivo Imaging Agent 2
Example 7(i)
N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-2-Fluoro-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)acetamide
[0149]
[0150] To a solution of N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)amine (0.16 g, 0.50 mmol) dissolved in DCM (2 mL) was added TEA (0.20 g, 2.00 mmol, 0.28 mL). The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and fluoroacetyl chloride (0.10 g, 1.00 mmol, 0.07 mL) was added. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 h. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with water (10 mL), extracted with DCM (2×20 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with DCM (A) and MeOH (B) (1-5% B, 80 g, 4.0 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 160 mg (84%) of N-(benzo[1,3]dioxol-4-ylmethyl)-2-Fluoro-N-(2-phenyloxy-phenyl)acetamide as a yellow oil. The structure was confirmed by 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.67 (1H, d, J=2 Hz, FC H ), 4.83 (1H, d, J=2 Hz, FC H ), 4.74 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, ArC H ), 5.12 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, ArC H ), 5.63 (1H, d, J=1 Hz, OC H O), 5.79 (1H, d, J=1 Hz, OC H O), 6.66-6.88 (6H, m, ArH), 6.96-7.06 (2H, m, ArH), 7.12-7.38 (4H, m, ArH).
[0151] 19 F NMR (282 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ −226.8, −227.0, −227.2.
[0152] LC-MS: m/z calcd for C 22 H 18 FNO 4 379.4; found, 380.1 (M+H)+.
Example 8
Synthesis of a Non-Radioactive Standard for In Vivo Imaging Agent 3
Example 8(i)
2-fluoro-5 N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo-[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide
[0153]
[0154] N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo[1,4]-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)-amine (0.5 g, 1.5 mmol) in DCM (20 ml) was treated with fluoroacetyl chloride (168 mg, 1.65 mmol) and TEA (168 mg, 1.65 mmol) at 0° C. for 1 h. The reaction was then diluted with DCM (50 ml) and washed with 2N hydrochloric acid (20 ml) and 10% aq potassium carbonate solution. The organic layer was separated dried over magnesium sulphate and concentrated in high vacuum to a gum. The gum was then chromatographed on 120 g silica column in a gradient of 15-40% ethyl acetate in petrol. The major fractions was collected to give 2-fluoro-N-(2,3-Dihydro-benzo-[1,4]dioxinyl-5-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxyphenyl)acetamide (0.538 g, 1.43 mmole, 95%.)
[0155] 1 H NMR in CDCl 3 , 300 MHz, δ 3.8-4.1 (4H, M, CH 2 Ox2), 4.65, and 4.81 (1H, d, d, together, CH 2 F), 4.8, and 5.1 (1H, d, d, together CH 2 N), 6.6-7.4, (12H m, ArH).
[0156] 13 C NMR in CDCl 3 , 75 MHz, δ 45.2, 63.72, 63.83, 77.41, 79.75, 116.58, 119.16, 120.41, 122.98, 123.00, 124.16, 124.30, 129.00, 129.74, 130.00, 141.91, 143.05, 153.71, 155.23, 166.49, 166.75.
Example 9
Synthesis of a Non-Radioactive Standard for In Vivo Imaging Agent 4
Example 9(i)
—N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-2-Fluoro-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)acetamide
[0157]
[0158] To a solution of N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)amine (0.20 g, 0.58 mmol) dissolved in DCM (2 mL) was added TEA (0.24 g, 2.32 mmol, 0.32 mL). The reaction was cooled to 0° C. and fluoroacetyl chloride (0.11 g, 1.16 mmol, 0.08 mL) was added. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 h. The solvents were removed in vacuo, the residue quenched with water (10 mL), extracted with DCM (2×20 mL), dried over MgSO 4 , filtered and solvents removed in vacuo. The crude material was purified by silica gel chromatography eluting with DCM (A) and MeOH (B) (1% B, 80 g, 2 CV, 60 mL/min) to afford 170 mg (72%) of N-(2,2,-Dimethyl-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-7-ylmethyl)-2-Fluoro-N-(2-phenoxy phenyl)acetamide as a pale yellow oil.
[0159] 1 H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 1.12 (3H, s, C H 3 ), 1.30 (3H, s, C H 3 ), 2.83 (1H, d, J=15 Hz, ArC H ), 2.90 (1H, d, J=15 Hz, ArC H ), 4.58 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, NC H ), 4.65 (1H, s, FC H ), 4.81 (1H, s, FC H ), 5.22 (1H, d, J=14 Hz, NC H ), 6.65-7.40 (12H, m, ArH).
[0160] 19 F NMR (282 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ −226.6, −226.8, −227.0
[0161] LC-MS: m/z calcd for C 25 H 24 FNO 3 405.5; found, 406.1 (M+H)+.
Example 10
In Vitro Potency Assay
[0162] Affinity for PBR was screened using a method adapted from Le Fur et al (Life Sci. 1983; USA 33: 449-57). The compounds tested were PBR06, and in vivo imaging agents 1-4.
[0163] Each test compound (dissolved in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4, 10 mM MgCl 2 containing 1% DMSO) competed for binding to Wistar rat heart PBR against 0.3 nM [ 3 H] PK-11195. The reaction was carried out in 50 mM Tris-HCl, pH 7.4 10 mM MgCl 2 for 15 minutes at 25° C.
[0164] Each test compound was screened at 6 different concentrations over a 300-fold range of concentrations around the estimated K i . The K i values for PBR06 and in vivo imaging agents 1-4 were found to be 0.28 nM, 0.31 nM 2.03 nM, 1.14 nM and 2.66 nM, respectively.
Example 11
In Vivo Biodistribution Method
[0165] PBR06 (synthesised according to Briard et al J Med Chem 2009; 52: 688-699) and in vivo imaging agents 1-3 were tested in an in vivo biodistribution model and their respective biodistributions compared.
[0166] Adult male Wistar rats (200-300 g) were injected with 1-3 MBq of test compound via the lateral tail vein. At 2, 10, 30 or 60 min (n=3) after injection, rats were euthanised and tissues or fluids were sampled for radioactive measurement on a gamma counter.
[0167] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate the ratio of uptake of PBR06 and in vivo imaging agents 1-3, respectively, in OB compared to uptake in the striatum.
Example 12
Metabolism Assay
[0168] Brain tissue samples were collected from adult male Wistar rats (200-300 g) at 60 minutes after injection of test in vivo imaging agent. These samples were then processed via solvent extraction (see below) to extract the 18 F-labelled parent along with any 18 F-labelled metabolites, before introduction to the HPLC.
[0169] Brain (minus cerebellum+medulla pons) was homogenized with 10 mls of ice-cold Acetonitrile (5000 rpm for 5 mins) to extract all the 18 F-labelled species. The resulting supernatant was then evaporated to dryness (rotary evaporation at 40° C.), concentrated in 2.5 mls of mobile phase, filtered and 1 ml was injected onto the HPLC.
[0170] The HPLC set up for 18 F analysis was connected to a dual BGO radio & UV detector. A μBondapak C18 prep column was used having dimensions 7.8×300 mm; 10 μm; 125 Å. An isocratic elution system was used using between 30-40% water and between 60-70% acetonitrile. The flow rate was 3 ml/min. The aqueous to organic phase ratio was varied for each test in vivo imaging agent to obtain a parent peak at retention time at or around 10 min±2 min.
[0171] At 60 minutes post-injection the percentage of radioactivity in the brain representing intact test compound was 90%, 93% 92%, and 82%, respectively, for PBR06, and in vivo imaging agents 1-3.
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The present invention provides a novel radiolabelled aryloxyalinine derivative suitable for in vivo imaging. In comparison to known aryloxyalinine derivative in vivo imaging agents, the in vivo imaging agent of the present invention has better properties for in vivo imaging. The in vivo imaging agent of the present invention demonstrates good selective binding to the peripheral benzodiazepine receptor (PBR), in combination with good brain uptake and in vivo kinetics following administration to a subject.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a specified geometrical isomer of 4-(5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-N-oxide (hereinafter referred to as β-cyproheptadine N-oxide) as an appetite stimulant; also contemplated within the scope of the present invention are pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts thereof. Further, this invention relates to processes for the preparation of such compounds; to pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; and to methods of treatment comprising administering such compounds and compositions when an appetite stimulant is indicated. The free base form of the β-cyproheptadine N-oxide of the present invention has the following structural formula I: ##SPC1##
Unexpectedly it has been discovered that isomeric resolution of 4-(5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-N-oxide provides a geometrical isomer (β-cyproheptadine N-oxide, characterized below) which is an appetite stimulant substantially devoid of unwanted side effects such as the antiserotonin activity of the unresolved, naturally occuring isomeric mixture. (α and β forms). Said isomeric mixture is generically disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,911 Dec. 26, 1961) to have antiserotonin and antihistamine activity.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide β-cyproheptadine N-oxide and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts as appetite stimulants in a form substantially free (less than 15 wt. % contamination) of its corresponding α-geometrical isomer (hereinafter characterized). It is a further object of this invention to provide processes for the preparation of such compounds; pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compounds; and methods of treatment comprising administering such compounds and compositions when an appetite stimulating effect is indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The 4-(5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-N-oxide may conveniently be prepared by oxidation of cyproheptadine with oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or peracids such as m-chloro-perbenzoic acid and the like according to the procedure of U.S. Pat. No. 3,014,911, incorporated herein by reference.
Resolution of the geometrical isomers, α & β, may be done by chromatographic methods such as column chromatography packed with silica gel, cellulose or the like. With the physical characterizing data (nmr spectra, melting point, chromatographic R f value on silica gel, and pharmacological characterization) of the respective isomers (below) as means of identification, alternate means of isomeric resolution are readily evaluated.
Suitable pharmaceutical salt forms of the β-cyproheptadine N-oxide of the present invention may be prepared by conventional means. Salt forms are the most preferred and include: the hydrochloride, sulfate, phosphate, citrate, tartrate, succinate and the like. These salts are generally equivalent in potency to the free base form taking into consideration the stoichiometric quantities employed.
In the method of treatment and pharmaceutical composition aspects of the present invention it is noted that the precise unit dosage form and dosage level depend upon the case history of the individual being treated and consequently are left to the discretion of the therapist. In general, however, the compounds of the present invention produce the desired effect of appetite stimulation when given at from about 0.01 to about 10.0 mg. per kg. body weight per day. The preferred form of delivery of the instant compounds for appetite stimulation of domestic animals is by solution in drinking water or preformulated feedstuffs. For human and animal administration, any of the usual pharmaceutical oral forms may be employed such as tablets, elixirs and aqueous suspensions comprising from about 0.01 to about 10.0 mg. of the compounds of this invention per kg. body weight given daily. Thus, for example, tablets given 2-4 times per day comprising from about 0.5 to about 50 mg. of the compounds of this invention are suitable for human treatment. Sterile solutions (representatively given for human treatment) for injection comprising from about 0.1 to about 10.0 mg. of the compounds of this invention given two to four times daily are also suitable means of delivery.
The following examples representatively illustrate but do not limit the product, compositional or method of treatment aspect of the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
Cyproheptadine N-Oxide (4-(5H-Dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-N-oxide)
To a stirred and ice-cold solution of 14.8 g. (0.0515 mole) of cyproheptadine in 150 ml. of absolute CH 3 OH, 30% hydrogen peroxide, (18 g.,) is added in portions. Stirring is continued at 25° C. until the precipitated solid dissolves and the solution is held at room temperature for 10 days. The resulting solution is stirred with a suspension of 200 mg. of 5% Pt/C (platinum black) in 1 ml. of H 2 O until the excess peroxide is destroyed. Evaporation of the filtered solution under reduced pressure at 35° C. provides a sticky solid residue which is dried overnight in a vacuum over P 2 O 5 to yield15 g. of cyproheptadine N-oxide.
α-Isomer, α-Cyproheptadine-N-oxide
A 10 g. sample of the product cyproheptadine N-oxide is chromatographed on 700 g. of silica gel, eluting with 15% CH 3 OH/CHCl 3 . Fractions containing a single component of R f 0.5 on a fluorescent silica thin layer plate developed with 20% CH 3 OH/CHCl 3 were combined. Evaporation of the solvent under reduced pressure left 7.1 g. of solvated white crystalline α-isomer, m.p. 119°-129° C. (dec.). Recrystallization from H 2 O gave 5.2 g., m.p. 188°-191°C. after drying 2 days at room temperature at 0.2 mm. Hg. Nuclear magnetic resonance data of the α-isomer in CDCl 3 against tetramethyl silane internal standard: δ 3.07 (S,3,N-CH 3 ), δ 4.00 (S,1,H 2 O), δ 6.97 (S,2,H-10 and H-11), 7.3 (m,8,aromatic protons).
Analysis Calc. for: C 21 H 21 NO.1/2H 2 O: Calc.: C, 80.71; H, 7.10; N, 4.48. Found: C, 80.73; H, 7.15; N, 4.42.
The α-hydrochloride is prepared by precipitating fron a saturated solution of the base in ethanol on addition of 6M HCl. Recrystallization from absolute ethanol provide α-cyproheptadine N-oxide hydrochloridehemihydrate, C 21 H 21 NO.HCl.1/2H 2 O, m.p. 205°-211° C. (dec.).
Analysis Calc. for: C 21 H 21 NO.HCl.1/2H 2 O: Calc.: C, 72.30;H, 6.64; N, 4.02. Found: C, 72.39; H, 6.76; N, 4.03.
β-Isomer, β-Cyproheptadine-N-Oxide
Chromatographic fractions containing a single component of R f 0.4 on afluorescent silica thin layer plate developed with 20% CH 3 OH/CHCl 3 were combined. Evaporation of the solvent under reduced pressure left 2.4 g. of white crystalline β-isomer, m.p. 194°-199° C. (dec.). Nuclear magnetic resonance data of the β-isomer in CDCl 3 against tetra methyl silane internal standard: δ 3.28 (S,3,N-CH 3 ), δ 6.93 (S,2H-10 and H-11), δ 7.3 (m,8,aromatic protons). The resulting base is converted to the hydrochloride salt by the procedure given above for the α-isomer to provide β-cyproheptadine-N-oxide hydrochloride, m.p. 223°-228° C. (dec.) after drying 2 days at room temperature at 0.1 mm. Hg.
Analysis Calcd. for: C 21 H 21 NO.HCl: Calc.: C, 74,21; H, 6.53; N,4.12. Found: C, 74,59; H, 6.37; N, 4.17.
Isomeric purity of the above-prepared hydrochloride salts is greater than 95% as shown by nuclear magnetic resonance in D 2 O and thin layer chromatography (fluorescent silica, using the following solvent system expressed in volume ratio: 10 benzene : 80 dioxane : 10 conc. NH 4 OH).
EXAMPLE 2
Pharmaceutical compositions
A typical tablet containing 1 mg. β-cyproheptadine-N-oxide per tablet is prepared by mixing together with the active ingredient calcium phosphate, lactose and starch in the amounts shown in the tables below. After these ingredients are thoroughly mixed, the appropriate amount of magnesium stearate is added and the dry mixture blended for an additional three minutes. This mixture is then compressed into tablets weighing approximately 124 mg. each. Similarly prepared are tablets containing (β-cyproheptadine-N-oxide) hydrochloride.
TABLET FORMULA______________________________________INGREDIENT MG. PER TABLET______________________________________β-Cyproheptadine-N-oxide 1 mg.Calcium phosphate 52 mg.Lactose 60 mg.Starch 10 mg.Magnesium stearate 1 mg.______________________________________
TABLET FORMULA______________________________________INGREDIENT MG. PER TABLET______________________________________(β-Cyproheptadine-N-oxide)-hydrochloride 1 mg.Calcium phosphate 52 mg.Lactose 60 mg.Starch 10 mg.Magnesium stearate 1 mg.______________________________________
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A specified geometrical isomer of 4-(5H-dibenzo-[a,d]cyclohepten-5-ylidene)-1-methylpiperidine-N-oxide is disclosed to have pharmaceutical utility as an appetite stimulant. Also disclosed are processes for the preparation of such compound; pharmaceutical compositions comprising such compound; and methods of treatment comprising administering such compound and compositions.
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This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No. 60/228,225, filed August 25, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a support arm which automatically swings into position to support the cords and tilt rod in the head rail of a vertical blind as the carrier assembly traverses to open the blind (retracts). As the carrier assembly traverses to close the blind (extends), the support arm automatically swings out of the way so as not to interfere with the motion of the carrier assembly.
Typically, a vertical blind transport system will have a top head rail, which both supports the blind and hides the mechanisms that are used to traverse the vanes and the mechanisms that are used to tilt the vanes. The carrier assembly is fully supported along its entire sliding length, as each carrier must be able to support the weight of its corresponding vane. Thus, when the carrier assembly extends, it assists in supporting both the tilt rod and the traverse cords. However, as the vanes traverse open, the tilt rod and the traverse cords remain behind and are thus unsupported except at one end by the head rail and at the other end by the lead carrier which is retreating, leaving an ever-widening unsupported span. The traverse cords, and even the tilt rod, tend to drape down through this unsupported span and stick out past the open bottom of the head rail. This is unsightly and may cause operational problems.
The prior art has support arms which, when properly installed, swing across the head rail as the lead carrier retreats, so as to provide a support for the sagging traverse cords and tilt rod. These support arms swing away, back to a stowed position, when the lead carrier is traversing closed and can thus take over the support function otherwise afforded by the support arm.
However, if the prior art support arm is in an incorrect position as the carrier assembly is traversing, the support arm will be rendered ineffective. In one instance, if the support arm is in the stowed position as the carrier assembly traverses to the closed position (extends), the lead carrier will impact upon and will not move past the support arm, causing the carrier train to lock up. If the operator uses extreme force to overcome the lock-up, the carrier train will push the support arm to the end of the head rail leaving the support arm inoperative. In the second instance where the support arm is in the “spanning position”(not stowed position) as the carrier assembly traverses to the open position (retracts), the first carrier to come across the support arm will simply drag the support arm with it. The holding force of the support arm is not enough to cause the operator to stop traversing the blind. The support arm is forcibly moved along with the carrier train into an ineffective position, where it remains.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a support arm design which has the advantages of prior art support arms, plus it eliminates the problems with prior art support arms which may become inoperative or ineffective if improperly installed or if they are accidentally moved to an improper position during normal operation.
In the current invention, as the carrier assembly retracts, the lead carrier activates the support arm, swinging it into the spanning position so as to support the traverse cords and the tilt rod. As the carrier assembly extends, the lead carrier stows the support arm so that it does not interfere with the carrier train. Should the support arm be in the incorrect position, so that it is stowed when it should be spanning, the design of the present invention allows for the support arm and the carrier assembly to “bypass” each other, and yet be ready to properly cooperate with each other to engage the support arm in the right place and at the right time the next time the carrier assembly traverses the blind.
The support arm assembly has a ramp, and, in the event that the support arm is already in the stowed position when the carrier assembly is extending (when the support arm should have been in the spanning position instead of the stowed position), the lead carrier guide activating post will move up and over the support arm ramp to bypass the support arm, but will activate the arm when it passes back (retracts) during the next cycle. In the event that the support arm is already in the spanning position when the carrier assembly is retracting (when the support arm should have been in the stowed position instead of the spanning position), the support arm will bring the carrier train to a complete stop. The holding force of the support arm is strong enough to stop the carrier train and to cause the operator to traverse the blind back to the closed position, which will cause the next carrier to reset the support arm to the correct, stowed position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vertical blind head rail mechanism incorporating a support arm made in accordance with the present invention, shown in the position when the carriers have traversed to the closed position;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the vertical blind head rail mechanism of FIG. 1 with a support arm in the spanning position as the carriers have traversed to the open position;
FIG. 3 is a partially broken away, exploded perspective view of the support arm and the head rail of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is the same view as FIG. 3, but with the support arm partially inserted into the head rail;
FIG. 5 is the same view as FIG. 4, but showing the support arm finally secured to the head rail;
FIG. 6 is a broken away sectional view along line 6 — 6 of FIG. 5, showing the support arm before it has been finally secured to the head rail;
FIG. 7 is the same view as FIG. 6, but showing the support arm after it has been finally secured to the head rail;
FIG. 8 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train of FIG. 1 as it traverses open (retracts) and just prior to activating the support arm;
FIG. 9 is the same view as FIG. 8, except that the carrier train has retracted far enough to activate the support arm such that the support arm spans the head rail;
FIG. 10 is the same view as FIGS. 8 and 9, except that the carrier train has retracted even further, leaving behind the support arm in the activated position, spanning the head rail opening;
FIG. 11 is the same view as FIG. 10, as the carrier train starts traversing back to the closed position (extending), showing the support arm in the activated position spanning the head rail;
FIG. 12 is the same view as FIG. 11, except that the carrier train has extended to the point where it is just ready to engage the support arm so as to swing it to the stowed position;
FIG. 13 is the same view as FIGS. 11 and 12, except that the carrier train has extended even further, leaving behind the support arm in the stowed position, no longer spanning the head rail opening;
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of the support arm depicted in all the previous figures, clearly showing the ramp used to allow the lead carrier in the carrier train to “bypass” the support arm when the support arm is incorrectly in the stowed position when it should be in the spanning position;
FIG. 15 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train of FIG. 2 as it extends just prior to encountering the support arm in an incorrect, stowed position when it should be in the spanning position;
FIG. 16 is the same view as FIG. 15 but with the lead carrier moving further in the closed position, showing how the lead carrier of the carrier train rides up the ramp of the support arm so as to “bypass” the support arm if the arm is incorrectly in the stowed position when it should be in the spanning position;
FIG. 17 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train of FIG. 1 as it retracts, just prior to encountering the support arm in an incorrect, spanning position when it should be in the stowed position;
FIG. 18 is the same view as FIG. 17, showing how a second carrier is about to engage the support arm, which is in an incorrect, spanning position, so as to place it in its correct, stowed position;
FIG. 19 is the same view as FIGS. 17 and 18, showing how the second carrier has swung the support arm into its correct, stowed position;
FIG. 20 is a broken away perspective view of the head rail of FIG. 5, showing the placement of a screwdriver in order to unlock the support arm from the head rail;
FIG. 21 is a sectional view along line 21 — 21 of FIG. 20;
FIG. 22 is the same view as FIG. 21, showing the motion required of the support arm in order to unlock it from the head rail;
FIG. 23 is the same view as FIGS. 21 and 22, showing the support arm in the now unlocked position, ready to be repositioned or removed;
FIG. 24 is a perspective view of the top of the base portion of the support arm mechanism of FIG. 14;
FIG. 25 is a perspective view of the bottom of the base of FIG. 24;
FIG. 26 is a side view of the base of FIG. 24;
FIG. 27 is a perspective view of the top of the swing arm portion of the support arm of FIG. 14;
FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the bottom of the swing arm of FIG. 27;
FIG. 29 is an exploded end view depicting the initial step in the installation of a second embodiment of a support arm made in accordance with the present invention into a head rail;
FIG. 30 is the same view as FIG. 29 but with the support arm properly aligned with and ready to be snapped into the profile of the head rail;
FIG. 31 is the same view as FIGS. 29 and 30 but with the support arm finally installed onto the head rail;
FIG. 32 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train for the second embodiment arm of FIG. 29, as it traverses open, just prior to activating the support arm;
FIG. 33 is a the same view as FIG. 32, except that the carrier train has traversed open enough to activate the support arm such that the support arm spans the head rail;
FIG. 34 is the same view as FIGS. 32 and 33, except that the carrier train has traversed open even further, leaving behind the support arm in the activated position, spanning the head rail opening;
FIG. 35 is the same view as FIG. 34, as the carrier train starts traversing back to the closed position, showing the support arm in the activated position spanning the head rail;
FIG. 36 is the same view as FIG. 35, except that the carrier train has traversed closed to the point where it is just ready to engage the support arm so as to swing it to the stowed position;
FIG. 37 is the same view as FIGS. 35 and 36, except that the carrier train has traversed closed even further, leaving behind the support arm in the stowed position, no longer spanning the head rail opening;
FIG. 38 is a perspective view of the support arm of FIG. 37, clearly showing the ramp used to allow the lead carrier in the carrier train to bypass the support arm when the support arm is incorrectly in the stowed position when it should be in the spanning position
FIG. 39 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train of FIG. 35 as it traverses closed just prior to encountering the support arm in an incorrect, stowed position, with the major portion of the swing arm facing away from the oncoming carrier train, when the support arm should be in the spanning position;
FIG. 40 is the same view as FIG. 39, showing how the lead carrier of the carrier train rides up the ramp of the support arm so as to bypass the support arm when the arm is incorrectly in the stowed position;
FIG. 41 is a broken away perspective view of the carrier train of FIG. 35 as it traverses closed just prior to encountering the support arm in an incorrect, stowed position, with the major portion of the swing arm facing toward the oncoming carrier train, when the support arm should be in the spanning position;
FIG. 42 is the same view as FIG. 41, showing how the lead carrier engages, partially swings, and then bypasses the swing arm which was incorrectly stowed as shown in FIG. 41, readying it for final placement in the correct position by the second carrier coming behind the lead carrier;
FIG. 43 is a schematic view showing how the lead carrier post of FIG. 42 rides up and over the swing arm so as to bypass it after it has partially engaged it;
FIG. 44 is the same view as FIG. 42 but showing how the second carrier is about to engage the swing arm to finish its rotation to the fully and correct stowed position;
FIG. 45 is the same view as FIGS. 42 and 44, but showing how the second carrier has swung the support arm into its correct stowed position;
FIG. 46 is a side view of the base portion of the support arm of FIG. 38;
FIG. 47 is a perspective view of the base of FIG. 46;
FIG. 48 is a perspective view of the top of the swing arm portion of the support arm of FIG. 38;
FIG. 49 is a perspective view of the bottom of the swing arm of FIG. 38;
FIG. 50 is a perspective view of the top of an alternate embodiment of the base portion of a support arm;
FIG. 51 is a perspective view of the bottom of the base of FIG. 50;
FIG. 52 is a side view of the base of FIG. 50;
FIG. 53 is a broken away perspective view of a head rail, showing the placement of a screwdriver in order to unlock the support arm from the head rail when using the alternate embodiment base portion of FIG. 50;
FIG. 54 is a sectional view along line 54 — 54 of FIG. 53;
FIG. 55 is the same view as FIG. 54, showing the motion required of the screwdriver and the support arm in order to unlock it from the head rail; and,
FIG. 56 is the same view as FIGS. 54 and 55, showing the support arm in the now unlocked position, ready to be repositioned or removed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIG. 1, the blind 10 includes a head rail 12 , and a plurality of vanes (not shown) suspended from the head rail 12 by means of carriers 14 on a carrier train that rides on and is supported by an internal profile 16 (See FIG. 3) of the head rail 12 . A tilt rod 18 runs through, and is supported by, the carrier train. As the tilt rod 18 is rotated, it causes carrier hooks 15 on the carriers 14 to rotate and thus “tilt” the vanes open or closed, as is known in the art. Also running in the head rail 12 space are the traverse cords 20 , which are used to traverse the carrier train open (retracted) and closed (extended).
When the vanes are traversed closed (extended), as shown in FIG. 1, the carrier train itself supports both the tilt rod 18 and the traverse cords 20 such that they are held in place within the head rail 12 space and they do not droop below the open bottom of the head rail 12 space to become unsightly and possibly cause operational problems. A support arm 30 may therefore safely be stowed away, parked along the side of the head rail 12 , out of the way of the carrier train.
When the vanes are traversed open (retracted), as shown in FIG. 2, the lead carrier 14 A retreats, leaving a progressively longer unsupported gap through which the traverse cords 20 , and even the tilt rod 18 may droop. To avoid this condition, the support arm 30 is swung into its spanning position, by the lead carrier 14 A, across the bottom portion of the head rail 12 . As the lead carrier 14 A retreats further, the support arm 30 remains behind, spanning the head rail 12 , and providing a support for the traverse cords 20 and the tilt rod 18 , to prevent them from drooping below the head rail 12 space.
Referring now to FIG. 14, the support arm mechanism 30 includes a mounting base 32 and a swing arm 34 , which pivots relative to the base 32 . FIGS. 24, 25 , and 26 show the mounting base 32 in greater detail. The mounting base 32 is a substantially rectangular piece which is relatively flat on its top surface and which has four appendages projecting from its bottom surface.
The first of the appendages 36 is located at a first end 56 of the mounting base 32 and approximately on the longitudinal centerline of the base 32 , and it has a small barb 38 on its unattached end, which is used to lock the mounting base onto the head rail 12 with an interference fit, as will be explained later. This first appendage 36 also serves to locate the mounting base 32 relative to the head rail 12 .
The second appendage 42 , like the first appendage 36 , is aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the base 32 . It is located approximately halfway between the first and second ends 56 , 58 of the base 32 and is mushroom-shaped with a flat cap 44 used to hold the mounting base 32 in the “U” shaped channel profile 46 of the head rail 12 (See FIGS. 3 - 5 ). This appendage 42 also provides a stop for the swing arm 34 when moving to the spanning position, and, as will be explained later, this second appendage 42 is also instrumental in locking the support arm 30 to the head rail 12 when the swing arm is incorrectly in the spanning position and the carrier train is retracting.
The third appendage 48 is located approximately halfway between the second appendage 42 and the second end 58 of the base 32 , and it is aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the base 32 . It is a short cylinder with flared out, tapered flanges 49 at its unattached end for the purpose of securing the swing arm 34 , as will be described later. A small ridge 50 with a triangular profile runs perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the base 32 , at the attached end of this appendage 48 , the purpose of which is also explained later. This cylindrical appendage 48 is longer than the thickness of the swing arm 34 , but shorter than the distance from the mounting base 32 to the flat cap 44 of the second appendage 42 .
A fourth appendage 52 is located at the second end 58 of the base 32 and is also aligned with the longitudinal centerline of the base 32 . Like the second appendage 42 , it is mushroom-shaped with a flat cap 54 , which fits in the “U” shaped channel profile 46 of the head rail 12 (See FIGS. 3 - 5 ). This appendage 52 also provides a stop for the swing arm 34 when moving to the stowed position.
FIGS. 27 and 28 show the swing arm portion 34 of the support arm mechanism 30 . The swing arm 34 is L-shaped, including a major, long arm portion 60 , which actually spans across the head rail 12 and a lateral projection or short arm 61 extending perpendicular to the major long arm portion 60 at one end. There is a pivot point hole 62 at the intersection of the two arms 60 , 61 of the “L”.This pivot point hole 62 has an inside diameter just slightly larger than the outside diameter of the third appendage 48 of the mounting base 32 , such that this third appendage 48 snaps into the hole 62 of the swing arm 34 , allowing the swing arm 34 to swing from the stowed to the spanning position and back. The tapered flanges 49 on the third appendage 48 get squeezed together as the pivot point hole 62 passes over them, and then snap back out effectively pivotally securing the swing arm 34 in place. There are four shallow depressions 64 on the upper surface of the swing arm 34 extending from the pivot point hole 62 , and running parallel to both legs 60 , 61 of the “L” shaped swing arm 34 . These shallow depressions 64 have a triangular profile, which matches the triangular profile of the ridges 50 found at the attached end of the third appendage 48 . Thus, when the swing arm 34 pivots around this third appendage 48 , there are two positions, corresponding to the fully stowed and the fully spanning positions of the swing arm 34 , when the ridges 50 mate with the shallow depressions 64 to secure the swing arm 34 in place. An extra measure of force is required to break loose the swing arm 34 from the secured position, and the swing arm 34 will tend to remain in one of these two secured positions, thus helping to ensure that the swing arm 34 is either fully stowed or fully spanning across the head rail 12 .
At the inner corner of the intersection of the two legs 60 , 61 of the “L” shaped swing arm 34 there are a recess 66 and a tip 68 . At the end of the lateral projection or short leg 61 of the “L” shaped swing arm 34 , and running parallel to the major portion of long leg 60 on the top surface of the swing arm 34 , there is a ramp 70 , which has a minimum thickness at the outer edge of the short leg and a maximum thickness at the inner edge where it meets the recess 66 and the tip 68 .
The swing arm 34 is mounted onto the mounting base 32 by snapping the pivot point hole 62 over the flared out flanges 49 of the third appendage 48 , so that the upper face of the swing arm 34 (with the depressions 64 ) is in contact with the lower face of the mounting base 32 (with the ridges 50 ). As the swing arm 34 bottoms out on the third appendage 48 , the flared out flanges 49 spring back out just enough to secure the swing arm 34 onto the third appendage 48 , while still allowing the swing arm 34 to swing around its pivot point hole 62 from a stowed to a spanning position and back again. While in the fully stowed position (as in FIG. 14 ), the major, long leg 60 of the swing arm 34 abuts the stem of the fourth appendage 52 which thus acts as a stop, and one set of depressions 64 on the swing arm 34 mates with the ridges 50 on the mounting base 32 , thus securing the swing arm 34 in that fully stowed position, preventing the swing arm from accidentally drifting from that fully stowed position. Likewise, while in the fully spanning position (as shown in FIG. 10 ), the tip 68 of the swing arm 34 abuts the stem of the second appendage 42 which thus acts as a stop, and one set of depressions 64 on the swing arm 34 mates with the ridges 50 on the mounting base 32 , thus securing the swing arm 34 in that fully spanning position, preventing the swing arm from accidentally drifting from that fully spanning position.
FIGS. 3-7 show how the support arm 30 is mounted onto the head rail 12 of a vertical blind. Once the swing arm 34 and the mounting base 32 have been assembled together, the swing arm assembly 30 is mounted onto the “U” shaped profile 46 of the head rail 12 (See FIGS. 3, 4 , and 5 ) by sliding the stems of the aligned appendages 42 , and 52 between the “legs” of the “U” shaped profile 46 . The support arm 30 is pushed or slid along the channel or recess 46 until it reaches the desired location (See FIG. 5 ), and then pressure is exerted against the first appendage 36 of the base 32 so as to pinch this appendage 36 against the channel 46 (See FIGS. 6 and 7 ). This pinching action forces the barb 38 at the end of the first appendage 36 of the base 32 to snap into the channel profile 46 with an interference fit, thus locking the support arm 30 in place.
If the support arm 30 needs to be removed or repositioned (See FIGS. 20 - 23 ), a tool 72 , such as screwdriver blade, is pressed against the side of the mounting base 32 so as to push the mounting base 32 against the head rail 12 . This motion moves the first appendage 36 of the base 32 just far enough to the side to free the barb 38 from the channel 46 . As the barb pops free, the first appendage 36 springs out of the channel 46 , and the mounting base 32 of the support arm 30 slides readily along the channel 46 either to be completely removed from the head rail 12 or to be repositioned along the head rail 12 .
FIGS. 8, 9 , and 10 show the operation of the support arm 30 as the carrier train opens the blind (retracts) and the support arm 30 has been installed properly. In FIG. 8, the support arm 30 is in the fully stowed position with the major portion of the support arm 30 parallel to the path of travel of the carriers, as the lead carrier 14 A is about to engage the support arm 30 to move it to the spanning position. Unlike the other carriers 14 , the lead carrier 14 A has two engaging posts 74 projecting downwardly. The engaging post 74 adjacent to the side of the head rail 12 on which the support arm 30 is mounted is positioned so it just slides past the side of the support arm 30 , except at the ramp 70 and tip 68 of lateral projection, which lie in the direct path of that engaging post 74 . When that engaging post 74 reaches the tip 68 of the swing arm's lateral projection, the post 74 makes contact with the tip 68 and pushes against it, as shown in FIG. 8 . As the lead carrier 14 A continues its travel, the engaging post 74 pushes hard enough against the tip 68 to cause the swing arm 34 to rotate 90 degrees (See FIG. 9 ). In this new position, the swing arm 34 is spanning across the head rail 12 , and the tip 68 has moved so that the engaging post 74 (and therefore also the lead carrier 14 A together with the rest of the carrier train) may continue on its travel to retract the vanes of the blind (See FIG. 10 ). At this point, the tip 68 of the swing arm 34 abuts the stem of the second appendage 42 which thus acts as a stop, and one set of depressions 64 on the swing arm 34 mates with the ridges 50 on the mounting base 32 , thus securing the swing arm 34 in that fully spanning position, preventing the swing arm 34 from accidentally drifting from that fully spanning position. In the spanning position, the swing arm 34 is supported at both ends by the head rail channels 46 and helps support the traverse cords 20 and the tilt rod 18 so they will not droop down below the head rail 12 space.
FIGS. 11, 12 , and 13 show the operation of the support arm 30 as the carrier train moves in the direction to close the blind (extended), when the support arm 30 has been installed properly. In FIG. 11, the support arm mechanism 30 is in the fully spanning position as the lead carrier 14 A is moving to the right to close the vanes of the blind. In FIG. 12, the lead carrier 14 A is about to engage the swing arm 34 to move it to the fully stowed position. The engaging post 74 just misses the tip 68 and instead slides into the recess 66 of the swing arm 34 . As the lead carrier 14 A continues its travel, the engaging post 74 pushes hard enough against the swing arm 34 to cause the swing arm 34 to rotate 90 degrees (See FIG. 13 ), back to its stowed position. In this new position, the swing arm 34 is fully stowed along the side of the head rail 12 , and the recess 66 has moved so that the engaging post 74 (and therefore also the lead carrier 14 A together with the rest of the carrier train) may continue on its travel to open the vanes of the blind.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show the operation of the blind as the carrier train moves to the closed position (extends) and the swing arm 34 is in an incorrect position, being stowed when it should be spanning the head rail 12 . In FIG. 15, the swing arm 34 is in the fully stowed position (when it should be spanning) as the lead carrier 14 A is moving to close the vanes of the blind. FIG. 16 shows how the engaging post 74 of the lead carrier 14 A rides up the ramp 70 of the lateral projection 61 of the swing arm 34 and passes over the lateral projection or short leg 61 . The lead carrier 14 A thus bypasses the swing arm 34 , leaving it in the correct position for the next cycle when the carrier train opens the blind.
FIGS. 17, 18 , and 19 show the operation of the blind as the carrier train opens the blind (retracts) and the swing arm 34 is in an incorrect position, spanning across the head rail 12 when it should be fully stowed. In FIG. 17, the swing arm 34 is in the spanning position (when it should be fully stowed) as the lead carrier 14 A is moving to open the vanes of the blind. The mounting base 32 of the support arm 30 is securely anchored to the head rail 12 , as explained earlier, and the swing arm 34 is securely pivotably mounted to the mounting base 32 . The swing arm 34 cannot pivot in the direction in which the lead carrier 14 A is moving, because the lateral projection or short leg 61 and the tip 68 abut the stem of the second appendage 42 from the base 32 . Therefore, when the carrier hook 15 of the lead carrier 14 A hits against the improperly positioned swing arm 34 of the support arm mechanism 30 , the lead carrier 14 A and the entire carrier train will come to a standstill. Any further pulling by the operator to force the carrier train to traverse will cause the carrier hook 15 to push harder against the swing arm 34 . This in turn causes the tip 68 of the swing arm 34 to push harder against the second appendage 42 , which causes the second appendage 42 to bind in the track opening 46 and wedge itself to prevent sliding motion of the support arm 30 along the track opening 46 .
In order to free the carrier train, the operator will reverse the direction of the carrier train, moving the blind back toward a closed position (See FIG. 18 ). When this happens, the carrier hook 15 of the next carrier 14 hits against the swing arm 34 but moving in the opposite direction (since the carrier train is now traveling to close the vanes of the blind), and the swing arm 34 swings to the fully stowed position (See FIG. 19 ), leaving it in the correct position for the next cycle when the carrier train moves to close the blind.
Alternate Embodiment of the Support Arm:
FIGS. 29-49 show an alternate embodiment of a vertical blind which includes an alternate support arm mechanism 130 . As in the previous embodiment, this support arm mechanism 130 (See FIG. 38) has a mounting base 132 and a swing arm 134 which is mounted to and pivots about the mounting base 132 . Even though the operating concept of this support arm mechanism 130 is very similar to that already described for the support arm 30 , there are some differences which are described below.
FIGS. 46 and 47 show the mounting base 132 of the support arm 130 . This mounting base 132 has a trapezoidal-shaped recess 136 with two barbed ends 138 , which are used to mount the base 132 to the head rail 112 as will be explained later. Directly above the recess 136 is a cylindrically-shaped upwardly projecting appendage 140 with flared flanges 142 , used for mounting the swing arm 134 onto the mounting base 132 in the same manner as was described for the first embodiment. A flexible, hooked arm 144 projects from one side of the base 132 and is used to further secure the swing arm 134 onto the mounting base 132 and to provide stops for the swing arm 134 in the fully stowed and the spanning positions, as will be described later. The hooked arm 144 has a small rib 146 , the purpose of which will also be described later.
The swing arm 134 (See FIGS. 48 and 49) is a straight arm with a pointed end 148 and a rounded end 150 which forms a semi-circle. At the center of the rounded end 150 is a pivot point hole 162 with a diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of the appendage 140 of the mounting base 132 and slightly smaller than the diameter of the flanged end 142 of the appendage 140 . The semicircular edge of the end 150 terminates in laterally projecting tips 164 which define recesses 166 . Just in front of these recesses 166 are laterally-extending wedge-shaped ramp projections 170 with a maximum height at the end closest to the recesses 166 , and minimum height at the end furthest from the recesses 166 , the purpose of which will be explained later. The semi-circular edge of the end 150 also has a small indentation 168 half-way between the two projecting tips 164 , as well as indentations 169 just before each of the projecting tips 164 . Finally, the top of the semi-circular edge of the end 150 ramps up from a minimum thickness at the outermost edge to a maximum thickness to form a wedge-shaped ramp edge 172 , best seen in FIG. 38 .
The swing arm 134 is assembled to the mounting base 132 (as shown in FIG. 38) by snapping the appendage 140 of the base 132 through the pivot point hole 162 of the swing arm 134 , until the swing arm 134 bottoms out on the base 132 and the flared out flanges 142 snap back out to lock the swing arm 134 in place while still allowing the swing arm 134 to pivot from a fully stowed to a fully spanning position. The flexible, hooked arm 144 snaps over the semi-circular end 150 of the swing arm 134 . The radius of the semi-circular end 150 is such that the rib 146 on the hooked arm 144 interferes slightly with the circumference of the semi-circular end 150 except when the rib 146 is aligned with the indentation 168 on the semi-circular end 150 (corresponding to the spanning position of the swing arm 134 as shown in FIG. 34 ), or when the rib 146 is aligned with one of the two indentations 169 proximate one of the projecting tips 164 (corresponding to a fully stowed position of the swing arm 134 as shown in FIG. 38 ). When the swing arm 134 is in one of these three positions, the rib 146 mates with one of the indentations 168 , 169 thus acting to secure the swing arm 134 in that position.
FIGS. 29-31 show the mounting of the support arm 130 onto a head rail 112 which has two brackets 112 A on which the carrier train (not shown) rides. A projecting rail 112 B is utilized for mounting and locking the support arm 130 on the head rail 112 . The support arm 130 is brought into the head rail 112 space as shown in FIG. 29 . The support arm 130 is aligned with the head rail 112 such that the trapezoidal-shaped recess 136 on the mounting base 132 is directly above the projecting rail 112 B of the head rail 112 . The support arm 130 is then pushed down until the mounting base 132 snaps into the projecting rail 112 B, where the barbed ends 138 grip and lock the support arm 130 into place on the head rail 112 . When the swing arm 134 is in the spanning position, the free end of the swing arm 134 rests on the projecting rail 112 C of the head rail 112 .
FIGS. 32, 33 , and 34 show the operation of the support arm 130 as the carrier train moves to open the blind and the swing arm 134 is in the proper position. In FIG. 32, the swing arm 134 is in the fully stowed position as the lead carrier 114 A is about to engage the swing arm 134 to move it to the spanning position. Unlike the other carriers 114 , the lead carrier 114 A has two downwardly projecting engaging posts 174 . One of these engaging posts 174 is positioned so it just slides past the side of the swing arm 134 , except that the tip 164 of the swing arm 134 is in the direct path of that engaging post 174 . When that engaging post 174 reaches the tip 164 of the swing arm 134 , the post 174 makes contact with the tip 164 and pushes against it. As the lead carrier 114 A continues its travel, the engaging post 174 pushes hard enough to cause the swing arm 134 to rotate 90 degrees (See FIG. 33 ). In this new position, the swing arm 134 is spanning across the head rail 112 and the tip 164 has moved so that the engaging post 174 (and therefore also the lead carrier 1 14 A together with the rest of the carrier train) may continue on its travel to draw the vanes of the blind (See FIG. 34 ). The rear indentation 168 on the edge of the semi-circular end 150 of the swing arm 134 mates with the rib 146 of the hooked arm 144 of the mounting base 132 , thus securing the swing arm 134 in that fully spanning position, preventing the swing arm 134 from accidentally drifting from that fully spanning position. In the spanning position, the swing arm 134 remains in position and helps support the traverse cords 20 and the tilt rod 18 so they will not droop down below the head rail 112 space.
FIGS. 35, 36 , and 37 show the operation of the support arm 130 as the carrier train moves to close the blind and the swing arm 134 is in its proper spanning position. In FIG. 35, the swing arm 134 is in the fully spanning position, as the lead carrier 114 A is moving to close the vanes of the blind. In FIG. 36, the lead carrier 114 A is about to engage the support arm 130 to move it to the fully stowed position. The nearest engaging post 174 will just miss the tip 164 and will instead slide into the recess 166 of the swing arm 134 . As the lead carrier 114 A continues its travel, the engaging post 174 pushes hard enough to cause the swing arm 134 to rotate 90 degrees (See FIG. 37 ). In this new position, the swing arm 134 is fully stowed along the side of the head rail 112 , and the side recess 166 engages the rib 146 . The engaging post 174 (and therefore also the lead carrier 11 4 A together with the rest of the carrier train) may now continue on its travel to close the vanes of the blind.
FIGS. 39 and 40 show the operation of the support arm 130 as the carrier train moves to close the blind and the swing arm 134 is in an incorrect position, being stowed (with the swing arm 134 pointing in the direction of travel of the lead carrier 114 A) when it should be spanning the head rail 112 . In FIG. 39, the swing arm 134 is in the fully stowed position (when it should be spanning) as the lead carrier 114 A is moving to close the vanes of the blind. FIG. 40 shows how the engaging post 174 of the lead carrier 114 A rides up the ramp 172 of the swing arm 134 , so that, in fact, the engaging post 174 rides past the projecting tip 164 of the swing arm 134 . The lead carrier 114 A thus bypasses the support arm 130 , leaving it in the correct position for the next cycle when the carrier train moves to open the blind.
FIGS. 41 through 45 show the operation of the support arm 130 as the carrier train moves to close the blind and the swing arm 134 is in an incorrect position, being stowed (with the swing arm 134 pointing in the direction opposite the direction of travel of the lead carrier 114 A) when it should be spanning the head rail 112 .
In FIG. 41, the carrier train is traversing closed and is about to encounter the incorrectly stowed arm support 130 . In FIG. 42, the lead carrier 114 A has made contact with the support arm 130 . The engaging post 174 of the lead carrier 114 A slides up the ramp 170 (See FIG. 48) on the swing arm and begins to swing the swing arm 134 across the head rail 112 space. However, the swing arm 134 will only swing through a 45 degree angle before the leading edge of the swing arm 134 hits the rear of the lead carrier hook (See FIG. 42) at the point labeled “D”.The engaging post 174 then rides up and over the swing arm 134 in a step-wise manner, as illustrated in FIG. 43, using the rise in height gained from riding up the ramp 70 to overcome the second height of the projecting arm 164 .
FIG. 44 illustrates how the swing arm 134 remains at a 45 degree angle, partially spanning the head rail after the lead carrier 11 4 A has passed the support arm 130 . The next carrier 114 then engages the swing arm 134 and finishes pivoting it for a full, combined rotation of 180 degrees (approximately 45 degrees caused by the lead carrier 114 A, and the balance caused by the next carrier 114 ), until the support arm 130 is once again in the fully stowed position, but this time facing in the correct direction so it may be engaged to the spanning position the next time the carrier train traverses open.
Finally, the situation may arise where the swing arm 134 is in the spanning position when it should be in the fully stowed position. In this instance, regardless of the direction of travel of the carrier train, the first carrier 114 , 114 A to come in contact with the swing arm 134 pushes the swing arm 134 to a fully stowed position either into the correct orientation (with the swing arm 134 pointing in the direction of the carrier train in the closed position) or into an incorrect orientation (with the swing arm 134 pointing in the direction of the carrier train in the open position). In the first instance, the swing arm 134 is correctly oriented for when the carrier train traverses to open the blind. In the second instance, the swing arm 134 is incorrectly oriented but will be correctly reoriented via the mechanism described in the previous three paragraphs above (and illustrated in FIGS. 41 - 45 ).
FIGS. 50-52 depict an alternate embodiment of a mounting base 32 B which may be used instead of the mounting base 32 of the support arm 30 of FIG. 14 . This alternate mounting base 32 B is identical to the mounting base 32 already described, except it has one more appendage 40 B, and the barb 38 B on the first appendage 36 B is on the opposite side as compared to the barb 38 on the first appendage 36 of the mounting base 32 . Since these bases 32 , 32 B are practically identical, we will keep the same number designations for both, except that the number designations for the alternate base 32 B will all be followed by the letter “B” to differentiate them from the mounting base 32 already described.
The extra appendage 40 B is the only appendage which is not aligned with the other appendages. Instead, it sits to one side of the mounting base 32 B and just slightly forward of the first appendage 36 B, and its purpose, as will be explained in more detail later, is to provide a surface against which to pry a tool, such as a screwdriver, in order to release the lock provided by the barb 38 B of the first appendage 36 B, in the event that it becomes desirable to relocate or remove the support arm 30 B from the head rail 12 . This extra appendage 40 B and its function in releasing the support arm 30 B from the head rail 12 , and the location of the barb 38 B on the first appendage 36 B are the only differences between this alternate embodiment of the support arm 30 B and the previously described support arm 30 . The assembly, installation, and operation remain identical; the only difference is in the removal or relocation of the support arm 30 B as is described below.
If the support arm 30 B needs to be removed or repositioned (See FIGS. 53 - 56 ), a tool 72 , such as screwdriver blade, is inserted between the channel 46 and the extra appendage 40 B of the mounting base 32 B. The tool 72 is used to pry the mounting base 32 B away from the channel 46 just enough to allow the barb 38 B of the first appendage 36 B to slide out from the channel 46 and thus disengage the locking mechanism. The support arm 30 B is now free to slide along the channel 46 either to be completely removed from the head rail 12 or to be repositioned along the head rail 12 .
It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that modifications may be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention.
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A shaft support for vertical blinds wherein a swing arm automatically extends to span the head rail space in order to support the cords and tilt rod in the head rail as the carrier assembly retracts to open the blind. This swing arm automatically stows away along the head rail when the carrier assembly extends to close the blind so as not to interfere with the motion of the carrier assembly. The automatic operation of this shaft support is such that the mechanism is self correcting in the event that it is installed incorrectly or that it is accidentally moved to an incorrect position during operation.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an opening apparatus for a gas pressure container for inflating an airbag comprising a housing that is securely connected to the container at the discharge opening thereof. A sealing element seals the discharge opening and is supported by a pressure piece on a counterbearing against the opening forces acting on the sealing element via the gas pressure in the container. A tripping device is provided that when tripped or activated removes the support for the sealing element so that the discharge opening is opened by the gas pressure in the container and the airbag is inflated. The support of the sealing element is stable independent of the tripping element.
Such an opening apparatus is known from DE 195 40 618 A1. The discharge opening of the pressure container is closed by means of a sealing element that is supported on a counterbearing fixed in the housing for supporting the gas forces via a pressure member. The pressure member has a pyrotechnic charge that destroys the counterbearing when ignited and thus removes the support for the sealing element. The sealing element is now destroyed by the gas pressure in the container and the airbag attached to the housing is inflated by the gas flowing out.
Known from DE 197 27 047 is filling the gas pressure container with an inert gas, e.g., at least one gas from the nitrogen, argon, and helium group. The gas pressure containers thus filled are closed by a bursting disk that is joined to the gas pressure container and that is opened by the explosion pressure of a pyrotechnic charge.
The filled gas pressure containers are manufactured by suppliers and shipped to end users. The gas pressure containers ready for shipping contain operational opening apparatuses, each comprising a pyrotechnic charge, which is why cautious handling is necessary during manufacture, shipping, and final installation in order to avoid inadvertent actuation of the apparatus.
In addition, it has been determined that gases stored in the gas pressure container must be present in a particular mix in order to ensure rapid and correct inflation of the airbag without mechanical damage.
The object of the invention is to further develop an apparatus of the aforementioned type such that it is assured that the airbag will open immediately regardless of the gases used and without the inflating process causing mechanical damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the housing, which is open on opposing ends, comprises a principal member that is connected to the pressure container, wherein the open ends can be closed off by end plates, and wherein the tripping or triggering device is in the form of a separate unit that is independently mountable on the housing and is held in one of the end plates.
The throttling means is provided in the direction of discharge of the gases in front of the discharge opening in the gas pressure container, and the reason for this is two-fold. First, the discharge opening can have a large diameter, which means that the gas pressure acts on a correspondingly large surface area and large opening forces are available that provide explosion-type opening of the pressure container when the pressure piece is absent. In contrast, the discharge speed of the gas is determined by the throttling means, which is selected according to the gas filling and installed securely when the container is manufactured. Preferably the pressure container is filled with an inert gas, especially helium or a helium mix, the discharge speed of the gas being constructively pre-determined by the throttling means. Helium is not highly temperature sensitive; its flow speed is high because of its low molecular weight and the flow speed can be adapted with the throttling means to the airbag to be filled.
In a further development of the invention the tripping device embodies a unit separate from the housing that is independently mountable. Since the support for the sealing element is stable independent of the tripping device, the opening apparatus can be preassembled with the gas pressure container without the tripping device. It is useful for the housing to remain open on opposing sides so that if the sealing element is inadvertently opened the gas under pressure flows out of equivalent opening areas on opposing sides and the reaction forces are thus thrust-neutral. Thus the gas pressure container moves only slightly or does not move at all so that a high degree of safety is achieved during pre-assembly, shipping, and final assembly without additional complexity. The tripping device is pre-assembled separate from the opening apparatus and the gas pressure container. The opening apparatus for the gas pressure container is not provided the tripping device until final assembly, when the overall arrangement is made operational. By this time, however, the gas pressure container is securely mounted so that thrust forces that occur due to discharging gases are captured.
Preferably the housing embodies a principal member that is joined to the pressure container and that comprises open ends that can be closed by end plates. The principal member can be closed for shipping by temporary end plates that each have discharge openings equal in size. This can assure that the opening apparatus in the housing is not damaged. The tripping device mounted in one end plate is not attached to the principal member until final assembly, wherein the end plate opposite the tripping device can have the necessary discharge openings for the fill gas for the airbag; it is useful for the airbag to be attached to this end plate.
In order to assure that the tripping device is installed in the correct position, the open edge of the end of the principal member engages in a groove in the end plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Additional features of the invention result from the additional claims, description, and drawing, in which the exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in detail in the following:
FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of a gas pressure container comprising an opening apparatus arranged at one end;
FIG. 2 is a perspective drawing in accordance with FIG. 1 with the opened housing of the opening apparatus;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of a first exemplary embodiment of the opening apparatus comprising a pyrotechnic tripping device;
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of a second embodiment of the opening apparatus comprising a thermoelectric tripping device;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of another principal member of a gas pressure container comprising a dual opening apparatus with an electric tripping device;
FIG. 6 illustrates a gas pressure container in accordance with FIG. 5 comprising a pyrotechnic tripping device;
FIG. 7 is a section through a gas pressure container comprising throttling means;
FIG. 8 is a partial section through a gas pressure container comprising an end cap opposing the discharge opening;
FIG. 9 is a radial section through the tripping device-in accordance with FIG. 8 .
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The gas pressure container I illustrated in FIG. 1 inflates an airbag 2 as employed, e.g., in motor vehicles.
As can be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, fastened to the central discharge opening 3 of the pressure container 1 is a housing 4 that is securely connected to the container 1 . The discharge opening 3 is preferably disposed coaxially with the central longitudinal axis 48 of the container 1 .
FIGS. 1, 2 , and 7 provide the structure of the housing 4 with greater precision, while FIGS. 3 through 6 merely contain sketches of the housing 4 and FIGS. 8 and 9 provide an alternative housing.
As illustrated particularly in FIG. 2, the housing 4 comprises a hollow principal member 5 comprising mutually opposing open ends 6 and 7 that are closed by means of the end plates 8 , 9 . As is evident from FIG. 1, the end plates 8 and 9 are larger than the ends 6 and 7 so that the end plates 8 and 9 overhang the principal member 5 . Provided in the overhanging segments 10 are through-holes 11 for arranging, connecting or tie-rods 12 . The end plates 8 and 9 are usefully embodied identically in terms of size such that the through-holes 11 of the mutually opposing end plates 8 and 9 are congruent and permit the arrangement of each tie 15 rod 12 . In order to assure positionally correct assembly of the end plates to the principal member 5 , a groove 13 is provided on the side of the end plates 8 and 9 facing the principal member 5 for the edge 14 of the open ends 6 and 7 . When the end plates 8 and 9 are assembled such that the ends 6 and 7 are closed, the edge 14 of the principal member 5 engages the groove 13 of each end plate and thereby assures positionally correct assembly with the principal member 5 . This arrangement also assures precisely-aligned, mutually correct positioning of the through-holes 11 for installing the tie-rods 12 . Three tie-rods 12 are provided around the circumference of the end plates 8 , 9 . One tie-rod 12 approximately intersects the center longitudinal axis 48 of the pressure container 1 in an extension of the pressure piece over the opening apparatus. The other two tie-rods 12 are disposed adjacent to the neck of the pressure container 1 to the left and right next to the housing 4 . All three tie-rods 12 are disposed parallel to the longitudinal central axis 45 of the housing 4 , which is perpendicular to the end plates 8 and 9 .
The discharge opening 3 of the gas pressure container 1 opens approximately centrally into the housing 4 , i.e., its principal member 5 , which is rectangular in cross-section in the exemplary embodiment illustrated. Other cross-sectional shapes of the principal member 5 can be advantageous (FIG. 8 ). In order to obtain thrust-neutrality when the end plates 8 and 9 are uninstalled, the housing 4 , i.e., principal member 5 , is open on opposing sides 6 , 7 . The open sides 6 , 7 preferably have the same area; the central axis perpendicular to each end 6 , 7 is coaxial with the longitudinal central axis 45 of the principal member 5 or housing 4 . The central longitudinal axis 48 of the pressure container 1 intersects the longitudinal central axis 45 of the housing 4 at a right angle.
The discharge opening 3 is closed by a sealing element 15 that is thin film in the exemplary embodiment illustrated and that is mounted on the side of the discharge opening 3 in the pressure container 1 that faces away from the housing 4 . The sealing element 15 is preferably attached pressure-proof to the container housing 17 in the region of the film edge 16 . Depending on the material the film is made of, its edge 16 can be joined or bonded to the container housing 17 .
The sealing element 15 on the side facing the housing 4 is adjacent to a support disk 18 that is placed in the discharge opening 3 .
The support disk 18 is disposed with radial play to the edge 19 of the discharge opening 3 , thus forming an annular gap 20 that is closed on the container side by the sealing element 15 . This annular gap 20 constitutes a pressure relief valve; the design of the annular gap is contrived in association with the material of the sealing element 15 such that at a prespecifiable pressure limit the sealing element 15 ruptures in the region of the annular gap so that the overpressure is discharged in a controlled manner through the annular gap 20 without the discharge opening 3 itself opening. FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a gas pressure container with no annular gap.
The support disk 18 is supported by a pressure piece 21 on a counterbearing or support 22 fixed in the housing so that the opening forces that act upon the sealing element 15 through the gas pressure in the container 1 are captured with certainty. The round end 23 of the pressure piece 21 is situated in a corresponding concave bearing or support 24 in the support disk 18 , while the other end 25 of the pressure piece 21 has a slightly concave depressed rest 26 with which the pressure piece engages lightly on a bolt 27 constituting the counterbearing 22 . The bolt 27 is held in opposing holes 47 in the principal member 5 . The longitudinal axis 28 of the pressure piece 21 runs perpendicular to the support disk 18 and sealing element 15 , preferably runs through the axis of the bolt 27 , and coincides with the central longitudinal axis 48 of the container 1 .
Arranged transverse to the longitudinal axis 28 of the oblong, preferably cylindrical pressure piece 21 is a tripping or triggering device 30 that is mounted in an end plate 9 of the housing, as shown in FIG. 2 . The tripping device 30 together with the end plate 9 constitutes a unit 29 that is separate from the housing 4 and that can be installed independently.
The tripping device 30 essentially comprises an actuating piston 31 that is displaceably guided in a corresponding cylinder 32 transverse to the longitudinal axis 28 , wherein arranged in the cylinder 32 is a pyrotechnic charge 33 that can be ignited electrically in a known manner. The actuating piston 31 , adjacent to the counterbearing bolt 27 in the region of the end 25 rests on the pressure piece 21 , wherein the longitudinal axis 34 of the cylinder 32 is preferably disposed at a right angle to the longitudinal axis 28 of the pressure piece 21 .
As can be appreciated from FIG. 3, the support of the sealing element 15 by means of the support disk 18 , the pressure piece 21 , and the counterbearing 22 is stable and independent of the tripping device 30 , the depressed rest 26 also contributing to this. The gas pressure container 1 can therefore be operationally pre-installed and filled without the arrangement of the tripping device 30 and without the pyrotechnic ignition charge 33 being arranged. This is advantageous during pre-assembly, shipping, and in final assembly. The end plate 9 with the tripping device 30 that contains the pyrotechnic charge 33 is not affixed to the principal member 5 in the manner described in the foregoing until final assembly, wherein the end plate 8 arranged at the other end 6 has discharge openings 35 through which the airbag 2 attached preferably to the end plate 8 is inflated.
Instead of the pyrotechnic charge 33 , a purely electric or thermoelectric tripping device 30 is provided in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 4 . Deviating from the support described in FIG. 3, the end 25 of the pressure piece 21 facing the bolt 27 inclines so that as a consequence of the forces acting in the direction of the arrows 36 on the pressure piece 21 , as a result of the inclined plane 37 on the end 25 of the pressure piece 21 , a resulting force 38 occurs which dislodges the pressure piece 21 from the counterbearing 22 . The resulting force 38 is intercepted by an electrically conducting, mechanically loadable wire 39 , wherein the wire 39 is fixed at one end in the pressure piece 21 by means of an insulating member 40 and is fixed at the other end in the housing 4 by means of an additional insulating member 40 . Soldered to the wire 39 are connecting cables 41 to the tripping device by means of which the wire 39 heats up in fractions of a second and is thus thermally weakened so that the wire 39 ruptures under the resulting force 38 , the end 25 of the pressure piece 21 is removed from the counterbearing 22 , and the sealing element 15 is no longer supported so that the gas pressure in the container 1 suddenly opens the sealing element 15 and the airbag 2 is inflated through the discharge openings 35 . It can be useful to embody the electrical tripping unit 30 like the pyrotechnic tripping unit 30 in FIG. 3 such that the unit is separate from the housing and can be installed independently.
The exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5 corresponds in principle to the tripping unit 30 described for the electric tripping unit in FIG. 4; identical reference numbers are therefore used for identical parts. The pressure gas container 1 in the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 5 comprises two round, separate individual containers; the housing 4 is provided in the center thereof. The torus-shaped ring has two discharge openings 3 and 3 a, wherein discharge opening 3 a is smaller than discharge opening 3 . Arranged sealing elements 15 and 15 a are supported in the same manner by support disks 18 and 18 a and pressure pieces 21 and 21 a against a common counterbearing 22 . Provided for each support is a separate holding wire 39 so that the discharge openings 3 , 3 a can be opened at different times.
In order to obtain favorable inflation characteristics in the airbag 2 , the discharge opening 3 a of the one container is advantageously opened first in order then, after an interval of time, to open the larger discharge opening 3 of the other container for finally inflating the airbag.
The exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 6 corresponds in principle to that in FIG. 5; identical reference numbers are therefore used for identical parts.
The two pressure pieces 21 and 21 a are arranged at a common counterbearing 22 , wherein support of each sealing element 15 and 15 a corresponds to an articulated lever and is stable without the arrangement of the pyrotechnic tripping device 30 . The ends 25 and 25 a of the pressure pieces 21 , 21 a have depressed rests 26 , 26 a as described for the exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 3 . The counterbearing 22 a is held movable in a longitudinal slot 42 of the housing 4 , the actuating piston 31 of the pyrotechnic tripping device 30 engaging at the counterbearing 22 a . When tripped, the piston pushes the counterbearing 22 a through the dead center of the articulated lever arrangement out of the illustrated stable position, wherein the support for each of the sealing elements 15 and 15 a is removed and the discharge openings 3 and 3 a are opened.
The exemplary embodiment in accordance with FIG. 7 corresponds in structure to that in FIG. 2; identical reference numbers are therefore used for identical parts. The principal member 5 constituting the housing 4 is joined to the neck of the pressure container 1 and has opposing open ends 6 and 7 . The end plate 9 has centering pins 42 . The support disk 18 is disposed with just a little play in the discharge opening 3 so that a film that is not very pressure resistant can be employed as sealing element 15 . Due to the small amount of play the support disk 18 has in the opening, the film is supported over substantially the entire opening cross-section of the discharge opening.
The opening cross-section, e.g., the diameter of the discharge opening 3 , is selected in terms of size such that the gas pressure acts on the support disk 18 with great opening force so that when tripped and the pressure piece 21 is pushed away, immediate explosive opening of the discharge opening 3 is assured.
Advantageously the pressure container is filled with a helium mixture, particularly however primarily helium or another suitable inert gas that is not highly temperature sensitive and that at the same storage pressure has a high inflation speed, which can be utilized advantageously for very brief airbag inflation times.
Throttling means 49 are provided in front of the discharge opening 3 in the pressure container 1 in the direction of discharge in order to preclude mechanical damage to the airbag with certainty. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the throttling means 49 is an apertured plate, wherein the throttle plate 49 is joined gas-tight to the container wall at its [the plate's ]exterior edge, preferably completely. The throttle orifice 50 is usefully disposed symmetrically to the center longitudinal axis 48 of the container housing 17 and particularly in line with the discharge opening 3 . The cross-section of the discharge opening 3 is larger, particularly larger by several times, than the cross-section of the throttle orifice 50 . In the exemplary embodiment a ratio of 3:1 has been selected; a ratio of about 8:1 is preferable.
The throttle plate 49 is situated approximately in the region of the tapering to the bottleneck at a distance d approximately parallel to the sealing element 15 and support plate 18 , so that formed in the bottleneck between the sealing element 15 and the throttle plate 49 is a pressure chamber 46 in which the same static pressure prevails as in the rest of the container housing 17 . After the discharge opening is opened, the pressure drops and is then determined by the gases flowing through the throttle orifice 50 . The distance d equals approximately half the diameter D of the throttle orifice 50 .
It is useful when the end plate 8 having the discharge openings 35 is provided a cup-shaped depression that projects into the airbag as a dome and that ensures its secure attachment
In the exemplary embodiment in FIGS. 8 and 9 the bottleneck comprising the throttle plate 49 and the discharge opening 3 and the sealing element 15 together with the principal housing 5 embody a pipe segment that is joined to a pressure container 1 at the one open end and that is closed at the other open end by means of a cap 8 a that can be screwed on and off, that has discharge openings 35 , and that projects like a dome into the airbag. The tripping device 30 is screwed as a component into the cylindrical wall of the pipe segment perpendicular to the central longitudinal axis 48 (FIG. 9 ), whereby the opening apparatus is complete.
The specification incorporates by reference the disclosure of priority document DE 197 39 375.6 of Sep. 9, 1997.
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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An opening apparatus for a gas pressure container for inflating an airbag is provided. A housing is fixedly connected to the container and communicates therewith via a discharge opening. The housing includes a principal member that has oppositely disposed open ends. A sealing element for initially sealing the discharge opening is supported by a pressure piece on a counterbearing against opening forces acting on the sealing element via gas pressure in the container. A triggering device is provided that when activated removes support for the sealing element so that the discharge opening is opened by gas pressure in the container for inflating the airbag. The triggering device is in the form of a separate unit that is independently mountable on the housing and is held n one of the end plates. Support of the sealing element is stable independently of the triggering device.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of prior application Ser. No. 10/755,163, filed Jan. 9, 2004, which is a divisional application of prior application Ser. No. 09/951,080, filed Sep. 13, 2001.
FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH
[0002] (Not Applicable)
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] This invention relates to arresting the forward motion of vehicles, such as aircraft overrunning a runway, and more particularly to arresting embodiments with improved resistance to jet blast and other potentially destructive forces.
[0004] The problem of aircraft overrunning the ends of runways, with the possibility of passenger injury and aircraft damage, is discussed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,885,025, “VEHICLE ARRESTING BED SYSTEMS” (which may be referred to as “the '025 patent”). That patent, together with U.S. Pat. No. 5,902,068, “VEHICLE ARRESTING UNIT FABRICATION METHOD” (the '068 patent) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,789,681, “ARRESTING MATERIAL TEST APPARATUS AND METHODS” (the '681 patent) describe arresting beds, units and fabrication methods, and testing based on application of cellular concrete for arresting purposes. The disclosures of the '025, '068 and '681 patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0005] By way of example, FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1 C provide top, side and end views of a vehicle arresting bed constructed of cellular concrete blocks for installation at the end of an airport runway. As more fully described in the '025 patent, an overrunning aircraft enters the bed via a sloped ramp and encounters an array of cellular concrete blocks of increasing height and compressive gradient strength. Such compressive gradient strengths and the bed geometry are predetermined to enable forward travel to be arrested, while minimizing the potential for passenger injury and aircraft damage. In these figures, vertical dimensions and individual block size are expanded for clarity. An actual arresting bed may have dimensions of the order of 150 feet in width, with a maximum height or thickness of 30 inches, and include thousands of blocks of four foot by four foot or four foot by eight foot horizontal dimensions.
[0006] Arresting beds constructed pursuant to the above patents, with installations at major airports, have been shown to be effective in safely stopping aircraft under actual emergency overrun conditions. For example, the arresting of an overrunning airliner at JFK International Airport by an arresting bed fabricated by the assignee of the present invention, was reported in the New York Times of May 13, 1999. However, in some applications, depending in part upon particular airport layout, the proximity of jet blast or other physical forces may give rise to deteriorating or destructive effects which could limit the useful life of an arresting bed. Material such as cellular concrete, when used in an arresting bed, must have limited strength to permit compressive failure of the concrete without destruction of the landing gear of an aircraft, for example. Thus, the requirement to limit the strength of compressible material used for arresting purposes, in turn may make the material susceptible to damage or destruction by sonic, pressure, vibrational, lift, projected gravel and other characteristics and effects of jet blast from nearby aircraft, as well as from other sources, such as objects, people or vehicles making contact with an arresting bed other than during actual arresting incidents. As to jet blast phenomena in particular, measured conditions at an end-of-runway arresting bed installation site have included wind velocities to 176 MPH and 150 dB or higher sonic levels.
[0007] Accordingly, objects of the present invention are to provide new and improved arresting blocks and beds, and methods relating thereto, which may have one or more of the following characteristics and capabilities:
[0008] predetermined performance during aircraft arrestment;
[0009] improved resistance to some or all jet blast phenomena;
[0010] improved resistance to damage from pedestrian and maintenance vehicle traffic;
[0011] improved durability in installations in close proximity to aircraft operations;
[0012] improved resistance to atmospheric conditions;
[0013] simplified installation and replacement; and
[0014] improved resistance to damage during shipment and installation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] In accordance with the invention, a vehicle arresting unit may include a block of compressible material, frangible material positioned above the block, intermediate material positioned between the frangible material and the block to reduce transmission of effects of external phenomena (e.g., jet blast phenomena) and a fastening configuration to retain elements in position.
[0016] In particular applications, the block may be cellular concrete 6 to 30 inches thick, the top sheet may be cement board about one-quarter inch thick, the intermediate material may be polyethylene foam about one-quarter inch thick and the wrapping may be polyester net. Such a vehicle arresting unit may also include a bottom sheet of cement board and an overlying sealant material having a water resistant characteristic.
[0017] Also in accordance with the invention, a method of fabricating a vehicle arresting unit may include some or all of the following steps:
[0018] (a) providing a block of compressible material having top, bottom and side surfaces;
[0019] (b) positioning frangible material above the top surface;
[0020] (c) positioning intermediate material having a force transmission mitigation characteristic between the top surface and the frangible material; and
[0021] (d) securing the frangible material and intermediate material to the block.
[0022] In particular applications, step (d) above may comprise at least partially enclosing the block, top sheet and intermediate material by a fastening configuration, such as a wrapping, and additional steps of adding a bottom protective sheet and applying sealant material to the unit may be included.
[0023] For a better understanding of the invention, together with other and further objects, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and the scope of the invention will be pointed out in the accompanying claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0024] FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1 C are respectively a plan view, and longitudinal and transverse cross-sectional views, of a vehicle arresting bed.
[0025] FIG. 2 is an orthographic view of a vehicle arresting unit in accordance with the invention.
[0026] FIG. 3 is a flow chart useful in describing a method of fabricating a vehicle arresting unit in accordance with the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a vehicle arresting unit 10 pursuant to the invention. The drawing is not necessarily to scale and may represent an arresting unit of dimensions four feet by four feet by six to thirty inches thick, for example.
[0028] As shown, vehicle arresting unit 10 includes a block of compressible material 12 , having top, bottom and side surfaces and a top to bottom thickness. Block 12 may be cellular concrete fabricated in accordance with the '068 patent or otherwise, or may be formed of phenolic foam, ceramic foam, or other suitable material. As described in the '025 patent, for aircraft arresting applications suitable arresting material characteristics are selected to enable aircraft travel to be arrested within a desired distance, without causing passenger injury or aircraft damage such as landing gear failure. For example, cellular concrete fabricated so as to provide a compressive gradient strength ranging between 60 to 80 psi (pounds per square inch) over a 66 to 80 percent penetration range has been found suitable for use in an arresting bed. Fabrication and testing of cellular concrete for such applications is described in the '068 and '681 patents.
[0029] Arresting unit 10 has a top sheet 14 of frangible material positioned above the top surface of unit 10 and nominally coextensive therewith. As will be further discussed, in installations in which an arresting bed is positioned in relatively close proximity to operating aircraft, jet blast phenomena and other external forces may have deleterious effects on compressible materials of strength suitable for arresting bed applications. Pursuant to the invention, top sheet 14 in combination with other elements of arresting unit 10 provides increased resistance to such effects.
[0030] In a currently preferred embodiment top sheet 14 may comprise a section of cement board of thickness of one-half inch or less. The thickness may, for example, fall within a nominal range of one-quarter to five-sixteenths inch. For present purposes, the term “cement board” is used to refer to a commercially available product, such as provided in sheet form under the trademarks “Durock” (of USG Corp.) and “Wonderboard” (of Custom Building Products Corp.). Also for present purposes, the term “nominal” or “nominally” is used to identify a value or dimension within plus or minus fifteen percent of a stated reference value, dimension or range. The word “frangible” is used in its ordinary dictionary sense of being breakable or shatterable without necessarily implying weakness or delicacy.
[0031] Arresting unit 10 , in the illustrated embodiment, has intermediate material 16 positioned between top sheet 14 and the top surface of block 12 . Intermediate material 16 may be a sheet or layer of foam material, such as closed-cell polyethylene foam, or other material selected for placement between top sheet 14 and the top surface of block 12 . Intermediate material 16 may typically be pliable and may have compressible or resilient properties, or both, and is preferably equally breakable in both main dimensions. To reduce transmission of effects of external phenomena in the context of the combination of components comprising arresting unit 10 , intermediate material 16 may be selected to provide a force transmission mitigation characteristic. Suitable material and thickness can be specified in particular applications in view of the nature and severity of applicable phenomena. For present purposes, the term “mitigation characteristic” is used consistent with the ordinary dictionary sense of “mitigate” of causing to become less harsh, hostile or severe, and may include one or more of spreading, dispersing, diluting, deflecting, dissipating, attenuating, cushioning, or generally lessening destructive effects on a surface or layer below material having a force transmission mitigation characteristic.
[0032] In a presently preferred embodiment employing a cellular concrete block and five-sixteenths inch thick cement board top sheet, one-quarter inch thick closed-cell polyethylene foam material is included for aircraft arresting bed applications. Such a foam sheet is thus considered to provide an adequate force mitigation characteristic suitable for a typical application. In other embodiments subject to different levels of external phenomena (e.g., higher or lower levels of jet blast phenomena) the intermediate material 16 may comprise other suitable material and may be thicker, thinner or may be omitted. Thus, in some applications the top sheet 14 may provide an adequate level of isolation of the block 12 from the external phenomena levels actually present, without inclusion of intermediate material 16 .
[0033] Arresting unit 10 of FIG. 2 includes a wrapping 18 at least partially enclosing block 12 , top sheet 14 and intermediate material 16 . Wrapping 18 may be a fabric (e.g., a section of polyester net or other woven or non-woven material), a film (e.g., a perforated or solid, breathable or other plastic film or shrink wrap material), strapping or other suitable wrapping. While wrapping 18 is illustrated as being opaque, it may typically be basically transparent. As will be described, arresting unit 10 may also include a bottom layer 20 and wrapping 18 may partially or completely enclose all of elements 12 , 14 , 16 and 20 of unit 10 . Wrapping 18 may bear or have applied to it an adhesive or adherent suitable to at least partially bond or hold wrapping 18 to some or all of the other components of unit 10 . A suitable adhesive material may also be applied between the lower surface of wrapping 18 and a runway surface.
[0034] A basic function of wrapping 18 is to aid in maintaining structural integrity of unit 10 during non-emergency conditions, while being subject to tearing, breakage or other partial or complete disintegration during an arresting incident, so as not to interfere with desired compressive failure of unit 10 under arresting conditions. Consistent with this, a function of wrapping 18 is to facilitate adhesion of unit 10 to a runway or other surface, so as to both maintain integrity of the unit and its components, and also resist uplift forces associated with jet blast which may tend to displace unit 10 . If the lower portion of wrapping 18 is adhered to a runway during installation, its upper portions will thus aid in resisting lifting forces affecting unit 10 .
[0035] As noted, arresting unit 10 may have a bottom layer 20 positioned below the bottom surface of block 12 and nominally coextensive therewith. Layer 20 may comprise a sheet of cement board, a layer of cellular concrete of greater strength than block 12 , or other suitable material. A basic function of layer 20 is to permit arresting unit 10 to be adhered to a runway extension or other surface to hold the unit 10 in a desired position. As such, layer 20 is desirably harder or stronger than the material of block 12 , so that a greater surface to surface mounting or adherence capacity is provided without the potential for upper portions of block 12 to break away from a lower portion of block 12 , if it were directly adhered to a surface of a runway extension. Thus, layer 20 is selected to provide an improved mounting or adherence capacity and, when held to the block 12 by wrapping 18 , to thereby provide an improved mounting or adherence capability for the complete unit 10 . Block 12 may be formed by pouring cellular concrete into a mold. For inclusion of layer 20 , it may be placed in the bottom of such mold first and the block cast on top of it. Alternatively, layer 20 may be placed beneath a block of compressive material previously fabricated.
[0036] Arresting unit 10 may have a sealant material 22 , with a water resistant characteristic, overlying part or all of wrapping 18 . The sealant material, of polyurethane or other suitable material, may particularly be placed on the top of arresting unit 10 to provide additional protection from external phenomena associated with jet blast and other forces as well as from effects of weather. Alternatively, wrapping 18 may itself provide a water resistant characteristic or incorporate, or have applied to it before installation, a suitable sealant material.
[0037] Relevant external phenomena comprise jet blast phenomena, which may include sonic, vibrational, pressure, lift, erosive (e.g., by airborne gravel) and other characteristics and effects, as well as compressive and other forces resulting from persons, vehicles or objects making contact with an arresting bed other than during actual arresting incidents. Described components of the arresting unit 10 may be selected to reduce or mitigate effects of such external phenomena on block 12 (e.g., provide a level of protection to block 12 relative to external phenomena incident on top sheet 14 ) and thereby provide a force transmission mitigation characteristic as described above, to enhance arresting unit resistance to such phenomena. At the same time, the components and the composite arresting unit itself must not be so strong or force resistant as to subvert the basic required parameters of unit compression/failure with desired characteristics upon contact by the wheel of an aircraft overrunning a runway. Arresting units as described thus provide predetermined failure characteristics when arresting a vehicle, while providing improved resistance to deleterious effects of external phenomena in the absence of overrunning aircraft.
[0038] FIG. 3 is a flow chart useful in describing a method utilizing the invention.
[0039] At 30 , a block 12 of compressible material having characteristics appropriate for a vehicle arresting application is provided. As noted, the block may comprise cellular concrete having an appropriate compressive gradient strength as described in the ' 068 patent or other suitable material. For aircraft arresting bed applications the block may typically have dimensions of approximately four feet by four feet by six to 30 inches in thickness.
[0040] At 31 , intermediate material 16 is positioned above the top surface of block 12 . Intermediate material 16 may comprise a layer of closed-cell or other foam or other material providing a desired force transmission mitigation characteristic with respect to external phenomena. Such material may or may not have energy absorption properties, depending upon the particular material selected and may have a thickness up to one-half inch or more. In a currently preferred embodiment intermediate material 16 is provided in the form of a sheet of polyethylene foam of approximately one-quarter inch thickness. In some embodiments intermediate material 16 may be omitted (e.g., in view of the expected severity of external phenomena).
[0041] At 32 , a top sheet 14 of frangible material is positioned above intermediate material 16 . As discussed, top sheet 14 may comprise a section of cement board or other suitable material. Typically, if commercially available cement board is used for top sheet 14 , it may have a thickness of up to about one-half inch, with a five-sixteenths inch thickness used in a currently preferred embodiment.
[0042] At 33 , a bottom layer 20 is positioned below the bottom surface of block 12 . As discussed, bottom layer 20 may comprise a section of cement board, a layer of cellular concrete of greater strength than block 12 , or other suitable material. Bottom layer 20 is thus typically harder or stronger, or both, than the material of block 12 , to provide added strength and stability in bonding or adhering the arresting unit to the surface of a runway extension and in preventing the net or strapping used for wrapping from being pulled upward into the block material during an arresting incident. In some applications bottom layer 20 may be omitted in view of overall arresting unit operational requirements.
[0043] At 34 , top sheet 14 and intermediate material 16 are secured to block 12 . As discussed, this may be accomplished by a wrapping 18 which at least partially encloses other components of the arresting unit 10 . In a currently preferred embodiment, wrapping 18 comprises a section of polyester net constructed of 80 to 90 pound breaking strength strands, with net openings less than one-quarter inch square. In other embodiments fabric, plastic film, perforated shrink wrap, strapping or other suitable materials selected to provide adequate strength, with appropriate failure characteristics during an arresting incident, may be employed.
[0044] At 35 , a sealant may be applied to the top of arresting unit 10 , and to other surfaces as selected, to provide a water resistant characteristic. In a currently preferred embodiment, polyurethane with an epoxy undercoat is used for this purpose, however other suitable materials may be employed and may provide both water resistance and some degree of additional resistance to external phenomena, such as ultraviolet radiation.
[0045] With an understanding of the invention, it will be apparent that steps of the above method may be modified, varied as to order, omitted and supplemented by additional or different steps. Skilled persons will be enabled to select suitable materials and configurations as appropriate for particular applications and operating conditions. As noted, it may be desirable to glue or adhere the wrapping to the other components of the arresting unit. Also, in particular applications certain components may be omitted, varied or supplemented consistent with the invention.
[0046] While there have been described the currently preferred embodiments of the invention, those skilled in the art will recognize that other and further modifications may be made without departing from the invention and it is intended to claim all modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the invention.
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Aircraft arresting beds constructed of cellular concrete at ends of runways may be subject to damaging effects of jet blast phenomena. Arresting units resistant to such effects and related methods are described. A block of compressible material, such as cellular concrete, provides compressive failure characteristics suitable for arresting travel of an aircraft overrunning a runway. Relatively thin frangible material positioned above the block provides a stronger, more damage resistant surface, while still readily fracturing in an arresting incident. Intermediate material, such as a foam layer, positioned under the frangible material may be included to provide a protective cushioning effect by mitigating transmission of external phenomena forces to the block. A fastening configuration at least partially enclosing other portions of the arresting unit provides a stable unified composite, without destroying desired compressive failure characteristics of the unit. Arresting units may also include a bottom layer of material stronger than the block of compressible material and a sealant coating with water resistant properties.
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CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/226,080, filed on Sep. 13, 2005, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/864,273, filed on Jun. 8, 2004 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,974,449), which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/402,678 filed on Mar. 27, 2003 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,899,705), which is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/287,513 filed Apr. 7, 1999 (now U.S. Pat. No. 6,565,554), the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is generally related to improved robotic devices and methods, particularly for telesurgery.
Minimally invasive medical techniques are aimed at reducing the amount of extraneous tissue which is damaged during diagnostic or surgical procedures, thereby reducing patient recovery time, discomfort, and deleterious side effects. Many surgeries are performed each year in the United States. A significant amount of these surgeries can potentially be performed in a minimally invasive manner. However, only a relatively small percentage of surgeries currently use these techniques due to limitations in minimally invasive surgical instruments and techniques and the additional surgical training required to master them.
Advances in minimally invasive surgical technology could dramatically increase the number of surgeries performed in a minimally invasive manner. The average length of a hospital stay for a standard surgery is significantly longer than the average length for the equivalent surgery performed in a minimally invasive surgical manner. Thus, the complete adoption of minimally invasive techniques could save millions of hospital days, and consequently millions of dollars annually in hospital residency costs alone. Patient recovery times, patient discomfort, surgical side effects, and time away from work are also reduced with minimally invasive surgery.
The most common form of minimally invasive surgery is endoscopy. Probably the most common form of endoscopy is laparoscopy which is minimally invasive inspection and surgery inside the abdominal cavity. In standard laparoscopic surgery, a patient's abdomen is insufflated with gas, and cannula sleeves are passed through small (approximately ½ inch) incisions to provide entry ports for laparoscopic surgical instruments.
The laparoscopic surgical instruments generally include a laparoscope for viewing the surgical field, and working tools defining end effectors. Typical surgical end effectors include clamps, graspers, scissors, staplers, and needle holders, for example. The working tools are similar to those used in conventional (open) surgery, except that the working end or end effector of each tool is separated from its handle by, e.g., an approximately 12-inch long, extension tube.
To perform surgical procedures, the surgeon passes these working tools or instruments through the cannula sleeves to a required internal surgical site and manipulates them from outside the abdomen by sliding them in and out through the cannula sleeves, rotating them in the cannula sleeves, levering (i.e., pivoting) the instruments against the abdominal wall and actuating end effectors on the distal ends of the instruments from outside the abdomen. The instruments pivot around centers defined by the incisions which extend through muscles of the abdominal wall. The surgeon monitors the procedure by means of a television monitor which displays an image of the surgical site via a laparoscopic camera. The laparoscopic camera is also introduced through the abdominal wall and into the surgical site. Similar endoscopic techniques are employed in, e.g., arthroscopy, retroperitoneoscopy, pelviscopy, nephroscopy, cystoscopy, cisternoscopy, sinoscopy, hysteroscopy, urethroscopy, and the like.
There are many disadvantages relating to current minimally invasive surgical (MIS) technology. For example, existing MIS instruments deny the surgeon the flexibility of tool placement found in open surgery. Most current laparoscopic tools have rigid shafts and difficulty is experienced in approaching the worksite through the small incision. Additionally, the length and construction of many endoscopic instruments reduces the surgeon's ability to feel forces exerted by tissues and organs on the end effector of the associated tool. The lack of dexterity and sensitivity of endoscopic tools is a major impediment to the expansion of minimally invasive surgery.
Minimally invasive telesurgical systems for use in surgery are being developed to increase a surgeon's dexterity as well as to allow a surgeon to operate on a patient from a remote location. Telesurgery is a general term for surgical systems where the surgeon uses some form of remote control, e.g., a servomechanism or the like, to manipulate surgical instrument movements rather than directly holding and moving the tools by hand. In such a telesurgery system, the surgeon is typically provided with an image of the surgical site at the remote location. While viewing typically a three-dimensional image of the surgical site on a suitable viewer or display, the surgeon performs the surgical procedures on the patient by manipulating master control devices at the remote location, which control the motion of servomechanically operated instruments.
The servomechanism used for telesurgery will often accept input from two master controllers (one for each of the surgeon's hands), and may include two robotic arms. Operative communication between master control and an associated arm and instrument is achieved through a control system. The control system typically includes at least one processor which relays input commands from a master controller to an associated arm and instrument and from the arm and instrument assembly to the associated master controller in the case of, e.g., force feedback.
One objective of the present invention is to provide improved surgical techniques. Another objective is to provide improved robotic devices, systems, and methods. More specifically, it is an object of this invention to provide a method of compensating for friction in a minimally invasive surgical apparatus. It is a further object of the invention to provide a control system incorporating such a method of compensating for friction.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides improved devices, systems, and methods for compensating for friction within powered automatic systems, particularly for telesurgery and other telepresence applications. The invention allows uninhibited manipulation of complex linkages, enhancing the precision and dexterity with which jointed structures can be moved. This enhanced precision is particularly advantageous when applied to the robotic surgical systems now being developed. The friction compensation systems of the present invention address static friction (typically by applying a continuous load in the direction of movement of a joint) and the often more problematic static friction (generally by applying alternating loads in positive and negative joint actuation directions). The invention can accommodate imprecise velocity measurements by applying an oscillating load whenever the joint velocity reading falls within a low velocity range. Preferably, the oscillating load is insufficient to move the joint without additional input, and significantly reduces the break away input required to initiate movement. In the exemplary embodiment, a duty cycle of the oscillating load varies, favoring the apparent direction of movement of a velocity reading. The amplitude of the duty cycle may also vary, typically increasing as the velocity reading approaches zero.
In a first aspect, the invention provides a method of compensating for friction in an apparatus. The apparatus has at least one component that is selectively moveable in a positive component direction, and in a negative component direction. An actuator is operatively connected to the component. The method includes obtaining a component velocity reading, and defining a velocity reading region extending between a selected negative velocity reading and a selected positive velocity reading. A duty cycle is generated so that the duty cycle has a distribution between a positive duty cycle magnitude (corresponding to a friction compensation force in the positive component direction) and a negative duty cycle magnitude (corresponding to a friction compensation force in the negative component direction). The distribution is determined by the component velocity reading when it is within the velocity reading region. The actuator is loaded with a load defined by the duty cycle signal.
Preferably, the duty cycle signal will have a continuous positive duty cycle magnitude (which corresponds to the friction compensation force in the positive direction) when the component velocity reading is greater than the selected positive velocity reading. Similarly, the duty cycle signal will have a continuous negative duty cycle magnitude (corresponding to the friction compensation force in the negative component direction) when the component velocity reading is less than the selected negative velocity reading.
In the exemplary embodiment, the distribution of the duty cycle between the positive and negative magnitudes is proportional to the component velocity reading positioned within the velocity reading region. The positive and negative duty cycle magnitudes may take a gravity compensation model into account. Such a gravity compensation model may determine a variable gravity compensation force to applied to the component, for example, to artificially balance an unbalanced linkage system. Such a gravity compensated system may further benefit from a determination of a frictional compensation force corresponding to the gravity compensation force in both the positive and negative directions. In other words, in addition to compensating for friction, the method of the present invention may accommodate compensation factors for both friction and gravity, thereby simulating or approximating a friction-free balanced system, significantly enhancing the dexterity of movement which can be accommodated.
The selection of an appropriate oscillating frequency can significantly enhance friction compensation provided by these methods and systems. Hence, the frequency will preferably be selected so as to be sufficiently slow to enable the actuator (often including an electrical motor and a transmission system such as gears, cables, or the like) to respond to the directing duty cycle signal by applying the desired load, and sufficiently rapid so that the load cannot actually be felt, for example, by physically moving the joint and varying a position of an input master control device held by a surgeon. In other words, the frequency is preferably greater than the mechanical time constraints of the system, yet less than the electrical time constants of an electrical motor used as an actuator. Preferred duty cycle frequency ranges of the exemplary telesurgical system described herein are in a range from about 40 Hz to about 70 Hz, preferably being in a range from about 50 Hz to about 60 Hz. Application of these oscillating loads can facilitate movement of a joint in either a positive or negative direction, particularly when the velocity reading is so low that the system cannot accurately determine whether the system is at rest, moving slowing in a positive direction, or moving slowly in a negative direction. Once velocity measurement readings are high enough (a given measurement reading accuracies) in a positive or negative direction, a contintious (though not necessarily constant) force in the desired direction can overcome the dynamic friction of the joint.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a method comprising manipulating an input device of a robotic system with a hand of an operator. An end effector is moved in sympathy with the manipulating step using a servomechanism of the robotic system. A velocity reading is obtained from a joint of the robotic system. An oscillating friction compensation load is applied on the joint when the velocity reading is within a first reading range.
Preferably, a continuous friction compensation load is applied when the reading is within a second reading range, typically above (either in the positive or negative direction) a minimum value. The continuous load can compensate for friction of the joint, and may vary so as to compensate for gravity when an orientation of the joint changes. The oscillating load similarly compensates for static friction of the joint in the positive and negative directions, at varying points along the load oscillation duty cycle. This method is particularly advantageous for compensating for friction and/or gravity in a joint of the input device for the robotic system, particularly where the oscillating load is less than a static friction of the joint so that the end effector can remain stationary in the hand of the operator.
In another aspect, the invention provides a telesurgery method comprising directing a surgical procedure by moving an input device of a telesurgery system with a hand of an operator. Tissue is manipulated by moving a surgical end effector in sympathy with the input device using a servomechanism of the telesurgery system. Static friction is compensated for in at least one joint of the robotic system by applying an oscillating load to the at least one joint when an absolute value of a velocity reading from the at least one joint is less than a velocity reading error range.
While the friction compensated joint may support the surgical end effector, it will preferably support the input device. The oscillating load is generally effected by applying a duty cycle to an actuator, and preferably by altering the duty cycle in response to the velocity reading so as to facilitate movement of the joint towards the positive orientation when the velocity reading is positive, and toward the negative orientation when the velocity reading is negative.
In yet another aspect, the invention provides a telepresence system comprising a master including an input device supported by a driven joint. A slave includes an end effector supported by a driven joint. A controller couples the master to the slave. The controller directs the end effector to move in sympathy with the input device. A sensor operatively associated with at least one of the driven joints generates a velocity reading. An actuator drivingly engages the at least one driven joint. The actuator applies an oscillating load on the joint to compensate for static friction of the joint when the velocity reading is within a low velocity range.
Preferably, the oscillating load is insufficient to move the at least one driven joint when the master remains stationary. In the exemplary embodiment, the end effector comprises a surgical end effector, and the slave is adapted to manipulate the surgical end effector within an internal surgical site through a minimally invasive surgical access.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described, by way of example, and with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings, in which:
FIG. 1A shows a three-dimensional view of a control station of a telesurgical system in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 1B shows a three-dimensional view of a cart or trolley of the telesurgical system, the cart carrying three robotically controlled arms, the movement of the arms being remotely controllable from the control station shown in FIG. 1A ;
FIG. 2A shows a side view of a robotic arm and surgical instrument assembly;
FIG. 2B shows a three-dimensional view corresponding to FIG. 2A ;
FIG. 3 shows a three-dimensional view of a surgical instrument;
FIG. 4 shows a schematic kinematic diagram corresponding to the side view of the robotic arm shown in FIG. 2A , and indicates the arm having been displaced from one position into another position;
FIG. 5 shows, at an enlarged scale, a wrist member and end effector of the surgical instrument shown in FIG. 3 , the wrist member and end effector being movably mounted on a working end of a shaft of the surgical instrument;
FIG. 6A shows a three-dimensional view of a hand-held part or wrist gimbal of a master control device of the telesurgical system;
FIG. 6B shows a three-dimensional view of an articulated arm portion of the master control device on which the hand-held part of FIG. 6A is mounted in use;
FIG. 6C shows a three-dimensional view of the master control device, the wrist gimbal of FIG. 6A shown in a mounted condition on the articulated arm portion of FIG. 6B ;
FIG. 7 shows a schematic three-dimensional drawing indicating the positions of the end effectors relative to a viewing end of an endoscope and the corresponding positions of master control input devices relative to the eyes of an operator, typically a surgeon;
FIG. 8 shows a schematic graphical relationship between measured velocity (v) and a required force (f) to compensate for friction;
FIG. 9 shows the graphical relationship shown in FIG. 8 and one method of compensating for friction represented in dashed lines superimposed thereon;
FIG. 10 shows the graphical relationship shown in FIG. 8 and another method of compensating for friction represented in dashed lines superimposed thereon;
FIG. 11 shows the graphical relationship shown in FIG. 8 and further indicates detail used to exemplify a method of compensating for friction in accordance with the invention superimposed thereon;
FIGS. 12 to 16 show different duty cycle distributions determined by values derived from velocity measurements indicated in FIG. 11 ;
FIG. 17 shows an algorithm representing an overview of the method of compensating for friction in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 18 shows further detail of the algorithm shown in FIG. 17 relating to gravity compensation;
FIG. 19 shows as an alternative to FIG. 18 , further detail of the algorithm shown in FIG. 17 relating to Coulomb friction compensation; and
FIG. 20 shows a schematic diagram exemplifying a required gravity compensating force on a master control and how the gravity compensating force and consequently also frictional force, varies depending on master control position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This application is related to the following patents and patent applications, the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference: PCT International Application No. PCT/US98/19508, entitled “Robotic Apparatus”, filed on Sep. 18, 1998; U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/111,713, entitled “Surgical Robotic Tools, Data Architecture, and Use”, filed on Dec. 8, 1998; U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/111,711, entitled “Image Shifting for a Telerobotic System”, filed on Dec. 8, 1998; U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/111,714, entitled “Stereo Viewer System for Use in Telerobotic System”, filed on Dec. 8, 1998; U.S. Application Ser. No. 60/111,710, entitled “Master Having Redundant Degrees of Freedom”, filed Dec. 8, 1998; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,808,665, entitled “Endoscopic Surgical Instrument and Method for Use”, issued on Sep. 15, 1998; the full disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
It is to be appreciated that although the method and control system of the invention is described with reference to a minimally invasive surgical apparatus in this specification, the application of the invention is not to be limited to this apparatus only, but can be used in any type of apparatus requiring friction compensation. Thus, the invention may find application in the fields of satellite dish tracking, handling hazardous substances, to name but two of many possible qualifying fields in which precisional movement is required. In some cases, it may be required to compensate for friction on a single part of a system such as on a master controller only.
Referring to FIG. 1A of the drawings, a control station of a minimally invasive telesurgical system is generally indicated by reference numeral 200 . The control station 200 includes a viewer 202 where an image of a surgical site is displayed in use. A support 204 is provided on which an operator, typically a surgeon, can rest his forearms while gripping two master controls (not shown in FIG. 1A ), one in each hand. The master controls are positioned in a space 206 inwardly beyond the support 204 . When using the control station 200 , the surgeon typically sits in a chair in front of the control station 200 , positions his eyes in front of the viewer 202 and grips the master controls one in each hand while resting his forearms on the support 204 .
In FIG. 1B of the drawings, a cart or trolley of the telesurgical system is generally indicated by reference numeral 300 . In use, the cart 300 is positioned close to a patient requiring surgery and is then normally caused to remain stationary until a surgical procedure to be performed has been completed. The cart 300 typically has wheels or castors to render it mobile. The control station 200 is typically positioned remote from the cart 300 and can be separated from the cart 300 by a great distance, even miles away.
Cart 300 typically carries three robotic arm assemblies. One of the robotic arm assemblies, indicated by reference numeral 302 , is arranged to hold an image capturing device 304 , e.g., an endoscope, or the like. Each of the two other arm assemblies 10 , 10 respectively, includes a surgical instrument 14 . The endoscope 304 has a viewing end 306 at a remote end of an elongate shaft thereof. It will be appreciated that the endoscope 304 has an elongate shaft to permit it to be inserted into an internal surgical site of a patient's body. The endoscope 304 is operatively connected to the viewer 202 to display an image captured at its viewing end 306 on the viewer 202 . Each robotic arm assembly 10 , 10 is operatively connected to one of the master controls. Thus, movement of the robotic arm assemblies 10 , 10 is controlled by manipulation of the master controls. The instruments 14 of the robotic arm assemblies 10 , 10 have end effectors which are mounted on working ends of elongate shafts of the instruments 14 . It will be appreciated that the instruments 14 have elongate shafts to permit the end effectors to be inserted into an internal surgical site of a patient's body. The end effectors are orientationally moveable relative to the ends of the shafts of the instruments 14 . The orientational movement of the end effectors are also controlled by the master controls.
In FIGS. 2A and 2B of the drawings, one of the robotic arm assemblies 10 is shown in greater detail.
The assembly 10 includes an articulated robotic arm 12 , and the surgical instrument, schematically and generally indicated by reference numeral 14 , mounted thereon. FIG. 3 indicates the general appearance of the surgical instrument 14 in greater detail.
In FIG. 3 the elongate shaft of the instrument 14 is indicated by reference numeral 14 . 1 . A wrist-like mechanism, generally indicated by reference numeral 50 , is located at the working end of the shaft 14 . 1 . A housing 53 , arranged releasably to couple the instrument 14 to the robotic arm 12 , is located at an opposed end of the shaft 14 . 1 . In FIG. 2A , and when the instrument 14 is coupled or mounted on the robotic arm 12 , the shaft 14 . 1 extends along an axis indicated at 14 . 2 . The instrument 14 is typically releasably mounted on a carriage 11 , which is selectively driven to translate along a linear guide formation 24 of the arm 12 in the direction of arrows P.
The robotic arm 12 is typically mounted on a base by means of a bracket or mounting plate 16 . The base is defined on the mobile cart or trolley 300 , which is normally retained in a stationary position during a surgical procedure.
The robotic arm 12 includes a cradle, generally indicated at 18 , an upper arm portion 20 , a forearm portion 22 and the guide formation 24 . The cradle 18 is pivotally mounted on the plate 16 gimbaled fashion to permit rocking movement of the cradle in the direction of arrows 26 as shown in FIG. 2B , about a pivot axis 28 . The upper arm portion 20 includes link members 30 , 32 and the forearm portion 22 includes link members 34 , 36 . The link members 30 , 32 are pivotally mounted on the cradle 18 and are pivotally connected to the link members 34 , 36 . The link members 34 , 36 are pivotally connected to the guide formation 24 . The pivotal connections between the link members 30 , 32 , 34 , 36 , the cradle 18 , and the guide formation 24 are arranged to constrain the robotic arm 12 to move in a specific manner. The movement of the robotic arm 12 is illustrated schematically in FIG. 4 .
With reference to FIG. 4 , the solid lines schematically indicate one position of the robotic arm 12 and the dashed lines indicate another possible position into which the arm 12 can be displaced from the position indicated in solid lines.
It will be understood that the axis 14 . 2 along which the shaft 14 . 1 of the instrument 14 extends when mounted on the robotic arm 12 pivots about a pivot center or fulcrum 49 . Thus, irrespective of the movement of the robotic arm 12 , the pivot center 49 normally remains in the same position relative to the stationary cart 300 on which the arm 12 is mounted during a surgical procedure. In use, the pivot center 49 is positioned at a port of entry into a patient's body when an internal surgical procedure is to be performed. It will be appreciated that the shaft 14 . 1 extends through such a port of entry, the wrist-like mechanism 50 then being positioned inside the patient's body. Thus, the general position of the mechanism 50 relative to the surgical site in a patient's body can be changed by movement of the arm 12 . Since the pivot center 49 is coincident with the port of entry, such movement of the arm does not excessively effect the surrounding tissue at the port of entry.
As can best be seen with reference to FIG. 4 , the robotic arm 12 provides three degrees of freedom of movement to the surgical instrument 14 when mounted thereon. These degrees of freedom of movement are firstly the gimbaled motion indicated by arrows 26 , pivoting movement as indicated by arrows 27 and the linear displacement in the direction of arrows P. Movement of the arm as indicated by arrows 26 , 27 and P is controlled by appropriately positioned actuators, e.g., electrical motors, which respond to inputs from an associated master control selectively to drive the arm 12 to positions as dictated by movement of the master control. Appropriately positioned sensors, e.g., encoders, potentiometers, or the like, are provided on the arm to enable a control system of the minimally invasive telesurgical system to determine joint positions.
Thus, by controlling movement of the robotic arm 12 , the position of the working end of the shaft 14 . 1 of the instrument 14 can be varied at the surgical site by the surgeon manipulating the associated master control while viewing the responsive positional movement of the working end of the shaft 14 . 1 in the viewer 202 .
Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, the wrist-like mechanism 50 will now be described in greater detail. In FIG. 5 , the working end of the shaft 14 . 1 is indicated at 14 . 3 . The wrist-like mechanism 50 includes a wrist member 52 . One end portion of the wrist member 52 is pivotally mounted in a clevis, generally indicated at 17 , on the end 14 . 3 of the shaft 14 . 1 by means of a pivotal connection 54 . The wrist member 52 can pivot in the direction of arrows 56 about the pivotal connection 54 . An end effector, generally indicated by reference numeral 58 , is pivotally mounted on an opposed end of the wrist member 52 . The end effector 58 is in the form of, e.g., a clip applier for anchoring clips during a surgical procedure. Accordingly, the end effector 58 has two parts 58 . 1 , 58 . 2 together defining a jaw-like arrangement. It will be appreciated that the end effector can be in the form of any required surgical tool having two members or fingers which pivot relative to each other, such as scissors, pliers for use as needle drivers, or the like. Instead, it can include a single working member, e.g., a scalpel, cautery electrode, or the like. When a tool other than a clip applier is required during the surgical procedure, the tool 14 is simply removed from its associated arm and replaced with an instrument bearing the required end effector, e.g., a scissors, or pliers, or the like.
The end effector 58 is pivotally mounted in a clevis, generally indicated by reference numeral 19 , on an opposed end of the wrist member 52 , by means of a pivotal connection 60 . It will be appreciated that free ends 11 , 13 of the parts 58 . 1 , 58 . 2 are angularly displaceable about the pivotal connection 60 toward and away from each other as indicated by arrows 62 , 63 . It will further be appreciated that the members 58 . 1 , 58 . 2 can be displaced angularly about the pivotal connection 60 to change the orientation of the end effector 58 as a whole, relative to the wrist member 52 . Thus, each part 58 . 1 , 58 . 2 is angularly displaceable about the pivotal connection 60 independently of the other, so that the end effector 58 , as a whole, is angularly displaceable about the pivotal connection 60 as indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 5 . Furthermore, the shaft 14 . 1 is rotatably mounted on the housing 53 for rotation as indicated by the arrows 59 . Thus, the end effector 58 has three orientational degrees of freedom of movement relative to the working end 14 . 3 , namely, rotation about the axis 14 . 2 as indicated by arrows 59 , angular displacement as a whole about the pivot 60 and angular displacement about the pivot 54 as indicated by arrows 56 . It will be appreciated that orientational movement of the end effector 58 is controlled by appropriately positioned electrical motors which respond to inputs from the associated master control to drive the end effector 58 to a desired orientation as dictated by movement of the master control. Furthermore, appropriately positioned sensors, e.g., encoders, or potentiometers, or the like, are provided to permit the control system of the minimally invasive telesurgical system to determine joint positions.
In use, and as schematically indicated in FIG. 7 of the drawings, the surgeon views the surgical site through the viewer 202 . The end effector 58 carried on each arm 12 is caused to perform movements and actions in response to movement and action inputs of its associated master control. It will be appreciated that during a surgical procedure responsive movement of the robotic arm 12 on which the surgical instrument 14 is mounted causes the end effector to vary its position at the surgical site whilst responsive movement of the end effector relative to the end 14 . 3 of the shaft 14 . 1 causes its orientation to vary relative to the end 14 . 3 of the shaft 14 . 1 . Naturally, during the course of the surgical procedure the orientation and position of the end effector is constantly changing in response to master control inputs. The images of the end effectors 58 are captured by the endoscope together with the surgical site and are displayed on the viewer 202 so that the surgeon sees the positional and orientational movements and actions of the end effectors 58 as he or she controls such movements and actions by means of the master control devices.
An example of one of the master control devices is shown in FIG. 6C and is generally indicated by reference numeral 700 . The master control 700 includes a hand-held part or wrist gimbal 699 and an articulated arm portion 712 . The hand-held part 699 will now be described in greater detail with reference to FIG. 6A .
The part 699 has an articulated arm portion including a plurality of members or links 702 connected together by joints 704 . The surgeon grips the part 699 by positioning his or her thumb and index finger over a pincher formation 706 of the part 699 . The surgeon's thumb and index finger are typically held on the pincher formation 706 by straps (not shown) threaded through slots 710 . The joints of the part 699 are operatively connected to electric motors to provide for, e.g., force feedback, gravity compensation, and/or the like. Furthermore, appropriately positioned sensors, e.g., encoders, or potentiometers, or the like, are positioned on each joint of the part 699 , so as to enable joint positions of the part 699 to be determined by the control system.
The part 699 is mounted on the articulated arm portion 712 indicated in FIG. 6B . Reference numeral 4 in FIGS. 6A and 6B indicates the positions at which the part 699 and the articulated arm 712 are connected together. When connected together, the part 699 can displace angularly about an axis at 4 .
Referring now to FIG. 6B , the articulated arm 712 includes a plurality of links 714 connected together at joints 716 . Articulated arm 712 may have appropriately positioned electric motors to provide for, e.g., force feedback, gravity compensation, and/or the like. Furthermore, appropriately positioned sensors, e.g., encoders, or potentiometers, or the like, are positioned on the joints 716 so as to enable joint positions of the master control to be determined by the control system.
When the pincher formation 706 is squeezed between the thumb and index finger, the fingers of the end effector 58 close. When the thumb and index finger are moved apart the fingers 58 . 1 , 58 . 2 of the end effector 58 move apart in sympathy with the moving apart of the pincher formation 706 . To cause the orientation of the end effector 58 to change, the surgeon simply causes the pincher formation 706 to change its orientation relative to the end of the articulated arm portion 712 . To cause the position of the end effector 58 to change, the surgeon simply moves the pincher formation 706 to cause the position of the articulated arm portion 712 to change.
The electric motors and sensors associated with each robotic arm 12 and the surgical instrument 14 mounted thereon, and the electric motors and the sensors associated with each master control device 700 , namely the part 699 and the articulated arm portion 712 , are operatively linked in the control system (not shown). The control system typically includes at least one processor for effecting control between master control device input and responsive robotic arm and surgical instrument output and for effecting control between robotic arm and surgical instrument input and responsive master control output in the case of, e.g., force feedback.
As can best be seen in FIG. 6C , each master control device 700 is typically mounted on the control station 200 by means of a pivotal connection, as indicated at 717 . As mentioned hereinbefore, to manipulate each master control device 700 , the surgeon positions his thumb and index finger over the pincher formation 706 . The pincher formation 706 is positioned at a free end of the articulated arm portion of the part 699 , which in turn is positioned on a free end of the articulated arm 712 . It will be appreciated that the master control device 700 has a center of gravity normally removed from the vertical relative to its pivotal connection 717 on the control station 200 . Thus, should the surgeon let go of the pincher formation 706 , the master control device 700 would drop due to gravity. It has been found that providing the master controls 700 , 700 with gravity compensation so that whenever the surgeon lets go of the pincher formations 706 , 706 , the master controls 700 , 700 remain at their positions and orientations is beneficial. Furthermore, since performing surgical procedures involves precision movements, it is beneficial that the surgeon does not need to cope with a weighted feeling when gripping the pincher formations 706 , 706 of the master controls 700 , 700 . Thus, the control system of the telesurgical minimally invasive system is arranged to provide gravity compensation to the master control devices 700 , 700 . This gravity compensation can be achieved passively by use of counterbalancers, and/or springs, and/or the like, and/or actively by appropriate application of forces or torques on the motors operatively associated with each master control 700 . In the present case, the gravity compensation is achieved actively by means of appropriate compensating torques on motors associated with each master control 700 .
It will be appreciated that operative connection between the electrical motors and the master controls 700 , 700 , is typically achieved by means of transmissional components. These transmissional components typically include gear trains. Naturally, other transmissional components such as pulley and cable arrangements, and/or the like, can be used instead, or in addition. Regardless of the specific transmission used, these components will generally induce both static and dynamic friction in the telesurgical system.
It has been found that in providing gravity compensation, the gear trains between the motors and the master controls are typically under load. This increases the frictional forces between meshing gears and leads to increased friction when the master control is moved or urged to move by the surgeon. It has been found that the increase in frictional forces, due to gravity compensation in particular, renders master control movement uncomfortable and unpleasant (and may lead to imprecise movements) due to hysteresis.
Referring to FIG. 8 of the drawings, a typical graphical relationship between velocity and a desired force for compensation of friction is indicated by reference numeral 510 . Velocity is indicated on the horizontally extending axis and the required compensating frictional force is indicated on the vertically extending axis. To the left of the vertical axis a force in an arbitrary negative direction is indicated, and to the right of the vertical axis a force in an arbitrary positive direction is indicated. When movement is to be induced from a rest position, the force required to induce movement from rest is normally higher than that required to maintain movement after movement is initiated. This characteristic of friction is indicated by the opposed “spikes” at 512 in FIG. 8 , and is referred to as “stiction.” The spikes have been indicated in extended fashion along the velocity axis for the sake of clarity. However, it is to be appreciated that the spikes normally occur on the force axis and need not extend along the velocity axis as indicated. Note that the dynamic friction forces may not be perfectly constant, but may vary with velocity. When movement is initiated friction can readily be compensated for by applying a corresponding compensating force. However, to achieve adequate friction compensation when initiating movement from rest, or when changing direction, is more problematic.
A first friction compensation technique can best be described with reference to the following simple electromechanical system, by way of example. The example of the electromechanical system includes a motor and an articulated arm. The motor is arranged to drive the articulated arm through a transmission arrangement, e.g., a gear train, or the like. For the sake of this example, the graphical relationship between velocity and frictional force shown in FIG. 8 represents the mechanical friction in the electromechanical system as a function of velocity. It is generally desirable to compensate for this friction within the electromechanical system, as the friction can be distracting to the operator, limiting the operator's dexterity and effectiveness.
One method of compensating for friction, in particular for compensating for stiction, when the arm of the example is at rest, is to inhibit the electromechanical system from ever fully being at rest. This method includes cyclically supplying a current to the motor to prevent the electromechanical system from fully coming to rest. Thus, the motor is caused cyclically to move angularly in opposed directions. Thus a cyclical torque is supplied to the motor causing the slave to oscillate. This method is referred to as “dithering.”
Although this method inhibits the system from coming to rest and thus obviates stiction when movement is to be induced from a rest position, it has been found that dithering causes vibration in the system which is uncomfortable in some applications, particularly in minimally invasive surgical procedures. Furthermore, dithering can lead to excessive wear and ultimately damage to the apparatus.
Another method of compensating for friction is represented in FIG. 9 . This method involves supplying a force of a magnitude approximating the frictional force in the system whenever it is in motion. This type of compensation is referred to as “Coulomb” friction compensation. Such a force is induced in the electromechanical system by means of motor torque of a magnitude corresponding to the frictional force required to maintain movement in a specific direction after movement is achieved in that direction. The compensating force is indicated in dashed lines by reference numeral 520 with the sign of the compensating force being determined by the sign of the measured velocity.
This method also does not make allowance for the spikes at 512 . Thus, a degree of “sticking,” or stiction, is still felt when movement is initiated. Since it is difficult to measure velocity accurately when a system is at rest due to measurement inaccuracies, noise, and the like, it is problematic in applying the compensating force in the correct direction. Accordingly, when movement is to be initiated in one direction from rest, the system could be measuring a velocity in the opposed direction, in which case the compensating force is applied in the same direction as the frictional force thus aggravating stiction. Should the velocity reading fluctuate at zero, a compensating force which fluctuates in opposed directions is generated which introduces unpredictable energy into the system tending to destabilize it and giving it an active “feel.”
Another method of compensating for friction is indicated in FIG. 10 in dashed lines generally indicated by reference numeral 530 . This method is similar to the “Coulomb” type of compensation. However, inaccuracy in measurement around a zero velocity reading is compensated for by slanting the compensation across zero velocity. Although this method compensates for system uncertainty at zero velocity, it does not always accurately compensate for friction forces at low velocity, nor compensate for stiction when movement is to be initiated from rest. Thus, stiction is normally still present.
The preferred method of compensating for friction in accordance with the invention will now be described with particular reference to compensating for friction in a gear train of one of the master controls 700 , 700 due to gravity compensation. It will be appreciated that the description which follows is by way of example only and that the method of compensating for friction is not limited to this application only, but can be readily adapted to compensate for other sources of friction such as, e.g., at pivotal joints, between components which translate relative to each other, and/or the like. Furthermore, the method can enjoy universal application to compensate for friction in any system whether to compensate for friction due to gravity compensation or merely to compensate for friction in general irrespective of the source. For example, gear train loads imposed for purposes other than gravity compensation, for example, by a controller other than gravity controller, may induce friction that can be compensated for.
The method of compensating for friction in accordance with the invention can be understood with reference to a single joint of the master control 700 , for example the joint 704 B in FIG. 6B of the drawings, and an electrical motor associated with that joint through a gear train. It will be appreciated that friction compensation can be provided for each joint of the master control 700 .
Referring to FIG. 11 of the drawings, a graphical relationship between angular velocity (v) of the joint 704 B (as measured by the control system) and the force (f) which will compensate for force in the gear train associated with the joint 704 B is generally indicated by reference numeral 110 . Velocity (v) extends along the horizontal axis and the required force (f) to compensate for friction in the gear train extends along the vertical axis.
It has been found that when the arm members or links 702 A connected together by means of the joint 704 B are in a stationary position relative to one another, and the surgeon wishes to move the master control 700 in a manner initiating movement of the arm members 702 A about the joint 704 B, friction is particularly evident. The reason for this is that the force required to overcome friction from a stationary position is higher than the force required to maintain movement after movement is achieved. As soon as movement is achieved, the frictional force decreases and then stays approximately constant as velocity increases. This phenomenon is schematically indicated by the opposed spikes at 112 around the zero velocity region and is termed stiction. Once movement is achieved, the frictional force requiring compensation is generally constant as indicated by the straight line portions 114 .
It will be appreciated that movement of the pincher formation 706 is achieved through a plurality of joints, namely joints 704 , 716 and 717 . Thus, during any given pincher formation movement any one or more of the joints 704 , 716 , 717 may be at rest so that initiating movement about an arbitrary stationary joint or joints may be required while the pincher formation is actually moving. Thus, since there are a plurality of joints, stiction has a cumulative effect which renders precise movement of the master 700 difficult to maintain even while the pincher formation 706 is actually moving. When the pincher formation 706 is to be moved very slowly, stiction of any one or more of the joints 704 , 716 and 717 is particularly problematic and renders precise movement of the pincher formation 706 (and also responsive movement by the end effector 58 ) difficult to maintain. In fact, smooth motion of pincher formation 706 will involve directional changes of some of the joints. This can lead to significant changes in the cumulative friction force, again rendering precise movements difficult to maintain. To overcome or compensate for stiction and the differences between static and dynamic frictional forces is particularly advantageous, since slow precise movements are often employed during a surgical procedure. Compensating for stiction and the static/dynamic differential is also particularly problematic. One reason for this is that available sensors used to measure angular velocity are not entirely accurate so that precisely measuring zero velocity of the joint when at rest is difficult. Another reason is that noise may be superimposed on the sensor signal which further aggravates the problem of measuring zero velocity when the joint is at rest. Thus, when the joint is at rest, the sensors can be registering movement and, consequently, apparent velocity.
The joint can move in an arbitrary positive and an arbitrary negative direction. The velocity reading may have a negative value, a positive value, or may be fluctuating about the zero velocity reading when the joint is at rest due to the noise and measurement inaccuracies. If the velocity reading is used to determine a frictional compensation force, it is difficult to determine when and in what direction to apply the frictional force since the velocity reading does not correspond with the actual velocity of the joint particularly when the joint is at rest. Even with an accurate velocity measurement, using a sensor which accurately measures zero velocity when the joint is actually at rest, it would still be problematic to apply a frictional compensation force to compensate for stiction since it is not easy to anticipate in which of the arbitrary positive and negative directions the joint will be moved.
To overcome these problems, and to compensate for stiction in particular whilst accommodating measurement inaccuracies, a velocity region indicated between the arrows X-X is chosen, such that if the velocity reading is within this region, a cyclical torque, varying in a positive and a negative direction is supplied to the motor so that irrespective of the direction in which movement is to be initiated from rest, a friction compensation torque is provided at least part of the time. This will be described in greater detail below.
The indicated velocity region X-X can be chosen based on measurement accuracy such that outside the region the joint is actually moving whilst inside the region the joint could either be moving very slowly in either direction or may be stationary. Outside the region X-X, it is assumed that the velocity reading does indicate joint movement in a correct direction and that movement has been initiated. A uniform compensating torque is then applied corresponding with the constant friction experienced when movement is achieved, as will be described in greater detail herein below.
Still referring to FIG. 11 of the drawings, the control system of the invention is arranged to generate compensating values determined by the velocity reading within the region X-X. This can best be explained by means of the slanted dashed line in FIG. 11 . The slanted dashed line DL extends between opposed intersections of the chosen velocity reading region X-X, and the required force for compensating for friction. Naturally, the slanted line need not be linear but could be rounded at its corners, and/or the like. Furthermore, the width of the region between X-X can be tailored to suit the system friction characteristics.
The friction compensating force values along dashed line DL can be represented as percentages for generating a duty cycle appropriate to a measured velocity. Should the velocity reading be at +v1 a force value of 100% is generated. Similarly, if the velocity reading is at −v1, a value of 0% is generated. In similar fashion a specific value ranging between 0% and 100% is generated depending upon the measured velocity reading position between +v1 and −v1.
The value thus generated can be used to determine a duty cycle signal distribution between the arbitrary positive and the arbitrary negative direction of movement about the joint 704 B. Thus, where a value of 0% is generated, the reading then being negative, in other words, in an arbitrary negative direction, a duty cycle as indicated in FIG. 12 is generated. The distribution of the duty cycle in FIG. 12 is correspondingly fully negative, or 100% negative. The region X-X can be chosen such that at this point, taking noise and measurement inaccuracies into account, the master may be either about to actually move in the negative direction or may already be moving in the negative direction.
Similarly, should a value of 20% be generated, for example, a duty cycle as indicated in FIG. 13 is generated. The distribution of the duty cycle in FIG. 13 is correspondingly 20% positive and 80% negative.
Should a value of 50% be generated, a duty cycle as indicated in FIG. 14 is generated. The distribution of the duty cycle in FIG. 14 is correspondingly 50% positive and 50% negative.
Similarly, should a value of 80% be generated, a duty cycle as indicated in FIG. 15 is generated. The distribution of the duty cycle in FIG. 15 is correspondingly 80% positive and 20% negative.
In the case where a value of 100% is generated, a duty cycle as indicated in FIG. 16 is generated. The distribution of the duty cycle in FIG. 16 is correspondingly fully positive, or 100% positive. At this point, taking noise and measurement inaccuracies into account, the master can be either about to actually move in the positive direction or may already be moving in the positive direction.
It will be appreciated that the duty cycles shown need not necessarily have generally rectangular waveforms.
It will further be appreciated that when the joint is at rest, the velocity reading is typically fluctuating within the X-X region so that the duty cycle distribution is continually varying.
The method of compensating for friction will now be described in further detail with reference to FIG. 17 .
In FIG. 17 , a block diagram indicating steps corresponding to the method of compensating for friction in accordance with the invention is generally indicated by reference numeral 410 .
The velocity readings as described above are indicated at 412 . The compensating values determined from the velocity readings is indicated at 414 . The compensating values are input to a duty cycle generator such as a PWM generator at 416 . The resultant duty cycle signal distribution is Output from the PWM generator.
It will be appreciated that the steps from 412 to 416 are used to determine only the percentage distribution of the duty cycle signal between the arbitrary negative and positive joint movement directions. This determination is directly related to the velocity measurements between arrows XX. The determination of the amplitude or magnitude of the duty cycle signal will now be described.
As mentioned earlier, the control system compensates for gravity. The master control 700 is moveable about a pivot at 717 and the pincher formation 706 is connected to the pivot 717 through the joints 704 , 716 and the intervening arm members. The master control 700 as a whole is thus displaceable about the pivot 717 . A horizontal component of the center of gravity varies as the pincher formation 706 is displaced. Accordingly, the torque supplied to an electrical motor operatively associated with the master control 700 and which balances and compensates for gravity also varies. Thus, the gravity compensating torque on the electrical motor is determined in part by the position of the center of gravity. This is indicated schematically in FIG. 20 of the drawings by way of example. In FIG. 20 , it can be seen that the torque required on a motor M 1 to hold an arm A 10 in a position as indicated in solid lines to compensate for gravity is greater than that required to hold the arm in the position indicated in dashed lines. A similar principal applies for each joint of the master control 700 . Naturally, the higher the gravity compensating torque supplied to the motor, the higher the transmission loading on the associated gear train and therefor the higher the frictional force and vice versa.
Each joint 704 , 716 , 717 may have an actuator, e.g., electric motor, operatively associated therewith to provide for, e.g., force feedback. Furthermore, for each joint employing gravity compensation, a corresponding gravity compensating torque is supplied to the motor operatively associated therewith. The gravity compensation torque magnitude varies depending on master control position. The motor operatively associated with each joint employing gravity compensation can be provided with a friction compensation torque in accordance with the method of the invention. The friction compensation torque magnitude applied to a particular joint varies in accordance with the gravity compensation torque. It will be appreciated that the effects of friction can be negligible on some of the joints. Hence, friction compensation may not be provided for all joints of the master and/or slave.
The friction compensation loads induced by the gravity compensation system need not, and generally will not, be applied separately. The exemplary friction compensation system described herein incorporates the gravity model, so that the gravity compensation torques become part of the load applied by the friction compensation system. Alternatively, separate gravity compensation and friction compensation loads might be maintained.
Referring once again to FIG. 17 of the drawings, a gravity compensating model is indicated at 418 whereby gravity compensation forces for the joints requiring gravity compensation are determined. For each of the joints 704 , 716 , 717 employing gravity compensation, the gravity compensation model determines the torque which can hold the part of the master control 700 extending from that joint in the direction of the pincher formation 706 in a stationary position. Naturally, this torque varies for each joint in sympathy with positional variation of that joint as the master control 700 is moved from one position to a next position.
Referring now to FIG. 18 of the drawings, the gravity and friction (efficiency) model 418 will now be described in greater detail. From the gravity model, indicated at 419 , the magnitude of a desired gravity compensating force for the joint, e.g., joint 704 B, is determined. The gravity compensating force is then forwarded to a friction compensation determining block 451 for determining friction compensation in the arbitrary positive joint movement direction as indicated by line 452 . The gravity compensation force is also forwarded to a friction compensation determining block 453 for determining friction compensation in the arbitrary negative joint movement direction as indicated by line 454 .
In the block 451 , the magnitude of the gravity compensating force is represented along a horizontally extending axis and the corresponding required frictional compensating force for the positive joint movement direction is represented along a vertically extending axis. The corresponding frictional compensating force is determined taking the gear train efficiency into account as indicated by the lines l/eff and eff, respectively (eff being efficiency, typically less than 1).
In similar fashion, in the block 453 , the magnitude of the gravity compensating force is represented along a horizontally extending axis and the corresponding required frictional compensating force for the negative joint movement direction is represented along a vertically extending axis. The corresponding frictional compensating force is determined taking the gear train efficiency into account as indicated by the lines l/eff and eff, respectively.
The magnitudes of the frictional compensating forces in respectively the positive and the negative joint movement directions determined in the blocks 451 , 453 represent the magnitudes of the frictional forces in respectively the positive and negative joint movement directions after movement of the joint has been initiated. Thus, they correspond with the lines 114 in FIG. 11 of the drawings.
The magnitude of these forces are used to determine the amplitude of the duty cycle signal at 416 . Thus, from 414 the percentage distribution between the arbitrary positive and negative directions were determined, and from the gravity model at 418 , the magnitude or amplitude of the duty cycle signal is determined for each arbitrary positive and negative joint movement direction. It will be appreciated that these magnitudes correspond to dynamic friction compensating forces. Depending on actual joint position, these compensating forces can be dissimilar.
As mentioned earlier, overcoming friction when at rest involves a higher force than is applied to maintain movement. This characteristic of friction is compensated for at 420 when the velocity reading lies in the region Y-Y as indicated (also designated as the region between −V2 and V2). The force which can cause an object, in this case the meshing gears of the gear train, to break away from a rest position is typically some factor higher than 1, often being about 1.6 times the force to maintain movement after movement is achieved. This factor can vary depending on the application. In this case, the factor or ratio corresponds to the relationship between the force which will overcome friction in the gear train when at rest and to maintain movement in the gear train once movement has been initiated. More specifically, the ratio corresponds to the change in efficiency of the gear train when at rest versus when in motion. It will be appreciated that at 420 , the ratio and effective range Y-Y can be tailored to suit a specific application. The range Y-Y could correspond with the range X-X, for example.
Referring now to 420 in greater detail, and assuming the region Y-Y corresponds with the region X-X, at 0% and 100% values, a factor of 1 is generated. At a 50% value a maximum factor is generated. Between 50% and 100% and between 50% and 0% a linear relationship between the maximum factor value, in one example 1.6, and the minimum factor value, namely 1, is established. Thus, at a value of 75% or 25% a factor of 1.3 would be generated. It will be appreciated that the relationship need not necessarily be linear.
The factor ranging between 1 and the maximum factor determined at 420 from the velocity reading is then output or forwarded to factoring or adjusting blocks at 422 and 421 , respectively.
The friction compensation force for movement in the positive joint direction is input to the block 422 as indicated by line 424 . In the block 422 , this friction compensation value is indicated along the horizontal axis. The actual friction compensation force magnitude to compensate for stictions is indicated along the vertical axis. The value of the factor is indicated by the letters “fac.” This value determines the relationship between the actual required friction compensation forces and the friction force requiring compensation when movement in the positive joint direction is achieved. Thus, the value fac determines the gradient of the lines indicated by fac and 1/fac, respectively. Naturally, when fac=1, the lines fac and 1/fac extend at 45° resulting in the actual required friction being equal to the friction requiring compensation. This corresponds with a condition in which the velocity reading is outside or equal to the outer limits of the Y-Y region. It will be appreciated that at 421 , a similar adjustment takes place for friction compensation force in the negative direction.
It will be appreciated that a larger force to compensate for friction in one direction may be required than in the opposed direction, in particular because our compensation torque here indicates both friction compensation torque and gravity compensation torque. This depends on the actual position of the joint. Normally, to cause the arm member extending from the joint toward the pincher formation 706 to move in an operatively downward direction requires less friction compensation torque than moving it in an operatively upward direction. Thus, should the arbitrary positive joint movement direction correspond with an upward movement, a greater frictional compensating force is required than that in the arbitrary negative direction, and vice versa. Thus, the amplitude of the duty cycle can be higher or lower on the positive side than the negative side depending on the position of the joint, and whether the arbitrary positive joint movement direction corresponds with an upward or downward movement of the arm member extending from the joint. Indeed, the “positive” compensation load need not be in the positive direction and the “negative” load need not be in the negative direction, although the positive load will be greater than or equal to the negative load.
After the friction compensation force magnitudes have been determined in this manner, they are forwarded to the PWM signal generator at 416 as indicated by lines 462 and 464 , respectively. At the PWM signal generator, the force magnitudes are combined with the duty cycle distribution signal determined at 414 to determine a resultant duty cycle signal as indicated at 466 . The resultant duty cycle signal 466 is then passed from the PWM signal generator along line 468 .
The duty cycle signal thus determined by the PWM signal generator 416 by combining outputs from 414 , 421 and 422 is then passed to an amplifier so that the required electrical current can be passed to the electrical motor operatively associated with the joint 704 B so as to generate corresponding cyclical torques on that motor.
The frequency of the duty cycle output from 416 is predetermined so as to be low enough to enable the electrical motor to respond and high enough so as not to be felt mechanically. Thus, the frequency is greater than the mechanical time constants of the system yet less than the electrical time constants of the electric motor. A suitable frequency in the exemplary telesurgical system falls in the range between 40 Hz to 70 Hz, preferably about 55 Hz.
It will be appreciated that where it is possible accurately to read zero velocity when the master control 700 is at rest, the above method of compensating for friction can also be used. For example, when the master control 700 is stationary and a zero velocity reading is measured, a duty cycle is forwarded to the motors, the duty cycle having a magnitude corresponding to the required frictional compensating force and having a 50% distribution. Thus, when an external force is applied to the hand control by the surgeon in a specific direction, a friction compensating force is delivered 50% of the time to assist in initiating movement of the master control 700 , thus to compensate for stiction. As movement is then induced and the velocity reading increases in a specific direction, the distribution of the cycle changes in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the master control. Eventually, when the master control is being moved at a velocity corresponding to a velocity reading outside the range XX, the compensating force, or torque to the motors, is distributed 100% in a direction corresponding to the direction of movement of the master control. The duty cycle has a predetermined frequency so that, irrespective of the direction of required movement induced on the master control 700 when the master control 700 is moved, e.g., by the surgeon's hand, a corresponding friction compensating force is supplied at a percentage of the time determined by the velocity reading. The effect of this is that during movement initiation, the sticking sensation is compensated for. This enables smooth precision movements to be induced on the master control without sticking, particularly at small velocities.
As mentioned, the method of compensating for friction is not limited to friction resulting from gravity compensation. In other words, gravity model might be replaced by some other controller determining torques to be applied to the motors for another purpose. The method can be used to compensate for friction per se.
Referring now to FIG. 19 , a method of compensating for friction as applied to friction per se will now be described. The method is similar to the method described above with reference to gravity compensation. However, in this case, the gravity model is replaced by a Coulomb friction model which provides a fixed compensating friction value in the arbitrary positive and negative joint movement directions. The fixed compensating friction can be set to correspond with an actual constant friction value for friction compensation as defined by actual system parameters. The adjustment factor simply may multiply these fixed values in 421 and 422 . This method can be used to overcome actual friction in the joint itself, for example, should the friction in the joint require compensation. In other respects, the method of compensating for friction, and stiction, as discussed above applies. Hence, this method can be combined with the system described above or with another gravity and/or friction model using appropriate adjustments 421 and 422 .
While the exemplary embodiment has been described in some detail, by way of example and for clarity of understanding, a variety of changes and modifications will be obvious to those of skill in the art. Hence, the scope of the present invention is limited solely by the appended claims.
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Devices, systems, and methods for compensate for friction within powered automatic systems, particularly for telesurgery and other telepresence applications. Dynamic friction compensation may comprise applying a continuous load in the direction of movement of a joint, and static friction compensation may comprise applying alternating loads in positive and negative joint actuation directions whenever the joint velocity reading falls within a low velocity range.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present application relates generally to inertial separation of particulates suspended in or carried by fluids and specifically to, air filters, dust separators, clarifiers, cyclones, vacuum cleaners, precipitators, sifting screens, decanters, demisters, gaseous and fluid filtration devices alike.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Separation of suspended particulates from fluids is a common filtration engineering task. Solid, semi-solid or gel-like particulates may be suspended or carried in a gases or liquids in motion. Small water droplets, spray-mist, sea salt, dust etc, may be suspended in the ambient air, carried by wind or blown by ventilation systems. Fly ash and unburned coal dust may be exhausted in the hot fumes of industrial boilers and combustors. Intakes of water treatment systems, desalination systems may have sand and suspended silt in the raw water. Wastewater and storm water may also carry large quantities of suspended solids. Various chemical, petrochemical and pharmaceutical processes may have liquids that have suspended bubbles of insoluble liquids (emulsion droplets) or small blobs of coagulated matter mixed in with the carrying liquid. The present application has a solution for the problem of efficient separation of such particles and droplets from fluids by means of inertial separation. In inertial separation technologies, local acceleration is used to induce inertial forces to the suspended particles required for separation. The concentration of particles is low or close to zero in the filtrate stream and high in the concentrate stream. The efficiency of separation is commonly expressed as the ratio of particle concentration in filtrate stream over the particle concentration in the feed stream. There are several known inertial separation technologies. Demister vanes, marine vane separators, inertial spin or swirl tubes, tuyere separators, centrifuges, variety of cyclones, etc.
[0003] Cyclone separation technology is widely used for removal of particulate matter from fluids without the use of filters. Cyclones are devices that create high speed rotating flow—or spinning field of fluid—in a cylindrical and conical vessel by inducing the fluid tangentially to the circumference of the cylinder. Centrifugal force and gravity are used to separate mixtures of solids and fluids. Air flows in a spiral pattern, beginning at the top (wide end) of the cyclone and ending at the bottom (narrow) end before exiting the cyclone in a straight stream through the center of the cyclone and out at the top. Larger and denser particles in the rotating stream have too much inertia to follow the curvature of the stream and strike the outside wall, falling then to the bottom of the cyclone where they can be removed. In a conical system, as the rotating flow moves towards the narrow end of the cyclone the radius of the stream curvature is reduced, separating smaller and smaller particles. Larger particles will be removed with a greater efficiency and smaller particles with a lower efficiency. The disadvantage of the currently known cyclone technology is that it has limited minimum streamline curvature (i.e. how small the curvature can be). The streamline curvature is largely defined by the radius of the cylindrical portion of the cyclone. As smaller curvature generally results in better separation efficiency, therefore the current cyclone technology has limited efficiency because the curvature of the cyclone is limited to the radius of its cylinder. The present application has improved separation efficiency over the current cyclones.
[0004] Various separation screens are also widely used in the field of liquid and gas filtration. There are several known inertial separator technologies such as demister vanes, marine vane separators, tuyere separators, water intake screens, etc. Few of these recently developed separator systems employ sweeping flow to facilitate and improve the separation of suspended matter. The sweeping flow is tangential to the surface of the separator while the pass-through flow is perpendicular to the surface. These recently introduced sweeping flow technologies utilize wedge wire screens for inertial separation, such as described in US20100224570. Wedge shaped wire screens are preferred for their low-maintenance operation.
[0005] The present application is the continuation of the inertial separation concept described in the Patent Application titled “Wedge Bar for Inertial Separation” U.S. Ser. No. 12/924003 Asymmetrical separators elements are utilized, promoting small curvature accelerated flow across the linear gaps of the screen—separated from the flow sweeping the face side of the screen.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present application describes a particle separator based on a cyclone induced sweeping flow. This cylindrical or conical shaped separator screen operates based on inertial separation of suspended particles in fluids. The separator screen comprises of multitude of parallel, evenly spaced, asymmetrically profiled, linear elements arranged in a cylindrical or conical shape parallel with the axis of the cylinder or cone. In one embodiment, the fluid mixed with particulates enters tangentially at the top end of the cylinder or cone through a high velocity jet. The cyclone effect is created by the rotational, helical path of the fluid inside of the cylindrical or conical separator screen. The spinning, rotating fluid sweeps the inner side of the separator, passing approximately perpendicularly over the linear elements and gaps between the elements. Part of the fluid will pass through the gaps of the separator to a collector-space that is an outer space, approximately coaxial with the separator-screen. The streamlines of the fluid passing through the gaps of the separator have sharp curvatures creating the acceleration conditions required for inertial separation of particulates. The particulates even those that are smaller than the openings of the separator screen—separate from the streamlines of the pass-through flow and continue on the helical path inside the cylinder. The pass-through fluid is clean while the rotating vortex flow inside the separator-screen is concentrated with particles. The spiraling flow sweeps the particles along the inner portion of the separator-screen and they are collected at the bottom cone and released from the cyclone. The separated, clean fluid leaves the cyclone from the coaxial collector space. The separator-screen elements may be wires, bars, narrow strips, blades, airfoils or other similar linear elements with a flow separation edge on the trailing end of the profile of the element. The separation edge facilitates a formation of sharply curved streamlines of the flow passing through the gaps of the separator-screen for high acceleration and effective inertial separation of particles. The protruding separation edge also facilitates a formation of gently curved un-separated sweeping streamlines that provide bridge effect, taking the particles over the gaps of the separator.
[0007] In another embodiment, the fluid mixed with particulates enters tangentially at the top end of the cylindrical vessel into the coaxial space between the inertial separator screen and the wall of the cylinder vessel. The cyclone effect is created by the rotational, helical path of the fluid imposed by wall of the cylinder vessel. The rotating fluid sweeps the outer side of the separator screen, passing over the linear elements. Part of the fluid will pass through the gaps of the separator to the central collector-space that is inside the separator-screen. The sharply curved streamlines of the fluid passing through the gaps of the separator-screen have the acceleration conditions required for inertial separation of particles. The particles—even though some are smaller than the screen openings—separate from the streamlines of the pass-through flow and continue on the helical path in the coaxial space outside the separator. The pass-through fluid is clean while the rotating vortex flow outside the separator screen is concentrated with particles. The spiraling cyclone-flow sweeps the particles along the outer portion of the separator-screen and they are collected at the bottom cone and released from the cyclone. The separated, clean fluid leaves the cyclone from the central collector space through an outlet pipe and port, located in the centerline of the apparatus.
[0008] In another embodiment, the inertial separation screen is a rotating (non-stationary) component of the system. The separation screen is rotating around of its cylindrical axis, in counter direction of the rotation of the tangentially entered mixed-fluid. The counter directional rotation enhances the inertial separation effect of the system. The fluid mixed with particulates enters tangentially at the top end of the cylindrical vessel into the coaxial space between the rotating inertial separator screen and the wall of the cylinder vessel. The rotating fluid sweeps the outer side of the rotating separator screen, passing over the linear elements that are moving in counter direction. Part of the fluid will pass through the gaps of the separator to the central collector-space that is inside the separator-screen. The particles separate from the streamlines of the pass-through flow and continue on the helical path in the coaxial space outside the separator. The pass-through fluid is clean while the rotating vortex flow outside the separator screen is concentrated with particles. The spiraling cyclone-flow sweeps the particles along the outer portion of the separator-screen and they are collected at the bottom cone and released from the cyclone. The separated, clean fluid leaves the cyclone from the central collector space through an outlet pipe and port, located in the centerline of the apparatus.
[0009] These and other features of the present application will become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon review of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the several drawings and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator. This embodiment is primarily for low pressure fluids. It has a single stage sweeping flow separator screen. The mixed fluid enters to the cyclone tangentially; the clean fluid leaves tangentially through a volute shaped collector space, while the separated particles are removed from the bottom.
[0011] FIG. 2 shows a two-stage sweeping flow separator screen. Two sweeping flow separators are installed in series in a single cyclone. The apparatus cleans the inlet fluid and separates the particulate matter into coarser and finer particles. The mixed fluid enters into the cyclone tangentially at the top and the clean fluid leaves tangentially through a volute collector space. The coarser and finer particles are removed from two solid outlets at the bottom of the cyclone.
[0012] FIG. 3 depicts another embodiment of the cyclone separator-screen. It is a single stage, high pressure device, where the inlet port and the two outlet ports are arranged conventionally as in the known cyclones. The mixed fluid tangentially enters the upper portion of the cyclone and creates a sweeping vortex flow along the internal surface of the cylindrical screen. The clean fluid passed through the separator-screen is collected in the outer, cylindrical portion of the vessel and leaves the system through the port at the top center. The concentrate with separated particles leaves at the bottom center.
[0013] FIG. 4 illustrates another embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator screen. This apparatus is an integrated system with conventional cyclone action as well as sweeping flow separator action. The clean fluid is collected from the cylindrical outer portion as well as through the central collector tube from the bottom portion of the cyclone. The ratios of the flows from these two sources are balanced through a balancing valve and an ejector located in the upper extraction port.
[0014] FIG. 5 depicts four of multitude of possible profiles of the sweeping flow separator screen. The linear grid of screen elements creates sharply curved streamlines required for inertial separation of particles that are swept across the internal surface of the screen. The flow of clean fluid with curved streamlines passes through the gaps of the separator screen.
[0015] FIG. 6 depicts another embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator. The direction of the flow through the separator screen is inward-radial from the perimeter to the center of the cyclone. The mixed fluid enters to the cyclone tangentially into the outer coaxial space and passes through the separator screen into the central collector space, while the separated particles are removed from the bottom of the outer space.
[0016] FIG. 7 depicts another embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator. The rotational separator screen is rotating in counter direction of the tangentially entered inlet flow of fluid mixed with particles. The flow through the separator screen is inward-radial from the perimeter to the center of the cyclone. The mixed fluid enters to the cyclone tangentially into the outer coaxial space and passes through the separator screen into the central collector space, while the separated particles are removed from the bottom of the outer space.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0017] Referring now to the drawings, in which like numerals indicate like elements, FIG. 1 shows cross sectional views and details of one preferred embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator screen. Multitude of parallel, asymmetrically profiled linear elements 101 are evenly spaced, separated by gaps 102 to form the linear grid of the cylindrical or slightly conical face of the separator-screen 103 . The mixed flow of fluid (gas or liquid) and particles enters the apparatus through the inlet port 104 at the top portion of the device. The inlet nozzle 105 accelerates and directs the flow tangentially to the face of the screen. This tangential entry generates a spinning, rotating, swirling motion of the fluid 106 inside the separator-screen that is also referred as cyclone effect. The rotating fluid sweeps the cylindrical face of the screen perpendicularly crossing 107 its linear grid elements 101 . Some of the fluid will pass through the gaps of the separator screen, with sharply curved streamlines 108 around the edges of the grid elements. The inertia of the particles in the mixed fluid will separate them from the curved streamlines of the fluid 108 passing through the separator screen and they will remain inside of the screen swept along the rotating cyclone flow 106 —even if they are smaller than the screen gaps. The sweeping cyclone flow and the gravity will carry the particles to the bottom portion of the device. The particles will collect in the bottom, cone shaped space 109 and are removed through the outlet port 110 . The separated fluid passed through the separator screen and enters in the clean-fluid collector space 111 . The clean fluid collector space is spiral shaped volute 112 formed around the separator screen. The volute has an outlet port 113 for the clean fluid.
[0018] FIG. 2 generally depicts the principle of operation of multi-stage sweeping flow separator screen and specifically one preferred embodiment of a two-stage sweeping flow separator screen. The multi-stage apparatus cleans the inlet fluid from particulates and separates the particulate matter into multitude of coarser to finer particles bins. The description of operation of the two stage separator shown on FIG. 2 is as follows: The coarser flow separator 202 is embedded inside of the second finer flow separator 203 . They are connected in series as the fluid flows through the inner separator 202 first and the outer separator 203 second. The separator screens are mounted in the same cyclone-housing 212 . The fluid mixed with particles enters into the cyclone tangentially at the top through the inlet port 201 and is accelerated through the inlet nozzle 204 . The fluid is forced to a spinning rotational flow 207 along the inner, cylindrical wall of the coarser screen. This rotational-flow pattern is also referred to as cyclone effect. Asymmetrically profiled, vertically oriented linear elements 210 form the wall of the cylinder of the screen. The multitude of parallel, evenly spaced, linear elements separated by gaps form the linear grid of the cylindrical face of the separator screen. The rotational spinning flow sweeps across the screen-grid elements perpendicular to their longitudinal axis. Some of the fluid passes through the gaps of the separation screen 209 . The streamlines of the passing fluid are sharply curved. The larger, high-velocity particles are separated from the screened flow by their inertia and swept along, inside the cylinder of the separator screen. The particles pulled by gravity, travel on a helical path 211 down to the bottom inner collector cone 213 and are removed through a coarse-particle outlet port 214 . The fluid passed through the coarse inner screen is collected in a volute space 205 and guided by a spiral shaped wall 208 , through a tangential nozzle into the outer separator screen 216 . The outer screen is finer in that the linear screen-bar elements have a smaller pass-through gap. The mechanism of inertial separation of finer particulates in the outer screen is similar to the inner screen described above. The particles travel on a helical path 217 inside of the 216 downwards into the fine collector cone 218 and are removed through the fine particle outlet port 219 . The cleaned flow that passed the second stage separator-screen is collected in a spiral volute 206 —shaped by spirally formed outer wall 212 and leaves the device through the clean fluid outlet port 220 .
[0019] FIG. 3 presents another preferred embodiment of the cyclone separator-screen. The depicted device is a single stage separator, constructed for high pressures. The mixed fluid enters through the inlet port 301 and is accelerated through a converging nozzle 302 . The fluid jet enters tangentially into the vertically oriented, cylindrical or slightly conical cyclone 303 . The fluid is forced in a rotational helical downward path 304 . The fluid sweeps perpendicularly over the linear elements of the separator-screen 305 . Some of the fluid passes through the gaps of the screen forced on sharply curved streamlines 308 . The inertial forces acting on the particles separate them from the pass-through flow and they continue to be swept along the rotational path inside the cylinder of the separator-screen. The particles gradually fall down to the bottom collector cone 310 and are removed through the particulate outlet port 311 . The cleaned flow passed through the separator-screen, is collected in the cylindrical outer sleeve 306 and it flows upward 309 to the outlet port 312 located on the top of the system. Despite the similar external geometry, the embodiment presented on FIG. 3 is substantially different than the known conventional cyclone separators because the applied principle of inertial separation: The present application utilizes the inertial separation forces on a small scale due to the sharply curved streamlines around the asymmetric profile of the linear screen grid elements. The rotational cyclone flow is only induced to maintain the sweeping flow over the cylindrical separator-screen. The known conventional cyclones use the inertial forces on the macro scale as the curvature of the streamlines are determined by the radius of the cylinder of the cyclone. In comparison the radius of curvature of the streamlines of the present application is smaller by several orders of magnitude compared to the radius of curvature of streamlines of known cyclone technologies.
[0020] FIG. 4 depicts another embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator screen. This device is an integrated system with conventional cyclone action combined with sweeping flow separation-screen action. The mixed fluid enters the device through the inlet port 401 and is accelerated to a jet through a converging nozzle 402 . The jet enters tangentially into the cylindrical cyclone 403 of the separation screen 404 described in the previous paragraphs of this application. The fluid is forced to a helical downward path 405 . The fluid sweeps perpendicularly over the linear elements of the screen 404 . Portion of the fluid passes through the separation screen on sharply curved streamlines 407 . Inertial forces separate the particles from the pass-through flow and are swept along inside the cylinder of the screen. The cleaned flow passed through the separation-screen, is collected in the cylindrical outer sleeve 411 and it flows upward 412 to the outlet port 413 located on the top of the apparatus. The particles are carried down to the bottom portion of the cyclone toward the collector cone 408 . The following portion of the process is a conventional cyclone separation effect of the known technologies. In the converging cone the angular (rotational) speed of the spinning fluid increases—such that the inertial momentum of the fluid can be preserved. The increased rotational speed results in an increased centrifugal force. The particles are concentrated near the wall of the cone by centrifugal forces. The clean fluid is removed through the collector tube located at the center of the bottom portion of the cyclone 409 . The particles—separated by the combined inertial screen and conventional cyclone effect—are collected at the bottom of the cone and removed through the particulate outlet port 410 . There are two streams of clean fluid: one collected in the outer sleeve 412 , the other through the central collector tube 409 . The two streams are combined through an ejector 414 located in the outlet port 413 . The ratios of the flows from these two sources are balanced through a balancing valve 415 and an ejector 414 . The balancing valve also serves as a control device that may influence the efficiency of the separation for variable particle sizes.
[0021] FIG. 5 depicts four of multitude of possible profile geometries of the linear grid elements of the sweeping flow separator screen. The primary common objective and unique property of the grid element geometry is creation of sharply curved streamlines of the flow 502 passing through the gaps between the elements. In general: smaller the radius of the curvature of the streamline is, the smaller the size of the particle that will be separated from the pass-through flow and will remain on the face or concentrated side of the separator-screen. The secondary common objective and unique property of the grid element geometry is creation of least obstructed-low drag-flow conditions for the sweeping flow on the face side 503 of the screen. The separated particles remain on the swept side of the separator-screen and they must travel along the face of the screen with the seeping flow 501 with the least amount of resistance. In order to achieve these objectives all of the considered profiles must be asymmetrical with low-drag streamlined properties in direction of the sweep flow and must provide a highly curved streamlines for the flow passing through the gaps between the elements. For the purposes of this application the following nomenclature is applied to describe the orientations, directions and sides of the screen elements: The face side 503 is from where the mixed concentrated flow approaches the separator-screen. The clean side of the screen 504 is where the cleaned flow leaves the screen. Leading side 505 is facing the sweeping flow and trailing or after is side 506 where the sweeping flow leaves the profile. Consistent with this naming convention there are four quadrants of the profile: Leading-Face 507 , Leading-Clean 508 , Trailing-Face 509 and Trailing-Clean 510 .
[0022] The geometry of the linear grid screen element depicted on FIG. 5 a is a square profile with an attached, fastened, adhered, welded or otherwise secured lip or edge on the trailing-face quadrant of the element. The trailing edge is protruding into the sweeping flow on the face side of the separator-screen at an angle so the edge is leaning in the direction of the sweeping flow. FIG. 5 b illustrates a complex wedge-like solid-bar profile of the linear grid screen element with the protruding edge on the trailing-face quadrant of the profile. The angle of the protrusion of the edge tilts the edge in direction of the sweeping flow such that it is streamlined for small drag against the sweeping flow. The sharp protruding edge (lip) facilitates the small curvature streamlines of the passing through flow. The profile of the linear elements of the separator screen depicted on FIG. 5 c and FIG. 5 d may be fabricated out of sheet metal or plate material. The profiles form a sharply curved path between two adjacent elements thereby enhancing particle separation from the pass-through flow. The shape of the profile is streamlined for the sweeping flow across the separator screen face. The protruding edge—on the profile depicted on FIG. 5 d —has minimal resistance. The sizes and proportions of the linear screen elements and gaps may vary with the specific application. The approximate range of the gap-size may be from 0.2 mm to 100 mm. The gap-size is larger than the separated particle size. The approximate width size of the linear screen element may be from 0.8 mm to 250 mm.
[0023] FIG. 6 shows cross sectional views and details of another preferred embodiment of the cyclone induced sweeping flow separator. The direction of the flow through the separator screen with this embodiment is the opposite of direction of the previously described embodiments. The direction of the flow-through is inward-radial that is from the perimeter toward the center of the cyclone. The mixed fluid enters the cyclone tangentially into the outer coaxial space and passes through the separator screen into the central collector space, while the separated particles are removed from the bottom of the outer space. The mixed flow of fluid (gas or liquid) and particles enters the apparatus through the inlet port 601 at the top portion of the device. The inlet nozzle 602 accelerates and directs the flow tangentially into the coaxial cylindrical sleeve-like space 606 between the separator screen 605 and the outer wall of the cyclone 607 . This tangential entry generates a spinning, rotating, swirling motion of the fluid 604 that is also referred as cyclone effect. The rotating fluid sweeps the outer face of the cylindrical separator, perpendicularly crossing its linear grid elements 605 . As the fluid circulates around the separator screen, the fluid will gradually pass through the gaps of the separator, with sharply curved streamlines 608 around the edges of the grid elements 605 . The inertia of the particles in the mixed fluid will separate them from the curved streamlines of the fluid 608 passing through the separator and they will remain outside of the separator screen—despite the fact that the particles are smaller than the openings of the screen—and are swept along the rotating cyclone flow 604 . The sweeping cyclone flow and the gravity will carry the particles to the bottom portion of the device. The particles will collect in the bottom, cone shaped space 610 and are removed through the outlet port 611 . The separated fluid passes through the separator and it enters in the clean-fluid collector space 603 located in the center of the device. The clean fluid will be collected through a collector tube or pipe 613 located in the center line of the apparatus and exits the apparatus through port 612 . The efficiency of the conventional cyclone is significantly improved by the inertial separator screen because the sharply curved, small-scale streamlines formed around the elements and the gaps enhance the particle separation.
[0024] FIG. 7 shows cross sectional views and details of another preferred embodiment of the sweeping flow separator. This embodiment is different than the previously described ones in that the inertial separator screen is not stationary. The cylindrical/conical separator screen is turning around it longitudinal axis thereby providing a rotational motion to the separation elements and gaps. The direction of its rotation is opposite to the direction of the rotating cyclone flow, thus enhancing the particle separation efficiency of the system. The mixed fluid 701 enters the cyclone tangentially into the outer coaxial space 704 and passes through the separator screen into the central collector space, while the separated particles are removed from the bottom of the outer space 703 . The mixed flow of fluid (gas or liquid) and particles enters the apparatus through the inlet port 701 at the top portion of the device. The inlet nozzle 702 accelerates and directs the flow tangentially into the coaxial cylindrical sleeve-like space 706 between the separator screen 705 and the outer wall of the cyclone 707 . This tangential entry generates a spinning, rotating, swirling motion of the fluid 704 . The separator screen is mounted on bearings 715 and driven through a drive mechanism 716 . The direction of the rotation of the screen 714 is the opposite to the rotational direction of the fluid 704 . The rotating fluid sweeps the outer face of the rotating cylindrical separator at an increased sweeping speed as the tangential velocity of the rotating fluid is superimposed (added) to the tangential speed of the screen. The increased sweeping velocity enhances the acceleration of the fluid as it is perpendicularly crossing its linear grid elements 705 through the gaps. This enhanced acceleration improves the separation efficiency of the particles forcing them to remain in the coaxial space 706 . As the fluid circulates around the separator screen, the fluid will gradually pass through the gaps of the separator, with sharply curved streamlines 708 around the edges of the grid elements 705 . The inertia of the particles in the mixed fluid will separate them from the curved streamlines of the fluid 708 passing through the separator and they will remain outside of the separator screen. The sweeping cyclone flow and the gravity will carry the particles to the bottom portion of the device. The particles will collect in the bottom, cone shaped space 710 , and are removed through the outlet port 711 . The separated fluid passes through the separator and it enters in the clean-fluid collector space 703 located in the center of the device. The clean fluid will be collected through a collector tube or pipe 713 located in the center line of the apparatus and exits the apparatus through port 712 . The efficiency of the conventional cyclone is significantly improved by the inertial separator screen because the sharply curved, small-scale streamlines formed around the elements and the gaps enhance the particle separation.
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The cylindrical or conical shaped particle separator operates based on cyclone-induced flow sweeping the face of the cylindrical separator screen, creating inertial separation of suspended particles. The separator screen comprises of multitude of parallel, evenly spaced, asymmetrically profiled, linear, screen elements arranged in a cylindrical or conical grid-like shape parallel with the axis of the cylinder or cone. The cyclone effect is created by the rotational, helical path of the fluid inside or outside of the cylindrical or conical separator screen. The spinning, rotating fluid sweeps the inner or outer side of the stationary or rotating screen, passing approximately perpendicularly over the linear grid-like elements and gaps between the elements. The screen elements may be wires, bars, narrow strips, airfoil vanes or other similar linear elements with a flow separation edge on the trailing end of the profile of the element.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/157,858, filed May 31, 2002, and which was filed as a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/848,406, filed May 4, 2001, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,845 B1, issued Jul. 23, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to a solar blanket roller assembly and, in particular, a solar blanket roller assembly which is intended to be installed and stored below the surface of the surrounding deck of a pool.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the past, solar blankets have been used to cover swimming pools in order to reduce the amount of heat lost from the pool. Typically, the solar blanket consists of a floating plastic or foam mat which is cut to a size and shape generally corresponding to the surface of the pool. The solar blanket is stretched over the surface of the pool during periods when the pool is not in use. When the pool is intended to be used, the solar blanket is often stored on a roller assembly which consists of an elongated roller shaft which mounts a wheel at each of its ends, with one end of the blanket physically coupled to the shaft by a series of flexible straps. Typically, the solar blanket is removed from the pool surface by winding it for storage about the elongated roller shaft. The wheels provided at each end of the roller shaft enable the shaft, together with the solar blanket stored thereon, to roll along the top of the pool deck. Once the solar blanket has been removed from the pool surface, the entire roller assembly is moved via the wheels away from the pool area for storage. To return the solar blanket back onto the surface of the pool, the entire roller assembly is again rolled back into a position adjacent to the pool surface, and the solar blanket is unrolled from the roller shaft and onto the surface of the pool.
[0004] Because the roller assembly rests directly on the top of the pool deck, it is an inconvenience to move the entire roller assembly away from and back to the pool area. Furthermore, the roller assembly may disadvantageously hinder movement about the pool and could present an obstruction which could otherwise injure a pool user.
[0005] In addition, the placement of conventional roller assemblies on top of the deck takes up room that could otherwise be used for other activities, and also may be aesthetically unpleasing either when the solar blanket is rolled up for storage or when it is deployed over the pool surface.
[0006] In colder climates conventional solar blanket storage assemblies present a further disadvantage in that given their size, they are often difficult to store during the winter months. Often the roller shaft may be fifteen feet or more in length, necessitating that the solar blanket be either stored outside with the roller assembly, or detached therefrom and stored elsewhere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to at least partially overcome the disadvantages of the prior art. Thus, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved type of solar blanket roller assembly which is installed below the grade or deck of a pool.
[0008] Another object of the invention is to provide a roller assembly for a solar blanket which permits simplified deployment and storage of the solar blanket over the surface of an in-ground pool.
[0009] A further aspect of the invention is to provide a solar blanket assembly which enables a solar blanket to be stored immediately adjacent to the edge of a pool without otherwise obstructing or hindering movement about the pool deck area.
[0010] Another object of the invention is to provide a method by which a roller assembly for a swimming pool solar blanket may be installed easily and quickly in a position substantially below the grade of the surface or deck surrounding the pool.
[0011] The present invention includes a solar blanket and roller assembly for use with an in-ground swimming pool. The roller assembly comprises a longitudinally elongated housing which, most preferably, has a length selected at least one to two feet longer than the lateral width of the pool. The housing defines an elongated interior cavity having a dimension selected to enable the storage of the solar blanket in a rolled configuration therein. A rotatable roller shaft or spindle is provided within the housing. The spindle has a length corresponding to or greater than the width of the blanket and is configured to be manually electrically, pneumatically and/or hydraulically journalled in rotation. Thus the solar blanket may be coupled to the spindle and wound into the housing by selectively rotating the spindle.
[0012] An elongated opening extends substantially the longitudinal length of the housing and allows the solar blanket to be drawn from or wound into the housing for deployment or storage. Optionally, a lid or cover may be provided which may be opened or closed to permit or prevent access into the housing interior.
[0013] In use, the housing is recessed into the ground and positioned with its elongated opening oriented upward so that the housing opening is generally flush with the grade or deck surface immediately surrounding the pool.
[0014] Accordingly, in one aspect, this invention resides in a below-deck solar blanket roller assembly comprising: a rotatable roller shaft for rolling and unrolling a solar blanket, the shaft having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction; a non-rotatable protective housing or casing having first and second ends, wherein the housing is spaced radially from the roller shaft, surrounds the roller shaft, and extends in the longitudinal direction, and wherein the housing has an elongated opening extending in the longitudinal direction; first end support supporting the first shaft end and positioning the first shaft end inside and relative to the housing; second end shaft support supporting the second shaft end and positioning the second shaft end inside and relative to the housing; first end wall closing the first end of the casing; second end wall closing the second end of the housing; a drive coupler engaging a portion of the roller shaft for receiving rotational energy from a source to rotate the roller shaft.
[0015] In another aspect, the present invention resides in a below-deck solar blanket roller assembly comprising:
[0016] a rotatable roller shaft for rolling and unrolling a solar blanket, the shaft having first and second ends and a longitudinal axis extending in a longitudinal direction;
[0017] a non-rotatable protective casing having first and second ends and extending in the longitudinal direction, the casing having a generally rectangular lateral cross-section selected such that the casing is spaced radially from the roller shaft and a knock-out portion removable to form an elongated opening extending in the longitudinal direction, said casing comprising a plurality of extruded plastic segments, each of said segments being joined in longitudinal alignment,
[0018] a first end support for supporting the first shaft end and positioning the first shaft end inside and relative to the casing;
[0019] a second end shaft support for supporting the second shaft end and positioning the second shaft end inside and relative to the casing;
[0020] a power coupler at an end of the roller shaft for receiving power from a source to rotate the roller shaft.
[0021] In yet another aspect the present invention resides in a below-deck solar blanket roller assembly comprising:
[0022] a method of installing a solar blanket roller assembly in a position recessed within a deck of a swimming pool, the roller assembly comprising,
[0023] a roller shaft for rolling and unrolling a solar blanket thereon, said roller shaft extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end,
[0024] a non-rotatable protective casing having first and second ends, the casing being elongated in the longitudinal direction and having a generally rectangular lateral cross-section, the casing being spaced radially outwardly from said roller shaft, and further comprising,
[0025] a first extruded segment and a second extruded segment, each of said first and second segments being substantially identical and having a longitudinally extending knock-out portion in an upper region thereof which is removable to form part of an elongated opening,
[0026] a first end support for supporting and positioning the first shaft end inside the casing,
[0027] a second end support for supporting and positioning said second shaft end inside the casing, and
[0028] a drive spaced towards one end of said roller shaft and being selectively operable to rotate said roller shaft,
[0029] the roller assembly being installed by,
[0030] forming a trench in said deck sized to receive said casing thereon,
[0031] coupling said first extruded segment in longitudinal alignment to said second extruded segment with the knock-out portion of said first segment substantially aligned with said knock-out portion of said second segment, positioning said casing in a trench adjacent the pool substantially flush with a surface of the deck either before or after removing said knock-out portions to form said elongated opening.
[0032] In yet another aspect the present invention resides in a method of installing a below-deck solar blanket roller assembly for a swimming pool, the roller assembly comprising,
[0033] a roller shaft for rolling and unrolling a solar blanket thereon, said roller shaft extending along a longitudinal axis from a first end to a second end,
[0034] a non-rotatable protective casing having first and second end portions, the casing being elongated in the longitudinal direction and being spaced radially from said roller shaft, said casing further comprising,
[0035] a first extruded segment and a second extruded segment, each of said first and second segments having a longitudinally extending knock-out portion in an upper region thereof which is removable to form part of an elongated opening,
[0036] a first end support for supporting and positioning the first shaft end inside the casing,
[0037] a second end support for supporting and positioning said second shaft end inside the casing, and
[0038] a drive spaced towards one end of said roller shaft and being selectively operable to rotate said roller shaft,
[0039] the roller assembly being installed by,
[0040] coupling said first extruded segment to said second extruded segment with the knock-out portion of said first segment substantially aligned with said knock-out portion of said second segment,
[0041] positioning said casing in a trench adjacent the pool with the knock-out portions oriented upwardly and substantially flush with a surface of the deck,
[0042] backfilling about the casing, and
[0043] removing said knock-out portions to form an elongated opening.
[0044] More preferably, the casing further includes a lid, and said method further comprises,
[0045] hingely coupling said lid at a position adjacent to said first segment knock-out portion and said second segment knock-out portion, so as to be pivotally movable between first and second positions to substantially close or open said elongated opening; and wherein the step of backfilling about said casing comprises pouring a settable concrete about said casing, and
[0046] following backfilling about the casing, the hinge is moved from said first position to the second position.
[0047] Further aspects of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and drawings which illustrate the invention and preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0048] In the drawings, which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
[0049] [0049]FIG. 1 shows a partial cross-sectional end view of a first embodiment of a solar blanket roller assembly installed recessed flush with a swimming pool deck, and with a solar blanket housed therein in a storage position;
[0050] [0050]FIG. 2 shows the cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 with the solar blanket deployed from within the roller assembly and overlying the surface of the pool.
[0051] [0051]FIG. 3 is a partial perspective end view of a first idler end of the solar blanket roller assembly shown in FIG. 1 with the solar blanket removed for clarity;
[0052] [0052]FIG. 4 is a partial schematic front view of a solar blanket roller assembly of FIG. 1 with the solar blanket removed for clarity;
[0053] [0053]FIG. 5 illustrates an enlarged partial schematic end view of the second other drive end assembly used in the roller assembly of FIG. 1;
[0054] [0054]FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic exploded view of the drive assembly of FIG. 5;
[0055] [0055]FIG. 7 illustrates an enlarged partial schematic end view of the idler end assembly used in the roller assembly of FIG. 1;
[0056] [0056]FIG. 8 illustrates an enlarged end view of the retaining clamp used in coupling the solar blanket to the roller assembly spindle;
[0057] [0057]FIG. 9 illustrates a perspective view of the hand crank used in the operation of the roller assembly;
[0058] [0058]FIG. 10 is a partial schematic view of a roller assembly in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;
[0059] [0059]FIG. 11 is a partial perspective cut-away view of a solar blanket roller assembly housing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention with the solar blanket removed for clarity;
[0060] [0060]FIG. 12 is a partial perspective cut-away view of a solar blanket roller assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the invention, with the solar blanket removed for clarity;
[0061] [0061]FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional end view of a solar blanket roller assembly housing in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention;
[0062] [0062]FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view showing one way in which the roller assembly of FIG. 12 may be installed;
[0063] [0063]FIG. 15 is a partial cross-sectional view showing another way in which the solar blanket roller assembly of the present invention may be installed;
[0064] [0064]FIG. 16 is a perspective end view of the roller assembly housing illustrating a housing levelling bracket in accordance with a further embodiment of the invention;
[0065] [0065]FIG. 17 is a schematic side view of a roller assembly and spindle housing sections prior to assembly and packaged as part of a kit;
[0066] [0066]FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional end view of the housing section shown in FIG. 17 taken along line 18 - 18 ′;
[0067] [0067]FIG. 19 is an exploded view of the roller assembly housing, lid, hinge and drive assembly;
[0068] [0068]FIGS. 20 a and 20 b illustrate a side and end view of a cardboard insert used in the initial installation of the roller assembly housing;
[0069] [0069]FIG. 21 shows a cross-sectional view of a roller assembly housing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention; and
[0070] [0070]FIG. 22 shows a cross-sectional view illustrating the installation of the roller assembly housing of FIG. 21 below the surface of the surrounding deck of a swimming pool.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0071] [0071]FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of the portion of a concrete patio or deck 4 which borders and most typically surrounds an in-ground swimming pool 6 . As will be described hereafter, a roller assembly 10 for use in storing and deploying a solar blanket 8 is recessed into the deck 4 adjacent to the end 7 of the pool 6 . Although final positioning may vary, most preferably the solar blanket roller assembly 10 is positioned so that its uppermost surface is substantially flush with the surface of the deck 4 , and approximately 0.5 to 3 feet from the pool end 7 . When rolled for storage, the solar blanket 8 is thus stored in a position recessed below the surface of the deck 4 so as not to present a tripping hazard, or otherwise create an aesthetically unsightly appearance.
[0072] The solar blanket 8 may be of a conventional design, typically consisting of a flexible plastic membrane which has a series of discreet air pockets integrally formed therein to provide the blanket 8 with sufficient buoyancy to enable it to be floated on the water surface 9 of the swimming pool 6 . The roller assembly 10 is configured to enable the solar blanket 8 to be coiled for storage therein so that the blanket 8 is contained entirely within the solar blanket roller assembly 10 beneath the surface of the deck 4 .
[0073] As is shown in FIG. 2, the solar blanket roller assembly 10 enables the solar blanket 8 to be selectively unwound from the coiled storage position shown in FIG. 1, and stretched across the water surface 9 when the pool 6 is not in use.
[0074] [0074]FIGS. 2 and 4 show best the construction of the roller assembly 10 . Preferably, the entire solar blanket roller assembly 10 extends in a longitudinal direction LD one to two feet past each edge of the pool end 7 , and in the case of a typical residential pool installation will have a length of between about 14 and 26 feet, so as to permit the solar blanket 8 to be housed therein. The roller assembly 10 includes an elongated cylindrical roller spindle or shaft 12 , an elongated generally cylindrical casing or housing 18 and a spindle drive assembly 13 . The shaft 12 is rotatably mounted at each of its ends at 14 , 16 (shown best in FIGS. 5 and 7) within the elongated generally cylindrical housing 18 . The roller shaft 12 or spindle is formed from a number of hollow extruded aluminum spindle segments 12 a, 12 b (FIG. 4) which are each typically about 6 to 12 feet in length. The shaft segments 12 a, 12 b are joined to each other by inserting a cylindrical connector segment 23 into the adjacent open ends of each shaft segment 12 a, 12 b, and thereafter inserting screws (not shown) to couple each segment 12 a, 12 b to the connector 23 . Once the spindle segments 12 a, 12 b are assembled, the completed roller shaft 12 extends in the longitudinal direction LD from its first end 14 to the second end 16 along longitudinal axis L A (FIG. 4). It is to be appreciated that although the tubular spindle segments 12 a, 12 b most preferably have a length selected at between about 6 and 12 feet for shipping convenience, the number of tube segments 12 a, 12 b and final length of the shaft 12 will ultimately depend upon the width of the solar blanket 8 which is to be installed.
[0075] A rearward most edge 15 (FIG. 2) of the solar blanket 8 is attached directly to the spindle 12 . The blanket 8 may be attached to the spindle 12 by suitable means including rivets, screws, glues, touch fasteners or ties.
[0076] Most preferably, however, the edge 15 of the blanket 8 is secured to the shaft 12 in a clamp-fit arrangement by means of an elongated aluminum retaining bar 19 (FIG. 8) which is coupled to the spindle 12 by screws 21 . As will be described, in use of the roller assembly 10 , the solar blanket 8 is coiled about the spindle 12 through its selective rotation by the drive assembly 13 .
[0077] As shown best in FIGS. 2 and 4, the housing 18 has a generally cylindrical profile and extends in the longitudinal direction LD (FIG. 4), a marginal distance past each spindle end 14 , 16 . In a preferred embodiment, the housing 18 formed from a series of extruded metal, PVC or other plastic segments or sections 18 a, 18 b (see FIG. 4) which are joined in axial alignment. In the cross-section shown in FIG. 2, the housing 18 is illustrated having radial diameter D which is marginally greater than the maximum diameter d 1 (see FIG. 1) of the solar blanket 8 when rolled for storage about the spindle 12 . With roller assemblies for use with most residential pools, the housing 18 will have a radial diameter of between about 1 and 2 feet, and more preferably about 15 inches. As a result, the housing 18 is spaced radially about and generally surrounds the roller shaft 12 .
[0078] An elongated opening 24 is provided through the uppermost extent of the housing 18 . The opening 24 extends in the longitudinal direction LD a distance at least as wide as the lateral width of the blanket 8 . The opening 24 is sized to enable the blanket to be unwound from the coiled position about the roller shaft 12 and stretched across the water surface 9 as for example is shown in FIG. 2. Preferably, the opening 24 has a width of between about 3 and 8 inches and more preferably approximately 5.5 inches.
[0079] The edge portions of the housing extrusion which define the longitudinal sides of the opening 24 extend away from each other as a pair of outwardly extending flanges 25 a, 25 b. In addition to defining an uppermost surface of the housing 18 , the flanges 25 a, 25 b provide a lip under which concrete is backfilled to assist in anchoring the housing 18 in the desired position recessed into the pool deck 4 (FIG. 2).
[0080] [0080]FIG. 4 shows best each longitudinal end 20 , 22 of the housing 18 being sealingly closed by an end cover 34 , 36 . It is to be appreciated that the end covers 34 , 36 have a profile selected to correspond to the interior cross-sectional profile of each extruded housing section 18 a, 18 b. The end covers 34 , 36 may be formed of PVC or other plastics and/or metals and secured in place by an appropriate plastic cement, or by mechanical fasteners such as screws or the like.
[0081] As shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2, an extruded aluminium cover or lid 50 is provided over the opening 24 . The lid 50 is connected to the edge of the opening 24 which is furthest from the pool 6 by one or more piano hinges 27 . Although not essential, for ease of shipment, the lid 50 preferably is also formed from a series of extruded aluminium segments each having a length of between about 7 and 12 feet and which are connected by a series of splines. The lid 50 covers the elongated opening 24 in the housing 18 . The lid 50 is movable relative to the hinge 27 from a first position (as shown in FIG. 1) where the elongated opening 24 in the housing 18 is closed to a second position where the lid 50 is moved to an orientation extending radially outward of the housing 18 where the elongated opening 24 in the housing 18 is open (as shown in FIG. 14) to permit access into the interior of the housing. As shown in FIG. 1, the lid 50 and the piano hinges 27 have a profile selected so that when closed, the lid 50 lies substantially flush with both the flanges 25 a, 25 b and the surface of the deck 4 when the solar blanket 8 is coiled about the spindle 12 in a storage configuration.
[0082] The roller spindle 12 is rotatably supported within the housing 18 by means of a pair of spindle end supports 26 , 30 . The first end supports 26 the first shaft end 14 and also positions the first shaft end 14 inside the housing 18 in approximately coaxial alignment therewith. Preferably the first end support 26 supports the first end 14 through a bearing assembly 28 or other suitable device to permit easy rotation of the roller shaft 12 . Similarly, the second end shaft support 30 supports the second shaft end 16 and which positions the second shaft end 16 inside the housing 18 in coaxial alignment therewith. Once again, a bearing assembly 32 or other suitable device is provided to permit easy rotation of the roller shaft 12 about the axis LA.
[0083] In a simplified construction, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 7, the bearing assemblies 28 , 32 each consist of a galvanized steel L bracket 31 which in assembly, are mounted to a plate 41 (FIG. 2) supported by a pair of flanges 27 a, 27 b (FIG. 18) which are integrally formed with the housing extrusion. Each of the bearing assemblies 28 , 32 further include a respective bushing 29 , 33 which rotatably supports a stainless steel pivot shaft 35 positioned so as to project axially from each end 14 , 16 of the spindle 12 . As is shown best in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment of the invention, the plate 41 used in the first end support 26 comprises a rigid piece of galvanized metal extending from first extended flange 27 a formed on the inner peripheral wall of the housing 18 to the second flange 27 b on the inner peripheral wall of the housing 18 which is opposite thereto. Similarly, the plate 41 used in the second end support 30 is comprised of a similar rigid piece of galvanized metal extending from the flange 27 a at a longitudinally displaced position on the inner peripheral wall of the housing 18 to an opposing position on the flange 27 b. It is to be appreciated that the housing 18 extrusion may alternately include an axially extending extruded boss, groove, ridge or the like to assist in locating and retaining the plate 41 within the housing 18 .
[0084] Preferably, the rigid plates 41 of each support 26 , 30 are aligned in a plane parallel to a plane defined by the longitudinal axis LA and an axis orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, in the final assembly of the roller assembly 10 each of the plates 41 is provided in a generally horizontal arrangement, as for example is shown in FIG. 2.
[0085] [0085]FIG. 5 illustrates best the drive assembly 13 as including a nylon horizontal bevel gear 37 , a second nylon bevel gear 39 and drive shaft 40 . The horizontal bevel gear 37 is rotatably mounted to the bracket 31 of the bearing assembly 28 for rotation about a vertical axis A 2 -A 2 . The second bevel gear 39 is fixedly mounted to the pivot shaft 35 which projects from the spindle end 14 in meshing engagement with the gear 37 . The drive shaft is coupled to the horizontal bevel gear 37 in alignment with the vertical axis A 2 -A 2 whereby the rotation of the shaft 40 about the axis A 2 -A 2 rotates the gears and turns the spindle 12 about the axis LA. As shown best in FIG. 9, a hand crank 43 is provided to permit the manual rotation of the drive shaft 40 . The hand crank 43 has at its lowermost end a socket 45 for use in engaging the uppermost end of the shaft 40 . More preferably, the tooth spacing of the bevel gears 37 , 39 is selected to rotate the spindle 12 360° with every 2 to 3 turns of the crank, 43 .
[0086] To permit the drainage of any water which may enter into the housing 18 as the solar blanket 8 is coiled for storage, a series of drain holes 47 (FIG. 2) are formed at spaced locations along the bottom of the housing 18 . It is to be appreciated that the drain holes 47 allow any pool water which is carried into the housing 18 with the solar blanket 8 to flow outwardly from the housing interior and into a weeping bed of crushed gravel 39 and tile 41 (FIG. 1). The sealing of the housing ends 20 , 22 and drain holes 47 are preferred in order to keep as much dirt and other debris as possible from entering the housing 18 after the housing 18 has been installed, and thereafter to permit the periodic cleaning of the roller assembly 10 .
[0087] With the roller assembly 10 configuration of FIGS. 1 to 9 to move the solar blanket 8 to a storage position coiled about the spindle 12 and contained within the housing 18 , a user would open the lid 50 and fit the socket 45 of hand crank 43 over the drive shaft 40 . With the hand crank 43 so positioned, the crank 43 would be turned in a horizontal plain to rotate the bevel gears 37 , 39 and spindle 12 . As the spindle 12 turns, the solar blanket 8 is pulled from the pool surface 9 into the housing 18 coiling about the spindle 12 to the storage position shown in FIG. 1. Once the solar blanket 8 is coiled in the housing 18 , the lid 50 is thereafter closed, clearing the surface of the deck 4 from any obstructions or tripping hazards. It is to be appreciated that in deploying the solar blanket 8 , the lid 50 is simply reopened, and the user grasps and pulls the free edge of the solar blanket 8 unrolling it off the spindle 12 and across pool 6 .
[0088] Although FIGS. 1 to 9 describe the roller assembly 10 as being operated by means of a hand crank 43 , the invention is not so limited. Other power sources used to return the blanket 8 to a rolled position may also be used. By way of on-limiting example, an alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in FIG. 10. In FIG. 10, the power source could be a suitable electric motor, such as a low voltage electrical motor 90 . The electric motor 90 could be positioned within the housing 18 or outside the housing 18 . In either case, there would be suitable power linkage 92 from the electric motor 90 used to translate rotational power to the pivot shaft 35 .
[0089] The power linkage 92 may be any suitable power coupler, including something as simple as a hole in the end of the roller shaft 12 to receive a similarly-shaped insert from the output shaft of the motor 90 . Also, the power linkage 92 could further include a sprocket, gear, or longitudinal extender.
[0090] In an alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 10, the roller shaft 12 and the housing 18 are substantially the same as discussed above and shown in FIGS. 1 and 9 with the exception of the supports used to rotatably mount the first end support 126 as shown in FIG. 10 is comprised of a support member 142 which is aligned in a plane defined by two axes which are orthogonal to each other and also orthogonal to the longitudinal axis LA. For example, as shown in FIG. 10, the two axes which are orthogonal to each other are the vertical axis YA and the Z axis ZA which comes transversely out of the paper of FIG. 10. In this embodiment, the second end support 130 similarly comprises a rigid support member 148 which is aligned in a plane defined by two axes which are orthogonal to each other and also orthogonal to the longitudinal axis. Also, in order to have roller shaft 12 rotate most easily, each of the support members 142 , 148 support bearing assemblies 128 .
[0091] As may be seen in FIG. 11, in still a further embodiment of the invention, the housing 18 may further include a number or longitudinally spaced reinforcing ribs 55 . The reinforcing ribs 55 provide the housing 18 with increased rigidity and assist in anchoring the housing 18 against movement. In FIG. 11, the opening 24 in the housing 18 is defined by first edge 52 and second edge 54 in place of flanges 25 a, 25 b. As may be seen in FIG. 12, the lid 50 may be hinged to the housing 18 in the area adjacent to the first edge 52 .
[0092] Optionally, a blanket protector 56 may be hinged to the housing 18 in an area adjacent to the second edge 54 . The blanket protector 56 rotatably moves from a first position located substantially within the housing 18 to a second position radially outward from the housing 18 as shown in FIG. 12 during the deployment or storage of the blanket 8 .
[0093] As is shown in FIG. 14, blanket protector 56 protects the solar blanket 8 as the solar blanket 8 is either unwound from the roller shaft 12 or wound back up onto the roller shaft 12 . In particular, in use, the lid 50 and protector 56 are both moved to their respective open position shown in FIG. 14 when the operator desires to either unroll the solar blanket 8 from the roller shaft 12 and place the solar blanket over the surface of the pool 6 or, alternatively, when an operator wants to roll the solar blanket 8 back onto the roller shaft 12 . When the solar blanket 8 is either entirely rolled onto the roller shaft 12 or when the solar blanket 8 is positioned over the pool surface, the operator will typically close the lid 50 so as to cover the elongated opening 24 , primarily for safety reasons but also for aesthetic reasons.
[0094] Although not essential, the lid 50 may also have a “V” shape cross-section so that it wedges into the opening 24 and is at least partially supported by the first and second edges 52 and 54 of the opening 24 . Alternatively, the lid 50 could be partially supported by the flanges 25 a, 25 b (as shown in FIG. 2).
[0095] In a preferred embodiment, the housing 18 is formed from PVC plastic, primarily to provide strength and rigidity to the housing 18 . Alternatively, in another embodiment, the housing 18 could be formed from an aluminium or other plastic extrusion, as well as galvanized steel or other corrosive-resistant metal. In this embodiment, the casing need not be circular in cross-section. For example, the housing 18 could have a generally square or hexagonal lateral cross-sectional shape as shown in FIG. 13, or some other suitable cross-sectional shape.
[0096] In a pool 6 that is at least partially surrounded by a deck 4 , the roller assembly 10 is intended to be installed substantially below the deck surface 4 . The housing 18 is oriented such that the opening 24 in the housing 18 is either substantially flush with the deck surface 4 or is otherwise aligned with an opening 66 (FIG. 14) in the deck 4 . In one embodiment, the opening 66 in the deck 62 is spaced away from a portion of the deck 68 which is immediately adjacent to the pool 64 . Preferably the portion of the deck 68 immediately adjacent to the pool 64 is supported by the pool wall 70 . In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the opening 66 in the deck is spaced between the portion of the deck 68 immediately adjacent to the pool 64 and a deck portion 72 distant from the pool 64 . In one possible construction, the deck portion 72 distant from the pool 64 is supported by a deck support 74 .
[0097] In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 15, the housing 18 is oriented such that the opening 24 in the housing 18 is aligned with an opening 76 in the pool wall 70 .
[0098] In FIG. 1, the housing 18 is shown as being supported on a pair of extruded support legs 58 , however, other support constructions are also possible. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 16, the housing 18 is supported by a pair of casing supports 178 comprised of a suitable block, concrete or brick structure underneath each of the first and second end of the housing 18 . For example, in FIG. 16, the casing support 178 comprises a vertical concrete support member 180 . Preferably, the vertical concrete support member 180 is formed by pouring concrete into a plastic tube or sonotube, and wherein the vertical concrete support member 180 is supported by a suitable footing 182 .
[0099] Preferably, each casing support 178 furthermore has a casing leveller. In one embodiment, the casing leveller, as shown in FIG. 16, comprises a relatively short length of pipe 184 which is moveable up and down on the vertical concrete support member 180 . The top portion 186 of the pipe 184 is shaped to receive the housing 18 . The pipe 184 can be moved up and down on the vertical concrete support member 180 to adjust the height of the particular end of the housing 18 . Adjustable screws 186 are tightened and forced into the vertical concrete support member 180 to fix the pipe 184 and the housing 18 at the desired height. Other support configurations are, however, possible.
[0100] The roller assembly 10 of the present invention lends itself to sale in kit form and its installation and assembly together with a solar blanket 8 at a swimming pool site is described best with reference to FIGS. 1 and 17 to 20 .
[0101] Following or concurrently with the installation of the pool 6 , a trench approximately 18 inches wide and 20 inches deep is formed parallel to the pool end 7 (FIG. 1), approximately 12 to 24 inches from the edge of the pool 6 . The bottom of the trench is either lined with drainage tile 51 and/or a sufficient deep layer of crushed gravel 48 to provide an effective weeping bed to remove and accumulate water from within or around the roller assembly 10 .
[0102] Although not essential, in a preferred embodiment, the roller assembly 10 is shipped as a partially pre-assembled kit. In kit form, each of spindle sections 12 a and 12 b have their respective ends 14 , 16 and the drive assembly 13 pre-mounted on their respective supports 26 , 30 which have also been pre-attached to a respective housing section 18 a, 18 b. FIG. 17 shows the partially pre-assembled kit for the spindle section 12 a as being pre-mounted within housing section 18 a, and packaged within a cardboard box 82 for shipment. Within the box 82 are also packaged the connector 23 used to couple the spindle sections 12 a, 12 b together, the hand crank 43 and miscellaneous connecting hardware (not shown). As is shown, the end cap 34 has also been factory positioned over the end 20 of the housing section. Although not shown, it is to be appreciated that the remaining spindle section 12 b and housing section 18 b would be packaged in a like manner.
[0103] The free ends of the spindle sections 12 a, 12 b are held in place by a respective corrugated cardboard form 80 shown best in FIGS. 17 and 20 a and 20 b. The cardboard form has a profile which corresponds to the internal cross-section profile of the housing 18 . The cardboard forms 80 maintain the proper alignment of the spindle sections 12 a, 12 b and provide additional lateral support to the housing 18 to offset any lateral pressure which occurs following the pouring of concrete 166 into place about the housing 18 .
[0104] Initially, the individual housing sections 18 a, 18 b are unpacked from the box 82 and axially aligned with the open ends of each section 18 a, 18 b which are remote from the covered ends 20 , 22 juxtaposed. The housing sections 18 a, 18 b are secured to each other by inserting fasteners through either welded or co-extruded loops 86 (FIG. 18) formed along the outer sides of the sections 18 a, 18 b. As shown best in FIG. 18, at the time of this extrusion, each section 18 a, 18 b extends continuously in the redial direction and further includes a planar PVC cut-out or knock-out portion or piece 88 . The knock-out portion 88 is integrally formed with the extrusion and seals the opening 24 along its length. In addition to preventing debris and/or concrete from entering the housing 18 during installation, the use of a knock-out piece 88 and the formation of the housing 18 as a radially continuous extrusion, provides the housing sections 18 a, 18 b with increased structural integrity which resists deformation or distortion during installation.
[0105] Following the assembly of the housing 18 , the aluminium lid 50 is next installed. The lid 50 may be a unitary construction, but more preferably consist of a number of individual sections having the identical cross-sectional profile, and which for ease of storage and shipping have an elongated length corresponding to that of the housing sections 18 a, 18 b. The sections of the lid 50 are assembled to the housing 18 by means of the hinges 27 . Alternately, the lid sections could be pre-assembled to an individual housing section 18 a, 18 b prior to shipping of the roller assembly 10 to the end consumer. Simultaneously with the coupling of the housing 18 , lid sections are joined together by inserting a spline (not shown) in a dovetail profile groove 89 (FIG. 2) extruded in the aluminium lid 50 .
[0106] Following the assembly of the housing 18 and lid 50 , the housing 18 is lowered into the trench with its lower positioning brackets 58 resting on the gravel bed 58 . Once the housing 18 is so positioned, final adjustment is made to ensure that the upper flanges 25 a, 25 b are level with the deck surface 4 , and the longitudinal axis of the housing 18 is aligned with the pool edge 7 . Concrete 166 (or other suitable backfill material) is then poured as backfill about the housing 18 , over the brackets 58 and under the flanges 25 a, 25 b to permanently secure the housing 18 in place.
[0107] Immediately following the pouring of the concrete 166 , the lid 50 is opened and moved to a vertical orientation. It has been found that the movement of the lid 50 about the knuckle of the hinge 27 acts to straighten the PVC housing 18 and remove any twisting or bending. The PVC knock-out 88 is left in place until the concrete 166 has set both to maximize the rigidity of the housing 18 and to prevent concrete from entering the housing and otherwise fouling the spindle 12 or drive assembly 13 .
[0108] Following the setting of the concrete 166 , the knockout 88 is removed by either punching out, trimming with a knife or cutting with a circular or other power saw to thereby clear the opening 24 . After the knock-out 88 is removed, the cardboard braces 80 are next removed from the housing interior. The spindle sections 12 a, 12 b are then joined by inserting the connector segment 23 in the open end of each spindle section 12 a, 12 b in the manner described.
[0109] Following the assembly of the spindle 12 , the end 15 of a sheet of solar blanket material which is sized larger than that of the surface of the pool 6 is fastened to the spindle 12 by the clamping bar 19 (FIG. 8). With the end 15 of the blanket so secured, the spindle 12 is positioned in the desired rotatably mounted position within the housing 18 with the pivot shaft 35 at each of its ends 14 , 16 rotatably coupled to a respective end support 26 , 30 . The solar blanket form is then stretched across the pool 6 and is thereafter trimmed to exactly follow the contour of the pool surface 9 . Following trimming, the solar blanket 8 and roller assembly 10 is thereafter ready for use.
[0110] A further embodiment of the invention is shown best in FIGS. 20 and 21 wherein like reference numerals are used to identify like components. FIG. 21 shows best a cross-sectional view of a housing section 18 prior to its assembly and installation recessed within a deck adjacent an existing a swimming pool. As with the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 , the housing section 18 is formed from a plastic extrusion. The section 18 shown in FIG. 21 has a generally square cross-sectional profile and includes along its uppermost top edge a pair of laterally extending flanges 25 a, 25 b. The flanges 25 a, 25 b project laterally outwardly from each extruded vertical side 225 a, 225 b, respectively, of the housing section 18 . Each housing section 18 preferably also includes in each side 225 a, 225 b a pair of longitudinally extending C-shaped recesses 228 which extend longitudinally the entire length of the section 18 . Although not essential, the C-shaped recesses are more preferably further supported by bracing webs 230 for added rigidity. Although not essential, the housing section 18 is preferably also extruded with a horizontal knock-out portion 88 which spans between the flanges 25 a, 25 b and which is removed following assembly of the sections to complete the housing 18 in the manner previously described.
[0111] As seen best in FIG. 22, the housing 18 shown in FIG. 21 is particularly well suited for installation adjacent a pre-existing swimming pool 6 .
[0112] In the installation of the housing 18 shown in FIG. 21, the concrete deck 4 which surrounds the swimming pool 6 is cut with a concrete saw so as to form a rectangular trench 240 parallel with the end of the pool 6 . The trench 240 is formed having a depth corresponding to the overall height of the housing 18 and a lateral width marginally wider than the distance separating sidewalls 225 a, 225 b but narrower than the distance separating the outwardmost ends of the flanges 25 a, 25 b. As shown in FIG. 22, most preferably the trench 240 is formed having parallel vertical sidewalls so that the assembled housing 18 may be snugly lowered therein to the position shown in FIG. 22, with each flange 25 a, 25 b overlying and resting on an adjacent portion of the pool deck 4 .
[0113] Following the formation of the trench 240 , the individual housing sections 18 are be coupled together. More particularly, a series of elongated extruded plastic or aluminium C-shaped connectors 242 having a complementary profile as the C-shaped slots 228 are used to connect abutting housing sections 18 . The connectors 242 are inserted into the slots 228 of adjacent sections 18 and are thereafter mechanically secured in place in each section 18 by means of tube fastening screws 244 . In this manner, the tube connectors 242 are used to couple the sections 18 and complete the assembled housing 18 . Following assembly of the housing sections 18 , the aluminium lid 50 is secured to the housing in the manner previously described.
[0114] The housing 18 is then lowered into the trench 240 to the position shown in FIG. 22. The housing 18 is permanently coupled to the deck 18 by inserting concrete screws 250 through each respective flange 25 a, 25 b into the deck surface 4 . Following the coupling of the housing 18 in place, the knock-out panel 88 (FIG. 21) is removed by the use of a saw or knife. Once the knock-out panel 88 is removed, any internal braces are removed and the spindle sections 12 a, 12 b joined and roller blanket 8 are installed in the previously disclosed manner. As shown best in FIG. 22, the lowermost C-shaped recesses 228 may optionally act in concert with a locking boss 252 in the support and mounting of the plate 41 used to secure the assembled spindle assembly 12 within the housing 18 . Alternately, the spindle sections of the roller assembly could be premounted in the housing sections 18 prior to the positioning of the housing in the trench.
[0115] It is to be appreciated that the housing 18 shown in FIG. 22 also includes end covers having a complementary shape to the cross-section of each housing section 18 to close the housing ends, sealing the housing interior from dirt and debris.
[0116] It will be understood that, although various features of the invention have been described with respect to one or another of the embodiments of the invention, the various features and embodiments of the invention may be combined or used in conjunction with other features and embodiments of the invention as described and illustrated herein.
[0117] Although this disclosure has described and illustrated certain preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments. Rather, the invention includes all embodiments which are functional or mechanical equivalents of the specific embodiments and features that have been described and illustrated herein. For a definition of the invention, reference may be had to the appended claims.
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A below-deck solar blanket roller assembly is installed below the deck of a pool. The roller assembly includes a rotatable roller shaft for rolling and unrolling a solar blanket and a non-rotatable protective casing which surrounds the roller shaft. The roller assembly is intended to be installed below the deck of a pool. This invention at least partially overcomes some of the disadvantages of typical solar blanket rollers that are installed on the surface of the pool deck, such as inconvenience in moving the entire above-deck assembly away from and back to the pool area. The below-deck solar blanket roller assembly provides an aesthetically pleasing and safe alternative to solar blanket roller assemblies installed above the pool deck.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a switchgear cabinet with covering elements and at least one cabinet door attached to the body of the cabinet by hinges, which door has a door frame made of two vertical profiled elements and two horizontal profiled elements and corner pieces connecting them.
2. Discussion of Related Art
A switchgear cabinet is taught by German Patent Reference DE 28 47 994 C2. There, a door of the switchgear cabinet has a door frame with an inserted door leaf. The door of the switchgear cabinet is hingedly attached to the frame of the switchgear cabinet by hinges, wherein the hinges are received in a frame by a hinge part. For this purpose, the portion of the frame receiving the hinge parts is adapted in a particular way to a section of the hinge parts, which involves a corresponding cost outlay. The profiled elements forming the door frame are beveled in the corner areas and put together by corner connectors in order to clamp the profiled frame sections with respect to each other. No specific information is provided in regard to the corner connectors.
A switchgear cabinet disclosed by German Patent Reference DE 29723 273 U1, has a door frame made of hollow profiled sections, which are connected with each other at right angles by corner pieces, and is attached to the back of the door facing the switchgear cabinet interior, but no detailed information regarding the embodiment of the corner pieces is provided. Hinge elements are attached to the back of the door leaf outside of a circumferential seal, while further hinge elements, which are hingedly connected therewith are fixed in place on an adjoining vertical frame leg of the switchgear cabinet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of this invention is to provide a switchgear cabinet of the type mentioned above but which permits the manufacture of the door frame in the simplest possible manner and offers increased options for use, along with simple assembly.
This object is attained with characteristics taught in this specification and in the claims. Here, hinge receptacles, to which hinges are attached, are provided on or in the corner pieces.
With these steps, substantial functions of the door frame are transferred to the corner pieces, so that the profiled sections of the door frame do not require extensive working, and assembly is easier.
For a stable, unequivocal introduction of the respective hinge section, the receptacles are embodied as cutouts in an exterior side remote from the frame interior.
The step, wherein a hinge element is embodied in the corner piece, contributes to a simple construction.
If the corner piece has at least one profiled section, in which a rotational shaft of the hinge is arranged and which protrudes beyond the front plane of a door opening of the switchgear cabinet, it is possible to provide the door with a wide opening range without elaborate measures.
A simple structure of the door frame and of the hinges is also aided if a hinge element, which is connected with the cabinet body, has bearing pins, which are rotatably seated on the corner piece.
Here, in one design of an embodiment of the hinge, the bearing pins are seated in the at least one profiled section provided with bearing sections and are rotatably fixed in place by bearing pieces introduced into the bearing section. Hinge eyes are provided in the corner piece by these steps, wherein the latter is complemented by the bearing elements.
Unequivocal stable positioning of the corner pieces and the connection of the associated profiled sections is achieved if the corner pieces have holding pins for the connection with the associated profiled vertical elements and profiled horizontal elements which, in the assembled state of the door frame, are introduced into a respective profiled chamber of the profiled vertical element and profiled horizontal element and are fixed in place therein, wherein a cross section of the holding pins is matched to the cross section of the profiled chambers.
In this case, a dependable fixation in place results if the holding pins are fixed in place in the profiled chambers by screws, which are turned crosswise into the profiled chambers and the holding pins, or are glued in or welded on to fix in place.
Definite seating, along with a stable connection, are aided if the profiled vertical elements and profiled horizontal elements are embodied as multi-chambered hollow profiled elements, wherein the profiled chambers receiving the holding pins have a rectangular-shaped cross section. In this case it is advantageous if, for insertion, the end sections of the holding pins are approximately conically tapered.
Those steps are advantageous for the unhampered attachment of assembly pieces, for example seals or installation elements, such as of a locking device, in which the back of the profiled vertical elements and of the profiled horizontal elements facing the cabinet interior and of the corner pieces connecting them is embodied as flat and parallel with the plane of the door, and wherein the rear profiled wall delimits the respective profiled chamber at the rear.
Advantageous mounting possibilities, for example for the locking device, result at the front side if at least the profiled vertical elements have a flat profiled section on their front side, which extends parallel with respect to the plane of the door, delimits the respectively profiled chamber at the front and is adjoined toward the exterior of the door frame by the profiled section, which projects from the front and is closed off on its exterior by a flat exterior wall, which is connected at right angles with the back wall.
A defined flat delimitation of the door frame on its exterior is obtained if the profiled horizontal elements have a flat exterior wall on the exterior of the door frame, which adjoins the back wall at right angles and makes a transition at its front end into a convexly forward curved wall at the front, which extends as far as the interior of the profiled horizontal element which delimits the clear area of the frame.
Further advantages in connection with the corner piece are obtained if the corner piece has a horizontal leg, which is at least matched to the exterior cross section of the profiled horizontal element, and a vertical leg, which is at least matched to the exterior cross section of the profiled vertical element, and if cable conduits, which are open toward the back of the door frame and can be closed with a removable cover and are arranged in such a way, that they make continuous transitions into each other, are formed in the profiled vertical elements and the profiled horizontal elements, as well as in the horizontal leg and the vertical leg of the corner pieces. Here, the corner piece provides advantageous transitions between the cable conduits and the adjoining profiled sections.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
This invention is explained in greater detail in view of exemplary embodiments, making reference to the drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a door with a door frame and door leaf in a perspective plan view;
FIGS. 2A and 2B , show the door in accordance with FIG. 1 in a front view and in a top view, respectively;
FIG. 3 shows the door in accordance with FIG. 1 in a rear view;
FIG. 4 shows a section of a profiled vertical element of the door in accordance with FIG. 1 , in a perspective plan view and in cross section;
FIG. 5 shows a section of a profiled horizontal element of the door in accordance with FIG. 1 , in a perspective plan view and in cross section;
FIG. 6 shows a corner area of a switchgear cabinet with a partially open door in accordance with FIG. 1 , in a perspective plan view;
FIG. 7 shows a corner area of a door frame in accordance with FIG. 1 , with a separate corner piece in a perspective plan view;
FIG. 8 shows a corner area of the frame in accordance with FIG. 7A , in an exploded perspective front view;
FIG. 9 shows the corner area in accordance with FIG. 8 , in the assembled state in a perspective front view;
FIG. 10 shows the corner area of the frame in accordance with FIG. 8 , in an exploded perspective rear view; and
FIG. 11 shows the corner area of the door frame in accordance with FIG. 10 , in an assembled representation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 shows a door 1 for a switchgear cabinet, having a door leaf 3 , for example a transparent glass pane or other material, also opaque if desired, contained in a door frame 2 . On the front of the door frame facing away from the cabinet interior, see FIG. 6 , an exterior portion of a locking device 5 is attached to one of the two profiled vertical elements 20 , while on the other vertical side, namely on the exterior 25 remote from the clear frame area in which the door leaf 3 is inserted, hinges 4 are attached in the area of an upper and a lower corner piece 40 . Corner pieces 40 are also inserted in the other two corners between an upper and a lower profiled horizontal element 30 and the respective profiled vertical element 20 .
FIG. 2A shows the door in accordance with FIG. 1 in a front view, while FIG. 2B shows the door in accordance with FIG. 1 in a top view. As shown, adjoining the flat respective exterior lateral surface 25 , the two profiled vertical elements 20 have a profiled section 23 protruding in a hump shape toward the front, which is adjoined by a flat profiled section 27 and offers advantageous mounting options, for example for the locking device 5 . The hump-shaped profiled section 23 contributes to stability and torsional rigidity, and also results in an arrangement of the center of rotation of the hinge which is placed far to the front, so that the door can be opened wide, for example over 180° or more, without hindrance, as shown in FIG. 6 .
FIG. 3 shows the door 1 from its back, facing the switchgear cabinet interior, in which the locking elements of the locking device 5 located on the inside, and also the hinges 4 , are shown. A circumferential cable conduit 10 can also be seen, which is open, or can be opened, toward the inside of the door frame 2 and has a cover, see FIGS. 4 and 5 , and extends over the length of the profiled vertical elements 20 and the profiled horizontal elements 30 , and a connection is provided via the corner pieces 40 .
The profiled vertical elements 20 are perspectively shown in FIG. 4 in a section and in a cross section. Toward the interior, the profiled section 23 , which protrudes in a hump shape toward the front and is rounded toward the front in cross section, adjoins the flat exterior side 25 facing away from the clear area of the frame and surrounds a hollow chamber 26 , which is closed off toward the back of the profiled vertical section 20 by a flat wall section extending as far as the inside surrounding the clear area and is only interrupted by the opening side of the cable conduit 10 , into whose opening side a cover 50 is inserted flush with the interior surface. The flat exterior lateral surface 25 , or exterior wall, which is oriented at right angles with respect to the back, and thus also to the plane of the door, continues beyond the interior surface with a free end section 28 . The flat profiled section 27 adjoins the hump-shaped profiled section 23 in the direction toward the interior, extends parallel with the flat back of the profiled element, or respectively the plane of the door, and makes a transition via an inclined portion into the interior of the profiled vertical element surrounding the clear area. A receiving groove 22 , open toward the clear area, is arranged on the interior of the profiled element for receiving the edge of the door leaf 3 , so that the door leaf 3 is securely received, if desired along with the employment of a seal, by the vertical and horizontal profiled frame sections pushed vertically with respect to the edge of the door leaf 3 in the direction of the plane of the door and are completed to form the finished frame by the corner connectors 40 . The front leg of the groove is also supported toward the front by the wall of the flat profiled section. A lateral wall section 14 of the cable conduit 10 adjoins the groove bottom of the receiving groove 22 , and its base wall 15 extends parallel with the plane of the door and also with the flat profiled section 27 , as well as the flat back of the profiled element. The other lateral wall section of the cable conduit, which is rectangular in cross section, delimits at the same time a rectangular profiled chamber 24 , which is delimited by the back of the profiled element, or respectively by the back wall located there, and toward the front by the flat profiled section 27 , and is separated by a further chamber wall from the hollow chamber 26 . In the edge area of the opening of the cable conduit, the one lateral wall section 13 has a holding groove 11 extending along and parallel with the back, while the oppositely located lateral wall section 14 has a holding strip 12 located opposite the groove and also extending longitudinally. The cover 50 is inserted into the holding groove 11 by a plug-in edge 51 , which is set back with respect to the cover surface 52 by the thickness of the outside-located groove leg, this insertion into the groove takes place obliquely, and the play of the plug-in edge 51 , or the elasticity of the cover 50 , is sufficient to make an oblique insertion possible. The other longitudinal edge of the cover 50 facing the holding strip 12 has a snap-in edge 53 , which has an oblique insertion section or insertion curvature and a snap-in groove matched to the holding strip 12 . The cover 50 is sufficiently elastic for snapping into the area of the snap-in edge 53 and/or of the cover section 52 , in particular if the cover is made of a plastic material.
FIG. 5 shows the profiled horizontal elements 30 in greater detail, namely by sections in a perspective plan view and in cross section. Here, the exterior lateral surface 35 facing away from the clear area of the frame is flat and extends at right angles with respect to the back, also flat, which is oriented parallel with the plane of the door. The flat exterior lateral surface 35 , or respectively the exterior wall section containing it, also projects with a free end section 38 over the back surface. At the front edge, the exterior lateral surface 35 makes a transition into a convexly forward curved front 31 , which extends as far as the leg on the front side of a receiving groove 32 for the door leaf 3 on the interior, which delimits the clear frame area and extends over several chambers on the front. The receiving groove 32 is located in the same plane as the receiving groove 22 of the profiled vertical elements and is inwardly delimited by a rear leg on the back of the profiled horizontal element 30 located in the cabinet interior. The cable conduit 10 is also in a rectangular shape in cross section, corresponding to the cable conduit in the profiled vertical elements 20 , and the one lateral wall section 14 is delimited by the back of the receiving groove 32 . The other lateral wall section 13 delimits a rectangularly-shaped profiled chamber 34 toward the interior, which is delimited on the outside by the outside of the exterior lateral surface 35 . The opening side and the base wall 15 of the cable conduit 10 are located in the same plane parallel with the plane of the door as in connection with the profiled vertical elements 20 . The opening side is covered in the same way as the profiled vertical elements 20 by the cover 50 , which is fixed in place by respective holding elements, holding groove 11 and holding strip 12 . The front-located delimiting wall of the rectangularly-shaped profiled chamber 34 is located in the same plane parallel with the plane of the door as the base wall 15 of the cable conduit 10 . Thus, two further hollow chambers, separated from each other by a strip, result at the front of the cable conduit 10 and the profiled chamber 34 , which contribute to the reinforcement of the profiled horizontal element.
FIG. 6 shows the door 1 of a switchgear cabinet in the installed state, where the door frame 2 is pivotably connected via hinges 4 with the cabinet body by a frame 6 of horizontal and vertical frame legs 6 , 6 ′. The body of the cabinet is preferably tightly closed by covering elements, in particular lateral walls 7 and a cover 8 and possibly a rear wall (not represented), provided it is not embodied as a door. The hinge 4 is attached to the door frame 2 in the area of or near the corner piece 40 and is screwed via a massive intermediate piece and an oblique connecting section to a mounting surface, which extends obliquely with respect to the outer edge, of the vertical frame leg in a free space formed in the edge area. A cutout 42 , see FIG. 8 , is cut in the area of the hinge 4 on the exterior of the corner piece 40 . The hinge axis is arranged in the profiled section 23 of the hump-shaped corner piece protruding toward the front, which makes a flush transition into the hump-shaped profiled section 23 of the profiled vertical element 20 , namely in the curvature. The hump-shaped profiled sections 23 of the corner piece 40 are in a form of a hump-shaped upper bearing section 41 and a hump-shaped lower bearing section 43 , as represented in FIG. 8 .
FIG. 7 shows a corner area of the door frame 2 from the rear, where the respective profiled vertical element 20 and profiled horizontal element 30 are connected with each other by the respective corner piece 40 . It can be seen that the cable conduit 10 of the profiled vertical element 20 extends continuously into the cable conduit of the profiled horizontal element 30 via a vertical and a horizontal conduit section of the corner piece 40 . The free end sections 28 and 38 of the profiled vertical element 20 and the profiled horizontal element 30 are also continued via adjoining vertical and horizontal free end sections of the corner piece 40 and form an edge which is closed all around, which can be used, for example, for the attachment or protection of mounting elements or of a seal on the back.
As FIG. 8 shows, the connection of the corner piece 40 with the profiled horizontal element 30 and the profiled vertical element 20 takes place by holding pins 45 , 46 attached to the corner piece 40 , which are matched to the cross section of the profiled chamber 24 of the profiled vertical element 20 , or respectively of the profiled chamber 34 of the profiled horizontal element 30 , and are slightly beveled at their ends for easy insertion. Secure fixing in place is provided by a screw turned transversely in the insertion direction, or by gluing or welding. Further securing is the result of a further pin-like holding element 44 on the corner piece 40 , which enters into the hump-shaped profiled section 23 of the profiled vertical element 20 . The hinge 4 is secured in the cutout 42 by bearing pieces 60 and is rotatably seated, while the bearing pieces 60 are fixed in place by fastening elements 61 in the form of screws and protrude from the direction of the rear into the hump-shaped bearing section 41 , or respectively 43 , as FIG. 10 shows by way of clarification. FIG. 9 shows the inserted corner piece 40 from the direction of the front.
FIG. 10 shows a plug-in receiver 47 for introducing the bearing piece 60 for fixing a bearing pin 4 . 1 in place in the bearing section 41 . The other lower bearing pin 4 . 1 is correspondingly rotatably fixed in place in the lower bearing section 43 . For rotary seating, the bearing pieces 60 have a concave curvature on their front insertion side, which is matched to the curvature of the bearing pins 4 . 1 . The mounting section 4 . 2 is brought into contact with the inclined face of the vertical frame leg and is fixed in place on the vertical frame leg by screws via a fastening element 4 . 3 in the form of threaded bores.
FIG. 11 shows the corner piece 4 mounted on the profiled vertical element 20 and the profiled horizontal element 30 , along with the hinge 4 mounted thereon by the bearing piece 60 and a fastening element 61 . Here, too, it is possible to see how the cable conduit 10 makes a transition from the profiled vertical element 20 via the corner piece 40 into the cable conduit of the profiled horizontal element 30 .
The cable can be inserted into the cable conduit 10 from the interior of the switchgear cabinet, in particular in the area of the vertical side provided with the hinges 4 , and from there routed, for example, to the electronically operable door lock or to display elements in order to operate actuators, or respectively to trigger display elements. In the opposite way, it is also possible to transmit sensor signals to a monitoring device via cables 10 routed through the cable conduit.
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A switchgear cabinet including covering parts and at least one cabinet door mounted on a cabinet carcass by hinges and having a door frame including two vertical profiled elements and two horizontal profiled elements as well as corner pieces joining the profiled elements. In order to simplify the structure and assembly of the switchgear cabinet, hinge receptacles on which the hinges are mounted are supplied on or in the corner pieces of the same side of the door frame.
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This is a continuation of copending application Ser. No. 07/646,364 filed on Jan. 28, 1991, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to road ccnstruction equipment. In particular, the present invention relates to an improved device for on-site mixing of asphalt paving material.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the use of asphalt paving materials for roadways has become increasingly prevalent. Roadways formed with asphalt paving material provide a smooth driving surface and are relatively low maintenance, compared to other paving materials.
While relatively low maintenance, it is periodically necessary to resurface even asphalt roadways. One typical method for resurfacing asphalt roadways employs a known milling machine. This milling machine travels upon the asphalt roadway and literally tears up the roadway beneath it, breaking the roadway into pieces and gathering up these pieces. The pieces of asphalt roadway produced by the milling machine are fed out of a chute on the back end of the machine and are received in a series of dumptrucks.
The dumptrucks transport the asphalt roadway pieces to a recycling plant, where the pieces of roadway are crushed to the proper size and are combined with new asphaltic cement (asphalt) to produce asphalt paving material suitable to form a roadway. This asphalt paving material is then transported back to a roadway construction site where the roadway has been previously removed by the milling machine, where it is dispersed, rolled, etc. to produce an asphalt roadway.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a device which will recycle asphalt roadway material into asphalt paving material on-site.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which may be connected to a milling machine and which will recycle the paving material produced by the milling machine on the fly.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile asphalt recycling device which includes controls for producing the proper mix of aggregate and asphaltic cement to therefore provide a high quality asphalt paving material.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a mobile asphalt recycling device which is self contained except for the provision of the basic materials to form the asphalt paving material.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide an improved apparatus for the steering of a towed vehicle.
These and other objects are achieved by a movable asphalt mixing plant which is towed behind a milling machine. The mixing plant includes an input conveyor which receives the crushed aggregate from the milling machine. The aggregate travels upon this conveyor and is then introduced into a pug mill carried by the mobile plant. A heated storage tank and appropriate pumps and conduits for asphaltic cement are also located on the mobile plant, and allow the asphaltic cement to be mixed with the aggregate in the pug mill.
The amount of asphaltic cement added to the aggregate in the pug mill may be controlled by a microprocessor which receives input regarding the production rate and input weight of aggregate. Asphaltic paving material produced from the mixing action in the pug mill is dispensed from the rear of the mobile recycling plant.
A heating system employing hot circulating oil is also provided to ensure that the pumps and conduits for the asphaltic cement flow freely. Additionally, a steering mechanism is provided for the mobile plant to ensure that the plant is centered for proper reception of the aggregate and dispensing of the paving material.
This steering mechanism includes pivoting both the front and rear axles of the mobile plant. A hydraulic cylinder is connected to the pivoted rear axle to provide steering for same. The axles for the front wheels are connected to a trailer tongue which extends forward of the mixing plant and is releasably connected to a hitch on the vehicle towing the mixing plant. The hitch is located on a free end of a drawbar, with the other end of the drawbar being connected to the towing vehicle for pivoting about a vertical axis. A hydraulic cylinder is connected between the towing vehicle and the drawbar to control the position of the hitch, and thus the front axle of the mobile mix plant.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and features of the invention noted above are explained in more detail with reference to the drawings, in which like reference numerals denote like elements, and in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view of the device according to the present invention in combination with the normally associated roadway construction equipment;
FIG. 2 is a left side view of the device according to the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a right side view of the device according to the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a bottom view showing the details of the steering mechanism; and
FIG. 5 is a schematic illustration of the supply of material to the pug mill and the associated heating mechanism.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1, a mobile asphalt mixing plant, according to the present invention, is designated generally by reference numeral 10. Plant 10 is shown in operative relationship with the other construction equipment necessary for recycling of the asphalt roadway. This equipment includes a tanker 12 for supplying the asphaltic cement (asphalt) necessary for mixing with the crushed pieces of roadway (aggregate) to form the asphalt paving material 14. The first piece of equipment to actually act upon the roadway is a milling machine 16. The milling machine tows a crusher 18, which in turn tows the plant 10.
The general operation of each of the pieces of equipment shown in FIG. 1 is as follows. The milling machine 16, which is of standard design, breaks the existing asphalt roadway into pieces and removes these pieces. The pieces exit the milling machine 16 via an exit chute 20 and are received by the crusher 18.
The crusher 18 includes a frame 22 which is supported by a plurality of wheels 24. The frame 22 of crusher 18 supports a generator 26 for the supply of electrical power to the motor of the comminution device (not shown). Crusher 18 also includes a receiving bin 28 which receives the pieces of roadway from the exit chute 20 of milling machine 16. The comminution device (not shown) is located within the receiving bin 28, and further crushes the pieces of roadway to the desired size for use as aggregate for plant 10. Upon crushing, the aggregate is dropped onto a conveyor 30. The conveyor 30 is powered by a motor 31 which receives its electrical power from generator 26. The aggregate on conveyor 30 is thus transported rearwardly to be received by the plant 10.
The tanker 12, as noted above, supplies the asphalt to be mixed with the aggregate in the plant 10. The tanker 12 includes a main supply line 32 which is operatively connected to the storage tank of the tanker 12 and extends rearwardly past the milling machine 16 and crusher 18 to be operatively connected to the plant 10. While shown as a single piece, the main supply line 32 could, of course, be formed of several connecting segments.
The plant 10 combines the aggregate received from the conveyor 30 and the asphalt received through the main supply line 32 to form the asphalt paving material 14. The paving material 14 exits the rear of the plant 10 as a continuous berm of material extending along the length of the removed roadway. A known spreader device (not shown) will then take this berm of material and spread it laterally to form a substantially completed roadway. Various rollers (not shown) and other known equipment will then act to complete this substantially finished roadway.
It should be noted that the crusher 18 may be employed only as an overflow device if the pieces of roadway produced by the milling machine 16 are of the proper size for introduction to the plant 10 without further comminution. In such a situation, the receiving bin 28 of the crusher 18 will merely act to store the aggregate received from the exit chute 20 and provide a constant output along conveyor 30 to the plant 10.
Taken a step further, if the milling machine 16 further provides a sufficiently constant output of aggregate, the crusher 18 could be eliminated altogether, such that the aggregate would be received directly in the plant 10 from the exit chute 20 of the milling machine 16.
The details of the mobile asphalt mix plant according to the present invention will now be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3. The plant 10 includes a main frame 34 which is supported by a set of front wheels 36 and a set of rear wheels 38. While the details of the steering mechanism for the plant 10 will be discussed in more detail below, it is sufficient to note at this point that the set of front wheels 36 is pivotally attached to the mainframe 34 for rotation about a vertical axis. The front wheels 36 also include a tongue 40 by which the plant 10 is connected to and towed by the crusher 18 and/or milling machine 16.
A plant generator 42 is mounted upon the mainframe 34. Plant generator 42 provides all necessary electrical power for the electronics, circuitry, motors and pumps carried by the plant 10.
A plant conveyor 44 is mounted on the mainframe 34 at the front end thereof. The plant conveyor 44 includes an upstream end situated such that the aggregate falling from conveyor 30 of crusher 18 will be received thereon. An appropriate conveyor housing 46 may be provided at the upstream end to ensure that the aggregate falling to the plant conveyor 44 is reliably received on the plant conveyor. The conveyor housing 46 includes an appropriate upper opening to receive the aggregate. Plant conveyor 44 also includes an appropriate conveyor motor 48 which is operatively connected to the conveyor 44 to drive the endless belt of same.
The downstream end of plant conveyor 44 is located above the forward end of a pug mill 50. Pug mill 50 includes an appropriate mill housing 52 located below the downstream end of plant conveyor 44 to ensure that the aggregate falling from this end of conveyor 44 will be reliably received within pug mill 50. Mill housing 52 includes an appropriate upper opening to receive the aggregate.
As is best shown in FIG. 5, pug mill 50 has the general configuration of a trough. Within the confines of pug mill 50 is located a rotatably mounted mixing rod 54 which includes a plurality of mixing blades 56 extending radially outwardly therefrom. An appropriate motor (not shown) will cause rotation of the mixing rod 54, and thus the mixing blades 56, to thoroughly mix the aggregate received from plant conveyor 44 with the asphalt. This will form the asphalt paving material 14 which exits the pug mill 50 via outlet 57 to fall to the ground below the rear end of plant 10.
Outlet 57 has been shown merely as an opening in the rear of the pug mill 50. However, the outlet 57 could include a variable gate such that the amount of paving material 14 exiting the pug mill 50 may be controlled.
Plant 10 also includes means for supplying the asphalt to the pug mill for mixing with the aggregate. Specifically, plant 10 includes a supply pump 58 mounted thereon. The supply pump is operatively connected to the main asphalt supply line 32 at its inlet end, and is connected at its outlet end to a supply conduit 60. Supply conduit 60 in turn leads to a surge tank 62 mounted on the mainframe 34. As such, operation of supply pump 58 will cause the asphalt from tanker 12 to be pumped into the surge tank 62.
The asphalt is conveyed from the surge tank 62 to the pug mill 50 by a tank conduit 64 (FIG. 5) which has a first end thereof extending into the surge tank 62 and a second end thereof connected to the inlet of output pump 66 (FIG. 5). The output end of output pump 66 is connected to a first end of supply conduit 68. The other end of supply conduit 68 is located adjacent to the pug mill 50. This end of conduit 68 includes an appropriate nozzle means 70 which allows the asphalt to leave conduit 68 and mix with the aggregate in the pug mill 50.
To ensure that the asphalt remains at a temperature at which it has a sufficiently low viscosity, a heater 72 is supplied in or in operative contact with the surge tank 62.
A bypass valve may also be interposed in supply conduit 68, with a bypass conduit 76 leading from the bypass valve 74 back to the surge tank 62. This bypass valve will allow control of the entire supply cf asphalt to the pug mill 50. While bypass valve 74 provides gross control of the supply of asphalt, achieving the proper proportion of asphalt to aggregate requires fine control of the asphalt. An arrangement for providing such fine control is illustrated schematically in FIG. 5.
As shown in this figure, the plant conveyor 44 includes a weigh idler 78 in contact with the upper leg of the endless band comprising plant conveyor 44. Weigh idler 78 is operatively connected to a load cell 80. The combination of weight idler 78 and load cell 80 provides a constant or intermittent indication of the weight of aggregate being introduced into the pug mill 50. This aggregate weight information is introduced as input to a microprocessor 82 which is operatively connected to load cell 80.
The supply of asphalt to the pug mill is similarly monitored. In particular, a metering unit 84 is connected to conduit 68 to determine the fluid velocity or volumetric flow rate of the asphalt passing through conduit 68. Metering unit 84 is also operatively connected to microprocessor 82.
Microprocessor 82 will include appropriate programming to provide an output signal to control output pump 66, which is preferably a constant RPM variable displacement pump, operatively connected to microprocessor 82. The microprocessor will therefore monitor the amount of aggregate and asphalt introduced into the pug mill 50 and appropriately vary the amount of asphalt by control of output pump 66.
Microprocessor 82 may also be employed to control the bypass valve 74. By operatively connecting the microprocessor 82 to a solenoid 86 controlling a hydraulic piston and cylinder 88, a lever arm connected to bypass valve 74 may be moved to thus actuate the bypass valve. This feature may be employed such that the microprocessor 82 halts the flow of asphalt to the pug mill 50 upon a particular sensed condition or conditions. For example, an insufficient temperature for the asphalt in surge tank 62 or a lack of rotation of mixing rod 104 could be sensed by appropriate devices and cause microprocessor 82 to actuate bypass valve 74. An appropriate indicator light should also be activated in such a condition to notify the operator of the action taken by the microprocessor.
It may be readily seen that the gross and fine control of the asphalt flow from surge tank 62 will result in depletion of the asphalt in the surge tank at irregular intervals. As such, it is preferred that surge tank 62 include a float therein with a linkage arm 90 (FIG. 3) which may actuate a set of limit switches 92. These limit switches may be operatively connected to the microprocessor 82 such that receiving a signal from a respective one of the limit switches 92 will cause the microprocessor 82 to actuate the supply pump 58 via a solenoid linkage 94. In this manner, when the level of asphalt within surge tank 62 reaches a minimum level, linkage arm 90 will activate one of the limit switches 92, causing the microprocessor to activate supply pump 58. The supply pump 58 will remain active until linkage arm 90 actuates another of the limit switches 92, thus causing the microprocessor to deactivate supply pump 58.
It should be noted at this point that surge tank 62 may be eliminated in an alternative embodiment. In other words, the main asphalt supply line 32 could be directly connected to output pump 66. The use of surge tank 62 is preferred, however, as it allows the plant 10 to continue operating even when a tanker 12 has become emptied and is being replaced with a new, full, tanker 12.
An appropriate control panel 96 may be mounted on the mainframe 34 to house the microprocessor 82 and related electronics. It is preferred that control panel 96 include appropriate blending controls to adjust and vary the ratio of aggregate to asphalt maintained by microprocessor 82.
As was noted with regard to heater 72, the asphalt must be maintained at an elevated temperature to ensure that it has a sufficiently low viscosity to be pumped. The plant 10 according to the present device therefore includes an auxiliary heating means to maintain the asphalt at a sufficient temperature. As is best shown in FIG. 5, an oil tank 98 is provided. This oil tank is adapted to hold a supply of oil which acts as a heat transfer agent. Within the oil tank 98 is an auxiliary heater 100. This auxiliary heater serves to maintain the oil at an elevated temperature.
An oil pump 102 has the input side thereof connected to the oil tank 98 by a conduit. The output side of oil pump 102 is connected to exchange conduit 104. As is shown in FIG. 5, the exchange conduit 104 is formed to be in contact with the supply pump 58, output pump 66, supply conduit 68 and bypass valve 74. The end of the exchange conduit 104 opposite that which is connected to oil pump 102 returns to the oil tank 98 to complete the circuit.
In operation, the auxiliary heater 100 will be activated to keep the oil within oil tank 98 to a sufficiently high temperature. The oil pump 102 will then be activated to pump this hot oil through the conduit 104. The hot oil flowing through the conduit 104 will warm the conduit 104 by conduction, and in turn, the conduit 104 will warm the supply pump, output pump, supply conduit and bypass valve by conduction. Each of these later items will be sufficiently warmed to maintain the asphalt therein in a sufficiently fluid state.
The temperature of the oil in oil tank 98 may be controlled by an appropriate oil thermostat 106, preferably located near the control panel 96 for operator adjustment. An asphalt thermostat 108, for controlling the temperature of the asphalt within surge tank 62, may also be supplied adjacent the oil thermostat 106.
It should be noted that, while an oil heating system has been disclosed, other types of heating, for example, electrical, could be employed to maintain the asphalt within the pumps and conduits sufficiently fluid.
The plant 10 described above may be seen to provide an efficient means for converting pieces of asphalt paving into new asphalt paving material on-site. It is necessary, however, that the plant 10 be in the proper position to receive the aggregate and to deposit the asphalt paving material 14 produced by the plant 10 in the proper location. As such, a further aspect of the present invention is the provision of a steering mechanism for a towed vehicle.
As shown in FIGS. 2-4, the front wheels of the plant 10 include an axle assembly 110 which is pivotally connected to frame 34 by a front pivot bar 112 such that the axle assembly 110 and wheels 36 will rotate about a vertical axis. As noted above, a tongue 40 is connected to the axle assembly 110 in a manner similar to a standard trailer tongue such that the tongue 40 extends forwardly of the plant 10. The forward end of tongue 40 includes a coupler element 114 of any type commonly employed in the trailer art.
A drawbar 116 is coupled to the rear of the crusher 18 (or to the rear of milling machine 16 when crusher 18 is not employed), and the rear end of drawbar 116 includes a pintle hook adapted to engage with the coupler element 114 on the tongue 40. The drawbar 116 is coupled to the crusher 18 by a pintle pivot 118 which allows the drawbar 116 to rotate about a substantially vertical axis. Rotation of the drawbar 116 about the substantially vertical axis will result in the rear end of drawbar 116 moving through an arc with the pintle pivot 118 at the center thereof. As may be readily envisioned, such arcuate movement of the rear end of drawbar 116 will result in a rotation of the axle assembly 110 about the front pivot bar 112. This will in turn steer the forward end of plant 10 such that the conveyor housing 46 is in the proper position to receive the aggregate from conveyor 30.
To control the rotational movement of pintle bar 116, a pintle cylinder 120, in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, is provided. A first end of pintle cylinder 120 is pivotally connected to the chassis of the crusher 18. The other end of pintle cylinder 120 is connected to the pintle bar 116 at a point spaced from the pintle pivot 118. Expansion and contraction of pintle cylinder 120 will thus cause the pintle bar 116 to rotate about the substantially vertical axis of pintle pivot 118, thus steering the front end of plant 10. This will allow steering of the front end of the plant 10 such that the opening of conveyor housing 46 is in the proper location below conveyor 30 to receive the aggregate.
A similar arrangement may be provided for the rear wheels 38 of plant 10. Specifically, the rear wheels 38 may be mounted on a rear axle assembly 122 such as a tandem axle frame. The rear axle assembly 122 is rotatably mounted to the frame 34 by a rear axle pivot 124. The rear axle assembly 122 may therefore rotate about a substantially vertical axis.
To control rotation of the rear axle assembly about the substantially vertical axis a rear axle cylinder 126, in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, is provided. A first end of the rear axle cylinder 126 is pivotally mounted to the frame 34 of the plant 10. The other end of the rear axle cylinder 126 is pivotally connected to the rear axle assembly 122 at a point spaced from the rear axle pivot 124. As such, expansion and contraction of the rear axle cylinder 126 will cause rotation of the rear axle assembly 122 about the rear axle pivot 124. This will allow steering of the rear end of the plant 10, such that the asphalt paving material 14 may be deposited in the proper location.
It is preferred that the pintle cylinder 120 and rear axle cylinder 126 include hydraulic controls 128 and 130 located adjacent each other such that a single worker may control the steering of both the front and rear of the plant 10. The hydraulic controls 128 and 130 may conveniently be placed adjacent the control panel 96 and thermostats 106, 108.
The hydraulic controls 128 and 130 will, of course, be interposed between a source of hydraulic pressure (not shown) and the associated cylinder. As such, hydraulic lines 132 will extend between the hydraulic control 130 and rear axle cylinder 126. Similarly, hydraulic lines 134 will extend between hydraulic control 128 and pintle cylinder 120. For convenience, it is preferred that the source of hydraulic pressure be located on the plant 10. It is also preferred that the pintle cylinder 120 and/or the pintle bar 116 include locking means such that the pintle bar 116 may be fixed against rotation at a centered position for normal towing.
It is also noted that the control panel 96, hydraulic controls 128 and 130 and thermostats 106 and 108 are all located on the right hand side, viewed in the direction of travel, of the plant This will allow workers to monitor and adjust the various controls while the entire bulk of the plant 10 is interposed between the workers and the lane of oncoming traffic, assuming that the plant 10 is being used in the normal direction of traffic.
It is also possible to provide a platform laterally outside of the rear wheels 38 such that a worker may stand on the platform to view and operate the various controls without the need for walking to keep up with the plant 10. Such a platform is preferably removable such that the plant 10 may be towed to and from the work site without exceeding vehicle width limits.
While the invention has been described in detail above, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that various alterations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, a pug mill of a different design may be employed. Hydraulic motors, rather than electric motors, may be employed to drive the conveyor and pug mill. Additionally, hydraulic cylinders need not be used in all cases, but could be alternatively replaced with appropriate solenoids or rack and pinion arrangements.
From the foregoing it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all ends and objects hereinabove set forth together with the other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent in the structure.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by and is within the scope of the claims.
Since many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
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A movable asphalt mixing plant which is towed behind a milling machine. The mixing plant includes an input conveyor which receives the crushed aggregate from the milling machine. The aggregate is then introduced into a pug mill carried by the mobile plant. A heated storage tank and appropriate pumps and conduits for asphaltic cement located on the mobile plant allow the asphaltic cement to be mixed with the aggregate in the pug mill. The amount of asphaltic cement added to the aggregate may be controlled by a microprocessor which receives input regarding the production rate and input weight of aggregate. Asphaltic paving material produced by the pug mill is dispensed from the rear of the plant. A heating system employing hot circulating oil is also provided to ensure that the pumps and conduits for the asphaltic cement flow freely. A steering mechanism is provided for the plant to ensure centering for proper reception of aggregate and dispensing of paving material. Both the front and rear axles of the plant are pivoted. A hydraulic cylinder is connected to the rear axle to provide steering for same. The axles for the front wheels are connected to a trailer tongue which is releasably connected to a hitch on the towing vehicle. The hitch is located on a free end of a drawbar, with the other end of the drawbar being pivotally connected to the towing vehicle. A hydraulic cylinder is connected between the towing vehicle and the drawbar to control the position of the hitch.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/521,175 to Hirte et al., filed on Mar. 3, 2004, entitled: “Printer With Quick Release Print Head and Platen,” the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to printers, and more specifically, the invention relates to a cost effective printer having a print head and/or platen with improved alignment and ease of installation and removal of same.
2. Description of Related Art
Printers have been adapted for extended operation via increased media capacity. With media exchange delayed by the increased media capacity, ease of exchange and re-alignment of printer wear components has increased significance with respect to reducing overall printer downtime and operating costs.
Thermal print heads are a wear component. The individual thermal elements and or the media contact surface of the print head that encloses the individual thermal elements degrade with use, eventually requiring removal and exchange of the print head.
For repeatable high quality printing, the print head is closely aligned with respect to the printer platen. However, each time the media is exchanged, the alignment between the print head and platen is disturbed to allow loading of the media between them.
Prior printers have incorporated relatively complex and therefore expensive to manufacture and service print head to platen alignment mechanisms with spring loaded cams, levers and or multiple guide surfaces. Other printers may be designed to trade ease of re-alignment and overall alignment precision for lowered manufacturing costs. In addition to the mechanical linkages, the print head is typically keyed to the platen shaft by a pair of fork arms that engage the platen shaft. While the fork arms are useful for alignment along the platen longitudinal axis, they typically provide only a limited side-to-side alignment function.
The platen is also a wear component. Further, the platen may also be fouled by media jams and or damaged by untrained operators attempting to clear media jams with sharp objects that gouge and or cut the relatively soft platen roller material. Because the platen is typically gear driven, mounted directly to the printer frame and buried under the print head alignment structures, removal of the platen for cleaning and or exchange may require printer disassembly beyond the capabilities of the typical user.
Competition in the printer industry has focused attention upon improving ease of use and print quality while reducing manufacturing materials and operations costs. Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide a printer that overcomes deficiencies in such prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides apparatus, systems, and methods for facilitating insertion and removal of print heads and platens (or other media rollers) from a printer. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a bracket for retaining a print head in a printer. The bracket comprises a body extending between opposed ends and front and rear surfaces and at least one alignment structure adjacent to the front surface of the body for aligning the print head with a platen in the printer. The bracket further includes at least on retaining structure adjacent to the rear surface of the body for retaining the bracket in the printer and at least one hole extending through the body for receiving a pivot pin located in the printer chassis, wherein hole allowing the bracket to pivot laterally and the retaining structure allows the bracket to move vertically with respect to a platen located in the printer. In some embodiments, the hole is a slot defined in the body and extends from the rear surface of the body toward the front surface of the body. The pivot pin may include a retaining lip that engages the hole in the bracket to secure it to the printer chassis.
In some embodiments, the alignment structure includes a contact surface configured to contact at least one of the platen or a bushing associated with the platen. The alignment structure may comprise a fork having tines extending from the body of the bracket for engaging the platen.
The retaining structure can take various forms. For example, the retaining structure may be a detent that mates with a spring structure in the printer or vice versa. The retaining structure may alternatively comprise at least one guide slot that engages at least one guide tab associated with the chassis of the printer.
The present invention also provides various bracket configurations for retaining the platen or similar media roller in a printer. For example, in one embodiment, the present invention provides a bracket comprising a contact surface for engaging at least one of the platen or a bushing associated with the platen and at least one connector for securing the contact surface to a printer. In some embodiments, the bracket may include a biasing structure for biasing the connector against the printer to thereby retaining the bracket against the platen.
In some embodiments, the bracket comprises a body having a width extending between opposed first and second ends and a height extending between opposed third and fourth ends. The bracket comprises a respective contact surface adjacent to each of the first and second ends of the body. One of the contact surfaces defines a curved surface that extends from the body and the other of the contact surfaces is a curve surface defined in the body.
The present invention also provides systems for maintaining and allowing for removal of a platen from a printer. In one embodiment, the system comprises a retaining structure located in the printer comprising a first contact surface for mating with at least one of the platen or a bushing associated with the platen. The first contact surface comprises an opening to allow insertion and removal of the platen from the contact surface. The system also includes a bracket comprising a second contact surface sized to mate with the opening in the first contact surface of said retaining structure, where the second contact surface engages at least one of the platen or a bushing associated with the platen. The bracket further includes at least one connector for securing the bracket to the printer, wherein the first and second contact surfaces retain the platen in the printer.
The present invention also provides a print head alignment arrangement for use in a printer. The arrangement includes a print head coupled to a print head bracket having a first alignment pin and a second alignment pin. A bracket is located in the printer having first and second alignment holes, wherein upon insertion of the first alignment pin and the second alignment pin into the first alignment hole and the second alignment hole, respectively, the print head is aligned with a platen of the printer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with a general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to ex-plain the principles of the invention.
FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a printer, access doors closed, according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is an isometric right side view of the printer of FIG. 1 , access doors open.
FIG. 3 is an isometric elevated left side view of the printer of FIG. 1 , access doors open.
FIG. 4 is an elevated isometric view of the media loading area, media roll inserted, of the printer of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is an isometric bottom view of a print head, mounted upon the printer of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.
FIG. 6 is an isometric top view of the print head carrier assembly of the printer of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.
FIG. 7 is an elevated front isometric view of the platen and platen bracket, media omitted, of the printer of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.
FIG. 8 is an elevated front isometric view of the platen and platen bracket, media omitted and platen bracket removed, of the printer of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment.
FIG. 9 is an isometric view of a platen bracket in the form of a tear bar according to one embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 10 is an isometric view of a platen bracket in the form of a peel bar according to one embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 11 is an isometric view of the platen bracket of one embodiment inserted into slots located in the chassis of the printer.
FIG. 12 is an elevated isometric view of the print head bracket according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is an isometric bottom view of a print head, mounted upon the printer of FIG. 1 using the print head bracket of FIG. 12 .
FIG. 14 is an elevated isometric view of the print head bracket of FIG. 12 .
FIG. 15 is an elevated front isometric view of the platen and platen bracket located in the printer of FIG. 1 according to one embodiment of the platen bracket.
FIG. 16 is an isometric view of the platen bracket of FIG. 15 .
FIG. 17 is cut away isometric right side view of the platen bracket of FIG. 15 engaging the platen.
FIG. 18 is cut away isometric left side view of the platen bracket of FIG. 15 engaging the platen.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
An exemplary embodiment of the invention, in the form of a printer 1 , including optional media liner rewind capability, is shown in FIG. 1 . The printer 1 has two media access doors, a top door 3 and a front door 5 . The top door 3 may include a media window 7 through which an operator may quickly visually verify the presence, type and remaining volume of loaded print ribbon and or media 9 .
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , the top door 3 may be raised and the front door 5 lowered to access and or load the media 9 . The print head 11 , ribbon supply spindle 13 and ribbon take-up spindle 15 are attached to the top door 3 . When the top door 3 is opened, the print head 11 and ribbon spindles are raised up and away from the media supply path, allowing front-loading access of the media 9 . The media 9 , in the form of, for example, labels on liner material is supplied in bulk rolls of a desired roll width. The top door 3 is pivotably coupled to the frame 17 of the printer 1 at pivot point(s) 19 on either side of a media cavity 21 . The pivot point(s) 19 are selected to be at positions on either side of the media cavity 21 which allow the top door 3 to pivot open and allow insertion of the largest desired roll of media 9 usable with the printer 1 . Additionally, the top door 3 may be configured to pivot upwards to a position short of extending behind the printer 1 so that space behind, in addition to directly adjacent the perimeter of the printer 1 need not be available to enable printer operation and or media exchange.
To load media 9 , as shown in FIG. 4 , the operator pushes a media 9 roll carried by a media spindle 27 along guide rails 23 to the back of the media cavity 21 where the media spindle drops into depression(s) 25 formed in the guide rails 23 . The media 9 may be centered between movable centering guides 29 which can be fixed in place via a spring lever 31 . The operator then lays a leader portion of the media 9 from the media 9 roll across the platen 33 and closes the top cover 3 , thereby sandwiching the media 9 between the print head 11 and the platen 33 , ready for print operations.
Returning to FIGS. 2 and 3 , in instances where the media includes labels located on a liner, the printer includes a liner take-up reel 37 that may be mounted to the front door 5 to facilitate printer 1 front end access to the liner roll which accumulates upon the take-up reel 37 during on-demand operation, de-scribed herein below. If on-demand operation is not desired, the front door 5 and associated liner collection structure may be omitted. The liner take-up reel 37 incorporates a clip 39 adapted to receive and grasp an initial end portion of the liner. To allow the clip 39 to grasp a liner from media 9 of varying widths, the clip 39 extends the length of the take-up reel 37 and is biased towards a center of the take-up reel 37 . A ramp lever 41 is adapted for movement along a longitudinal axis of the take-up reel 37 . During movement away from the take-up reel 37 , the ramp lever 41 interacts with a ramp surface within the take-up reel 37 to also move radially inward with respect to the take-up reel 37 , thereby decreasing the effective diameter of the take-up reel 37 and allowing easy removal of the accumulated liner roll. A spring or the like is used to bias the ramp lever 41 into a steady state position of maximum take-up reel 37 diameter. During operation, the take-up real is driven via the gear 43 .
In this embodiment, the platen quick release bracket 35 operates as a tear bar having a tear edge 45 against which the user may tear off each printed label with the liner attached for later removal immediately prior to label application. Depending upon whether printer output in the form of a printed label with or without a liner attached is desired, the printer may alternatively be fitted with the tear bar or a peel bar 47 as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 . Instead of the tear edge 45 , the peel bar has a curved peel surface 49 which, as the liner is pulled across it, causes the forward edge of each label to separate from the liner, presenting a printed label to the user ready for immediate application.
In addition to providing structure that allows for ease in front loading of media and ribbon, the present invention also provides various systems and methods that allow for easy install and replacement of the print head and platen. Specifically, the present invention allows for easy replacement of the print head and platen in the field. This is important, where the life of the printer exceeds the useful life of the print head and platen, which require that such replacement be periodically made. Important considerations for infield replacement procedures are first that the procedure must be simple such that it can be performed with little or no training and second that replacement be time efficient, such that there is not significant down time for the printer.
In this regard, the present invention provides several different print head and platen configurations that allow for easy and quick replacement. For example, FIGS. 5-9 illustrate a first quick release print head bracket and platen bracket design according to one embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the print head 11 , supplied pre-mounted upon a print head bracket 51 , mates with a print head carrier structure 53 attached to the top door 3 of the printer. The print head bracket 51 to print head carrier structure 53 interconnection is adapted to permit quick print head 11 exchange without requiring the use of tools.
Specifically, retaining structures, such as a pair of guide tab(s) 55 , formed in the print head carrier structure 53 are adapted to mate with corresponding guide slots 57 formed in a forward edge of the print head bracket 51 . As the print head bracket 51 is inserted so that the guide tab(s) 55 mate with the guide slot(s) 57 , the print head 11 is loosely retained along a longitudinal axis of the guide slot(s) 57 . To retain the print head bracket 51 at a desired position upon the guide tab(s) 55 , a spring loaded pivot pin 59 , (see FIG. 6 ), mates with a corresponding pin hole or slot 61 , (see FIG. 5 ), formed in the print head bracket 51 . An electrical connector (not shown) is used to make the electrical interconnection between the print head 11 and the printer 1 . A loose lead cable allows the interconnection to be made before the print head bracket 51 is attached to the print head carrier structure 53 .
When mounted upon the print head carrier structure 53 , the print head bracket 51 is loosely retained, able to move and or pivot within a limited range defined by the fit of the pivot pin 59 within the pin hole/slot 61 and of the guide tab(s) 55 within the guide slot(s) 57 . To accommodate alignment variances that may be introduced by the large movement arm associated with the rear location of the pivot point(s) 19 relative the platen 33 , the loosely retained print head 11 is adapted for final self alignment upon closure of the print head 11 with the platen 33 as the top cover 3 is closed.
Specifically, to align the print head with platen, the print head of this embodiment further includes a pair of alignment pin(s) 63 projecting from the print head bracket 51 . These alignment pins mate with corresponding first and second alignment hole(s) 65 , 67 formed in the base of the printer, such as in the platen bracket 35 , as shown in FIG. 7 . The peel bar 47 , described herein below, may also be used in place of the tear bar. Conical tapering of the distal ends of the alignment pin(s) 63 and or edges of the first and second alignment hole(s) 65 , 67 guides the print-head 11 into alignment with the platen 33 as the alignment pins initially engage the first and second alignment hole(s) 65 , 67 . To adapt for dissimilar thermal expansion coefficients and or lower the required component manufacturing tolerances, the second alignment hole 67 may be formed as an elongated slot. In this embodiment, the first alignment hole 65 sets the forward to back and left to right print head 11 alignment and the second alignment hole 67 , with reference to the first alignment hole 65 , sets the alignment of the print head 11 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the platen 33 .
As shown in FIG. 8 , the platen assembly 69 is aligned with respect to the printer frame 17 via platen mounting surface(s) 71 that receive and support bearings, sleeves or other form of rotatable mounting surface(s) 75 located on the platen shaft 73 at either end of the platen. The rotatable mounting surfaces may be the platen itself or bushings on the platen. The platen 33 may be driven by, for example, a platen gear 77 located at one end of the platen shaft 73 that engages a driving gear (hidden from view) as the rotatable mounting surface(s) 75 seat against the platen mounting surface(s) 71 .
FIG. 9 illustrates one embodiment of a platen quick release bracket according to one embodiment of the present invention. The platen quick release bracket 35 is in the form of a tear bar in this embodiment. The bracket includes a body 83 extending between opposed ends 85 a and 85 b . The body has a surface that extends substantially parallel to a laterally extending axis of the platen. The body includes one or more contact surfaces 79 adjacent to the opposed end of the body. (See also FIG. 16 ). These contact surfaces 79 are structured to mate with either the platen itself or the rotatable mounting surface(s) 75 or other form of mounting surfaces associated with the platen. The bracket retains the rotatable mounting surfaces 75 via platen contact surface(s) 79 b adapted to mate with a forward edge of the rotatable mounting surface(s) 75 . (See also FIG. 16 ).
An aspect of the platen bracket is the ease with which it can be removed so as to allow access to the platen for repair or replacement. In this regard, the platen bracket includes one or more connectors, such as tabs 87 , for connection to the printer chassis. There are various structures and methods from securing the bracket. For example, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 9 , the tabs may include holes extending through the tabs. The tabs may be connected to either pins, not shown, located in the printer chassis, or receive fasteners, such as for example, frame mounting screw(s) 81 that screw into the frame 17 . By removing the frame mounting screw(s) 81 , the platen bracket 35 may be easily removed and the platen assembly 69 released in a forward direction for cleaning and or exchange without further disassembly of the printer 1 .
In other embodiments, the bracket can be attached with either a minimum or no fasteners. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 11 , the printer chassis may include slots 89 for receiving the tabs 87 . The bracket may include a biasing means, such as a spring, not shown, that biases the tabs with the slots. Alternatively, the bracket may sized slightly larger that the spacing of the slots and have a flexible structure that can be flexed to insert the bracket in the slot, whereby the body acts as a biasing structure.
While not illustrated, other embodiments of the bracket are envisioned. For example, the bracket could include hinge along its top edge for pivot connection to the printer chassis. This could be in the form of connector tab connected to the printer by a fastener. The bracket of this embodiment, includes a tab located at a bottom edge for fastening to the printer. Further, although the embodiments illustrated envision a bracket having a body that extends along the length of the platen, in some embodiments, the brackets could comprise one or clips located at either one or both ends of the platen for contacting and securing the platen in place.
For on-demand operation, the platen bracket is in the form of a peel bar 47 , as shown in FIG. 10 , instead of a tear bar 35 and thereby the continuous liner, separated from each label by passage across the peel surface 49 , may be routed to the liner take-up reel 37 for accumulation and eventual removal during media exchanges. Otherwise, the platen bracket has the same print head 11 and platen assembly alignment and retention characteristics as the platen bracket in the for of a tear bar. When required, the print head 11 may be quickly exchanged by hand. The self-aligning print head 11 configuration reduces the overall printer complexity, removes potential failure points and reduces overall manufacturing cost. The simplified media path of a printer according to the invention reduces the opportunities for media jams. Should a media jam occur, ready access without pinch points upon opening of the top cover 3 and front cover 5 , if present, allows for quick recovery, reducing the chances that an operator attempting to clear the media path will damage the printer. The printer is adapted for removal of the platen assembly 69 , when required, by unskilled personnel using simple hand tools. The capability to easily remove the platen assembly from the front of the printer further reduces the overall downtime of the printer.
As mentioned, the configuration of the print head bracket and platen bracket discussed above allows for ease in removal and replacement. For example with regard to FIG. 5 , to remove the print head, a user depresses the pivot pin 59 , such that the end of the pin clears the pivot pin hole 61 of the print head bracket. The user then pulls forward on the bracket so as to disengage the guide tabs 55 from the guide slots 57 . In the illustrated embodiment, the pin hole represents a hole in the bracket. In some embodiments, the pin hole may be a slot extending from a back end of the bracket. In this embodiment, the pivot pin 59 may include a retaining lip, such that when the pin is slid along the slot, the retaining lip engages and holds the bracket. (See FIG. 13 ).
The platen can also be removed with similar ease. With reference to FIG. 7 , the user can remove any fasteners retaining the platen bracket 35 and remove the bracket allowing access to the platen 33 .
FIGS. 12-15 illustrate an alternative embodiment for the print head bracket 51 . As illustrated in FIG. 12 , the bracket of this embodiment includes a body 93 extending laterally between opposed first and second ends 94 a and 94 b , and front 94 c and rear 94 d surfaces. Located near the rear surface 94 d of the bracket 51 is a pivot pin hole 61 . The pivot pin hole 61 may be a hole through the plate. However, in some embodiments, the pin hole 61 defines a slot extending from the rear surface 94 d to the front surface 94 c of the bracket 51 . The pivot pin hole could also be a detent. Located adjacent the rear surface 94 d of the bracket 51 is one or more bracket retaining structure(s) 95 . In the illustrated embodiment, the retaining structure is one or more detents. (The function of the retaining structure(s) is discussed later below.). The print head bracket 51 further includes one or more fasteners 97 for receiving and maintaining the print head, not shown, in the bracket. In addition, the print head bracket 51 also includes one or more alignment forks 99 . As will be discussed later, the aligning forks 99 engage the platen during operation to thereby align the print head with the platen.
FIG. 13 illustrates the installation of the print head bracket 51 in the printer 1 . The printer chassis includes a pivot pin 59 . The pin includes a body extending between opposed ends. A first or proximal end is connected to the printer chassis, while a second or distal end extends from the printer chassis for receiving the pin hole or slot 61 , see FIG. 12 , of the print head bracket 51 . The pin may include a lip portion 101 located adjacent to the second or distal end of the pin. In this embodiment, the body of the pivot pin 59 is sized so as to fit within pin hole or slot 61 , while the lip portion 101 is sized somewhat larger than the pin hole or slot 61 to thereby retain the print head bracket to the chassis.
To assist in retaining the print head bracket, the printer chassis may further include retaining structure(s) to engage the retaining structure(s) 95 . For example, in one embodiment, either the retaining structure(s) of the printer chassis or the retaining structure(s) 95 of the bracket are spring structures and the other of the retaining structures. For example, in FIG. 12 , the print head bracket 51 includes retaining structures in the form of detents 95 . These detents mate with spring structures located in the printer to thereby aid in retaining the print head bracket in the printer. While detents and corresponding spring structures are illustrated, it is understood that any number of different retaining structure configurations can be implemented. The retaining structures loosely maintain the bracket in the printer chassis and may allow the bracket to pivot vertically.
It is also noted here that in the above embodiments, the term printer chassis is used in a general manner when referring to connection of the print head bracket and platen bracket to the printer. The brackets may be connected directly to the chassis or to brackets, covers, etc. located in or attached to the chassis.
As illustrated in FIGS. 14 and 15 , the print head bracket 51 further includes one or more forks 99 . The forks are typically adjacent to a front surface 94 c of the print head bracket. The forks extend from a bottom surface of the bracket. The alignment forks include contact surfaces 103 for contacting the platen and aligning the print head with the platen. It is to be understood that the forks could be configures to contact the platen directly. However, as shown in FIG. 15 , in some embodiments, the platen bracket includes bushings 105 that mate with the contact surfaces 103 of the platen bracket. As illustrated in FIGS. 15 and 16 , the platen bracket 35 of this embodiment may be configured with openings 91 that allow the forks to pass therethrough and mate with the platen.
As illustrated, in operation, the print head bracket allows the print head to float relative to the bracket so as to properly align with the platen of the printer. Specifically, the retaining structures 95 retain the print head bracket 51 loosely in the printer chassis. The retaining structures allow the bracket move vertically with respect to the platen. Further, the pivot pin 59 allows the print head bracket 51 to pivot laterally, such that when the aligning forks contact the platen, the retaining structures and retaining pin allow for proper alignment with the platen both vertically and laterally.
FIGS. 15-18 illustrate an alternative embodiment to the platen bracket illustrated in FIGS. 5-9 . Specifically, this bracket is designed allow the alignment forks 99 of the print head bracket illustrated in FIGS. 12-15 to mate with the platen bar via slots in the platen bracket. FIGS. 15-18 illustrate in greater detail the mating of the platen bracket with the platen. It is understood that the platen bracket of FIGS. 5-9 will have a similar mating structure between the contact surface of the bracket and the platen.
As illustrated in FIG. 15 , the platen bracket 35 of this embodiment is located in front of the platen and is connected to the printer chassis by one or more fasteners 97 . The platen bracket may include slots 91 for allowing access of the alignment forks 99 of the print head bracket to the platen. As illustrated in FIG. 16 , the platen bracket 33 of this embodiment includes a body 107 having a width extending between opposed first and second ends, 109 a and 109 b , and a height extending between opposed third and fourth ends, 109 c and 109 d . The bracket includes connectors 87 for connecting the bracket to the printer. Further, the bracket includes one or more contact surfaces 79 a and 79 b located near the third end 109 c of the bracket. The contact surfaces are generally curved so as to mate with either the platen or a bushing associated with the platen. As illustrated in the particular embodiment, one of the contact surfaces 79 a may also be shaped to fit above the platen, while the other 79 b engages a side of the platen.
The contact surface 79 a of one embodiment extends from the body and comprises a curved surface, while the other contact surface 79 b may be a curved surface formed in the body of the bracket.
FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate the connection between the platen bracket and the platen. Specifically, the platen may include bushings 111 . The bushings are seated in a contact surface or retaining structure 113 located in the printer. The contact structure may be a hole in which the platen is inserted. The contact surfaces 79 of the platen bracket are sized to mate with the bushings 111 . When installed, the contact surfaces 79 of the bracket maintain the platen in proper place. As illustrated in this embodiment, the contact surface 79 a is shaped to fit above the platen, while the contact surface 79 b is shaped to engage a side of the platen.
While not shown, in some embodiments, the retaining structure 113 of the printer may be a curved structure having an opening for receiving the platen. The contact surface 79 a of the bracket could fit within the opening in the retaining structure to thereby maintain the platen in place.
The above descriptions illustrate the use of the bracket with the platen roller of the printer. It must be understood that the bracket can be used with any roller in the printer and the term platen as used herein has a broader meaning such as to refer to any roller in the printer.
Table of Parts
1
printer
3
top door
5
front door
7
media window
9
media
11
print head
13
ribbon supply spindle
15
ribbon take-up spindle
17
frame
19
pivot point
21
media cavity
23
media guide rail(s)
25
depression(s)
27
media spindle
29
movable centering guides
31
spring lever
33
platen
35
platen bracket
37
take-up reel
39
clip
41
ramp lever
43
gear
45
tear edge
47
peel bar
49
peel surface
51
print head bracket
53
print head carrier structure
55
guide tab
57
guide slot
59
pivot pin
61
pin hole or slot
63
alignment pin
65
first alignment hole
67
second alignment hole
69
platen assembly
71
platen mounting surface
73
platen shaft
75
rotatable mounting surface
77
platen gear
79
platen contact surface
81
frame mounting screw
83
platen bracket body
85
platen bracket ends
87
platen bracket connectors
89
chassis slot
91
platen bracket slots
93
print head bracket body
94
print head bracket ends
95
print head bracket retaining structures
97
fasteners
99
alignment forks
101
pin lip portion
103
alignment fork contact surface
105
platen bushings
107
platen bracket body
109
platen bracket body ends
111
bushing
113
retaining structure
Where in the foregoing description reference has been made to ratios, integers or components having known equivalents then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth.
While the present invention has been illustrated by the description of the embodiments thereof, and while the embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus, methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departure from the spirit or scope of applicant's general inventive concept. Further, it is to be appreciated that improvements and/or modifications may be made thereto without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention as de-fined by the following claims.
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A printer for printing indicia upon media with print head and platen assemblies with ease of exchange and re-alignment features. The print head may be coupled to a print head bracket, the print head bracket removably coupled to the top cover of the printer by, for example, guide tabs of a print head support structure which mate with guide slots of the print head bracket. The print head bracket having alignment forks for aligning the print head with the platen. The printer also includes a platen bracket for maintaining the platen in the printer. The platen bracket being easy to remove to replace the platen.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/613,087 filed on Sep. 13, 2012, which is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/320,719 filed on Feb. 3, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,297,231, the contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNOLOGICAL FIELD
[0002] Health monitoring systems for anonymous animal in livestock groups.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Farm livestock is exposed to disease as all living creatures are. The economical pressure of disease in farm livestock however, is enormously high.
[0004] Livestock diseases are usually detected (and defined) by personal inspection by the farmer or by the veterinarian—once a vast majority of the group is infected. A group may refer to a poultry flock, a group of hives gathered in one location, a herd of grazing sheep or cattle, a fishpond etc. This is the case for livestock groups containing a large number of individuals, in which the individual is “anonymous”—such as poultry, bees, grazing cattle or sheep, fish and others.
[0005] Because of the anonymity of the group members, health condition of individuals is not monitored—only that of the group—and diseases are detected too late. To minimize risk and losses, farmers usually rely on prophylactic treatments and massive usage of medications. This pattern of health control results in late detection of disease outbreak—sometimes by days or even weeks—leading to higher morbidity and mortality rates, consequently to higher damages and costs.
[0006] Poultry farming is industrialized in most countries. House temperature and humidity are automatically controlled. Feeding, watering and even vaccination and medication are delivered automatically.
[0007] Human presence inside the chicken house is deliberately kept at minimum and human inspection of the flock's productivity and health are remote and scarce.
[0008] These inspections are carried out once a day or two by the farmer or his employees and once a week or two by the veterinarian. Inspections are visual. Due to the large number of chickens in the flock (up to 200,000 per house of broilers), morbidity is usually only noticed once a large portion of the flock shows significant symptoms of a certain disease, or once mortality rate is high enough to be noticed. By that time, up to 100% of the flock could be infected, treatment required is massive and the economical losses caused by reduction of production and mortality are heavy.
[0009] As of today, this is the common and standard procedure in the industry for health monitoring and disease outbreak detection in commercial flocks of poultry.
[0010] In many poultry diseases, such as Coccidiosis, respiratory diseases and others, a vast damage is inflicted on the farmer and that damage increases daily until the disease is detected, identified and properly treated. Late detection of the disease might lead (in severe cases) even to a total destruction of the entire group. The well known “Avian flue” (or bird's flu) is a good example of the vast damage inflicted on farmers once the disease is detected in a flock. Not only will the infected flock be destroyed, but other flocks in a radius of 3 km. as well. Direct damages of such single occurrence could accumulate to millions of dollars.
[0011] There are about 1.5 million commercial poultry houses (broilers, layers, turkeys, hatcheries and others) around the globe. Health costs of these flocks mounts to 10% of all production costs (costs of productivity reduction, consequential to morbidity are excluded), while mortality percentage in these flocks averages 4%-8%.
[0012] There is a need for new health monitoring concept and technology that will dramatically reduce these cost factors and may eventually bring about changes in veterinary regulations.
[0013] Similar limitations exist in other industries of livestock groups mentioned above.
SUMMARY
[0014] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a livestock groups computerized health monitoring system comprising: a storage and computing unit storing at least one database; a plurality of data collecting units of different types, each type comprising at least one sensor, said data collecting unit types selected from the group consisting of acoustic sensors, vitality meters, ammonia sensors, visual sensors and scent sensors; and first communication means for communicating operating commands from the storage and computing unit to each of the data collecting units and for communicating data from the data collecting units to the storage and computing unit.
[0015] The system may additionally comprise second communication means for communicating between the storage and computing unit and a user device.
[0016] The sensors may comprise identification means and wherein said first communication means comprise means for communicating operating command to a selected number of identified sensors.
[0017] The at least one database may comprise, for each parameter measured by the sensors, quantified records of the measured parameter and quantified records indicating normal status, abnormalities and pathologies.
[0018] The storage and computing unit may comprise software means for: computing said quantified records of the measured parameters; comparing the computed records to said quantified records indicating normal status, abnormalities and pathologies; and analyzing the comparison results.
[0019] The storage and computing unit may additionally comprise software means for analyzing said quantified records of the measured parameters for changes over time.
[0020] The system may additionally comprise alert means configured to communicate an alert to said user device upon detection of deviation from normal in data communicated by at least one of said data collecting unit types.
[0021] The user device may be selected from the group consisting of personal computer, telephone and mobile phone.
[0022] The system may additionally comprise means for acquiring data from external measuring systems selected from the group consisting of feeding, watering, weighting, temperature and humidity.
[0023] The acoustic sensors may comprise microphones and wherein said database comprises vocal signatures.
[0024] The vocal signatures may pertain to at least one of different parts of the day, different seasons, different stages of the group's development, different species and different breeds.
[0025] The visual sensors may comprise digital cameras capable of capturing the entire group, a specific zone or an individual.
[0026] The vitality meters are attached to a sample of statistically sufficient number of sentinels within the group.
[0027] Each sentinel may comprise at least one of an identification means and location means.
[0028] The livestock may comprise one of poultry, bees, cattle, sheep and goats.
[0029] According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a computerized method for monitoring the health of livestock groups, comprising the steps of: collecting measurements data from a plurality of data collecting units of different types, each type comprising at least one sensor, said data collecting unit types selected from the group consisting of acoustic sensors, vitality meters, ammonia sensors, visual sensors and scent sensors;
[0030] computing quantified records of the measured parameters; comparing the computed records to pre-stored quantified records indicating normal status, abnormalities and pathologies; and analyzing the comparison results. The sensors may comprise identification means and said measurement data may be collected from a selected number of identified sensors.
[0031] The method may additionally comprise the step of categorizing said quantified records of the measured parameters in view of said comparison results as new normal, abnormal or pathological phenomena, according to predefined criteria.
[0032] The predefined criteria may comprise changes over time.
[0033] The method may additionally comprise the step of analyzing said quantified records of the measured parameters for changes over time.
[0034] The step of analyzing may comprise analyzing the comparison results of a plurality of measured parameters.
[0035] The method may additionally comprise the step of communicating an alert to a user device upon detection of deviation from normal in data communicated by at least one of said data collecting unit types.
[0036] The user device may be selected from the group consisting of personal computer, telephone and mobile phone.
[0037] The method may additionally comprise the step of acquiring data from external measuring systems.
[0038] The external measuring systems are selected from the group consisting of feeding, watering, weighting, temperature and humidity.
[0039] The pre-stored quantified records pertaining to the acoustic sensors comprise vocal signatures.
[0040] The stored vocal signatures may pertain to at least one of different parts of the day, different seasons and different stages of the group's development, different species and different breeds.
[0041] The method may additionally comprise the step of attaching said vitality meters to a sample of statistically sufficient number of sentinels within the group.
[0042] Each sentinel may comprise at least one of marking means and location means.
[0043] The livestock may comprise one of poultry, bees, cattle, sheep and goats.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0044] For a better understanding of the invention and to show how the same may be carried into effect, reference will now be made, purely by way of example, to the accompanying drawings.
[0045] With specific reference now to the drawings in detail, it is stressed that the particulars shown are by way of example and for purposes of illustrative discussion of the preferred embodiments of the present invention only, and are presented in the cause of providing what is believed to be the most useful and readily understood description of the principles and conceptual aspects of the invention. In this regard, no attempt is made to show structural details of the invention in more detail than is necessary for a fundamental understanding of the invention, the description taken with the drawings making apparent to those skilled in the art how the several forms of the invention may be embodied in practice. In the accompanying drawings:
[0046] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation showing the various components of an exemplary system according to the present invention;
[0047] FIGS. 2A and 2B are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the system;
[0048] FIGS. 3A and 3B are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the acoustic sub-system;
[0049] FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the ammonia and scent sub-systems;
[0050] FIGS. 5A through 5C are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the vitality sub-system;
[0051] FIGS. 6A through 6F are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the visual sub-system; and
[0052] FIG. 7 is an exemplary schematic representation of the vitality meter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0053] The “HEMOSYS” (Health monitoring system) is a data collector and a monitor of livestock's health status and disease outbreak—which revolutionizes the health control practices in poultry and other anonymous livestock groups.
[0054] This system presents, for the first time, a combined approach to livestock groups' health and its monitoring; a systemic quantified and automated approach of monitoring health parameters of the entire group on one hand, and individual approach, of monitoring a statistically sufficient number of individuals in the group on the other hand. Integration, processing and analysis of the data collected enables early and reliable detection of morbidity and disease outbreak.
[0055] This system is designed to enable real-time or near real-time monitoring of poultry and other livestock groups, by significant health parameters and behavioral patterns. The data is collected on site, saved and analyzed on the system server. Health status reports, analysis results and alerts are transmitted to the farmer/veterinarian by means of LAN hardware, internet, or by cellular phone which is integrated into the system.
[0056] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
[0057] In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
[0058] As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0059] Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
[0060] These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention.
[0061] Other objects of the present invention will be evident to those of ordinary skill, particularly upon consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments.
[0062] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation showing the various components of an exemplary system according to the present invention.
The system comprises three main units: 1. Data collecting unit ( 100 ). A set of sensors and devices ( 110 ) for collecting essential data and transmitting ( 120 ) the collected data to the core (computing) unit ( 160 ). 2. Communication platform ( 140 ). This basic platform serves as bi-directional communication and control center. It operates and controls ( 130 ) its “Extension fingers”—the data collectors ( 110 ), receives data from the “fingers” and transmits the information ( 150 ) to the computing unit ( 160 ). 3. Computing unit ( 160 ) which includes data bases and analysis programs, integrated to the user hardware. This core computing unit utilizes smart algorithms constantly and continuously analyzing the flock's health status, compares the current status to healthy flock parameters, alerts for abnormalities and presents ( 170 , 180 ) the flock's status to the end user interface ( 190 , 195 ), be it a mobile phone, a laptop or any kind of computer system.
[0067] Data collecting unit ( 100 ) is an array of sensors and devices ( 110 ), sensing and transmitting predetermined data by means of low power local RF transmitter, by LAN or any other existing communications technology. Vital information on site indicating wellness status, activity and production rate parameters is gathered and submitted constantly on predetermined schedule.
[0068] The array ( 100 ) may include all, or part of the following means:
Video digital cameras—collecting visual information. Such as: Sentry Model PT23DN-OD-OT, or PT23DN/ID, PTZ ¼′ Color SONY Super HAD CCD DSP camera or similar. http://www.cctvsentry.com/ Acoustic sensors—collecting vocal information. Such as: AKU2000 of www.akustica.com , or Roga MI-17 with RogaDAQ2 (analyzer) of www.roga-messtechnik.de or similar. Ammonia level detectors. Such as: GCS512A AMMONIA DETECTOR of Storage Control Systems Inc., http://www.storagecontrol.com/ammonia.shtml, or GS-100/C gas sensor system by Greer Systems Automation, http://greersystems.com/ Vitality meter units attached to a sample of statistically sufficient number of individuals (sentinels) in the group, for monitoring activity and other parameters; Scent sensing devices (E-nose sniffers)—Such as: Griffin cheMSense 600, or Fido onboard by ICX Technologies, http://www.icxt.com/ In house existing measuring systems: Weight, food and water consumption, humidity, house temperature etc. Other detectors.
[0081] The communication platform ( 140 ) is a fully developed and operating unit for monitoring and control of remotely located electronic systems.
[0082] The unit delivers bi-directional information through LAN, RF, internet, cellular networks or any other communications technology and is accessible by mobile phones and computers at any location, at all times, such as: Bacsoft control system, http://www.bacsoft.com/bacsoft_eng/index.htm.
[0083] The system server ( 160 ) stores and analyzes collected data using dedicated software. Smart algorithms analyze all data received from both the system's sensors and from on-site existing information mechanisms of weight gain, food and water consumption etc.
[0084] Pre-determination of standard scale of behavior, wellness, activity, and production rate is programmed into the system according to typical characteristics of these parameters for each species and sub-species, in each region and climate area, at each time of the year and development stage of the group.
[0085] Alert mode is operated upon occurrence of abnormal phenomena or extreme changes in critical parameters.
[0086] Communication management, protocols and controls are managed by the server.
[0087] The operational part of the server software activates data transfer from the sensing sub-systems on predetermined time intervals. This activation may be sequential or simultaneous. Some subsystems will collect data constantly, and transmit the collected data upon the above mentioned activation; others will collect and transmit data directly upon activation. Proper switching to each sub-system is made at the communication center. Activation may also be triggered for specific purposes by either (a) Manual command of the user or (b) Special command of the system whenever additional data is required for phenomenon analysis of the entire flock, specific group or zone or specific individuals.
[0088] Data collected from each sub-system is processed and analyzed by dedicated software (for each sub-system).
[0089] The data base on the server includes records of normal patterns for each parameter measured by the sub-systems. Once data is transmitted by any sub-system, the server will process and analyze this data specifically for that sub-system, as later described in the sub-systems description.
[0090] Results from all sub-systems are then being cross referenced and further analyzed with respect to the following contexts:
1. The group of sentinels. Changes within the group, relative position of each sentinel in the group and statistical change of patterns of the entire group, location and concentration of sentinels for which change has been detected. 2. Change of parameters in more than one sub-system. Statistical weight of each parameter and adjusted calculation of change significance. Comparison of results to predefined allowed limits of average, median, standard deviation and other tests. 3. Rate of changes. The program will analyze each change (and combined changes) in itself to define its rate. This datum is a significant criteria for triggering an alert—even with new (to the system) symptoms or otherwise insufficient data for decision making. 4. Zone analysis. 5. Specific special statistics. 6. Disease comparison and analytics. Some symptoms (or combination of symptoms) are indicative of certain diseases. These are programmed in the data base and the algorithm will compare the results to this file, in order to indicate the suspected disease and the probability of its occurrence.
[0097] Alerts may be activated by either: (a) Independent triggers of each sub-system's software and/or (b) Triggering results by criteria of the combined system analysis.
[0098] Result tables and charts—for each sub-system and for the entire system are constantly updated and may be displayed automatically or upon demand on the user interface.
[0099] FIGS. 2A and 2B are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the system.
[0100] In step ( 200 ) the various sensing sub-system are operated on schedule. The sub-systems may comprise all or some of acoustic ( 205 ), visual ( 208 ), vitality ( 210 ), ammonia and scent ( 212 ), other various sensing sub-systems ( 215 ) and existing infrastructure systems ( 220 ) such as feeding, watering, weighting, humidity, temperature, etc. FIGS. 3 , 4 , 5 and 6 shows in detail the analysis performed in the acoustic, ammonia and scent, vitality and visual sub-systems, respectively. The data records ( 222 ) collected from these sub-systems and from other optional sensing sub-systems ( 215 ) are stored in the in the computer unit's ( 160 ) database ( 225 ). Data from existing infrastructure systems ( 220 ) is collected ( 230 ), converted and scaled to suit system protocols ( 232 ), formatted ( 235 ) into system records ( 222 ) and stored in the in the computer unit's ( 160 ) database ( 225 ).
[0101] In the system server, data from each sub-system is processed and analyzed ( 240 , FIG. 2B ). The analysis results are checked for alert conditions ( 242 ). If an alert condition exists, the system proceeds to display the alert on the user's display device ( 250 ) and presents the analyzed records to the user ( 280 ).
[0102] If no alert condition has been identified by analyzing each sub-system's data separately, the system proceeds to integrate process and analyze the combined records from all sub-systems ( 245 ). The combined data is checked for sufficiency ( 252 ). If the system determines that insufficient data exists for proper evaluation, the missing data is defined and the proper sub-system(s) are activated ( 255 ) out of the regular schedule. If the data is deemed to be sufficient, the system proceeds to evaluate the general health and productivity status of the flock ( 260 ), by comparison with pre-defined normal conditions ( 262 ).
[0103] If the status is determined to be within the normal range, the system cycles back to step ( 200 , FIG. A) to resume scheduled actuation of the sensing sub-systems. Otherwise, the abnormal parameters are defined ( 270 ). The system then activates correcting operational measures (such as: Blowers, heaters, or alike) and proceeds to step ( 250 ) to alert the user and present the analyzed records ( 280 ).
[0104] Acoustic Sub-System
[0105] The acoustic sub-system according to the present invention comprises microphones scattered along the site. Scattering points are chosen and marked on a 3D map of the site, prepared prior to the system's positioning. These microphones are either (a) Wired to the communication center or (b) Include RF transceiver. The microphones are activated separately, by zone groups or all at once. Sounds collected are transmitted to the server, microphone number and time of collection defined and added to each record. Raw sound records are digitized and spectrum modulated, then processed and analyzed as shown in FIG. 3 . Process includes (but is not limited to) quantification and manipulation of digitized data (frequency and amplitude) along a time scale, analysis of changes along that time, comparison to known vocal signatures and analysis of other predetermined factors. The data base includes pre-recorded samples of normal and abnormal known pathologies' acoustic signatures pertaining to different parts of the day, different seasons, different stages of the group's development, different species, different breeds, etc. Once an abnormal pathology is detected, the user is alerted. Abnormal signatures, unknown to the system, are being quantified, analyzed and time scaled. Based on statistical formulations, they are ascribed to either known pathologies, new abnormalities or to harmless signatures.
[0106] Data analysis may be carried out for each microphone separately, for any group of microphones in specific zones of the house or for the entire set of microphones. An alert threshold is predefined in the system, based on change parameters (such as quantity and rate) of vocal signatures.
[0107] FIGS. 3A and 3B are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the acoustic sub-system.
[0108] In step ( 300 ) the microphones are activated according to the predefined schedule. Sounds are collected and recorded ( 302 ), followed by digitization and spectrum modulation ( 305 ). The spectrum signature is compared to pre-stored normal spectrum signatures for the present conditions (e.g. region and climate area, time of the year and development stage of the group) ( 310 ) and a check for deviation is performed ( 312 ).
[0109] If no deviation from the normal is detected, the system loops back to scheduled activation ( 300 ). Otherwise, the deviating spectral signature is compared to known pathological spectra stored in the database ( 320 ). If a match is found, namely the pathology is known ( 322 ), a new record is added to the pathology file ( 330 ). The new record is processed and analyzed ( 332 ), including analysis of data accumulated over a predetermined period, and the resulting quantified parameter is compared to a pre-defined threshold ( 335 ). If the result is higher than the threshold the user is alerted ( 340 ) and presented with the results ( 342 ). The system then resumes scheduled activation. Otherwise, if the result is not higher than the threshold, no alert is issued.
[0110] If in step ( 322 ) it was determined that the spectral signature does not match a known pathology, the system proceeds to compare the signature to non-tagged vocal signatures stored in a separate bank in the database ( 345 , FIG. 3B ). If no match is found, namely a similar vocal signature has not been recorded previously, a new non-tagged spectrum file is opened and the new record id added to it ( 352 ) and the system proceeds to update the results presented to the user. Otherwise, if a match is found, namely a similar vocal signature has been recorded previously, the new record is added to the matched file ( 355 ). The new record is then compared with previous records in the file ( 360 ) and changes over time are being quantified and analyzed ( 362 ). For each predetermined parameter, a comparison is made between the actual change over time and a predetermined change threshold ( 365 ). If it is determined ( 370 ) that the change is higher than the threshold, a new pathology is defined and the file is moved to the pathologies' bank ( 372 ). The user is alerted and the user interface is updated. Otherwise, if the change does not surpass the threshold, the system updates the presented results.
[0111] Ammonia and Scent Sub-Systems
[0112] The Ammonia sub-system according to the present invention comprises Ammonia detectors scattered along the site. Scattering points are chosen and marked on a 3D map of the site, prepared prior to the system's positioning. These detectors are either (a) Wired to the communication center or (b) Include RF transceiver. The detectors are activated separately, by zone groups or all at once. Measures collected are transmitted to the server, detector number and time of collection defined and added to each record. Ammonia level records are digitized and saved. Records are analyzed to detect a raise above predefined threshold level as well as changes indicating disease.
[0113] The server may be connected to the house operative system and when Ammonia level is above threshold—activate blowers to lower that level. This procedure will be limited to a predefined number of activations. After that, the user will be alerted. Different levels of alert will be activated upon predefined criteria of Ammonia level and change of that level along time.
[0114] The scent sensing subsystem according to the present invention comprises scent devices scattered along the site. Scattering points are chosen and marked on a 3D map of the site, prepared prior to the system's positioning. These detectors are either (a) Wired to the communication center OR (b) Includes RF transceiver. Devices are designated to identify specific scents, indicative of specific diseases. They are activated separately, by zone groups or all at once. Measures collected are transmitted to the server, detector number and time of collection defined and added to each record. Fragrance level records are digitized and saved. Records are analyzed to detect a raise above predefined threshold as well as for changes indicating disease status. User will be alerted according to predefined criteria of scent level and change of that level along time.
[0115] FIG. 4 is an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the ammonia and scent sub-systems.
[0116] In step ( 400 ) the devices are activated on schedule. Data records are collected and stored by device and time ( 410 ) and compared to predefined quantified limits of normal range ( 420 ). If no deviation from the limits is detected ( 430 ), the system proceeds to update the user's display ( 440 ) and resumes scheduled activation.
[0117] Otherwise, if the records deviate from the predefined limits, the deviation is compared to a predefined threshold ( 450 ). If the deviation is higher than the threshold, the user is alerted and the presented results updated ( 460 ). If the deviation is not higher than the threshold, the user is notified ( 470 ). The current record is then compared to previously stored records of the same device ( 480 ) and the changes over time are quantified and analyzed ( 490 ). The user's display is updated with the new results ( 440 ) and the system resumes scheduled activation.
[0118] Vitality Meter Sub-System
[0119] The vitality meter sub-system according to the present invention takes the monitoring system from the level of the flock to the level of the individual within the flock.
[0120] The device comprises one or more of the following components, as depicted schematically in FIG. 7 :
[0121] a. 3D acceleration measuring component ( 950 ) using piezoelectric or MEMS technology.
[0122] (Such as: http://www.endevco.com/product/ParmProductSearch.aspx)
[0123] b. Pulse rate sensor ( 920 ) (Electro-optical or piezoelectric transducer or electromagnetic), such as: Nonin pulse sensor, model 2000SA, http://www.nonin.com/index.asp, or Timex T5 series or Polar FS series, or others.
[0124] c. Temperature measuring component ( 930 ) using thermistor.
[0125] d. Micro-processor ( 910 ) of type PIC32 or PIC16 of “Micro-Chip” or similar.
[0126] e. RF receiving and transmitting components ( 960 ) such as transponder of type RFID-RADAR, by Trolly Scan Ltd. http://trolleyscan.com/ or similar, or transceiver of type TRC103 by RFM, http://www.rfm.com/index.shtml or similar.
[0127] g. Power source ( 970 ).
[0128] The components are integrated to create the vitality meter.
[0129] The vitality meter is attached to (or implanted in) a certain number of individuals within the flock, to pre-determined parts of the body—be it a leg, a wing, a neck, or other part. It measures crucial parameters of vitality, all or part of the following: Movement patterns, including differentiation between walking, eating, drinking, standing, sitting, etc., abnormal movements, blood pulse, temperature, rumination and breathing patterns. These parameters are measured continuously or alternately, on a predetermined time scale and the data is collected and transmitted to the system server by means of local RF transmitter. Each unit has its own ID code to enable individual identification of the unit carrier—sentinel.
[0130] The vitality meter units are mounted on a sample of statistically sufficient number of individuals within the flock, in order for the data collected to be statistically valid and sufficient for evaluation of the flock's health and for alert of disease outbreak and morbidity rate.
[0131] As mentioned above, the “sentinels” (individuals within the flock to which the units are attached) are sampled in a statistically sufficient number, not only to indicate a disease in the specific sentinel but to indicate tendencies of diseases to spread in the entire flock.
[0132] Since each “sentinel” has a personal ID through its unit's code and/or local positioning means, it can be easily approached for further investigation and disease diagnosis by the veterinarian.
[0133] The local positioning means ( 940 , FIG. 7 ) may comprise:
[0134] a. Radio operated, marked on the systems' 3D map and can consequently be located by the system visual camera or human, and/or:
[0135] b. Visually or vocally noted, producing a special signal like a beacon when activated. Signal may be produced by electro-magnetic marking devices such as a LED or a piezoelectric buzzer that can be noted/observed at the designated distance and/or:
[0136] c. Constantly visually marked and can be observed at any time. Marking is achieved by a ribbon or patch of any material, or other object, attached to any body part of the sentinel and divided to symmetric areas, each with a different color. The combination of colors on the marker defines the sentinel's ID, hence enabling individual visual monitoring of the sentinel by camera or by human eyes.
[0137] d. Local Positioning System (LPS), implementing GPS technology on a local scale. When a specific transceiver or transponder transmits its ID code, the transmission is received by a plurality of receivers scattered in the site. The server calculates distance from the receiving antennae according to the time differential of the received transmissions and the combined distances mark the sentinel's position.
[0138] All data transmitted from the sentinels is stored and analyzed at the system server, compared to data from other sensors and to healthy normal range of parameters. The analyzed data may be presented in charts and graphs and the system alerts the user of any abnormality.
[0139] Alerts are made to the farmer/veterinarian—according to predetermined criteria—to their mobile phone, PC, laptop or any other instrument of their choice.
[0140] FIGS. 5A through 5C are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the vitality sub-system. The flowchart represents operations relating to a single sentinel, where identical processes are simultaneously taking place for all sentinels.
[0141] In step ( 500 ) data is collected from the sentinel's vitality meter and temporarily saved in the vitality unit's processor memory ( 505 ). Subsequently, on scheduled timing, the stored data is transmitted to the system server ( 510 ) and then erased from the unit processor's memory ( 515 ).
[0142] On the server side, the received records are saved ( 520 ) and each parameter is checked for deviation from its predefined normal range ( 525 ). If no deviation is detected, the operation ends till the receipt of a subsequent batch of data. Otherwise, if a deviation from normal is detected for any of the parameters, the last record for each deviating parameter is compared with its previous records ( 530 ) and the changes are analyzed ( 535 ). The changes in parameters are compared to individual thresholds ( 540 ). If the change is determined to be higher than the threshold, the results are added to a combined sentinels file ( 545 , FIG. 5B ), the quantified deviations of all the sentinels for each specific parameter are analyzed ( 550 ) and the relevant database tables are updated ( 555 ). The aggregate deviation is then compared to a predefined threshold ( 560 ) and an alert is issued to the user ( 570 ) if the threshold has been surpassed. Otherwise, the user is notified of the changes.
[0143] If the changes in the parameters of the individual sentinel are not higher than the threshold, the sentinel is marked (in the database) and an individual visual scan is ordered from the visual subsystem ( 575 , FIG. 5C ), using the sentinel ID and/or position marker. Upon completion of the individual visual scan, the sentinel is unmarked ( 580 ).
[0144] Visual Sub-System
[0145] The visual sub-system according to the present invention combines both capabilities of the system—group and individual monitoring. The sub system comprises digital cameras scattered along the site. Scattering points are chosen and marked on a 3D map of the site, prepared prior to the system's positioning. These cameras are either (a) Wired to the communication center or (b) Includes RF transceiver. They are activated separately, by zone groups or all at once. Visual data collected is transmitted to the server, camera number and time of collection defined and added to each record. Records are modulated, then processed and analyzed as described in conjunction with FIG. 6 . Process includes (but is not limited to) quantification and manipulation of digitized data along a time scale, analysis of changes along that time, comparison to known visual patterns and analysis of other predetermined factors. The database includes pre-recorded samples of normal, abnormal, and known visual representations of pathologies and behavior patterns. Once an abnormal pathology is detected, the user is notified or alerted according to predefined criteria. Abnormal patterns, unknown to the system, are being quantified, analyzed and time scaled. Based on statistical formulations, they are ascribed to either known pathologies, new pathologies or to harmless patterns.
[0146] Data analysis may be carried out for each camera separately, for any group of cameras in a specific zone of the house or for the entire set of cameras.
[0147] A threshold of alert is predefined in the system, based on change parameters (such as quantity and rate) of visual signatures.
[0148] When a specific camera observes an abnormal pattern demonstrated by one (or more) of the individuals, it automatically zooms on that individual and tracks it for a predetermined period of time, before returning to the normal scanning routine.
[0149] On top of scheduled scanning, cameras perform specific scanning or zooming and tracking when scheduled for this task by the system, consequently to discovery of abnormal patterns by any other sub-systems, as described in detail in conjunction with FIG. 6 .
[0150] Further to these assignments, the visual sub-system may be assigned to perform individual vitality monitoring and tracking. In this mode, each camera covers a limited and specific zone of the house. The camera will track all marked sentinels that are within its zone for a predefined time scheduled for this assignment. Sentinels movement characteristics and details will be recorded and saved to each sentinel personal file and further analyzed as described in conjunction with the vitality subsystem.
[0151] FIGS. 6A through 6F are an exemplary flowchart showing the operation of the visual sub-system.
[0152] In step ( 600 ) the system checks whether a request for focused scan is pending. If it is, the system proceeds to step ( 650 , FIG. 6B ) to perform a focused scan. Otherwise, the visual zone scan is activated by scanning the first defined zone, zone “0”, for a predetermined period ( 610 ), followed by incrementing the scanned zones count ( 615 ). The scan results are compared to pre-stored abnormality files ( 620 ) and if abnormalities are detected ( 625 ) the system proceeds to step ( 650 , FIG. 6B ) to perform a focused scan. If no abnormalities were detected, the system checks whether all the zones have been scanned ( 630 ). If more zones need to be scanned, it proceeds to the next zone ( 635 ). Otherwise, if all zones have been scanned, the scanned zones count is zeroed and the system proceeds to step ( 735 , FIG. 6D ) to perform sentinels scan.
[0153] In step ( 650 , FIG. 6B ) a focused scan is activated, for the first requested zone or sentinel and the scan record is saved ( 660 ). The record is compared to normal pattern files stored in the database ( 665 ) and if the comparison shows normal patterns ( 670 ) the system loops back to step ( 600 , FIG. 6A ). Otherwise, if an abnormal pattern was detected, which does not belong to a known pathology ( 675 ), the system proceeds to step ( 705 , FIG. 6C ) for analysis. If the abnormal pattern detected is that of a known pathology, the present record is compared to previously stored records ( 680 ). The changes (from previous records) of each pathology are quantified and analyzed ( 685 ), analysis results saved and user display updated accordingly ( 690 ). If the changes are above a predetermined limit ( 695 ), the user is alerted ( 700 ). The system loops back to step ( 600 FIG. 6A ).
[0154] In step ( 705 , FIG. 6C ) the abnormal parameters of an unknown pathology are quantified (as per their deviation from normal) and analyzed. A new abnormality file is added to the database ( 710 ) with the records and analysis results. The system then notifies the system engineer to incorporate the detected abnormality to a new category in the system ( 715 ) and the user's display is updated with the new results ( 720 ). If the change is above a predefined threshold ( 725 ) the user is alerted ( 730 ). The system loops back to step ( 600 FIG. 6A ).
[0155] In step ( 735 . FIG. 6D ) the sentinels scan is activated by scanning the assigned zone. The sentinels are identified within the scanned zone ( 740 ), as described above and the system proceeds to monitor the identified sentinels for a predetermined time ( 750 ). During the monitoring period, movement data of all the monitored sentinels is recorded and saved ( 755 ). Following the monitoring period, the saved records are analyzed for movement characteristics, for each sentinel ( 760 ). Each detected characteristic is quantified ( 765 ) and the results are saved in the sentinel's file, with a timestamp ( 770 ).
[0156] In step ( 775 , FIG. 6E ) each sentinel's record is compared to a pre-stored file defining normal movement criteria. If a deviation from normal is detected ( 780 ), the system proceeds to step ( 805 , FIG. 6F ) for analysis. Otherwise, if all the sentinels' movements are deemed to be normal, the sentinel group file is updated with the individual results of each sentinel ( 785 ) and the user display is updated ( 795 ). If all the requested zones or sentinels have been focus-scanned ( 795 ), the system loops back to step ( 600 FIG. 6A ). Otherwise, a focus scan is initiated for the next requested zone or sentinel ( 800 ).
[0157] In step ( 805 , FIG. 6F ) the deviated sentinel's record is compared to previous records of deviated sentinels. The changes for each sentinel and for the group of sentinels are quantified and analyzed ( 810 ), the analysis results are saved ( 815 ) and the user's display is updated ( 820 ). If the detected change is above a predefined limit ( 825 ) the user is alerted ( 830 ). If all the requested zones or sentinels have been focus-scanned ( 835 ), the system loops back to step ( 600 FIG. 6A ). Otherwise, a focus scan is initiated for the next requested zone or sentinel ( 840 ).
[0158] Existing In-House Devices
[0159] The server of the present invention may be connected to existing infra structures of the poultry house. Data collected in these devices is added to the database and used by the system to analyze and evaluate the flock's health status—continuously.
[0160] Data may include feeding and watering rates, house temperature and humidity, weighting results of chickens in the house (randomly taken) or any other factor currently measured in the operative system of the poultry house.
[0161] Workflow Example
[0162] Following is an exemplary workflow of the system according to the present invention, for detecting Infectious laryngotracheitis (ITL) in poultry.
[0163] ITL is an acute, highly contagious, herpesvirus infection of chickens and pheasants characterized by severe dyspnea, coughing, and rales. It can also be a subacute disease with lacrimation, tracheits, conjunctivitis, and mild rales. It has been reported from most areas of the USA in which poultry are intensively reared, as well as from many other countries.
[0164] Clinical Findings: In the acute form, gasping, coughing, rattling, and extension of the neck during inspiration are seen 5-12 days after natural exposure. Reduced productivity is a varying factor in laying flocks. Affected birds are anorectic and inactive. The mouth and beak may be bloodstained from the tracheal exudate. Mortality varies, but may reach 50% in adults, and is usually due to occlusion of the trachea by hemorrhage or exudate. Signs usually subside after approximately 2 weeks, although birds may cough for 1 month. Strains of low virulence produce little or no mortality with slight respiratory signs and lesions and a slight decrease in egg production.
[0165] In the workflow of the system according to the present invention, respiratory signature changes are the first to be detected by the acoustic sub system—within hours from first appearance of clinical signs. Upon activation ( 205 ) of the acoustic sensors—data is recorded ( 302 ), digitized and modulated ( 305 ). Upon comparing this record with normal spectrum signature file ( 310 ) on the data base, a deviation from normal is detected ( 312 ). Rales (The digitized signature of the pathology is preprogrammed to the system's data base) are increasingly overheard, especially at night sessions, when other daily vocal signatures are silenced. Same patterns will be evident for other pathologies such as coughing and gasping. Records are analyzed ( 332 ) and compared to predefined allowed limits of the quantified pathology ( 335 ). Analysis is preformed for both the quantified phenomenon in itself (level/volume of rales/coughing/gasping signature in its spectrum band) and for the rate of change of each phenomenon. If it is higher than threshold (i.e.: a large number of birds are having the symptom and/or rate of manifestation is high) ( 335 ), an alert will be triggered by the subsystem ( 340 ). If lower than threshold, updates are made ( 342 ) and the subsystem returns to routine.
[0166] In itself, if the rate of pattern change of the acoustic pathologies is high enough it will trigger an alert.
[0167] The Vitality sub-system will produce indications following (or simultaneously) to the acoustic sub-system. Once activated, ( 500 ) an increasing number of infected sentinels will exhibit a continuous decrease in productivity, feeding and activity ( 545 ). In itself, if the number of sentinels exhibiting a decrease in vitality patterns is above predefined threshold for each parameter, it will trigger alert. The rate of change is also analyzed and may trigger an alert for fast deterioration of vitality even for a relatively small number of sentinels ( 550 ). Criteria for alert are preprogrammed for each parameter measured as well as for change rate.
[0168] Visual indication: Ordered specific focused scan of zone or of sentinels ( 575 / 600 / 650 ) will identify the extension of the neck during inspiration (predefined as a pathology) ( 675 ) of these sentinels.
[0169] Existing infrastructure systems: Data from these systems will indicate ( 230 ) a decrease in water and food consumption, respectively to the changes indicated in other subsystems.
[0170] Even if alert is not triggered by any specific subsystem, it may be triggered by the system's program, based on the statistical weight of indicating parameters and on the rate of change of these parameters along a predefined time scale.
[0171] For example: The disease is in early stages and not many sentinels have been infected. However, acoustic changes and visual observations of extended necks are growing by the hour. The system will trigger an alert.
[0172] The following table is an exemplary system alert determination schedule based on the various sub-systems' indications.
[0000]
System
Disorder
Subsystem
Alert
(Samples)
Vitality
Acoustic
Ammonia
Visual
Feeding
Water
Level
Heat stress
Sharp
Decrease at
Mild
No
High
High
decrease in
all
increase
change
decrease
increase
movement -
frequencies
all sentinels
AL
5
5
1
0
5
5
5
Cold stress
Mild
No
No
No
High
High
decrease in
change
change
change
increase
decrease
movement -
all sentinels
AL
2
0
0
0
2
2
3
Chronic
Mild
No
Low to
Growing
Moderate
Moderate
Disease (e.g.
decrease in
change
medium
visual
decrease
decrease
Coccidiosis)
movement -
increase
signs
manifestation
growing %
of sentinels
AL
3
0
3
1
2
2
4
Acute
Fast
Fast growing
Rapid
Visual
Mild
Mild
Disease (e.g.
decrease in
patterns of
increase
pathologies
decrease
decrease
Avian Flue,
vitality - in a
pathologies
Newcastle)
fast growing
signatures
manifestation
number of
sentinels
AL
5
5
5
4
1
1
5
Chronic
Moderate
Moderately
No
Moderate
Mild
No
respiratory
decrease in
growing
change
growth of
decrease
change
disease
vitality - in a
patterns of
visual
moderately
pathologies
pathologies
growing
signatures
number of
sentinels
AL
4
4
0
3
1
0
4
Acute
High
High rate of
None to
Rapid
Moderate
Moderate
respiratory
decrease in
growing
mild
growth of
decrease
decrease
disease (e.g.
vitality - in a
patterns of
increase
visual
ILT)
highly
pathologies
pathologies
growing
signatures
number of
sentinels
AL
5
5
2
4
1
1
5
Legend:
Alert Level (AL) 0: Normal state, healthy productive flock.
Alert Level (AL) 1: Mild disruption, slight decrease in productivity.
Alert Level (AL) 2: Mild disruption, slight decrease in health status. Notify user.
Alert Level (AL) 3: Mediocre disorder. Low level alert.
Alert Level (AL) 4: Significant disorder. High level alert.
Alert Level (AL) 5: Catastrophe. Emergency alert.
indicates data missing or illegible when filed
[0173] The technology described above refers mainly to poultry but is well applicable to other livestock groups—with proper modification for each species monitored.
[0174] Exemplary Implementation to Other Species:
[0175] Bees and Bee Hives:
[0176] The main three units of the system remain, i.e.: Sensors array, communication platform and computing unit. Modified elements at each unit:
1. Computing unit (System server): Data base and software, corresponding and designed to bees health factors, disease, productivity etc. Operating software is modified respectively. 2. Sensors array. Sensors that are scattered in the hive or its door or nearby the hives, collecting data from a sample of statistically sufficient number of hives within the group. Array may include (but not limited to) the following:
(a) Acoustic sensors. Microphones or other acoustic sensors. A healthy hive can be characterized by certain acoustic patterns, typical for each sub-specie, time of day, season and development stage of the colony. These patterns are changing in accordance with the nature of activity and its extent, correlative to the colony's health. Changes of acoustic patterns may be indicative of the hive general health, and in some cases, even of high probability for specific disease, such as Chronic Paralysis or Nosema, that are characterized by rapid and dramatic reduction of activity within the hive. (b) Scent sensors. Dedicated sensors for specific scents, typical of certain diseases, such as AFB and EFB. These diseases are characterized by unique odor which increases correlatively to its infestation. (c) Weighting scales. Indicative of the colony production rate, general health and its development status and rate. (d) Temperature sensors. Indicative of the colony production rate, general health and its development status and rate. (e) Visual sensors. Video camera/s collecting visual information from each apiary door and the immediate vicinity of the door. Some bees disorders such as Chronic paralysis, Nosema and Tracheal Mites have typical visual symptoms that may be observed mainly at the entrance to the hive or near by.
3. Communication center, located on site, no modification is required.
[0185] Additional power source is required for this application, adequate for operation in outdoor conditions.
[0186] Grazing Herds of Sheep or Cattle:
[0187] The system is applicable to large herds of grazing sheep, goats or cattle. These herds are kept outdoors all year around and are inspected as a group—with no individual monitoring of each and every member of the group. Inspection usually takes place in gathering points—where the herds come for drinking or for supplemental food supply. This farming pattern is very common in South America, in the south west of the US, in Australia and in New Zealand (with sheep).
[0188] Again, the main three units of the system remain, i.e.: Sensors array, communication platform and computing unit. Modified elements at each unit:
1. Computing unit (System server): Data base and software, corresponding and designed to cattle/sheep health factors, disease, productivity etc. Operating software is modified respectively. 2. Sensors array. Array may include (but is not limited to) the following:
(a) Vitality sensors modified for cattle/sheep, implanted in or attached to a sample of statistically sufficient number of individuals/sentinels within the herd. Such units as commercially used for dairy herds, like “AfiAct” of S.A.E. Afikim (www.afimilk.co.il/) or similar, with proper modification in the radio component of the unit. Vitality signs are indicative of most of the cattle and sheep diseases and disorders (Anaplasmosis, BVD, Foot and mouth—to mention just a few). A change in walking pace, a limp, a decrease in rumination rate and temperature change are all signs of some disorder. Early detection of these signs is made possible by the vitality unit. In case the unit is implanted, an additional amplified transceiver will be attached to the sentinel's neck for transmission of the sentinel's vitality data collected to the communication center. (b) Visual sensors. Video camera/s, located in the above mentioned gathering points, collecting visual information on the sentinels and herd at gathering times. Some cattle and sheep disorders such as: Blackleg, bloat, BVD, Foot rot, Listeriosis and others have typical visual patterns that may be observed and analyzed by the system. Together with the cumulated data of the vitality units of the sentinels, the visual data may focus the analysis and display probability for specific disorders. (c) Acoustic sensors. Sensors scattered along the gathering site, collecting vocal data of the herd (abnormal breathing, coughing, stress or others). Data is communicated to the communication center located on site by means of local RF transceivers or local wiring. Vocal data may indicate diseases such as: Anaplasmosis, Anthrax, Thrombosis, TB, Rinderpest and others.
3. Communication center. Modification for this application may include long range radio transceiver, for remote rural areas in which cellular infrastructure does not exist and additional rechargeable power source, possibly with solar charger for long term operation.
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Computerized system and method for livestock groups health monitoring comprising: a storage and computing unit storing at least one database; a plurality of data collecting units of different types, each type comprising at least one sensor, the data collecting unit types selected from the group consisting of acoustic sensors, vitality meters, ammonia sensors, visual sensors and scent sensors; first communication means for communicating operating commands from the storage and computing unit to each of the data collecting units and for communicating data from the data collecting units to the storage and computing unit ; and second communication means for communicating between the storage and computing unit and a user device.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to digital recording and more particularly, to such recording with improved pulse rise time.
Digital record amplifiers used in helical-scan recording in the prior art as shown in FIG. 1 suffer from several problems. A source of digital information 10 is coupled to a record amplifier 12. The information is shown in FIG. 2A and the output of amplifier 12 in FIG. 2B. A rotating head 16 is coupled to stationary record amplifier 12 through a rotary transformer 14. As shown in FIG. 2C this prior art arrangement suffers from loss of timing integrity, loss of rise-time, and inability to handle data patterns containing large amounts of D.C. such as may be present in NRZ (non-return-to-zero) coding, which coding has the highest tape packing density. These problems become worse on playback due to tape jitter, thereby making bit detection difficult. Since all of these problems stem from the fact that the record amplifier is transformer coupled to the head, the problems can be overcome by eliminating the transformer coupling.
One way of eliminating the transformer coupling is to use slip rings. However such rings wear out, and may, together with their associated brushes, create excessive noise.
It is therefore desirable to have a digital recording system that can record using a code that has a large DC content, minimizes loss of timing integration and rise time, has a minimum of components that wear out and does not create noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Method and apparatus for transmitting through a channel, comprising transmitting data edge information through said channel, transmitting data clock information through said channel, reconstructing said data from the transmitted edge information, and retiming the reconstructed data using the transmitted clock information.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a typical prior art recording circuit;
FIGS. 2(A) 2(B) and 2(C) show waveforms present in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of an embodiment of a recording circuit in accordance with the present invention;
FIGS. 4(A)-4(G) show waveforms present in FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a record amplifier for use in FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of a circuit incorporating the record amplifier of FIG. 5; and
FIGS. 7(A)-7(H) show some waveforms present in FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 3 digital information source 10 supplies NRZ information pulses (shown in FIG. 4A) to data edge extractor 18, which extractor can comprise a digitally synthesized differentiator, such as delayed and undelayed pulses applied to an exclusive-OR gate. The output waveform from extractor 18 is shown in FIG. 4B and is applied to primary winding 14a of a rotary transformer. Winding 14a is magnetically coupled to secondary winding 14c, which winding 14c supplies a signal to data reconstructor circuit 22. Reconstructor 22 comprises a pair of ECL (emitter coupled logic) threshold circuits 50 and 52, which circuits respectively provide pulses representing positive and negative going edges to the S (set) and R (reset) inputs respectively of an ECL S-R flip-flop 54. The output waveform of flip-flop 54 is shown in FIG. 4C and comprises the output of reconstructor 22.
Source 10 also provides clock pulses for the NRZ information, which pulses have no D.C. content, to clock driver 20, which driver comprises a delay line 56 having a time delay selected to provide best restrobing of the data, and an amplifier 58 having an input coupled to the delay line. In the present embodiment, the delay of line 56 was selected so that the positive going edges of the recovered clock pulses occur at about the middle of the recovered data pulses of FIG. 4C. Driver 20 supplies clock pulses to primary 14b of the rotary transformer. Secondary winding 14d is magnetically coupled to primary 14b and thus receives the clock signal. Since the clock signal has no D.C. content and is of constant frequency (unlike the NRZ information signal), its edges retain their timing when passing through the rotary transformer. The clock pulses are applied to clock receiver 24, which can comprise an ECL amplifier with its input terminated in the characteristic impedance presented by secondary 14d. This termination prevents reflections that may cause timing errors in the recovered clock pulses.
Data restrobe circuit 26 comprises an ECL D-type flip-flop with its clock input receiving the clock pulses from receiver 24 (FIG. 4D) and its D input receiving the signals from reconstructor 22 (FIG. 4C). The output waveform of restrober 26 is shown in FIG. 4E. Although delayed, the edges of said output waveform correspond with an accuracy of about 0.5 ns to that of the original NRZ waveform shown in FIG. 4A. The restrobed signal is applied to record amplifier 12 (described below) having an output waveform shown in FIG. 4F. The output signal from amplifier 12 is then D.C. coupled to head 16 so that there is no loss of rise time due to a rotary transformer, the head current being shown in FIG. 4G. It will be seen that the head current is nearly identical to that of the original information waveform of FIG. 4A even though the original waveform has D.C content, and is appreciably better than that of the prior art head current of FIG. 2C. If amplifier 12 comprises a differential amplifier as described below, then the flip-flop of restrobe circuit 26 supplies signals from both its Q and Q outputs to the respective inputs of amplifier 12. Head 16 is in contact with magnetic tape 17. Although shown symbolically, preferably the helical scan configuration is used, as is known in the art.
It is necessary that record amplifier 12 drives head 16 with a sufficient current and a fast rise time. This is made difficult by the fact that head 16 is an inductive load, which does not allow an instantaneous current change to occur, and also by the inherent collector-base capacitance of the amplifier transistor, which also slows down the current change and resonates with the head inductance, which may cause ringing.
Although there are many configurations for record amplifiers, one preferred configuration is the differential amplifier of FIG. 5. Transistor Q3 is an active current (high impedance) source. By adjusting potentiometer 60, the base-emitter potential, V BIAS , is adjusted, whereby the desired current I is selected. Transistors Q1 and Q2 are a matched pair of transistors, to whose base inputs complementary data is applied. Either Q1 or Q2 is ON, but never both. As shown in FIG. 5, transistor Q1 is ON and transistor Q2 is OFF and current flows from transistor Q3 to transistor Q1 and then divides in two, with one-half going through head 16 from left to right. When the data changes state, transistor Q1 is OFF and transistor Q2 is ON and current flows from transistor Q3 to transistor Q2, with one-half going through head 16 from right to left. As the data changes state, transistors Q1 and Q2 are switched accordingly to drive current through head 16 in the appropriate direction. Since the magnitude of the current is constant with only its direction changing, the rise time can be very fast.
The circuit in FIG. 5 has exhibited rise times of 3 ns (10% to 90% amplitude) in a head with inductance of 1 uH at a peak-to-peak head current of 30 mA.
FIG. 6 shows a modification of FIG. 5, which has a rise time of 2 ns. Complementary data shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B is received from restrobe circuit 26 and is compared in exclusive-NOR gate 30 after one data path has experienced a delay in delay line 32 on the order of 3 ns, see FIGS. 7C and 7D. The output of exclusive-NOR gate 30 comprises positive going pulses of 3 ns width representing the transitions of the data, see FIG. 7E. These pulses are voltage amplified and inverted in transistor Q4, see FIG. 7F. The base-emitter voltage of transistor Q4, V BIAS 2, is determined by potentiometer 68. The pulses are applied to the base of active current source transistor Q3 through capacitor 66 and a resistor addition pad comprising resistors 62 and 64. The addition pad also applied the bias voltage V BIAS 1 to the base of transistor Q3. Current source transistor Q3 responds to the applied pulses by supplying a pulse of current to differential amplifier transistors Q1 and Q2. The data applied to differential pair transistors Q1 and Q2 has experienced a delay in delay lines 34 and 36 exactly equal to the propagation of delay of the circuit at the bottom of FIG. 6 excluding the delay of delay line 32 so that the current pulse from transistor Q3 occurs at the exact time of switching. The pulsed current source transistor Q3 improves the rise time of the head current shown in FIG. 7G, which figure is for the condition of relatively high V BIAS 1 and relatively low V BIAS 2.
In addition to improved rise time, the circuit of FIG. 6 can be used to create an overshoot at the leading edge of the current waveform (known as high-frequency pre-emphasis and shown in FIG. 7H). The height of the overshoot can be adjusted with V BIAS 2 and the amplitude of the normal record current can be adjusted with V BIAS 1. This flexibility is very useful in optimizing the record current waveform and provides means for compensating for different tapes magnetic material compositions having different pulse response times.
The circuit of FIG. 6 has been tested at data rates of 100 Mbits/sec, and record currents of 50 mA peak-to-peak.
Although the invention is most useful for use with codes having a high D.C. content, such as NRZ, it can also be used with any code in order to improve the pulse rise time and timing integrity. DC power is applied to the rotating portion of FIG. 3 using slip rings.
For digital video recorders, the data rate may exceed the capacity of one channel. High data rates may be handled either by dividing the data into multiple channels and coupling the multiple data channels to the rotating portion of the recorder by multiple rotary transformers, each including signal processing as described above. As an alternative, the high data rate information and associated clock information may be coupled to the rotary portion of the recorder by a single pair of transformers, one for the data and one for the clock, and then dividing the high data rate signal into a plurality of lower data-rate signals for application to the heads; in this alternative configuration the signal recovery may be accomplished either once at the high data rate or by a plurality of signal recovery circuits operating at the reduced data rate.
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A magnetic recording system transmits data edge information and clock signals through a rotary transformer. From the signals derived from secondary side of the transformer the data is reconstructed from the edge information and retimed using the clock signals. A record amplifier is D.C. coupled to a recording head for good pulse response. The amplifier can be a differential one with a pulsed current source for still better pulse edge response.
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FIELD
The disclosure generally relates to wire fences such as barbed-wire fences which include runs of wire that are attached to fence posts inserted in the ground. More particularly, the disclosure relates to a wire loading magazine which loads attachment wire segments into a twist attachment device that is suitable for attaching barbed wire to a fence post by wrapping an attachment wire segment around the barbed wire on opposite sides of the fence post with the fence post interposed between the attachment wire segment and the barbed wire.
BACKGROUND
Barbed wire fences are widely used to define boundaries on land areas for the purpose of keeping livestock or other animals inside the fenced-in areas and keeping predatory animals or unauthorized personnel out of the areas. Typically, a barbed wire fence includes multiple vertically-spaced horizontal runs of barbed wire which are supported at spaced intervals by vertical fence posts extending from the ground. Conventionally, each of the barbed wire segments is attached to each fence post typically using clips which engage the barbed wire and the fence post. Because these clips must be individually inserted in place on the fence posts, construction of a barbed wire fence is a time-consuming and labor-intensive undertaking.
A twist attachment device which attaches runs of wire to fence posts by wrapping an attachment wire segment around the wire on opposite sides of the fence post is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,570. A wire loading magazine which loads attachment wire segments into a twist attachment device that is suitable for attaching barbed wire to a fence post is needed.
SUMMARY
The disclosure is generally directed to a wire loading magazine for a twist attachment device. An illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine includes a magazine assembly adapted to carry a supply of attachment wire segments and a wire loading assembly carried by the magazine assembly and adapted to individually and sequentially load the attachment wire segments from the magazine assembly into the twist attachment device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The disclosure will now be made, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a twist attachment device with an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine on the device and deployed in a closed or stowed position;
FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of the twist attachment device with the wire loading magazine deployed in an open or functional position;
FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine detached from the twist attachment device (not illustrated);
FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine;
FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a wire loading clip component of an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine;
FIG. 7 is a side view of the wire loading clip;
FIG. 8 is a top view of the wire loading clip;
FIG. 9 is an end view of the wire loading clip;
FIG. 10 is an end view of the wire loading clip, with a supply of wire segments (illustrated in phantom) contained in the clip;
FIG. 11 is a sectional view, taken along section lines 11 - 11 in FIG. 3 ;
FIG. 12 is a sectional view, taken along section lines 12 - 12 in FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 13 is a side view of a magazine assembly portion of the wire loading magazine, with a wire loading assembly of the magazine deployed in a cocked position preparatory to inserting a wire segment (illustrated in phantom) into a twist attachment device (not illustrated); and
FIG. 14 is a side view of the magazine assembly portion of the wire loading magazine, with the wire loading assembly deployed in a wire insertion position in insertion of the wire segment (illustrated in phantom) into the twist attachment device (not illustrated).
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the described embodiments or the application and uses of the described embodiments. As used herein, the word “exemplary” or “illustrative” means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any implementation described herein as “exemplary” or “illustrative” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other implementations. All of the implementations described below are exemplary implementations provided to enable persons skilled in the art to practice the disclosure and are not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any expressed or implied theory presented in the preceding technical field, background, brief summary or the following detailed description.
Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, an illustrative embodiment of the wire loading magazine for twist attachment device, hereinafter magazine, is generally indicated by reference numeral 100 . The magazine 100 is adapted to interface with a twist attachment device 1 which is operable to attach barbed wire (not illustrated) to a fence post (not illustrated) by wrapping an attachment wire segment (not illustrated) around the barbed wire on opposite sides of the fence post with the fence post interposed between the attachment wire segment and the barbed wire. Examples of twist attachment devices 1 which are suitable for implementation of the magazine 100 are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,570, which is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. Generally, the twist attachment device 1 may include a frame (not illustrated) having a pair of spaced-apart, generally V-shaped frame plate notches 2 a and a frame space 2 b extending between the frame plate notches 2 a . A device housing 38 may be supported by the frame. A pair of twist gears 9 a and 9 b , respectively, may be mounted for rotation on the frame inside the device housing 38 at the respective frame plate notches 2 a . Each twist gear 9 a and 9 b may include a generally V-shaped wire notch 12 and a wire opening 13 a and 13 b which extends transversely through the corresponding twist gear 9 a , 9 b , generally adjacent to the apex of the wire notch 12 and offset with respect to the geometric center of the twist gear 9 a , 9 b . Upon rotation of the twist gears 9 a and 9 b on the frame, the wire notch 12 of each twist gear 9 a , 9 b periodically and regularly coincides in position and aligns with the corresponding like-shaped frame plate notch 2 a.
A motor 44 having a battery or other power supply (not illustrated) may be provided on the interior or the exterior, as illustrated, of the device housing 38 . The motor 44 may drivingly engage the twist gears 9 a , 9 b through a gear assembly (not illustrated) for rotation inside the device housing 38 such as in the manner which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,570. A handle 41 may also be provided on the device housing 38 . A finger-actuated trigger 42 may be provided on the handle 41 and electrically connected to the motor 44 and the battery or other power supply (not illustrated) to operate the motor 44 according to the knowledge of those skilled in the art.
In some embodiments of the twist attachment device 1 , a wire segment guide conduit 20 may extend through the wire opening 13 a of the twist gear 9 a and terminate at the wire opening 13 b of the twist gear 9 b . An annular transfer gear magnet 16 may be provided in the wire opening 13 b of the twist gear 9 b . The purpose of the wire segment guide conduit 20 and the transfer gear magnet 16 will be hereinafter described.
Referring next to FIGS. 3-14 of the drawings, the magazine 100 may include a magazine mount bracket 101 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the magazine mount bracket 101 may include a mount bracket body 102 . The mount bracket body 102 of the magazine mount bracket 101 may be adapted for attachment to the device housing 38 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the twist attachment device 1 according to any suitable attachment technique which is known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the mount bracket body 102 may include a mount bracket flange 103 . At least one flange fastener opening 104 may extend through the mount bracket flange 103 . Accordingly, the mount bracket flange 103 may be attached to the device housing 38 of the twist attachment device 1 by extending flange fasteners (not illustrated) through the respective flange fastener openings 104 and threading the flange fasteners into respective registering fastener openings (not illustrated) in the device housing 38 . Alternative attachment techniques and methods known by those skilled in the art may be used to attach the mount bracket body 102 of the magazine 100 to the device housing 38 of the twist attachment device 1 . For example and without limitation, in some embodiments the mount bracket body 102 may be fabricated in one piece with the device housing 38 using to molding or casting techniques known by those skilled in the art.
A magazine assembly 110 may be supported by the magazine mount bracket 101 . As illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5 , the magazine assembly 110 may include a generally elongated clip trough 112 . The clip trough 112 may include a clip trough bottom 113 , a pair of spaced-apart clip trough side walls 114 extending from the clip trough bottom 113 and a pair of clip trough end walls 115 at the respective opposite ends of the clip trough bottom 113 and the clip trough side walls 114 . A generally elongated clip trough interior 117 may be defined by and between the clip trough bottom 113 , the clip trough side walls 114 and the clip trough end walls 115 . As illustrated in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, a generally U-shaped clip notch 116 may be provided in each clip trough side wall 114 for purposes which will be hereinafter described. As illustrated in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 11 and 12 , a generally elongated stanchion slot 119 (illustrated in cross-section) may extend through and along at least a portion of one of the clip trough side walls 114 generally at the clip trough bottom 113 for purposes which will be hereinafter described. As illustrated in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, a wire segment guide 118 , the purpose of which will be hereinafter described, may extend from a clip trough end wall 115 of the clip trough 112 . The wire segment guide 118 communicates with the clip trough interior 117 . As illustrated in FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, a wire segment stabilizing magnet 126 may be provided in the wire segment guide 118 for purposes which will be hereinafter described.
The clip trough 112 of the magazine assembly 110 may be attached to the mount bracket body 102 of the magazine mount bracket 101 using any suitable attachment technique which is known by those skilled in the art. As illustrated in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, a hinge pin receptacle 120 having a receptacle opening 121 may be provided on a clip trough end wall 115 of the clip trough 112 generally adjacent to the wire segment guide 118 . A pair of spaced-apart hinge pin openings 105 may be provided in the mount bracket body 102 of the magazine mount bracket 101 . Accordingly, the hinge pin receptacle 120 of the clip trough 112 may be inserted between the hinge pin openings 105 in the magazine mount bracket 101 . A hinge pin 122 may be extended through the hinge pin openings 105 in the magazine mount bracket 101 and through the registering receptacle opening 121 in the hinge pin receptacle 120 to pivotally attach the clip trough 112 to the magazine mount bracket 101 . Therefore, the magazine assembly 110 may be capable of selectively pivoting with respect to the device housing 38 of the twist attachment device 1 between the stowed or storage position illustrated in FIG. 1 and the extended, functional position illustrated in FIG. 2 for purposes which will be hereinafter described. In alternative illustrative embodiments, the clip trough 112 may be attached to the magazine mount bracket 101 using fasteners (not illustrated) or other attachment technique or may be fixed or fabricated in one piece with the magazine mount bracket 101 .
A wire loading clip 146 may be inserted into the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 . The wire loading clip 146 may include a clip bottom portion 148 , a pair of spaced-apart clip trough side walls 147 extending from the clip bottom portion 148 and a pair of clip end walls 151 at opposite ends of the clip bottom portion 148 and the clip side walls 147 . A generally elongated clip interior 150 ( FIG. 10 ) may be defined by and between the clip bottom portion 148 , the clip side walls 147 and the clip end walls 151 . As illustrated in FIG. 10 , the clip interior 150 is sized and configured to contain a supply of attachment wire segments 158 (illustrated in phantom). As further illustrated in FIG. 10 , a generally elongated wire segment dispensing slot 149 may be provided in the clip bottom portion 148 of the wire loading clip 146 and disposed in communication with the clip interior 150 . Therefore, as illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 , the attachment wire segments 158 individually and sequentially fall from the clip interior 150 through the wire segment dispensing slot 149 and onto the clip trough bottom 113 in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 . The interior wall surfaces 147 a of the clip bottom portion 148 in the lower portion of the clip interior 150 may have a generally tapered or funnel-shaped cross-section. The wire loading clip 146 may include a clip cover 154 which in some embodiments may be detachably provided on the clip side walls 147 and the clip end walls 151 for selective removal there from. In other embodiments, the clip cover 154 may be pivotally attached to one of the clip side walls 147 .
As further illustrated in FIG. 5 , the wire loading clip 146 may be removably inserted in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 . Accordingly, in some embodiments, a clip notch 116 may be provided in each clip trough end wall 115 of the clip trough 112 . A clip tab 152 may be provided on the exterior surface of each clip end wall 151 . Therefore, the wire loading clip 146 may be secured in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 by inserting the clip tabs 152 on the wire loading clip 146 into the clip notches 116 provided in the respective clip end walls 151 . In other embodiments, the wire loading clip 146 may be secured or seated in the clip trough interior 117 using alternative techniques known by those skilled in the art. In some embodiments, the wire loading clip 146 may be fixedly mounted in the clip trough interior 117 and/or fabricated in one piece with the clip trough 112 .
The magazine assembly 110 may be fitted with a wire loading assembly 138 which facilitates loading or dispensing of attachment wire segments 158 ( FIG. 10 ) from the wire loading clip 146 into the twist attachment device 1 typically in a manner which will be hereinafter described. In some embodiments, the wire loading assembly 138 may include at least one generally elongated guide rod 134 and an assembly return spring 135 on the guide rod 134 . In some embodiments, the wire loading assembly 138 may include a pair of generally elongated, parallel guide rods 134 , as illustrated. The guide rods 134 may extend in generally parallel, adjacent relationship to the clip trough 112 of the magazine assembly 110 .
As illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 11 , a first end (not numbered) of each guide rod 134 may be inserted in a corresponding rod mount collar 123 . The rod mount collars 123 may be provided on the magazine mount bracket 101 , the clip trough 112 or on any other suitable structural element. In some embodiments, the first ends of the respective guide rods 134 may be inserted into a pair of adjacent rod mount collars 123 , respectively, on the hinge pin receptacle 120 of the clip trough 112 . An assembly knob 139 may be slidably mounted along the guide rods 134 . Accordingly, as illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 12 , in some embodiments, a pair of rod openings 140 may extend through the assembly knob 139 . The guide rods 134 may extend through the respective rod openings 140 to slidably mount the assembly knob 139 on the guide rods 134 .
A wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 may be mounted on the clip trough 112 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 may have at least one rod opening 131 . The second ends (not numbered) of the respective guide rods 134 may be inserted into the respective rod openings 131 ( FIG. 4 ) in the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 . As illustrated in FIG. 5 , in some embodiments, the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 may be attached to the clip trough 112 by extending fasteners 130 through a pair of respective fastener openings 129 in the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 and threading the fasteners 130 into a registering pair of respective fastener bosses 124 provided on the clip trough 112 .
As further illustrated in FIG. 5 , a stanchion 141 may extend outwardly from the bottom portion of the assembly knob 139 . A wire engaging member 142 may extend forwardly from the stanchion 141 in generally perpendicular relationship thereto. As illustrated in FIG. 12 , the stanchion 141 may extend through the elongated stanchion slot 119 (which extends through and along the clip side wall 114 ) into the lower portion of the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 . The wire engaging member 142 may be disposed in the clip trough interior 117 beneath the wire segment dispensing slot 149 in the clip bottom portion 148 of the wire loading clip 146 .
As illustrated in FIG. 13 , the assembly return springs 135 on the respective guide rods 134 normally engage and maintain the assembly knob 139 in a return position against or adjacent to the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 . The assembly knob 139 can be manually grasped and slid along the guide rods 134 away from the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 in the direction indicated by the arrow 136 ( FIG. 13 ) against the bias imparted by the assembly return springs 135 . This action facilitates linear travel of the wire engaging member 142 in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 also in the direction indicated by the arrow 136 in FIG. 13 . Thus, the wire engaging member 142 pushes the attachment wire segment 158 (which was previously dispensed from the wire loading clip 146 through the wire segment dispensing slot 149 , FIG. 11 ) from the clip trough interior 117 through the wire segment guide 118 , as illustrated in FIG. 14 . Upon subsequent release of the assembly knob 139 , the assembly return springs 135 bias and return the assembly knob 139 back to the original return position ( FIG. 13 ) against or adjacent to the wire loading assembly mount bracket 128 in the direction of the arrow 137 in FIG. 14 .
Referring again to FIGS. 1 , 2 and 11 - 14 of the drawings, in exemplary application of the magazine 100 , the magazine mount bracket 101 is attached to the device housing 38 of the twist attachment device 1 in adjacent proximity to the twist gear 9 a of the twist attachment device 1 . Accordingly, the magazine assembly 110 may be capable of pivoting with respect to the magazine mount bracket 101 between the folded, stowed or storage position illustrated in FIG. 1 and the extended or functional position illustrated in FIG. 2 . When the magazine assembly 110 is deployed in the extended position of FIG. 2 , the wire segment guide 118 of the clip trough 112 aligns or registers with the wire segment guide conduit 20 of the twist attachment device 1 .
As illustrated in FIGS. 11 and 12 , a supply of attachment wire segments 158 (illustrated in phantom) is placed in the clip interior 150 of the wire loading clip 146 . In some embodiments, the clip cover 154 may be detached from the wire loading clip 146 to facilitate placement of the attachment wire segments 158 in the clip interior 150 . Accordingly, the attachment wire segments 158 fall into the tapered or funnel-shaped bottom portion of the clip interior 150 . One of the attachment wire segments 158 falls from the clip interior 150 through the wire segment dispensing slot 149 and into a pre-loaded position on the clip trough bottom 113 in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 . The wire segment stabilizing magnet 126 ( FIG. 3 ) stabilizes the position of the attachment wire segment 158 in the clip trough interior 117 such that the attachment wire segment 158 remains aligned with the wire segment guide 118 .
The twist attachment device 1 may be operated to attach a run of barbed wire (not illustrated) to fence posts (not illustrated) using the attachment wire segments 158 in the manner which is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,290,570. Accordingly, the frame space 2 b ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) of the twist attachment device 1 receives the fence post to which the barbed wire is to be attached. The wire notches 12 of the respective twist gears 9 a , 9 b may be rotated into registration with the respective frame plate notches 2 a by operation of the device motor 44 (typically via the trigger 42 ), after which the frame plate notches 2 a and the wire notches 12 of the respective twist gears 9 a , 9 b receive the barbed wire which is to be attached to the fence post.
The attachment wire segment 158 is loaded from the pre-loaded position in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 in the magazine 100 and pushed into place through the wire opening 13 a of the twist gear 9 a and the aligned wire opening 13 b of the twist gear 9 b as follows. The assembly knob 139 of the wire loading assembly 138 is manually slid on the guide rods 134 in the direction of the arrow 136 ( FIG. 13 ) against the bias imparted by the assembly return springs 135 . This action causes the wire engaging member 142 of the wire loading assembly 138 to engage and push the attachment wire segment 158 (illustrated in phantom in FIGS. 13 and 14 ) from the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 through the wire segment guide 118 and the wire segment guide conduit 20 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), respectively. Therefore, the wire segment guide conduit 20 guides the attachment wire segment 158 into place through the wire opening 13 a of the twist gear 9 a and the registering wire opening 13 b of the twist gear 9 b of the twist attachment device 1 . The transfer gear magnet 16 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) in the wire opening 13 b of the twist gear 9 b may assist placement of the attachment wire segment 158 by magnetically drawing or pulling the attachment wire segment 158 through the wire segment guide conduit 20 and into place in the wire openings 13 a , 13 b . As the attachment wire segment 158 is loaded from the pre-loaded position in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 into position through the wire openings 13 a , 13 b of the twist gears 9 a , 9 b , another attachment wire segment 158 falls from the clip trough interior 117 through the wire segment dispensing slot 149 ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ) into the pre-loaded position in the bottom of the clip trough interior 117 . The assembly knob 139 is released and the assembly return springs 135 return the assembly knob 139 to the position illustrated in FIG. 13 as indicated by the arrow 137 in FIG. 14 .
The motor 44 of the twist attachment device 1 is then operated (typically by manual depression of the trigger 42 ) to rotate the twist gears 9 a and 9 b . As the device motor 44 rotates the twist gears 9 a and 9 b , the twist gears 9 a and 9 b wrap the attachment wire segment 158 around the run of barbed wire on respective sides of the fence post. Therefore, the attachment wire segment 158 secures the barbed wire to the fence post. Operation of the motor 44 is then terminated and the twist attachment device 1 is removed and repositioned at the next fence post in line for like attachment of the barbed wire to that fence post. Accordingly, the subsequent attachment wire segment 158 may be loaded from the pre-loaded position in the clip trough interior 117 of the clip trough 112 into place through the wire openings 13 a and 13 b of the twist gears 9 a and 9 b , respectively, for attachment of the barbed wire to the fence post by operation of the device motor 44 . The method continues in like manner until the run of barbed wire is attached to each fence post which will support the fence.
While the preferred embodiments of the disclosure have been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modifications can be made in the disclosure and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications which may fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
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A wire loading magazine for a twist attachment device includes a magazine assembly adapted to carry a supply of attachment wire segments and a wire loading assembly carried by the magazine assembly and adapted to individually and sequentially load the attachment wire segments from the magazine assembly into the twist attachment device.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This disclosure is directed to a new construction for soffits which are installed under the eaves in residential housing. In the construction of a residential house, the rafters and joists positioned above the house define an attic space which is ventilated by circulation in the attic area. While there are turbine ventilators installed on the roof eave vents, gable louvers and other devices to exhaust hot air from an attic, an equally important aspect of attic circulation is obtained by intake air movement through the soffit. The soffit is the region under the eave which is normally closed. In the past, they have been closed by thin boards such as 1/2" or 3/4" boards. One improvement in the soffit has been the incorporation of gaps in the soffit which are closed by screen wire. An even larger improvement has been implemented in the past such as positioning a plastic strip over the gap in the soffit. The plastic strip is typically perforated to provide breathing. Over time, the availability of wood which readily accepts either small nails or staples has decreased Particle board and other composite materials have been substituted. This makes a better, longer lasting soffit in the sense that the composite board is typically more weather resistant and less likely to rot or decay with time. Even better products have been provided for that which have even longer life when exposed to weather. One such device is a fiber-cement soffit board. Fiber-cement is a material which provides a low maintenance product which is not combustible. is moisture resistant, will not rot, and is not susceptible to insect attack by termites. It is a quality product and is able to replace wood without warping, rotting or bending over a 50 year life. One maker of this product provides a 50 year warranty. There are difficulties, however, with fiber-cement boards. It is not readily possible to drive a nail, staple or screw through such a board and develop a grip between the nail and baord. It is also difficult to make a staple hold permanently. Therefore, the soffit board formed of fiber-cement is not so readily integrated in the structure. To install a breathing strip next to such a soffit board, and especially one made of fiber-cement, it is easier to install a clip mechanism. This avoids the necessity of finding a rafter on the blind side of the fiber-cement board and driving a nail through the fiber-cement soffit board and then into the rafter. Moreover, the apparatus of the present disclosure enables construction of a soffit under the eave of any length and width deemed appropriate. This enables consecutive boards to be anchored under the eave to extend the eave to any length, for instance, 50' or 100' in length. In that example, the soffit is fabricated in place under the eave by placing precut fiber-cement soffit boards on the eave, defining a gap between two runs thereof, and extending the runs of soffit boards along the eave length. If, for instance, the stock boards are provided in 12' lengths, an eave of 50' will require four full-length soffit boards and a short one which is cut to size to complete the 50' length. Each soffit board is installed end to end to accumulate the 50' length. A 50' gap between two parallel soffit boards is created. For easy nomenclature, the two soffit boards are defined simply as the inside and outside soffit boards. The inside soffit board is adjacent to the wall of the building while the outside soffit board is parallel but more remote to the inside soffit board. The gap between the two is the breathing space.
Normally, the inside and outside soffit boards are butted together to define the length of the soffit board. The butt joint is not a load bearing joint but it typically is not an easily sealed joint. Rather, it is simply the butt located gap between one board and another. Heretofore, it has been necessary to plug that gap. A common technique for doing this is injecting a semisoft adhesive into the gap with a caulking gun. The caulking material is pumped into the gap and cures somewhat to provide a tacky or adhesive seam material.
The caulking material prevents air flow in that area and also seals out moisture, insects, etc. It is not a load transferring joinder material. It simply plugs the gap between the butt ends of adjacent boards. Moreover, the caulking material pumped into the gap accommodates misalignment readily within a range. Misalignment and gapping which might arise by settling of the house, however, may pose a problem. Where the gap becomes smaller, the caulking material can stay put. Where the gap is pulled wider, over time, the caulking material may fail. Where the gap is irregular, the caulking material may provide an adequate seal where the gap is narrow but an inadequate seal where the gap is wider. Caulking material is initially soft and can be worked easily. Over the years, it dries and cracks with aging and drying. This time dependent deterioration is detrimental to the use of caulking.
In the past, prefabricated soffit breathing strips of aluminum wire screen and surrounding rectangular frames have been attached by nailing or stapling. One advantage of aluminum is that it forms a protective oxide layer, avoiding the need of painting or putting some sort of protective coating on it. In this instance, direct contact of aluminum to the cement based products seems to create some sort of undesired reaction at the contact area. While no chemical analysis has been made it seems to form a localized skin blemish on the cement based board on wall covering product.
It is desirable that the completed soffit are be made substantially without requiring a lot of measurements. The present apparatus sets out a system by which this can be accomplished. The breathing space under the eave is assured through the use of the present disclosure. This disclosure thus sets forth a fabricated soffit assembly which is made in place. It features an inside soffit board formed of two or more lengths of soffit board material. While wood (more often, plywood) is one embodiment, the present invention especially contemplates the use of improved soffit products including particle board but especially also including fiber-cement soffit panels. Again, while it will work successfully even with plywood or other nonwood members, it finds its ultimate and best mode of assembly and greatest life in making the soffit with fiber-cement products. So, it is best described as a soffit assembly having an inside soffit board made up of two or more butt joined boards, an intermediate gap which is the breathing space, and the outside soffit board which is assembled in the same fashion as the inside soffit board. The present invention further contemplates the installation of an elongate strip between the inside and outside soffit boards. It clips to the adjacent soffit boards. There are left and right edge located U-shaped receptacles along the length of the vent strip. The vent strip spans the open gap and is wider than it, thereby snapping in place and requires no nails or staples to maintain the installed position. A cross strip is installed at the end of individual soffit boards. The cross strip has a H-shaped profile, and is installed across the width. The cross strip thus provides continuity, replacing the caulking and caulking gun, and thereby closing the attic space to assure that controlled ventilation is achieved through the soffit assembly of the present disclosure. Moreover, it can be installed and left in position for the duration or life of the building. The finished installation features aesthetically attractive seams.
Summarizing the present invention, it comprises an assembled soffit under an eave which is made of an inside soffit board and an outside soffit board, and each of the two is preferably assembled from composite materials having the form of sheet or decking material and extending to any desired length. The length is accommodated by installing two or more boards serially. A central gap is left and is filled by a vent strip, to be described, which snaps in place. A cross strip is also installed at the ends of individual soffit boards to protect at that joint. The vent strip and cross strip are fabricated as extrusions and are relatively inexpensive, easy to manufacture, durable when installed, can be installed with a minimum of hand labor and do not require the use of screws, bolts, nails, staples or other fasteners.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may add to other equally effective embodiments.
FIG. 1 is a bottom view of a soffit looking up at the soffit and showing parallel inside and outside soffit boards defining a gap therebetween wherein a vent strip is installed in the gap to provide breathing into the attic;
FIG. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2--2 in FIG. 1 and shows an installed transverse cross strip at a butt joint; and
FIG. 3 is a sectional view along the line 3--3 of FIG. 1 and further illustrates details of construction of the assembled soffit and the bent strip which permits breathing of the attic space.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Attention is now directed to FIG. 1 of the drawings where the context will be defined first and then the soffit assembly will be set forth. FIG. 1 is a view looking upwardly under the eave of a residential house to show the soffit in that region. The fabricated assembly show in FIG. 1 can be built in place during house construction. Accordingly, the numeral 10 identifies the soffit assembly of FIG. 1. The soffit assembly 10 can have any typical width, common widths being in the range of about 8" on up to about 24". It can be different but there are normally practical limitations on the width. Whether wider or narrow, the soffit assembly 10 is located under the eave and has a length equal to the length of the wall of the house or structure. In residential construction, it is not uncommon to assemble a soffit assembly as long as 100'. It can as short as one or two feet. The length is normally limited at the lower end by practical considerations, for example, an eave of only two feet in length is usually not constructed. Going further with FIG. 1, the edge 12 defines the outer edge of the eave and is typically planked with a facia strip (discussed elsewhere) and is normally parallel to the wall. The wall is located along the edge 14 on the opposite side. The wall can be of any typical construction including a rectangular framing system supporting sheet rock with external planking or some other form of wall covering. If planked, the house will then present a wood exterior. Otherwise, it can be covered on the exterior with brick or other construction materials including stucco, cedar shingles, etc. Accordingly, the edge 14 defines the edge adjacent to the wall.
Assume for easy discussion that the soffit assembly 10 is 16" wide and 50' long. It is assembled in place by fastening to the underside of the rafter and ceiling joists which span the house. The house is constructed with regularly and evenly spaced rafters and joists. They are used to nail into and thereby anchor the several boards that make up the soffit assembly 10.
The inside soffit board is indicated by the numeral 16 and it is parallel to the outside soffit board 18. They are equal length and equal width in most installations although that is an elective matter and they may be unequal in width. In this particular instance, in making a 16" wide soffit assembly 10, assume for purposes of illustration that the inside and outside soffit boards are equal in width and are 6". Assume also that the gap between the two is 4" so that the vent strip must cover that gap and is somewhat wider as will be given in specific detail below. These dimensions are representative. It is just as readily possible to make the vent strip in smaller widths such as 2".
The vent strip 20 is clipped between the inside and outside soffit boards 16 and 18. It can be supplied in any length. Common lengths are about 8' although it can be made longer or shorter. If longer, it can simply be cut transversely to a specified length.
A carpenter fabricates the soffit assembly 10 under the eave in place during house construction. At the appropriate time in the construction of the house, the soffit assembly is built by first installing the inside soffit board 16. A first section or length 22 is anchored against the joist and wall with nails or staples. Where it is made of fiber-cement, it is necessary to drive the nails or staples into wood on the opposite side to assure that the nail or staple is grasped adequately. The board 22 has a typical thickness of about 1/4" to about 1/2". Where it is wood, it will typically be planed to some industry standard profile. If made of composite materials such as particle board or plywood or fiber-cement, it is made to a specified thickness, typically between 1/4" and 1/2". The board 22 is attached in place and the next board 24 is also anchored in place. A third board 26 is then anchored in place. This can be extended to obtain the necessary full length of the soffit assembly 10. Either thereafter or simultaneously, the outside soffit boards 28, 30 and 32 are installed. They define a gap between the inside and outside soffit boards which is relatively consistent to enable the vent strip 20 to be installed.
The vent strip is better shown in the sectional view of FIG. 3. This view shows the soffit boards 24 and 30 in sectional view. It also illustrates the facia strip 34 on the exterior. The strip 34 is shown in an upright position and it extends up to the roof which has been omitted from FIG. 3. There is a defined gap generally indicated by the numeral 36 which is the gap between the two soffit boards defining the air breathing space into the attic. The gap 36 extends along the full length of the soffit assembly. The gap is defined by the edges of the soffit boards 24 and 30. They are preferably equal in thickness. While they could be different, there is not particular gain in providing different thicknesses to them.
The soffit boards 24 and 30 are then engaged with the vent strip 20. The vent strip is constructed with an exposed lower face 40 shown in FIG. 3. There is a left side U-shaped receptacle 42 which is defined by three mutually perpendicular walls. There is a right side U-shaped receptacle 44 of similar construction but facing in the opposite direction. Each of the receptacles 42 and 44 is defined by the three sides. They are sized so that they clip to the soffit boards 24 and 30. In that regard, if the boards are fabricated with a nominal 1/2" thickness, then the receptacles 42 and 44 are made with matching receptacle throat width. The receptacles 42 and 44 are integrally constructed with the strip vent material 20. It is extruded in the cross-sectional profile shown in FIG. 3. It is preferably formed of vinyl with sufficient stiffness so that it holds its shape. Moreover, a typical thickness is about 3 to about 8 mils, and it is extruded to that thickness with an integral dye material so that it has a uniform color on both faces and throughout. The color pigment is typically white, cream, tan and the like. The extruded vent strip 20 is provided with a relatively uniform set of perforations 48 which define breathing spaced or openings. This enables ventilation into the attic area.
Returning now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, it will be observed that the receptacles 42 and 44 lap over the edges of the inside and outside soffit boards. The dotted line representation 50 shows the measure of overlap. That is defined by the depth of the receptacle along the edges. This assures adequate locking of the strip 20 to the board so that the strip can simply be inserted into its place. Returning again to the fabrication of the system, the vent strip 20 is installed by temporarily bowling or buckling it so that the edges of the boards are clamped first along one edge and then the second edge. The vent strip 20 can be snapped into place in just a few seconds.
Continuing, however, with the description, there is a cross strip that is between the ends of adjacent boards. The cross strip 60 is included to seal the gap between the ends of adjacent boards 24 and 26. It is preferably installed at every transverse open seam where caulking would otherwise be required. For instance, an open seam 54 is shown in FIG. 1 which would otherwise require caulking but a cross strip segment 60 is placed there to close up that gap.
Attention is now directed to FIG. 2 of the drawings where the boards 24 and 26 are illustrated. They define a butt joint as illustrated but that joint is closed by the cross strip 60. The cross strip has a H-shaped profile and is extruded so that it has left and right receptacles with only the web material 64 therebetween. The boards 24 and 26 are assembled sequentially with the cross strip placed between the two before the last board is nailed in place. Assume that the soffit assembly 10 is built from the top of FIG. 1 proceeding toward the bottom. The board 22 will be nailed in place. The cross strip segment 60 will then be positioned at the gap 54 and then the board 24 is nailed in place. This permits the boards 22 and 24 to be moved against each other, clamping the cross strip 60 between the two prior to nailing. Nailing of the second board locks the cross strip in place. The cross strip 60 has a construction similar to the receptacles 42 and 44 except the webbing 64 between them is relatively thin. Again, it can be extruded and made of vinyl to about the same thickness with the same color pigment in it. It is preferably cut to length prior to installation on the boards 24 and 26. Since the nominal width of the boards 24 and 26 is well known, a simple cutting tool can be used to cut the cross strip material 60 into a number of short lengths to enable the cross strip 60 to be placed between adjacent boards. The common depth or throat on both of the cross strip material 60 and the vent strip 20 may position both so that nay overlap (at 90° angles) is not desirable. This overlap problem can be easily solved by cutting away a part of either. To illustrate, assume that dimensional control of the board, strip 20 and strip 60 is sharply maintained. In that instance it may be desirable to trim away the end of the strip 60 on both the hidden side and the exposed side. This is exemplified in FIG. 1 where the dotted line 66 represents and end position cut away so the webbing 64 can continue to be full length while the exposed face 68 is cut shorter.
Going back now to the manufacture of the soffit assembly 10, it is preferably put together by a carpenter working under the eaves of the house during construction. It is typically installed after the wall at the edge 14 is substantially completed. It can be put on before or after the wall is painted or other wall finish layers are applied.
While the foregoing is directed to the preferred embodiment, the scope thereof is determined by the claims which follow.
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The present disclosure is directed to a soffit assembly made of inside and outside soffit boards, each comprising two or more serially arranged boards. When assembled, the inside and outside soffit boards define a central gap closed by a vent strip having perforations there along to enable breathing through said vent strip; the vent strip also icludes left and right U-shaped receptacles to enable the vent strip to snap to the adjacent soffit boards. A cross strip is also set forth which has a H-shape in profile to enable the adjacent boards to be abutted against each other and thereby joined with said cross strip at the joint between the boards.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to seam plates for use in connection with the retention of roof decking membranes upon roof decking substructures at seam locations defined between separate, adjacent, and overlapping roof decking membranes, and more particularly to a new and improved seam plate, and a roof decking system employing the same, wherein retention of the roof decking membranes upon the roof decking substructure is able to be achieved by means of new and improved eyehook structure which not only effectively prevents the generation or initiation of tearing or other similar deterioration of the roof decking membranes when the roof decking membranes are subjected to wind or other environmental forces, but, in addition, such improved eyehook structure also prevents the undesired interlocking of nested seam plates, as defined between the eyehook structures of nested seam plates, during manufacture, assembly, packaging, and seam plate dispensing. In this manner, the removal of the seam plates from the packaging by operator personnel is not unduly inhibited, and still further, jamming of, for example, assembly and installation dispensing machines is likewise effectively prevented.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Stress plates or seam plates are used in connection with the retention of roof decking membranes upon roof decking substructures at seam locations defined between separate but adjacent or overlapping roof decking membranes, and are of course well-known in the art. Examples of such seam plates or stress plates are disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,699 which issued to Murphy on Aug. 7, 1990, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 4,787,188 which also issued to Murphy on Nov. 29, 1988. As can be appreciated from FIGS. 1,2 , and 3 A- 3 C of the drawings, which substantially correspond to FIGS. 4,1 , and 3 A- 3 C, respectively, of the aforenoted U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,699 to Murphy, the roof decking substructure is disclosed at 103 and may conventionally be provided with overlying insulation 102 .
[0003] The insulation 102 is, in turn, adapted to have roof decking membranes disposed thereon in an overlying manner, and at a location or site at which separate and adjacent roof decking membranes are to be in effect seamed together in an overlapping manner, a first underlying roof decking membrane is disclosed at 101 and is adapted to be secured to the underlying deck substructure 103 by means of a screw fastener 107 passing through a seam plate or stress plate 10 , while a second roof decking membrane 104 is adapted to be secured in an overlapping manner upon the first underlying roof decking membrane 101 by means of a welded seam 111 . The seam plate or stress plate 10 is seen to have a circular configuration, and is provided with an upper surface 11 and a lower surface 12 . A central aperture 15 is provided for passage therethrough of the screw fastener 107 , and a circular reinforcing rib 14 annularly surrounds the central aperture 15 .
[0004] Accordingly, when such a stress plate or seam plate 10 is to be used to secure roof decking membranes to the underlying decking substructure 103 , the stress plate or seam plate 10 is disposed atop the first underlying roof decking membrane 101 , and the stress plate or seam plate 10 is then fixedly secured to the underlying decking substructure by means of screw fastener 107 being threadedly engaged with the underlying decking substructure. In accordance with the particularly unique stress plate or seam plate 10 as disclosed within the noted Murphy patents, the bottom surface 12 of the stress plate or seam plate 10 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced prongs or tangs 21 each of which terminates in a gripping point 22 . The prongs or tangs 21 each have a substantially triangular configuration and are in effect partially punched-out or otherwise cut from the bottom surface portion 12 of the plate 10 , and are subsequently bent such that the prongs or tangs 21 attain their desired disposition with respect to the bottom surface portion 12 of the plate 10 . Such prongs or tangs 21 will therefore grip the lower or underlying roof decking membrane 101 and prevent the same from becoming loose or free with respect to the stress plate 10 or the underlying roof substructure 103 despite wind or other environmental forces being impressed upon the roof decking membrane 101 .
[0005] While the aforenoted stress or seam plates of Murphy have been satisfactory and commercially successful, it has been experienced that, despite well-meaning statements of intent to the contrary as set forth in the Murphy patents, the presence of the pointed prongs or tangs 21 characteristic of the stress plate or seam plate 10 of Murphy do in fact tend to puncture, tear, weaken, and otherwise cause deterioration of the roof decking membranes 101 under wind and other environmental conditions. Obviously, such a state is not satisfactory in view of the fact that eventually, the roof decking membranes tear away from the overlying seam plate 10 as well as away from the underlying roof decking, with the consequent result being the compromise of the structural integrity of the entire roof decking system. Accordingly, the stress or seam plate, as disclosed within U.S. Pat. No. 6,665,991 which issued to Hasan on Dec. 23, 2003, was developed in order to effectively rectify the deficiencies characteristic of the stress or seam plate as disclosed within the aforenoted patent to Murphy. More particularly, as disclosed within FIGS. 4 and 5 , wherein FIG. 4 discloses a stress or seam plate 210 generally similar to the stress or seam plate disclosed in FIG. 4 of the Hasan patent, and wherein further, FIG. 5 corresponds to FIG. 7 of the Hasan patent, it is seen that each one of the projections 232 is effectively struck or punched out from the plate 210 so as to comprise side or leg portions 234 , 236 and a rounded apex portion 238 . While the stress or seam plate 210 has been commercially successful and has provided improved service and wear attributes in connection with roof decking structures, as a result of the particular configuration of the projections 232 having effectively resolved the undesirable tearing or puncturing problems encountered or caused by means of the pointed barbs, prongs, or tangs 21 of Murphy, some operational difficulties have occasionally been experienced with the stress or seam plate 210 of Hasan.
[0006] For example, as can readily be appreciated from FIGS. 4 and 5 , in view of the fact that, as has been noted, each one of the projections 232 has been struck or punched out from the stress or seam plate 210 so as to project downwardly beneath the undersurface portion 250 of the stress or seam plate 210 , as defined by means of the side or leg portions 234 , 236 and the rounded apex portion 238 , a substantially rectangularly configured through-aperture 252 is defined within those regions of the stress or seam plate 210 from which the projections 232 have been struck or punched. Accordingly, when a plurality of the stress or seam plates 210 are disposed in contact with each other, such as, for example, in a nested state within packaging, or in a nested state within an installation tool, it is possible that one or more of the stress or seam plates 210 can become interlocked together as a result of the downwardly extending projections 232 disposed upon one of the stress or seam plates 210 being aligned with and entering a corresponding aperture 252 formed within an adjacent stress or seam plate 210 . Therefore, when the seam or stress plates 210 are to be removed from the packaging so as to, for example, be deposited within a suitable magazine of an installation tool, the adjacent seam or stress plates 210 , which have effectively become stuck together as a result of the aforenoted disposition of one or more of the downwardly extending projections 232 of one of the stress or seam plates 210 having become jammed within a corresponding aperture 252 formed within the adjacent one of the stress or seam plates 210 , are difficult to separate. In a similar manner, when the stress or seam plates 210 , disposed within the installation tool are to be individually and serially dispensed from the installation tool in connection with the installation of environmental membranes upon a roof decking substructure, the adjacent stress or seam plates 210 which have effectively become stuck together, as a result of the aforenoted disposition of one more of the downwardly extending projections 232 of one of the stress or seam plates 210 having become jammed within a corresponding aperture 252 formed within the adjacent one of the stress or seam plates 210 , will not be readily able to be separated and dispensed whereby the installation tool will experience jamming. All of these difficulties will, of course, lead to operational or production downtime whereby personnel will have to expend a substantial amount of time separating the stress or seam plates 210 which have become interlocked together with respect to each other either within the packaging or installation tool, leading to operational or production inefficiencies.
[0007] A need therefore exists in the art for a new and improved stress plate or seam plate wherein the stress plate or seam plate can satisfactorily engage the environmental membranes so as to secure the environmental membranes to the underlying roof decking substructure, and yet, the means formed upon the stress plate or seam plate for engaging the environmental membranes will not tend to initiate tearing of the environmental membranes under, for example, windy or other forceful environmental conditions, and still yet further, such stress plates or seam plates will not become interlocked with respect to each other despite the fact that they will be disposed within a nested state.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The foregoing and other objectives are achieved in accordance with the teachings and principles of the present invention through the provision of a new and improved stress plate or seam plate which comprises a circular structure having a central aperture for receiving a screw fastener. A downwardly projecting annular rib surrounds the central aperture for reinforcing the same, and a plurality of concentric ribs are defined between the central aperture and the peripheral edge of the plate for providing reinforcing and bending or flexibility characteristics to the stress plate or seam plate. In addition, a plurality of circumferentially spaced, downwardly extending projections or eyehooks are provided upon the underside of the seam or stress plate, wherein the projections or eyehooks have substantially V-shaped cross-sectional configurations, with substantially rounded or radiused apices, so as not to puncture or rupture the roof decking membranes, and yet, such projections or eyehooks can satisfactorily engage the roof decking membranes so as to fixedly retain the same upon the underlying roofing decking substructure. Still yet further, in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, the new and improved projections or eyehook structures also prevent the undesired interlocking of nested stress or seam plates, as defined between the projections or eyehook structures of the nested seam plates, during manufacture, assembly, packaging, and seam plate dispensing. In this manner, the removal of the seam plates from the packaging by operator personnel is not unduly inhibited, and still further, jamming of, for example, the assembly and installation dispensing apparatus is likewise effectively prevented.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Various other objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated from the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
[0010] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a PRIOR ART roof decking system or assembly showing the conventional mounting of a stress plate or seam plate at the seamed location of two overlapping roof decking membranes as secured to the underlying roofing decking substructure;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the PRIOR ART seam plate or stress plate used within the PRIOR ART roof decking system or assembly disclosed within FIG. 1 ;
[0012] FIGS. 3A-3C are top plan, cross-sectional, and bottom plan views of a portion of the PRIOR ART seam plate or stress plate shown in FIG. 2 so as to specifically illustrate the sharply pointed prongs or tangs of the seam plate or stress plate shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0013] FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a PRIOR ART stress or seam plate having dependent projections or eyehooks that have been structured to overcome the deficiencies of the sharply pointed prongs or tangs of the stress or seam plate shown in FIGS. 3A-3C ;
[0014] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the PRIOR ART stress or seam plate shown in FIG. 4 illustrating in detail one of the dependent projections or eyehooks having the rounded or radiused apex portion;
[0015] FIG. 6 is a top plan view, similar to that of FIG. 4 , showing a first embodiment of a new and improved stress or seam plate, constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, illustrating, in particular, the formation of a deformed region, fabricated by means of a suitable coining or swaging operation, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks has been formed, so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks of one stress or seam plate within the rectangular aperture of an adjacent stress or seam plate when a plurality of stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array;
[0016] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view of the stress or seam plate illustrated within FIG. 6 ;
[0017] FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a first mode for forming the coined or swaged regions of the stress or seam plate, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed, as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 ;
[0018] FIG. 8B is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 8A , of a second mode for forming the coined or swaged regions of the stress or seam plate, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed;
[0019] FIG. 8C is a cross-sectional view, similar to those of FIGS. 8A and 8B , of a third mode for forming the coined or swaged regions of the stress or seam plate, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed;
[0020] FIG. 8D is a top perspective view of a fourth mode for forming the coined or swaged regions of the stress or seam plate, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed;
[0021] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view, similar to those of FIGS. 8A-8C , of a fifth mode for deforming the regions of the stress or seam plate, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed, so as to effectively prevent the interlocking of nested stress or seam plates;
[0022] FIG. 10A is a top perspective view, similar to that of FIG. 8D showing, however, a sixth mode for deforming the regions of the stress or seam plate, disposed adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed, by means of a punching operation so as to effectively prevent the interlocking of nested stress or seam plates;
[0023] FIG. 10B is a cross-sectional view, similar to those of FIGS. 8A-8C , taken along the lines 10 B- 10 B of FIG. 10A showing the sixth mode for deforming the regions of the stress or seam plate which are disposed adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks is formed;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first mode for deforming each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks, as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks of one of the stress or seam plates within the rectangularly configured apertures formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates when a plurality of stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array;
[0025] FIG. 12A is a cross-sectional view, similar to that of FIG. 11 , illustrating, however, a second mode for deforming each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks, as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks of one of the stress or seam plates, within the rectangularly configured apertures formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates, when a plurality of stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array;
[0026] FIG. 12B is a bottom plan view of the deformed projection or eyehook as illustrated within FIG. 12A ;
[0027] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view, similar to those of FIGS. 11 and 12 A illustrating, however, a third mode for effectively deforming each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks, as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks of one of the stress or seam plates, within the rectangularly configured apertures formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates, when a plurality of stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array as illustrated; and
[0028] FIG. 14 is a partial cross-sectional view of a stress or seam plate illustrating the provision of upwardly extending bumps or dimples disposed upon an upper surface portion of each one of the stress or seam plates and having a depth dimension which is greater than the depth dimension of each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks disposed upon the undersurface portion of each one of the stress or seam plates such that when a plurality of the stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array, the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks will be effectively prevented from engaging each other.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0029] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIGS. 6 and 7 thereof, a first embodiment of a new and improved stress or seam plate, constructed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, illustrating, in particular, the formation of a deformed region, fabricated by means of a suitable coining or swaging operation, adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks has been formed, so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks of one stress or seam plate within the rectangular aperture of an adjacent stress or seam plate when a plurality of stress or seam plates are disposed within a stacked array, is disclosed and is generally indicated by the reference character 310 . More particularly and briefly, it is seen that the stress or seam plate 310 is similar to the stress or seam plate as disclosed within the aforenoted patent to Hasan and is therefore seen to comprise a substantially planar plate or disk 312 which has a circular configuration wherein the diametrical extent of the same is approximately 3.00 inches. The plate or disk 312 has an outer peripheral edge portion 314 , and is also provided with a central aperture 316 for receiving therethrough, for example, a threaded fastener, not shown, but which may be similar to the threaded fastener 107 shown in conjunction with the conventional stress plate or seam plate 10 illustrated within FIG. 1 , whereby the seam or stress plate 310 may be fixedly secured to an underlying roof decking substructure, also not shown but similar to the roof decking substructure 103 as shown in the conventional roof decking assembly of FIG. 1 , in order to in turn fixedly secure roof decking membranes to the underlying roof decking substructure.
[0030] Continuing further, the seam plate 310 has a substantially sinusoidal cross-sectional configuration as defined in effect by means of a reinforcing rib system comprising a plurality of concentrically disposed annular rib members which includes a first, radially inner, upwardly extending annular rib member 318 and a second, radially outer, upwardly extending annular rib member 320 . In connection with the accommodation or housing of the threaded fastener, not shown, within the central aperture 316 , the innermost or centralmost region of the seam plate 310 is seen to further comprise an annular shoulder region 322 upon which the head of the threaded fastener, not shown, can be seated, and in conjunction with the first and second radially inner and radially outer upwardly extending annular rib members 318 , 320 , the seam plate 310 is seen to further comprise, in effect, a first, complementary, radially inner, downwardly extending annular rib member 326 , and a second, radially outer, downwardly extending annular rib member 328 wherein it is seen that the first, radially inner, downwardly extending annular rib member 326 is radially interposed between the first and second radially inner and radially outer upwardly extending annular rib members 318 , 320 , whereas the second, radially outer, downwardly extending annular rib member 328 is radially interposed between the second radially outer upwardly extending annular rib members 320 and the peripheral edge portion 314 of the seam plate 310 . In addition, in order to engage the roofing decking membranes, not shown but similar to membrane sheet 101 as seen in FIG. 1 , and to retain the same at their desired locations upon the underlying roofing decking assembly, the stress or seam plate 310 of the present invention is provided with downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , which are similar to the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 230 , 232 as disclosed within the aforenoted patent to Hasan, so as not to readily tear or puncture the roof decking membranes and thereby effectively protect such roof decking membranes against deterioration so as to, in turn, preserve the structural integrity of the same.
[0031] With reference continuing to be made to FIGS. 6 and 7 , it has been noted that the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 have been formed within the stress or seam plate 310 by means of, for example, a suitable punching process whereby the projections or eyehooks 330 are effectively partially severed from the stress or seam plate 310 along their oppositely disposed longitudinal sides or extents while nevertheless still being integrally connected to the stress or seam plate 310 at their oppositely disposed, longitudinally spaced end portions. Accordingly, as a result of the aforenoted punching operation, a substantially rectangularly configured through-aperture 332 is formed within the stress or seam plate 310 at each one of the sites at which each one of the projections or eyehooks 330 has been formed. As has also been noted hereinbefore, it can therefore be readily appreciated that when a plurality of the stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within a nested or stacked array, one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 disposed upon one of the stress or seam plates 310 can enter and become lodged or interlocked within a corresponding one or more of the through-apertures 332 defined within an adjacent one of the nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 . In accordance, then, with the particularly unique and novel principles and teachings of the present invention, means have been incorporated into, or provided upon the stress or seam plates 310 for effectively preventing this undesirable interlocking phenomena from occurring.
[0032] More particularly, as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , a portion of the stress or seam plate 310 has been coined or swaged within a region disposed immediately radially outwardly of one or more of the rectangularly-configured through-apertures 332 , as denoted at 334 , from which the projections or eyehooks 330 extend downwardly, so as to effectively alter the geometrical configurations or profiles of the substantially rectangularly-configured through-apertures 332 . In particular, the coining or swaging operations causes a rim portion or region 334 of the stress or seam plate 310 , disposed immediately adjacent to the one or more of the rectangularly-configured through-apertures 332 to effectively extend over or partially cover the original rectangularly-configured through-aperture 332 . In this manner, when a downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon a first one of the stress or seam plates 310 , tends or tries to enter a complementary aperture 332 , defined within a second one of the stress or seam plates 310 which is disposed adjacent to the first stress or seam plate 310 as when a plurality of the stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within a nested stacked array, the projection or eyehook 330 disposed upon the first one of the stress or seam plates 310 will effectively be prevented from entering, and becoming interlocked with, the aperture 332 defined within the second one of the stress or seam plates 310 because the external profile of the projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon the first one of the stress or seam plates 310 , can no longer be physically accommodated within the aperture 332 , defined within the second one of the stress or seam plates 310 , in view of the fact that the aperture 332 now has an altered geometrical con-figuration or profile as caused by means of the coined or swaged rim region 334 .
[0033] The aforenoted aperture profile-altering results, achieved by means of the coining or swaging of the noted regions 334 disposed immediately adjacent to the apertures 332 , can be further appreciated as a result of reference being made to FIGS. 8A-8D . More particularly, as disclosed within FIG. 8A , a first mode for forming the coined or swaged regions 334 of the stress or seam plate 310 , adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures 332 from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 has been formed, resides in the coining or swaging of an undersurface portion of the stress or seam plate disk 312 so as to effectively cause an upper surface portion of the seam or stress plate 312 to extend radially inwardly into, and therefore, partially cover, the aperture 332 . The radially inward extent, to which the upper surface portion of the stress or seam plate disk 312 has been coined or swaged, has been designated as D 3 , while the aperture 332 has an original radial dimension designated D 1 , and the radial dimension of the downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 is designated as D 2 which is of course substantially equal to the dimension D 1 of the aperture 332 in view of the fact that the aperture 332 has of course been defined as a result of the material forming the projection or eyehook 330 has been punched out from the stress or seam plate disk 312 .
[0034] It can therefore be readily appreciated that since the coined or swaged region 334 of the stress or seam plate disk 312 overhangs the aperture 332 so as to partially occlude or obstruct the same, a downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon an adjacent stress or seam plate 310 , which may be disposed within a nested or stacked array with respect to the stress or seam plate 310 illustrated within FIG. 8A , cannot enter the aperture 332 formed within the illustrated stress or seam plate 310 , and therefore, the undesirable interlocking of the projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon adjacent stress or seam plates 310 , is effectively prevented. In accordance with a second coining or swaging technique or mode, as illustrated within FIG. 8B , the coined or swaged region 334 ′ is formed by coining or swaging an upper surface portion of the stress or seam plate disk 312 so as to effectively cause an undersurface portion of the seam or stress plate 312 to extend radially inwardly into, and therefore, partially cover, the aperture 332 . Furthermore, in accordance with a third coining or swaging mode or technique, as illustrated within FIG. 8C , the coined or swaged region 334 ″ is formed by coining or swaging both the upper and undersurface portions of the stress or seam plate disk 312 so as to effectively cause an intermediate surface portion of the seam or stress plate 312 to extend radially inwardly into, and therefore, partially cover, the aperture 332 . Lastly, in accordance with a fourth coining or swaging mode or technique, as illustrated within FIG. 8D , portions of the seam or stress plate disk 312 , disposed upon both opposite sides of the aperture 332 , may be coined or swaged so as to cause oppositely disposed regions 334 ′″ to extend radially inwardly into, and thereby partially cover, occlude, or obstruct, the aperture 332 . It is to be noted, as clearly illustrated within FIG. 8D , that the coining or swaging need not be effected along the entire longitudinal edge portions of the rectangularly-configured apertures 332 but only at predetermined longitudinal locations such that the openings or apertures 332 are in fact, partially, yet sufficiently, covered, occluded, or obstructed.
[0035] With reference now being made to FIG. 9 , a fifth mode for deforming the rim regions of the stress or seam plate 312 , adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures 332 from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 is formed, so as to effectively prevent the interlocking of nested stress or seam plates, is disclosed. More particularly, localized regions of, for example, the first, radially inner, upwardly extending annular rib member 318 , and localized regions of, for example, the second, radially outer, upwardly extending annular rib member 320 , that are located immediately adjacent to each one of the openings or apertures 332 , are deformed or displaced upwardly, and radially outwardly and radially inwardly, respectively, as denoted at 318 ′, 320 ′.
[0036] The fact that such deformed or displaced rim regions are located upon, or disposed immediately adjacent to, the inclined rib members 318 , 320 permits such localized regions to be deformed or displaced without substantially altering the relative disposition, or adversely affecting the orientation, of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 . Accordingly, it can again be readily appreciated that since the transverse or radial dimension D 4 , defined between the deformed or displaced portions 318 ′, 320 ′ of the rib members 318 , 320 , is less than the dimension D 1 defined between the oppositely disposed longitudinal edge portions of each opening or aperture 332 , a downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon a first stress or seam plate 310 and having a radial dimension D 2 which is the same as the dimension D 1 of the opening or aperture 332 , cannot enter the aperture 332 formed within a second stress or seam plate, as illustrated within FIG. 9 , and therefore, the undesirable interlocking of the projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon adjacent stress or seam plates 310 of a nested stacked array of stress or seam plates, is effectively prevented.
[0037] Considering now FIGS. 10A and 10B , a sixth mode for deforming the regions of the stress or seam plate 312 , disposed adjacent to each one of the rectangular apertures 332 from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 is formed, so as to effectively prevent the interlocking of nested stress or seam plates, is disclosed and is seen to comprise a punching operation. More particularly, it is seen that a punch mechanism 340 is used to form an auxiliary aperture 342 within the stress or seam plate disk 312 at a location disposed immediately adjacent to the opening or aperture 332 from which each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 has been formed. Unlike the punching operation which formed each one of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , however, wherein a portion of the stress or seam plate material is partially severed, the punching operation utilizing the punch mechanism 340 in forming the hole or aperture 342 causes a rim portion of the material forming the stress or seam plate disk 312 to be moved radially or transversely as denoted at 344 so as to again form an overhanging member which partially covers, occludes, or obstructs the opening or aperture 332 . According, again, a downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon a first stress or seam plate 310 , cannot enter the aperture 332 formed within a second stress or seam plate, as illustrated within FIGS. 10A and 10B , and therefore, the undesirable interlocking of the projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon adjacent seam or stress plates 310 of a nested stacked array of stress or seam plates, is effectively prevented.
[0038] As has been appreciated from the various embodiments developed in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, and as illustrated within FIGS. 8A-8D , 9 , 10 A, and 10 B, regions of, for example, a first one of the stress or seam plates 310 , disposed immediately adjacent to the various apertures or openings 332 defined within such stress or seam plate 310 , have been deformed or otherwise worked so as to effectively alter the geometrical configurations or profiles of the apertures or openings 332 defined within such stress or seam plate 310 so as to effectively prevent one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon a second, adjacent stress or seam plate 310 , from entering the one or more openings or apertures 332 defined within first one of the stress or seam plates 310 and thereby become interlocked therewithin. Alternatively, one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 of a first one of the stress or seam plates 310 may effectively be deformed so as to likewise prevent the one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 of the first stress or seam plate 310 from entering the openings or apertures 332 defined within a second, adjacent stress or seam plate 310 so as not to thereby become interlocked therewithin.
[0039] Therefore, with reference now being made to FIG. 11 , it is seen that in accordance with a first mode for deforming one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon one of the stress or seam plates 310 , within the rectangularly configured apertures 332 , formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates 310 , when a plurality of stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within a stacked array, the apex portion 338 of each eyehook 330 is seen to have a substantially laterally flattened or widened cross-sectional configuration, as a result of having undergone a suitable peening or similar metal working process. Accordingly, it can be appreciated further that recalling the fact that the width of each opening or aperture 332 is characterized by means of a dimension D 1 , and that the unaltered width of each eyehook 330 is characterized by means of a width dimension D 2 which is equal to that of each opening or aperture 332 , then it is appreciated that the new width dimension D 5 of the apex portion 338 , as a result of having undergone the aforenoted peening or other metal working process, is greater than the width dimension D 1 of the opening or aperture 332 . Therefore, it is apparent that if the downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon a first one of the plurality of stress or seam plates 310 disposed within a stacked or nested array of stress or seam plates, attempts to enter a rectangularly configured aperture 332 formed within an adjacent one of the plurality of stress or seam plates 310 disposed within the stacked or nested array of stress or seam plates, such movement will effectively be prevented so as to, in turn, prevent the stress or seam plates 310 from becoming interlocked together.
[0040] With reference now being made to FIGS. 12A and 12B , a second mode for deforming one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon one of the stress or seam plates 310 , within the rectangularly configured openings or apertures 332 , formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates 310 , when a plurality of stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within a stacked or nested array, is disclosed. More particularly, as can be appreciated from FIGS. 12A and 12B , the apex portion 338 ′ of each eyehook 330 is seen to have a substantially laterally flattened or widened cross-sectional configuration as a result of having undergone a suitable punching or similar metal piercing process whereby as a result of the formation of an punched or pierced region 350 with the central region of the apex portion 338 ′, the laterally outward residual regions 352 , 352 ′ of the apex portion 338 ′ are expanded laterally outwardly.
[0041] Therefore, it can again be appreciated that since the width of each opening or aperture 332 is characterized by means of a dimension D 1 , and the unaltered width of each eyehook 330 is characterized by means of a width dimension D 2 which is equal to that of each opening or aperture 332 , then it is appreciated that the new width dimension D 6 of the apex portion 338 ′, as a result of having undergone the aforenoted punching or piercing process, is greater than the width dimension D 1 of the opening or aperture 332 . Accordingly, it is apparent that if the downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon a first one of the plurality of seam or stress plates 310 disposed within a stacked or nested array of stress or seam plates, attempts to enter a rectangularly configured aperture 332 formed within an adjacent one of the plurality of stress or seam plates 310 disposed within the stacked or nested array of stress or seam plates, the attempted movement will effectively be prevented so as to, in turn, prevent the stress or seam plates 310 from becoming interlocked together.
[0042] With reference now being made to FIG. 13 , a third mode for effectively deforming one or more of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , as disclosed within FIGS. 6 and 7 , so as to effectively prevent the undesirable interlocking of the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon one of the stress or seam plates 310 , within the rectangularly configured apertures or openings 332 , formed within an adjacent one of the stress or seam plates 310 , when a plurality of stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within a stacked or nested array, is disclosed. More particularly, as can be appreciated from FIG. 13 , each one of the apex portions 338 ″ of each downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 has effectively been deformed in that the central axis of the projection or eyehook 330 is disposed at a predetermined angle with respect to the central axis of the opening or aperture 332 . Therefore, it can again be appreciated that since the apex portion 338 ″ of a projection or eyehook 330 disposed upon a first upper one of a plurality of nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 is skewed, inclined, and misaligned with respect to an opening or aperture 332 defined within a second lower one the plurality of nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 , then when the downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 , disposed upon the first one of the plurality of seam or stress plates 310 , attempts to enter the rectangularly configured aperture 332 formed within the second lower one of the plurality of stress or seam plates 310 , the attempted movement will effectively be prevented as a result of the apex portion 338 ″ of the upper one of the stress or seam plates 310 encountering the edge or side wall portion of the disk 312 , which partially defines the opening or aperture 332 , so as to, in fact, prevent the stress or seam plates 310 from becoming interlocked together.
[0043] With reference lastly being made to FIG. 14 , a last means or embodiment for effectively preventing the interlocking together of adjacent stress or seam plates, when a plurality of the stress or seam plates are disposed within a nested or stacked array, is disclosed. More particularly, in lieu of coining or swaging the rim portions of the stress or seam plate disk 312 disposed immediately adjacent to each opening or aperture 332 as disclosed, for example, within FIGS. 8A-8D , or in lieu of displacing the rim portions of the stress or seam plate 312 disposed immediately adjacent to each opening or aperture 332 in accordance with either one of the techniques disclosed within FIGS. 9 , 10 A, 10 B, or still further, in lieu of deforming the apex portions of the projections or eyehooks 330 as disclosed within FIGS. 11 , 12 A, 12 B, or lastly, in lieu of providing the projections or eyehooks 330 with an angled inclination or misaligned orientation as disclosed within FIG. 13 , the mode or technique disclosed within FIG. 14 comprises the provision of bumps or dimples 350 upon the upper surface portion 352 of each stress or seam plate disk 312 . More specifically, the bumps or dimples 350 disposed upon the upper surface 352 of each stress or seam plate 310 extend or project upwardly from the upper surface portion 352 of the stress or seam plate disk 312 to such an extent that adjacent stress or seam plates 310 , disposed within a stacked or nested array of stress or seam plate 310 , are, for example, vertically spaced from each other a predetermined distance such that the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 , disposed upon a first upper one of the plurality of nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 , cannot in fact be positioned close enough to a second lower one of the plurality of nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 so as to enter one of the openings or apertures 332 defined within the second lower one the plurality of nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 .
[0044] In particular, as illustrated within FIG. 14 , it is seen, for example, that each downwardly extending projection or eyehook 330 has a depth dimension H 1 , while each upwardly extending bump or dimple 350 has a depth dimension, as measured from the upper surface portion 352 of the stress or seam plate disk 312 , H 2 , wherein it is further noted that H 2 >H 1 . Therefore, when the plurality of stress or seam plates 310 are disposed within their stacked or nested array, the upwardly extending bumps or dimples 350 , disposed upon a particular one of the nested or stacked stress or seam plates 310 , will engage the undersurface portion 354 of the adjacent upper one of the stress or seam plates 310 such that the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks 330 of the upper one of the stress or seam plates 310 will be sufficiently spaced from the openings or apertures 332 defined within the lower one of the stress or seam plates 310 so as not to be capable of entering the same and becoming interlocked therewith.
[0045] Thus, it may be seen that in accordance with the principles and teachings of the present invention, a new and improved stress plate or seam plate has been developed wherein, by means of the various embodiments disclosed and described hereinbefore, the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks, disposed upon, for example, a first one of a plurality of stacked or nested stress or seam plates, will not be able to enter the openings or apertures defined within a second one of the plurality of stacked or nested stress or seam plates so as not to become interlocked therewith.
[0046] Obviously, many variations and modifications of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
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A new and improved seam plate, for use in connection with securing roofing membranes to underlying roofing decking substructures, comprises a circular disk having a central aperture for receiving a screw fastener, a plurality of concentric ribs for providing reinforcing and bending or flexibility characteristics to the seam plate, and a plurality of circumferentially spaced, downwardly extending projections or eyehooks. Structure is provided upon the seam plate such that the downwardly extending projections or eyehooks, disposed upon, for example, a first one of a plurality of stacked or nested seam plates, are prevented from entering and becoming interlocked with openings or apertures defined within a second one of the plurality of stacked or nested seam plates.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a remailable or two-way envelope adapted to be used after its first mailing to return an enclosure, such as a payment or the like, to the original sender.
Remailable envelopes are well known in the art and numerous patents describe many different variations of remailable envelopes. Some examples of patents showing this type of envelope include U.S. Pat. No. 4,730,768 to Gendron; U.S. Pat. No. 5,251,810 to Kim; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,875,964 to Pham.
It has been found that the remailable envelopes of the prior art have not received widespread commercial acceptance by manufacturers or approval by recipients who are obliged to use them.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a reusable envelope that can be quickly and easily opened and provides a return envelope that is easy for the recipient to use.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a reusable envelope that is relatively simple in construction as compared to those of the prior art, that is inexpensive to manufacture on existing production machines, and that can be used both in the manufacture of direct mail articles in which the preprinted enclosures are placed in the envelope pocket during the formation of the envelope, and also to produce finished envelopes into which the enclosures are placed subsequently by the original user.
It is a further purpose of the invention to provide an easy-opening envelope that permits rapid access to the contents of the envelope pocket without the possibility of damaging the enclosures.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
The improved envelope of the present invention includes an address or front panel and a rear panel that are joined along the periphery of three edges to form an envelope pocket with an open top for receiving enclosures. A first sealing flap is formed as part of an extended flap panel that is joined to the top edge of the front address panel along a first weakened parting line, e.g., a line of perforations. The extended flap panel is folded along a transverse flap fold line that is parallel to, and spaced apart from the top edge of the address panel and is provided with a second weakened parting line, i.e., a line of perforations that is aligned with the first line of perforations when the flap panel is folded to a superposed position over the rear panel. The upper portion of the envelope between the flap fold line and the overlying perforation lines defines a tear strip. The flap fold line is spaced from the perforations a distance that is sufficient to permit the recipient to grip the tear strip for removal to open the top of the envelope. In a preferred embodiment, the area between the flap fold line and perforation lines includes a layer of adhesive joining the opposing sides of the tear strip. The adhesive can be applied as a liquid, a hot-melt composition, or as a separate laminate of polymeric material that is activated by heat, ultrasound, or the like, such materials and methods being well known in the art. The adhesive provides additional strength to the tear strip and facilitates the removal of the tear strip cleanly. The adhesive also constitutes a barrier to the undesired movement of the envelope's enclosure(s) into the tear strip area.
In the manufacture of the envelope of the invention, the first and second lines of perforations are formed simultaneously, as by passing the partially formed web, or sheet forming the envelope blank through a perforating wheel to provide conventional or slit perforations. In the manufacture of the envelope of this embodiment, the adhesive is also applied prior to the folding of the extended flap panel in the area that lies between the first and second lines of perforations.
The free end of the extended sealing flap panel and is provided with adhesive along its edge for sealing the envelope for mailing after the flap is closed over the open top of the pocket.
The front address panel is provided with a mailing address display area which can be a window, with or without a transparent cover. The manufacture of window envelopes is well known in the art.
A second sealing flap is joined along a second fold line to the top edge of the rear panel is initially folded against the rear panel either inside the pocket or on the exterior surface of the rear panel for the first use of the envelope. After the sealed envelope is opened by the first recipient's removal of the tear strip, the second sealing flap is either withdrawn from the pocket or moved from its exterior position for folding over and onto the front address panel. The second flap is also provided with securing means, such as remoistenable adhesive, for closing the open top and sealing the envelope for the second mailing.
In a preferred embodiment, the address panel is provided with postage indicia, which can include a bulk mailing permit and, optionally, has a first return address display area adjacent the top edge of the front panel. The upper right hand corner of the address panel is reserved for application of postage stamps or other postage indicia in accordance with government postal service requirements.
In a first preferred embodiment, the second sealing flap is printed with a return address display area and has an area for receiving postage or, most preferably, is provided with preprinted return postage permit indicia for postage paid by the originating party. In this embodiment, the second flap covers the originating postage indicia and return address, and, optionally, the original address display area, the second flap and has the second mailing address preprinted on the flap.
In another preferred embodiment, the front panel includes a second return address display area located adjacent the bottom edge of the address panel for use by the second sender and a corresponding area for the second sender to apply postage. In this embodiment the second sealing flap is sized to cover the first return address and originating postage area when the second sealing flap is folded over and sealed to the front panel.
In yet another embodiment of the invention, a single-use envelope of otherwise conventional construction is provided with a tear strip along one of the four edges, formed as described above, to provide for the rapid and easy-opening of the envelope.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order that the invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect, preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a plan view of the front of a cut blank for an envelope constructed in accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rear of the cut blank shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of the partially formed envelope prepared from the blank of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 — 4 in FIG. 3 showing one preferred embodiment;
FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4 — 4 in FIG. 3; showing another preferred embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 4B at a further stage in its manufacture;
FIG. 6 is a plan view of the front of a partially-opened sealed envelope constructed from the blank of FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is a plan view of a sealed envelope constructed from the blank of FIG. 1 ready for a second mailing;
FIG. 8 is a plan view of the rear of a cut blank for an envelope constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 9A is a plan view of the front of a sealed envelope according to another embodiment of the present invention ready for the first mailing;
FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view taken along section line 9 B of FIG. 9A;
FIG. 10 is a plan view of the front of the envelope shown in FIG. 9 ready for a second mailing;
FIG. 11 is a plan view of an envelope ready for the first mailing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 12 is a plan view of the envelope of FIG. 11 ready for the second mailing;
FIG. 13 is a plan view of an envelope ready for the first mailing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 14 is a plan view of the envelope of FIG. 13 ready for the second mailing;
FIG. 15 is a plan view of an envelope ready for the first mailing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 16 is a plan view of the envelope of FIG. 15 ready for the second mailing;
FIG. 17 is a plan view of an envelope ready for the first mailing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 18 is a plan view of the envelope of FIG. 17 ready for the second mailing;
FIG. 19 is a plan view of an envelope ready for the first mailing in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 20 is a plan view of the envelope of FIG. 19 ready for the second mailing;
FIG. 21 is a plan view of the interior of a cut blank for an envelope in accordance with another preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 22 is a plan view of the interior of a cut blank in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 23 is a plan view of the interior of a cut blank in accordance with another embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 24 is a plan view of the exterior of the blank of FIG. 23;
FIG. 25 is a plan view of the rear of a finished envelope produced from the blank of FIGS. 23 and 24; and
FIG. 26 is a plan view of the front of a finished envelope produced from the blank of FIG. 22 .
FIG. 27 is a plan view of the front of a finished envelope produced from the blank of FIG. 21 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
A pre-cut blank 1 used to construct an envelope 10 according to the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. As used herein, the letter “A” will refer to the exterior face and the letter “B” will refer to the interior face of the cut blank 1 . The cut blank 1 is typically formed from a web or larger sheet of suitable envelope grade material in accordance with methods well-known in the art. The blank includes a front or address panel 12 and a rear panel 14 . Panels 12 and 14 are integrally joined along intermediate fold line 16 . The panels 12 and 14 are of a similar size and generally rectangular in shape.
An extended flap panel 39 is joined to the top edge of front panel 12 along a first weakened parting line 42 , which in a preferred embodiment is a line of perforations, being either slit or hole perforations. Panel 39 is also provided with transverse flap fold line 41 and a second weakened parting line of perforations 46 , both of which are parallel to first perforation line 42 , the area between the perforation lines 41 and 42 defining tear strip 40 . The free end 44 of extended flap panel 39 is provided with adhesive 48 for sealing the envelope.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a pair of side sealing panels 18 having an adhesive area 20 on face 18 A are integrally joined to the lateral edges of address panel 14 along fold lines 22 . As will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, side sealing panels 18 can be joined to panel 12 , and can be sealed to the interior or exterior of the adjacent panel. In the mass production of direct mail articles, the envelope of the invention can be produced without side sealing panels 18 by simply applying adhesive 20 to the edges of the interior of either of panels 12 or 14 .
As further shown in FIG. 1, a second return flap 26 is integrally joined to rear panel 14 along second fold line 28 and as shown in FIG. 2, includes an adhesive area 30 .
In the manufacture of the envelope of the invention, adhesive 20 is applied to side flap sealing panels 18 B and panels 18 are folded inwardly along lines 22 . The blank 1 is folded along line 16 to place rear panel 14 on front panel 12 to form the envelope pocket. A view of the front of the envelope at this stage of manufacture is shown in FIG. 3 .
A remoistenable adhesive 48 and preferably hot melt adhesive 43 is applied to extended flap 39 . Extended flap 39 is folded along line 41 and passed through perforating apparatus, e.g., a perforating wheel, to simultaneously form lines of perforations 42 and 46 , and, optionally, the two opposing faces of tear strip are bonded together to provide additional strength and to facilitate the clean removal of the tear strip by the recipient.
In this embodiment, address panel 12 is provided with an address display window which is either left open or closed by a transparent panel (not shown). As also shown in FIG. 1, front panel 12 A is provided with a return address area 52 and a corresponding original postage area 54 . In one embodiment, address panel 12 A is provided with a second return address area 56 and a corresponding second stamp area 58 .
As shown in cross-sectional views 4 A and 4 B, the second flap 26 can be folded into position inside the envelope pocket or flat against the exterior of rear panel 14 A.
The cross-sectional view of FIG. 5 shows the envelope 10 ready to mail with enclosure 2 in the envelope pocket following insertion through the open top. When the enclosure 2 is inserted into envelope 10 , the “TO” address is properly positioned in the display panel 50 of the window envelope. The envelope 10 is now ready for mailing.
To open the envelope 10 , the tear strip 40 is removed along the perforation lines 42 and 46 as shown in FIG. 6 . The tear strip 40 , having been folded along fold line 41 and preferably reinforced by the bonding of adhesive areas 43 and 45 , provides a convenient and easy way to remove the tear strip for opening the envelope. Upon removal of the tear strip 40 , the entire top of the envelope pocket is open across the full width of the envelope and the contents of the envelope can be easily inspected and removed.
In order to re-use the envelope of this embodiment, the following steps are taken:
(a) If materials are to be returned to the sender, the recipient inserts materials into the open envelope, again with the proper “TO” address properly positioned in the display window 50 .
(b) The second flap panel 26 is then moved from its position adjacent rear panel 14 and folded along line 28 over and onto address panel 12 A, as shown in FIG. 7 . The distance between fold line 28 and the distal or free end of return flap panel 26 is predetermined to have a length sufficient to cover the postage area at 54 and the return address area 52 for the second use.
(c) The adhesive 30 is then used to seal the envelope 10 with return flap face 26 B adhesively secured to address panel face 12 A.
(d) The recipient completes the return address at the address area 56 and places the proper postage at area 58 . Alternatively, the original sender can provide the recipient's return address by computer-directed printing means at the time that the envelope blank and its enclosures are printed, die-cut and assembled. Return postage mailing indicia 58 can also be preprinted on return flap 26 by the originator.
FIG. 7 shows sealed envelope 10 ready for the second mailing by the recipient as preaddressed and postage paid by the original sender.
FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the blank 1 ′ is laid out to provide a second tear strip 40 ′ defined by perforation lines 42 ′ and 46 ′ and intermediate fold line 41 ′. The second tear strip 40 ′ is removed by the second recipient to open the envelope pocket and thereby gain access to its enclosures. Assembly of this embodiment is similar to that described above, and as will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art, the application of adhesive to tear strips 40 and 40 ′ is desirably accomplished simultaneously prior to folding of the blank 1 ′. Likewise, the perforation of the folded tear strips along lines 42 , 46 and 42 ′, 46 ′ is preferably accomplished simultaneously by a pair of appropriately spaced perforation wheels on automated equipment.
FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate a further embodiment of the invention ready for use in the second mailing where the second sealing flap is extended to cover the original mailing address and is preprinted with the second mailing address, mailing indicia and the original recipient's return address. In this embodiment, the second flap 26 can be provided with one or more transverse folds to make it more compact and easier to withdraw from the envelope pocket. In this embodiment, as illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the envelope is ready for the first mailing and the tear strip 40 extends across the top of the sealed envelope above the fold line 28 between the rear panel 14 and the second flap 26 , the flap being shown accordion folded in position during mailing. As shown in FIG. 10, when second flap 26 is extended for the second mailing and sealed in position on panel 12 , it completely covers the first mailing address, and preferably is provided with the second recipient's mailing address, postage and first recipient's return address area, which can be blank or completed during the original printing.
FIGS. 11-20 illustrate further embodiments of envelopes of varying formats constructed in accordance with the invention. Additional variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art based on the descriptions provided. In each of FIGS. 11-18, the envelopes are depicted with window mailing address display areas, but it will be understood that printed addresses can be employed. The elements 12 A and 14 A correspond to those used above in describing FIGS. 1-7. Flap elements shown in dotted lines depict the flap positioned on the reverse side of the envelope. Dashed lines represent perforations.
With reference to FIG. 11, the first address display area is positioned on rear panel 14 and the first sealing flap is provided with first return mailing address and postage indicia, the first sealing flap being removable by the recipient. As illustrated, the sealing flap is provided with weakened parting line 140 , i.e., perforations, parallel to the free edge of the first sealing flap. After removal of the tear strip, the first recipient removes the upper portion of the sealing flap to expose the second return address area and postage indicia printed on panel 14 A.
Alternatively, a releasable adhesive or small adhesive spots can be employed on first sealing flap, so that the entire portion of the remaining flap can be removed following removal of the tear strip to open the envelope. FIG. 12 shows the envelope panel 14 A of FIG. 11 ready for the second mailing.
FIG. 13 illustrates the embodiment where the front panel 12 A is arranged for the first mailing and employs a window for the mailing address display.
FIG. 14 illustrates the reusable envelope embodiment of FIG. 13 following removal of the tear strip and placement of the second sealing flap in position on the front panel above the window. In this embodiment, the second return address and postal indicia are preprinted on the second sealing flap and cover those elements as they appeared in FIG. 13 .
The embodiment of FIG. 15 illustrates the first mailing address display area on the rear panel with the first return address and postal indicia on the first sealing flap; following removal of the tear strip and positioning of the second sealing flap with postage and return address indicia on front panel 12 A, as shown in FIG. 16, the envelope is ready for its second mailing.
FIGS. 17 and 18 illustrate a further embodiment where an envelope constructed in accordance with the invention. The envelope is preprinted with return address and postage indicia on front panel 12 A as shown in FIG. 17 for the first mailing. Following removal of the tear strip, the second sealing flap (shown in dotted lines) is sealed in place for the second mailing, and as shown in FIG. 18, the rear panel is provided with a return address area and postage indicia.
In the embodiment of FIGS. 19 and 20, both the first sealing flap and second sealing flap are large enough to be provided with the respective mailing address display areas, as well as the return address and postal indicia. As illustrated in FIG. 19, the first mailing flap also includes a line of perforations to permit removal of the upper portion of the flap following separation of the tear strip from the envelope. As shown in FIG. 20, following removal of the first sealing flap, the second sealing flap is extended into position over the envelope front panel, and being preprinted with the required indicia, is ready for mailing.
A second embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 21-27. In this embodiment, an envelope is constructed from a blank of 100 envelope grade material as shown in FIG. 21 and has a front panel 102 and a rear panel 104 joined to panel 102 along first fold line 106 . Front panel 102 is further provided with a perforation line 108 which is positioned parallel with fold line 106 and spaced apart therefrom. Rear panel 104 is provided with a perforation line 110 which is positioned parallel to fold line 106 and spaced apart therefrom. An adhesive 112 is provided on panel 102 between fold line 106 and perforation line 108 . An adhesive area 114 is provided between fold line 106 and perforation line 110 as shown in FIG. 21 . The area between perforation lines 108 and 110 defines a tear strip 115 . In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 21, adhesive 112 is also applied along the interior face of either of panels 102 or 104 prior to folding along line 106 . The adhesive is maintained within the bounds of transverse lines 108 and 110 which correspond to subsequently provided perforation lines as will be described in more detail below.
A conventional sealing flap 116 is joined to front panel 102 along second fold line 118 . Sealing flap 116 is provided with a re-moistenable adhesive material 120 on its surface facing rear panel 104 in the folded position. The exterior of front panel 102 includes a conventional address area 124 and a stamp area 126 . The blank is optionally provided with side sealing flaps 130 , one face of which is provided with adhesive.
To construct the envelope, side flaps 130 are provided with adhesive and folded inwardly; rear panel 104 is folded along first fold line 106 into superposed position on front panel 102 which also makes sealing contact with flaps 130 . Sealing flap 116 is adapted for folding downwardly on rear panel 104 . The adhesive areas 112 and 114 are, in a preferred embodiment, adhesively joined with liquid glue, hot melt or other form of adhesive. The application of adhesive along this narrow, lower band of the envelope serves to strengthen the tear strip 115 and to insure that the lower tear strip portion can be more easily removed along the parting line of perforations. The completed envelope 100 is shown in FIG. 27 and is similar in appearance to that shown ready for mailing in FIG. 2 G. To open envelope 100 the tear strip 115 is torn along perforation lines 108 and 110 .
In the production of direct mail articles in accordance with the invention, side flaps 130 can be eliminated and the opposing side edges of panels 102 , 104 can be joined by adhesive in order to simplify production.
In an alternative preferred embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 22 and 26, a series of paper crimps are incorporated mechanically into the tear strip after folding along line 106 . As used herein, the term “crimping” or “crimps” means an indentation or partial peroration applied to mate or temporarily join a pair of paper panels. The crimping is accomplished by a crimping wheel or similar device. The crimping is positioned adjacent to, or along the same transverse line as the perforations. The formation of the crimps resists a laterally applied force. As will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art, a s plurality of spaced crimps will prevent the enclosures placed or formed in the envelope on one side of this transverse crimp line from moving into the adjacent tear strip portion of the envelope. With reference to FIG. 22, it will also be understood that the crimp areas 140 are indicated in the extended blank for purposes of illustration only, since the crimps can only be completed after the paper has been folded into superimposed position. Thus, the crimping is completed after adhesive is optionally applied in the area defining the tear strip 115 and the flap is folded to bond the sides together and the superposed sides are pressed between the opposing faces of the crimping apparatus.
In the production of the envelopes shown in FIGS. 21-27, it is also preferable to form the perforations after the envelope front and rear panels are glued and folded in superimposed position so that the perforations are aligned to thereby insure an even and clean tear line.
A further embodiment is illustrated in FIGS. 23-25 where the easy-open tear strip is positioned along one side of the envelope. With reference to FIG. 23, the rear panel is provided with tear strip defined by parting lines 108 and 110 positioned between a lateral edge and side sealing flap 130 , the tear strip being bisected by fold line 106 into sections 132 and 134 . As shown in the embodiment of FIG. 23, a plurality of adhesive areas 121 are provided on the interior surface of tear strip 115 to join sections 132 and 134 after folding along line 106 . With reference to FIG. 24, the exterior of the blank 101 shows adhesive 120 applied to the edges of side sealing flaps 130 , and the front of the envelope provided with the conventional mailing indicia. It is to be noted from FIGS. 23 and 24 that the tear strip 115 extends laterally from the edge of the front and rear envelope panels, and as best shown in FIG. 25, from the body of the completed envelope, including the folded top sealing flap 116 .
The manufacture of this embodiment is similar to those described previously, with the exception that the side sealing flap 130 adjacent tear strip is folded into position at the same time sealing flap sections are folded along line 106 to bond the interior faces together to form the reinforced tear strip 115 . The front panel 102 is then folded down to contact the adhesive areas 120 on folded side sealing flaps 130 to form the envelope pocket. The envelope is then passed through perforations, means to form perforation lines 108 , 110 .
As noted in the embodiment described above, the adhesive areas 121 , even though applied in a non-continuous manner, comprise a barrier to the undesired movement of the envelope enclosure(s) into the region of the tear strips.
In a further preferred embodiment of this aspect of the invention (not illustrated) the tear strip is provided with a row crimps immediately adjacent perforation lines 108 , 110 . In this embodiment, the line of crimps define a barrier to the movement of the enclosures in the envelope into the tear strip area defined by the perforations, thereby precluding any damage to the enclosures when the tear strip is removed by the recipient, and the adhesive areas 112 and 114 can be optionally eliminated. Thus, it would be understood by those familiar with the art, the crimps can be incorporated and made coincident with the perforation line. Although optional, it is also desirable in this embodiment to include reinforcing adhesive, e.g., hot melt adhesive, along the interior surfaces to bond the opposing sides of the tear strip to add additional strength and thereby facilitate its clean removal.
While the fundamental novel features of the invention have been shown and described, it should be understood that various substitutions, modifications and variations may be made by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Accordingly, all such modifications or variations are included in the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.
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A reusable envelope has a front address panel and a rear panel joined along three edges to form a pocket with an open top. A first extended sealing flap joined to the top edge of the address panel is provided with a tear strip formed by a line of perforations extending across the top edge of the envelope and through the flap. A second sealing flap is provided which is foldably connected to the top edge of the rear panel and is initially either folded and retained inside the envelope pocket or against the exterior of the rear panel for the first mailing, and is folded over and onto the first panel for the second use. The second flap has an adhesive area securing means for sealing the envelope when the flap is positioned on the address panel for a further mailing. The address panel is provided with an area is for postage indicia and, is optionally provided with a first return address area adjacent the top edge of the address panel. The address panel optionally includes a second return address area located adjacent the bottom edge of the address panel and another area for applying postage. The second sealing flap is sized to cover at least the first return address area and first postage area and, optionally, the first address area, when the second sealing flap is folded over and sealed to the address panel, and can also be pre-printed by the originator with return address and bulk mailing indicia. A single-use easy-open envelope employing the tear strip is also described.
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This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/604,484, filed Jun. 27, 2000.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates generally to machine tools, and more particularly to a machine tool having a servo drive mechanism for the cam shafts and the indexing mechanism of the machine tool and a variable frequency drive motor for the spindles of the machine tool.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The Davenport Model B screw machine is one of the world's most popular machine tools. Although completed in 1927, the design of the Model B has withstood the test of time and continues to compete favorably with computer controlled machine tools introduced much more recently. Perhaps this is because the Model B is economical to purchase and use and highly reliable in operation.
The present invention comprises an improvement over the Davenport Model B. While preserving many features of the Model B, the machine tool of the present invention differs therefrom by providing a servo mechanism for operating the cam shafts and the indexing mechanism of the machine tool. The machine tool of the present invention further differentiates over the prior art by providing a variable frequency drive motor for operating the spindles of the machine tool. The machine tool of the present invention further differentiates over the prior art by providing a servo mechanism for performing threading operations. The machine tool of the present invention further differs from the prior art in that it is provided with a computer controlled system which controls and monitors the entire operation of the machine tool.
In accordance with the broader aspects of the invention, a machine tool is provided with a cam shaft and an indexing drive mechanism which is independent from the spindle drive mechanism. The cam shaft and indexing drive mechanism is driven by a servomotor and is therefore adapted for operation within a wide range of operational parameters. An encoder provides feedback to the servo drive mechanism to effect operational control.
The machine tool of the present invention further comprises a variable frequency drive motor which operates the spindles of the machine tool. In this manner the rotational speed of the spindles is precisely controlled.
The machine tool of the present invention further comprises a servo-operated threading mechanism. The threading mechanism is operable at one or more workstations of the machine tool to provide threading of parts manufactured thereby.
The machine tool of the present invention further comprises a computer control system which controls and monitors the entire operation of the machine tool. In particular, the computer control system regulates the operation of the cam shaft and indexing servo mechanism, controls the operation of the threading servo mechanism, and controls the operation of the variable frequency spindle drive motor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the following Detailed Description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying Drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a top view of a machine tool incorporating the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side view of the machine tool of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a side view similar to FIG. 2 further illustrating certain components of the machine tool;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the spindle drive mechanism, the cam shaft and indexing servo drive mechanism, and a bracket assembly which supports the spindle drive mechanism and the cam shaft and indexing servo mechanism;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating the cam shaft and indexing servo drive mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a top view of the cam shaft and indexing servo drive mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating component parts of the indexing system of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating the servo threading mechanism of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating the spindle drive mechanism of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration of the control system of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a front view of the control panel of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a side view of the control panel of FIG. 11;
FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating the several modes of operation of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating the automatic operation sequence of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 15 is a flowchart illustrating the dry-run operation sequence of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 16 is a flowchart illustrating the single step operation sequence of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating the various operational menus which are utilized to set up, control, and diagnose the operation of the machine tool of the present invention;
FIG. 18 is flowchart illustrating the stock depletion operation sequence of the machine tool of the present invention; and
FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating the operation and control of the servo threading mechanism of FIG. 8 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring now to the Drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 and 2 thereof, there is shown a machine tool 30 incorporating the present invention. The machine tool 30 is of the type commonly known as a screw machine and includes a base or frame 32 comprising a pan 34 which serves as a coolant reservoir for the machine tool 30 .
A lubricating fluid pump assembly 40 is situated at one end of the machine tool 30 . The lubricating fluid pump assembly 40 functions to direct lubricating fluid to all of the operating components of the machine tool 30 . A coolant pump assembly 42 is located adjacent the lubricating fluid pump assembly 40 . The coolant pump assembly 42 functions to withdraw coolant from the pan 34 and to circulate coolant to all of the machining tools operated by the machine tool 30 .
The machine tool 30 includes a variable frequency spindle drive motor 44 and a servo drive motor 46 which operates the cam shafts and the indexing mechanism of the machine tool 30 . As is best shown in FIG. 34, the spindle drive motor 44 and the servomoter 46 are supported on a bracket 48 which is in turn supported by the base or frame 32 of the machine tool 30 .
Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6, the servomotor 46 is operatively connected to a gear box 56 which in turn drives a bevel gearset 58 through a coupling 60 .
The bevel gearset 58 directs operating power from the servomotor 46 to a drive shaft 66 and to a drive shaft 68 extending perpendicularly to the drive shaft 66 . The drive shaft 66 extends to a rear worm 70 which drives a gear 72 . The gear 72 causes rotation of an end cam shaft 74 which in turn rotates a plurality of tool spindle cams 76 .
The drive shaft 68 drives a front worm 80 which drives a gear 82 . The gear 82 in turn drives a side cam shaft 84 to cause rotation of a plurality of cross slide cams 86 and a locating cam 88 . The gear 82 also causes rotation of a chuck and feed cam 90 and an absolute encoder 92 .
FIG. 7 illustrates the indexing mechanism of the machine tool 30 . In addition to rotating the drive shaft 84 , the gear 82 which is driven by the worm 80 (not shown in FIG. 6) drives the operating component of a Geneva mechanism 100 . Thus, upon each complete revolution of the gear 82 , the Geneva mechanism 100 is advanced one segment which, in the case of the machine tool 30 , comprises ⅕ of the complete revolution.
A gear 102 is secured to the driven component of the Geneva mechanism 100 for rotation therewith. The gear 102 is mounted in mesh with a gear 104 which is secured to the spindle mechanism 106 of the machine tool 30 . The spindle mechanism 106 comprises five spindles. Thus, the Geneva mechanism 100 functions to sequentially advance each spindle of the spindle mechanism 106 from one workstation to the next.
A lever 108 is actuated by the locating cam 88 . The lever 108 has a jaw 110 at the distal end thereof. The locating cam 88 functions to selectively engage the jaw 110 with a plurality of teeth 112 projecting from the spindle mechanism 106 . In this manner locating cam 88 and the lever 108 function to engage the jaw 110 with the teeth 112 thereby precisely locating the spindle mechanism 106 at each workstation of the machine tool 30 .
Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 , and 8 , the machine tool 30 further includes a servo thread cutting assembly 120 . The servo thread cutting assembly 120 includes a servomotor 122 which drives a gear box 124 . The function of the servomotor 122 and the gear box 124 is to engage one or more thread cutting tools with one or more work pieces at one or more workstations comprising the machine tool 30 . In this manner, threads are cut in or on each work piece in accordance with the requirements of a particular machining operation. The gear box 124 is adapted to move the thread cutting tools into and out of engagement with the work piece at different speeds. Typically, disengagement of the thread cutting tools from the work pieces is carried out at a much faster rate as compared with the actual thread cutting operation.
Referring to FIG. 9, the machine tool 30 further includes a spindle drive assembly 130 . The variable frequency spindle drive motor 44 is operatively connected to a shaft 132 through a coupling 135 . The shaft 132 drives a gear 136 which drives a gear 138 . The gear 138 in turn drives a gear 140 which drives a ring gear 142 .
The ring gear 142 has an external portion which is driven by the gear 140 and an internal portion which drives a plurality of spindle gears 144 . The spindle gears 144 each drive a working spindle 146 . As will be understood by those skilled in the art, lengths of bar stock which are to be machined by the machine tool 30 extend through and are rotated by the working spindles 146 about longitudinal axes defined by the working spindles 146 .
Referring to FIGS. 10-19, inclusive, the machine tool 30 further comprises a control system 160 which controls both the speed of the working spindles motor and the speed rotation of the camshafts. By controlling these functions electronically, a greater range of feeds and speeds is achieved allowing optimization of the machine cycle, thus increasing throughput. The motion control system 160 consists of:
A Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) 162
A Machine Management Interface (MMI) 164
A 2-Axis Motion Module 166
The Servomotor 46
The Variable Frequency Spindle Drive Motor 44
The Servomotor 122
The PLC 162 monitors machine inputs and outputs, provides logic solve, and monitors tool-life counters and machine faults. Spare I/O is allocated for addition of short part detection, broken tool detection, and other options. The PLC 162 stores cycle data in a battery backed RAM which is passed to the MMI 164 and motion module 166 on machine power-up.
The MMI 164 allows selection of the various operational modes of the machine tool 30 , annunciates faults, sets/monitors servo positioning and feed-rate, sets/monitors spindle speeds, displays machine diagnostics, and simplifies programmability of the machine cycle.
The motion module 166 controls the profile and feed of the servo motor rotating the side and end camshafts and the speed of the main spindle based on numerical data entered via the MMI 164 .
The servomoter 46 drives the side and end camshafts 84 and 74 in a cyclic manner, cycling the machining tools through their profile. The use of the servomoter 46 eliminates the need for high/low speed and starting clutches. Positioning of the servomotor is tracked with the absolute encoder 92 .
The variable frequency spindle drive motor 44 controls the speed of the main spindle via input from the MMI, eliminating the need to change gears to achieve various speeds, as well as allowing for a greater range of speeds.
Referring to FIG. 13, the control system 160 provides seven modes of operation, selectable via the MMI 164 which are:
Continuous Jog
Incremental Jog
Automatic (Production Mode)
Dry-Run
Step
Setup
Diagnostic
The Continuous Jog Mode allows manual jogging of the side and end camshafts 84 and 74 at a predetermined speed set by the MMI 164 . Rotation of the camshafts allows the machining tools to move in and out over their cam profile. Jogging of the main spindle drive motor 44 is accomplished via a two-position selector switch on the MMI 164 .
The Incremental Jog Mode allows jogging of the side and end camshafts 84 and 74 to a preset value (set in cam hundredths) entered in the MMI 164 . Each time the Jog push button at the MMI 164 station is activated, the camshafts will increment the programmed distance.
The Automatic Mode (FIG. 14) is the production mode of the machine tool 30 . In this mode, the servomotor 46 cyclically performs the predetermined profile set via the MMI 164 , in turn cycling the machining tools through their cam profile. Automatic operation is initiated via the Cycle Start push button on the MMI 164 . The machine will continually cycle until the operator presses the Cycle Stop push button, which stops the cycle with the tools at the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths).
The Dry-Run Mode (FIG. 15) operates identically to Automatic Mode with the exception that the part and tool life counters are not incremented. The purpose of this mode is to allow warm up of the machine without cutting parts. This is achieved by lifting the collet latch and locking it in the raised position.
The Step Mode (FIG. 16) steps through the motions of a cycle, one at a time, to allow inspection of the part at each step of the process. Each time the Cycle Start push button is pressed, the cycle will step through the next move, retract the tools to a clear position, and then stop the spindles. At this time the setup person may open the cutting chamber door and visually inspect the parts in the spindle, making adjustments as required.
The Setup Mode allows the operator to enter data pertaining to the motion profile desired via the MMI 164 . Speeds, feeds, and positional information are specified, and then passed to the PLC 162 and motion module 166 for execution during the operating cycle.
The Diagnostic Mode allows access to items not normally required by the operator. Items such as machine parameters, I/O diagnostics, and drive parameters can be viewed/changed via this mode. Homing of the machine is also performed in this mode, but the use of an absolute encoder makes this necessary only when the servo motor 46 has been removed from the machine.
The positional units of the Servomotor 46 are specified in cam hundredths (3.6°). One complete rotation of the camshaft equates to 100-cam hundredths (360°). The working portion of the cycle (low speed) is between 92 and 59 cam hundredths. The indexing portion of the cycle (high speed) may be defined between 50 and 92.5 cam hundredths. The setup person will specify the working and indexing portions of the cycle by defining these positions in setup mode.
Machine Specifications
Electrical Specifications
1.
Incoming Power
230 VAC, 60 Amps, 3ø
2.
Control Voltage
24 VDC
Control System Specifications
1.
TSX Premium CPU (PLC)
TSX-P57102M
2.
26W Power Supply,110/220VAC
TSX-PSY2600M
3.
TSX Premium 6 Slot Rack
TSXRKYG
4.
2-Axis Motion Module
TSXCAY21
5.
16pt.24VDC Discrete Input Module
TSXDEY16D2
6.
16pt.24VDC Discrete Output Module
TSXDSY16T2
7.
Modbus Plus PCMCIA Card
TSX-MBP100
8.
I/O Module Terminal Strip (2)
TSXBLY01
9.
Magelis Operator Interface (MMI)
XBT-F011110
10.
Magelis PC Cable
XBT-Z915
11.
PLC Battery
TSXPLP01
Main Spindle Motor Specifications
1.
10HP Motor, 208/230/460VAC,1720 RPM Magnetek E357
2.
Altivar 58 10HP Variable Frequency Drive
ATV58HD12M2ZU
3.
Altivar 58 Modbus Plus Communication Card VW3-
A58302U
4.
Dynamic Breaking Resistor VW3-A66714
Side & End Camshaft Motor Specifications
1.
CGP34 Servomotor, 328 in-lbs
S76DE01P010
2.
M100D 20 A Cyberline Servo Drive
610MDC22031
3.
25′ CGP Power Cable
MC-PSSA-025
4.
25′ CGP Feedback Cable
MC-SSSA-025
All electrical controls are located in a 30″w×36″h× 12 ″d machine mounted electrical enclosure. The main operator MMI station 164 is a 20″w×20″h×12″d pendant capable of reaching the front and rear of the machine. Emergency stop push buttons are located permanently at the front and rear stations.
Machine I/O Specifications
Inputs:
Input Card Slot 1 :
%I 1 . 0 —Front Station Emergency Stop Push Button
%Il. 1 —Rear Station Emergency Stop Push Button
%I 1 . 2 —MMI Station Emergency Stop Push Button
%I 1 . 3 —Cycle Start Push Button
%I 1 . 4 —Cycle Stop Push Button
%I 1 . 5 —Spindle Jog Selector Switch
%I 1 . 6 —Spare
%I 1 . 7 —Spare
%I 1 . 8 —Coolant/Mist Collector On
%I 1 . 9 —Coolant/Mist Collector Overload Tripped
%I 1 . 10 —Attachment Motor On (Optional)
%I 1 . 11 —Attachment Motor Overload Tripped (Optional)
%I 1 . 12 —Spare
%I 1 . 13 —Spare
%I 1 . 14 —Spare
%I 1 . 15 —Spare
Input Card Slot 2 :
%I 2 . 0 —Low Lube Switch
%I 2 . 1 —Coolant Pressure OK
%I 2 . 2 —Lube Pressure OK
%I 2 . 3 —Broken CutOff Switch
%I 2 . 4 —Rear Cam Switch (Servo Home)
%I 2 . 5 —Stock Depletion Switch (Optional)
%I 2 . 6 —Broken Tool Detect Switch (Optional)
% 12 . 7 —Short Part Detected Signal (Optional)
%I 2 . 8 —Collet Latch Raised Switch
%I 2 . 9 —Collet Latch Lowered Switch
%I 2 . 10 —Spare
%I 2 . 11 —Spare
%I 2 . 12 —Spare
%I 2 . 13 —Spare
%I 2 . 14 —Spare
%I 2 . 15 —Spare
Inputs Via Modbus Plus MMI:
%M—Lube Start/Stop Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
%M—Coolant Start/Stop Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
%M—Jog “+” Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
%M—Jog “−” Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
%M—Fault Reset Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
%M—Main Motor On (from Spindle Drive via MB+)
%M—Main Motor Overload Tripped (from Spindle Drive via MB+)
%M—Short Part Bypass Push Button (from Magelis via MB+)
Output Card Slot 3 :
%Q 3 . 0 —Machine Not In Cycle Stack Light (Red)
%Q 3 . 1 —Machine Fault Stack Light (Yellow)
%Q 3 . 2 —Machine In Cycle Stack Light (Green)
%Q 3 . 3 —Lube Motor Start Relay
%Q 3 . 4 —Coolant/Mist Collector Contactor
%Q 3 . 5 —Attachment Motor Contactor (Optional)
%Q 3 . 6 —Collet Latch Raise Solenoid
%Q 3 . 7 —Programmable Air Blast Solenoid (Optional)
%Q 3 . 8 —Short Part “Read” Signal (Optional)
%Q 3 . 9 —Short Part “Reset” Signal (Optional)
%Q 3 . 10 —Spare
%Q 3 . 11 —Spare
%Q 3 . 12 —Spare
%Q 3 . 13 —Spare >%Q 3 . 14 —Spare
%Q 3 . 15 —Spare
Machine Operation
Machine Software
The motion application includes initialization, manual operation, automatic operation and exception processing. Upon system power up, the motion controller initializes all system parameters according to the values held before power down by polling the PLC register database. Once initialization has been completed, a mode of operation is selected via the MMI. FIG. 12 displays the various mode selections available.
The PLC 162 processes I/O and solves logic for power distribution, air, lubrication, safety interlocks, cycle counters, cycle timers, and mode selection. A portion of the ladder logic is devoted to deriving process signals to interlock and coordinate the ladder logic and motion programs.
Referring to FIGS. 11 and 12, the MMI 164 is the means of controlling the machine. The MMI 164 is located on a pendant arm, which rotates from the front to the rear of the machine. Via the MMI control panel, the operator can:
Select machine modes of operation.
Edit, store, and view various machine parameters.
Access full system fault monitoring.
Access help screens available within the MMI.
Continuous Jog Mode
When “Continuous Jog Mode” is selected, “Continuous Jog” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the control is in “Continuous Jog Mode”. While the control is in “Continuous Jog” the jog buttons on the MMI 164 become active, and the “Cycle Start” and “Cycle Stop” push buttons become inactive. In this mode, the operator can jog either the cam axis via push buttons or the main spindle via selector switch on the MMI 164 . Speeds of the cam axis and main spindle are set in the machine parameters.
By pressing the “Jog +” or “Jog −” push button, the cam axis will continually jog at a parameter set speed in the respective direction, until the push button is released.
Also while in “Continuous Jog”, the “Spindle Run-Stop” selector switch is active. When this switch is in the “Run” position, the work spindles will continually revolve at a parameter set speed, until returning the switch to the “Stop” position.
Incremental Jog Mode
When “Incremental Jog Mode” is selected, “Incremental Jog” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the control is in “Incremental Jog Mode”. While the control is in “Incremental Jog” the jog buttons on the MMI 164 become active, and the “Cycle Start” and “Cycle Stop” push buttons become inactive. In this mode, the operator can jog either the cam axis via push buttons or the main spindle via selector switch on the MMI 164 . Speeds of the cam axis and main spindle are set in the machine parameters.
In this mode, the operator enters the desired jog increment for the cam axis in the MMI 164 (in cam hundredths), and then presses either the “Jog +” or “Jog −” push button. The cam axis will move the programmed jog increment in the respective direction and stop.
The spindle jog functions in the same manner as it does in “Continuous Jog”. With the “Spindle Run-Stop” selector switch in the “Run” position, the work spindles will continually revolve at a parameter set speed, until returning the switch to the “Stop” position.
Auto Mode (FIG. 14)
When “Automatic Mode” is selected, “Auto Mode” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the controller is in “Auto Mode”. While the control is in “Auto Mode”, the jog buttons on the MMI 164 become inactive, and the “Cycle Start” and “Cycle Stop” push buttons become active. Provided valid cycle data has been entered and initial conditions exist, the machine cycle will commence once the “Cycle Start” push button is activated.
The cycle starts by reversing the cam axis at jog speed to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths). The main spindle is then commanded to cycle speed. Once the spindle reaches speed, the cam axis will move to the work position at jog speed, and then begin the profile specified by the cycle data. The servo speeds used for the two parts of the cycle are calculated based upon the values entered for the “Work Position”, “Work Time”, “Index Position”, and “Index Time”.
The machine cycles through the specified profile, incrementing the “Parts Cut” and “Tool Life” counters, until one of the following conditions occur:
An “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated.
The “Cycle Stop” push button is actuated.
The “Parts Cut” counter reaches its preset value.
The “Tool Life” counter reaches its preset value.
A fault condition exists.
When an “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated, all motion ceases immediately. Actuation of the “Cycle Stop” push button, the “Parts Cut” counter reaching its preset value, or the “Tool Life” counter reaching its preset value all cause the machine to stop at the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths). Depending on the severity of the fault condition, the machine may return to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths), or motion may cease immediately.
Dry-Run Mode (FIG. 15)
When “Dry-Run Mode” is selected, “Dry-Run” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the controller is in “Dry-Run Mode”. While the control is in “Dry Run”, the jog buttons on the MMI 164 become inactive, and the “Cycle Start” and “Cycle Stop” push buttons become active. Provided valid cycle data has been entered and initial conditions exist, the machine cycle will commence once the “Cycle Start” push button is activated. This cycle is intended to warm the machine up before going into production.
Unlike “Auto Mode”, in “Dry Run” the collet latch mechanism on the chuck and feed cam is raised via solenoid so that stock will not be fed to the machine. The cycle starts by reversing the cam axis at jog speed to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths), if necessary. The main spindle is then commanded to cycle speed. Once the spindle reaches speed, the cam axis will move to the work position at jog speed, and then begin the profile specified by the cycle data. The servo speeds used for the two parts of the cycle are calculated based upon the values entered for the “Work Position”, “Work Time”, “Index Position”, and “Index Time”.
The machine will continually cycle through the specified profile identical to “Auto Mode”, but the controller will not increment the “Parts Cut” or “Tool Life” counters. The cycle will continue until one of the following conditions occur:
An “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated.
The “Cycle Stop” push button is actuated.
A fault condition exists.
When an “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated, all motion ceases immediately. Actuation of the “Cycle Stop” push bottom causes the machine to stop at the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths). Depending on the severity of the fault condition, the machine may return to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths), or motion may cease immediately.
Step Mode (FIG. 16)
When “Step Mode” is selected, “Step Mode” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the controller is in “Step Mode”. While the control is in “Step”, the jog buttons on the MMI 164 become inactive, and the “Cycle Start” and “Cycle Stop” push buttons become active. Provided valid cycle data has been entered and initial conditions exist, the machine cycle will commence once the “Cycle Start” push button is activated. This cycle allows the operator to inspect the part at each step of the process.
Similar to “Auto Mode”, the cycle starts by reversing the cam axis at jog speed to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths). The main spindle is then commanded to cycle speed. Once the spindle reaches speed, the cam axis will move to the work position at jog speed, and then begin the profile specified by the cycle data. The servo speeds used for the two parts of the cycle are calculated based upon the values entered for the “Work Position”, “Work Time”, “Index Position”, and “Index Time”.
The machine cycles through one rotation of the cam axis, performing the specified profile, and then stops, allowing the operator to inspect the part. By reactivating the “Cycle Start” push button, the machine will pass through another rotation of the cam axis and stop. This is continued until the operator is satisfied that all tools are properly set. The controller will not increment the “Parts Cut” or “Tool Life” counters in this mode.
Operation of the machine in Step Mode continues until:
An “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated.
The “Cycle Stop” push button is actuated.
A fault condition exists.
When an “Emergency Stop” push button is actuated, all motion ceases immediately. Actuation of the “Cycle Stop” push bottom causes the machine to stop at the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths). Depending on the severity of the fault condition, the machine may return to the cycle start position (75 cam hundredths), or motion may cease immediately.
Setup Mode (FIG. 17)
When “Setup Mode” is selected, “Setup Mode” is displayed on the MMI 164 to indicate the controller is in “Setup Mode”. The machine cycle is controlled via parameter input to the MMI 164 . When the control is in “Setup Mode”, these values may be changed. Valid data must be entered in these parameters before the machine cycle is allowed. Listed below, are the seven parameters related to the machine cycle:
Work Position—the position at which the control commands the cam axis to work speed (cutting speed).
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Work Time—the amount of time for the cam axis to travel between the “Work Position” and “Index Position”.
Minimum Value: 0.40 seconds
Maximum Value: 60.00 seconds
Index Position—the position at which the control commands the cam axis to index speed.
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Index Time—the amount of time for the cam axis to travel between the “Index Position” and “Work Position”.
Minimum Value: 0.40 seconds
Maximum Value: 2.00 seconds
Main Spindle Speed—the speed at which the spindles will turn during cycle.
Minimum Value: 200 RPM
Maximum Value: 4000 RPM
Stock Position—the position at which the machine will stop when stock depletion is sensed.
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Stock Depletion Check Position—the position at which the machine will check if stock depletion is sensed.
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Air Blast Start Position (Optional)—the position at which the optional programmable air blast will start.
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Air Blast Stop Position (Optional)—the position at which the optional programmable air blast will stop.
Minimum Value: 0.0 cam hundredths
Maximum Value: 99.9 cam hundredths
Parts to Cut—the number of parts to cut for this job. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life End Spindle #1 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for End Spindle #1. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life Cross Slide #1 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for Cross Slide #1. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life End Spindle #2 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for End Spindle #2. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life Cross Slide #2 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for Cross Slide #2. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life End Spindle #3 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for End Spindle #3. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life Cross Slide #3 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for Cross Slide #3. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life End Spindle #4 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for End Spindle #4. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life Cross Slide #4 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for Cross Slide #4. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life End Spindle #5 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for End Spindle #5. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Tool Life Cross Slide #5 Counter—the number of parts before checking tool wear for Cross Slide #5. Cycle will stop upon reaching this value.
Minimum Value: 1
Maximum Value: 99999999
Machine Parameters
Cam Axis Jog Speed—the speed at which the cam axis will jog.
Main Spindle Jog Speed—the speed at which the main spindle motor will jog.
Absolute Encoder Offset—the number of encoder counts required to zero the cam axis.
Cam Axis Home Position—home position of the cam axis.
Cam Axis Start Position—the cam axis will travel in reverse to this position at cycle start.
Cam Axis Torque Limit—torque limit of the cam axis.
Main Spindle Gear Ratio—the gear ratio between the main spindle motor and the center shaft.
Short Part Read Position (Optional)—the position which sends the “read” signal to the short part detector option.
Maintenance Timer Preset—the time interval in hours at which routine maintenance is required. The machine will automatically interrupt cycle upon reaching the timer preset.
Tool Life Warning Period—the number of parts desired as a pre-warning period before cycle is interrupted by the tool life counter.
Machine Diagnostics (FIG. 17 )
Operator Prompting and System Fault Monitoring
The lower portion of the MMI 164 has been reserved for operator prompts and fault annunciation. Upon occurrence of any fault or operator prompt, the system will immediately display a message on the MMI 164 . The operator can clear the message by pressing the “Message Reset” push button. If the condition still exists, the message will reappear until cleared by the operator.
While the cam axis is moving, whether it is in jog or automatic operation, the controller will constantly monitor the torque commanded to the motor. If the torque exceeds the “Torque Limit” parameter, a fault will occur and immediately halt the cam axis and shut down the main spindle.
Counters and Timers (FIG. 17)
The control system of the machine is equipped with various counters and timers to monitor tool life, parts cut, maintenance time, etc. This menu appears when the “Counter Menu” soft key in the “Diagnostic Menu” is pressed. The counters and timers available are as follows:
Parts Counter A—is a general purpose counter that will simply count the total parts cut since the last time it was reset. The counter resets via soft key. The operator may use this counter for anything desired.
Parts Counter B—is a general purpose counter that will simply count the total parts cut since the last time it was reset. The counter resets via soft key. The operator may use this counter for anything desired.
Parts Remaining Counter—displays the number of parts remaining to cut for the active job. The counter is set at compile to the value entered in the “Parts to Cut” parameter, and will count down from that value. The counter resets via soft key.
Cycle Timer—displays the cycle time of parts cut on the machine.
Maintenance Timer—displays the time interval in hours since routine maintenance was last performed. The machine will automatically interrupt the cycle upon reaching the timer preset which is set in the machine parameters. The timer resets via soft key.
Total Hours of Operation Timer—displays the total hours the machine has been under automatic operation. This timer will not reset.
Tool Life Counter—displays the number of parts remaining to cut before checking tool wear. The counter is set at compile to the value entered in the “Tool Life Counter” parameter, and will count down from that value. A pre-warning period (set by the “Tool Life Warning Period” parameter) is specified to prompt the operator that the cycle is about to be interrupted. The counter resets via soft key.
Referring to FIG. 18, there is shown the stock depletion operation sequence of the control system 160 of the machine tool 30 . When the bar stock which is utilized in the operation of the machine tool 30 becomes depleted, the stock depletion operation sequence illustrated in FIG. 18 functions to interrupt operation of the machine tool 30 to allow the depleted stock to be replaced. When replacement of the depleted stock has been accomplished, the stock depletion operation sequence monitors the operation of the machine tool 30 until a stock depletion condition is again recognized, whereupon the sequence is repeated.
FIG. 19 illustrates the control system for the servo thread cutting assembly 120 which is illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 , and 8 , and described hereinabove in conjunction therewith. As will be apparent from FIG. 19, the control system 160 of the machine tool 30 does not permit simultaneous turning and tapping of the same part. It is possible, however, to simultaneously turn one part and tap a second part, or to simultaneously turn both parts, or to simultaneously tap both parts. All of the foregoing operations are regulated and controlled in accordance with the provisions illustrated in FIG. 19 .
OPERATION
Referring to FIG. 9, operation of the machine tool 30 begins with the installation of bar stock in the five working spindles 146 . Each length of bar stock is retained by conventional collet stock. From time to time the lengths of bar stock are moved longitudinally relative to the working spindles 146 by conventional stock pushers. The lengths of bar stock received in the working spindles 146 are rotated about their longitudinal axes by the variable frequency spindle drive motor 44 with the speed of rotation being determined by the programming of the control system 160 of the machine tool 30 .
Referring to FIG. 5, the lengths of bar stock received in the working spindles 146 extend parallel to the cam shaft 84 and perpendicular to the cam shaft 74 . The servomotor 46 operates the cam shaft 84 to effect rotation of the cams 86 . The cams 86 operate levers which in turn carry tooling adapted to effect machining of the bar stock. That is, the cams 86 operate through their respective levers to move the tooling into and out of engagement with the bar stock as the bar stock is rotated by the spindle drive motor 44 . In this manner the external surfaces of the lengths of bar stock are machined in accordance with the requirements of a particular machine operation.
Similarly, the cams 76 are rotated by the cam shaft 74 under the action of the servomotor 46 . The cams 76 operate levers which carry tooling suitable for the machining of the lengths of bar stock received in the working spindles 146 . For the most part the tooling carried by the levers which are actuated by the cam 76 is utilized to perform drilling, tapping and other internal machining operations, it being understood that both the tooling carried by the levers which are actuated by the cams 86 and the tooling carried by the levers which are actuated by the cams 76 are adapted for a wide variety of machining operations all of which are well known in the art.
Referring to FIG. 7, the servomotor 46 also operates the indexing mechanism of the machine tool 30 . Thus, during each complete revolution of the cam shaft 84 , the indexing mechanism functions to index the spindle mechanism 106 one step. After five successive steps, the spindle mechanism 106 has been returned to its original positioning. In this manner the five lengths of bar stock which are carried by the working spindles 146 are successfully moved through five workstations comprising the machining tool 30 .
The servomotor 46 also rotates the chuck and feed cam 90 . The function of the chuck and feed cam 90 is to open the chucks or collets which hold the bar stock being machined and to activate the stock pushers, thereby positioning fresh bar stock for machining.
Although preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated in the accompanying Drawings and described in the foregoing Detailed Description, it will be understood that the invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed but is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions of parts and elements without departing from the spirit of the invention.
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A machine tool has a cam shaft and indexing drive mechanism which is driven by a servomotor and is therefore adapted for operation within a wide range of operational parameters. An encoder mechanism provides feedback to the servo drive mechanism to effect operational control. The machine tool further comprises a variable frequency drive motor which operates the spindles of the machine tool independently of the cam shaft and indexing drive. A servo-operated threading mechanism is operable at one or more workstations of the machine tool to provide threading of parts manufactured thereby. A computer control system controls and monitors the entire operation of the machine tool.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to electrical communication systems and in particular to a novel digital communication system.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In digital communication transmission systems where heavily disturbed propagation conditions exist such as multipath propagation, the range is approximately inversely proportional to the magnitude of the bit rate to be transmitted. The critical situation which determines the range is represented by the total information destruction which as a result of the difference in transit times produced by the direct wave and the reflected carrier waves cause the signals to arrive in phase opposition at the receiver and mutually cancel one another. In a wide range preceeding this critical condition, partial information losses occur due to distortions of transit time and amplitude which give rise to very high error rates in the transmission media.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to correct and provide an improved transmission system where direct and multipath distortion occurs so as to provide an improvement in the range of digital communication systems using frequency modulation in particular between mobile stations and under constantly changing propagation conditions.
The present invention utilizes a system for the reception of digital communication signals which are impressed in the form of frequency modulation on a carrier in a reflective propagation medium for use in particular with mobile stations, long distance traffic and scatter beam connections and the invention provides that normal information losses which occur by phase and amplitude distortions are automatically detected depending upon their origin in two supplementary arrangements, one of which consists of a frequency discriminator which is followed by a device for the recognition of interference peaks caused by reflection distortions and a circuit which compensates said interference peaks. In addition, an amplitude demodulator is connected in parallel with the frequency demodulator in another branch and the outputs of the two demodulators are supplied to a change-over switch which is controlled by an amplitude modulation analyzing device and which with detection of an amplitude modulation of a sufficient value switches the amplitude demodulator and with detectable frequency modulation switches the frequency discriminator and interference peak detector in each case to a common output. Furthermore, the output of the AM demodulator is followed by a polarization inverter which is controlled by a polarization integrator and reverses the AM demodulation product depending upon the magnitude of the FM demodulation product to produce a polarity correct AM demodulation signal.
The receiving system results in considerable improvement in the transmission quality and range of digitalized communication systems utilizing binary frequency modulation.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of certain preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings although variations and modifications may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts of the disclosure and in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plot of the resulting signal and the phase resulting from direct and reflected waves in a communication media,
FIGS. 2a through 2c are graphs showing the comparison between the originally existing digital data flow and the interference function;
FIGS. 3a, 3b and 3c are plots of the signals at different points verses time;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating a blanking method;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a blanking circuit using sample hold;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the circuit of an overall arrangement according to the invention;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a coincidence circuit and a polarity integrator;
FIG. 8 illustrates an oscillogram of the FM and AM data flow;
FIG. 9 illustrates sample FM and AM waves;
FIG. 10 illustrates sample FM and AM waves;
FIG. 11 illustrates sample FM and AM waves;
FIG. 12 is a electrical diagram illustrating a distortion corrector;
FIGS. 13a through 13g illustrate wave forms in different portions of the circuitry;
FIG. 14 is a block diagram of a static distortion corrector; and
FIGS. 15a through 15f illustrate waveforms occurring in different portions of the circuitry.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Nearly all radio communication systems depending upon the topograhic features are subject to multipath wave propagation which in particular when mobile transmission of digital frequency modulation data occurs particularly utilizing omnidirectional antennae causes serious reception disturbances under certain circumstances. This is because the wave fronts emitted from the transmitting antenna arrive at the receiving antenna with different transit times between the direct and the reflected waves which may come from different directions. As a result of the vectorial addition of these wave fronts at the reception point, the antenna base voltage is subject to amplitude and phase response which is dependent both upon the frequency and location and maxima and minima occur. Due to the distortions and energy reductions which these cause, the energy distribution results in a loss of signal which prevents reading out the digital information for many frequencies and locations.
When considering a fundamental explanation of distortions caused by multipath propagation, it is expedient to first fix the geographic positions of the transmitter and receiver. This allows the location-dependent energy distribution to be disregarded and merely the frequency-dependent energy distribution remains.
As soon as the transit time differences of the wave fronts arriving at the reception location of the direct beam U d and the indirect beam U u fall into the order of the bit duration (approximately Δt=0.1 to 0.7.t bit ), the frequency between the minima of the distribution characteristic becomes so small that the energy of the reception signal can fluctuate virtually arbitrarily within the modulation range with the modulation rate and depending upon the radio frequency ω o t and the depth of the minima. These energy fluctuations which are produced by the vectorial addition of the incoming signals and which are eliminated in the amplitude limiter of the receiving system prior to demodulation consist of rapid phase changes in the resultant signal which inevitably occur during the vectorial addition. Of course, it is not possible to suppress these rapid phase changes by means of the amplitude limiter and consequently they produce a bit-synchronous interference modulation at the output of the FM demodulator. The extent of this interference modulation can exceed the useful modulation by multiple integers and, thus, prevent the useful modulation from being correctly read out of the system.
The maximum phase speed of the resultant vector occurs in the minimum of the distribution characteristic and the size of the minimum determines the maximum speed of the vector. In the critical situation with selective total cancellation it can be arbitrary.
Depending upon whether the minimum is located within the deviation range which is defined by the two angular frequencies or is located outside of the two angular frequencies, two interference situations occur which exhibit characteristic differences.
(a) Minimum outside the deviation range
When the minimum lies outside the deviation range but in the vicinity of one of the two angular frequencies the reception energy will be relatively low at this angular frequency. The reception energy at the second angular frequency on the other hand must inevitably be higher since it lies closer to the next maximum. As a result of this ratio, prior to limiting the reception signal exhibits a clearly defined bitsynchronous amplitude modulation which has a polarity which is either identical to or inverted relative to the original modulation signal depending upon the position of the minimum. The limitation which normally takes place prior to the demodulation in frequency modulation, suppresses this amplitude modulation and, consequently, such modulation does not appear at the output of the demodulator. On the other hand, the phase change which occurs in the vicinity of the minimum in the event of a signal change, and which is manifest as a large signal distortion at the output of the demodulator is present at the output of the demodulation.
An extremely cricital situation of the operating behaviour is achieved when the energy undershoots the internal noise of the receiver at one of the angular frequencies. This is frequently the case when the radio sytem operates in the vicinity of the critical sensitivity or the minimum lies directly on the angular frequency and is very low which results in selective total extinction. As a result of the negative signal to noise ratio at one of the angular frequencies, instead of all of the intelligence corresponding to this angular frequency such as the zeros or ones being detected merely noise occurs at the limiter and demodulator output. The signal which has been demodulated by the FM demodulator thus becomes unuseable. However, here again the reception signal exhibits a bit-synchronous amplitude modulation prior to the limiter.
The duration of the state of noise at the demodulator output in each case corresponds to the character sequence of the modulation data flow. As during a character which lasts for longer than one bit and which has the same content (zero or one) there is no change in the receiving frequency and the same frequency arrives at the location of the receiver via all transmitting routes and, consequently, this state is retained unchanged until the next character change and this situation is referred to as "static". Signal losses which are due to this hypothetical assumption are referred to as "static extinctions" in the following description.
(b) The state at which the minimum lies at the angular frequency is defined as static extinction. This definition also applies when the extinction point lies within the deviation range but is still close to the angular frequency since the deviation alteration speed of the soft keying which is usually employed for reasons of frequency economy (cos 2 -transition) is very low in the vicinity of the angular frequencies. However, as soon as the minimum noticeably approaches the center of the deviation range, the conditions change as follows:
(1) The phase change speed in the minimum becomes very high. The resultant instantaneous frequency displacement at the limiter and demodulator output likewise becomes very large and reaches a multiple of the useful deviation range. The duration of the displacement is dependent upon the modulation speed and the relative depth of the minimum. As this correlationship means that the duration of the displacement must always be shorter than the bit duration, the displacement within a modulation character (bit) is manifest as a peak which has a size and definition dependent upon the depth of the minimum. More than one peak can occur within one character.
However, the distortion peaks do not inevitably occur within each individual bit but only in the event of a character change as it is only in this situation that the deviation range is passed through. For this reason these distortions of the demodulated output signal are referred to as "dynamic distortions".
(2) As soon as the minimum noticeably approaches the middle frequency, the definition of the bit-synchronous amplitude modulation prior to the limiter is lost.
According to the invention, it is proposed to avoid the loss of the possibility of reading out the reception signal which occurs as a result of static extinction by employing the bit-synchronous amplitude modulation which occurs prior to the limiter in an arrangement suitable for this purpose--the static distortion corrector--and further to avoid the loss of the read-out capability which occurs as a result of the dynamic extinction by blanking the peaks in an arrangement which is suitable for this purpose--the dynamic distortion corrector--both of which are later described.
FIG. 1 illustrates three individual clearly defined situations I, II and III. Situation I is defined as the situation where the resultant vector of the reception signal U res passes through a minimum at the middle radio frequency fm and is approximately equal to the two angular frequencies of the deviation f 0 and f 1 . As soon as the instantaneous frequency f approaches the middle frequency fm in addition to the decrease of the resultant amplitude U res , the associated phase rotation φ res exhibits a corresponding phase jump. This relatively short phase jump occurs within the modulation spectrum an inevitably manifests itself as an instantaneous frequency displacement (dφ/dt) or corresponding transit time distortions (dφ/df) and indicates an interference function which is superimposed upon the original modulation function and which occurs with every digital character change. A digital character change in each case passes through the entire deviation range.
FIGS. 2a through 2c illustrate a comparison between the originally existing digital data flow (binary frequency modulation with associated data flow shown at the top in FIG. 2a) and the interference function with modulation shown in FIG. 2b which occurs on the occurrence of the interference according to situation I. It is to be observed that the deviation peaks which occur in the frequency demodulator illustrated in FIG. 2c exceed greatly the voltage values of the so-called angular frequencies f 0 and f 1 thus and the maximum deviation. However, the illustration of situation I in FIG. 1 itself shows that the information character can readily be read out particularly at the interrogation points in each case in the center of a bit.
The conditions take a serious turn if the middle frequency f m is altered and changed to the value of f m '. This is a situation II illustrated in FIG. 1 which is synchronous with a low by-pass change (less than 2) compared to the situation I. Now the loss of intelligence and the amplitude minimum occur at the angular frequency of F 1 ' and it is in this condition that the modulation function exhibits a reversal point (relatively low phase change speed) and no noticeable interference functions occur in this case. However, it is far more serious because as a result of the noticeable reduction in the reception voltage, the signal to noise ratio is decreased and in many cases becomes negative in other words undershoots the minimum reception level of the receiver. This results in an immediate loss of the possibility of reading out of the digital characters (one) and the resultant intermediate error rate at the output of the FM demodulator becomes very high.
However, in terms of amplitude the character can basically be read out because with all "zero characters" (f 0 ' in FIG. 1) the reception level is definitely higher than at f m '.
Situations I and II illustrated in FIG. 1 represent two basic types of distortion which in the following discussion relate to the situation I (extinction between the angular frequencies and consequently distortions only in the event of a character change) are designated as "dynamic extinction". Where these relate to situation II (extinction at the angular frequency and, thus, loss of the possibility of reading out one of the two digital characters which lasts until the next character change) these are referred to as "static extinction".
By its nature, static extinction can occur only when one of the two angular frequencies is located relatively close or exactly at the extinction point. On the other hand, dynamic extinction occurs as soon as the point of extinction lies between the angular frequencies f 0 and f 1 . As a result, dynamic extinction and static extinction constantly merge with one another as a result of the change in the position of the spectrum minimum.
A relatively non-problematic situation occurs in multipath propagation during operation at the middle frequency f m directly at the addition point, in other words, in the situation III of FIG. 1. In this condition, neither noticeable amplitude distortions nor transit time distortions occur within the angular frequencies f 0 " and f 1 ". The frequency modulated signal is practically undistorted in this case.
The conditions illustrated in FIG. 1 apply to fixed locations of transmitter and receiver and represent a frequency dependent amplitude and phase distribution. Generally, it can be noted that the conditions remain constant at one frequency for the duration of a conversation provided only fixed location reflectors and no mobile reflectors (in other words aircraft) are participating in the propagation. In the case of mobile operation, in addition to the frequency distribution of the amplitude and phase characteristics there is also a noticeable spatial distribution of these parameters on land. The spatial distribution is directly related to the wavelength of the radio frequency. Therefore, in a critical situation the distance between two minima corresponds to half of the wavelength (in other words, f=300 MHz=λ/2=0.5 m) and the antenna of a vehicle moving at 36 km/sec.=10 m/sec will accordingly pass through 20 minima per second. In order to obtain a reasonable picture of the distortion results, it is expedient in FIG. 1 to replace the frequency axis by a time axis and to displace the modulation band f 0 and f 1 illustrated in I, towards the right at such a speed that the times required to pass through an amplitude and phase wave amount to 1/20 sec. and 20 such waves are passed through at a uniform speed per second. It follows from the above results, that in moving operations the cases taken in FIG. 1 of static and dynamic extinctions (I and situation II) and also the situation III in which no FM distortion occurs merge with one another in a rapid succession corresponding to the passage of the spatial distribution and are repeated with a corresponding periodicity.
A process will be described in which it is substantially assured that the digital characters can be recognized in each of the situations I, II and III. It has been assumed that a distortion correction process is to be provided which is not only economical but in particular is technically capable to instantaneously recognize and to compensate the configurations of the propagation mechanisms automatically and exclusively at the location of the equipment during the course of the normal information transmission. The advantage of such an arrangement is obvious in that as a result of the system control it is not necessary to interrupt the data flow since no test transmission is required. This dispenses with the need for measuring test transmissions at the transmitter. Therefore, the instantaneous recognition of the effects of the propagation situation can be carried out only at the receiver. FIG. 1 situation I will first be considered to explain the base-band-freqency correction facilities relating to dynamic extinction. As defined, the extinction point lies between the angular frequency f 0 and f 1 . The effects of the extinction point can be seen in FIG. 3a which clearly indicates that in this case the interference function represents a frequency jump which occurs only in the event of a character change. This frequency jump occurs periodically with 0 1-sequences and considerably impedes the analysis of individual bits since it changes their energy content and, thus, produces a shift relative to longer zero or one sequences. This shift is independent of whether integrating or band limiting means are employed for further signal analysis and regeneration.
In order to avoid the undesired energy components in the demodulated signal which are produced by the phase jumps it is possible to employ a blanking method such as illustrated in FIG. 4. FIG. 4 illustrates a limit value switch GS which is connected to an input FM signal contact and the limit value switch GS is actuated whenever a specific limit value such as the normal deviation range value of f 0 or f 1 is overshot. The normal frequency modulated signal is present at the input of the limit value switch and the blanked signal is present at the output. As a result of the blanking, a reduction to zero occurs where a large signal peak previously existed as illustrated in FIG. 3b. In this manner, although the peak is avoided, the energy component withdrawn from the individual bit is generally too great and does not exclude signal analysis errors. A better arrangement consists of a circuit such as illustrated in FIG. 5 wherein on the overshooting of the above mentioned peak value such value is stored in a sample hold circuit SH which is connected at the output of the limit value switch GS and for the duration of the overshooting of the limit value is substituted in the gap formed during the blanking process. As a limit value switch exhibits a low response delay, the specimen of the reception signal which is to be stored is fed through a delay line Δt to the sample hold circuit. During this time, the change-over switch US is switched to the sample hold circuit and consequently is no longer present to receive the direct signal input. The result of this method is illustrated in the graph of FIG. 3c.
Thus, dynamic extinction correction would initially appear to be a satisfactory solution. However, this method fails in the case of static extinction (extinction of the angular frequency) since in this case no deviation range peak occurs.
Before the possibility of correcting the static extinction is discussed, the characteristics of the substitution method outside the static and dynamic extinction range will be explained. The standard situation in this respect is illustrated in situation III in FIG. 1 and it is to be noted the demodulated FM signal possesses no peaks which occur merely with dynamic extinction. Thus, the limit value switch is not actuated and in this case the unchanged directly switched through input signal is present at the output of the corrector in the substitution method.
This relatively simple arrangement itself facilitates automatic distortion correction which adapts to the corresponding instantaneous operating state in the range of the dynamic extinction and outside of the static extinction simultaneously and without time delay.
In order that dynamic extinction may be controlled it is necessary to observe the following: as soon as, during frequency modulation, extinction occurs at the angular frequency and, thus, the minimum reception level is undershot at this frequency, all distortion correcting processes based on FM distortion correction fail. Previous conclusions regarding FM distortion correction were based on the assumption that on account of the amplitude limitation prior to the frequency demodulation only the phase distortion is of interest. However, if one considers the amplitude response prior to the limiter in the case of static extinction, such as occurs in situation II, it can be seen that whenever the frequency f 0 ' is reached, the intermediate frequency voltage reaches the maximum value whereas in the case of extinction when the frequency f 1 ' is reached it attains the minimum value. Consequently, and obviously analyzable amplitude modulation which corresponds to the digital character sequence occurs in the intermediate signal prior to the limiter. In other words, this means that whenever static extinction occurs in accordance with the frequency modulation, the amplitude modulation of the unlimited and intermediate frequency signal is the most marked.
However, the occurrence of a correct amplitude modulation does not produce any information regarding its analysis. On the one hand, a serious difficulty consists in that the values of the intermediate frequency voltage can fluctuate by approximately 80 dB, in other words, the analyzable amplitude modulation is sufficiently high with a high IF voltage but is very low with a low IF voltage. It is in fact in the case of low intermediate frequency voltages that analysis is most desirable. This disadvantage can be overcome by providing a negatively logarithmic amplifier having a high dynamic range in a parallel arm to the frequency demodulator together with a series connected amplitude limiter. The series connected amplitude limiter is followed by a AM demodulator which has an output that emits a peak to peak voltage which corresponds to the logarithm of the degree of modulation which is independent of the absolute reception level.
Another problem exists in that with static extinction (extinction at one of the angular frequencies) two different states inevitably exist:
(a) Extinction at the angular frequency f 0 which corresponds to the digital zero. In this case, the amplitude modulation is in phase with the digital character sequence.
(b) Extinction at the angular frequency f 1 which corresonds to the digital one. Here the amplitude modulation is opposed in phase to the digital character sequence. Thus, when necessary, a suitable criteria must be made available for the correct analysis of the amplitude modulation.
If the two described analyses of the amplitude and frequency modulations are carried out at the same time, a maximum degree of speed, simplicity and economy are provided in the distortion correction for propagation disturbances. Practical measurements made on apparatus according to the present invention have completely confirmed this fact.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of the overall arrangement of the invention consisting of a IF section and a demodulation section as well as a dynamic distortion corrector, the static distortion corrector and the data analysis unit.
The IF and demodulation section DE forms part of a conventional receiver and is shown only in diagram form. The IF input signal is supplied to the IF's ZD input terminal ZF and is fed to an IF filter 1. The output of the IF filter 1 is supplied to a limiter 2 and the output of the limiter 2 is supplied to a demodulator in the FM demodulator 3.
The output of the filter 1 is also supplied to the static distortion corrector SE. The output of the FM demodulator 3 is connected to the dynamic distortion corrector DE.
The dynamic distortion corrector DE has an output switch 5 which in one position is connected to the output of the FM demodulator 3 and in the case of disturbance free FM reception this output is fed directly through the switch 13 to the data regenerator 15. As soon as dynamic distortions (minimum approximately in the middle of the deviation range corresponding to the example I in FIG. 1) and the resultant peaks occur, the limit value switch 4 which is connected to the output of the FM demodulator 3 will be actuated and switches the switch 5 to the second position where it is connected to the sample hold circuit 7. The sample hold circuit 7 receives a slightly delayed demodulator signal by way of the transit time element 6 from the FM demodulator 3. At the instant at which the limit value switch 4 responds, there is applied to the sample hold circuit from the limit value switch a delay signal whose instantaneous value corresponds in a first approximation to that of the demodulated signal prior to the overshooting of the limit value. For the duration of the limit value overshoot, this instantaneous value is stored by the sample hold circuit 7 and supplied into the data flow through the switch 5. This measure assures that the energy content of the original bit is obtained and it is ensured that it can be read out in the regenerator 15.
The mode of operation of the static distortion corrector is as follows. In the event of static extinction the IF signal is output coupled from the IF filter 1 to a logarithmic amplifier 8 which supplies an input to the AM demodulator 9. The logarithmic amplifier 8 assures that the amplitude of the data signal which appears at the output of the am demodulator 9 is independent of the reception field strength. This AM output signal passes from the output of the AM demodulator through a AM limiter 10 and through an inverter 11 to second terminal of switch 13. The switch 13 initially is still in its first positioned connected to the output of switch 5. The polarity of the demodulated AM signal at the output of AM demodulator 9 and AM limiter 10 is either equal to or inverse to the demodulated FM signal at the output of switch 5, depending upon whether one or the other of the two angular frequencies as defined above have been extinguished. To provide non-ambiguous conditions in the system, that component of the demodulated FM signal which can be read out is compared with the demodulated AM signal in a polarity integrator circuit 12 which receives an input from switch 5 as well as the output of the AM demodulator 9. The output of the polarity integrator 12 is inverted if necessary in the inverter 11. The polarity integrator 12 consists of a coincidence circuit in which depending upon the relative equality or inversion of the FM/AM signals, a correspondingly integrated decision value is produced.
At this time, the function of the inverter 11 and the polarity integrator 12 will be briefly described. The phase of the AM function can be incorrect by 180° regardless of whether the angular frequency f 1 corresponds to the one or the angular frequency f 0 corresponds to the zero occurs at the extinction point.
The particular angular frequency occurring at the extinction point cannot provide any sensible information in the FM demodulator. The other angular frequency which does not occur at the extinction point, on the other hand, produces a completely clear statement as whenever it occurs in the digital character sequence the receiver input voltage and, thus, the instantaneous value of the AM function is high. FIG. 7 illustrates a coincidence circuit KS which receives the AM signal and the FM signal and supplies an output to the polarity integrator JR and if the coincidence circuit KS and the polarity integrator JR are keyed on at all instances of high AM voltage, a positive or negative voltage occurs as an interrogation result depending upon the polarity position of the AM signal relative to the FM signal. If the result is negative, the inverter 11 is reversed so that the AM function which is fed to the switch 13 obtains the correct polarity.
In the AM decision unit 14 which receives an input from the amplitude demodulator 9 and supplies an output to operate switch 13 and which is mounted in the data analysis unit DA the information will be automatically checked whether a serviceable bit-synchronous AM signal is received and with a certain degree of probability that no serviceable FM signal exists. If this is the case, which can be the case virtually only with static extinction, the AM decision unit 14 moves the switch 13 so that it is connected with the inverter 11 and the regenerator 15 will be fed with the data obtained from the AM section.
The IF signal which has been distorted in accordance with the relevant propagation situation and which can possess a level from -92 to -10 dBm, first passes through IF filter 1 (8-16 kHz) and then passes through a separating amplifier. With a level from in each case from -82 to 0 dBm (1 mW), it simultaneously reaches the limiter 2 and the dynamic compressor 8 and will be demodulated either in the FM demodulator 3 or the AM demodulator 9. A signal which is proportional to the corresponding useful or disturbing deviation range is available at the output of the FM demodulator 3 and a signal which is proportional to AM modulation degree is available at the output of the AM demodulator 9.
In the case of a pure FM signal with no AM signal appearing at the output of the AM demodulator 9, the AM decision unit 14 supplies the logic output signal "zero" and the FM-AM-switch 13 will remain in its initial rest position supplying FM signal.
In this manner, the FM output signal which in this case is free of disturbance from the FM demodulator 3 will pass directly through the switch 5 which is in the position shown, the FM-AM-switch 13 and through a base band filter to the regenerator 15. This signal flow corresponds to the conventional signal flow of an optimized FM receiver.
However, pure FM signals occur only rarely and particularly when one single propagation path is provided. A comparable situation occurs as already explained in the case of multipath propagation when the location of the radio frequency f m is at the maximum of the amplitude characteristic and, in other words, the situation III of FIG. 1 exists. Under this assumption FIG. 8 illustrates oscillograms of the FM data flow and of the AM function at the output of the AM detector 9.
If the position of the spectrum is changed, in other words, due to a change in the radio frequency, this results in a corresponding change in the AM signal as in FIG. 8. In this state, however, the AM is not sufficient to actuate the AM decision unit 14 and neither would this be necessary since the FM signal can still be satisfactorily read out as indicated in FIG. 9.
If the spectrum is displaced further toward the zero point, as illustrated in FIG. 10, so that an angular frequency actually reaches the minimum the FM can no longer be read out due to static extinction while the AM signal is now completely formed. The AM decision unit 14 will have detected this and would have changed the FM-AM-switch 13 to the AM switch where it is connected to the output of the inverter 11. The AM signal present at the output of the AM demodulator 9 is gated into the signal path through the AM limiter and the inverter 11 and switch 13 with an amplitude corresponding to the FM signal.
If a spectrum is now further displaced so that symmetry is achieved between the angular frequencies around the distinction point as illustrated in FIG. 11, the AM signal disappears again and the FM signal exhibits an interference function since this is a dynamic extinction.
The AM decision unit 14 will now reset the switch 13 to its starting position to connect it to the output of switch 5. The interference function prevailing at the output of the FM demodulator overshoots the limit values established by switch 4 which in the sample hold circuit 7 leads the instantaneous value which is to be substituted from the delay line to the substitution switch 5 which is simultaneously switched to the down position to receive the output of the sample hold circuit 7 for the duration of the overshoot and, thus, substitutes the stored analogue value from the sample hold circuit as the output to switch 13.
This allows the regenerator 15 to receive an interference free function signal at the output of the base band limiting filter for all situations discussed above.
The above described arrangement is able to automatically recognize and compensate for all errors with a transit time displacement of Δt=1/2 bits on the by-pass and with a maximum extinction depth of 22 dB.
If short noise or impulse disturbances occur additionally during the FM analysis, these likewise become manifest as short peaks in the modulation text. The dynamic distortion corrector automatically recognizes and eliminates such peaks and, thus, functions as an interference blanking device.
FIG. 12 illustrates a sample embodiment of the distortion corrector illustrated in FIG. 6. Terminal designated FMa represents the output of the FM demodulator 3 in FIG. 6 and is applied through a transit time line 20 to switch 25 which is controlled by a monostable flip-flop 23. The points circled in FIG. 12 correspond to equivalent points in the circuit of FIG. 6. The FM signal is also applied from terminal FMa to a unipolar limit circuit 21 in the limit value switch GS. The limit circuit is formed with a double voltage comparator circuit which has a positive threshold that can be varied by means of an adjustment potentiometer 21a connected to the unipolar limit circuit 21 as shown. The negative threshold can be varied by means of a potentiometer 21b connected to the limit circuit 21. The operating or trigger thresholds of the limiter 21 can be adjusted with the potentiometers 21a and 21b such that the limiter 21 responds to either positive and negative change caused by multipath distortion or noise which exceeds the useful frequency swing as discussed above. As long as this threshold is being exceeded the voltage comparator 21 produces an output signal which is connected to monostable flip-flop 23 through OR circuit 22. This output is also supplied to the combinational logic element 23a. The actuating signal, in other words, the output signal of the OR gate 22 illustrated in line c of FIG. 13 produces a rectangular or square pulse for the period during which the negative or positive threshold is exceeded. Monostable flip-flop 23 is adjusted such that it supplies a narrow control signal on line d in FIG. 13 coinciding with the leading or ascending edge of the signal to switch 25 contained in the sample hold circuit block 6 of FIG. 6. In this manner, the switch receives a test sample of the output signal from the FM demodulator and the output signal which is supplied and occurs at point b in FIG. 13 is time delayed by the transit time element or delay line 20. Capacitor C is charged to the value of the test sample through amplifier 26.
The delay time τ of the transit time or delay line 20 is small as compared with the bit time length, however, it is timed such that a test sample is taken from a signal at point b shortly prior to the signal exceeding the threshold and the test sample at its maximum value corresponds to the amplitude value of the respective non-distorted character information or data.
A monostable flip-flop 24 is triggered with the negative edge of the signal out of the combinational logic element 23a and extends the substitution period by τ through OR gate 24a. The output signal of 24a switches a switch 32 which is closed during undistorted operation. In this instance the readily readable FM signal passes to an intermediate amplifier 33 and is supplied to the output terminal E. As indicated in the block circuit diagram of FIG. 6, the FM-AM change-over switch indicated by 13 receives the output from terminal E. The output of OR gate 24a switches a switch 30 through inverter 31 and the switch 30 is open in a non-distorted operation. If, however, due to instances wherein the frequency swing is exceeded a pulse occurs at the output of the OR gate 24a as shown by plot e in FIG. 13 it closes the gate 30 and opens the gate 32. The substitution time which has been shortened by the duration of the test sample is virtually extended by monostable flip-flop 24 by the delay time τ of the delay line 20. The output side of the switches 32 and 30 are integrated into the block S1. It is to be realized that the circled letters illustrated in FIG. 12 correspond to the waveforms existing at such points in FIGS. 13a through 13e.
Connected in parallel with the capacitor C is a switch 27 which is controlled by the pulse of the OR gate 29 such that it opens during the time of the pulse and, thus, does not change the charge state of the capacitor. During sampling the OR gate 29 receives an enabling pulse from the monostable flip-flop 23 and during the hold phase from OR gate 24a. This results that for the time subsequent to the pulse being received on line g the control signal of switch 27, the charge stored in capacitor C can reach the FM output through the amplifier 28 and through the switch 30. During the remaining time, capacitor C is short-circuited by the closed switch 27 and it will be discharged. In this manner it is assured that uncontrolled charges of capacitor C cannot reach switch 30 and from there reach the output. Switch 30 is controlled by the signal on line f and it switches and connects the substitution value to the output only when the sample phase has been terminated.
FIG. 14 illustrates a circuit for the distortion corrector which correspond to the following elements of FIG. 6. PI is the polarity integrator, DA is the circuit for the data output, I is the polarity inverter designated in the block diagram of FIG. 6 by 11, AME is the AM limiter. Elements 52 and 50 constitute the AM decision unit 14 illustrated in the block diagram of FIG. 6.
In connection with the block circuit diagram, it was shown that the IF signal first passes through a logarithmic amplifier of a known type and is subsequently demodulated in a AM demodulator. The output signal of this demodulator is designated by AM and is initially supplied to a clamping circuit 57. The clamping circuit 57 serves the purpose of separating or cutting off the mean DC value voltage which is determined by the field intensity of the received signal. In the simplest case, as indicated in the circuit it consists of a series capacitor and a clamping diode in the parallel branch. The signal is subsequently supplied to a low pass filter 56 which has a limit frequency which lies approximately at the highest modulation frequency. From the filter 56 the signal first is supplied to an AM modulator limiter 54 which has a threshold that is adjustable by means of a potentiometer 55. The potentiometer 55 is adjusted such that in the case of pure FM conditions such as illustrated by cases I and II in FIG. 1, the AM ripple resulting during multipath reception as a consequence of the amplitude characteristic cannot activate the AM analysis. The limiter 54 is constructed as a comparator and limits the AM signals and in this manner they are converted into digital information. The signal in the form of AM data flow then reaches the polarity integrator PI and the AM inverter I.
As stated previously in the case of an analyzable AM data flow, the IF level of one of the two limits are cut off frequencies which is necessarily higher by a certain amount than in the case of the other limit or cut off frequency. Accordingly, the character polarity of the higher IF level must also be detectable after the FM demodulator. Only this signal ensures a reliable determination regarding the polarity of the character, in other words, a logical zero or a logical one. Depending upon which of the two limit or cut off frequencies exist, the extinguishing or blanking operation takes place and the polarity allocation between the AM signal and the FM data flow can be in a first position or in an inverse position. Thus, for comparison purposes, the polarity integrator in addition to being supplied with the AM signal from the limiter 54 is also supplied with a FM signal which is designated by FM through low-pass filter 35. The FM signal is removed from the output E of the dynamic distortion corrector according to the FIG. 12. Low pass filter 35 has a limit frequency which corresponds approximately to the highest modulation frequency. Immediately following its output, there is a limiter 36. A switch 37 receives the output of limiter 36 and in the closed state of this switch, the FM signal reaches a circuit 38 comprising a resistor R and a capacitor C'. Switch 37 is controlled by the AM data flow coming from the comparator 54. Thus, switch 37 is only closed when the AM signal is of such a magnitude that threshold 55 is exceeded. In other words, during the non-distorted limit or cut-off frequency capacitor C' in element 38 is charged and keeps this charged even during the distorted limit or cut-off frequency. Connected in parallel with capacitor C' of circuit 38 is a switch 39. This switch is controlled with a pulse forming element 40 and a monostable flip-flop circuit 41. From the leading or ascending edge of the AM data signal, the monostable flip-flop 41 produces a pulse which is very short in comparison with the bit duration. During this pulse, capacitor C' in element 38 will be entirely discharged. Connected to the output side of switch 39 there is a low pass filter 42 and a pulse forming element 43. The low pass filter is designed to suppress the discharge switching or connecting peaks so as to assure that the required clear polarity statement at the output of pulse forming element 43 is made.
FIG. 15 comprises waveforms occurring in the circuit at different points. Plot a of FIG. 15 illustrates a distorted FM signal which in time span I which corresponds to one bit has clear information statement and which during time span II again for one bit becomes illegible. During time span I the discriminator output voltage can be positive or negative depending upon the character polarity (logic 1 or logic 0). The latter negative voltage is indicated in the case of minus by the broken line in FIG. 15a. During the following time span III corresponds to several bits, the signal can again be either positive or negative; however, it is legible subsequent to the frequency demodulator. In FIG. 15b, the respective AM data signal of the AM demodulator is illustrated which appears in the form of a digital output signal illustrated in FIG. 15c at the output of the comparator 54. This signal controls the monostable flip-flop 41 and switch 37. In FIG. 15d, the voltage across the capacitor C' is illustrated and for the instance in which a positive polarity of the FM signal was present. In FIG. 15e, the same is illustrated for a negative polarization voltage applied to capacitor C'. Due to the initial condition, with a zero charge, the capacitor charge must be short-circuited by switch 39 for a short time, t, much less than one bit, during the increase or rise of the AM signal by the monostable flip-flop 41. This is indicated by the signal corresponding to FIG. 15f. Thus, depending upon the polarity equilibrium or the polarity reversal from AM to FM data there appears at the output of pulse forming element 43 a clear digital place or digital information which after passing through polarity inverter 51 inserts the now analyzable AM data flow from comparator 54 into the FM data flow corresponding to the character polarity direction.
In the simplest instance, the polarity inverter I consists of an exclusive OR gate as illustrated. In this manner, it is assured that the input delivered by comparator 54 always appears in an equilibrium or balance with a FM data at the output of inverter 51. This signal is then supplied through switch 47 to the actual data output, in other words tha data regenerator 48. In order to assure that the AM analysis is completed, only when there is sufficient signal to noise ratio and only when there is a reliable information output of the AM limiter and the polarity integrator, two subsequently triggerable monostable flip-flops 44 and 50 are provided. Monostable flip-flop 44 is controlled by the output of pulse formation element 43 and triggers the AM switch if reliable information from the polarity integrator has been present for a certain period of time. On the other hand, monostable flip-flop 50 is provided which is actuated by way of the AM decision unit AME. The AME unit consists of a comparator 52 with a threshold which is adjustable with a potentiometer 53 and is actuated by the AM output of the low pass filter 56. The same considerations here apply as in the case of potentiometer 55 of comparator 54. If the AM signal present at decision unit 52 has exceeded the threshold for a certain time span which is substantially greater than the bit duration monostable flip-flop then will trigger the AM analysis operation.
The actual change-over switch between the AM and FM consists of switching paths 45 and 47 and polarity inverter 46 and is switched over to the AM analysis only if both clear AM information occurs and the monostable flip-flops 44 and 50 are portions of the combinational logic element consisting of gate 49. The time constant of the monostable flip-flops 50 and 44, respectively, essentially depend upon the speed of change of the propagation medium and upon the related automatic switchover speed of the analysis conditions. The time constant will be selected for this phase of operation.
Although the invention has been described with respect to preferred embodiments it is not to be so limited as changes and modifications may be made which are within the full intended scope as defined by the appended claims.
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A system for the reception of digital communication signals which are impressed in the form of a frequency modulation upon a carrier such that they are reflection free and can be used particularly for mobile stations, long distance traffic and scatter beam connections.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates in general to the crutch art and in particular to a specific platform crutch which may be attached to a conventional invalid walker.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are instances where a forearm attachment or the like is connected to an invalid walker. One device is described on page 10 of a catalog copyrighted in 1977 and entitled "Lumex-Medical Equipment and Patient Aids". The catalog is distributed by Lumex, Inc., 100 Spence St., Bay Shore, New York, 11706. The crutch is described as a Model 6130 or Model 6023.
Another prior art platform crutch attachment is sold by Guardian Products, Inc. of North Hollywood, Fla. That Model, Stock No. 7702, is described on page 61 of the Guardian Catalog dated 1971.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described the invention comprises an improved platform crutch attachment for use on a conventional invalid walker. The handle of the crutch may be adjusted to accomodate a wide variety of grip positions. A reversible cuff includes a gap therein so that the user may disengage from the crutch in an emergency. The shaft of the crutch comprises a pair of telescoping tubes which are connected to the horizontal braces of the walker by upper and lower mounting brackets respectively. The upper bracket includes a bite plate which firmly grabs the shaft and prevents it from rotating. The shaft is secured in position on the walker so that the weight of the cuff is located directly over the upper and lower mounting brackets. The platform crutch is unique in its total adjustability, safety and reversibility when compared to prior art devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the invention mounted on a conventional invalid walker.
FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a right side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a left side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 6 is a top view of the embodiment of FIG. 1.
FIG. 7 is a right side detail of the handle and cuff of the preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 1.
FIG. 8 is a perspective detail view of the upper mounting bracket in position on the upper brace of a conventional walker.
FIG. 9 is a rear perspective view illustrating the attachment of the lower mounting bracket.
FIG. 10A is an exploded detail view illustrating the manner in which the lower mounting bracket is adapted for use with 7/8" diameter brace tubing.
FIG. 10B is an exploded detail view of the lower mounting bracket as adapted for use on 3/4" diameter brace tubing.
FIG. 11 is an exploded perspective view illustrating the manner in which the crutch attachment is connected to a conventional invalid walker.
FIG. 12 illustrates the possible angular rotation of the crutch handle.
FIG. 13 illustrates the manner in which the platform crutch attachment may be connected to either side of a conventional invalid walker.
FIG. 14 is a detail cross-sectional view of the handle rotating and locking device 52 shown in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
During the course of this description like numbers will be used to identify like elements according to the different figures which illustrate the invention.
The platform crutch attachment 10 according to the preferred embodiment is illustrated on a conventional prior art walker 12 in FIG. 1. FIGS. 2 through 6 illustrate the same embodiment from different angles. The primary elements of the platform crutch 10 include a shaft 14, a handle section 16, cuff 18, upper mounting bracket 20 and lower mounting bracket 22. Shaft 14 has the general shape of a crook and includes a horizontal top section 24, a generally vertical lower or stem section 26 and an intermediate connecting portion 28 between the top section 24 and the lower section 26. Shaft 14 comprises two pieces of tubing which telescope into one another. Specifically, lower section 26 receives an upper piece which comprises the extension of the top section 24 and intermediate section 28. By telescoping section 28 into section 26 it is possible to reinforce the wall of the staff 14 at the location of attachment 20 thereby giving the staff additional rigidity and strength. A plastic collar 32 is located at the top of the lower section 26 and serves to dampen undesirable vibrations. A small plastic cap 30 is located at the bottom end of the lower section 26 to protect the user from the sharp edge of the metal tubing.
Cuff unit 18 is connected to the top section 24 of the staff 14 by a pair of wing nuts 34. Wing nuts 34 are threadably received on studs 36 which pass through two holes in section 24. Studs 36 pass through a pair of plastic stand offs 38 and are connected to metal clip 40. A lower forearm rest pad 42 having a plastic bed 41 is attached to clip 40 by elastic straps 43 near the bottom portion thereof. Similarly, a smaller, upper pad 44 is attached to the top portion of clip 40 opposite from lower pad 42. The lips 46 of clip 40 are curved. Pad 44 has an elastic back strap 45 so that it can be slipped over the upper section of clip 40 or removed if necessary. Clip 40 surrounds the forearm of the user by approximately 300°. It is made of a maleable metal material such that the gap 112 between the upper and lower lips 46 may be adjusted for forearms of different thicknesses. In many prior art apparatus it is necessary to strap the patients forearm into a platform crutch with straps such as those made with Velcro® fasteners. That presented a distinct disadvantage for several reasons. Firstly, it required more than one person to help a patient into the platform walker. Secondly, if the walker were to fall forward it was not possible for an invalid using prior art straps to disengage his arms from the falling apparatus. With the present apparatus the user can simply pull his arm through the gap 112 between upper and lower lips 46 if the apparatus should tumble forward. Pads 42 and 44 are made of resilient washable materials. Details of the pad construction can be more fully appreciated by referring to FIG. 7.
Handle 16 comprises an upper grip section 48 and a lower tubular section 50 which is received within the hollow top section 24 of staff 14. Sections 48 and 50 rotate as a unit and may be locked in position by locking device 52. According to the preferred embodiment of the invention the locking device 52 comprises a collar 54 which surrounds the top end 24 of the staff 14 and a thumb screw 56 which is threadably received in a hole in collar 54 and which passes through aperture 114 in tubular section 24 so that it can selectively impinge against handle section 50. See FIG. 14 for details. A suitable collar device is described in detail in U.S. Pat. No. 4,085,763 issued to this inventor. Therefore, grip section 48 may be rotated 360° around an axis passing through the top section 24 of the staff 14 and selectively locked at any location. Locking device 52 also allows the distance between the grip 48 and the cuff 18 to be selectively adjusted by moving the tube 50 in and out of tube 24 and locking the tubes together at the desired location. Therefore locking device 52 serves the dual purpose of setting the distance between grip 48 and cuff 18 and setting the angular position of grip 48 around an axis defined by upper section 24.
The tilt of grip 48 is controlled by a second locking device 58. Locking device 58 comprises a bolt 60 which passes through the flattened metal portion 62 of grip section 48 and the flattened end 64 of lower tubular element 50 which is lockable on the other side thereof by hex nut 68. Grip 48 is therefore allowed to rotate around pivot bolt 60 by approximately 300°. Once the appropriate position is found the grip 48 is locked into position by screwing nut 68 into bolt 60. The head of bolt 60 is preferably welded into flat 64 so that the locking operation may be performed by one person. This operation is preferably done by means of a wrench because the force necessary to set the grip 48 in position generally cannot be supplied by a thumbscrew.
The handle arrangement is economical, simple, and extremely effective for individuals having hand deformities, such as advanced cases of arthritis. These diseases may create a condition known as ULNAR DRIFT wherein the wrist is severely bent with respect to the forearm. The present invention according to the preferred embodiment allows users with such a condition to effectively place the grip 48 in a location where it can be readily and securely grasped. Note that the handle arrangement provides for the following three separate positional adjustments:
(a) The distance between the cuff 18 and the handle 48 may be adjusted and locked by locking means 52;
(b) The rotational position of the grip 48 may be selected at any point on a 360° circle and locked at that position by means of locking device 52; and,
(c) The forward and backward tilt position of grip 48 may be selected within a range of approximately 300° and locked therein by means of locking device 58.
It should be further noted that the cuff 18 may be removed from upper section 24 and rotated by 180° and re-positioned so that the gap 112 between lips 46 face outwardly. Finally, the distance between pads 42 and 44 may be adjusted by squeezing down on clip 40 to accomodate forearms of different widths.
The platform crutch attachment 10 is connected to the prior art walker 12 by an upper mounting bracket 20 and a lower mounting bracket 22. The lower mounting bracket 22 includes a U-shaped clip 68, a vinyl bushing pad 70, tab section 52 and a shaft engaging ring section 74 attached to tab 72. A bolt 76 then passes through holes 78 in clip 68 and tab 72 and is ultimately fastened to tab 72 by a nut 80 which is threadably received on threads at the end of bolt 76. For convenience and safety the head of bolt 76 may be welded to clip 68. Details of the construction of lower mounting bracket 22 may be more fully understood by referring to FIGS. 10A and 10B and the description that follows later with regard to the assembly of the invention 10.
Upper mounting bracket 20 essentially comprises an inward plate 82, a bite plate 84, and an outward plate 86. Plates 82, 84 and 86 each include a pair of holes 88 which can receive the shaft of a pair of bolts 90. Bolts 90 pass through holes in the shaft 14 and may be locked in position by a pair of locking nuts 92. Shaft 14 includes three pairs of holes 94, 96 and 98 respectively. By passing bolts 90 through shaft holes 94 it is possible to tilt the upper section 24 of shaft 14 inward by approximately 45°. On the other hand, if the opposite set of holes 98 are selected the upper section 24 will point outward by 45°. Alternatively, the middle set of holes 96 may be selected thereby positioning the upper section 24 and the cuff 18 in an intermediate location. This additional range of adjustments makes it possible for individuals having the deformities previously described to use the platform crutch with greater security. A tubular plastic sleeve 100 surrounds top bolt 90 and protect it and the user from each other.
One of the major drawbacks of the prior art is the tendency for the platform supporting staff to rotate within the mounting brackets. The present invention 10 virtually eliminates this problem by the use of a bite plate 84 having curved points or teeth 102 which dig into the lower end 26 of staff 14. Bite plate 84 is roughly rectangular in shape and includes four bite points 102 each respectively located at the corners of the rectangle. Bite plate 84 is curved around its long axis so that the radius of curvature between the bite points 102 at the top and the bite points 102 at the bottom is less than the radius of curvature of lower shaft section 26. Similarly bite plate 84 is bowed along its short axis so that bite plate 84 only contacts shaft 26 at the four points 102 located at its corners. FIG. 8 shows that this results in a small gap 104 between the bite plate 84 and shaft section 26.
The major virtue of bite plate 84 is that it prevents the shaft 14 from rotating by creating an upper and lower moment couple where the points 102 contact shaft 26. If it were not for points 102 there would be a tendency for shaft 14 to rotate. According to the prior art the user might then press down further on the shaft 14 thereby crushing it. The use of the bite plate 84 just described has been most satisfactory in the context of the present invention.
Another feature of the present invention is in the relationship of the cuff 18 to the bottom section 26 of the shaft 14. The cuff 18 is located directly above lower shaft section 26. That is important for several reasons. Firstly, it eliminates astable moments because the weight of the patients forearm is always located on the inward side of the walker 12 and above the mounting brackets 20 and 22. Secondly, this physical arrangement minimizes flexing and working of the tubing thereby increasing the life and strength of the materials.
Another important feature of the invention relates to the fact that the distance between the upper brace 110 of the walker 12 and the cuff 18 always remains the same. That relationship is maintained because the upper mounting bracket 20 is fastened to shaft 14 through a preset pair of holes 94, 96 or 98. According to the prior art, there was a tendency for larger patients to slip the shaft upward in order to accomodate their larger stature. That was found to be dangerous because it increased the tipping potential of the apparatus. The proper way to accomodate the walker for a larger individual is to extend the legs of the walker 12. Because the legs of the walker are tilted outwardly, the base of the walker tends to increase in area as the legs are extended to accomodate a larger patient. Therefore the present invention makes it necessary for a larger patient to extend the legs of the walker according to the preferred method of walker adjustment.
The platform crutch 10 according to the preferred embodiment of the invention is connected to a prior art walker 12 in the following manner which may be more readily understood by referring to FIGS. 9, 10A, 10B, 11 and 12. Initially the hand grip 106 of the prior art walker 12 is slid forward by 11/2 to 2". That may be accomplished by wrapping each hand grip in a hot towel or running each hand grip under hot water for 3 to 4 minutes. The hand grips 106 may then be moved by pushing forward on the rear edge with the thumb of each hand. If this is not possible, the hand grip 106 can be sliced lengthwise and removed completely from the walker 12.
Lower mounting bracket 22 is then loosely bolted to the lower side brace 108 of the prior art walker 12 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 9. Because the diameter of the lower side brace 108 can vary from one walker model to another, it may be necessary to insert the vinyl bushing pad 70 into the U-shaped clip 68 before the lower mounting bracket 22 is attached to the lower side brace 108. In general, for 1" diameter tubing no vinyl bushing 70 is required; for 7/8" diameter tubing the vinyl bushing 70 should be cut in half and installed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10A; and, for 3/4" diameter tubing the vinyl bushing pad 70 should be installed in the manner illustrated in FIG. 10B.
The stem section 26 of the platform walker shaft 14 is then slid through ring 74 of lower mounting bracket 22. The platform attachment is loosely bolted to the upper side brace 110 of the walker 12 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 11. The attachment is made by passing bolts 90 through inner plate 82, tubular plastic sleeve 100, bite plate 84, holes 94, 96, or 98, outer plate 86 and engaging the threads on bolts 90 by wing nuts 92. Generally only one tubular plastic sleeve 100 is employed on the top bolt 90. Care should be exercised so that the four pointed tips 102 of bite plate 84 properly dig into shaft section 26. By selecting which pair of holes 94, 96 or 98 through which bolts 90 are to pass, it is possible for the physical therapist to angle the cuff 18 inwardly, straight or outwardly as required by the patients needs.
It is generally recommended that the opening 112 of the cuff 18 face inwardly towards the patient. The opening 112 may be reversed by removing wing nuts 34 and rotating the cuff 18 by 180° and attaching the same. Wing nuts 34 are then replaced and tighten down against studs 36.
The angle of the platform crutch attachment 10 is adjusted by sliding the lower mounting brackets 22 forward or backward along lower side brace 108. In doing so it is preferable to locate the cuff 18 directly above brackets 20 and 22.
The height of the walker 12 may be set as prescribed by the physical therapist. As previously described the distance between cuff 18 and the upper side bracket 10 is always constant, therefore the physical therapist must change the length of the legs of the walker 12 in order to adjust for the height of the patient. The method just described is the preferred manner for adjusting for patients of different stature.
Next, thumbscrew 56 and nut 68 are loosened so that the handle unit 16 is free to assume any desired position. The patient places his forearm in platform cuff 18 so that the rear edge of the cuff pad 42 cuff is no further than 11/2" to 2" from the crook of the patients elbow. The position of the hand grip 48 and the distance of the grip 48 from platform cuff 18 is then set so that it matches the most comfortable position of the patients hand. Thumbscrew 56 and nut 68 are then tightened. Finally, all other nuts, wing nuts and thumbscrews are tightened to reasonable tensions.
The platform crutch attachment 10 according to the preferred embodiment has been described and illustrated on the lefthand side of a prior art invalid walker 12. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the platform crutch attachment 10 may just as easily be connected to the righthand side of an invalid walker 12 in the same manner as described above. The only difference is that on the righthand side it is necessary to reverse cuff 18 by 180° so that the cuff opening 112 faces inward.
Similarly it may be desirable under certain circumstances to have two platform crutch attachments 10 connected to a prior art walker 12. FIG. 13 illustrates a prior art walker 12 with a platform crutch attachment 10 on the right and lefthand side of the device.
The foregoing is a description of the preferred embodiment of a multi-adjustable, stable and safe platform crutch adjustment which includes several unique improvements over the prior art. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that various changes might be made to the structure and function of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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A platform crutch attachment having a wide selection of adjustments may be attached to a conventional invalid walker. The handle can be tilted, moved backwards or forwards, or rotated sideways and then securely locked to provide the user with the optimum grip position. A comfortable break-away cuff is located near the handle and positioned so that it is directly above the attaching points to the invalid walker. Upper and lower mounting brackets connect the shaft of the platform crutch to the upper and lower brace of the invalid walker respectively. The upper mounting bracket includes a bite plate having teeth which securely dig into the shaft of the crutch. The platform crutch can be mounted on either the left or right side of the invalid walker and adjusted so that the user obtains maximum comfort and security from the combination.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to apparatus for setting wedges and shaping winding end turn portions that form part of a dynamoelectric machine stator assembly.
In the past, one practice has been to place a stator assembly (comprising a stator core, with windings and wedges disposed in slots thereof) at a first work station; and press wedges and winding side turn portions into slots of the core during "wedge setting" operation. Then the stator assembly has been moved from wedge setting apparatus at the first station to a second station, and there placed on other apparatus. Thereafter, the winding end turn portions have been shaped or "pressed" to a final desired shaped or configuration.
This approach, however, has been somewhat costly in practice. For example, it has been necessary to have two separate machines, one for setting wedges and another for shaping the winding end turns. Also, it has been necessary for an operator to perform a number of time consuming work operations such as placing a stator assembly on a first machine, preforming a first work operation, removing the stator assembly from the first machine, placing the stator assembly on a second winding shaping machine, performing a shaping operation, and then removing the stator assembly from the second machine.
After removal from the second machine, the stator assemblies normally have been prebaked, washed, varnish treated, final baked, inspected, and then packed for shipment.
At the previously known wedge setting stations referred to above, the stator assembly has been placed on apparatus having a number of wedge setting blades aligned with, and slightly projecting into, the slots of the stator core. The wedge setting blades then have been moved by a cam actuator outwardly along the slots so as to "set" the wedges, and ensure that the wedges and winding are pressed deeper into slots and away from the bore of the core.
It should now be understood that it would be quite desirable to provide economical and improved apparatus so that simultaneously setting of wedges and shaping of winding end turns may be accomplished at a single station and, preferably, with one piece of equipment or apparatus. It also would be quite desirable to reduce the time required to accomplish the various manufacturing steps outlined hereinabove. Moreover, it would be desirable to provide apparatus whereby the number of different or sequential steps that must be performed during the wedge setting and end turn pressing operations can be reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide improved apparatus for setting wedges and shaping windings.
Another object is to provide apparatus which may be utilized to substantially simultaneously set wedges and shape windings during a single operational step.
A further object is to provide improved apparatus that can be quickly and easily adjusted to provide different winding end turn configurations, such as end turn heights, for example.
In carrying out the invention in preferred forms thereof, I provide new and improved apparatus for setting wedges and shaping windings. It is preferably to provide apparatus that permits an operator to position a stator assembly at a first station in a desired relationship to wedge setting means and winding shaping means; hold the stator assembly in the desired relative position (e.g. by clamping means); substantially simultaneously set the wedges and shape winding end turns along at least one end or side of the stator assembly; and then remove the stator assembly from the first station.
In an illustrated embodiment of the invention, I provide new and improved apparatus that includes wedge setting means and, interconnecting therewith, winding shaping means.
In a preferred form, the wedge setting means includes a number of outwardly movable wedge setting blades; and the winding shaping means includes one or more winding pressing surfaces that are driven by camming means which are actuated during movement of the blades. In specific apparatus illustrated herein, the camming means take the form of cam surfaces which are carried by a plurality of the blades; and when a single driving member actuates thhe blades, the blades themselves power (through the cam surfaces) the winding shaping means.
BRIEF DESCRITION OF THE DRAWING
The subject matter which I regard as my invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The invention itself, however, taken with further objects and advantages thereof, may be best understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of apparatus embodying the present invention in one form thereof;
FIG. 2 is a side view of a stator assembly showing different configurations of the winding end turns;
FIG. 3 is partial sectional view of parts of the apparatus of FIG. 1, with the stator assembly of FIG. 2 positioned thereon, the wedge setting blades being in a first position relative to the stator core slots;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3, but wherein the wedge setting blades are in another position relative to the stator slots, and wherein wedges and winding side turn portions have been forced deeper into the core slots and further away from the stator core bore;
FIG. 5 is a partial sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the lines 5--5 in FIG. 1 wit removed and rotated for clearer illustration;
FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of the hydraulic drive system for the apparatus of FIG. 1; and
FIG. 7 is a view showing angular interrelationship of a shoe member and shaping means utilized on apparatus of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the drawings in more detail, FIG. 1 illustrates the general construction of one preferred form of apparatus 11 that is useful for setting wedges 20 and shaping winding end turns 12 of stator assembly 13 (as seen in FIGS. 2-4). A supporting frame, controls, hydraulic power units, and related piping and circuitry are removed from apparatus 11 in FIG. 1 for clarity of illustration. The apparatus 11 includes means for simultaneously setting wedges and shaping winding end turns 12 of the stator assembly 13.
As shown in FIG. 1, apparatus 11 includes a first station which is defined by wedge setting means and shaped means, including a central support column 14 having an outer surface 16 of somewhat lesser diameter than that of the bore 15 of a stator core 17 (as seen in FIG. 2). The support column 14 and its outer surface acts as a stator position alignment structure, located stator assembly 13 in a desired relative position with respect to clamping means 18 and 19, and stator support surfaces 21.
As is clearly illustrated in FIG. 5, the plane of bearing surfaces 21 is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of support column 14. The surfaces 21 are carried by a bearing structure 23 having a cup shape and a bottom plate portion 32 which in turn has a centrally located bore 24 and four equally spaced bearings legs 22 that may (if desired) be perpendicular to bottom plate portion 32, (best seen in FIG. 1), with the top surfaces 21 of the bearing legs 22 defining a bearing plane.
Support column 14 is supported by base plate 27, and located a distance from the bottom of support column 14 is an annular rim 28. The portion of the support column 14 between rim 28 and the bottom of the column slip fits downwardly (as viewed in FIG. 5) through an annular aperture 29 in base plate 27, and a portion of the bottom of support column 14 protrudes beyond the bottom face of base plate 27 with the bottom face 31 of rim 28 bearing on base plate 27.
The bearing structure 23 is assembled on support column 14 so that bore 24 slips on portion 26 of support column 14 with the bottom face 33 of bottom plate portion 32 bearing on the top face 34 of rim 28.
The bearing structure 23 and support column 14 are securely assembled to base plate 27 through the use of any well-known means such as bolts 36.
Support column 14 has a cylindrical wall 37 that establishes an interior chamber 38 and an outer cylindrical surface 16. A member 39, with an outside diameter the same as cylindrical wall 37, seals the top of the cylindrical wall 37, and is secured to cylindrical wall 37 by any well-known means such as bolts 41. Cap member 39 has an inward curving top portion 42 for aiding in the placing of a stator assembly on support column 14.
The cylindrical wall 37 has a plurality of vertical slots 43 which extend from lower extremities 44 to upper extremities 46, all as best shown in FIG. 5. If the stator assembly to be processed has 36 slots and wedges are to be set on each of the 36 slots, there will be at least 36 wedge setting means 48.
The cylindrical wall 37 has an annular notch 49 that captures an annular tension spring 51 even when said spring is expanded radially outwardly. Near the bottom of cylindrical wall 37 another annular notch 52 is provided. This notch retains spring 53, similar to spring 51. The springs 51, 53 serve a function that is described in more detail hereinbelow.
Actuating member 47 is disposed within the chamber 38 and includes a conical in shape portion 56 which thereby establishes a conical in shape surface 57. A rod portion 58 of member 47 has a threaded end which is connected to a piston rod 59 of hydraulic cylinder 61 (shown in FIG. 6) through a coupling 62.
The rod portion 58 is held in alignment with the column by means of a cap member 63 which is fastened to base plate 27 by means such as bolts 68. Cap member 63 traps a bushing 67 which concentrically locates and aligns rod portion 58 of actuating member 47.
Wedge setting blades 48 have at least portions thereof disposed in chamber 38 and are radially movable in slots 43. Each blade 48 has a wedge setting vertical surface 69 along its radially outward periphery. The blades 48 each also carry a cam surface 71 which may be unitary therewith or part of a separable member as shown. In FIG. 5, each surface 71 is established by a shoe member 72 that is assembled with each blade 48. Each blade 48 has another cam surface 74 along the radially inner portion thereof. The taper of the cam surfaces 74 correspond to the taper of cam surface 57 of actuating member 47. Then, when rod 58 is urged downwardly (as viewed in FIG. 5), blades 48 are driven outwardly relative to column 14.
Wedge setting blades 48 have recessed areas 76 and 77 located at the top and bottom portions thereof, respectively. These recessed areas 76 and 77 also trap tension springs 51 and 53 respectively; and these springs 51 and 53 bias blades 48 inwardly into working engagement with the cam surface 57.
A winding end turn shaping means is provided in the form of an annular member 73. The member 73 has an inner, conical in shape, cam surface 78 that is tapered to be complimentary with the taper of the conical in shape cam surfaces 78. A winding pressing surface 79 is also provided on member 73. As blades 48 are urged outwardly by cam surface 57, shoe members 72 also move radially outwardly. Due to such movement, cam surfaces 71 and 78 interact to cause movement of member 73 in an upward direction, as viewed in FIG. 5. It will be understood that different shoes 72 may be used that have tapers other than those shown for cam surfaces 71, and that different members 73 may be used so that the vertical displacement of member 73 (per unit radial displacement of a blade 48) may be varied. In other words, the amount of vertical movement of member 73 (per unit of radial movement of blade 48 and therefore shoe member 72) may be preselectively changed by selecting different shoe members 72 and members 73 that have cam surface tapers different from that shown in FIG. 5. This can be better understood by referring to FIG. 7 where I have shown a shoe member 72, a portion of member 73, and an angle β. The angle β is defined as the angle of inclination (with respect to the horizontal) of a line along the camming interface between member 73 and a shoe 72. This angle β is an indication of the "taper" of shoes 72 and member 73; and as angle β increases the taper is increased. Moreover, for a given increment of outward (i.e., radial) movement of shoe 72, member 73 will more upwardly a distance equal to the tangent of the angle β times such given increment.
Referring again now to FIG. 1, located in each of the four bearing legs 22 are stator alignment pins 81 that are mounted in holes 82 and secured in said holes 82 by set screws 83. Alignment pins 81 can be adjustably relocated in holes 84 or 86. As seen in FIGS. 3-4, stator assembly 13 is placed over column 14 with alignment pins 81 in bolt holes 87 of the stator assembly 13. This ensures that the wedge setting blades 48 will be alignment with slots 88 of the stator assembly.
As seen in FIG. 1, the two clamping means 18 and 19 have clamping blocks 89 and 91 which are movable to clamp down on face 112 on the stator assembly and hold it in a desired position relative to column 14 and blades 48.
Clamping means 18 and 19 are substantially identical in construction, except that pivot arm 90 of clamping means 19 includes a grip or handle 95. Since clamping means 18 and 19 are generally the same, the following detailed description of clamping means 19 will also apply to clamping means 18, as will be understood.
FIG. 5 includes an illustration of clamping means 19, gear 116, and a portion of a gear 116 for clamping means 18. The clamping means 19 includes a vertical cylindrical housing 92 that is attached to mounted block 93 by a suitable manner such as welding; and the mounting block 93 is attached by means such as bolts 94 (as seen in FIG. 1) to base plate 27. Cylindrical housing 92 extends vertically a sufficient distance above plane 21 to provide adequate clearance for a maximum height stator stack that is expected to be encountered. Reinforcing member 96 is attached to cylindrical housing 92 and mounting block 93 to maintain a desired rigidity of parts.
A shaft 97 is carried in cylindrical housing 92, and extends from below plate 27 through an aperture 98 (in base plate 27) and along cylindrical housing 92. The shaft 97 extends above the top of cylindrical housing 92 so as to provide a clearance between the top of shaft 97 and the top of cylindrical housing 72 and thus allow for a downward clamping movement of shaft 97. Shaft 97 travels in bushings 99 and 100 as revealed in FIG. 5.
A cup shaped cap member 101 is provided with a bottom portion 102 bearing on top of shaft 97 and a rim portion 103 extending downward to overlap the top of cylindrical housing 92 with a sliding clearance. A bolt 106 passes through aperture 104 in member 101 and fastens pivot arm 90 to shaft 97. The member 101 serves as a dust and safety shield.
The pivot arm 90 is located on top of cap member 101 and extends radially beyond cap member 101 to permit clamping of a stator during operation. Clamping block 91 (and clamping block 89 for clamping means 18) is attached to pivot arm 90 by bolts 107.
The lower end of shaft 97 extends below plate 27 and is provided with means such as notches for locking engagement with a coupling 108 that in turn is connected to a first drive rod 109 (another drive rod 109 being for clamping means 18) for clamping means 19. As best shown in FIG. 6, drives rods 109 are connected at opposite ends of a cross member 119; and a piston rod 121 of a hydraulic cylinder 111 is attached to cross member 119. Cylinder 118 is operative to raise and lower cross member 119 and thus rods 109 and shafts 97.
Each shaft 97 has a gear 116 keyed to it, and these gears 116 are in meshing engagement with a gear 117 that is concentric with support column 14. Any rotationaly movement of shaft 97 of clamping means 19 causes equal but oppositely directed movement of shaft 97 of clamping means 18. Thus, as clamping means 19 is moved into place over a core (by handle 95), clamping means 18 also moves into place over the core due to the meshing relationship of gears 116 and 117.
Reviewing now briefly the sequence of operations at a work station where apparatus 11 is located; a stator core assembly 13 is placed on support column 14, with stator bore 17 encompassing outer surface 16 of support column 14 and bolt holes 87 aligned on alignment pins 81 (to ensure that stator slots 88 are aligned with wedge setting blades 48). Stator core assembly 13 and support column 14 are relatively moved until stator face 114 bears against the upper surface of legs 22. At this time, wedge setting blades 48 are in their retracted or withdrawn position.
Clamping means 18 and 19 are then moved into clamping position by moving handle 95 so as to move clamping blocks 91 and 89 over the upper face of the core. Hydraulic cylinder 111 (see FIG. 6) is next actuated to move in the direction of arrow 122 and force clamping blocks 89 and 91 against stator face 112. This clamping action continues until cylinder 111 is de-energized.
Hydraulic cylinder 61 then is energized to move in the direction of arrow 123 and force conical in shape portion 56 downwardly (as viewed in FIG. 5) in the direction of arrow 123 under the influence of piston rod 59. As conical in shape portion 56 moves down, its cam surface 57 moves the wedge setting blades 48 radially outward (as indicated by arrow 124) with wedge setting surfaces 69 forcing wedges and windings back away from bore 17 so as to establish the desired clearance with the bore 17 (as seen in FIG. 4).
Substantially simultaneously with the wedge setting action just described, winding portions 12 are pressed from a first configuration 127 (see FIG. 2) to a desired configuration 128. As wedge setting blades 98 move outwardly, the cam areas 75 operatively interconnected therewith operate against the cam surfaces 78 and force the end winding shaping means 73 to move upward in the direction of arrow 126 (see FIG. 5); forcing shaping face 79 to engage and press end windings 12 to the desired configuration.
Thereafter, hydraulic cylinder 61 returns actuating means 47 to its original raised position and, as it moves, wedge setting blades 48 are biased by springs 51 and 52 to their original position. As blades 48 return home, cam surfaces 75 also move "home", and member 73 drops, by gravity, to its original position.
As actuating means 47 returns to its initial position, clamping means 18 and 19 are de-energized, and clamping blocks 89 and 91 may be manually pivoted out of the way of the stator core. Stator assembly 13 is then removed from the work station, and the apparatus of FIG. 1 is ready to receive another stator assembly.
It is to be noted that the annular member 73 may be manually lifted and removed from the remainder of the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 5, when desired. For example, in the event that pressing of end turns is not desired for a particular motor model, the member 73 will be removed. The remainder of the apparatus may then be used in the same manner as known heretofore during wedge setting operations.
While the present invention has been described by reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that modifications may be made by those skilled in the art without actually departing from the invention.
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Disclosed method includes positioning a stator assembly at a first station in a desired relationship to a wedge setting device and winding shaping mechanism; holding the stator assembly in the desired relative position (e.g. by clamping means); substantially simultaneously setting the wedges and shaping winding end turns along at least one end or side of the stator assembly; and then removing the stator assembly from the first station. The wedge setting device includes a number of outwardly movable wedge setting blades; and the winding shaping mechanism includes one or more winding pressing surfaces that are driven by camming elements which are actuated during movement of the blades. In specific apparatus, the camming elements take the form of cam surfaces which are carried by a plurality of the blades; and when a single driving member actuates the blades the blades themselves power (through the cam surfaces) the winding shaping mechanism.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/716,791, filed May 19, 2015, which is a continuation application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/464,026, filed Aug. 20, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/340,165, filed Dec. 29, 2011 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,816,506 on Aug. 26, 2014, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/640,766, filed Dec. 17, 2009 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,106,518 on Jan. 31, 2012, and claims priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2008-323581 filed on Dec. 19, 2008. The contents of each of these applications are hereby incorporated by reference into this application.
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a semiconductor device and techniques of manufacturing the same and, particularly, relates to techniques effectively applied to a semiconductor device having a structure in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In mobile devices such as mobile phones and digital cameras, SiP (System in Package) in which a plurality of chips are stacked and mounted in a semiconductor package is widely used. When the chips are disposed in the manner that they are stacked, the mounting area can be reduced compared with the case in which they are horizontally disposed. Moreover, a large number of chips can be mounted in the same mounting area. However, when the chips are mutually connected by bonding wires, the wiring space for once suspending the bonding wires is needed in a chip peripheral region, and thus the mounting area becomes larger than the chip size. Moreover, there are problems that resistance and inductance are increased as the bonding wires are long and that this is not suitable for high-speed operations.
In order to solve these problems, development of silicon through-electrode techniques for directly connecting chips by forming electrodes which penetrate through the inside of the chips is underway. In this structure in which the chips are mutually and directly connected, the wiring space is not needed in the chip peripheral part, and the space of the mounting area thereof can be reduced. Furthermore, since the inter-chip wiring is the shortest, the wiring resistance and inductance can be suppressed low, and high-speed operations can be carried out.
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2000-260934 reports the technique in which, after forming through-holes in chips, through-electrodes are formed by embedding solder or a low-melting-point metal by electrolytic or electroless plating method, and the chips are mutually connected by melting the embedded metal by heating.
Moreover, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-53149 reports the technique in which a bump formed on an upper chip is pressed against a hollow through-electrode formed in a lower chip to cause the bump and the through-electrode to undergo plastic deformation, so that the bump and the through-electrode are physically caulked so as to mutually connect the chips.
Conceivable methods of forming the above-described bump include a stud bump method and a plating bump method. For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2007-73919 discloses a method of forming a bump having a sharp end by the plating bump method. Such bump has a high deformability and is suitable for the inter-chip connection technique described in the above-mentioned Patent Document 2.
In the technique of the above-mentioned Patent Document 2 studied by the inventors of the present invention, the through-electrode is formed from a back surface of a semiconductor wafer after semiconductor elements, multi-layer wirings, and bonding pads are formed on a main surface of the semiconductor wafer. When the through-electrode is formed at the end in this manner, the influence on the device caused by particles and contamination generated upon formation of the through-electrode can be reduced, and the designing and manufacturing processes of the device and multi-layer wiring are not required to be changed. Moreover, there is also a big advantage that the through-electrode can be treated as a part of the packaging technique, for example, the through-electrode can be manufactured even in an existing product chip for which inter-chip wiring by wire bonding is expected.
On the other hand, in order to electrically connect the device, which is formed on the semiconductor wafer main surface, and the through-electrode to each other, the through-electrode and a bonding pad have to be electrically connected to each other. The bonding pad is disposed on the surface of an interlayer insulating film. In order to form the through-electrode from the back surface, a hole which penetrates through the silicon substrate part and the interlayer insulating film and stops at the bonding pad surface is formed. The through-electrode can be formed in this manner.
However, according to further studies carried out by the present inventors about the method of forming the through-electrode described above, it has been found out that the method has below problems. When a hole is to be formed from the back surface of the silicon substrate in order to form the through-electrode, as the processability of the interlayer insulating film per se, which is positioned in a lower layer, is low and the part disposed on the bottom surface of a deep hole formed in the silicon substrate is to be processed, etching species does not readily enter. Furthermore, the etching has to be stopped at the point it reaches the thin bonding pad.
As a technical trend of the future, it is conceivable that the degree of integration of the devices mounted on semiconductor devices will be increased and that the number of the through-electrodes formed per one chip will be increased. As a result, the through-electrode will have a small diameter and a high aspect ratio. Given such background, it has been found out that it would be difficult to form the hole portion for the through-electrode only by the back-surface processing. The difficulty of processing the through-electrode and the need for higher processing techniques are the cause that lowers the productivity of above-mentioned high-performance semiconductor devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a preferred aim of the present invention is to provide a technique that enhances performance of a semiconductor device, in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, without deteriorating the productivity.
The above and other preferred aims and novel characteristics of the present invention will be apparent from the description of the present specification and the accompanying drawings.
The present application discloses a plurality of inventions, and a summary of an embodiment among them will be simply described below.
A semiconductor device has a plurality of elements formed on a first main surface of a semiconductor substrate, an interlayer insulating film formed so as to cover the elements, a pad formed on a surface of the interlayer insulating film and electrically connected with the plurality of elements, a first electrode having a bump shape formed so as to be electrically connected with the pad, and a second electrode formed on a second main surface-side of the semiconductor substrate and formed so as to be electrically connected with the first electrode. Specifically, the first electrode has a protruding portion penetrating through the pad and protruding toward the semiconductor substrate-side, and the second electrode is formed so as to reach the protruding portion of the first electrode part from the second main surface-side of the semiconductor substrate toward the first main surface-side and cover the inside of the second-electrode hole portion which does not reach the pad; thus, the second electrode is electrically connected with the first electrode.
The effects obtained by typical aspects of the present invention will be briefly described below.
More specifically, in a semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, performance can be enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device which is a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a main part of the semiconductor device which is the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of another main part of the semiconductor device which is the first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device which is the first embodiment of the present invention in a manufacturing step;
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 5 ;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 6 ;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 7 ;
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 8 ;
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 9 ;
FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 10 ;
FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 11 ;
FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 12 ;
FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 13 ;
FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 14 ;
FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 15 ;
FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 16 ;
FIG. 18 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 17 ;
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 18 ;
FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device of a first structure according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device of a second structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device of the second structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a manufacturing step and is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a step subsequent to that of FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 23 is a cross-sectional view of the main part of the semiconductor device of the second structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a manufacturing step and is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a step subsequent to that of FIG. 12 ;
FIG. 24 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device of a third structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device of a fourth structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device of the fourth structure according to the second embodiment of the present invention in a manufacturing step and is a cross-sectional view of the main part in a step subsequent to that of FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 27 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 26 ;
FIG. 28 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 27 ;
FIG. 29 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 28 ;
FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 29 ;
FIG. 31 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 30 ;
FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 31 ;
FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 32 ;
FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 33 ;
FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 34 ;
FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 35 ;
FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 36 ;
FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 37 ;
FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 38 ;
FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 39 ;
FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of the semiconductor device in a manufacturing step continued from FIG. 40 ;
FIG. 42 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of another semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of still another semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of still another semiconductor device according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 45 is a cross-sectional view of a main part of a semiconductor device according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 46A illustrates the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a structure of a bump electrode;
FIG. 46B illustrates the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention and is an explanatory diagram illustrating a structure of a back-surface electrode;
FIG. 47 illustrates the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention, wherein an explanatory diagram illustrating a connection state is illustrated on the left side, and an explanatory diagram illustrating a joint between the back-surface electrode and the bump electrode is illustrated on the right side;
FIG. 48A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a structure of the bump electrode having a triangular shape in a plane and a joint between the structure and the back-surface electrode;
FIG. 48B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a structure of the bump electrode having a rectangular shape in a plane and a joint between the structure and the back-surface electrode;
FIG. 48C is an explanatory diagram illustrating the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a structure of the bump electrode having an oval shape in a plane and a joint between the structure and the back-surface electrode;
FIG. 49A is an explanatory diagram illustrating another semiconductor device according to the third embodiment of the present embodiment illustrating a structure of a back-surface-electrode hole portion having a rectangular shape in a plane and a joint between the structure and the bump electrode;
FIG. 49B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the another semiconductor device same with FIG. 49A according to the third embodiment of the present embodiment illustrating a structure of the back-surface-electrode hole portion having an oval shape in a plane and a joint between the structure and the bump electrode;
FIG. 50A is an explanatory diagram illustrating the another semiconductor device same with FIGS. 49A and 49B according to the third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a structure of a bump electrode having a sidewall having a low-inclination taper angle and a joint between the structure and a back-surface electrode; and
FIG. 50B is an explanatory diagram illustrating the another semiconductor device same with FIGS. 49A and 49B illustrating a structure of the bump electrode having a sidewall having a steep-inclination taper angle and a joint between the structure and the back-surface electrode.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Note that components having the same function are denoted by the same reference symbols throughout the drawings for describing the embodiment, and the repetitive description thereof will be omitted as much as possible. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
A configuration of a semiconductor device of a first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3 . FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a main part of a silicon substrate (semiconductor substrate) 1 which the semiconductor device of the first embodiment has. FIG. 2 illustrates a plan view of a main part of a main surface (first main surface) s 1 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . FIG. 3 illustrates a plan view of a main part of a back surface (second main surface) s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . The main surface s 1 and the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 are positioned on the sides opposite to each other in a thickness direction of the silicon substrate 1 .
A plurality of semiconductor elements (elements) such as field effect transistors (FETs), capacitors, and non-volatile memory cells are formed (not illustrated) on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 . Further, an interlayer insulating film 2 is formed on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 so as to cover the above-described plurality of elements. The interlayer insulating film is an insulating film mainly formed of silicon oxide. Pads 3 (bonding pads) are formed on the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 . The pads 3 are electrically connected with the plurality of elements on the main surface Si of the silicon substrate 1 via multilayer wiring and plugs (not illustrated) in the interlayer insulating film 2 .
A bump electrode (first electrode) 4 is formed on the pad 3 so as to be electrically connected with the pad. The bump electrode 4 has a so-called bump shape that protrudes to have a predetermined three-dimensional shape in the main surface s 1 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . The bump electrode 4 is a conductor formed of, for example, a single-layer structure of gold (Au), copper (Cu), aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), or the like or a multi-layer structure of any of these materials.
In the semiconductor device of the first embodiment, the bump electrode 4 has a configuration as described below. That is, the bump electrode 4 of the first embodiment has a protruding portion d 1 which penetrates through the pad 3 and protrudes toward the silicon substrate 1 -side. As an example, FIG. 1 illustrates the structure in which the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is formed so as to also penetrate through the interlayer insulating film 2 and, when viewed in cross-section, reaches the inside of the silicon substrate 1 . Moreover, a bump-electrode seed layer (first-electrode seed layer) 5 is formed on a bottom portion of the bump electrode 4 and the protruding portion d 1 thereof. The bump-electrode seed layer 5 is a component that is necessary in terms of manufacturing process, and this will be explained in detail when a manufacturing method of the first embodiment is described later.
A back-surface electrode (second electrode) 6 is formed on the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 . The back-surface electrode 6 is formed so as to be electrically connected with the bump electrode 4 in a configuration below. A back-surface-electrode hole portion (second-electrode hole portion) 7 is formed so as to reach at least the depth of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 from the back-surface s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 toward the main surface s 1 -side and not to reach the pad 3 . The back-surface electrode 6 is formed so as to cover the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Thus, the back-surface electrode 6 and the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 contact with each other in the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , and the state in which both of them are electrically connected with each other is achieved. As an example, FIG. 1 illustrates the structure in which the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 penetrates through the silicon substrate 1 from the second main surface s 2 to the first main surface s 1 and reaches the interlayer insulating film 2 . Also, as an example, the structure in which, when viewed in a plan view, a diameter of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is larger than a diameter of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is illustrated. Therefore, components are disposed so that the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is contained inside the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 when viewed in a plan view.
Moreover, an insulating film 8 is formed at a boundary portion between the back-surface electrode 6 and the silicon substrate 1 , so that the back-surface electrode 6 and the silicon substrate 1 are electrically insulated from each other. Moreover, a back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is formed in a layer below the back-surface electrode 6 . The back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is a component necessary in terms of manufacturing process, and this will be explained in detail when the manufacturing method of the first embodiment is described later.
Note that the back-surface electrode 6 is formed not only the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , but also on the second main surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 , which is outside of the hole portion. A metal wire can be connected to this part by wire bonding. As illustrated in FIG. 3 , the back-surface electrodes 6 disposed at different locations may be mutually connected on the second main surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 so as to form wiring.
The structure of the through-electrode which the semiconductor device of the first embodiment has been described above. The effects of the configurations will be described in detail in the following description of a manufacturing process or later in the description of a method of connection with another substrate.
Next, the method of manufacturing the semiconductor device of the first embodiment having the above-described configuration will be described with reference to FIG. 4 to FIG. 19 . The drawings are cross-sectional views of a main part of the silicon substrate 1 of the part corresponding to above-described FIG. 1 in the manufacturing process.
In the process, first, the plurality of semiconductor elements such as field effect transistors, capacitors, and non-volatile memory cells are formed (not illustrated) on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 .
Then, as illustrated in FIG. 4 , the interlayer insulating film 2 is formed on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 so as to cover the plurality of semiconductor elements. The multilayer wiring is formed (not illustrated) in the interlayer insulating film 2 so as to be electrically connected with the semiconductor elements. Subsequently, the pads 3 are formed on the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 . The pads 3 are electrically connected with the multilayer wiring, which is in the interlayer insulating film 2 , and are electrically connected with the plurality of semiconductor elements via the multilayer wiring.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 5 , a bump-electrode hole portion (first-electrode hole portion) 10 which penetrates through the pad 3 from the surface-side of the interlayer insulating film 2 and has a depth toward the silicon substrate 1 is formed. To form the bump-electrode hole portion 10 , first, a photoresist film (not illustrated) which is patterned by a photolithography method is formed so as to expose part of the pad 3 on the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 . Then, the bump-electrode hole portion 10 is formed by carrying out anisotropic etching by an ICP-RIE (inductively coupled plasma-reactive ion etching) method by using the photoresist film as an etching barrier. Then, the remaining resist mask is removed by, for example, an organic solvent or oxygen ashing. Herein, particularly, the bump-electrode hole portion 10 which penetrates through the pad 3 and the interlayer insulating film 2 from the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 and has a depth that reaches the silicon substrate 1 is formed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 6 , the bump-electrode seed layer 5 is formed on the entire surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 including the inner surface of the bump-electrode hole portion 10 . As the seed layer to be formed, for example, a titanium (Ti) film or a titanium tungsten (TiW) film is used. Such bump-electrode seed layer 5 is formed, for example, by a sputtering method, a CVD (chemical vapor deposition) method, or a vapor deposition method.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 7 , a photoresist film 11 is formed on the entire surface of the main surface s 1 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . The photoresist film 11 is formed by application using a spinner or spray. The formed photoresist film 11 is applied so as to have a film thickness of about 10 to 30 μm. This thickness corresponds to the height of the bump electrode 4 (see above-described FIG. 1 ), which will be formed later.
Then, the photoresist film 11 is patterned to have a desired shape by a series of photolithography steps, i.e., exposure and development. Particularly, as is described later in detail, the shape of the hole patterned on the photoresist film 11 serves as the outer shape of the bump electrode 4 , which will be formed later. In FIG. 7 , the hole of the photoresist film 11 having such outer shape is illustrated as an example.
Here, a method of forming the bump electrode 4 will be illustrated as an example so that the bump electrode has the tapered shape as illustrated in above-described FIG. 1 in which the closer the interval between the mutually facing sidewalls to the silicon substrate 1 , the wider the interval. Details of this method are described in above-described Patent Document 3.
Usually, after the photoresist film 11 or the like is applied, the film is subjected to a heating treatment called pre-baking (or soft baking) before subjected to the exposure step, thereby solidifying the photoresist film. In this process, a temperature inclination is imparted to the silicon substrate 1 -side (the back surface-side of the photoresist film 11 ) and the surface side of the photoresist film 11 . As a result, an inclination is generated in accordance with the developing-solution resistance of the photoresist film 11 when viewed in the film-thickness direction. Thus, the hole having the above-described tapered shape can be formed in the photoresist film 11 . Note that examples of shapes in a plan view of the formed hole include a circular shape and a polygonal shape. Differences in effects caused by the shapes will be explained in detail in a following third embodiment.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 8 , a metal is embedded in the hole of the photoresist film 11 by the electrolytic plating method (also referred to as electroplating) so as to form the bump electrode 4 . The embedded metal is, for example, a single-layer structure of Au, Cu, Al, Ni, or the like or a multi-layer structure of any of these metals. However, as is described in detail later, since the bump electrode 4 connects chips by utilizing its plastic deformation, the uppermost surface of the bump electrode 4 is desirably Au which readily undergoes plastic deformation. Then, the photoresist film 11 is removed, for example, by an organic solvent or oxygen ashing.
The bump electrode 4 having the protruding portion d 1 as described with reference to above-described FIG. 1 which the semiconductor device of the first embodiment has can be formed in the above-described manner.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 9 , part of the bump-electrode seed layer 5 that is not covered with the bump electrode 4 is removed by etching. Herein, the etching is more preferably carried out with using the bump electrode 4 as an etching mask, without forming another etching mask. Thus, the number of steps can be reduced. A conceivable etching method in this process is, for example, dry etching using ICP-RIE or wet etching using an etching solution.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 10 , an adhesion layer 12 is applied onto the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 , and a support wafer 13 such as quartz glass or a silicon wafer is pasted on the adhesion layer 12 . When the support wafer 13 is pasted on the adhesion layer 12 , strength deterioration, warpage, etc. which may be generated when the thickness of the silicon substrate 1 is reduced in a later step can be suppressed. Further, the adhesion layer 12 plays a role of protecting the plurality of elements, the multi-layer wiring, the bonding pads 3 , the bump electrodes 4 , etc. formed on the main surface Si of the silicon substrate 1 . For example, an epoxy-based adhesive agent or a photoresist film is conceivable as such an adhesion layer 12 , and the material of the adhesion layer 12 has to enable peel-off of the support wafer 13 after formation of the through-electrode.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 11 , the silicon substrate 1 is subjected to a back grind treatment from the back surface s 2 -side, thereby reducing the thickness of the silicon substrate 1 . Examples of the method of the back grind treatment include grinding, polishing, etc. Note that the flatness of the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 after grinding affects the processing accuracy of the through-electrodes. Therefore, dry polishing, etching, or CMP (chemical mechanical polishing) is desired to be carried out after the back grind treatment.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 12 , a photoresist film 14 is applied onto the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 and subjected to patterning by a series of photolithography. Herein, an opening portion is formed in the photoresist film 14 so that part of the silicon substrate 1 on which the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 (see above-described FIG. 1 ) will be processed later is exposed. More specifically, the opening-portion formation position of the photoresist film 14 is determined at the position of the pad 3 and the bump electrode 4 among the components formed in the stage of the present step. Examples of the method of adjusting the position include a method which checks the pad 3 by transmission through the silicon of the substrate from the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 by using, for example, an infrared microscope and a method which carries out checking by disposing optical systems on the main surface s 1 and the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 13 , anisotropic etching is carried out by ICP-RIE, thereby forming the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 in the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 . Note that, for example, SF.sub.6 or C.sub.4F.sub.8 is used as a process gas. Usually, upon dry etching of the silicon substrate 1 , etching is carried out with using a silicon oxide film or the like as an etching mask. Therefore, the etching is stopped at the interlayer insulating film 2 which is formed of a silicon oxide film as a primary component. Therefore, the depth of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is determined by the thickness of the silicon substrate 1 . In this manner, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 as explained in above-described FIG. 1 included in the semiconductor device of the first embodiment can be formed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 14 , the insulating film 8 is formed on the entire surface of the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 including the inner surface of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , for example, by a CVD method. An insulating film mainly formed of, for example, silicon oxide, silicon nitride, or a polyimide resin is formed as the insulating film 8 . Herein, a process gas does not readily enter the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , and the insulating film 8 deposited on the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 becomes thinner than the insulating film 8 deposited outside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Note that, upon the film formation, in the CVD method, film formation is generally carried out at a temperature of about 300.degree. C. to 500.degree. C. Regarding this, in the manufacturing method of the first embodiment, the insulating film 8 may be formed at a lower temperature so that the adhesion layer 12 used for pasting the support wafer 13 is not deteriorated and peeled off.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 15 , in the insulating films formed on the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , the insulating film 8 that is on the bottom portion in the hole is removed. Herein, the insulating film 8 is removed until the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is exposed. However, the removal is adjusted so that the silicon substrate 1 is not exposed by the etching of the present step, in order to prevent a connection between the back-surface electrode 6 (see above-described FIG. 1 ), which will be formed later, and the silicon substrate 1 . A dry etching that exhibits anisotropy in the direction perpendicular to the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 is carried out. At this point, as described above, the insulating film 8 on the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is thin compared with the insulating film 8 that is outside of the hole portion 7 . Therefore, when the anisotropic etching is carried out in the above-described manner, the insulating film 8 that is covering the sidewalls and also the thick insulating film 8 that is outside of the hole are remained without being completely removed even when the insulating film 8 that is on the bottom portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is removed to a degree at which the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is exposed. Thus, in the periphery of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , the insulating film 8 can be processed so that the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is exposed and the silicon substrate 1 is in the state covered with the insulating film 8 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 16 , the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is formed on the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 including the inner surface of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , for example, by a sputtering method. As the formed back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 , for example, stacked films of a Ti film of about 0.02 to 0.3 μm and an Au film of about 0.3 to 2 μm are formed. The Ti film is formed in order to improve the adhesiveness between the insulating film 8 and the Au film, and the Au film is formed as a seed layer for forming the back-surface electrode later by a plating method. Other than this, for example, stacked films of a chromium (Cr) film and an Au film may be formed as the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 17 , a photoresist film 15 is formed on the back surface s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 and subjected to patterning by a photolithography method. In this process, an opening is formed in the photoresist film 15 so as to expose the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 at the location at which the back-surface electrode 6 described with reference to above-described FIG. 1 is to be formed.
Subsequently, a metal film is formed by carrying out an electrolytic plating method with using the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 at the part exposed from the photoresist film 15 . As a result, the metal film is deposited so as to cover the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 , and the back-surface electrode 6 can be formed. The metal film has a film thickness that does not completely fill the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . The metal film has, for example, a single-layer structure of Au, Cu, Al, Ni, or the like or a multi-layer structure of any of these metals. However, as is described later in detail, since the back-surface electrode 6 connects chips by utilizing its plastic deformation, the uppermost surface of the back-surface electrode 6 is desired to be Au which readily undergoes plastic deformation. Then, the photoresist film 15 is removed, for example, by an organic solvent or oxygen ashing.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 18 , a photoresist film 16 which covers the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 and the back-surface electrode 6 is formed by a photolithography step. Then, the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is subjected to etching with using the photoresist film 16 as an etching mask. As a result, part of the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 not covered with the photoresist film 16 and the back-surface electrode 6 is removed. For example, a mixed solution of iodide and ammonium iodide is used as the etching solution of the Au film, and fluorine is used as the etching solution of the Ti film.
Then, the photoresist film 16 is removed, for example, by an organic solvent or oxygen ashing. Furthermore, the adhesion layer 12 is removed from the silicon substrate 1 , thereby peeling off the support wafer 13 . For example, if the adhesion layer 12 is thermoplastic, the support wafer 13 is peeled off by heating. Alternatively, if the support wafer 13 is adhered by using, for example, a photoresist film, the support wafer 13 is peeled off by an organic solvent or the like. The through-electrode included in the semiconductor device of the first embodiment and having the structure as illustrated in FIG. 19 can be formed by the above-described steps.
In a subsequent step, the wafer-like silicon substrate 1 is singulated into chips by blade dicing. Herein, when the chips are singulated after the support wafer 13 is peeled off in the above-described manner, although handling becomes difficult, the support wafer 13 can be reused.
When the semiconductor device having the through-electrode having the structure according to the first embodiment described above is employed, the following effects can be exerted.
In the through-electrode structure according to the first embodiment, the bump electrode 4 has the protruding portion d 1 , and the protruding portion has the shape that is inserted in the silicon substrate 1 -side when viewed from the pad 3 . This has the effect that facilitates processing of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , which is formed from the surface (back surface s 2 ) of the silicon substrate 1 on the opposite side. This is for the reason that, while the hole portion usually has to be dug down to the back surface of the pad, the necessary dug-down amount can be reduced by the amount corresponding to the protrusion of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 in the first embodiment.
Particularly, when the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is desired to reach the pad 3 , the interlayer insulating film 2 , which is at the bottom of the hole and is not readily processed, has to be processed, and etching has to be stopped without damaging the thin pad 3 . Compared with this, in the manufacturing method of the first embodiment, the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is formed so as to penetrate through the pad 3 ; therefore, the processing amount of the interlayer insulating film 2 can be correspondingly reduced. Furthermore, since the pad 3 is not required to be processed from the back surface s 2 -side, damage caused on the pad 3 can be reduced. As a result, the performance can be enhanced in the semiconductor device, in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, without deteriorating the productivity.
Moreover, in the manufacturing method of the first embodiment, as described above, the electrolytic plating method can be employed as the method of forming the bump electrode 4 . The bump electrodes 4 formed by the electrolytic plating method can be disposed at a smaller distance (pitch), for example, compared with stud bumps. In this manner, when the through-electrode having the structure according to the first embodiment is applied, a semiconductor device having a structure suitable for increasing the number of pins can be realized. As a result, the performance can be further enhanced in the semiconductor device, in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, without deteriorating productivity.
Second Embodiment
In a second embodiment, a structure which exerts different effects by changing the shape of the through-electrode in the semiconductor device of the above-described first embodiment will be described. A semiconductor device of the second embodiment has a similar configuration and similar effects as the semiconductor device of the above-described first embodiment except for the configuration described below.
A first structure will be described with reference to FIG. 20 . The through-electrode of the semiconductor device of the second embodiment has a structure similar to that of the through-electrode of the semiconductor device of the above-described first embodiment. Specifically, the bump electrode 4 formed in the main surface s 1 -side of the silicon substrate 1 has the protruding portion d 1 , and the protruding portion d 1 penetrates through the pad 3 , also penetrates through the interlayer insulating film 2 , and protrudes to the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . In other words, this can be expressed to be the structure that satisfies the following conditions. Specifically, when the silicon substrate 1 is viewed in a plan view, a protruding-portion diameter r 1 which is the diameter of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than a hole-portion diameter r 2 which is the diameter of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Furthermore, as a length of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 , a protruding-portion length t 1 which is the length of the protruding portion d 1 viewed from the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 is larger than an interlayer-film thickness t 2 which is the thickness of the interlayer insulating film 2 .
Herein, as an example, the case in which two chips (a first chip C 1 and a second chip C 2 ) having the through-electrode structures as described above are electrically connected with each other will be described. The through-electrode structures of the first chip C 1 and the second chip C 2 are the same. In this case, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 is caulked with the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 . In the present specification, “caulking” refers to, for example, fitting the protruding portion in the hole portion so as to bring them to close contact with each other. In this case, the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 is fit in the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 , and the bump electrode 4 is brought into close contact with the sidewalls of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . As a result, the back-surface electrode 6 of the first chip C 1 formed on the sidewalls of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is brought into contact with the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 . In this manner, the first chip C 1 and the second chip C 2 can be electrically connected with each other.
Furthermore, a following effect is also provided. In the semiconductor device of the second embodiment, in the through-electrode structure thereof, the bottom portion of the back-surface electrode 6 is pushed up by the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 . In other words, the back-surface electrode 6 is formed so as to be shallower than the depth of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Therefore, when the bump electrode 4 of the second chip is fit in the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 , the bump electrode 4 is crushed and undergoes plastic deformation in a lateral direction; thus, a stronger caulking connection can be realized. As a result, in the semiconductor device, in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the stability can be improved.
Next, a second structure will be described with reference to FIG. 21 . In the second structure, the magnitude relation between the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is the same as the above-described first structure. More specifically, the protruding-portion diameter r 1 is smaller than the hole-portion diameter r 2 . Furthermore, in the second structure, the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 . Therefore, in the second structure, the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is formed so as to protrude within the interlayer insulating film 2 without reaching the silicon substrate 1 .
A method of manufacturing the semiconductor device having the through-electrode of the second structure will be described. First, in the same manner with the above-described method of FIG. 4 , the plurality of semiconductor elements, the interlayer insulating film 2 , and the pads 3 are formed on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 .
Then, as illustrated in FIG. 22 , the bump-electrode hole portion 10 is formed in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 5 . However, in the present step, the bump-electrode hole portion 10 is formed so as not to reach the silicon substrate 1 . In other words, the bump-electrode hole portion 10 is formed by carrying out anisotropic etching so that the etching stops in the middle of the interlayer insulating film 2 . In the subsequent process, steps similar to those of above-described FIGS. 6 to 12 are carried out.
Subsequently, as illustrated in FIG. 23 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 13 , the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is formed from the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 . However, in the present step, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 10 is formed so as to penetrate through the silicon substrate 1 and to grind part of the interlayer insulating film 2 . In this case, the process gas such as SF.sub.6 or C.sub.4F.sub.8 used for etching the silicon substrate 1 is changed to C.sub.3F.sub.8, Ar, CHF.sub.4, or the like for etching the interlayer insulating film 2 . In this process, without forming a new etching mask, the interlayer insulating film 2 is subjected to anisotropic etching with using the residue of the photoresist film 14 and the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 as an etching mask. Particularly, the anisotropic etching is carried out until the protruding portion d 1 (bump-electrode seed layer 5 ) of the bump electrode 4 in the interlayer insulating film 2 is exposed.
Then, steps similar to those of above-described FIGS. 14 to 19 are carried out, thereby forming the through-electrode having the second structure of the second embodiment illustrated in above-described FIG. 21 .
Even in the method of forming the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 as described above, etching to penetrate through the interlayer insulating film 2 and reach the pad 3 is not necessary to be carried out. This is for the reason that, similarly to the above-described first embodiment, the bump electrode 4 has the protruding portion d 1 which penetrates through the pad 3 , and the etching is required to be carried out to expose at least the protruding portion d 1 . By virtue of the method that forms the hole portion from both sides of the silicon substrate 1 in this manner, the following effects can be obtained as same as the above-described first embodiment. Specifically, since the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is formed so as to penetrate through the pad 3 , the processing amount of the interlayer insulating film 2 can be correspondingly reduced. Furthermore, since the pad 3 is not required to be processed from the back surface s 2 -side, damage caused on the pad 3 can be reduced. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Furthermore, according to the second structure, the structure in which the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 does not protrude to the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 can be obtained. As a result, the back-surface electrode 6 (and the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 in the below layer thereof) can be formed to be flatter. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
On the other hand, in the first structure in which the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 reaches the inside of the silicon substrate 1 , the structure having the shallower back-surface electrode 6 , compared with the second structure, can be obtained. This structure can further strengthen the caulking connection as described above.
Moreover, the through-electrodes having the first and second structures have the structure in which misalignment does not readily occur when a plurality of chips are stacked. This is for the reason that, in the second structure, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 into which the bump electrode 4 is to be fit has a wide width and that the range that can allow planar misalignment of the bump electrode 4 is wide. Since the misalignment upon connection between chips is small in this manner, the structure can be said to be suitable for miniaturization and increasing the number of pins of a semiconductor device. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Next, a third structure will be described with reference to FIG. 24 . In the third structure, the relation between the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the interlayer-film thickness t 2 is the same as the above-described second structure. More specifically, the protruding-portion length t 1 is smaller than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 . Therefore, similar to the above-described second structure, the third structure also has the effect that the inner wall of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 so as to be further flatter, thereby being more readily covered with the back-surface electrode 6 . Furthermore, in the third structure, the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 is larger than the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . In other words, in the third structure, when viewed in a plan view, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is formed to be within the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 .
The through-electrode of the third structure can be formed as same as the through-electrode having the above-described second structure, except that the magnitude relation of the diameters of the bump-electrode hole portion 10 and the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is set to be the relation described above.
The through-electrode such as the third structure is the structure that does not readily cause misalignment upon formation of the electrode hole portions 7 and 10 . This is for the reason that the bump-electrode hole portion 10 , which is formed first, has a wide width, and that the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is required to be formed to be overlapped with any position of the bump-electrode hole portion 10 in a plan view. In this manner, employing the third structure to the through-electrode of the semiconductor device of the second embodiment has an advantage in terms of manufacturing method. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
On the other hand, in the first and second structures in which the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , misalignment upon stacking of a plurality of chips does not readily occur as described above. Since the misalignment upon connection between chips is small in this manner, the structures can be said to be suitable for miniaturization and increasing the number of pins of a semiconductor device. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Next, a fourth structure will be described with reference to FIG. 25 . In the fourth structure, the relation between the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is the same as the above-described third structure, and the protruding-portion diameter r 1 is larger than the hole-portion diameter r 2 . In other words, when viewed in a plan view, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is formed to be within the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 . Therefore, as well as the above-described third structure, the fourth structure also has the effect that misalignment upon formation of the electrode hole portions 7 and 10 does not readily occur. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Furthermore, in the fourth structure, the relation between the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the interlayer-film thickness t 2 is the same as the above-described first structure, and the protruding-portion length t 1 is larger than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 . More specifically, when viewed in a cross section, the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 penetrates through the interlayer insulating film 2 and reaches the inside of the silicon substrate 1 . Therefore, similar to the above-described first structure, the fourth structure also has the effect that enables stronger caulking connection when chips are stacked and connected. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Herein, the above-described fourth structure is the structure that can be in contact with the silicon substrate 1 since the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 is not within the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . The contact between the protruding portion d 1 and the silicon substrate 1 having conductivity is a cause of generation of a leakage current. Therefore, a protective insulating film 17 has to be formed at least on the boundary part of the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the silicon substrate 1 so that they are not electrically connected with each other. FIG. 25 illustrates, as an example, a structure in which the protective insulating film 17 is disposed so as to integrally cover the part from the inner walls of the bump-electrode hole portion 10 to the surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 , which is outside of the hole portion 10 .
Meanwhile, the bump electrode 4 (the bump-electrode seed layer 5 in the below layer thereof) and the pad 3 have to be electrically connected with each other. Therefore, at a main part p 1 on the pad 3 , a hole is provided in the protective insulating film 17 covering the pad 3 and the pad 3 and bump electrode 4 are brought into contact with each other. Meanwhile, the bump electrode 4 (the bump-electrode seed layer 5 in the below layer thereof) and the back-surface electrode 6 (the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 in the below layer thereof) have to be electrically connected with each other. Therefore, in this structure, at a main part p 2 at the boundary part of them, a hole is provided in the protective insulating film 17 , so that the bump electrode 4 and the back-surface electrode 6 are brought into contact with each other.
Hereinafter, a method of manufacturing the semiconductor device having the through-electrode having such fourth structure will be described. First, in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 4 , the plurality of semiconductor elements, the interlayer insulating film 2 , and the pads 3 are formed on the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 . Then, as illustrated in FIG. 26 , the bump-electrode hole portion 10 is formed in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 5 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 27 , the protective insulating film 17 is formed on the entire surface of the interlayer insulating film 2 including the bump-electrode hole portion 10 on the main surface s 1 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . For example, a silicon oxide film is formed as the protective insulating film 17 , for example, by a CVD method or sputtering method.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 28 , a contact hole is formed to expose the pad 3 at the main part p 1 which is a part of the protective insulating film 10 covering the pad 3 . For example, a photolithography method or etching method is used in this process.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 29 , the bump-electrode seed layer 5 is formed so as to cover the protective insulating film 10 . The bump-electrode seed layer 5 is formed in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 6 . At this point, the state in which the pad 3 and the bump-electrode seed layer 5 are in contact with each other via the contact hole of the protective insulating film 10 at the main part p 1 formed in the above-described step of FIG. 28 is achieved.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 30 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 7 , the photoresist film 11 is formed, and a hole having a desired shape is formed by a photolithography method. The shape of the hole is formed similarly to that in above-described FIG. 7 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 31 , the bump electrode 4 is formed by an electrolytic plating method in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 8 . The bump electrode 4 is formed also in the bump-electrode hole portion 10 , and this part serves as the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 32 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 9 , the exposed part of the bump-electrode seed layer 5 is removed by maskless etching. Through the above-described steps, the structure in which the protective insulating film 17 is disposed on the boundary part at which the bump electrode 4 (the bump-electrode seed layer 5 ) and the silicon substrate 1 can be in contact with each other can be formed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 33 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 10 , the adhesion layer 12 and the support wafer 13 are formed. Then, in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 11 , the silicon substrate 1 is subjected to a back grind treatment, thereby reducing the thickness thereof; and, subsequently, the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 is planarized, for example, by CMP.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 34 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIGS. 12 and 13 , the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is formed from the back surface s 2 of the silicon substrate 1 to the bottom portion of the bump-electrode hole portion 10 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 35 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 14 , the insulating film 8 is formed from the back surface s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 including the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 36 , a photoresist film 18 is formed on the back surface s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 . In this process, the photoresist film 18 is spin-coated by using, for example, a spinner. In this process, the photoresist film 18 is formed to be prevented from entering the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 by selecting the type and application conditions of the photoresist film 18 .
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 37 , the photoresist film 18 applied in the previous step is subjected to exposure and development, thereby providing a hole portion 19 in the photoresist film 18 . In this process, when viewed in a plan view, the hole portion 19 is formed at a position inside the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Then, as illustrated in FIG. 38 , while using the photoresist film 18 as an etching mask, the insulating film 8 and the protective insulating film 17 in the below layer thereof are subjected to anisotropic etching to be removed. As a result, the bump-electrode seed layer 5 , which constitutes the bump electrode 4 , is exposed at the main part p 2 at the bottom of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Then, the photoresist film 18 is removed by an organic solvent such as acetone or oxygen ashing.
In the present step, as described with reference to above-described FIG. 36 , the photoresist film 18 is applied not to enter the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . As a result, when the photoresist film 18 is removed in the above-described step of FIG. 38 , the step in which the resist film does not readily remain in the inside of the hole can be carried out without the need of actively cleaning the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . The state in which the resist film remains in the hole can be a cause of defective etching in a later step or a cause of peel-off of the electrode. Therefore, by virtue of the present step, the semiconductor device having a higher reliability can be formed.
In a subsequent step, as illustrated in FIG. 39 , in the same manner as the above-described method of FIG. 10 , the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is formed from the back surface s 2 -side of the silicon substrate 1 including the inner surface of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . In this step, the bump-electrode seed layer 5 and the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 are brought into contact with each other at the main part p 2 at which the insulating film 8 and the protective insulating film 17 are removed in the previous step and the bump-electrode seed layer 5 is exposed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 40 , in the same manner as the method of above-described FIG. 17 , the back-surface electrode 6 is formed. In this process, at the main part p 2 in the back-surface-electro hole portion 7 , the back-surface electrode 6 and the bump electrode 4 are electrically connected with each other via the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 and the bump-electrode seed layer 10 , and thus the through-electrode structure can be formed.
Next, as illustrated in FIG. 41 , in the same manner as the method of above-described FIGS. 18 and 19 , the back-surface-electrode seed layer 9 is processed. The semiconductor device having the through-electrode having the fourth structure of the second embodiment can be formed by the above steps.
Meanwhile, the structure in which the protective insulating film 17 is provided to the lower part of the bump electrode 4 and the bump-electrode seed layer 5 like the through-electrode of the above-described fourth structure may be employed for another configuration. Examples will be given below.
As illustrated in FIG. 42 , the protective insulating film 17 as described above may be provided to the structure in which the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface electrode 6 , and the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 is larger than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 of the interlayer insulating film 2 . Also in this through-electrode structure, the caulking connection force is improved as the bottom level of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is raised.
Also, as illustrated in FIG. 43 , the protective insulating film 17 as described above may be provided to the structure in which the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface electrode 6 , and the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 of the interlayer insulating film 2 .
Also, as illustrated in FIG. 44 , the protective insulating film 17 as described above may be provided to the structure in which the protruding-portion diameter r 1 of the bump electrode 4 is larger than the hole-portion diameter r 2 of the back-surface electrode 6 , and the protruding-portion length t 1 of the bump electrode 4 is smaller than the interlayer-film thickness t 2 of the interlayer insulating film 2 .
On the other hand, compared with the fourth structure and the modification examples thereof, the protective insulating film 17 as described above is not required to be formed in the above-described first, second, and third structures since the protruding portion d 1 of the bump electrode 4 and the silicon substrate are not in contact in these structures. From this point of view, as to the first, second, and third structures, the number of manufacturing steps for formation and processing of the protective insulating film 17 as described above can be reduced. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
Third Embodiment
A semiconductor device of a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 45 . The semiconductor device of the third embodiment has a configuration in which a plurality of semiconductor chips having through-electrodes like those of the above-described first and second embodiments are stacked. Herein, the semiconductor chips are stacked in the manner as described with reference to above-described FIG. 20 .
FIG. 45 illustrates the semiconductor device including the stacked plurality of chips (first chip C 1 , second chip C 2 , and third chip C 3 ) having the through-electrodes of the third embodiment. The chips are mutually connected by physical caulking by injecting and pressure-welding the bump electrode 4 formed on an upper-level chip (for example, the second chip C 2 ) into and with the hollow back-surface-electrode hole portions 7 formed in a lower-level chip (for example, the first chip C 1 ). The bump electrodes 4 of the chip of the lowermost layer (in this case, the first chip C 1 ) are joined with electrodes 21 of a wiring board 20 , thereby achieving the state in which the chip is electrically connected with the wiring board 20 . Moreover, solder bumps 22 are formed on the lower side of the wiring board 20 and are used for connection with outside. The solder bumps 22 are electrically connected with the electrodes 21 of the wiring board 20 via internal wiring (not illustrated), etc. of the wiring board 20 . In other words, the chips C 1 , C 2 , and C 3 are electrically connected mutually via the through-electrodes and are further electrically connected with the solder bumps 22 via the electrodes 21 of the wiring board 20 .
After the chips are stacked on the wiring board 20 , the gaps of the plurality of chips (first chip C 1 , second chip C 2 , and third chip C 3 ) and the wiring board 20 is filled with an underfill resin 23 . As a result, the mechanical strength is enlarged so as to enhance the handling ability, and the device is protected from the external environment.
In the semiconductor device having the above-described configuration, different effects can be exerted depending on the outer shape of the bump electrode 4 or the outer shape of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . Hereinafter, the effects brought about to the semiconductor device by the difference in the outer shapes will be described in detail. First, the outer shape of the corresponding bump electrode 4 and the outer shape of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 will be described with reference to FIG. 46 . Since the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is covered with the back-surface electrode 6 in practice, hereinafter, when the outer shape of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is referred to, it expresses the outer shape formed by the back-surface electrode 6 covering the outer shape the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 .
FIG. 46A is an explanatory diagram describing the outer shape of the bump electrode 4 . A cross-sectional view of the part of the bump electrode 4 exposed above the pad 3 is illustrated on the top, and a plan view of the bump electrode 4 is illustrated on the bottom. As described above, when viewed in the cross section, the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 has the inclination which makes the width increase (diameter of the bump electrode 4 is increased) toward the silicon substrate 1 . Meanwhile, when viewed in the plan view, the bump electrode 4 is circular. FIG. 46B is an explanatory diagram describing the outer shape of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . A cross-sectional view of the through-electrode including the back-surface electrode 6 is illustrated on the top, and a plan view of the periphery of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is illustrated on the bottom. The shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is circular when viewed in the plan view. Herein, as to the inclined surface forming the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 , the diameter of the bottom portion, which is the widest, is larger than the diameter of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 .
FIG. 47 is an explanatory diagram explaining the state in which both the chips C 1 and C 2 are electrically connected to each other by inserting the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 into the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 . A cross-sectional view of the chips is illustrated on the left side, and a plan view of the periphery of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 is illustrated on the right side. As is understood from FIG. 47 , when both the chips C 1 and C 2 are to be connected with each other, the inclined surface forming the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 is brought into contact with the circumferential part forming the bore of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 and covers the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 . In this state, the bump electrode 4 is further thrust into the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 (see above-described FIG. 45 ), thereby achieving a caulking connection.
Particularly, like the above-described example, when the shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 and the planar shape of the bump electrode 4 are the same circular shape, the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is sealed by the bump electrode 4 in the process of carrying out the caulking connection.
FIGS. 48A, 48B, and 48C illustrate the bump electrodes 4 having shapes other than a precise circle (for example, polygonal shape, oval shape, etc.) as the planar shape thereof. FIG. 48A illustrates an example of a triangular shape, FIG. 48B illustrates an example of a rectangular shape, and FIG. 48C illustrates an example of an oval shape. In each of the cases, if the shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 is a precise circular shape, sealing of the hole like above-described FIG. 47 is not made. This is for the reason that the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 and the sidewall surface of the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 are in contact with each other by points, and gaps are generated between them. This is caused since the shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 and the planar shape of the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 are different from each other. In FIGS. 48A, 48B, and 48C , the triangular shape and the rectangular shape are illustrated as examples of the bump electrode 4 having a polygonal shape as the planar shape thereof. However, similar effects can be obtained even when the bump electrode 4 has a polygonal shape of a higher order. In that case, the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 is brought into contact with the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 by more points.
Similar effects can be also obtained when the planar shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 has a shape other than the precise circle (for example, polygonal shape, oval shape, etc.). Examples of the shapes are illustrated in FIGS. 49A and 49B . FIG. 49A illustrate an example in which the shape of the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 is a rectangular shape and FIG. 49B illustrates an example of an example oval shape. In each of the examples, if the planar shape of the bump electrode of the second chip C 2 is a precise circular shape, the sealing of the inside of the hole as above-described FIG. 47 is not made. The reason is the same as that explained in above-described FIGS. 48A-49C . In FIGS. 49A and 49B , the rectangular shape is illustrated as an example of the planar shape of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 having a polygonal shape as the planar shape. However, similar effects can be exerted even when the shape is a triangular shape or a polygonal shape of a higher order. In the example of the polygonal shape of a higher order, the perimeter of the opening portion of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 of the first chip C 1 is brought into contact with the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 by more points.
For example, when sealing of the inside of the hole as illustrated in above-described FIG. 47 is made when the plurality of chips having the through-electrode structures are subjected to caulking connection, the underfill resin 23 illustrated in above-described FIG. 45 does not enter the inside of the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 , and air remains in the inside of the through-electrode.
On the other hand, sealing in the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is prevented by applying the back-surface electrode having any of the structures described with reference to above-described FIGS. 48A, 48B, and 48C and FIGS. 49A and 49B like the semiconductor device of the third embodiment. More specifically, gaps are generated between the back-surface electrode 6 of the first chip C 1 and the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 . Therefore, when the underfill resin 23 flows in, the air in the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is pushed out, and the underfill resin 23 can be filled therein. Moreover, compared with the case in which the back-surface electrode 6 and the bump electrode 4 are in close contact with each other, the contacting area upon the caulking connection is reduced when they are in contact with each other by points like the third embodiment, and the caulking connection can be made even with a low load. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
The firmness of the caulking connection can be varied also by the inclination angle of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 . In relation to this, description will be given with reference to FIGS. 50A and 50B . As described above, the bump electrode 4 has a tapered shape, in which the sidewall thereof is inclined, at the part exposed above the pad 3 .
FIG. 50A illustrates a structure in which the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 has a low-inclination tapered shape. In the semiconductor device of the third embodiment, the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 being the low inclination means that a taper angle v 1 which is the angle formed by the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 and the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 is larger than or equal to 45 degrees and smaller than 70 degrees. FIG. 50B illustrates a structure in which the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 of the second chip C 2 has a tapered shape with a steep inclination. In the semiconductor device of the third embodiment, mentioning that the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 having a steep inclination means that a taper angle v 2 which is the angle formed by the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 and the main surface s 1 of the silicon substrate 1 is larger than or equal to 70 degrees and smaller than 90 degrees.
When the tapered shape of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 has a low inclination, the tip diameter of the bump electrode 4 can be reduced; therefore, misalignment between chips upon chip connection does not readily occur. Moreover, in this case, the contact area between the bump electrode 4 and the back-surface electrode 6 upon the caulking connection is small. Therefore, the load for joint required for the caulking connection can be further reduced.
On the other hand, when the tapered shape of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 has the steep inclination, the contact area between the bump electrode 4 and the back-surface electrode 6 upon the caulking connection is increased. Therefore, among the plurality of chips stacked by the caulking connection, the joint force can be increased. Note that the bump electrode 4 having a columnar shape in which the bump upper-surface size and the bump lower-surface size are the same has similar characteristics as the case in which the tapered shape of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 has a steep inclination.
To change the taper angles v 1 and v 2 of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 , in the manufacturing method described with reference to above-described FIG. 7 , etc., the outer shape of the pattern is changed by changing the temperature inclination upon heating of the photoresist film 11 , thereby arbitrarily controlling the taper angles v 1 and v 2 .
In the semiconductor device in which chips having the through-electrode structures are mutually stacked and subjected to caulking connection, there are requirements to reduce the load required for joint or to increase the joint force and so forth. In relation to these, as described above, according to the semiconductor device of the third embodiment, these factors can be arbitrarily adjusted by changing the shapes of the bump electrode 4 and the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 in a plan view or by changing the taper angles v 1 and v 2 of the inclined sidewall of the bump electrode 4 . More specifically, when the load for the joint of the caulking connection is to be reduced, there is a method in which the shape of the bump electrode 4 or the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 in a plan view is changed to, for example, a polygonal shape or a method in which the taper angles v 1 and v 2 of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 are caused to have a low inclination. Also, when the joint force of the caulking connection is to be increased, there is a method in which the planar shapes of the bump electrode 4 and the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 are changed to similar precise circular shapes, or a method in which the taper angles v 1 and v 2 of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 is caused to have a steep inclination.
In this manner, according to the semiconductor device according to the third embodiment, the load required for joint of the semiconductor chips having the through-electrodes and the joint force thereof can be arbitrarily adjusted. As a result, in the semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, the performance can be further enhanced without deteriorating the productivity.
In the foregoing, the invention made by the inventors of the present invention has been concretely described based on the embodiments. However, it is needless to say that the present invention is not limited to the foregoing embodiments and various modifications and alterations can be made within the scope of the present invention.
For example, in the above-described third embodiment, the structure in which the shape of the bump electrode 4 or the back-surface-electrode hole portion 7 is changed and the structure in which the taper angles v 1 and v 2 of the sidewall of the bump electrode 4 are changed are separately illustrated. These configurations are more effective when used together.
The present invention is applicable to the semiconductor industry necessary for carrying out information processing, for example, in personal computer, mobile devices, etc.
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In a semiconductor device in which a plurality of semiconductor chips are stacked, performance is enhanced without deteriorating productivity. The semiconductor device has a first semiconductor substrate having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, a first insulating film formed on the first surface, a first hole formed in the first insulating film and partially extending into the first semiconductor substrate, a second hole formed in the second surface, a first electrode entirely filling the first hole, and a conductive film conformally formed in the second hole. The conductive film is electrically connected to a bottom surface of the first electrode and leaves a third hole in the first semiconductor substrate open. The third hole is configured to receive a second electrode of a second semiconductor substrate.
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The invention relates to a method for speed adjustment of blades rotating in a rotor plane on a wind turbine and a wind turbine with adjustable blades.
BACKGROUND
In the context of wind turbines for power production, the number of revolutions of the blades is adjusted in accordance with the speed of the wind to the effect that as much wind power as possible is converted into electric power. To use to advantage as much as possible of the wind power, the blade tip speed describing the speed of the blade tip is to be adapted to the speed of the wind. This is accomplished by changing the rate of revolution of the blades in pace with the speed of the wind changing. When the wind power is exploited optimally, the speed of the blade tip is proportional to the speed of the wind, meaning that the blade tip speed is increased when the speed of the wind increases and is correspondingly lowered when the speed of the wind slows down.
Today, the blades of a wind turbine are constructed as a rigid rotor, which means that the individual blades in the plant all have the same rate of revolution. This means that the angle between two blades in a wind turbine with a total of three blades is 120°. The speed of the blades can be adjusted by stalling or pitching the blades to the effect that the angle of attack of the wind on the blade is optimised relative to the speed of the wind. When the blade is actively stall-adjusted, the angle of attack is changed to the effect that turbulent air flows are generated across the blade, and hereby the lift of the blade is reduced. Therefore, the blade will be braked when it stalls, but it can be adjusted back to optimise the angle of attack, and the blade will again achieve maximal lift. When the blade is pitch-adjusted, the angle of attack of the wind is changed in the opposite direction compared to a scenario in which active stall-adjustment is performed, and thereby the blade loses its lift, but turbulent flows are not formed across the blade. The rate of revolution of the rotor is adjusted in pace with the wind speed changing, and such adjustment typically takes place on the basis of a measurement of the speed of the wind by means of eg an anemometer. The speed of the wind is typically measured on the nacelle, ie at approximately the same height as the hub of the wind turbine, to the effect that the rate of rotation of the blades is determined on the basis of the wind speed at the hub.
However, the speed of the wind varies with the height above ground and will typically be increasing with increasing height above ground. Therefore each individual blade will meet different wind speeds during a rotation cycle, meaning that the blade is influenced by a relatively high wind speed at the top of the rotation cycle and a lower wind speed at the bottom of the rotation cycle. The rate of rotation of the blades being adjusted on the basis of wind speed at the hub, the blade will have a propensity to go too fast when it is situated in the upper half of its rotation cycle, and too slowly when it is situated in the bottom half of the rotation cycle, which causes forces in the hub. Today, in order to reduce such forces, the blades are individually pitch-adjusted (U.S. Pat. No. 6,604,907; WO2005090781). This is typically accomplished by pitching the blades out of the wind when they are located in the upper half of the rotation cycle, and thereby the lift on the blades is reduced, whereby the blade loses some of its momentum. It is a drawback of this system that the power of the wind cannot be used optimally when the blades are pitched out of the wind due to the speed of the blade tip no longer being optimal relative to the speed of the wind.
HAU E.: “windkraftanlagen” 1996, SPRINGER VERLAG, Berlin, DE, page 172-176 discloses that the blades of a two bladed wind turbine can have different degrees of freedom in order to reduce the loads on the wind turbine due to asymmetric outflow conditions. The degrees of freedom could for instance allow the blades to pendulant in and out of the rotor plane, to be pitched or to be angularly displaced in the rotor plane.
WO 2005/068833 A2 discloses a wind turbine where the pitch of the blades can be varied according to the wind velocity by using a combination of the wind speed and the centrifugal force. The blades are hinged such that they can be rotated/lifted in/out of the rotor plane. The pitch of the blades can hereby be varying according to the wind velocity and the centrifugal force.
FR 1025422 discloses a rotor for e.g. a helicopter or wind turbine. The blade comprises an outer blade part and an inner blade part fastened to the hub. The outer blade part is introduced into the inner blade part in a telescopic way and can be turned around an axis, which is parallel to the main shaft and displaced from the main shaft. The consequence is that the angular displacement in the rotor plane of the outer blade part can be varied.
None of the wind turbines and rotors disclosed in the above-mentioned documents provide sufficient reduction of the loads on the wind turbine, and it is further impossible to optimise the blade tip speed relatively to the speed of the wind.
OBJECT AND DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
It is the object of this invention to describe an alternative method of adjusting the blades of a wind turbine to the effect that the above-mentioned problems are remedied or solved.
This is accomplished by a method for speed adjustment of blades rotating in a rotor plane on a wind turbine, wherein the angle between at least two blades in the rotor plane is changed and where the angle displacement of each blade in the rotor plane is changed individually. This means that the blade tip speed of the blades can be adjusted to the effect that it is optimal relative to the speed of the wind during the entire rotation cycle. This is accomplished by changing the angle displacement of each blade, angle displacement meaning here and in the following the angle in the rotor plane at which the blade is turned away from its initial point or initial conventional setting and thus closer to and/or further away from one of the other blades. By changing the angle displacement of a blade, the rate of revolution of a blade is increased or decreased correspondingly. The blades in the wind turbine can be adjusted to the effect that the angle between the blades is changed relative to the position of a blade in the rotor plane as opposed to a conventional wind turbine, where the angle between the blades is fixed. The result is that the mutual angular distance of the blades is changed in the course of a rotation cycle, as opposed to a standard wind turbine where the blades have a constant angle relative to each other at the hub (e.g. 120 degrees in a wind turbine with three blades). Further, the advantageous aspect is accomplished that, for each individual blade, the blade tip speed can be optimised relative to the speed of the wind. This is a major advantage due to the speed of the wind varying around the wind turbine, and, by optimisation of each individual blade to the speed of the wind, more of the wind power can be used to advantage.
According to yet an embodiment, the angle displacement of the blades in the rotor plane is changed cyclically. Hereby the rate of rotation of each blade is also adjusted cyclically which constitutes a simple, but efficient kind of adjustment which is comparatively readily implemented.
According to yet an embodiment each blade is accelerated while the blade is on its way upwards by the angle displacement being increased. This is advantageous in that the speed of the wind increases with the height and therefore the optimal blade tip speed of the blade increases correspondingly with the height, which is accomplished by accelerating the blade as described.
According to a further embodiment each blade is accelerated while the blade is on its way downwards by the angle displacement being reduced. Correspondingly, as mentioned above, the speed of the blade can hereby be adapted to the variations of the wind as a function of the distance above ground level.
According to yet an embodiment, the speed of the wind, the position of the blade or the speed of the blade are used to adjust the angle displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. This means that the angle displacement of the blade, and hence its speed, can be adjusted and controlled as a function of the current, local speed of wind compared the actual position in the rotation cycle of the blade. Likewise, the tip speed of the blade can be monitored and corrected continuously in case it is not optimal relative to the wind.
Correspondingly the acceleration of at least one blade can, according to yet an embodiment of the invention, be used for adjusting the angle displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. Hereby the advantageous aspect is accomplished that the acceleration of the blade can be monitored and corrections can be made in case of errors or inaccuracies, if any, in the acceleration of the blade.
According to yet an embodiment, the angle displacement of at least one blade can be changed between −12 and +8 degrees relative to the initial point or initial setting of the blade. Hereby it is ensured that the speed of the blade can be changed in order for it to be optimised to the typical variations in wind speeds around a wind turbine. Moreover, it is ensured that the blades are unable to collide or come too close to each other.
Moreover the invention relates to a wind turbine comprising a rotor with a number of blades, wherein said rotor comprises angular adjusting means, such as e.g. movable supports and flexible joints for individually adjusting the angular displacement in the rotor plane of one of said blades relative to at least one other blade. As mentioned above in the context of the methods according to the invention, this means that the blade tip speed for each blade can be regulated to the effect that it is optimal relative to the speed of the wind in the course of the entire rotation cycle. The result is that the mutual angular distance of the blades can be changed in the course of a rotation cycle as opposed to a standard wind turbine, where the blades have a constant mutual distance (eg 120 degrees in a wind turbine with three blades). The advantages of this are as mentioned above.
Moreover the invention relates to a system of controlling blades in a wind turbine as described above. The control system comprises a central control unit and one or more wind speed meters for measuring the speed of the wind, and said control unit is adapted to use said speed of the wind for controlling the angular displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. This means that the speed of the wind can be regulated as a function of the current, actual speed of the wind experienced by the blade and, likewise, the speed of the blade can be adjusted in case changes occur in the speed of the wind. Likewise, the speed of the wind can be deduced from the power signal of the wind turbine, said power expressing the mean speed across the entire rotor.
According to a further embodiment the system comprises one or more position meters for measuring the position of at least one blade, and said control unit is adapted to use said position being used for controlling the angular displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. Hereby the advantageous aspect is accomplished that the speed of the wind can be adjusted in response to where in the rotation cycle the blade is currently located. This may contribute to optimising the speed of the blade while simultaneously the speed of the blade can be adjusted relative to the positions of the other blades.
According to a further embodiment the system comprises one or more blade speed meters for measuring the speed of at least one blade, and said control unit is adapted to use said blade speed being used for controlling the angular displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. Hereby the advantageous aspect is accomplished that the blade speed can be controlled and corrected if errors or inaccuracies, if any, occur in the blade speed.
Finally, according to a further embodiment the system comprises one or more acceleration meters for measuring the acceleration of at least one blade, and said control unit is adapted to use said one or more blade acceleration for controlling the angular displacement of at least one blade in the rotor plane. Hereby the advantageous aspect is accomplished that the acceleration of the blade can be monitored, and that corrections can be made in case of errors or inaccuracies, if any.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
In the following the invention will be described with reference to the figures, wherein
FIG. 1 illustrates a wind profile in front of a wind turbine;
FIG. 2 illustrates where the individual speeds of the blades are typically to be adjusted in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 illustrates where the blades are to be accelerated and decelerated in accordance with the invention;
FIGS. 4 a - 4 d illustrate possible blade positions on a wind turbine according to the invention relative to the positions of the blades in a standard wind turbine featuring three blades;
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention where a counterweight has been added;
FIG. 6 illustrates the principles of how the position of the individual blade can be changed at the hub; and
FIG. 7 shows a block diagram of how controlling of the wind turbine can be implemented.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 illustrates a wind profile ( 101 ) in front of a wind turbine ( 102 ). The speed of the wind, V, is indicated on the horizontal axis ( 103 ), whereas the height, h, above ground level is indicated on the vertical axis ( 104 ). The shape of the wind profile depends on the terrain in which the profile is to describe the wind, but it applies in general that the speed of the wind is increased when the height increases. Therefore the individual blades of the wind turbine will be influenced by different wind speeds in response to where in the rotation cycle the blade ( 105 a , 105 b ) is located. Thus, the uppermost blade ( 105 a ) experiences a higher speed of wind than the lowermost blade ( 105 b ). The speed of the wind at the same height as the hub of the wind turbine is designated V 0 ( 106 ). In order to use as much power of the wind as possible, each individual blade tip speed is to be adjusted proportionally with the speed of the wind. Therefore, in this invention, the blades in the wind turbine are adjusted such that their speeds are increased when they are exposed to a higher speed of wind. Therefore the uppermost blade ( 105 a ) will have a higher rate of rotation than the lowermost blade ( 105 b ). Thereby the power of the wind is used more to advantage compared to earlier systems where the rate of rotation is adjusted on the basis of the speed of the wind ( 106 ) at the hub of the wind turbine, and where all blades have the same speed during the entire rotation cycle.
FIG. 2 illustrates where the individual speed of the blades can be adjusted in accordance with the invention. The blades of the wind turbine rotate in the direction shown by the arrow ( 201 ). The speed of the wind around the wind turbine ( 102 ) varies as outlined in FIG. 1 , meaning that the rate of rotation of a blade should be changed correspondingly in the course of a rotation to obtain optimal utilisation of the wind power. The optimal rate of rotation, ω, relative to the speed of wind is set to be equal to a constant, k 0 , ( 202 ) at the same height as the wind turbine hub. When the blade ( 105 ) is in the upper half ( 203 ) of its rotation cycle, where the wind speed is higher, the optimal rate of revolution will also be higher than k 0 . Conversely, the optimal rate of rotation will be lower than k 0 when the blade is in the lowermost half ( 204 ) of the rotation cycle.
FIG. 3 illustrates where in a rotation cycle the blades can thus advantageously be accelerated or decelerated pursuant to the invention. The blades of the wind turbine rotate in the direction shown by the arrow ( 201 ). In order to accomplish the desired blade tip speed, as described in FIG. 2 , the blades have to be accelerated and decelerated in the course of a rotation cycle. The figure illustrates where in the rotation cycle the blades are to be accelerated. Typically, the minimum speed of a blade is at the bottom of the rotation, and therefore the acceleration, α, of the blade must be positive, while the blade is ascending, α>0 ( 301 ) in this area. When the blade has reached the top of a rotation, it has typically reached its maximum speed and therefore the acceleration must be negative (a deceleration) when the blade moves downwards again. The acceleration, α, is therefore smaller than zero ( 302 ) when the blade is in that area. The shown accelerations are not limiting as to where the blades are to be accelerated according to the invention due to the acceleration also depending on a general increase, if any, or a decrease in the speed of the wind.
FIGS. 4 a - 4 c illustrate how, in this invention, the position of the blades can be adjusted in accordance with the speed of the wind and relative to each other. The positions of the blades are compared to the positions in a conventional wind turbine ( 401 ) with three blades. According to the invention the blades of the wind turbine (A, B, C) can be turned at an angle at the hub relative to the ordinary setting of the blade in a wind turbine (also designated the initial point of the blade), where the angle between the blades is fixed. The result is that the mutual angular distances between the blades can be changed in the course of a rotation cycle, which is contrary to a standard wind turbine featuring three blades, where blades (A′, B′, C′) gave a constant mutual distance of 120 degrees at the hub. The mutual angular distance further along the blade may vary slightly due to the flexing of the blades as a consequence of their own weight. The blades (A′, B′, C′) of a standard wind turbine rotate, as mentioned above, at a constant speed of rotation which is typically determined on the basis of the speed of the wind at the hub. By not maintaining the 120 degrees between each blade, but rather changing the angular displacement of each blade, 402 , 403 , each blade can be adjusted to run optimally in relation to the speed of wind prevailing at the position of the blade in its cycle of rotation, and thus the variation of the wind can be taken into consideration as a function of the height above ground. FIGS. 4 a - 4 d illustrate four possible positions of the blades of a wind turbine according to the invention.
In FIG. 4 a , blade A is at the top of its rotation cycle and here it coincides with a reference blade A′, but is running at a higher rotary speed due to its being accelerated as described in FIG. 3 . Blade B has a smaller rotary speed than blade B′ due to it being in the lower half of its rotation cycle, but it has previously moved relative to blade B′ because, in the upper half, it had a larger rotary speed than B′. Therefore, in this figure, the angular rotation ( 402 ) of blade B is positive (the same direction as the direction of rotation), and the blade is in front of B′, but B′ catches up with B. Therefore, in this situation, the angle between blades A and B is larger than 120 degrees. Blade C has a lower speed than blade C′, and the angular displacement ( 403 ) of C is negative (opposite the direction of rotation). Therefore the angle between blade C and blade A is larger than 120 degrees.
In FIG. 4 b , reference blades (A′, B′, C′) have rotated one quarter of a revolution and now it will appear that blade A has overtaken A′. This is due to the fact that, in the upper half, A has a higher speed than A′. B has been overtaken by blade B′ due to it having, in the lower half, a lower speed. Blade C is still behind blade C′, but has started to catch up with C′ due to it being in the upper half of its rotation cycle.
After having rotated a further quarter of revolution ( FIG. 4 c ) blades A and A′ coincide again due to blade A′ having caught up with A in the course of the last quarter of rotation. Blade B is still behind B′, but—as opposed to FIG. 4 b —it now catches up with blade B′. During the last quarter of revolution, blade C has overtaken blade C′ and still has a higher speed.
In FIG. 4 d , reference blades (A′, B′, C′) has rotated a further quarter of a revolution. During this quarter of a revolution, blade A has had a lower speed than the reference blades and therefore it has been overtaken by blade A′. Conversely, blade B has had a higher speed than the reference blades and therefore it has overtaken blade B′. Now blade C has a lower speed than reference blade C′ and it is therefore overtaken by C′.
FIGS. 4 a - 4 c serve merely to illustrate how the speeds of the blades can be adjusted individually relative to the reference blades (A′, B′, C′) due to it being the speed of the wind that decides how fast each blade is to rotate. The figures also illustrate how the mutual angle distance between the blades is changed in the course of a rotation. Thus the angle can be both greater and smaller than the 120 degrees that usually separate the blades of a wind turbine with three blades. According to one embodiment the angle of the individual blade is varied to the effect that, during the rotation, it is shifted between −12 and +8 degrees relative to the initial point or ordinary setting of the blade. Thus the blade is shifted +8 degrees at the top of the rotor plane, while it is shifted −12 degrees at the bottom. This is due to the fact that, typically, the speed of the wind varies logarithmically with the height, and therefore the variations will be larger at the bottom half of the rotation than in the top half of the rotation. The principle according to the invention of changing the angular displacement of each blade in the rotor plane independently of the setting of the remainder of the blades can also be used to reduce the loads on the wind turbine, which may be advantageous in particular in case of elevated wind speeds. Likewise, adjustment of the angular displacement of each blade may be advantageous in evening out turbulence and roads from gusts of wind and the like. Moreover, angular displacements can be used to advantage to attenuate edgewise turns, if any, in the blades which may otherwise cause damage to the blade structure. Finally, an angular displacement of a blade according to the invention can also be used to counteract the flexing of a blade due to its own weight.
FIG. 5 illustrates an embodiment of the invention, where a counterweight ( 501 ) has been added. The positions of the blades relative to each other in the invention being changed during the rotation, the position of the centre of mass will overall, for all three blades, also change during the rotation. This means that the hub is exposed to too high loads due to the angle of attack of the centre of mass varying. Therefore, in this embodiment, a counterweight is mounted which can be moved or rotated ( 502 ) during the rotation to the effect that the centre of mass of the blades remains constant centrally of the hub. According to one embodiment the counterweight is configured as a small blade, but it may have many different configurations—eg that of a cylindrical box, an elongate lever with a weight at the end, etc.
FIG. 6 illustrates the principles of how the angular displacement of the individual blade can be changed in various ways at the hub and with ensuing different patterns of movement, said angular displacements being necessary for being able to change the speed of the individual blade during rotation. The figures outline the hub of a wind turbine with three blades seen from the front and merely serve as examples as it is possible to have both fewer and more than three blades in a wind turbine, and they may be mounted in many different ways to the hub. FIG. 6 a shows a hub ( 601 ) with three blades (A, B, C), wherein the position of each blade can be changed by shifting the blades around eg a circular path along the exterior of the hub. This may be accomplished eg by securing the blades to a movable support ( 602 ) which, eg via bearings and hydraulics, is able to move and turn the blades as shown by arrows ( 603 ). FIG. 6 b shows three blades (A, B, C) secured to the centre of the hub ( 604 ). The position of the blade is, in this embodiment, changed by changing the angle of each blade at the centre of the hub and the movement is indicated by arrow ( 603 ). FIG. 6 c shows three blades (A, B, C) secured to the hub at a distance from the centre of the hub ( 604 ). Here the blades can be turned about an axis ( 605 ) which is displaced relative to the axis of the hub to the effect that they can be moved as shown by arrow ( 606 ). According to a further embodiment the hub connection is constituted of one or more flexible joints which, when it or they is/are bent, impart to the blade an angular displacement in accordance with the invention. The various embodiments of the blade's connection to the hub can also be combined.
By means of a block diagram, FIG. 7 illustrates how the control and adjustment of the wind turbine with individual variable blade speeds can be implemented. The control is structured around a central control unit ( 701 ) which may eg be a computer, microprocessor, PLC or be integrated as a part of the control computer of the wind turbine. It is the task of the control system to coordinate the pattern of movement of the blades such that the blade tip speed of each blade is optimised relative to the speed of the wind. Moreover, the control system also coordinates the patterns of movement of each individual blade relative to the remaining blades of the wind turbine. The control system is programmed ( 702 ) in advance with regard to how the blades are to be adjusted/controlled in various situations. The adjustment may take place based on wind profiles stored in the memory ( 703 ) of the control system to the effect that the changes in the wind locally around the wind turbine are taken into consideration. Moreover the control system ( 701 ) may receive inputs from various sensors ( 704 , 705 , 706 , 707 ), as will be described in further detail below, and they may partake in the coordination of the movement of the blades. The control system may adjust each individual blade ( 708 A, 708 B, 708 C) by increasing or decreasing the angular rotation of each blade and hence accelerating ( 709 ) or decelerating ( 710 ) the blade. Moreover, the blade can also be pitch/stall regulated ( 711 ) and an emergency brake ( 712 ) can be activated. Each blade in the wind turbine can be controlled in this manner, but the figure shows only the blocks of one blade ( 708 A) in detail. Finally, one or more counterweights ( 713 ), if any, are controlled such that the centre of mass of the blades is at all times at the centre of the hub.
One input may come from a wind speed meter ( 705 ) based on eg an anemometer or an ultrasound or laser measurement, both of which are able to measure the speed of the wind on the basis of the reflection by the air particles of the sound or the light. One measurement of the speed of the wind may, in combination with the wind profiles ( 703 ), be used to decide when the blades can advantageously be accelerated or decelerated. This may occur eg by comparing the stored blade profiles to the wind speeds and may is be accomplished as a cyclic adjustment to the effect that a blade will, as a starting point, experience the same adjustment in each rotation. Moreover the measurement can be used to decide how the blade is to be pitch or stall adjusted ( 711 ) to achieve optimal utilisation of the power of the wind. Finally, wind measurements by ultrasound or laser can be used to determine the speed of the wind a distance in front of the blade whereby the movements of the blades are optimised prior to the wind hitting the turbine, meaning that the blades can be adjusted to always be set correctly relative to the speed of the wind. The speed of the wind by which each blade is hit can also be measured which means that the setting of each blade can be optimised individually to the speed of the wind.
Another input may be a position meter ( 704 ) which is able to record the positions of the various blades such that the control system is, at all times, able to use the position of the blades in the coordination and adjustment. This or these position meters can be based on eg GPS measurements in each individual blade or by recording a video sequence of the blades. The position of the blades may partake in eg the adjustment of the counterweight to the effect that the overall centre of mass of the blades is at all times kept constant in the centre of the hub. Moreover the position of the blades can be used to decide whether the blades are to be accelerated or decelerated. This can be done by using the stored wind profiles ( 703 ) in combination with the position of the blade and thereby provide information whether the blade is to be accelerated or decelerated. Finally, the position meters can be used to decide whether the blades are to be emergency-braked, eg if one or more blades has/have come too close to their extreme positions.
A third and a fourth input may be measurement of the acceleration ( 706 ) or the speed ( 707 ) of the blades. These measurements can be used by the control system to check whether the blades react as planned, and thereby the control system is able to interfere if that is not the case. Finally the measurements can be used to control the counterweight ( 713 ). An acceleration and speed meter may be constructed eg by mounting piezoelectric transducers in various places on the blade by using a laser vibrometer which is able to measure accelerations and speeds based on a laser beam reflected on the blade or by using a GPS transmitter mounted on the blades.
The shown block diagram serves merely to illustrate how the control system can be configured. It is easy to set up the control system such that one or more of the shown components can be omitted and, likewise, several of the inputs can be used simultaneously during the adjustment.
It will be understood that the invention as taught in the present specification and figures can be modified or changed while continuing to be comprised by the protective scope of the following claims.
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A method of adjusting the speed of blades rotating in a rotor plane on a wind turbine, wherein the angle between at least two blades in the rotor plane is changed, whereby the tip speed of each individual blade can be optimised relative to the current speed of the wind experienced by the blade. Hereby it is possible to take into consideration the variation of the wind as a function of the height above ground level, and the yield of the wind turbine can be increased. The angular displacement of each blade can be changed individually independently of the remainder of the blades and cyclically. The method also comprises that each blade is accelerated on its way upwards in the rotation cycle and decelerated on its way down. Further details are provided about a system for controlling blades in a wind turbine comprising one or more wind speed meters, position meters, and/or acceleration meters, based on which parameters control of the angular displacement of each blade in the rotor plane is performed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicles and it has particular relationship to bicycles with emphasis on mountain bicycles. It is to be understood that, to the extent that the principles of this invention are adapted to other vehicles than bicycles, for example, motorcycles, or even automobiles or trailer couplings, such adaptation is to be regarded as within the scope of equivalents of this invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A mountain bicycle is driven over unpaved trails in parks and over hills and mountains. Such trails have obstructions such as rocks and exposed roots of trees. When the steerable wheel of a bicycle, in accordance with the prior art, encounters such an obstruction, it turns or pivots in one direction or the other, causing the bicycle suddenly to head in this direction and turns the handlebars contrary to the guiding force exerted by the rider with the possibility that the bicycle may leave the trail and injure the driver.
It has been realized that to deal with this problem, it is necessary to stabilize or damp the steering movement of the handlebars. Prior art which deals with stabilizing the movement of the handlebars is typified by Motrenec, U.S. Pat. No. 4,736,962, and Gustafsson, U.S. Pat. No. 4,773,514. These patents deal with motorcycles, specifically dirt motorcycles. They do not deal with the problems to which this application is directed. Motrenec does not describe what purpose its steering stabilizer serves and Gustafsson is concerned with wobbling of the front wheel and shock absorption of the back wheel when jumping.
As a bicycle is driven linearly, the driver rocks back and forth laterally in pedalling. This rocking movement has a tendency to turn the steerable wheel and handlebars back and forth laterally, dissipating the energy from the driver particularly when the driver has driven up a grade.
It is an object of this invention to overcome the above-described deficiencies of the prior art and to provide a bicycle which shall not present in use the above-described hazard of leaving a trail, or in case of an ordinary bicycle, a road, on contacting an object in the trail or road in its path.
It is another object of this invention to provide a bicycle in whose operation the dissipation of the energy of the driver by the rocking movement along a linear path shall be materially reduced.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In arriving at this invention, it was realized that, to prevent a bicycle from leaving a trail when its front wheel contacts an object, prompt and effective counteraction or remedial action is indispensable. The handlebar control of the bicycle must lend itself to immediate resetting of the handlebars to a setting which will enable the driver to prevent it from leaving the trail and also suppresses the reaction of the bicyle as a whole to the return to center. The steering stabilizing of Gustafsson and Motrenec reduces the rate at which the steerable wheel and the handlebars are displaced or deflected, but they also resist return of the steerable wheel and the handlebars to center by the driver.
In accordance with this invention, steering damping is provided for or integrated into a bicycle to facilitate the steering and enhance the stability of the bicycle. This steering damping is effective as the bicycle handlebars actuated by the steerable wheel are turned away from straight-line riding or "center," i.e., as in turning the bicycle either right or left, but offers negligible or no damping effect when returning the bicycle handlebars and the steerable wheel back toward straight-line riding or "center." The steering damping may or may not be speed sensitive or displacement sensitive and may or may not be internally or externally adjustable. The steering damping is to be actuated from the axis at the centerline of the bicycle steering stem by either incorporating damper into the bicycle steering stem, thus allowing steering damper to rotate around centerline of steering stem and/or mounting said steering damper elsewhere on the bicycle and actuate steering damper from steering stem centerline via linkage, gears, rack/pinion, drive-belt, etc.
Specifically, the steering damping is in accordance with this invention, effected by a steering damper including a container filled with oil and having closures at the ends thereof. Within the container, there is a fixed dam and a vane assembly including vanes extending from a shaft. The vanes at their ends extend axially to the closures and radially to the wall of the container between the closures. The steering damper is mounted on or integrated with a vehicle which has handlebars which are rotatable or pivotal about an axis and are connected to a steerable wheel. The handlebars are rotatable or pivotal in synchronism with the steerable wheel either to steer the wheel or by the wheel when the wheel contacts an obstruction over which the vehicle is moving. The steering damper is mounted on or integrated with the vehicle with its shaft of the vane assembly coaxial with or connected to the axis about which the handlebars rotate, rotatable in synchronism with the rotation of the handlebars and the steering rotation of the steerable wheel. The steerable wheel, the handlebars and the shaft are rotatable together in either direction from a center. When the vehicle is driven along a straight path, the steerable wheel, the handlebars and the vanes are all at center. When the steerable wheel and the handlebars are rotated, the vanes are displaced in a corresponding direction by a corresponding magnitude. One vane, depending on the direction of rotation, is displaced towards the dam defining with the dam a compartment of decreasing volume and compressing the oil between the one vane and the dam and the other vane is displaced away from the dam, defining with the dam a compartment of the increasing volume and relaxing the pressure on the oil in the latter compartment. There is a passage at the dam for the passage of oil from the compartment decreasing in volume to the compartment increasing in volume. This passage may be a hole through the body of the dam, or between the dam and the wall of the container or any structure. The effect of this operation is to damp the movement of the handlebars and reduce the rate of movement of the handlebars and steering wheel. Abrupt rapid departure from its driven path is thus precluded.
The damping which would resist or delay the return to center of the steerable wheel and handlebars is suppressed. To achieve this purpose, the vanes are provided with one-way valves. The valve in the vane approaching the dam is closed as the vane approaches the dam, but opens when this vane is displaced in the opposite direction, permitting the oil to flow from the third compartment defined between the vanes and relaxing the damping pressure on this now retreating vane. In addition, one or both closures is or are provided with a recess or recesses through which the oil being advanced by the vanes in each compartment may flow freely until the vanes are returned to center.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of this invention, both as to its organization and to its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, reference is made to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a side view in elevation of an embodiment of this invention, showing a bicycle provided with a steering damper in accordance with this invention;
FIG. 2 is a fragmental, enlarged view, also in elevation, showing a portion of the bicycle with the steering damper mounted thereon;
FIG. 3 is a view in elevation, showing a mounting bracket for the steering damper of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a fragmental view, partly in section showing an alternative connection of the shaft of the steering damper which drives the vanes for movement in synchronism with the movable components of the bicycle;
FIG. 5 is a view in transverse section taken along direction V--V of FIG. 2;
FIGS. 6 and 7 are fragmental views showing modifications of the mounting of the steering damper on the bicycle of FIG. 1,
FIG. 8 is an exploded view in isometric, showing the steering damper assembly of the bicycle shown in FIGS. 1, 7, 2;
FIG. 9A is a plan view partly diagrammatic showing the inside of the container of the steering damper with the vane assembly at center;
FIG. 9B is a plan view similar to FIG. 9A but with the vane assembly displaced corresponding to the displacement of the steerable wheel and handlebars in one direction;
FIG. 10 is a plan view similar to FIG. 9A but showing a modification of this invention;
FIG. 11 is a diagrammatic view showing a one-way valve in its closed setting in the left hand vane (FIG. 9B) when the steerable wheel and handlebars are being displaced away from center;
FIG. 12 is a diagrammatic view showing a one-way valve in its open setting in the left hand vane when the steering wheel and handlebars are being reset to center;
FIG. 13 is a fragmental plan view of the steering damper in accordance with this invention as mounted on the bicycle;
FIG. 14 is a view in transverse section partly exploded, taken in the direction XIV--XIV of FIG. 13;
FIG. 15 is a view in isometric showing a modified vane assembly;
FIG. 16 is a plan view of the vane assembly shown in FIG. 15, taken in the direction XVI--XVI of FIG. 15;
FIGS. 17 through 22 are each a view in isometric showing different recesses in the closure of the container of the steering damper;
FIG. 23 is a view in section taken in the direction XXIII--XXIII of FIG. 22; and
FIG. 24 is a view partly in longitudinal section of a modification of this invention in which the steering damper is integrated into the bicycle head.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
The apparatus shown in the drawings is a bicycle 31 (FIGS. 1, 2) having a steerable wheel 33 axially supported on a fork 35 connected in a head 37 to handlebars 39, secured at the outer end of a gooseneck 41 by clamp 43 (FIG. 2). The arm 45 of the gooseneck 41, remote from the handlebars 39, is connected to the fork 35 within the gooseneck so that the fork 35 is rotatable with the handlebars 39 in turn rotating the steerable wheel to steer the bicycle. Conversely, on steering rotation of the steerable wheel 33, the handlebars are rotated correspondingly. In either case, the steerable wheel 33 and the handlebars 39 may be said to rotate or pivot back and forth in synchronism with each other. This connection between the gooseneck 41 and the fork 35, which produces the synchronous rotation of the handlebars and steerable wheels, is shown in FIG. 24.
The head 37, the gooseneck 41 and the handlebars 39 and the fork 35 are supported by a triangular frame 47 including top tube 49, down tube 51 and seat tube 53. The head 37 is structured with the top tube 49 and down tube 51 integrally at the ends of the tubes. The seat 55 is supported by the seat tube and the pedals 57 are rotatable supported from the apex formed between the down tube 51 and the seat tube 53. The rear wheel 59 is rotatably supported at the junction of seat stay 61 and chain stay 63.
What has been described here is predominantly a typical conventional mountain bicycle 31. This description is necessary for the understanding as to how a steering damper 65 (FIGS. 1, 2), according to this invention, is integrated with the bicycle 31.
This steering damper 65 includes a cylindrical container 66 having a cylindrical wall 67 and closures 69 and 71 (FIGS. 8, 14) at the ends. A shaft 73 extends centrally from the top closure 69 through the bottom closure 71. The shaft 73 is rotatable on ball bearings 75 and 77 whose fixed bearing rings 79 are seated in the closures 69 and 71. The lower fixed ring 79 is seated on a washer seal 81 having an O-ring 83 that seals the opening through which the shaft 73 passes. The top closure 69 has an O-ring seal 85 at the junction between the wall 67 and the top closure 69. At its lower, protruding end, the shaft 73 carries a hexagonal tip 87 (FIG. 2) which engages a hexagonal seat 89 in the head 91 of a bolt 93, which is connected through the fork head 95 (FIG. 2) to connect the fork head 95 and the fork 35 to rotate in synchronism with the gooseneck 41 and the handlebars 39.
The shaft 73 carries a vane assembly 97 having a hub 98 from which vanes 99 extend radially integrally therewith (FIG. 14). The shaft 73 and the vane assembly 97 can be an integral structure. The vanes are of generally rectangular shape and are joined by an arcuate member extending integrally from the hub 98 (FIG. 8). The vanes 99 are rotated with the shaft 73. Through the bolt 93 (FIG. 2), the vanes 99, steerable wheel 33, gooseneck 41 and handlebars 39 are rotated in synchronism. Each vane 99 has a one-way valve 101 and 103 near the outer end thereof (FIGS. 9A, 9B). Each valve has a ball 105 which engages a seat 107 at the entrance to a restricted portion of a passage 109 through a vane 99. Across the end of the expanded portion of the passage, there is a pin 111 which prevents the ball 105 from being ejected from the passage. Valves of other types than the ball valves, for example, flapper valves, may be used.
A dam 113 in the form of a block having the shape of a sector extends integrally from the upper closure 69. The dam 113 is a slide-fit into the cylindrical container 66. The dam is held positioned by a pin 115.
The vanes 99 are at an angle such as to maximize the rotation travel of the vanes from center to either side of the dam 113. Typically, the dam may subtend an angle of about 60°. In this case, the vanes divide the enclosure into three generally equal compartments at an angle of approximately 100°.
There is a hole 117 transversely through the dam. Along a portion of each closure, there is a recess 121. The recess may be along both closures as shown, or only along one closure. It may have any reasonable shape. As shown (FIG. 9A), the recess 121 extends between the edges 122 of the vanes 99 on the side of the dam when the vane assembly 97 is at center.
The function of the recess 121 and its length can be understood by reference to FIG. 9B as the vanes 99 are returning to center. During this operation, the valve 101 is open and valve 103 is closed. Oil relieving the opposing pressure against return of the handlebars to center can flow through valve 101. But valve 103 being closed, there must be another avenue for relieving the pressure. This is recess 121. To maximize the sweep of the vanes 99, the vanes may be of small width in the region where they pass over recess 121. The valves 101 and 103 and the recess 121 constitute means for suppressing the damping on the return of the handlebars.
The cylindrical container 66 is filled with oil. A more viscous or heavier oil is desirable. Typically, Dow Corning Silicone Hydraulic Fluid 10,000 centistokes is used. The dam 113 extends along the whole length of the cylindrical container 66 and along the inner surface 67 of the closure cylinder 66 in sliding contact therewith. Instead of passing through the hole 117 when under pressure by vane 99, the oil may pass through the space between the dam 113 and the wall 67 of the cylinder or between the dam and the hub 98 or through any other channel. The hole 117 and the other alternatives mentioned here for the transmission of the oil under pressure constitutes means responsive to the pressure or increasing pressure or exerted pressure for transmitting oil which may also be described as "fluid" from the compartment 151 to compartment 153 or, if the handlebars are turned in the opposite direction from compartment 153, to compartment 151. The vanes 99 extend axially along the whole length of the cylindrical container 66 near, but out of physical contact with, the closures and radially near, but out of contact with, the cylindrical surface 67 except along the recesses 121. The spacing should be such that the vanes are freely movable, but such that no substantial quantity of oil flows between the vanes and the closures or surface 67.
The steering damper 65 is supported between the head 91 of the bolt 93 and the top tube 49 of the frame 47, i.e., essentially between the gooseneck 41 and the frame 47, by brackets 123, pivotal slotted plate 125 and clamp 126 (FIGS. 2, 3, 5). The bracket 123 includes a yoke 127 from which an angular plate 129 extends. The yoke 127 encircles the top of the steering damper 65. A lubricant medium such as a nylon sleeve 131 is interposed between the yoke 127 and the outer cylindrical wall 67 (FIG. 14). The sleeve 131 permits the cylindrical container to move in the event that the vane assembly 97 or shaft 73 has been frozen in any position and cannot be rotated.
The angular arm 129 is secured to the slotted plate 125 by bolts 133 which are passed through the slots 135 in the slotted plate and through the plate 129 and are secured by nuts 137 on the remote side of plate 129. The slots permit adjustment of the positioning. An eyelet 139 extends from the remote end of the slotted plate and is secured between the ends of the clamp 126 by a bolt 141 and nut 143 (FIG. 5). The assembly of the brackets 123 and slotted plate can be angularly adjusted.
In the operation of the bicycle 31, the vane assembly 97 of the steering damper 65 is in the position shown in FIG. 9A with the bicycle moving along a straight path. The vanes 99 are remote from the dam 113. The balls 105 of the valves 101 and 103 are in an intermediate position. It is now assumed that the handlebars are turned or the wheel 33 is turned by contact with a rock or a root in a direction such that the vane assembly 97 is rotated clockwise. The vane 99 (FIG. 9A) on the left sweeps towards the dam contacting the dam 113, as shown in FIG. 9B, for a sharp turn. Between vane 99 on the left and the dam 113, a first compartment 151 of decreasing volume is defined and between the vane 99 on the right and the dam 113, a second compartment 253 of increasing volume is defined. The dam 113 may be described as means in the container 66 to define with the vane 99 as first compartment 151. There is also a third compartment 155 of substantially constant volume which moves clockwise. The motion of the fluid relative to the vane 99 on the left is counterclockwise. Its valve 101 is closed as shown in FIG. 11. The fluid is compressed and flows through hole 117 in the dam. The movement of the handlebars 39 and of the steerable wheel 33 are damped to an extent depending on the flow-through hole 117 or any other passage. The flow may be controlled by the setting of screw 157 whose tapered tip 159 penetrates into hole 117, depending on the setting of the screw (FIG. 14). During the above-described movement of the vane assembly 97, the relative flow of the fluid is such as to open valve 103, but this has no effect on the operation.
The rider counteracts the turning movement of the bicycle by turning the handlebars 39 so that the left-hand vane 99 rotates counterclockwise. The motion of the fluid relative to this vane is now clockwise opening valve 101 as shown in FIG. 12, so that the pressure opposing the counterclockwise motion of the left-hand vane is reduced and the damping on the handlebars 39, the steerable wheel and gooseneck are reduced. Pressure and damping on the right-hand vane is reduced by the flow of the fluid into and through the recesses 121. The rider is thus enabled, readily, to stabilize the undesirable motion of the bicycle and to avoid a serious accident.
In the practice of this invention, the energy dissipated in the rocking movement of the bicycle, particularly as the bicycle is pedalled up hill, is reduced by the damping as the handlebars are turned and by the suppression of the damping as the handlebars are returned to center. This feature is unique to bicycles in accordance with this invention.
In accordance with a modification of this invention, the hexagonal joint 87-89 (FIG. 2) for securing the shaft 73 to the bolt 93 may be replaced by the mechanism as shown in FIG. 4. The head 161 of bolt 163 through which the fork 35 is driven with the handlebars 39 has a projection 165 through which a set screw 167 secures the shaft 73.
FIG. 6 shows another modification of this invention. The steering damper is mounted coaxially on the arm 45 of the gooseneck. The mounting includes the yoke 171 whose arm 173 is pivotally connected to clamp 175 which engages top tube 49. The vane assembly 97 is connected directly to the arm 45 of the gooseneck 41. The vane assembly 97 is not shown in FIG. 6, but it will be understood that the arm 45 is secured to the hub 98 to rotate the vane assembly in the same way that shaft 73 rotates the vane assembly when driven through bolt 93 (FIG. 2) in synchronism with the handlebars 39.
FIG. 7 shows another modification. The steering damper 181 is provided with feet 183 by which it is suspended from the head 37. The vane assembly 97 (not shown in FIG. 7) is driven through shaft 185, which is rotated in synchronism with the gooseneck 41 by belt 187. The belt 187 is driven by a pulley wheel 189 which is mounted rotatably with the arm 45 of the gooseneck 41 and drives pulley wheel 191. Internally, the steering damper 181 is the same as steering damper 65.
FIG. 10 shows a steering damper 195 having diametrically disposed dams 197 and 199. Only dam 197 has a hole 201. But both dams could have a hole. The vane assembly 203 has diametrically opposite vanes 205 and 207, each having a valve 209. Recesses 211 and 213 extend from each side of the dam 199. The steering damper 195 is shown in the center position when the bicycle is moving linearly. The recesses 211 and 213 extend from the edge of each vane facing the dam 197 in the center position.
When the bicycle turns or is turned in such a direction as to rotate vane assembly 203 clockwise, vane 205 moves towards dam 197 compressing the fluid in chamber 215 and forcing fluid through hole 201, damping the movement. For the return movement, the vane assembly rotates counterclockwise, opening valve 209 and discharging oil into recess 213, substantially suppressing the damping against return to center.
FIGS. 15 and 16 show a vane assembly 216 whose vanes 217 and 219 are joined by a bridge 220 which functions as a structural support.
FIGS. 17 through 22 show closures 221, 223, 225, 227, 229, 231 for a steering damper with recesses 233, 235, 237, 239, 241, 243, respectively, of different shape. FIG. 23 is a view in longitudinal section in direction XXIII--XXIII of FIG. 22.
FIG. 24 shows in longitudinal section except for parts along the axis a steering damper 251 integrated into the head 37 of a bicycle. Within the head 37, there is a steering stem 253. The arm 45 of the gooseneck 41 is encircled by the steering stem 253 and secured thereto by a tapered nut 255 which is drawn into the end of arm 45 by turning bolt 257. The steering stem is secured by its base 259 to the fork head or fork cross member 95 which is in turn secured to the fork blades 35. The arm 45, steering stem 253, bolt 257, nut 255, fork head 95 and fork blades 35 constitute a rigid assembly which is rotatable on ball bearings 261 and 263 at the upper and lower ends.
The steering damper 251 includes a closed cylinder container 271 having a cylindrical wall 273. The base or lower closure 275 is integral with the wall 273. At the top the cylinder is closed by a cross member 277 with which the dam 279 is integral. There is a vane assembly 281 including a hub 283 and vanes 285. The hub 283 has cylindrical extensions 287 and 289 at both ends. The extension 287 at one end passes through an opening in the cross member 277 and the extension 289 at the opposite end passes through the base 275. The joint between extension 287 and the member 277 is sealed by O-ring 291. The joint between the cross member 277 and the wall 271 is sealed by O-ring 293. The joint between the base 275 and the extension 289 is sealed by O-ring 295. The dam assembly including the cross member 277 and the dam 279 is secured by nut 297, which is screwed into a thread along the end of an extension of wall 273. Lock nuts 299 and 301 are screwed into a thread 303 near the end of the wall of the head 37. The lock nut 301 is engaged by interlocking projection 305 from washer 307. The dam 279 is positioned to the base 275 by a pin. The steering stem 253 is connected to the vane assembly 281 by key ring 309, which is secured to the steering stem and is keyed to extension 289. The vane assembly is rotatable with the steering stem 253 and through it with gooseneck 41 and handlebars 39. The sealed region in container 271, which contains the vane assembly 281 and the dam 279, is filled with oil.
The dam 279 has a groove 311 in its periphery for passing the oil as it is compressed by a vane 285. The opening size may be varied by screw 313. The base 275 and the cross member 277 have recesses 315. The vane 285 has a one-way valve 317. The steering damper 251 operates in the manner described above with respect to the steering damper 65 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and is similar in internal structure to damper shown in FIG. 6.
While preferred embodiments of this invention are disclosed herein, it is understood that many modifications thereof are feasible. While the practice of this invention with a plurality, usually two, vanes is to be preferred, this invention may also be practiced with one vane which would sweep in either direction from center in synchronism with the handlebars, compressing the fluid in one chamber defined between the vane and a dam and relaxing the fluid in the other chamber defined between it and the dam. This invention is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the spirit of the prior art.
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A steering damper for mountain bicycles including a closed cylinder filled with oil of high viscosity including a dam and vanes rotatable from center towards and away from the dam. The vanes are connected rotatably with the handlebars in reciprocal steering relationship with a steerable wheel. When the steerable wheel encounters an obstruction displacing it from center, the vanes are driven in the oil one towards and one away from the dam respectively decreasing and compressing and increasing and relaxing the corresponding volumes of the oil and damping the movement of the handlebars. The damping against the return of the handlebars and steerable wheel to center is suppressed by one-way valves in the vanes which open when the compressing vane is retracted, recesses in the cylinder providing a non-resistant path for the oil moving through the valve in the retracting vane.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to and the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 2004-68155, filed on Aug. 27, 2004, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a donor substrate for a laser induced thermal imaging (LITI) method and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device using the same, and more particularly, to a donor substrate for an LITI method, which may be easily fabricated and in which an organic layer has improved pattern characteristics, and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device using the same.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Nowadays, with the arrival of a high-level information society, a consumer's demand for obtaining information rapidly and correctly in hand is increasing. In order to meet this demand, the development of various display devices, which are thin and light to be easily carried and operable in a high information processing rate, has been accelerated. As one example of such display devices, an organic light emitting display device (OLED) is attracting attention as a next generation display. Since, the OLED is an emissive display device in which when voltage is applied to an organic layer including an organic emission layer, electrons and holes are recombined in the organic emission layer to emit light, the OLED does not need a backlight unit unlike a liquid crystal display device (LCD), so that its thickness and weight may be easily reduced and its fabrication process also may be simplified. In addition, the OLED has other advantages such as a fast response speed nearly equal to that of a cathode ray tube (CRT), low voltage driving, high luminous efficiency, and a wide viewing angle.
[0006] The OLED is classified into a small molecular OLED and a polymer OLED according to the material of the organic layer, in particular, the organic emission layer.
[0007] The small molecular OLED includes multiple organic layers having different functions from each other, which are interposed between an anode and a cathode, wherein the multiple organic layers include a hole injection layer, a hole transport layer, an emission layer, a hole blocking layer and an electron injection layer. These layers may be adjusted by doping to prevent the accumulation of electric charges or replacing with a material having a suitable energy level. The small molecular OLED is generally made by a vacuum deposition method and thus it is difficult to realize a large-sized display.
[0008] On the other hand, the polymer OLED has a single layer structure having an organic emission layer interposed between an anode and a cathode or a double layer structure including a hole transport layer in addition to the organic emission layer, and thus may be fabricated into a thin device. In addition, since the organic layer is formed by a wet coating method, the polymer OLED may be fabricated under atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing the manufacturing cost and readily realizing the large-sized OLED.
[0009] In the case of a monochrome device, the polymer OLED may be simply fabricated by a spin coating method, but has disadvantages of lower efficiency and shorter lifetime compared to the small molecular OLED. In the case of a full color device, emission layers for showing three primary colors of red, green and blue may be patterned in such an OLED to realize the full color. In this case, the organic layer of the low small OLED may be patterned by a shadow mask deposition method, and the organic layer of the polymer OLED may be patterned by an ink jet printing method or a laser induced thermal imaging (hereinafter will be referred to as “LITI”) method. The LITI method may utilize spin coating characteristics as they are, thereby resulting in excellent internal uniformity of pixels in the large-sized OLED. In addition, since the LITI method adopts a dry process instead of a wet process, the LITI method may prevent lifetime reduction by solvent as well as realize a fine pattern in the organic layer.
[0010] Application of the LITI method basically needs a light source, an OLED substrate (hereinafter will be referred to as “substrate”) and a donor substrate, wherein the donor substrate includes a base layer, a light-to-heat conversion layer and a transfer layer. According to the LITI method, light emitted from the light source is absorbed by the light-to-heat conversion layer to convert the light into heat energy, so that an organic material formed on the transfer layer is transferred onto the substrate by the converted heat energy.
[0011] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a general transfer mechanism for transfer patterning an organic layer used in an organic light emitting display device (OLED) using laser.
[0012] As shown in FIG. 1 , in the transfer mechanism for transfer patterning the organic layer used in the organic light emitting display device (OLED) using the laser, an organic layer S 2 attached to a substrate S 1 is detached from the substrate S 1 in response to a laser beam and transferred to a substrate S 3 to be separated from a portion in which the laser beam is not irradiated.
[0013] Transfer characteristics are determined by a first adhesion W 12 between the substrate S 1 and the organic layer S 2 , a cohesion W 22 between the organic layers S 2 and a second adhesion W 23 between the organic layer S 2 and the substrate S 3 .
[0014] The first and second adhesions and the cohesion are summarized as the following Equation:
W 12 =γ 1 +γ 2 −γ 12
W 22 =2γ 2
W 23 =γ 2 +γ 3 −γ 23
where γ 1 , γ 2 and γ 3 are surface tensions of S 1 , S 2 and S 3 , respectively, γ 12 is the interfacial tension between S 1 and S 2 , and γ 23 is the interfacial tension between S 2 and S 3 .
[0016] In order to improve the characteristics of the LITI, the cohesion of the organic layer should be smaller than the adhesions between the organic layer and the substrates.
[0017] In the case that the organic layer is made of a small molecular material, the first and second adhesions are larger than the cohesion of the organic layer so that the small molecular material is easily transferred from a donor substrate 14 onto a substrate 20 . However, by virtue of the small first adhesion, other portions of the small molecular material layer, which are not exposed to the laser beam, may be disadvantageously transferred onto the substrate 20 . Alternatively, in the case that the organic layer is made of a polymer material, uniform patterning may be difficult because of high cohesion of the polymer material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present invention, therefore, solves aforementioned problems associated with conventional devices by providing a donor substrate for an LITI method, which is made of an organic material and thus may improve the pattern characteristics of an organic layer, and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device (OLED) using the same.
[0019] In an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a donor substrate for a laser induced thermal imaging method includes: a base layer; a light-to-heat conversion layer formed on the base layer; and a transfer layer formed on the light-to-heat conversion layer, wherein the transfer layer is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000.
[0020] In another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of fabricating a donor substrate for a laser induced thermal imaging method includes: preparing a base layer; forming a light-to-heat conversion layer on the base layer; and forming a transfer layer on the light-to-heat conversion layer, wherein the transfer layer is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000.
[0021] In yet another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device (OLED), includes: preparing a substrate; forming a first electrode on the substrate; forming an organic layer on the first electrode using a laser induced thermal imaging method, the organic layer having at least an emission layer; and forming a second electrode on the organic layer, wherein the organic layer is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000.
[0022] In still another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an organic light emitting display device (OLED) includes: a substrate having a first electrode; an organic layer formed on the substrate and having at least an emission layer; and a second electrode formed on the organic layer, wherein the organic layer has an edge roughness of about 3 μm or less.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] The above and other features of the present invention will be described in reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof with reference to the attached drawings in which:
[0024] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view for explaining a general transfer mechanism for transfer patterning an organic layer used in an organic light emitting display device (OLED) using laser;
[0025] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a donor substrate for an LITI method according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0026] FIGS. 3A to 3 C are cross-sectional views illustrating a process for fabricating an OLED according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 4 is a plan view illustrating a pattern formed by an LITI method in order to explain the definition of edge roughness;
[0028] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the edge roughness of an organic layer pattern according to a molecular weight of a transfer layer material; and
[0029] FIGS. 6A and 6B are microscopic pictures of organic layer patterns.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] Hereinafter, the present invention will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the structure of a donor substrate for an LITI method according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0032] As shown in FIG. 2 , a donor substrate 30 for an LITI method includes a base layer 31 , a light-to-heat conversion layer 32 and a transfer layer 33 which are sequentially stacked.
[0033] The base layer 31 is preferably made of a transparent material in order to transmit a laser beam irradiated onto the base layer 31 to the light-to-heat conversion layer 32 . For example, the base layer 31 may be at least one polymer selected from a group consisting of polyester, polyacryl, polyepoxy, polyethylene and polystyrene, or may be a glass substrate. More preferably, the base layer 31 may be made of polyethyleneterephthalate.
[0034] The light-to-heat conversion layer 32 formed on the base layer 31 absorbs light in the range of infrared to visible rays, and partially converts the light into heat. The light-to-heat conversion layer 32 necessarily has a suitable optical density, and preferably contains a light-absorbing material for absorbing the light. In this case, the light-to-heat conversion layer 32 may include a metal layer made of Al, Ag, oxide or sulfide thereof. Alternatively, the light-to-heat conversion layer 32 may include an organic layer made of a polymer containing carbon black, graphite or infrared dye. The metal layer may be formed by a vacuum deposition method, an electron beam deposition method or a sputtering method. On the other hand, the organic layer may be formed by a typical film coating method such as roll coating, gravure, extrusion, spin coating and knife coating.
[0035] The transfer layer 33 formed on the light-to-heat conversion layer 32 is preferably made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000. More preferably, the transfer layer 33 is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 40,000. For example, the organic material may be one selected from a group consisting of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)], poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)], poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(9,9-di-(5-phenyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-4,4′-diyl-1,4-diaminobenzene)] and poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(9-ethylcarbazole-2,7-diyl)].
[0036] Preferably, the organic material is solved or dispersed in a solvent. Accordingly, the transfer layer 33 may be formed by a typical wet process. The wet process may be one selected from a group consisting of spray coating, dip coating, gravure coating, roll coating and spin coating. In this case, the transfer layer is not efficiently formed by the wet process when it is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 or less.
[0037] In addition, the donor substrate 30 may further include an interlayer 34 for improving transfer characteristics between the light-to-heat conversion layer 32 and the transfer layer 33 . The interlayer 34 may include at least one selected from a group consisting of a gas generation layer, a buffer layer and a metal reflection layer.
[0038] When absorbing light or heat, the gas generation layer emits nitrogen or hydrogen gas through decomposition reaction, thereby providing transfer energy. The gas generation layer may be made of tetranitropentaerythrite or trinitrotoluene.
[0039] The buffer layer prevents light-heat absorbing material from polluting or damaging the transfer layer, which is to be formed in the following process, as well as controls the adhesion between the light-heat absorbing material and the transfer layer in order to improve pattern transfer characteristics. The buffer layer may be made of metal oxide, nonmetal inorganic compound or inactive polymer.
[0040] The metal reflection layer not only reflects the laser beam from the base layer of the donor substrate in order to transmit more energy to the light-to-heat conversion layer but also protects the transfer layer against the penetration of gas from the gas generation layer when the gas generation layer is employed.
[0041] FIGS. 3A to 3 C are cross-sectional views illustrating a process for fabricating an OLED according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0042] As shown in FIG. 3A , a substrate 101 is prepared, and a first electrode 102 is patterned on the top surface of the substrate 101 .
[0043] The first electrode 102 may be an anode electrode or a cathode electrode. In case of the anode electrode, the first electrode 102 may be made of a metal having a high work function. For example, the first electrode 102 may be a transparent electrode made of ITO or IZO or a reflective electrode made of one selected from a group consisting of Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Mg, Ag, Ni, Al and alloys thereof. In case of the cathode electrode, the first electrode 102 may be made of a metal having a low work function. For example, the first electrode 102 may be a thin transparent electrode or a thick reflective electrode made of a material selected from Mg, Ca, Al, Ag, Ba and alloys thereof.
[0044] Then, a pixel defining layer 103 for defining a red (R), green (G) and blue (B) pixel regions is formed to fabricate a substrate 100 .
[0045] FIG. 3A illustrates a single sub-pixel of the OLED, which may have an array of the sub-pixels. In addition, although not shown in FIG. 3A , the substrate 100 may include a plurality of thin film transistors and an insulating layer.
[0046] In the meantime, a light-to-heat conversion layer 32 and a transfer layer 33 are sequentially stacked on the base layer 31 to fabricate a donor substrate 30 . The transfer layer 33 may be formed by a typical wet process using an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000. The organic material more preferably has a molecular weight of 500 to 40,000.
[0047] The organic material may be one selected from a group consisting of poly[(9,9-dioctylfluorene-2,7-diyl)], poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(anthracene-9,10-diyl)], poly [(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(9,9-di-(5-phenyl)-N,N′-diphenyl-4,4′-diyl-1,4-diaminobenzene)] and poly[(9,9-dihexylfluorene-2,7-diyl)-co-(9-ethylcarbazole-2,7-diyl)]. In addition, the organic material may be preferably solved or dispersed in a typical organic solvent.
[0048] Then, the substrate 100 is aligned with the donor substrate 30 in such a manner that the pixel region of the substrate 100 is opposed to the transfer layer 33 , and then a laser beam is irradiated onto a specific region of the base layer 33 of the donor substrate 30 to be transferred.
[0049] Then, as shown in FIG. 3B , the specific region of the transfer layer 33 , that is, a transfer layer portion 33 ′ formed by laser irradiation is transferred to the pixel region of the substrate 100 . In succession, upon the separation of the transfer layer portion 33 ′, the donor substrate 30 ′ is removed from the substrate 100 so that the transfer layer portion 33 ′ forms an organic emission layer pattern 33 ′ of the OLED.
[0050] In the same fashion as above, a laser beam may be exposed onto donor substrates having red (R), green (G) and blue (B) organic light emitting materials in the red (R), green (G) and blue (B) pixels regions, respectively, to form red (R), green (G) and blue (B) organic emission layer patterns, thereby fabricating a full color OLED.
[0051] When the first electrode is an anode electrode, a hole injection layer and/or a hole transport layer may be further formed on the first electrode before forming the organic emission layer pattern. In addition, an electron transport layer and/or an electron injection layer may be further formed on the organic emission layer.
[0052] Alternatively, when the first electrode is a cathode electrode, an electrode injection layer and/or an electrode transport layer may be further formed on the first electrode before forming the organic emission layer pattern. In addition, a hole blocking layer and/or a hole injection layer and/or a hole transport layer may be formed on the organic emission layer.
[0053] The hole injection layer is disposed on the anode electrode. In addition, the hole injection layer may be made of a material, which has a high interfacial adhesion with respect to the anode electrode and a low ionization energy, to facilitate hole injection and increase the device lifetime. The hole injection layer may be made of arylamine-based compound, porphyrin-based metal complex, starburst amines, and so on. More particularly, the hole injection layer may be made of at least one selected from a group consisting of 4,4′,4″-tris(3-methylphenylphenylamino)triphenylamino (m-MTDATA), 3,5-tris[4-(3-methylphenylphenylamino)phenyl]benzene (m-MTDATB) and phthalocyanine copper (CuPc).
[0054] The hole transport layer may facilitate the transport of holes to the emission layer and restrict the motion of electrons generated from the second electrode to an emission region, thereby improving luminous efficiency. The hole transport layer may be made of one selected from a group consisting of an arylene diamine derivative, a starburst compound, a biphenyl diamine derivative having a spiro group, a ladder compound, and so on. More particularly, the hole transport layer may be made of N,N-diphenyl-N,N′-bis(4-methylphenyl)-1,1′-biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (TPD) or 4,4′-bis[N-(1-naphthyl)-N-phenylamino]biphenyl (NPB).
[0055] The hole blocking layer has hole mobility higher than electron mobility in the organic emission layer and stays in the triplet state for a long time, so that excitons generated from the emission layer are distributed in a large area, thereby preventing the degradation of luminous efficiency. The hole blocking layer may be made of one selected from a group consisting of 2-biphenyl-4-yl-5-(4-t-butylphenyl)-1,3,4-oxydiazole (PBD), spiro-PBD and 3-(4′-tert-butylphenyl)-4-phenyl-5-(4′-biphenyl)-1,2,4-triazole (TAZ).
[0056] The electron transport layer is deposited on the organic emission layer, and made of a metal compound capable of efficiently receiving electrons. The electron transport layer may be made of 8-hydroquinoline aluminum salt (Alq3) having an excellent capability for stably transporting electrons supplied from the cathode electrode.
[0057] Herein, an organic layer other than the organic emission layer as above may be formed by a spin coating or deposition method. Alternatively, an organic emission layer and at least one organic layer may be stacked so that the transfer layer of the donor substrate may be transferred simultaneous with the organic emission layer and at least one organic layer in the course of LITI.
[0058] Then, as shown in FIG. 3C , a second electrode 104 is formed on the organic layer including at least an organic emission layer. In this case, the second electrode 104 may be an anode electrode or a cathode electrode.
[0059] In case of the anode electrode, the second electrode 104 may be made of a metal having a high work function. For example, the second electrode 104 may be a transparent electrode made of ITO or IZO or a reflective electrode made of one selected from a group consisting of Pt, Au, Ir, Cr, Mg, Ag, Ni, Al and alloys thereof.
[0060] In case of the cathode electrode, the second electrode 104 may be formed on the organic layer 33 ′ and made of a conductive metal having a low work function. For example, the second electrode 104 may be a thin transparent electrode or a thick reflective electrode made of a material selected from Mg, Ca, Al, Ag and alloys thereof.
[0061] Then, the second electrode 104 is sealed with an encapsulant such as a metal can to fabricate the OLED.
[0062] FIG. 4 is a plan view of an organic layer pattern formed by an LITI method, for explaining the definition of edge roughness.
[0063] As shown in FIG. 4 , the edge roughness d means the distance between a first point 2 and a second point 3 , wherein the first point 2 is the nearest point from a reference surface 1 , which is a uniform edge, and the second point 3 is the farthest point from the reference surface 1 . In this case, the uniformity of the organic layer pattern is in reverse proportion to the value of the edge roughness.
[0064] FIG. 5 is a graph showing the edge roughness of an organic layer pattern according to a molecular weight of a transfer layer material.
[0065] As shown in FIG. 5 , it will be understood that the value of the edge roughness increases in proportion to the molecular weight of the transfer layer material. In this case, when the transfer layer material has a molecular weight of 70,000 or less, the edge roughness value is 3 μm, and a uniform pattern is formed. In addition, when the transfer layer material has a molecular weight of 40,000 or less, the edge roughness value is 2 μm or less and, thus the pattern uniformity is more improved.
[0066] FIGS. 6A and 6B are microscopic pictures of organic layer patterns.
[0067] As shown in FIG. 6A , with an organic material having a molecular weight of 150,000, it was observed that the edge roughness of the organic layer pattern was 8.3 μm and edges of the organic layer pattern were formed nonuniform. In addition, as shown in FIG. 6B , with an organic material having a molecular weight of 80,000, it was observed that the edge roughness of the organic layer pattern was 3.9 μm and the edges of the organic layer pattern were formed more uniform than those of the organic material having the molecular weight of 150,000. Accordingly, it was observed that the edge roughness increases in proportion to the molecular weight and the organic layer pattern was formed nonuniform when an organic material had a molecular weight of 70,000 or more.
[0068] As described hereinbefore, the increase in molecular weight of the organic material forming the transfer layer also increases the cohesive energy between molecules to increase the cohesion between molecules, thereby causing nonuniformity of the pattern. Alternatively, when the molecular weight of the organic material forming the transfer layer is too small, it is difficult to form the transfer layer using a wet process. In addition, by virtue of small adhesion between the substrate and the transfer layer of the donor substrate, a portion of the transfer layer which is not exposed to a laser beam is not detached from the donor substrate but remains thereon, in the course of LITI, thereby potentially causing defects. Accordingly, the molecular weight of the organic material forming the transfer layer preferably has a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000. More preferably, the organic material forming the transfer layer has a molecular weight of 500 to 40,000.
[0069] As described above, the invention may form the organic layer pattern from the organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000 using an LITI method, so as to form a uniform organic layer pattern and thus fabricate the OLED having a large pixel region.
[0070] In addition, by forming the uniform organic layer pattern, the invention may fabricate the OLED capable of improving image qualities as well as realizing more improved full color.
[0071] Although the present invention has been described with reference to certain exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a variety of modifications and variations may be made to the present invention without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention defined in the appended claims, and their equivalents.
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A donor substrate for a laser induced thermal imaging method and method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device using the same are provided. A transfer layer for a laser induced thermal imaging method is made of an organic material having a molecular weight of 500 to 70,000 to fabricate an organic light emitting display device having a uniform organic layer pattern. The invention also provides a method of fabricating an organic light emitting display device which may achieve a large-sized pixel region as well as improve the productivity of the organic light emitting display device.
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RELATED APPLICATION DATA
[0001] This application claims priority and benefit of PCT/EP2003/009038, filed 14 Aug. 2003, which claims priority from German application no. 10307494.5, filed 21 Feb. 2003, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a coating dispersion for coating printing substrates, especially paper and paperboard.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Economical aspects, as well as the rapid development in the non-impact area, prevail in the paper manufacturing markets today. The quality demands of paper, especially coated products, are increased simultaneously with the requirements of a less expensive production. In order to achieve good profitability the value of a product must be increased while production costs are declined at the same time. These partially contradictory demands, such as quality increase, reduction of area weight with increasing production speeds, can no longer be met with conventional finishing procedures, or with increased costs only.
[0004] Today, ways are increasingly being sought by means of the selection of special, inexpensive raw materials, the preparation and application of which achieve good printing results in mass paper goods, but also in specialty papers. Modern application systems in particular allow the inexpensive production of paper with functional coatings and coats. For example, coated and improved paper types for newspapers and magazines are available on the market, which are produced by means of the use of the so-called film transfer technique (film press application).
[0005] Even traditional newspapers are printed in the four-color printing process on light, coated newspaper, whereas they become just as interesting for product advertisement, as the inserts found in newspapers already are today.
[0006] For the so-called coldset printing, for example, printing plants, are looking for additional utilization possibilities for capacities available during the day, which, however, place certain demands on the coated papers to be processed.
[0007] Furthermore, multi-purpose writing and printing papers are, for example, written on, used for copying, and/or are printed by means of offset and new ink print processes.
[0008] It is expected that the demand of multi-functional papers, especially for inkjet print, will increase substantially. The same is expected for the use of laser printers and copiers.
[0009] The paper to be used must also meet the requirement of a lower area weight, whereas the same is not only demanded for environmental reasons, but also for reasons of freight charge savings for the shipping of printed products.
[0010] In the case of LWC paper, the demand of additional reduction of area weight can be met almost exclusively with the amount of coat applied.
[0011] Limitations are reached with the reduction of the area weight mass of the substrate, especially due to stability reasons, below which the coated types may not fall. Therefore, efforts have been made for many years to achieve sufficient fiber coverage and an optimum printability with increasingly thinner layers. Especially in the gravure sector respective tests have been performed with a low application grammage.
[0012] While calendered natural papers, so-called SC papers (super calendered), are suitable both for gravure and offset printing, this is not possible with coated LWC papers both due to different speed and printing quality requirements. For example, the high binding agent requirement of offset paper not only has an adverse effect on gravure, but also on coldset printing (physical printing ink drying), flexoprinting, and inkjet printing, because the binding agent strongly reduces the porosity of the coated paper, which correspondingly has an adverse effect on the absorption and ink penetration behavior, or the chromatography effect of the said print process, respectively.
[0013] It is further known that the specific surface area of coated paper is reduced with an increasing proportion of binding agent under constant calendering conditions, i.e. the high specific surface area of the coating pigment used is largely lost depending on the proportion of binding agent.
[0014] The specific surface area of a coating pigment is reduced from 11.5 m 2 /g with 12.5 parts of binder, depending on the calendering conditions (soft calender) with coated papers to 0.3 m 2 /g, which has a correspondingly adverse effect on the ink penetration behavior, and the printability.
[0015] This has an even more dramatic effect on the silicic acids used today with a specific surface area of up to 750 m 2 /g, as they are being used in high-quality inkjet formulations.
[0016] Furthermore, they are relatively expensive compared to common coating pigments. Due to their high capillarity, porosity, and specific surface area, their demand for a binding agent is very high (up to 30-40 parts of binding agent). Binding agents in turn, are also relatively expensive, and by themselves cover a large part of the surface so that the active surface is reduced. Furthermore, only low solid contents can be achieved with these pigments.
[0017] A high solid content on the other hand is a prerequisite for the—less expensive—coating at high speeds.
[0018] This means that the porosity of the paper texture, expressed as the pore volume, pore size distribution, specific surface area, or/and capillary absorbency, affects some individual characteristics that are important for the printing paper to a more or less large extent.
[0019] More than 80% of the complaints in the offset area are closely related to the interaction of printing ink/paper, and the increasing print speeds.
[0020] Test results have shown that ink penetration speeds and capillary structure (high microporosity with certain pore radii and pore volumes) of the printing substrate are the decisive factors for the separation effect of the printing ink.
[0021] With a large specific surface area (microporosity) the mineral oil of the printing ink preferred penetrates the paper with a small amount of binding agent, while the pigment remains at the surface with the rest of the binding agent. With an increasing specific surface area, the separation ability, or the chromatography effect, respectively, is reduced, which leads to corresponding problems.
[0022] This is also a decisive factor for the quality development of ink jet and flexoprinting (separation of solvent water and additives of ink).
[0023] Future requirements of coated printing papers essentially are the improvement of productivity, quality, quality consistency, and above all, functionality of the products produced.
[0024] The development of an inexpensive paper with an expanded functionality could close the currently existing gap between individual paper qualities.
[0025] A few years ago it was detected that there are reactive compounds (organophilic bentonite), which undergo spontaneous reactions with an incoming printing ink, particularly a gravure ink containing toluene. These physical/chemical reactions result in the coated surface closing completely, thus forming a “reactive barrier” that produces very good gravure printability results even with low coat applications.
[0026] Aqueous organophilic phyllosilicates on bentonite basis for the coating of paper are known from DE-A-4038886.
[0027] EP-A-0192252 describes a similar organophilic bentonite, and its use in coating colors on the basis of organic solvents.
[0028] Both cases are a modification of the bentonite boundary layer with organic additives, which, among others, causes a hydrophobing of bentonite.
[0029] A method for the improvement of organic solvents containing the holdout of printing inks, finishes, and coating colors on paper is known from DE-A-3506278, in which an organophilic complex of a swellable smectic phyllosilicate and of an onium compound is introduced into the fibrous pulp, or into the surface of the paper, whereby the organophilic complex forms a barrier by means of the reaction with the organic solvent.
[0030] Similar aqueous fine suspensions of an organophilic phyllosilicate are known from DE-A-0542215, which consist of a swellable, cation exchangeable phyllosilicate, and a quarternary organic onium salt reacted with the same, and containing 3 to 30 wt.-% of polyvinyl alcohol based on the organophilic phyllosilicate.
[0031] A coating for a printing substrate according to the ink jet print process is known from EP 0710742A2, which is essentially characterized in that a three-layer silicate is modified by means of acidic activation of an alkali, or earth alkali smectite, or by means of incorporation of metallic oxide bridges into its coating structure, and contains about 10-50 wt.-parts, preferred 20 to 25 wt.-parts of binding agent and other additives.
[0032] A coating for a printing substrate according to the ink jet print process is known from U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,487, which essentially consists of a montmorrilonite with a high swelling capability, and which may contain a pigment with a high surface, such as synthetic silicate, or calcium carbonate, as well as a water-insoluble binding agent.
[0033] DE 4438305.3 describes a pigment for the coating of printing paper, especially a pigment for self-inking paper on the basis of an acid activated alkali and/or earth alkali smectite, which is characterized in that the alkali and/or earth alkali smectite is partially activated with at least one Brønstedt acid, and/or Lewis acid, and has a content of amorphous silicate of a maximum of 15 wt.-%.
[0034] EP0755989A2 describes a coating pigment mixture with improved gravure suitability of calcium carbonate, low amounts of swellable phyllosilicate, and with an acidic activated phyllosilicate, as well as a gravure binder, such as a dispersion agent, thickening agent, and a defoamer. Application grammages are stated as 4-12 g/m 2 , preferred 6-10 g/m 2 per side.
[0035] Coating pigments on the basis of swellable, smectic clays are also known from EP-A-0283300.
[0036] In addition to the smectic clays, these coating pigments can also contain up to 30% of secondary or extender pigments, such as kaolin, or calcium carbonate. The pigment application is not higher than 5 g/m 2 , preferred not higher than 1 g/m 2 . As the smectic clay, for example, naturally available sodium bentonite (Wyoming bentonite) may also be used. It has a swelling capacity of 50 ml (2 g in 100 ml of water).
[0037] Despite of its high swelling capacity, its adhesion to paper without any binding agent is very poor, which is why the printability according to the offset print process (water contact) is a problem. Furthermore, the use of bentonites with interchangeable sodium and calcium ions is described.
[0038] The papers coated with these bentonites had only a low pick resistance, which is why in almost all examples a binding agent, such as starch or latex, had to added in order to improve the adhesion to the paper fiber.
[0039] EP 0688376B1 describes a method for the production of lightface paper at high production speeds, which is suitable both for offset and gravure processes.
[0040] For the realization of the production of such papers a minimum amount of pulp, as well as a limitation of the amount of recycled paper, the use of natural binding agents, such as starch, or modified starch, respectively, co-binders, such as CMC, and common additives, such as pigments, stearates, as well as a mixture of a swellable phyllosilicate on one hand, and common mineral coated pigments, such as kaolin, and/or CaCO 3 on the other hand, at a grammage ratio of 20:60 to 95:5, are necessary.
[0041] A method for the production of coated papers using a coating containing binding agents and pigments is known from DE-B-736450, whereas bentonite or a similar swelling clay serves as the binding agent in the coating color. However, a characterization of the material used is not being performed.
[0042] A coating pigment is described in DE-A-4217779 and EP-A-0572037, which is fixable on paper and paperboard essentially without any binding agent, and which results in coated surfaces that can be gravure and offset printed. This pigment consists at least of 30 wt.-% of a swellable phyllosilicate, and has a swelling volume of 5 to 30 ml (based on a suspension of 2 g in 100 ml of distilled water). As the swellable phyllosilicate, mainly minerals of the smectite group, preferred bentonite, or synthetic hectorite, are used. The remaining 70 wt.-% of the coating pigment may consist of conventional coating pigments, such as kaolin, CaCO 3 , etc.
[0043] With formulations without any binder, and with coating applications larger than 1 g/m 2 , however, the lack of offset capability and wet pick resistance present a problem. This nearly always occurs particularly due to the physical direction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0044] It is the task of the present invention to provide a coating dispersion for coating printing substrates, which can be produced inexpensively, in particular without any binding to the associated advantages and high AP content, and which can be processed at high machine speeds. Furthermore, a printing substrate coated with this coating dispersion is to be usable both for conventional print processes, and for special print processes.
[0045] The task is solved according to the invention by means of the object of claim 1 . Preferred further embodiments of the invention are the object of the sub-claims.
[0046] According to the invention, a coating dispersion for coating printing substrates, especially paper and paperboard, is constituted of at least one predetermined portion of water, a predetermined portion of at least one swellable phyllosilicate, and a predetermined portion of a cross-linking agent, which forms a bond with at least one functional group of the phyllosilicate, as well as with at least one functional group of the printing substrate.
[0047] According to the present invention, a chemical bond means at least one bond from the group of bonds, which has covalent bonds, hydrogen bonds, van der Waals bonds, ionic bonds, and such.
[0048] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, the coating dispersion is applied on the printing substrate of an oven-dry area weight of between 0.5 and 6 g/m 2 , preferred of between 0.6 and 5 g/m 2 , particularly preferred of between 0.8 and 4 g/m 2 , and according to a preferred embodiment, in particular of <4 g/m 2 .
[0049] The swellable phyllosilicates are understood to be phyllosilicates according to the invention, such as bentonites, alkali bentonites, such as Wyoming bentonite, montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite, nontronite, alkali phyllosilicates, earth alkali phyllosilicates, calcium bentonite, and such.
[0050] Due to the requirements of a strong swelling, or delamination, respectively, and a good adhesive effect (but unusable viscosity), or a low swelling and high solid content (but poor adhesion effect), the application possibility of such pigments particularly with large additions, and without binding agents, has failed thus far. Since the adhesive effect of the swellable phyllosilicates already only exists with the fibers, and not among each other, application quantities of over 0.5 g/m 2 are impossible due to stability reasons. In particular the adhesion is lost with the use of water.
[0051] Bentonites are three-layer aluminum silicates, in which the central AlO 6 octahedron layers are chemically linked to two SiO tetrahedron layers. Isomorphic replacement of Al 3+ by, for example, Mg 2+ in the middle lamellae produces negative layer charges, which are compensated by cations on interstitials. These cations can be hydrated, and are therefore mobile. Depending on the charge density, the exchange capacity is between 60 and 120 mVal per 100 g. The high swelling volume causes a simple delamination of the bentonite into the individual lamellae, which leads to high viscosity and thixotropic flow behavior.
[0052] The aspect ratio in bentonite is 20 to 50 in the dry state, and increases after complete delamination theoretically to about 1000. Therefore, these are extremely thin, flexible platelets, which have a specific surface area of up to 750 m 2 /g in suspension.
[0053] Due to its high surface and its structure, delaminated bentonites have a good adhesion during the application of thin layers, which are hardly usable, however, due to the viscosities and low solid content already mentioned.
[0054] It is assumed that the leading cause of the adhesion effect of strongly delaminated bentonites to pulp is a certain formation of hydrogen bridges, as well as possibly the bond via so-called van der Waals forces.
[0055] The range of such hydrogen bonds, as well as that of the van der Waals gravities, is limited, and can only form if the distance of the fiber to the delaminated bentonite is smaller than about 3 Å.
[0056] This means that the delaminated bentonite and the fiber must be brought to this small distance to one another during the dehydration process.
[0057] It can easily be imagined that each decrease or reduction of these bond surfaces, or a reduction of the OH, or SiOH groups responsible for these bonds, whether by means of an application amount that is too high, or by means of coating pigments, such as caolin and/or CaCO 3 , which allocate the contact locations, or which prevent the necessary approximation of fibers and delaminated bentonite, always lead to a reduction of the adhesion properties, or stability, respectively.
[0058] When contacted by water, hydration sheaths are formed by means of the absorption of water of more than 20 Å in diameter at the fiber and at the delaminated bentonites, which largely prevent, or abrogate the formation of hydrogen bridges and the effect of van den Waals forces, which also explains the low wet pick resistance (lack of offset capability) even with strongly delaminated bentonite, and at low coating applications without any binding agents. Finally, the same process occurs, as with an uncoated paper, which completely loses its stability once it is immersed in water.
[0059] The testing during the development of a “functional coat” with phyllosilicates without any binding agents with coating applications of up to 4 g/m 2 per side therefore concentrates on new bonding systems between the fiber and the phyllosilicate, or between phyllosilicates among each other, respectively, which generally differ from the physical bonding mechanisms, such as the hydrogen bonds.
[0060] Disadvantages of an increase of bonding strength by means of the addition of natural and water resistant, synthetic binding agents, are, for example, the loss of active surface, the adhering of microcapillaries, or specific surface areas, respectively, problems with production and preparation, increase in costs, etc. Another aspect of the invention is therefore the use of chemical additives that develop highly stable bonding forces by means of cross-linking reactions, even when wetted with water.
[0061] Alkali activated bentonites show excellent cross-linking results with high stability values with increasing swelling, or delamination, respectively, and specific surface area.
[0062] Smectic phyllosilicates are, for example, bentonite, montmorillonite, hectorite, saponite, or nontronite. From this group, the use of bentonite and montmorillonite is preferred. The swelling capability of the phyllosilicates is higher with the alkali phyllosilicates, than with the earth alkali phyllosilicates. Natural alkali bentonites (e.g. Wyoming bentonite), for example, can be used as swellable ones.
[0063] The required swelling capability may also be produced by means of alkali activation of earth alkali phyllosilicates (e.g. calcium bentonite). An excessively high swelling capability, however, results in coatings having a high viscosity so that the highly swellable phyllosilicates are generally added at smaller portion. The less swellable earth alkali phyllosilicates may be added at higher portion.
[0064] These phyllosilicates can be dispersed largely into the individual lamellae in aqueous suspensions under shear action, and have a high portion of SiOH groups, or a high surface, respectively.
[0065] A high swelling capability with a high specific surface area ensures a good cross-linking reaction, but with the already described production and manufacturing problems. For production lines with low production speeds, as well as for certain application grammage ranges with a higher gram base paper, as well as by means of mixtures with other coating pigments, high quality coated functional coats can also be produced with these phyllosilicates.
[0066] The phyllosilicates, or alkali activated bentonites, respectively, used for the purposes according to the invention, are, for example, commercially available products, such as Printosil, Lightcoat, Optigel 800, and Optigel 805.
[0067] As a highly purified, modified phyllosilicate (100% Na montmorillonite), Optigel 805, for example, has a specific surface area of about 700 m 2 /g and a Brookfield viscosity (100 rpm) of about 800 mPa•s at a ink content of 5% after extensive swelling, or delamination at a swelling capability of 70 ml/g. Due to its low solid content, this product may be used only with a so-called extender, or on very slow production lines, respectively with respective base paper.
[0068] Preferred alkali-activated bentonites with a solid content of between 5 to 30%, especially products between 12 to 27% at a Brookfield viscosity of about 100-700 mPa•s, and a specific surface area after swelling of 100-700 m 2 /g, preferred 200-500 m 2 /g are used.
[0069] According to a particularly preferred embodiment the portion of the phyllosilicate at the coating dispersion is larger than 70 wt.-% oven-dry.
[0070] The solid content of the swellable phyllosilicate at the coating dispersion is preferred 5 to 35 wt.-% oven-dry, preferred 8 to 20 wt.-% oven-dry. Furthermore, such a dispersion has a Brookfield viscosity within a range of 50-2000 mPa•s at 100 rpm, and preferred is between 250-1200 mPa•s. Furthermore, silicates with a high surface also have a certain cross-linking reaction.
[0071] According to the present invention at least one component from a group of components is understood as the cross-linking agent, which includes wet strength agents, such as formaldehyde, melamine-formaldehyde resins, aliphatic epoxy resins, epichlorohydrin resins, polyamide-polyamine epichlorohydrin resins, zirconium compounds, glyoxal compounds, polyisocyanates, alkyl ketone dimers (AKD), alkyl succinc anhydrides (ASA), and polyvinyl amines, and such.
[0072] It has been found that with some of these wet strength agents cross-linking reactions apparently occur with phyllosilicates, such as with pulps, or hydrocolloids, respectively, such as starch, guar, CMC, PVAl, etc., which at a coating application of up to 4 g/m 2 result in an excellent internal bond strength, or dry and wet strengths, respectively, even without any binding agents, that are comparable to a coated offset paper with 12-14 parts of binder. This surprising result can only be explained in that the cross-linking reactions occur with the silicol groups (SiOH groups) of the phyllosilicate among each other, or with the —OH, or carboxyl groups of the fiber of the base paper on one hand, and with the silicol groups of the phyllosilicate on the other hand.
[0073] It has been shown that with zirconium compounds only minimal strength improvements can be achieved with HF resins, MF resins, ASA, AKD, and that with epichlorohydrin resins a marked improvement, and with glyoxal, or modified glyoxal and polyisocyanates by far the best results are achieved.
[0074] According to prior art it is further known that zirconium salts, such as ammonium zirconium carbonate (AZC) predominantly react with —COOH groups, and react only weakly with —OH groups.
[0075] The effect of HF resins, MF resins, and epichlorohydrin resins is based mainly on the fact that the products predominantly cross-link among themselves, thus protecting the already existing fiber-to-fiber bonds from destruction by water.
[0076] The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0077] FIG. 1 illustrates a self-condensation reaction UF resin.
[0078] FIG. 2 illustrates the reaction of glyoxal compounds with OH groups.
[0079] FIG. 3 illustrates glyoxal polyacrlyamide derivatives obtained from a reaction of glyoxal with low-molecular polyacrylamide (PAM), resulting in a net (matrix) structure, with a relatively high aldehyde group portion.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0080] An example of the self-condensation reaction is UF resin. It is a three-dimensional network that is also called cross-linked network (compare FIG. 1 ).
[0081] A certain proportion of this wet strength agent additionally also reacts with carboxyl, aldehyde, or hydroxyl groups.
[0082] In modified and stabilized glyoxal resins (reactive polyhydroxylate compounds), such as glyoxal polyacrylamide derivatives, and polyioscyanates, reactions with OH groups preferred occur, which obviously also could react with SiOH groups (see FIG. 1 ).
[0083] According to a particularly preferred embodiment glyoxal, particularly a modified glyoxal compound is used as the cross-linking agent. In a further, particularly preferred embodiment, polyisocyanate is used.
[0084] Furthermore, the cross-linking agent can be stabilized, and/or its charging character, and/or its interfacial properties modified, or adjusted to the required properties criteria.
[0085] As such water soluble polymers, for example, polyvinyl alcohols, polyethylene glycols, polyvinyl pyrrolidones, and such are used.
[0086] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, based on the portion of the cross-linking agent, between 2 and 10 wt.-% oven-dry, preferred between 4 to 7 wt.-% oven-dry of polyvinyl alcohol are added.
[0087] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, a portion of between 2 and 6 wt.-% oven-dry, preferred between 3 and 5 wt.-% oven-dry of polyethylene glycol are added to the cross-linking agent, based on the cross-linking agent.
[0088] It is within the scope of the invention that further additives can be added to the cross-linking agent, which according to a particularly preferred embodiment are selected from the group of additives, containing optical brighteners, thickening agents, biocides, preservatives, buffer solutions, catalysts, inhibitors, dispersing agents, complexing agents, and such.
[0089] According to a particularly preferred embodiment 0.1 to 1 wt.-% of a commercial product (CP), preferred between 0.2 and 0.4 wt.-% of a commercial product of an optical brightener are added to the cross-linking agent.
[0090] With a coating dispersion, a portion of cross-linking agent of between 0.1 to 6 wt.-% oven-dry, based on the pigment, preferred of between 0.6 and 7.4 wt.-% oven-dry, based on the pigment, and particularly preferred of between 0.8 and 3 wt.-%, based on the pigment, is added according to the present invention.
[0091] According to a particularly preferred embodiment, at least one extender pigment is added to the coating dispersion, which is selected for a group of pigments having precipitated silicate, acidic activated bentonite, silicates produced with a hydrothermal process, aluminum hydroxide, and such.
[0092] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment at least one additional pigment is added to the coating dispersion, which is selected from a group of pigments having kaolin, ground calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, talc, zeolite, titanium dioxide, and such.
[0093] In mixtures with other coating pigments, such as kaolin, ground calcium carbonate (GCC), precipitated calcium carbonate (PCC), talc, precipitated silicates, acidic activated bentonites, silicates produced with a hydrothermal process, and aluminum hydroxides, a functional coat can be produced with these coating pigments with alkali activated bentonites, depending on the aspired paper properties, of between 5 and 20 parts, preferred of between 8 and 15 parts, without the addition of binding agent with 0.8 to 3 parts of modified cross-linking agent at application grammages of between 0.8 to 4 g/m 2 , which leads to good printing results in all print processes.
[0094] With a higher amount of addition, i.e. larger than 25% of such other coating pigments, binding agent amounts of between 1.5 and 5 parts are necessary, whereas binders with a high OH group content, such as PVAl, are preferably suitable for the cross-linking reactions.
[0095] In such pigment mixtures, alkali activated bentonites with a higher swelling capability, or viscosity, respectively, may also be produced due to the higher solid contents even with rapid production lines.
[0096] Depending on the bentonite content, the solid content of the coating to be processed in this manner is between 12 and 35 wt.-% oven-dry.
[0097] With the use of bentonite, dispersing agents are also purposefully used. In any case the area-related application weight is below 4 g/m 2 and paper side. An application grammage of between 0.8 and 4 g/m 2 and side is preferred. Particularly with 100% bentonite content in the coating, the application amount may also be below 0.8 g/m 2 .
[0098] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment a binding agent may additionally be added to the previously described coating dispersion, which is selected from a group of binding agents having synthetic binding agents, natural binding agents, polyvinyl alcohol, starch, carboxymethyl cellulose, latex, and such.
[0099] Particularly with a portion of the extender pigment of larger than 35 wt.-% based on the total pigment portion, a binding agent portion of between 0.5 and 10 wt.-% oven-dry, preferred of between 1 and 7 wt.-% oven-dry, particularly preferred of between 1.5 and 5 wt.-% oven-dry is used.
[0100] According to a preferred embodiment a binding agent portion of between 0.5 and 10 wt.-% oven-dry, preferred of between 1 and 7 wt.-% oven-dry, and particularly preferred of between 1.5 and 5 wt.-% oven-dry is used in a portion of an additional pigment larger than 25 wt.-% oven-dry, based on the total pigment portion of the coating dispersion.
[0101] It is within the scope of the present invention that particularly with the use of an extender pigment the portion of the binding agent portion used in the coating dispersion tends to be lower than the required amount of binding agent with the use of another pigment, as has been previously described.
[0102] According to a particularly preferred embodiment a bond with both the phyllosilicate and the pulp, or the hydrocolloids, respectively, such as starch, guar, carboxymethyl cellulose (CM), polyvinyl alcohol, and such occurs by means of the cross-linking agent.
[0103] Here in particular, the functional groups of the cross-linking agent react with the functional groups of the swellable phyllosilicate, particularly the silicol groups. Furthermore, the functional groups of the cross-linking agent react with the functional groups of the printing substrate, such as the pulp, particularly its free hydroxyl groups.
[0104] With the use of a mixture product made of glyoxal with polyethylene glycol, and/or polyvinyl alcohol, the functional groups of the cross-linking agent are free hydroxyl groups.
[0105] Especially the binding-active groups are understood to be free hydroxyl groups (see FIG. 2 ).
[0106] With the use of a mixture product made of glyoxal with polyacrylamdie, the functional groups of the cross-linking agent are free aldehyde groups.
[0107] FIG. 2 illustrates the reaction of glyoxal compounds with OH groups. Glyoxal polyacrlyamide derivatives are obtained from a reaction of glyoxal with low-molecular polyacrylamide (PAM), whereas this results in a net (matrix) structure, and with a relatively high aldehyde group portion (see FIG. 3 ).
[0108] These free aldehyde groups can react with the free OH groups of the printing substrate (e.g. cellulose), or with the SiOH groups, respectively, of the phyllosilicates.
[0109] It is within the scope of the present invention that other functional groups of the cross-linking agent may also be used for binding the phyllosilicates, or the pulp, and/or hydrocolloids, respectively.
[0110] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment the cross-linking agent effects a temporary strengthening of the printing substrate, and/or of the coat, which particularly already occurs during the production process in the paper machine, and/or in the coating machine.
[0111] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment, the pH value of the coating dispersion is between pH 6 and pH 9.5, preferred between pH 6.8 and pH 9.2, and particularly preferred between pH 8.1 and pH 9.0.
[0112] According to another embodiment the printing substrate used is a paper or paperboard made of woodfree pulp, whereas the use of additional components, such as fillers, pulp, etc. is also within the scope of the present invention.
[0113] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment the printing substrate may also be essentially produced from wood-containing pulp.
[0114] In a further embodiment the printing substrate is produced from a freely selectable portion of recycled paper of between 0 and 100%. However, it is also within the scope of the present invention to use combinations of the pulps previously illustrated.
[0115] According to a particularly preferred embodiment the printing substrate has an area weight of between 30 g/m 2 oven-dry and 250 g/m 2 oven-dry, preferred of between 32 g/m 2 oven-dry and 130 g/m 2 oven-dry, and particularly preferred of between 35 g/m 2 oven-dry and 100 g/m 2 oven-dry.
[0116] Woodfree, wood-containing coating paper, and coating paper containing up to 100% recycled paper, also with low area weight is suitable as the base paper.
[0117] Paper not suitable as the base paper is very strongly hydrophobized paper, i.e. highly sized mixture and surface sized coating papers. Highly glued mixture and/or surface sized coating papers are papers that are designated as fully sized papers according to prior art.
[0118] The coated paper produced with 100% recycled paper and different phyllosilicates, as well as with mixtures of other coating pigments, and 0.8 to 3.0 parts of the cross-linking compound without binding agent on a base paper shows good printing results and subsequent processing properties in all print processes. Furthermore, the cross-linking agents in particular also cause increased strength of the base paper.
[0119] In this regard it was shown that particularly matt and semi matt paper can be produced with this functional coat on phyllosilicate, or bentonite basis, respectively.
[0120] The use of suitable pigments, especially calcium carbonates, and a gentle calendering promote the matt effect in today's production of these types of papers. The surface roughness achieved in this manner promotes the desired diffuse reflection of light, but is simultaneously the cause of the increasing number of complaints in the matt paper area, e.g. lack of abrasion or smear resistance, lack of paperboard strength, and a degradation of the gravure printability.
[0121] Matt coated papers are most often processed in offset printing, because this print process is cable of balancing the rough surface with the aid of an elastic printing blanket made of rubber. Lately matt coated papers have also gained market shares in gravure printing. Gravure printing requires a very smooth surface, and a good compressibility of the papers. For good printability, a high smoothness of the paper is therefore of key importance, which—due to the strong calendering conditions—is in contrast with the requirement of low gloss.
[0122] The roughness of the surface obtained by means of the phyllosilicate, which is maintained even with very strong calendering, which in turn ensures high surface smoothness and good gravure printability, promotes the desired diffuse reflection of light, and therefore of the matt effect.
[0123] Matt coated paper with high surface smoothness enables the brilliant reproduction even with fine printing screens in offset and book printing, which expands the range of applications of such a paper from automobile, fashion, and cosmetic pamphlets, school books and catalogs, etc. Multipurpose writing and printing papers are written on, used as copy paper, and are printed on by means of offset and inkjet print processes.
[0124] Office papers must allow for this development, and have a good offset, laser, and color inkjet printability in addition to the primary suitability for copiers. The paper manufacturer should therefore supply a comprehensively functioning product that, if possible, meets all requirements, all printer types, and all ink formulations.
[0125] Currently, there are no multipurpose papers on the market that are equally suited for the different print processes and various printers.
[0126] It has been shown that an excellent printability in largely all print processes is achieved with the “functional coat” according to the invention.
[0127] By means of the high microcapillarity, or specific surface area of the functional coat (chromatography effect), an excellent inkjet printability is achieved with color printouts having a good color brilliance, optical density of the colors, and dot definition. These papers are furthermore characterized by rapid color drying, and higher water resistance. As the same print color is involved in the water-based flexoprinting process, i.e. anionic water soluble inks, the high specific surface area of the thin coat has an equal positive effect on the flexoprinting print quality, as with inkjet printing.
[0128] The acidic anionic, water soluble inks of inkjet and flexoprinting colors are anchored to the surface by means of rapid adsorption. Additionally, the high capillarity of the pigments supports the separating of inks and fluids by means of the chromatography effect. The larger ink molecules remain at the pigment surface, while smaller molecules, especially water and additives, are pulled into the interior of the pigments via capillary forces. This presupposes a high microcapillarity (specific surface area) with a predetermined pore radius, and/or improved water resistance.
[0129] Due to the high specific surface area of the very expensive silicates used today, their demand for binding agents is very high (up to 30-40 parts binder). Binding agents in turn are also relatively expensive, and allocate a large part of the surface so that the active surface is reduced.
[0130] In self-inking papers there are three different self-inking development systems (e.g. organic phenol resins doped with zinc ions, organic zinc salicylates, and inorganic, acidic activated bentonites) that exist for the coated front side.
[0131] In Europe, acidic activated bentonites are predominantly used as the coated front side layer. These bentonites with a high specific surface area and porosity have an anionic charge with numerous SiOH groups. These anionic groups at the interface react with cationic inks.
[0132] As with inkjet papers, contrary to the development according to the invention, the better part of the SiOH groups is also allocated in this case, or the specific surface area is reduced, respectively. With the development according to the invention, the high specific surface area is maintained.
[0133] According to a further particularly preferred embodiment the swollen phyllosilicates, and thus the pollutant emissions of the printing substrate due to heat of the coat applied on the exterior layer of the printing substrate absorb, such as they are released with the temperature treatment in laser printer processes for the fixing of the toner.
[0134] Increasing printing speeds in copiers require increased drying or fixing temperatures, which partially leads to the accumulation of pollutants and unpleasant odors in the respective rooms. Tests performed on laser printers with recycling paper have shown especially high concentrations of pollutants. Some of the main components were identified as 2,6-diisopropyl naphtaline, and tetramethyl biphenyl, which also lead to significant concentrations in offices.
[0135] Diisopropyl naphtaline (DIPN) has been used for the past 25 years as a solvent for self-inking papers. In 1994 residues of this solvent were first also detected in food in Italy. It was found that DIPN reaches food packaging made of recycled paper via the paper-recycling-circle, and once there, migrates into the food products.
[0136] As is generally known, bentonites have the special feature of binding foreign, aroma, and flavor additives, especially aromatics, and rendering them harmless. The bilateral bentonite layer of the functional coat according to the invention with the high specific surface area acts as an adsorption barrier, and therefore provides laser printers and copiers great relief of the pollutant concentrations.
[0137] Increasingly often requirements are made of newspaper printing presses to produce print products that meet an increased level of quality. For this reason, newspaper-like print objects are increasingly produced on improved or coated paper. However, high-quality coated coldset print papers, such as colored feature or advertisement inserts have now also been introduced to market. This is an obvious choice, because newspaper printing presses usually only work to capacity with the printing of the newspaper at night, and capacities for these types of orders are available during the day.
[0138] Since coldset print is a physical printing ink drying process, a high capillarity, or an open structure is demanded of coated paper.
[0139] By means of application of 1.5-3 g/m 2 of a functional coat with a high specific surface area, which forms an ideal condition for coldset print processes (ink penetration process), high-quality, low-grammage coated coldset print papers with high color density and color intensity may be produced using 100% recycled paper.
[0140] In the comparison between SC-A and SC-B paper (gravure print paper) to a functional coat equipped with 100% recycled paper, improved gravure printability is achieved—but especially offset printability (less deposits on the rubber printing blanket), no black calendering, and calendering deposits, improved brightness, and in the case of the production of papers with a low area weight no bleeding and showing through of the print ink.
[0141] As the pre-coat, the functional coat results in a rapid immobilization of the subsequent coat due to the high specific surface area, with the known advantages of a good coverage of the fibers with a barrier function with even coat distribution of the top coat, as well as cost savings. This barrier function may be further improved in liner paperboard by means of an additional low addition of a sizing agent to the functional coat.
[0142] This will also achieve a very good flexo-printability and inkjet printability, as well as a good further processing of the coated liner.
[0143] In comparison to LWC gravure matt paper the functional coat, especially with low grammages, shows a higher smoothness, fewer missing dots, higher print gloss with lower paper gloss, no glossy areas (friction gloss) in the further processing, as well as cost advantages.
[0144] In LWC offset matt papers, above all a low paper gloss, high print gloss, high smoothness, no glossy areas (friction gloss), improved print ink abrasion and smear resistance, low carbonizing, low mottling, higher residual breaking strength (avoiding of breakages within the fold), avoiding of blisters, and low coat costs are achieved.
[0145] The “breaking in the fold,” and the forming of blisters present a substantial problem for web offset papers.
[0146] The intense temperature exposure during multicolor offset printing not only has the effect of expelling volatile printing ink components, but also the embrittlement of the paper due to the volatilization of the water stored within the paper texture (up to 0% of water content). This may cause damages to the paper texture in the folding device, which may be noticed as “breakages in the fold,” or the breaking out of the stapling during subsequent processing.
[0147] Fold breakages preferred occur with increasing coat applications, with CaCO 3 as the coating pigment, with high binder portions (especially starch), and with high calendering conditions.
[0148] With high application amounts without any binding agents, fold breakages are counteracted with the functional coat due to the high aspect ratio, but especially also due to the hydrophilic character of the alkali activated bentonites, which retain a residual amount of water, thus reducing the risk of embrittlement.
[0149] In heatset web offset printing presses with the extremely high drying temperatures, water vapor is formed in the paper texture during the rapid heating of the printed paper web in the drying machine. Due to the bilateral covering with the paper coat and the printing color coat, the water vapor has no chance of multiply escaping. Fission in the paper texture, and thus a formation of blisters (blistering) occurs in the paper layer.
[0150] Measures leading to a densification and to a recession, or to the microcapillarity, respectively, of the coat, such as a high coat application, especially an increased synthetic material binding agent portion with high pressure and temperature, correspondingly have an adverse effect on blistering. Especially with high temperatures, such as soft calendering, the synthetic material binding agent often condenses, thus sealing the coat surface, which correspondingly has an adverse effect on blistering.
[0151] In the functional coat with a low coat application without any binding agents with high porosity, the water vapor can escape without any problems so that no risk of blistering exists.
[0152] The object of the invention is further that high qualities are achieved by means of the thin, functional application amounts according to the invention onto a base paper not only in all print processes, but due also to the low application amount, high production speeds and savings of binding agents, and in all cases also economical advantages may be achieved.
[0153] Another aspect of the invention is that the coated paper according to the invention has an excellent recycling behavior, because it contains no synthetic binders, and the cross-linking agents used have a temporary hardening effect, and can therefore be processed without any problems after a brief period of water exposure to the coated paper, as opposed to other cross-linking agents, such as HF, MF, epichlorohydrin resins.
[0154] Due to the surface finish of synthetic binders, they can form troublesome deposits in the material and process water cycles of de-inking machines and during coat broke reworking, and further can lead to wastewater contamination. Furthermore, this achieves an improvement of the de-inking capability.
[0155] Another aspect of the invention is a method for the production of a multifunctionally coated paper by means of application of a low reactive coat on the basis of alkali activated bentonites of between 0.8 to a maximum of 4 g/m 2 per page, without any binding agent, with a high binding capability by means of cross-linking reactions with special cross-linking agents on a base paper with a recycling paper portion of up to 100%, using a film press, curtain coater, or possibly by means of spraying application at production speeds of up to 2000 m/min, which has a comparable, if not improved print quality for conventional print processes, as well as in the specialty paper area, and which combines the economical advantages with an excellent recyclability.
[0156] Special mention should be made of the excellent offset capability of the functional coat according to the invention (application<4 g/m 2 ), which has the same drying and wet pick resistances as coated LWC offset paper, which is known to make significantly higher demands of the coat setting due to higher print color viscosity and tackiness, than, for example, the gravure process, which is why coatings of LWC offset papers have up to 16 wt.-parts of binding agent.
[0157] The task of the invention is further also solved by means of a method for the production of a coated printing substrate in accordance with claim 33 . Preferred embodiments are the object of the sub-claims.
[0158] According to the present invention a method for the production of a coated printing substrate involves the step of the mechanical application of a coating dispersion on the printing substrate. This coating dispersion consists of at least one predetermined portion of water, a predetermined portion of at least one swellable phyllosilicate, and one predetermined portion of a cross-linking agent, which binds both with at least one functional group of the phyllosilicate, and with at least one functional group of the printing substrate. As an additional step the method also comprises the drying of the coating dispersion applied.
[0159] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the printing substrate is calendered after coating and printing. The application of the coating dispersion occurs in accordance with a particularly preferred method of the present invention on the interior (Online), and/or on the exterior (Offline) of the paper machine. Coating devices known to prior art are utilized as the coating devices, including, for example, film presses, curtain coaters, spray coating, roll coating, . . . -over-roll coating, blade coaters, speed coaters, Massey process, flooded nip, and similar.
[0160] Devices offered on the market are, for example, the film presses by Jagenberg, von Voith, as well as the BTG company in Sweden and Metso.
[0161] The coatings may be applied both Online with a film press, and also with a new application system, such as curtain coating and spray coating (Opti-Spray) with application grammages of 0.5-4 g/m 2 at high speeds.
[0162] During curtain coating the pigment application is performed by means of a free falling, thin, of two free surface-limited fluid layers, the “curtain,” which enters onto the paper web in motion, and which forms the coating film.
[0163] The process represents an alternative to conventional application processes, with a trendsetting high-precision application technology, which promises high production speeds at low stresses of the paper web.
[0164] The Opti-Spray application system is a spray process, which is preferably also conducive to such thin coat applications.
[0165] The application speed of the coating dispersion occurs according to a further particularly preferred embodiment with a speed of between 150 m/min and 2300 m/min, preferred of between 200 m/min and 2100 m/min, and particularly preferred of between 500 m/min and 2000 m/min.
[0166] According to a further particularly preferred method of the present invention a coating dispersion is applied on the printing substrate, the area weight of which is between 0.5 and 6 g m 2 oven-dry, particularly preferred between 0.8 and 4 g/m 2 oven-dry, and according to a further particularly preferred embodiment, is particularly smaller than 4 g/m 2 oven-dry.
[0167] The printing substrate produced according to this method, and with the use of the coatings, and/or dispersions described, is suitable for the processing in at least one, particularly in a plurality of (multifunctional) print processes as are known from prior art. For example, this may be the offset print process, the gravure process, inkjet process, flexoprinting process, self-inking papers, heatset process, coldset process, laser printing, and such.
[0168] The use of the printing substrate according to the invention for the offset process, the gravure process, and/or for additional print processes, such as the inkjet process, flexoprinting process, laser printing process, self-inking paper, is also within the scope of the present invention.
[0169] According to the particularly preferred embodiment, the printing substrate is multifunctionally usable for various processes.
[0170] The invention will now be explained in detail by means of examples, whereas it is being noted that the illustrations are of exemplary character only, and are not intended to limit the invention itself. This is true in particular to the use of paper, or paperboard, respectively, as the printing substrate, whereas it is being noted that other materials, such as plastic foils, as the printed substrate may also be coated with the coating dispersion according to the invention.
[0171] They show:
Embodiment 1 use of an alkali activated bentonite for the coating of a thin coat paper; Embodiment 2 use of an alkali activated bentonite with low amounts of binding agent for the coating of a thin coat paper; Embodiment 3 use of wet strength agents in a coating dispersion according to the invention; Embodiment 4 use of a modified cross-linking agent in the coating dispersion for the coating of a thin coat paper; Embodiment 5 use of different silicates with a modified cross-linking agent in a coating dispersion; Embodiment 6 production of a multifunctional paper on various printing substrates according to the present invention; Embodiment 7 alternate embodiment for the production of a multifunctional paper with alkali activated bentonite; Embodiment 8 embodiment of the coating of a paper with a coating dispersion according to the invention on a high-speed pilot coating machine.
[0180] Within the scope of the detailed description, particular reference is made to the offset capability of the functional coat (application<4 g/m 2 ), which has the same drying and wet pick resistance as a coated LWC offset paper that is known to make significantly higher demands of the coat setting due to the high print color viscosity and tackiness, than, for example, the gravure process, which is why coatings of LWC offset papers have up to 16 wt.-parts of binding agent.
[0181] The invention is explained by means of the following examples in a non-limiting manner.
EMBODIMENT 1
[0000] Production of a Thin Coat Paper With Alkali Activated Bentonite of Various Delamination Without Any Binding Agent.
[0182] Since the offset capability of a coated thin coat paper is the base for other coated papers, such as inkjet, flexoprinting, or self-inking paper, an offset printing evaluation of the various alkali activated bentonites without any binding agent was initially performed.
[0183] A 48 g/m 2 wood-containing, non-sized LWC coating base paper, as well as a 48 g/m 2 LWC coating base paper produced from 100% recycled paper, was used as the base paper.
[0184] For the production and delamination of the bentonite slurry (products of Süd Chemie, Munich) a high-performance dispersing device was used. The following bentonites were utilized: Printosil, Lightcoat, and Optigel. These products are described in detail in the product description issued by Süd-Chemie, Munich.
[0185] For the purpose of supporting the delamination, as well as for increasing the solid content, 0.2% of dispersing agent on polyacrylate basis was added. The pH values were between 8.0 and 9.0.
[0186] (Solid content according to DIN ISO 787 Part 2, pH value according to DIN ISO 787 Part 9, Low Shear Viscosity according to Brookfield at 100 r/pm according to DIN ISO 2555).
[0187] The bentonite slurries were applied to a wood-containing (w.c.), or AP containing coating base paper at an application amount of 1 g/m 2 by means of a motorized manual coating knife.
[0188] The paper surface-treated in this manner is calendered in a laboratory calender under the following conditions.
Reel surface temperature: 90° C. Line strength: 250 N/mm Speed: 10 m/min
[0192] Number of cycles 4
TABLE 1 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Dry picking Wet picking Solid Viscosity Dry picking (base paper Wet picking (base paper Bentonite content Brookfield 100 (w.c. base produced from (w.c. base produced from type: [%] [mPa · s] paper) recycled paper) paper) recycled paper) Printosil 24.5 760 − − − − Lightcoat 13.4 650 (−) (−) − − Optigel 5.6 810 (+) (−) − − Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0193] The evaluation of the printability in offset printing was performed using the test colors of the company Farbenfabriken Michael Huber, Munich (offset colors) in accordance with the “pick test” of the company Farbenfabriken M. Huber on the multi-purpose sample printing machine by Prüfbau.
[0194] All papers tested had an insufficient offset capability. With the paper coated with Lightcoat and Optigel 805, the dry pick resistance with the w.c. coated base paper resulted in slightly less fiber tearing, whereas the paper coated with Optigel 805 is assessed as slightly better.
EMBODIMENT 2
[0195] Embodiment 2 relates to the production of a thin coat paper with alkali activated bentonite of various delamination with low amounts of binding agent.
[0196] In this test run PVAl (Mowiol 3-85), manufacturer KUARAI), cationed PVAl (Mowiol 3-85), and for digestion 6 parts of Poly-DADMAC (PolyQuad, manufacturer Kaptol-Chemie) were added. Furthermore, anionic starch (Perfectamyl A 4692, manufacturer AVEBE) was used as the binding agent. (Solid content of PVAl 30%, cationed PVAl 27%, and of the starch 25.5%).
[0197] For the dissolving of the PVA, as well as for the starch digestion, an automatic laboratory digester was used. The dispersion of the pigments was performed in a high-shear dispersing device (laboratory disperser with tooth wheel). For the mixing of the individual components, a laboratory mixer with propeller stirrer was used, whereas the methods stated in embodiment 1 were used for the measuring of the rheological properties.
[0198] As the pigments, Printosil and Lightcoat (manufacturer Süd-Chemie Munich) were used. After the dispersing, or delaminating, respectively, of the bentonite (see example 1), the respective binding agent amounts were added in wt.-parts, oven-dry. The pH values were between 8.0 and 9.0.
[0199] The coatings produced were applied on a coating base paper containing 100% recycled paper, and with an area-weight of 48 g/m 2 , using a Helicoater.
[0200] This machine is the Helicoater 2000 by the company ECC (English China Clays), designed for the scrape coating process. In this process a highly concentrated coating is transferred on the paper web with the aid of a metal blade operating according to the scraping principle, which is pressed against a rubber-covered cylinder.
[0201] The carrier reel, on which the paper to be coated is stretched, consists of a hollow cylinder made of steel, which is additionally supported by ribs on the interior. The lateral frames consist of welded-in steel plates. A layer of hard rubber is attached on this cylinder. The reel can be accelerated up to a circumferential speed of 200 m/min.
[0202] The traversing pond serves as the color container and color application system, and therefore represents the heart of the machine.
[0203] The rear helicoater baffle contains the infrared drying unit. It consists of several rows of IR radiators used to dry the paper after coating.
[0204] The coatings were applied at a speed of 600 m/min.
[0205] The paper surface-treated in this manner is calendered in a laboratory calender under the following conditions:
Reel surface temperature: 90° C. Line strength: 250 N/mm Speed: 10 m/min Number of cycles 4
[0210] The formulation, as well as the properties of the coating, and the evaluation of the coated paper are stated in table 2 as follows.
TABLE 2 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Solid Viscosity Application Bentonite type + content Brookfield 100 grammage Wet pick Dry pick Additive [%] [mPa · s] [g/m 2 ] resistance resistance Printosoil + 1P PVA 24.8 830 1 − − Printosil + 3P PVA 23.7 870 1 (−) (+) Printosil + 3P PVA 23.7 870 2.7 − − Lightcoat + 1P PVA 15.5 1120 1 (+) (+) Lightcoat + 1P 14.2 1250 1 − − cationed PVA Lightcoat + 3P PVA 15.7 1100 2.7 − (+) Lightcoat + 3P starch 14.8 900 2.7 − (−) Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0211] The evaluation of the offset capability of the coated paper was performed according to embodiment 1.
[0212] The influence of the lamination of the bentonites on one hand, and the effect of the amount of binding agent on the other hand, as well as the application grammage are clearly identifiable from this test run. While the less delaminated bentonite (Printosil) with 1% PVAL still shows strong picking (fiber tearing), the stronger delaminated Lightcoat with 1% PVAl shows only slight picking.
[0213] A coating grammage increase has a negative effect particularly on the wet pick resistance despite of an increase in binding agent.
[0214] A cationization of PVAl further has a negative effect on the strength development. With the increasing addition of PVAl, especially with cationized PVAl, the ink penetration behavior (over 1800) decelerates, which may lead to deposits in the sheet offset.
[0215] The tests further show that in all papers tested, printability problems in offset printing can be expected.
[0216] Furthermore, the water resistance, or abrasion resistance in specialty papers, such as inkjet papers, should be insufficient.
EMBODIMENT 3
[0217] Embodiment 3 refers to the use of wet strength agents (cross-linking agents) for improving the offset capability of thin coat paper.
[0218] The surface of coated paper and paperboard often comes into contact with water. For example, offset paper is exposed to moist water in the printing machine. Packaging paper is also exposed to moisture or wetness during transport. With specialty paper, such as coated inkjet paper, a certain wet strength resistance of the coat is also demanded.
[0219] In coats containing water soluble binding agents, the use also of additives, such as wet strength agents, can hardly be avoided. The effect of these products based in part on—as already described—cross-linking reactions with the water soluble binding agents in order to increase the wet strength resistance, which, however, do not contribute to the binding strength.
[0220] In this test run it was examined, whether wet strength agents are capable of entering into cross-linking reactions with the SiOH groups of the alkali activated bentonites, in order to therefore make a major contribution to the setting of the pigment particles among each other, as well as of the pigment particles to the base paper.
[0221] The following commercially available wet strength agents are used:
[0222] Zirconium carbonate (Cartabond ZA, manufacturer Clariant), urea formaldehyde resin (urecoll S, manufacturer BASF), melamine formaldehyde resin (Madurit 112, manufacturer Vianova), epichlorohydrin resin (Nadavin LTN, manufacturer Bayer), modified glyoxal resins (Cartabond TSI, manufacturer Clariant), polyisocyanate (Isovin, manufacturer Bayer).
[0223] The use of polyvinylamine (manufacturer BASF) was forgone, because it was shown that the strongly cationic polyvinylamine has the tendency to quench, or have a great adverse effect on the effectiveness of optical brighteners, and leads to certain viscosity problems due to the cationic charge.
[0224] The alkali activated bentonite used was Lightcoat (manufacturer Südchemie Munich). After dispersion, or delamination, respectively, of the bentonite (see example 1) the respective cross-linking amounts were added. The pH values were between 8.6 and 9.0. Furthermore, 2 parts of wet strength agent (oven-dry) each were added to this bentonite slurry by slowly adding it dose-by-dose while stirring. The coatings produced in this manner were applied on a coating base paper made of 100% recycled paper with an area weight of 48 g/m 2 using a motorized manual coating knife.
[0225] Analogous to embodiment 1, the paper surface-treated in this manner was calendered, and exposed to the same testing of the offset capability (sample printing machine).
TABLE 3 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Solid Viscosity Application Bentonite type + content Brookfield 100 grammage Wet pick Dry pick Additive [%] [mPa · s] [g/m 2 ] resistance resistance Lightcoat + 1P 12.8 920 2.5 − − zirconium salt Lightcoat + 2P HF resin 11.5 820 2.5 (+) (−) Lightcoat + 2P MF resin 11.8 760 2.5 (+) (+) Lightcoat + 2P 8.5 1100 2.5 (+) (−) epichlorohydrin resin Lightcoat + 2P 14.2 620 2.5 + + glyoxal resin Lightcoat + 2P 13.2 950 2.5 + (+) polyisocyanate Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0226] The test results show that no improvements are achieved with zirconium, and certain improvements are achieved with HF resin, MF resin, and epichlorohydrin resin. As already mentioned, for reasons of ecology, effectiveness, handling, etc. these products were omitted in further optimizing works. Additionally, in the case of strongly cationic epichlorohydrin resin, great increases of viscosity were observed, which required a significantly lower solid content.
[0227] Very good results were achieved with polyisocyanate. Due to the already described problem with the use of this product, this product was forgone in later trials.
[0228] The best results with regard to dry and wet pick resistance (offset capability) were obtained with modified glyoxal (Cartabond TSI). The printability in this case is on the same level as a coated LWC offset paper with 14 parts of binder.
[0229] The test results surprisingly indicate that strong cross-linking reactions take place between the modified glyoxal, the SiOH groups of the bentonites, and the OH groups of the fibers.
EMBODIMENT 4
[0230] Embodiment 4 relates to optimizing work with modified glyoxal (Cartabond TSI) for the development of a thin coat without any binder portion.
[0231] Further optimizing works with Cartabond TSI showed that in case of pH values larger than pH 9, and/or with increasing temperatures, particularly with longer residence times, increasing viscosity is determined, which in practice leads to processing problems. This effect increasingly occurred with the addition for Carrier of optical brighteners on PVAl basis.
[0232] Furthermore it was shown that due to the non-ionic character of Cartabond TSI, an incomplete adsorption of the product on the bentonite occurs, which leads to an increased consumption of the cross-linking agent.
[0233] The problem was successfully solved as described by means of a slight addition of PEG and PVAl to Cartabond TSI. This product, which is used in the following trials, is hereinafter referred to as “glyoxal compound,” whereas an optical brightener was additionally added.
[0234] Printosil and Lightcoat (manufacturer Südchemie, Munich) were used as the pigments.
[0235] After the dispersion, or delamination of the bentonites, respectively (see example 1), 2 parts of the cross-linking agents each were added. The pH value was adjusted to approximately 8.8.
[0236] The temperature of the slurry was adjusted to 35° C., and kept in motion while slightly stirring at residence times of 2 hours.
[0237] The coatings produced without any residence times were applied to a coating base paper containing 100% recycled paper and at an area weight of 48 g/m 2 , using a helicoater (see example 2).
[0238] 2.5 g/m 2 were applied to each side.
[0239] The paper surface-treated in this manner was calendered in a laboratory calender according to embodiment 1.
[0240] The evaluation of the printability in offset was also performed according to embodiment 1.
TABLE 4 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Viscosity Solid Brook- Wet pick Dry pick Bentonite type + content field 100 resis- resis- Additive: [%] [mPa · s] tance tance Printosil + 1P Cartabond 23.7 640 + (+) TSI 5 min. after production Printosil + 2P Cartabond s. above 810 Not tested Not tested TSI 2 h after production Printosil + 2P glyoxal 23.2 590 + + compound 5 min. after production Printosil + 2P glyoxal s. above 630 Not tested Not tested compound 2 h after production Lightcoat + 2P Cartabond 14.6 650 + + TSI 5 min. after production Lightcoat + 2P Cartabond s. above 1050 Not tested Not tested TSI 2 h after production Lightcoat + 2P glyoxal 14.1 630 + + compound 5 min. after production Lightcoat + 2P glyoxal s. above 660 Not tested Not tested compound 2 h after production Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0241] The test results show that after a residence time of only 2 hours an increase in viscosity occurs in Cartabond TSI, and both in Printosil and Lightcoat, which in the case of Lightcoat is even more pronounced due to the greater delamination (cross-linking reaction).
[0242] This increase in viscosity is strongly increased with pH values of <9.0, as well as with the addition of PVAl carrier, as further tests have shown.
[0243] No viscosity increase was registered with the “glyoxal compound” with a pH value of 9.0, and even with a PVAl addition. It was shown, however, that a pH value of over 9.1 should be avoided.
[0244] The tests further show that with 2 parts of Cartabond TSI with a coating application of 2.5 g/m 2 with the less activated Printosil results in slight picking, and in the case of the stronger activated Lightcoat with the higher SiOH group portion, on the other hand, no picking problems were found.
[0245] The tests further show that with Printosil with the “glyoxal compound” also no picking problems occurred due to the better adsorption and effectiveness. Excellent inkjet printabilities on the printers HP CP 1160, HP 895CXI, Epson C 80, and Canon J 750 were also obtained with these coated papers.
EMBODIMENT 5
[0246] Embodiment 5 relates to the examination of the offset capability of various silicates with different specific surface areas by means of cross-linking reactions with the “glyoxal compound”.
[0247] For this purpose, a kaolin (CamCoat 80, manufacturer Amberger Kaolinwerke E. Kick GmbH) at an amount of 12 m 2 /g, an alkali activated bentonite (Copisil N401, manufacturer Süd-Chemie, Munich) with a surface of approximately 340 m 2 /g, and a precipitated Na-aluminum silicate (Zeocopy, manufacturer J.M. Cooperation) with a surface of approximately 200 m 2 /g were used for the tests.
[0248] After dispersion (see embodiment 1) with 0.3 dispersing agent (polyacrylate basis), and pH adjustment with sodium hydroxide solution to 8.5, 2% oven-dry of the cross-linking agent glyoxal compound was added.
[0249] The pigment slurry was applied to an AP-containing coating base paper (48 g/m 2 ) at an application amount of 3 g/m 2 as according to embodiment 1 by means of a manual coating knife.
[0250] The paper surface-treated in this manner is calendered in a laboratory calender according to embodiment 1.
[0251] The evaluation of the printability in offset was again performed according to embodiment 1.
TABLE 5 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Viscosity Solid Brook- Wet pick Dry pick Pigment type + content field 100 resis- resis- Additive [%] [mPa · s] tance tance Kaolin (Camcoat 80) 55 840 − − Alkali activated bentonite 37.8 830 (+) (−) (Copizil N407) Al-silicate (Zeocopy) 60.4 870 (+) (+) Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0252] The tests show that strong picking, or a fiber tearing, respectively, occurs with a 3 g/m 2 coating application with kaolin. With the use of an alkali activated bentonite, the paper shows a slight fiber tearing during dry picking. Slight wet picking was also observed. With the use of precipitated Al-silicate, only slight picking with few fiber tears occurred both during dry and wet picking. As opposed to kaolin, a certain cross-linking reaction by means of the higher specific surface area can be observed in the silicates, which, however, is not sufficient for an offset capability.
[0253] With low application grammages, such as up to 1.5 g/m 2 , or higher cross-linking agent amounts, a sufficient cross-linking reaction cannot be excluded.
EMBODIMENT 6
[0254] Embodiment 6 shows the suitability of various coating base papers for the production of multifunctional papers.
[0255] The coating base paper used was a 48 g/m 2 wood-containing, non-glued LWC coating base paper, a slightly glued, wood-containing, 54 g/m 2 coating base paper, a woodfree (w.f.), non-sized 70 g/m 2 coating base paper, a woodfree, slightly sized 80 g/m 2 coating base paper, and a woodfree, strongly sized (mass and surface sizend with a synthetic hydrophobing agent) 82 g/m 2 coating base paper. The suitability of coating base paper made with 100% recycled paper for a multifunctional paper was already proven in embodiments 3 and 4.
[0256] For the tests an alkali activated bentonite (Lightcoat, manufacturer Süd-Chemie Munich) was used, which was prepared according to embodiment 1, and applied with a helicoater, as described in embodiment 2.
[0257] The cross-linking agent used was 1.7% oven-dry of glyoxal compound. The pH value was adjusted to 8.8. The solid content was 14.2% at a Brookfield viscosity (100) of 690 mPa•s. The paper surface-treated in this manner was calendered according to embodiment 1, and the offset capability was evaluated.
TABLE 6 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Application Wet pick Dry pick Pigment type + coating base paper grammage resis- resis- Additive [g/m 2 ] tance tance Lightcoat + non-sized w.c., 3.0 + + 48 g/m 2 coating base paper Lightcoat + slightly sized w.c., 3.5 + (+) 54 g/m 2 coating base paper Lightcoat + non-sized w.f., 3.0 + + 70 g/m 2 coating base paper Lightcoat + slightly sized w.f., 3.5 + + 80 g/m 2 coating base paper Lightcoat + strongly sized w.f., <1.0 + (+) 82 g/m 2 coating base paper Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0258] The coating base papers tested are all suitable for the thin coat method according to the invention, with the exception of the strongly sized w.f. coating base paper. Problems with the cross-linking occurred in this paper, i.e. the desired application amount could not be applied.
[0259] Furthermore, a sufficient amount of functional groups is no longer available for the cross-linking reaction with the glyoxal compound.
[0260] Excellent inkjet printabilities were also obtained with these coated papers on the printers HP CP 1160, HP 895CXI, Epson C 80, and Canon J 750.
EMBODIMENT 7
[0261] Embodiment 7 refers to the determination of the thresholds of pigment mixtures with alkali activated bentonite for the production of multifunctional paper.
[0262] The following coating pigments were used for the tests: kaolin (Camcoat 80, manufacturer AKW-Kick), ground calcium carbonate GCC (Hydrocarb, manufacturer Omya), precipitated calcium carbonate PCC (Socal P2, manufacturer Solvay), precipitated Al-silicate (Zeocopy, manufacturer J. M. Huber Corporation), and a synthetic calcium silicate produced on they hydrothermal process (Circolit, manufacturer Cirkel). Lightcoat (manufacturer Süd-Chemie, Munich) was used as the alkali activated bentonite.
[0263] The delaminated and dispersed bentonite (see embodiment 1) is placed in a receiving flask and the respective coating pigment is added at the desired amount dose-by-dose while stirring. As additional additives, 1% of oven-dry PVAl (Mowio13-83) as the carrier, and 0.5% of an optical brightener (Leukophor AL, manufacturer Clariant) were added dose-by-dose. As the last component, 2.5% of oven-dry glyoxal compound cross-linking agent was added.
[0264] The pH value was adjusted to 8.8 with sodium hydroxide solution. The pH in the Circolit mixture was adjusted to a pH of 8.8 with hydrochloric acid.
[0265] The coatings produced were applied on a coating base paper made with 100% recycled paper at an area weight of 48 g/m 2 using a helicoater as described in embodiment 2. An amount of 2 g/m 2 was used for each application.
[0266] The paper surface-treated in this manner is calendered in a laboratory calender according to embodiment 1.
TABLE 7 Evaluation of the dry and wet pick resistance (offset) Solid Viscosity Pigment content Brookfield 100 Wet pick Dry pick No mixtures [%] [mPa · s] resistance resistance 1 100P Lightcoat 14.6 880 + + 2 90P Lightcoat + 10P 17.2 920 + + kaolin Camcoat 80 2a 80P Lightcoat + 20P 20.6 1100 (+) + kaolin Camcoat 80 3 90P Lightcoat + 10P nat. 18.8 790 + + CaCO 3 Hydrocarb 90 3a 80P Lightcoat + 20P nat. 23.2 960 (+) + CaCO 3 Hydrocarb 90 4 90P Lightcoat + 10P prec. 17.2 680 + + CaCO 3 PCC Socal P2 4a 80P Lightcoat + 20P prec. 23.1 1200 (+) + CaCO 3 PCC Socal P2 5 90P Lightcoat + 10P 16.5 740 + + Al-silicate Zeocopy 5a 80P Lightcoat + 20P 20.5 860 + + Al-silicate Zeocopy 6 90P Lightcoat + 10P 16.8 940 + + Ca-hydrosilicate Circolit 6a 80P Lightcoat + 20P Al-silicate Zeocopy Legend: −: fiber tearing (−): slight fiber tearing (+): slight picking +: no picking
[0267] Table 8 shows the test results of the paper test, and table 9 summarizes the offset suitability of the coated papers. Furthermore, an evaluation of the printability in gravure, flexoprinting, inkjet printing, laser printing, and self-inking papers (SI) was performed.
TABLE 8 Paper Test (Example 7) Smoothness Brightness Paper No. Gloss 75° (Bekk) sec 457 with UV Opacity 1 22.5 1816 70.1 89.5 2 23.7 1780 71.2 89.0 2a 26.5 1690 72.8 88.7 3 21.2 1640 71.9 89.2 3a 20.8 1540 73.8 88.9 4 22.8 1680 72.1 89.6 4a 24.1 1760 74.1 90.2 5 21.6 1570 72.0 89.4 5a 23.2 1490 74.6 90.8 6 26.8 1790 72.8 89.7
[0268]
TABLE 9
Evaluation of the offset suitability (Example 7)
Ink penetration
Paper No
Print gloss
Optical density
behavior [sec.]
1
14
1.38
1500
2
14
1.40
1100
2a
15
1.42
1300
3
14
1.43
900
3A
15
1.48
700
4
15
1.45
900
4a
15
1.49
700
5
14
1.32
800
5a
14
1.39
600
6
15
1.44
800
[0269] The mottling test showed no signs of mottling of the printing image.
gloss and density, no significant difference were detected seat and printout behavior are assessed as good tearing zone within the favorable range in all samples missing dots, good results were achieved (0-1) also in this aspect 0—no missing dots 1—few 2—many
Evaluation of the Printability in Flexoprinting, Inkjet, Laser Printing, and SD Printability.
Flexoprinting (Embodiment 7)
[0277] Printing machine: W+4
[0278] Printing ink: Michael Huber, water based
[0279] In all papers the evaluation of the papers tested showed a good flexo-printability with slightly lower print gloss and density values as opposed to a standard flexoprinting paper. The coated papers 2a, 4a, and 6 shows slightly better print gloss and density values.
[0000] Inkjet Printing (Embodiment 7)
[0280] The test results showed that due to the “functional coat” of the thin coat papers an excellent inkjet printability with color printouts can be obtained with the HP CP 1160, H 895 Cxi, HP 950, Epson C 80, and the Canon J750, which clearly differed from conventionally coated and surface-glued papers with regard to color brilliance, optical density of the colors, dot definition, bleeding, and mottling. The thin coat papers are additionally distinguished by rapid color drying (increase of smear resistance), and a higher water resistance.
[0281] Of course, in addition to the printer type used, the inkjet printing results of the thin coat papers are strongly influenced by the inks. For example, a good color brilliance was achieved with the Canon BJ2000 due to an unpigmented ink, which, however, has a tendency of a strong running of the ink, which partially leads to bleeding. However, an excellent inkjet result could be achieved with a functional coat using a glued paper. A significant improvement could also be achieved by adding 0.2% AKD.
[0000] Laser Printing (Embodiment 7)
[0282] The evaluation of the laser printability, or the determination of the toner adhesion shows that a good laser printability can be achieved with the tested thin coat papers, which, however, fell slightly below the values of the offset standard with regard to print failure, as well as toner adhesion (in accordance with PTC work instruction PVT-AAW001).
[0000] SD Printer Evaluation (CF Layer) (Embodiment 7)
[0283] The test results showed that a good SD lettering can be obtained with all thin coat papers, which shows slight disadvantages as opposed to a standard with an acidic activated bentonite (Copisil) with high coat grammages.
[0284] The coated samples 4a, 5a, and 6 showed the best results.
[0285] Sample 5a comes very close to the standard quality.
[0000] Methods of Determination for the Paper Testing and Printability Evaluation:
[0000]
measurement of the reflection coefficient R457 (brightness measurement)
determination of opacity according to DIN 53 146/3 (1979)
measurement of gloss according to ZM V/22/72
smoothness according to Bekk in accordance with DIN 53 107/8 (1975)
printability test with the offset sample printing machine.
[0291] The following printability tests were performed (also see “test methods in offset for printing colors and print media Michael Huber, Munich, 2 nd Edition):
ink penetration test (ink penetration behavior of inks) pick test (determining the pick resistance) wet pick test (consideration of the moistening of offset print paper) evaluation of the print gloss mottling test printability test in gravure printing was performed using the sample printing machine Testacolor by Prüfbau Einlehner.
EMBODIMENT 8
[0298] Embodiment 8 refers to coating tests that were performed on a high-speed pilot coating machine at a scale of 1:1.
[0299] In order to corroborate the results of previous laboratory and pilot plant station tests under practical conditions, various alkali activated bentonites (Printosil, Lightcoat, manufacturer Südchemie Munich), and the additives optimized in previous tests, were coated using a high-speed pilot coating machine at a scale of 1:1. The dispersion, or delamination of the bentonites, respectively (see embodiment 1) had already been performed at the manufacturer's plant with the aid of a dispersing agent on polyacrylate basis, and the shipment was made in slurry form with solid contents of between 12 and 21%. As the additional pigments, for increasing the whiteness and fiber coverage with simultaneous cost optimizing, a Brazilian coating kaolin (Capim DG, manufacturer Imerys, St. Austell) and a calcium silicate produced on hydrothermal basis (Circolit, manufacturer Cirkel, Haltern am See) were used, which were also shipped in slurry form.
[0300] Furthermore, a glyoxal compound (see embodiment 4), polyvinyl alcohol (Mowiol 3-85, manufacturer Kuarai), and a modified polyvinyl alcohol (Mowiol 3-85, manufacturer Kuarai), as well as an optical brightener (Leukophor AL, manufacturer Clariant, Muttenez), and in a test run, an offset binder (Baystal 7110) were used.
[0301] In order to improve the rheological properties of the highly desired production speeds of up to 1800 m/min, a thickener (Sterocoll SL, manufacturer BASF Ludwigshafen) was additionally used.
[0302] A paper based on 100% recycled paper with an area weight of 54 g/m 2 and a strongly surface-sized, woodfree coating base paper with an area weight of 80 g/m 2 served as the coating base papers.
[0000] Description of the Pilot Coating Machine:
[0303] In order to meet their manifold tasks, the following machines and equipment was available:
coating preparation with 3 rotor stator systems (GAW VST “variable shear technology”) for the “super dispersion” of pigments, batch and jet digesters for starch preparation coating machine (width 59 cm) with reel and nozzle application system with stiff or bent blade, or reel coater, as well as with film press with all prevalent pre-dosing systems for coating speeds of between 50 m/min and 2500 m/min 12-reel super calender with 2 heating circuits slitter rewinder paper test station
[0310] Technical Description:
Rewinding, reeling Jagenberg Drive Siemens Master Drives Quality control system Measurex Process control system GAW/M + R Pull measurement ABB, bilateral Web edge guide control Erhardt & Leimer Drying Krieger INFRA-AIR dryer CB-AIR dryer
Coating device: FILMPRESS by Jagenberg in combination with VARI-BAR, smooth (20 mm-38 mm), or grooved (12 mm-38 mm)
Technical Data:
Working width: 590 mm Finished paper width: 560 mm Grammage range: 28-600 g/m 2 Application grammage/side (oven-dry): 0.0 (water)-approx. 22 g/m 2 Working speed: 50-2500 m/min Max. reel diameter: 1500 mm Core diameter: 76/150 mm Smallest test unit: 1 reel
[0320] Coating Preparation:
Mixer GAW-VST 180-750 1 Batch digester 5-50 1, 50-400 1 Nozzle digester 500-1000 1 Charge amounts 200-400 kg oven-dry pigment max. solid content approx. 78% max. viscosity approx. 7000 mPa · s
Optional dosage either manually, or automatically
[0321] Super Calender:
Type Voith Sulzer, 12 reels Speed 50-600 m/min Uniform load 110-320 kN/m Temperature 40-95° C.
[0322] All trials were performed using the application system film press. This application system enables the simultaneous application of the coating onto both sides at very high speeds.
[0323] The following test runs were performed:
Pigment/ additive/ parameter V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 Lightcoat 100 100 Printosil 100 100 98 75 Capim DG 25 Circolit 2 Optical 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 brightener PVA 0.8 0.8 0.8 1.3 Mod. PVA 1.5 Glyoxal 1.5 1.7 2.0 1.8 1.8 1.7 compound Sterocoll SL 0.2 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 Baystal 7110 2.0 pH value 8.5 8.5 8.5 8.7 9.1 7.8 Viscosity 290 850 620 460 210 360 Brookfield 100 RPM [%] Solid 14.4 13.3 22.6 22.4 23.9 25.5 content [%] Paper: AP AP AP AP h′f′ AP material material material material glued material Coating C25 C25 C22 C22 C30 C30 knife type Speed 1000 1000 1800 1800 1800 1800 [m/min] Application 2.1 1.9 1.9 2.1 0.5 2.2 grammage per side [g/m 2 ]
All information stated in wt.-parts oven-dry (except for optical brightener, here as commercially available product)
[0324] For the adjustment of the pH values, 10% NaOH solution was used as required.
[0325] The production speed was at Va and V2, not at the originally planned 1800 m/min, because problems occurred due to a residual moisture that was too high, or due to a low solid content of the coatings, respectively, (drying problem). A stable run was possible up to 1000 m/min.
[0326] With V5, not more than 0.5 g/m 2 could be transferred to the paper web despite of the modification of the contact pressures of the coating knifes, and the modification of the nip pressure of the film press.
[0327] As was already shown in embodiment 6, a coating transfer from the application reels to the paper is nearly impossible due to the hydrophobic (glued) surface of the woodfree paper used.
[0328] The coated papers V1-V6 were calendered on the super calender under the following conditions:
Speed 600 m/min Uniform load 180 kN/m Temperature 90° C.
[0329] Analogously to embodiment 7, the papers surface-treated in this manner were exposed to the same test of offset capability, gravure printability, flexoprinting suitability, laser and inkjet suitability. A LWS offset, and a LWC gravure paper were used for comparison, i.e. a typical offset ink with 80 parts of CaCO 3 , 20 parts of kaolin, and 12 parts of binder, or a typical gravure ink with 80 parts of kaolin and 20 parts of talc, as well as 5 parts of binder were applied at 7 g/m 2 .
[0330] An accurate recording of the quality parameters of the unprinted and printed samples was also performed:
LWC LWC Parameter V1 V2 V3 V4 V5 V6 offset gravure Brightness R457 with UV 76.1 76.6 77.2 76.8 86.8 79.5 85.6 76.5 Opacity 91.7 91.8 91.8 91.5 95.2 93.6 94.0 93.8 Paper gloss (45°) 15.1 16.7 15.5 16.1 16.8 17.8 40.3 49.7 Print gloss (60°) 5 5 5 5 5 5 14 8 Mottling Hardly any Hardly any Hardly any Hardly any slight Hardly any Hardly any — mottling mottling mottling mottling mottling mottling mottling Ink penetration test [s] 600 600 600 600 800 500 300 — Wet pick test No No No No No No No — picking picking picking picking picking picking picking Dry pick test No No No No No No No — picking picking picking picking picking picking picking Missing dots Few Few Very few Few Many Very few — Very few Print quietness (seat) Good Good Good Good Medium Very good — Very good Flexoprinting suitability Suited Suited Suited Suited Poor Good — Good Inkjet printability Good Good Very good Good Good Good Poor Very poor Laser printability Good Good Good Good Very good Good Very good Good
[0331] The performance of the offset, flexoprinting, and laser printing evaluation is described in embodiment 7. The gravure printability test was performed by M. Huber Farbenwerke on a printing machine (Testacolor) with a print ink S.W. (illustrations gravure ink, toluene based). The LWC offset and gravure papers were each tested only on the printability predetermined for these papers.
[0332] The inkjet printability was performed on each of the HP CP1160, HP 895Cxi, Epson C80, and Canon J 750 printers.
[0333] The test runs performed, and the extensive evaluation of the trials lead to the following conclusions:
Samples V1-V6 are printable in all prevalent print processes (offset, flexoprinting, gravure, laser, and inkjet) with good results (with exception of V5). The ink penetration behavior in offset print can be classified as good. In offset print, all samples hardly showed any mottling at all (V5 slight mottling). Both the wet and the dry picking of all samples can be classified as good to very good. In gravure, all samples, with the exception of V5, show a good seat and print quietness. In flexoprinting, satisfactory print results can be achieved; V5 is not printable in flexoprinting.
[0340] The application of a functional coat with 2 g/m 2 achieves an offset capability, such as of a LWC offset paper with 12 parts of binder, and a coating application of 7 g/m 2 . The binder-free coating layer with a high specific surface area also ensures a good gravure, flexoprinting, and inkjet printability.
[0341] This represents, particularly for the matt paper area, a new development of coated papers with high quality properties and low costs as compared to the standard papers.
[0342] 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. We claim all modifications and variation coming within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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The disclosure relates to a coating dispersion for coating printing substrates, especially paper and paperboard. Said dispersion is constituted of at least one defined percentage of water, a defined percentage of a swellable phyllosilicate and a defined percentage of a cross-linking agent. The cross-linking agent forms a bond with at least one functional group of the phyllosilicate as well as with at least one functional group of the printing substrate. The invention also relates to a method for producing a coated printing substrate onto which a coating dispersion is mechanically applied and dried, whereby the coating dispersion comprises at least the aforementioned components.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to rotational machines and devices and more particularly to a gravity operated or assisted machine for supplying, conserving, and/or recovering energy, for example for the purpose of rotating a shaft.
BACKGROUND
[0002] A variety of different devices utilizing gravity to produce a rotary output have been invented. Typically, such devices include one or more weights arranged on movable members and coupled for rotation with a rotating shaft. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,694,844 to Love (“Love”) an apparatus to recover energy through gravitational force is disclosed having a wheel-like, connected, encircling surface, including an axially horizontal track which has an interior surface which weighted objects contact and are carried around the interior surface. The interior surface is a connected, encircling, wheel-like surface, is not a round circle or a cylinder, but has an offset center of rotation closest to a side which approaches perpendicular, the weighted objects are carried by spokes attached to a support hub through the offset center of rotation. A plurality of spokes extend diametrally of the track in axially and circumferentially spaced array. Weighted objects are mounted on opposite ends of each spoke. The offset center causes the spokes to move axially diametrally of the track and extend the weights to rise and lower as the weights traverse the path of the interior surface.
[0003] Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,237,342 to Hurford (“Hurford”) discloses a gravity motor formed of at least one motor unit which has at least one motor member fixed to an output shaft. The output shaft is rotationally mounted on a housing. The housing includes a guide surface. The motor member is low frictionally longitudinally movable relative to an output shaft. Each end of the motor member includes a weighted follower which is low frictionally movable relative to a guide surface. The rotation of the motor unit will cause one weighted follower to be moved toward the output shaft by the guide surface with the opposite weighted follower of the motor member being moved away from the output shaft.
[0004] Existing devices, such as those described above, generally tend to require a significant amount of energy to operate due to the substantial frictional resistance inherent in such designs. Further, such devices do not operate in a manner that results in efficient utilization of gravity to produce a rotational output.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] A machine for converting a linear input to a rotary output is provided comprising: a rotatable member, an extendable and retractable member coupled to the rotatable member for rotation therewith, and a control that extends and retracts the extendable and retractable member during rotation of the rotatable member generally in relation to the angular position of the extendable and retractable member while tending to maintain the potential energy of the extendable and retractable member during at least part of extension and retraction.
[0006] A method for converting a linear input to a rotary output is also provided comprising: radially extending and retracting an extendable and retractable member coupled to a rotatable member as it rotates about an axis of rotation that has a vector component which extends perpendicularly to the direction of a gravitational field;
[0007] wherein the extending includes extending the extendable and retractable member generally in relation to the angular position of the extendable and retractable member with respect to such axis while tending to maintain the potential energy of the extendable and retractable member during at least part of extension.
[0008] Another method for converting a linear input to a rotary output is also provided comprising: radially extending and retracting an extendable and retractable member coupled to a rotatable member as it rotates about an axis of rotation that has a vector component which extends perpendicularly to the direction of a gravitational field;
[0009] wherein the retracting includes retracting the extendable and retractable member generally in relation to the angular position of the extendable and retractable member with respect to such axis while tending to maintain the potential energy of the extendable and retractable member during at least part of retraction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] Many aspects of the invention can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present invention. Likewise, elements and features depicted in one drawing may be combined with elements and features depicted in additional drawings. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0011] FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an end view looking down the axis of rotation Z of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 .
[0013] FIG. 3 is an end view looking down the axis of rotation Z of the embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 showing the position of the extendable and retractable member at six circumferential locations.
[0014] FIGS. 4A-4L are schematic diagrams showing the radial position of the extendable and retractable member at twelve circumferential positions, looking down the axis of rotation Z.
[0015] FIG. 5 is a diagram of the path traveled by a moveable weight during a complete revolution of an extendable and retractable member.
[0016] FIG. 6 is an oblique view of a machine having three extendable and retractable members.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a machine having three extendable and retractable members.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] For the sake of facilitating this detailed description of the invention the approximate rotational positions are described relative to the typical twelve hours shown on the face of a clock. Six o'clock is oriented in the downward direction and twelve o'clock is oriented in the upward direction. Therefore, it will be appreciated that with this orientation, the six o'clock direction is the direction of the force of gravity.
[0019] Further, as used herein the term “upward sweep” refers to rotational movement in a direction opposed to the direction of the force of gravity. Similarly, with this orientation, 0 degrees corresponds to the 12 o'clock position and 180 degrees corresponds to the 6 o'clock position The term “downward sweep” refers to rotational movement in a direction coincidental to the direction of the force of gravity. Rotational movement from twelve o'clock to six o'clock, clockwise or counterclockwise is a downward sweep. Rotational movement from six o'clock to twelve o'clock, clockwise or counterclockwise, is an upward sweep.
[0020] It will also be appreciated that the actual rotational positions and paths traveled the components described herein are approximate. This is because in operation of the machine one or more components of the machine may be in the process of moving over a radial path while also undergoing rotation about a central axis. Thus, it is to be understood that the rotational positions set forth in the following description are merely illustrative and that in practice the rotational positions may differ.
[0021] The following description is exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a machine 10 is shown for converting a linear input to a rotary output. The machine includes a rotatable member 20 rotating about an axis of rotation Z and coupled to an output 26 . An extendable and retractable member 30 is shown coupled to the rotatable member 20 for rotation therewith. The extendable and retractable member 30 is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 coupled perpendicularly to the rotatable member 20 and extending through the rotatable member 20 . However, other configurations are possible including extendable and retractable members that do not extend through the rotatable member 20 and are not perpendicular to the axis of rotation Z. The extendable and retractable member 30 includes a shaft 32 , a movable weight 34 configured on the shaft 32 for radial movement, and a counterweight 36 . A control 40 is configured to adjust the radial position of the movable weight 34 in response to the circumferential position of the movable weight 34 relative to the axis of rotation Z. The control 40 may operate a power or work input device 42 such as an electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, or magnetic motor that provides a work input to move the movable weight 34 along the shaft 32 , e.g., as may be needed to overcome losses or the like in the machine 10 due to friction, air resistance, or other resistance to rotation of the rotatable member 20 .
[0022] Turning to FIGS. 3-5 , the operation of the machine 10 will be described. In FIG. 3 , a diagram depicts the machine 10 in six positions. The machine 10 for converting a linear input to a rotary output is shown having a single extendable and retractable member 30 . Six different circumferential positions, A, B, C, D, E, and F, of the extendable and retractable member 30 are indicated in FIG. 3 . The radial position of the movable weight 34 in each of the circumferential positions is also shown. In this embodiment, the machine 10 for converting a linear input to a rotary output rotates in the clockwise direction.
[0023] Beginning at circumferential position A, the extendable and retractable member 30 is in the twelve o'clock position and the movable weight 34 is spaced radially from the axis of rotation Z a distance R 1 . As the extendable and retractable member 30 rotates from twelve o'clock at circumferential position A to two o'clock at circumferential position B (a downward sweep), the movable weight 34 is extended radially outward away from the axis of rotation Z to a distance R 3 . As the movable weight 34 is extended radially outward, it tends to maintain its potential energy by traveling along the horizontal path T 1 . T 1 is a line tangent to the arc of rotation at twelve o'clock of the moveable weight 34 at a distance R 1 from the axis of rotation Z. It will be appreciated that during the transition in radius from R 1 to R 3 , the potential energy of the movable weight 34 is maintained while gravity inputs work to the system tending to rotate the extendable and retractable member 30 , that in turn rotates the rotatable member 20 . In an exemplary embodiment, the potential energy of the moveable weight 34 is maintained generally constant during the transition in radius from R 1 to R 3 .
[0024] At circumferential position C, the extendable and retractable member 30 is in the four o'clock position. The movable weight 34 is spaced from the axis of rotation Z a distance R 3 . Thus, as the extendable and retractable member 30 rotates from two o'clock at circumferential position B to four o'clock at circumferential position C (a downward sweep), the movable weight 34 remains at a maximum distance R 3 from the axis of rotation Z.
[0025] As the extendable and retractable member 30 rotates from four o'clock at circumferential position C to 6 o'clock at circumferential position D (a downward sweep), the movable weight 34 is retracted radially inward towards the axis of rotation Z such that the distance between the movable weight 34 and the axis of rotation Z, or radius, is returned to R 1 when the extendable and retractable member 30 reaches six o'clock at circumferential position D. Thus, from circumferential position C to circumferential position D, the movable weight 34 tends to follow the horizontal line T 2 . T 2 is a line tangent to the arc of rotation at six o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a distance R 1 from the axis of rotation Z. Again, it will be appreciated that during the transition in radius from R 3 to R 1 , the potential energy of the movable weight 34 is maintained while gravity inputs work to the system tending to rotate the extendable and retractable member 30 , which in turn rotates the rotatable member 20 . In an exemplary embodiment the potential energy of the moveable weight 34 is maintained generally constant during the transition in radius from R 3 to R 1 .
[0026] As the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotated from six o'clock at circumferential position D through circumferential positions E and F and back to twelve o'clock at circumferential position A (an upward sweep), the radius remains R 1 . During this time, the moveable weight 34 is elevated from line T 2 to line T 1 and therefore must act against the force of gravity.
[0027] In the illustrated embodiment, R 1 is approximately one-half the distance R 3 . For the sake of this description, it will be appreciated that the distance R 1 is less than the distance R 3 . In addition, R 1 and R 3 may represent the respective minimum and maximum distances that the movable weight 34 is spaced from the axis of rotation Z at any point during a revolution. However, it will be appreciated that in some embodiments, R 1 and R 3 may not be the respective minimum and maximum distances that the movable weight 34 is spaced from the axis of rotation Z. For example, in some applications it may be desirable to further increase or decrease the radius of the movable weight 34 at the circumferential locations A, B, C, D, E, and F, or at other intermediate circumferential locations.
[0028] In general, the spacing between the movable weight 34 and the axis of rotation Z is greater during the downward sweep than during the upward sweep. That is, the radius of the movable weight 34 from the axis of rotation Z is generally greater on average when rotating from the twelve o'clock position A to the six o'clock position D than when rotating from the six o'clock position D to the twelve o'clock position A.
[0029] It will be appreciated that, by maintaining the potential energy of the movable weight 34 during segments of a revolution as described above, gravity can be utilized to produce a rotational output from a linear input.
[0030] Turning to FIGS. 4A-4L , a more simplified illustration of an embodiment of the machine 10 of the present invention will be described. In FIGS. 4A-4L , the radial position of the movable weight 34 is shown at each of the twelve hour positions beginning with the twelve o'clock position 4 A and rotating clockwise through the hours to the 11 o'clock position 4 L. It will be appreciated that the center of the rotatable member 20 in each of the FIGS. 4A-4L is in the same relative position and the difference between the drawings is the relative position of the extendable and retractable member 30 and the relative position of the moveable weight 34 .
[0031] Beginning in the twelve o'clock position as shown in 4 A, the movable weight 34 is at radius R 1 . In FIG. 4B , the extendable and retractable member 30 is at one o'clock rotating clockwise (a downward sweep) while the movable weight 34 is extending radially outward. The radius of the movable weight 34 at this position is R 2 . It will be appreciated that R 2 is an intermediate radius greater than R 1 but less than R 3 . The position of the movable weight 34 is generally along a line T 1 tangent to the arc of rotation at twelve o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a radius R 1 . Thus, the movable weight 34 in FIG. 4B has generally the same potential energy as when at twelve o'clock, as calculated by PE=mgh, wherein m is mass, g is the gravitational constant, and h is height. There is generally no loss of potential energy of the movable weight 34 while undergoing this movement even though the force of gravity is acting on the moveable weight 34 and the system through the extendable and retractable member 30 .
[0032] In FIG. 4C , the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise at 2 o'clock and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 3 . Again, the position of the movable weight 34 is generally along a line T 1 tangent to the arc of rotation at twelve o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a radius R 1 . Thus, the movable weight 34 in FIG. 4C has generally the same potential energy as when it was at twelve and one o'clock, as calculated by PE=mgh, and this is when the system is gaining energy.
[0033] In FIG. 4D , the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise at 3 o'clock and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 3 . Similarly, in FIG. 4E , the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise at 4 o'clock and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 3 . In FIG. 4E , the movable weight 34 is generally along a line T 2 tangent to the arc of rotation at six o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a radius R 1 .
[0034] In FIG. 4F , the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise at five o'clock and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 2 . Again, the movable weight 34 is generally along a line T 2 tangent to the arc of rotation at six o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a radius R 1 .
[0035] In FIG. 4G , the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise at six o'clock and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 1 . It will be appreciated that from four o'clock to six o'clock the movable weight 34 travels along the horizontal line T 2 tangent to the arc of rotation at six o'clock of the movable weight 34 at a radius R 1 . Therefore, the potential energy of the movable weight 34 is essentially constant from the four o'clock position seen in FIG. 4E to the six o'clock position seen in FIG. 4G , as calculated by PE=mgh.
[0036] During the remaining portion of the revolution of the extendable and retractable member 30 from six o'clock in FIG. 4G to 12 o'clock in FIG. 4L (upward swing), the extendable and retractable member 30 is rotating clockwise and the movable weight 34 is at radius R 1 .
[0037] Turning now to FIG. 5 , a diagram is shown depicting the path P traveled by a moveable weight 34 during the clockwise revolution of an extendable and retractable member 30 in a typical embodiment of the present invention. It will be appreciated that the path P is equally applicable to the moveable weight 34 of a single extendable and retractable member machine 10 or a multiple extendable and retractable member machine 10 ′. A circle 100 divided into six equal portions is superimposed in phantom over the path P. Location A is at the twelve o'clock position, location B is at the two o'clock position, location C is at the four o'clock position, and location D is at the six o'clock position.
[0038] Beginning at 12 o'clock in location A as the extendable and retractable member 30 begins a downward sweep, the moveable weight 34 travels horizontally along the line A-B to two o'clock in location B. This movement of the moveable weight 34 is indicative of an extension of the radius of the moveable weight 34 from R 1 to R 3 as shown. From two o'clock in location B, the moveable weight 34 maintains radius R 3 as it rotates along the arc B-C to 4 o'clock in location C. The moveable weight 34 then travels horizontally along line C-D to six o'clock in location D, where it is at radius R 1 . From six o'clock in location D to twelve o'clock in location A the extendable and retractable member 30 is in an upward swing and the moveable weight 34 travels along the arc D-A thereby maintaining the radius R 1 . Collectively, lines A-B and C-D, and arcs B-C and D-A, form the path P.
[0039] In FIG. 6 , a machine 10 ′ (primed reference numerals designate elements that are similar to elements designated by the same non-primed numerals) having three extendable and retractable members 30 ′ space uniformly around a rotatable member 20 ′ is shown. In this embodiment, the three extendable and retractable members 30 ′ each function individually in a similar manner as described previously with respect to a single extendable and retractable member 30 ′ machine. That is, as each extendable and retractable member 30 ′ rotates about the axis of rotation Z′, the movable weight 34 ′ of each extendable and retractable member 30 ′ is extended or retracted radially by the control 40 ′ as a function of the circumferential position of each respective extendable and retractable member 30 ′. Due to the additional extendable and retractable members 30 ′, this embodiment may achieve a more balanced machine 10 ′ and may increase efficiency over a single extendable and retractable member machine 10 through energy exchanges arranged between the plurality of extendable and retractable members 30 ′.
[0040] It will be appreciated that, in general, any suitable number of extendable and retractable members 30 ′ may be used to practice the present invention, the primary consideration being the extension and retraction of the members in the manner previously set forth. Further, the extendable and retractable members 30 ′ can be arranged along axis Z of the rotatable member 20 ′ such that one or more extendable and retractable members 30 ′ are in different axial planes (i.e., planes extending through the axis Z).
[0041] In a machine 10 ′ having multiple extendable and retractable members 30 ′, it may be advantageous to provide a linkage that hydraulically, mechanically, or otherwise links the individual extendable and retractable members 30 ′ such that the extension of one moveable weight 34 ′ couples to the retraction of another moveable weight 34 ′. Such an interlink between two or more extendable and retractable members 30 ′ may provide additional increases in efficiency by facilitating energy transfer between the extendable and retractable members 30 ′ during extension and retraction, thereby preserving system energy, and increasing overall efficiency.
[0042] For example, in FIG. 7 a machine 10 ′ having three extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, and 30 c ′ is shown including a linkage device 50 . The linkage device 50 may be hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, magnetic, etc. Linkage members 52 link each extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ together via the linkage device 50 . The linkage device 50 can provide for the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ to exchange energy during extension and retraction. Thus, as one extendable or retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ is extended, one or both of the other extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ may be retracted. It will be appreciated that the rotational kinetic energy of an extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ tends to decrease during extension and increase during retraction. The increase in rotational kinetic energy is supplied by the energy input required to retract the extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ inwardly. Therefore, by linking the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′, the linkage device 50 can transfer at least a portion of the energy input required to retract the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ by providing for the transfer of rotational energy from an extending extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ to a retracting extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′. For example, the linkage device 50 provides for the transfer of rotational energy from an extending extendable and retractable member 30 a ′ to a retracting extendable or retractable member 30 b ′. As the machine rotates, energy from extendable and retractable member 30 b ′ is then linked and exchanged with extendable and retractable member 30 c ′ and so on throughout the system, energy being progressively exchanged between typically adjacent extendable and retractable members. In this manner, the linkage device 50 may tend to further increase the efficiency of the machine 10 ′ by facilitating these transfers of energy. As previously mentioned, in a multiple extendable and retractable member machine 10 ′, the members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ can be offset axially along the axis Z. Such and arrangement of the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ can be advantageous when utilizing the linking device 50 to exchange energy between the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c′.
[0043] The linkage device 50 described above with reference to a three extendable and retractable member machine 10 ′ can be incorporated into a machine having any number of extendable and retractable members 30 . Furthermore, when two or more extendable and retractable members 30 are linked to exchange energy, it may be sufficient or advantageous to maintain the potential energy of the linked extendable and retractable members 30 as a group, rather than the potential energy of each member 30 as the linked members 30 are exchanging energy and in the process of extension or retraction. In a single extendable and retractable member machine 10 , the linkage device 50 can link the extendable and retractable member 30 to a stationary counterweight capable of storing/restoring the energy of the extendable and retractable member 30 as it is extended and retracted, respectively. The energy may be stored in kinetic or non-kinetic form. As another example, a resilient member, such as a spring, may be used to store potential energy.
[0044] The extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, and 30 c ′, as described above, include a shaft 32 ′ and a moveable weight 34 ′ coupled thereto. However, the moveable weight 34 ′ may be integral with the extendable and retractable members 30 a ′, 30 b ′, 30 c ′ such that the extension or retraction of an extendable and retractable member 30 a ′, 30 b , 30 c ′ functions the same as an extension or retraction of the moveable weight 34 ′ as described above.
[0045] In general, the control system 40 in any of the above described embodiments may be a computer, electromechanical switching apparatus, or any other suitable control device. One or more electric or magnetic fields produced by devices such as solenoids and electromagnets can be used to effect retraction and extension of the extendable and retractable members 30 , 30 ′. Certain mechanical devices, such as geneva gears, can also be configured to control extension and retraction. Hydraulic or pneumatic pressure also can be used to actuate the extendable and retractable members 30 , 30 ′. Suitable pumps and/or check valves can be used to control the flow of a fluid in a hydraulicly or pneumatically operated system.
[0046] For example, in a hydraulically linked system a first extendable and retractable member 30 a ′ can be extended, the energy released during extension thereof being transferred hydraulically via the linkage system and one or more pumps and/or check valves and utilized to retract a second extendable and retractable member 30 b ′. A check valve can be used to maintain the retracted extendable and retractable member 30 b ′ in the retracted position. As the second extendable and retractable member 30 b ′, rotates and begins to extend, the energy released from the second extendable and retractable member 30 b ′ can be transferred to the third extendable and retractable member 30 c ′. This process can be repeated thereby minimizing system energy losses.
[0047] It will be appreciated that system energy will be lost or consumed during movement of the extendable and retractable members 30 , 30 ′ in any of the above embodiments. As such, the pumps or other devices as described above can be utilized to provide energy to the system to offset such losses and thereby improve overall efficiency of the system.
[0048] An extendable and retractable member 30 , 30 ′ in any of the above embodiments can be configured with the rotatable member 20 , 20 ′ such that the extendable and retractable member 30 , 30 ′ can shift radially about the rotatable member 20 , 20 ′ a predetermined amount. This radial “play” about the rotatable member 20 , 20 ′ can be advantageous for maximizing the system efficiency, particularly in multiple extendable and retractable member 30 , 30 ′ embodiments.
[0049] It will be appreciated that the rotatable member 20 , 20 ′ may be coupled to any suitable output device 26 , 26 ′. The output device 26 , 26 ′ may be any device that receives rotational input such as a generator, an alternator, a drive shaft, a direct drive, etc.
[0050] It will further be appreciated that the axis Z is this description and the axis of rotation referred to in the claims can be any non-vertical axis, vertical being defined as the direction of a field of gravity. Therefore, it will be understood that the axis Z and/or axis of rotation of the rotatable member can extend in any direction relative to the direction of a field of gravity provided that axis has a vector component which extends perpendicularly to the direction of the gravitational field.
[0051] Although the present invention has been described in the context of increasing the rotational efficiency of a rotatable member 20 , 20 ′, the present invention is equally well suited to braking the rotation of a rotatable member 20 , 20 ′ by operating the machine in a reverse mode. In such a configuration, for example with reference to FIG. 4A-4L , the moveable weight 34 , 34 ′ would be extended to the larger radius of rotation R 3 during the upward sweep and returned to the smaller radius of rotation R 1 prior to the downward sweep. In this manner, the effect of gravity on the system would be against the direction of rotation of the rotatable member 20 , and thereby tend to dampen energy from the machine 10 , 10 ′. Configuring the machine 10 , 10 ′ in such a reverse mode may be useful, for example, for braking and/or decreasing the rate of rotation of a rotatable member such as a drive shaft of a vehicle.
[0052] It will be appreciated that the rotary output from the machine 10 , 10 ′ of the present invention may be used for a wide variety of purposes that require power input or power braking, particularly in situations using rotary motion power.
[0053] Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to certain preferred embodiments, other equivalents and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of the specification. The present invention includes all such equivalents and modifications, and is limited only by the scope of the following claims.
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The invention is a device that converts a linear input to a rotational output. The invention includes a system of one or more extendable and retractable members that actively change the radius of rotation of weights on the members. The members are connected to a rotatable member for rotation about a non-vertical axis. By actively changing the radius of rotation of a weight, a non-circular path is established for each weight to follow. This path is biased so that, while the weight has the greatest radius of rotation, it also is undergoing a downward stroke. While the weight is undergoing an upward stroke, the radius of rotation is at its minimum. The system thereby utilizes the force of gravity during transitions between maximum and minimum radii to produce a rotational output.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 10/117,356, filed Apr. 5, 2002. The entire contents of the aforementioned patent application are incorporated herein by reference.
[0002] patent application Ser. No. 10/117,356 claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/281,673, filed Apr. 5, 2001 and patent application Ser. No. 10/117,356 claims priority as a continuation-in-part application from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/691,316, filed, Oct. 18, 2000.
[0003] The entire contents of the aforementioned patent application are incorporated herein by reference, which claims priority from the following United States Provisional Patent Applications:
Community-Based Market Movement Prediction: No. 60/160,044; filed Oct. 18, 1999 Portfolio Management By Community; No. 60/166,430; filed Nov. 19, 1999 Clusters for Rapid Artist-Audience Matching: No. 60/165,794; filed Nov. 19, 1999 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items: No. 60/176,154; filed Jan. 14, 2000 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items Version 000118: No. 60/176,953 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items Version 000216; No. 60/182,836 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items Version 000405; No. 60/194,988 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items: No. 60/200,204; filed Apr. 28, 2000 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items: No. 60/209,930; filed Jun. 7, 2000 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items: No. 60/218,866; filed Jul. 18, 2000 A Mechanism for Quickly Identifying High-Quality Items: No. 60/232,742; filed Sep. 15, 2000.
[0015] The entire contents of the aforementioned patent application are incorporated herein by reference. The entire disclosures thereof of the above-enumerated United States Provisional Patent Applications, including the specifications, drawings, and abstracts, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
[0016] The entire contents of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/714,789, filed, Nov. 16, 2000, are incorporated herein by reference, including the specifications, drawings, and abstracts, are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0017] 1. Field of the Invention
[0018] The present invention relates to business methods, and to techniques and systems for financing items through future sales rights. The invention has particular advantages when used to provide sales options for copyrightable material such as entertainment recordings. The invention further relates to a system to determine quality through reselling items. The context for this invention is network-connected computer systems which allow a number of individuals to interact with a central system for carrying out these sales.
[0019] 2. Background
[0020] In the entertainment industry, manufacturers and distributors are faced with fixed costs of manufacture, and distribution, regardless of quantity or popularity of the entertainment product. This means that they must make an estimation of the future popularity and sales of the particular item. While in some instances the manufacturer and distributor have accurate predictive data, it is particularly difficult to predict the degree of acceptance and market success most entertainment items will have.
[0021] Regardless, there are generally people who have a significant degree of understanding of particular entertainment markets, and who can judge the potential success of a particular item. These people may be willing to provide financing for entertainment products in the particular entertainment markets. To the extent that these people can provide financing and can provide good predictions of the performance of entertainment products in the marketplace it would be desired to create a market structure which allows their knowledge and expertise to be used financing create an economic incentive to manufacture or distribute entertainment, copyrightable or other products.
[0022] This invention is intended to hasten the identification of high-quality items by enabling those who are particularly good at identifying them to make a profit from doing so. We do not distinguish between physical objects such as paintings and digital objects such as MP3 files except as noted below.
[0023] We assume the existence of objects such as musical recordings which may or may not have value to a particular community. In the digital world, an MP3 may be in a genre that only a small subset of the population is interested in. But, as a separate matter from the genre, it may or may not have quality—quality that would motivate people interested in that genre to want to hear it.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0024] In accordance with the present invention, a method of optimizing valuations of items in a market includes establishing values for the items and providing a sequence of the items for which speculators may invest. The items are then sold to consumers of the items, or rights to the items are transferred to consumers. The speculators who bought the income rights to the items are then provided with income in accordance with the income rights for the particular ones of the items sold to the consumers or for the rights transferred to consumers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] FIG. 1 is a flowchart showing the transfer of funds according to the present invention;
[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing database tables in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing original owner creating RT's in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a speculator buying RT's in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0029] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a consumer finalizing an RT in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0030] For the sake of simplicity, we will focus on one particular example—MP3 files. But it must not be construed that this invention is limited to such files; it equally well applies to paintings, books, CD's and other objects which consumers may find appealing or unappealing.
[0031] A problem to be addressed is the fact that there are a huge number of MP3's, most of them of very low quality regardless of the genre they may happen to be in. It takes time and effort to listen to many of these recordings in order to find the gems. Those who perform that service—who we shall refer to as “scouts” (or speculators)—should therefore have the opportunity to be rewarded for it.
[0032] One aspect of this invention is that the entity owning the MP3 is given the ability to sell a certain number of “rights” at a low price with the expectation that these rights will be worth more later; the scouts would be rights to the MP3's they think will be popular in the future with the expectation of reselling them later for a profit.
[0033] The meaning of the term “rights” varies from embodiment to embodiment. Several variants that fall within the scope of the invention are listed here, although this list is not meant to be exhaustive:
[0034] A right to download (RTD): Applicable for MP3 files or other digital works. The scout buys the RTD and resells it later at a higher price to a consumer, who actually does the download. A database keeps track of who owns the RTD at each point in time; sales are registered in the database.
[0035] A right to experience (RTE): This is applicable in some circumstances to MP3 files or other digital works. For instance, in the context of a subscriber service, consumers do not necessarily own MP3's, but pay a fee for the right to play them. A user can play any available song at any time, and it may be streamed from a remote server or it may exist on the local audio or computer system. The subscriber may not pay for each play of a given song, but in the current scenario, some entity does—most likely, the organization providing the subscription service. Since each play therefore has value, scouts would be well-advised to buy RTE's at a low price before an artist is well-known, and resell them later—often directly to subscription services—at a higher price when a demand has been built. Thus, subscription services buy RTE's according to how many times users play various songs.
[0036] A right-to-buy (RTB): This is applicable to physical objects such as CD's. Scouts buy the right-to-buy a CD at a certain price (which may be $0; i.e., the purchase of an RTB may be the only necessary purchase. It may be non-zero to cover such aspects as shipping and handling, which would be fixed for the lifetime of an RTB). Scouts then resell the RTB to consumers at a higher price after a demand is established.
[0037] For short, we will call such variants RT's that is, “rights to . . . .”
[0038] In each case, there is a “finalization event.” For RTD's this occurs when the object is downloaded. For RTE's, it occurs when the object is experienced (for instance, a listener hears a streamed audio file once). For RTB's, it occurs when the physical object is bought (and/or shipped).
[0039] For purposes of example, we will focus on RTD's relative to songs, but except where noted the concepts apply equivalently to RTB's and RTE's. Also, they apply equally well to various formats in which digital property can be encoded; some formats in fact may be superior to MP3's for profitable transactions due to built-in copy protection features; Liquid Audio is an example of a company marketing such technology.
[0040] Suppose a scout buys 1,000 RT's for a particular song at $0.10 each with the expectation of selling them at a later time for $1 each. But suppose the owner of the song makes a large number of RT's available through a number of channels at $1 each. This could very significantly slow the rate of sales of the scout's RT's. In fact, if more RT's are made available than there is a market for RT's, many of the scout's RT's might never be sold. This means that after the scout buys RT's, his fortunes are tied to subsequent management decisions on the part of the original owners. So his profit is determined not only by his own prescience in determining which new recordings are likely to become popular later, but also by the unpredictable decisions of the owners.
[0041] One factor making it hard to avoid this kind of problem is that the market size for a particular song can not be exactly known in advance. This motivates the owner to make as many copies available as possible through as many channels as possible. Moreover, a sale made by a scout means the owner gets $0.10 for each copy; a direct sale means the owner gets $1 for each copy.
[0042] So the fortunes of the scouts and the fortunes of the owner are at odds.
[0043] This creates the possibility for trouble. Even if there is a contract stating that RTD's after the first 1,000 will be sold for $1 each, the fact is that if the owner violates the contract, the scouts could lose money and be faced with the expensive prospect of suing for damages.
[0044] So, ideally, there should be a technique for eliminating this problem. Such a technique is a key aspect of the invention.
[0045] The solution provided by the present invention is to finalize the RT's in sequence. For instance, if a scout buys the first 1,000 RTD's, he will supply the first 1,000 RTD's which are downloaded. The original owner may way to flood the market with direct-sale RTD's, but he cannot be finalized until the scout finalizes his RTD's.
[0046] This mechanism even protects against the extreme case of an owner selling RT's at $0.10 each and then subsequently direct-selling the RT's for an even lower price (which he might want to do, for instance, in order to use that song as a loss-leader, building popularity, so that he can sell other songs more quickly later).
[0047] If the owner then says he is going to flood the market with $0.05 RTD's, people will want to buy them at that price—but they won't be available. If the scout was right in his belief that demand would exist such that consumers would eventually want to pay a higher price, then the consumers who are most eager to obtain the RTD's will buy them at the higher price, since the alternative is not to have them at all, at least for a very long time. The scout, knowing this, can wait as long as necessary to sell his RTD's at the higher price.
[0048] This mechanism therefore protects the scouts against decisions by the original owners that could otherwise have a negative effect on the scouts. It applies equally well to RTE's, RTB's and other equivalent forms of RT's.
[0049] Any of a number of market mechanisms may be used to carry out the sales. For instance, blocks of some fixed number of RT's may be auctioned on eBay. (In fact, eBay has recently announced that it will make software mechanisms available for 3rd-party companies to set up auctions without direct human intervention.) Or, market-maker software may be provided emulating the market-making techniques used in various stock markets. In preferred embodiments, the original owner controls how many RT's are made available for sale to the scouts at any point in time.
[0050] In preferred embodiments, RT's may be sold in any order until the finalization event occurs, at which time they are removed from the marketplace. That is, for example, and RTD for the 10,000th download may be purchased before the RTD for the 5,000th download is purchased. In preferred embodiments, there is a free market for selling RT's. At any time, scouts may buy them or such organizations as retail stores can by them, without distinction.
[0051] (In some embodiments, consumers may buy them too, and subsequently trigger the finalization event for their own use. Interfaces are provided for such purposes. For instance, in the case of RTD's, in some such embodiments each RTD has a unique identification number. When a consumer purchases an RTD, the ID is presented to him by such means as a Web interface or email. For instance, if a consumer purchases and RTD using a Web site that operates according to standard Web retailing design principles, the ID can be presented after the purchase is paid for by means of a confirmation Web page or in an automatically-sent email. However, since consumers typically want immediate gratification, and the finalization event for a particular RTD might not be allowed for some time, many embodiments will not include features for consumers to purchase RTD's.)
[0052] In some simple embodiments, the original owner simply sells RT's to the scouts at a fixed low price. In such cases, a fixed number of RT's are usually made available for this purpose; later RT's are made available to consumers without first being made available to scouts.
[0053] Records representing the status of each RT are stored in a database (which may be a RAM-based data structure, a disk-based structure, or a structure in another storage medium). In various embodiments, there may be one record per RT, or RT's may be represented in blocks. In most block-based embodiments, a record will represent a block of RTD's purchased at one time by one scout. Other representations are equally workable and are equivalently included in the present invention.
[0054] In most embodiments, the database provides an indicator of availability of an RT. An RT is available if its current owner is willing to sell it. In some embodiments, the state of unavailability is indicated simply by deleting the RT's record from the database. In others, there is a flag indicating availability or unavailability.
[0055] In most embodiments, an RTD is automatically made unavailable when a download occurs. (Equivalently, in embodiments involving RTE's, the RTE is made unavailable when the experience occurs; in RTB's it happens when the object is bought.) In some cases, such as some embodiments involving RTB's, an object may be made available again at a later date by switching the flag. This is not the case for RT's which by virtue of their nature may only occur once.
[0056] In some embodiments, the original owner may choose, at any time, whether the next sequence of RT's is to be made available to scouts or to consumers. In some embodiments this is accomplished by means of a “resellable” indicator in the database. If reselling is not allowed for a particular RT, then it is of no use to speculators and they won't want to buy it.
[0057] In some embodiments, RT's for particular sequence numbers are not entered into the database until a commitment has been made to sell them; i.e., presence in the database indicates that the
[0058] However, preferred embodiments perform this function by means of “minimum price” data in the database, which may be stored with a separate record for each RT or for blocks of RT's (or as an indicator that applies to all future RT's, at least until the indicator is changed). If the minimum price is the maximum price the consumers are likely to pay, then the RT will be of no use to scouts.
[0059] A central server (or set of servers working in concert) keeps track of finalization events.
[0060] The database contains information regarding the price for finalization events. In some embodiments, scouts and retailers can set the finalization price for RT's they have purchased. In others, the finalization price is fixed at the outset by the original owner. In preferred embodiments, scouts and retailers can set the price so long as it is under a maximum price fixed by the original owner, which may have a system-wide default if the original owner does not specify such a price. This prevents one hostile scout or retailer from halting sales by setting the finalization price of a RT so high that no consumer will buy it; since the RT's are finalized sequentially, lower-priced, subsequent RT's would then never be sold.
[0061] In preferred embodiments RT's may be purchased out-of-sequence; that is, for example, a particular scout may believe that a song will sell 100,000 copies while most scouts think it will sell 50,000. Therefore in an auction setting, the scout or retailer may be able to buy the RT's associated with the 90,000th through 100,000th finalizations at a bargain price compared to the earlier finalizations; if he is right, he may make an exceptional profit. A user interface is provided whereby the scout or retailer can specify the range of finalization numbers he wants to buy at a certain price; in most embodiments other scouts or retailers may be given the chance to outbid him in an auction; i.e., it is made known via the user interface that someone has bid on a particular range of finalizations and the opportunity is presented to input counter-bids. Any standard auction mechanism such as Dutch auctions may be used for this.
[0062] In some embodiments RT's don't have to be purchased in sequential blocks according to finalization sequence; for instance, scouts and retailers can purchase every nth finalization between two numbers. This enables them to invest in a wider range of finalizations depending on how confident they are in the number of RT's they expect to be sold without buying a huge number of them.
[0063] In this preferred embodiment, song finalizations, that is, the actual downloads, are for a fixed price. That way, the value of the nth RT is simply dependent on the perceived probability that n or more of the RT's will be finalized. The owner of an RT cannot refuse a sale; when n−1th finalizations have been sold, the nth one will be sold next.
[0064] The preferred embodiment draws a clear distinction between RT's and finalizations (which may be a download or a purchase of a physical CD, or take other forms).
[0065] There is a speculator market for RT's.
[0066] In the preferred embodiment, there is not a speculator market for finalizations. There is no need for the price of finalizations to be variable. For consumer-friendliness—that is, for the sake of consumers who just want their music and don't want to hear about speculation—and for retailers that want to keep everything as simple as possible—finalizations are sold as the associated objects always have been. Finalizations for CD-related RT's for instance, are sold on the same fixed-price basis under which CD's can be purchased on Amazon.com In fact, they may be sold through Amazon.com.
[0067] These prices will not be out of line with the norms for CD prices.
[0068] Since the normal fixed price for a finalization means that it would be absurd for RT's to sell for more than that price, that creates a natural limit for the price of RT's.
[0069] In this preferred embodiment, original owners can put any number of RT's on the speculator market at any time. They go into an auction, and will therefore receive the highest price any speculator is willing to pay for each RT. Further trades of RT's take place in a market setting.
[0070] It is to be expected that RT's associated with finalizations that are far in the future will sell for less than RT's associated with immediately upcoming ones.
[0071] For example, say 100,000 copies of a CD have been sold, and the original owner now decides to sell more RT's to the speculators. It is extremely likely that at least 100,001 CD's will be sold, so the price for the next RT is likely to be very close to the regular price for the CD. However, if the speculator decides to sell 900,000 RT's, then the “IPO” price for the 1,000,000 one might be very, very low, because it may not be at all obvious that the CD will ever sell 1,000,000 copies. The speculator's skill—the area in which they make their profits—is in judging how many copies a particular work will sell. Our sequential approach, described in my most recent patent application, greatly enhances the ability of a speculator to profit from that skill; it removes many factors that could distort his profits.
[0072] Since RT's are finalized in sequence, if a consumer buys an RT from the speculators market, he may not be able to finalize it for some time.
[0073] But there is a queue where consumers can buy the next RT to be finalized, separate from the speculator's market—actually they are not really buying an RT at all, they are buying a finalization, which will be immediate because they are buying the next finalization.
Example 1
[0074] An original owner wants to make 100,000 RT's available for sale for a particular item, for instance, a recording of a particular song that will be downloaded. The price will be the same for every download, $0.25. He wants to sell 10,000 downloads directly, but since he isn't sure that the song will sell more downloads than that, he makes subsequent download available to the speculator's market. See FIG. 2 . The original owner causes 90 records to be entered into database table RTTable ( 1 ), each of which represents a sales unit of 1,000 RT's. Status for every record is set to Avail (meaning that the RT is available to be purchased). SpeculatorID is set to null. ItemID is an identifier of the particular song that will be downloaded. (We will assume it is 104).
[0075] That is, this table may contain RT information for many different songs; the ItemID allows us to associate a particular record with a particular song. Each record has a unique (within the ItemID) SeqNo in the range of 11 to 100. That is, SeqNo's may not be unique in the overall table, but combined with the ItemID comprise a unique key into the table. They start at 11 in this case because the original owner has already committed the first 10,000 downloads to be sold by him directly. FinalizedCount is set to 0 because none of the RT's represented by this block have been finalized yet. See FIG. 3 .
[0076] A set of auctions is arranged, through methods similar to those on eBay, whereby these blocks of 1,000 RT's are sold. In fact, the auctions could be conducted on eBay.
[0077] Now, at some point soon after the song has been released a speculator, represented in SpeculatorTable 2 by the record with SpeculatorID=452, comes to believe that the song is going to sell 100,000 copies. He places a bid on the block represented by the record with ItemID 104 and SeqNo 100 .
[0078] Assume he wins the auction with a bid of $100. Now Status is set to Purchased, and RTTable.SpeculatorID is set to 452. See FIG. 4 .
[0079] Before and after this purchase, other speculators will have been purchasing other blocks.
[0080] Separately, downloads are available to consumers. The first 10,000 have no effect on our database because they were not in the speculator's market. Subsequent downloads update our database. Continuing with our example of speculator 452 , assume that the 90,001st download occurs. The RTTable record with ItemID 104 and SeqNo 100 is retrieved and FinalizedCount is changed to 1. The record is saved back into the database.
[0081] This change to the database represents the fact that one download has been conducted against speculator 452 's block. Each time a download occurs after that, FinalizedCount is incremented for the same record until it reaches 1,000. (By that point the original owner may have entered some more RTTable records to represent succeeding downloads, or he may sell succeeding ones directly).
[0082] When FinalizedCount reaches 1,000, the SpeculatorTable record with SpeculatorID 452 is retrieved and payment for 1,000 downloads, is made into his bank account. This payment is $250 minus some processing fees, which in our example happen to be 5%. So $237.50 is deposited into the bank account, and he has made a net profit of $137.50 for correctly identifying that 100,000 downloads would occur. See FIG. 5 .
[0083] Note that Example 1 is only to be considered as an example. To list a few of the many variations that could occur: Different numbers of downloads can be represented by a record other than 1,000, including, for example, 1. Instead of representing downloads, the records may represent listens to a song (RTE's), or RTB's. Instead of purchasing the RT's with money, the RT's could be purchased with some other valuable such as points earned by doing a useful service. (For example, on the Emergent Music web site, http://www.emergentmusic.com, points are earned by accurately rating music and by recommending music that others subsequently find to be worthwhile.) The subsequent payment, however, could be in money, or in points that have some other kind of value. As another variation, the original owner could share in the profits of each finalization; that is the consumer may pay $0.25 for a download, where $0.0125 went to transaction fees and $0.10 went to the original owner, leaving $0.1375 for the speculator. Many other variations are possible.
[0084] FIG. 1 shows the operation of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. In order to establish a market, first a financial right is determined 13 . The financial right is established as a right which can be sold. This becomes a right which is the subject of the transaction, referenced as RT 15 . The RT can be a right to download (RTD) 21 , a right to experience (RTE) 22 or a right-to-buy (RTB) 23 .
[0085] A finalization event is defined and the finalization event takes place 25 . The finalization event may be one or more of object downloaded 31 in the case of an RTD, object is experienced 32 in the case of an RTE or physical object is bought 33 in the case of an RTB. The finalization event is deemed a purchase 35 of the RT.
[0086] The finalization events are permitted to occur in a sequential order. That order is established as a sequence, so that the RT's are finalized in the sequence 37 . The RT's are then sold 39 , and records representing status of each RT are stored 41 in a database.
[0087] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing database tables in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. An RT table 61 and a speculator table 62 are shown. The RT table 61 includes an item ID, a sequence numbers, a status indication, a speculator ID, and a count of finalized transactions. The speculator table 62 includes a speculator ID which should correspond to the speculator ID of the RT table. The speculator table 62 also includes a name, address and bank account for the speculator identified in the speculator ID.
[0088] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing original owner creating RT's in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, the original owner decides to make a particular number of RT's available. These appear as the item ID in the RT table 61 . The RT's are provided in blocks as desired by the original owner. The corresponding rows are added to the RT table with sequence numbers. The items in each row are given the appropriate values in the RT table.
[0089] FIG. 4 is a flowchart showing a speculator buying RT's in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The speculator decides to buy a particular block of RT's. The record is then updated in the RT table.
[0090] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a consumer finalizing an RT in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The consumer causes the finalization of the RT. The RT table is then updated for that particular sequence number.
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A system for determining high quality musical recordings comprises a server computer which communicates with a plurality of client devices configured to execute internet radio client software which plays musical recordings. The server computer includes a registration unit for registering users; an input unit for registering, for each user, and for each musical recording of a selected group of musical recordings, a user's opinion of the musical recording. It also includes a combining unit configured to combine a user's registered opinion of each of the musical recordings with the registered opinions of other users, an input valuation unit configured to assign a valuation to the registered opinions on the basis of data from the combining unit, and a reward unit for providing a reward to one or more users on the basis of a valuation provided by the input valuation unit.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/687,002 titled “Domed Fresnel Köhler Concentrator,” filed Apr. 16, 2012 by Benitez and Miñano, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0002] Reference is made to commonly-assigned U.S. Provisional Patent Applications No. 61/115,892 titled “Köhler Concentrator”, filed Nov. 18, 2008, No. 61/268,129 filed Jun. 8, 2009, of the same title, both in the names of Miñano et al., and No. 61/278,476, titled “Köhler concentrator azimuthally combining radial-Köhler sub-concentrators”, filed Oct. 6, 2009 in the name of Benitez et al., and ensuing U.S. Pat. No. No. 8,000,018 titled “Köhler Concentrator”, issued Aug. 16, 2011, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0003] Reference is made to commonly-assigned International Patent Applications Nos. PCT/US 2006/029464 (WO 2007/016363) to Miñano et al. and PCT/US 2007/063522 (WO 2007/103994) to Benitez et al. which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
[0004] Embodiments of the devices described and shown in this application may be within the scope of one or more of the following U.S. Patents and Patent Applications and/or equivalents in other countries: U.S. Pat. No. 6,639,733, issued Oct. 28, 2003 in the names of Miñano et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 7,460,985 issued Dec. 2, 2008 in the names of Benitez et al.; WO 2007/016363 mentioned above, and US 2008/0316761 of the same title published Dec. 25, 2008 also in the names of Miñano et al; WO 2007/103994 titled “Multi-Junction Solar Cells with a Homogenizer System and Coupled Non-Imaging Light Concentrator” published Sep. 13, 2007 in the names of Benitez et al; US 2008/0223443, titled “Optical Concentrator Especially for Solar Photovoltaic” published Sep. 18, 2008 in the names of Benitez et al.; and US 2009/0071467 titled “Multi-Junction Solar Cells with a Homogenizer System and Coupled Non-Imaging Light Concentrator” published Mar. 19, 2009 in the names of Benitez et al.
GLOSSARY
[0005] Primary Optical Element (POE)—Optical element (which may be one surface of a refractive element) that receives the light from the sun or other source and concentrates it towards the Secondary Optical Element.
[0006] Secondary Optical Element (SOE)—Optical element (which may be one surface of a refractive element) that receives the light from the Primary Optical Element and concentrates it towards the solar cell or other target.
[0007] Köhler integrator—Strictly, an optical device in which a primary optical element images a source onto a secondary optical element, and the secondary optical element images the primary optical element onto a target. In the present specification, as is explained below, the focal point of the primary optical element is deliberately not exactly coincident with the secondary optical element.
[0008] Parallel acceptance angle (α p )—For a flat, rectangular solar cell, the angle with respect to the perfect-aim direction of incident rays in a plane containing the perfect-aim direction and parallel to two sides of the solar cell, at which the cell photocurrent drops by 10% compared with an equal incident irradiation along the perfect-aim direction.
[0009] Diagonal acceptance angle (α d )—Angle with respect to the perfect-aim direction of incident rays in a plane parallel to the perfect-aim direction and containing one diagonal of the solar cell, at which the cell photocurrent drops by 10%.
[0010] Geometrical concentration (Cg)—Ratio of the projected area of the POE normal to the sun center direction to the cell area.
[0011] Concentration-Acceptance Product (CAP)—A parameter associated with any solar concentrating architecture, and which is defined as the product of the square root of the geometrical concentration times the sine of the acceptance angle (being the minimum of the parallel and diagonal acceptance angles). Some optical architectures have a higher CAP than others, enabling higher concentration and/or higher acceptance angle. For a specific architecture, the CAP is nearly constant when the geometrical concentration is changed, so that increasing the value of one parameter lowers the other.
[0012] Fresnel Facet—Element of a discontinuous-slope lens that deflects light by refraction.
[0013] Cartesian Oval—A curve (strictly a family of curves) used in imaging and non-imaging optics to transform a given bundle of rays into another predetermined bundle. See Reference [10], page 185, Reference [14].
[0014] Perfect-aim position—A central direction for incoming collimated light, or incoming sunlight (source diameter 0.5° centered on the nominal direction), away from which performance falls off in all directions. In all the embodiments described below, the perfect-aim position is a line of intersection of symmetry planes for the overall concentrator, but not necessarily for individual segments. However, the rate at which performance falls off may be different in different planes, see for example α p and α d above.
[0015] Uniformity—The ratio of the minimum to maximum irradiance on the cell with the sun centered on the perfect-aim position.
BACKGROUND
[0016] Triple-junction photovoltaic solar cells are expensive, making it desirable to operate them with as much concentration of sunlight as practical. However, the efficiency of currently available multi-junction photovoltaic cells suffers when the local concentration of incident radiation surpasses ˜1,000-2,000 suns. Some concentrator designs of the prior art have so much non-uniformity of the flux distribution on the cell that “hot spots” up to 20× the average concentration (9,000-11,000× concentration with average concentration of 500×) occur, greatly limiting the maximum average concentration that is commercially viable.
[0017] Good irradiance uniformity on the solar cell can potentially be obtained using a long light-pipe homogenizer, which is a well known method in classical optics. See Reference [1]. When a light-pipe homogenizer is used, the solar cell is glued to one end of the light-pipe and the light reaches the cell after some bounces on the light-pipe walls. The light distribution on the cell becomes more uniform as the length of the light-pipe is increased. The use of light-pipes for concentrating photo-voltaic (CPV) devices, however, has some drawbacks. A first drawback is that in the case of high illumination angles the reflecting surfaces of the light-pipe must be metalized, which reduces optical efficiency relative to the near-perfect reflectivity of total internal reflection off a polished surface in a dielectric-based light pipe. A second drawback is that for good homogenization a relatively long light-pipe is necessary, but increasing the length of the light-pipe both increases its absorption and reduces the mechanical stability of the apparatus. A third drawback is that light pipes are unsuitable for relatively thick (small) cells because of lateral light spillage from the edges of the bonding material holding the cell to the end of the light pipe (typically made of silicone rubber). Finally, the amount of bonding material used in the adhesion layer is critical. Too little material and there will be an air gap above a portion of the cell, resulting in losses due to Fresnel reflections. Too much material will result in the aforementioned spillage issue. The smaller the area of the cell, the greater proportion of the solar radiation is lost through spillage. Light-pipes have nevertheless been proposed several times in CPV systems, see References [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], and [7], which use a light-pipe length much longer than the cell size, typically 4-5 times.
[0018] Another strategy for achieving good uniformity on the cell is Köhler illumination. This technique can solve, or at least mitigate, uniformity issues without compromising the acceptance angle and without increasing the difficulty of assembly.
[0019] The first photovoltaic concentrator using Köhler integration was proposed (see Reference [8]) by Sandia Labs in the late 1980′s, and subsequently was commercialized by Alpha Solarco. That design used a standard radial concentric Fresnel lens as its primary optical element (POE) and an imaging single surface lens (called SILO, for SIngLe Optical surface) that encapsulates the photovoltaic cell was its secondary optical element (SOE). That approach used two imaging optical lenses (the Fresnel lens and the SILO) where the SILO is placed at the focal plane of the Fresnel lens and the SILO images the Fresnel lens (which is uniformly illuminated) onto the photovoltaic cell. Thus, if the cell is square the primary can be square trimmed without losing optical efficiency.
[0020] Despite the simplicity and high uniformity of illumination on the cell, the practical application of the Sandia Labs system is limited to low concentrations because it has a low concentration-acceptance product of approximately 0.3 (±1° at 300 ×). The low acceptance angle, even at a concentration ratio of only 300×, arises because the imaging secondary cannot accommodate high illumination angles on the cell.
[0021] Another previously proposed Köhler approach uses 4 optical surfaces, to obtain a photovoltaic concentrator for high acceptance angle and relatively uniform irradiance distribution on the solar cell (see Reference [9]). The POE of this concentrator is a double aspheric imaging lens, that images the sun onto the aperture of a SOE. Suitable for a secondary optical element is the SMS designed RX concentrator described in References [10], [11], [12]. This is an imaging element that works near the thermodynamic limit of concentration. This concentrator was of only academic interest, because neither the double aspheric element nor the RX concentrator are economically feasible for practical application, and the thermal management of the photovoltaic cells is also impractical in such a configuration.
[0022] In contrast to the previous Köhler approaches, in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 B2 some of the inventors herein found a practical solution to increase the concentration-acceptance product. It consists in dividing the POE and SOE into sectors that provide independent Köhler channels, so each SOE sector needs to manage only a correspondingly smaller field of view and provide a correspondingly smaller concentration. Additionally, the multi-channel approach provided a further improvement and robustness due to the superposition principle: the degradation for any reason of one of the POE images is less noticeable than in the single-channel case (as was an issue with the SILO mentioned before) due to its smaller contribution to the total irradiance produced.
[0023] The most remarked embodiment in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 B2 consisted in a 4-fold symmetric flat Fresnel lens and a 4-fold single-surface secondary lens. That device was conceived designing each Fresnel lens quadrant using a single wavelength. The position of the monochromatic focus was indicated to be located on the surface of the SOE, or alternatively deeper inside the bulk of the SOE, closer to a certain chord. There was no indication of a polychromatic design taking into account the different responses of the optical elements to the different spectral bands of a multi junction solar cell, the combined behavior of which is strongly non-linear.
[0024] Such polychromatic optimization has not been applied either to other related architecture, as a 9-fold Fresnel Köhler design also mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 B2.
[0025] Although most Fresnel lenses used in this application are flat, better concentration-acceptance angle product has been achieved with rotationally symmetric domed lenses [5].
[0026] As is described in commonly assigned US 2010/0269885, obtaining optimum efficiency from a multi-junction solar cell can require very careful balancing of the irradiation of the different cells.
[0027] Most of the same or closely analogous problems arise, reversing the direction of the light rays, in producing a beam of white light from a luminaire with a white light source.
SUMMARY
[0028] Embodiments of the present invention provide different photovoltaic concentrators that combine high geometric concentration, high acceptance angle, and high irradiance uniformity on the solar cell. In all the embodiments, the primary and secondary optical elements are each lenticulated to form a plurality of segments. A segment of the primary optical element and a segment of the secondary optical element combine to form a Köhler integrator. The multiple segments result in a plurality of Köhler integrators that collectively focus their incident sunlight onto a common target, such as a multi-junction photovoltaic cell, taking into account the response to the different spectral bands of a multi junction solar cell separately by means of a polychromatic optimization. Any hotspots are typically in different places for different individual Köhler integrators, with the plurality further averaging out the multiple hotspots over the target cell.
[0029] Embodiments of the present invention provide optical devices comprising: a multi-junction photovoltaic cell, wherein each junction is operative to convert light of a respective waveband into electricity; a refractive first optical element having a plurality of segments each arranged to focus incoming collimated light from a common source; and a second optical element having a plurality of segments, each arranged to direct light from a respective segment of the first optical element onto the photovoltaic cell; wherein the acceptance angles for incoming light of two of the said wavebands are within a ratio of 5:4 to 4:5.
[0030] The acceptance angles may be within the ratio of 5:4 to 4:5 for incoming light of the shortest and longest of the said wavebands, and advantageously for incoming light of all of the three or more wavebands.
[0031] If the cell, the first optical element (as projected into a plane perpendicular to a perfect-aim direction), and the segments of the first optical element (similarly projected) are all square, and are all aligned in the same direction, then the ratio of α p (top) to α d (bottom) is desirably within the ratio of 5:4 to 4:5, where α p (top) is the acceptance angle of the shortest of the said wavebands, measured in a plane parallel to a side of the cell, α d (bottom) is the acceptance angle of the longest of the said wavebands, measured in a plane containing a diagonal of the cell, and each of the said acceptance angles is defined as the angle between uniform incoming collimated light and a perfect-aim direction at which the light energy directed onto the cell is 90% of the energy directed onto the cell for identical incoming collimated light in the perfect-aim direction.
[0032] The first optical element may be a Fresnel or other discontinuous-surface lens. The segments of the Fresnel lens may then comprise Fresnel lenses with different centers. Alternatively, the first optical element may then comprise a sheet formed on one face with a Fresnel lens common to all of the segments, and formed on the other face with a separate continuous-slope lens for each segment. The Fresnel lens may be domed.
[0033] The CAP may be at least 0.45 for at least two of the wavebands, and preferably for all of the wavebands simultaneously.
[0034] The uniformity in the perfect-aim direction may be at least 0.5, better at least 0.67, preferably at least 0.8, for all wavebands.
[0035] An embodiment of the invention provides an optical device comprising: a primary optical element having a plurality of segments, which in an example are 4 in number; and a secondary optical element having a plurality of segments, which in an example are 4 lenticulations of an optical surface of a lens; wherein each segment of the primary optical element, along with a corresponding segment of the secondary optical element, forms one of a plurality of Uhler integrators. The plurality of Köhler integrators are arranged in position and orientation to direct light in multiple spectral bands from a common source onto a common target.
[0036] For example, in the case of a solar photovoltaic concentrator, the source is the sun. Whether it is the common source or the common target, the other may be part of the device or connected to it. For example, in a solar photovoltaic concentrator, the target may be a photovoltaic cell.
[0037] Embodiments of the invention also provide other forms of concentrator and collimator, including light collectors and luminaires, having similar optical properties. The common source, where the device is a light collector, or the common target, where the device is a luminaire, may be external to the device. The embodiments below are mainly intended for use as solar concentrators. For a luminaire, the source and target are typically interchanged, so that the light is highly concentrated at a source behind the “secondary” optical element, and is largely collimated on its way to an external target in front of the “primary” optical element.
[0038] Embodiments of the invention also provide methods of designing and making solar concentrators and other optical devices having the specified novel properties.
[0039] Embodiments of the present invention make it possible to simultaneously solve, or at least mitigate the consequences of not simultaneously solving, three problems:
[0040] 1. The ray collection efficiency is to be as near 100% as possible for all of the three or more wavebands at normal (perfect-aim) incidence, that is, the three top, middle, and bottom junction rays are fully collected.
[0041] 2. The irradiance on the cell for the three or more wavebands is balanced. This is not obtained in monochromatic designs without a homogenizing scheme such as Köhler integration, where typically the middle waveband produces a hot-spot at the center.
[0042] 3. The overall acceptance angle for the three bands is to be maximized, which usually requires the acceptance angle for the three bands to be balanced as equally as possible, because the minimum of the three acceptance angles effectively limits the overall acceptance of the device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0043] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the primary and secondary lenses of a previously proposed 4-fold Köhler concentrator.
[0044] FIG. 2 shows a set of three ray traces through the SOE of one embodiment of a solar concentrator for rays of three different wavelengths.
[0045] FIG. 3A shows a ray trace in the parallel direction for a top-junction band for an incidence angle equal to 0.95 α.
[0046] FIG. 3B shows a ray trace similar to that of FIG. 3A , but in the diagonal direction and for a bottom junction band.
[0047] FIG. 4A is a plot of irradiance against position over the area of a photovoltaic cell for the top junction band of a flat-POE design using the furthest point optimization for the SOE.
[0048] FIG. 4B is a plot similar to FIG. 4A for the bottom junction band.
[0049] FIG. 4C is a plot similar to FIG. 4A using the closest point optimization for the SOE.
[0050] FIG. 4D is a plot similar to FIG. 4C for the bottom junction band.
[0051] FIG. 5A is a perspective view of the primary and secondary lenses of a RR domed Fresnel Köhler concentrator.
[0052] FIG. 5B is an enlarged view of the SOE of FIG. 5A , showing a ray trace.
[0053] FIG. 6 is a diagram in axial section illustrating the design of a domed concentrator.
[0054] FIG. 7A is a 3D plot of irradiance for the top junction band of a concentrator with a domed POE optimized for maximum uniformity.
[0055] FIG. 7B is a plot similar to FIG. 7A for the bottom junction band.
[0056] FIG. 7C is a 3D plot of irradiance for the top junction band of a concentrator with a domed POE optimized for maximum CAP.
[0057] FIG. 7D is a plot similar to FIG. 7C for the bottom junction band.
[0058] FIG. 8A shows plan and perspective views of a circular domed Fresnel lens with four segments formed by lenticulations on the upper surface, and a common non-rotationally symmetric (spiral) Fresnel lens on the underside.
[0059] FIG. 8B is a perspective view from above of a square Fresnel lens taken from the circular lens of FIG. 8A .
[0060] FIG. 9A is a perspective view of the primary and secondary lenses of a 2-segment RR Fresnel Köhler concentrator.
[0061] FIG. 9B is an enlarged view of the SOE of FIG. 9A , showing a ray trace.
[0062] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the primary and secondary lenses of a 9-segment RR Fresnel Köhler concentrator, and two different enlarged views of the SOE, with and without ray trace.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0063] A better understanding of various features and advantages of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention and accompanying drawings, which set forth illustrative embodiments in which various principles of the invention are utilized.
[0064] The primary optical elements (POE) described in these embodiments are formed into segments, exhibiting multi-fold symmetry. In the embodiments taught in this application the secondary optical elements (SOE) have the same multi-fold symmetry as the respective POE. Each segment of the POE, along with a corresponding segment of the SOE, forms one of a plurality of Köhler integrator segments. The plurality of Kohler integrator segments combine to concentrate incoming sunlight on a common photovoltaic cell.
[0065] Presently available solar cells for solar concentrators use three junctions, usually referred to as top, middle and bottom, which are sensitive to different spectral bands of the solar radiation. The semiconductor physics of the junction determine the minimum photon energy (maximum wavelength) of light that the junction can convert to electricity. Typically, the top junction is sensitive from 350 to 690 nm, the middle junction from 690 nm to 900 nm, and the bottom junction beyond 900 nm (A germanium bottom junction can in principle use light down to about 1800 nm, while an InGaAs or InGaAsNSb bottom junction can use light down to only about 1400 nm.), the transition between the cell bands not necessarily being abrupt. When the POE is a mirror, the directions of the reflected rays are not dependent on the wavelength, and a monochromatic concentrator design is enough to predict to full spectrum performance.
[0066] However, in all the present embodiments, the POE is refractive, and the variation of the refractive index of the lens material with wavelength (usually called material dispersion, responsible for the chromatic aberration in imaging optics) causes rays of different wavelengths to be refracted towards different directions, reaching different points of the SOE. For a solar concentrator, these wavelength-dependent ray deviations for the different junction bands will cause two effects that should be taken into account: (1) there may be three different acceptance angles for the different junctions; and (2) the irradiance distribution may also be different for the different junctions. The first effect has the consequence that the effective acceptance angle for the concentrator as a whole is the smallest of the three, limiting the CAP of the device. The second effect degrades the overall solar cell efficiency, because the three junctions operate in series and the least brightly illuminated junction limits the current output of the stack. When the irradiance distributions of the wavebands used by the three junctions differ, that minimum-brightness limitation occurs locally, only partially mitigated by lateral current flows, even when the total integrated illumination of the cell is the same for the three junctions.
[0067] FIG. 1 shows one of the embodiments in the earlier U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 B2, in which the POE is a flat Fresnel lens with 4-fold symmetry. Each of the four Fresnel lens segments is part of a lens having rotational symmetry with respect to one of four axes that do not coincide with each other, and do not coincide with the center of the overall optical system. The normal-incidence rays 11 are split into four disconnected bundles to reach the four lobes of 4-fold symmetric SOE. The foci 12 of the POE lens segments are formed close to the front surface of the SOE. That design ignores chromatic dispersion, and assumes that tracing a single set of rays is sufficient.
[0068] The embodiments in the present application are optimized polychromatically to obtain solutions that can achieve high optical efficiency, and also correct the two effects mentioned above. That is to say, they can achieve as additional performance targets that: (1) the concentrator acceptance angle α, given by the smallest acceptance angle of the three junctions, is maximum, and (2) the irradiance distributions of the three junctions are very similar.
[0069] Even though the optimization described herein can be applied to a general N×M symmetric design, three specific preferred embodiments are included in this invention: a 2×2 symmetric with flat or dome Fresnel primary, which will be referred to as 4-fold for short; a 3×3 symmetric with a flat or dome Fresnel lens, which will be referred to as 9-fold for short; and a 2×1 symmetric with flat or dome Fresnel primary, which will be referred to as 2-fold for short.
[0070] The performance target (1) is obtained by the POE optimization. In order to illustrate this optimization, FIG. 2 shows a side view, in cross-section along a diagonal, of a 4-fold SOE 202 with a triple junction cell 201 being illuminated by the rays 205 of the top junction waveband, rays 204 of the middle junction waveband, and rays 203 of the bottom junction waveband. The POE (not shown in FIG. 2 ) is assumed to be a Fresnel lens. The focal regions are located in three very different positions, 206 , 207 and 208 , shallowest for the top junction focus 206 and deepest into the SOE for the bottom junction focus 208 .
[0071] While in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 B2 only a single focal region was mentioned, the polychromatic optimization disclosed here will take into account the positions of the three foci. In the case of a flat Fresnel POE, their positions cannot be controlled independently, so we can specify the position of one focus and calculate the other two.
[0072] One focus can preferably be specified as the point where light of the chosen color would notionally be focused by the POE if the further refraction of the light rays by the SOE did not intervene. For instance, point 209 in FIG. 2 corresponds to such a notional focus for light of wavelength 550 nm. The two coordinates (x m ,z m ) of point 209 in the tilted coordinate system x-z shown in FIG. 2 constitute the two parameters to vary for achieving performance target (1). Therefore, the objective is to solve the mathematical problem of finding the maximum of the two-variable function α(x m ,z m ). Since the definition of α=min{α(top), α(middle), α(bottom)} is very non-linear and its derivatives are not continuous, it is useful to visualize the overall shape of this function. For instance, in the case of 4-fold embodiments, the following inequalities hold in the neighborhood of the optimum:
[0000] α p (top)<α p (middle)<α p (bottom)
[0000] α d (bottom)<α d (middle)<α d (top)
[0000] ∂α p (top)/∂ x m >0
[0000] ∂α d (bottom)/∂α x m <0
[0000] where α p and α d denote the parallel and diagonal acceptance angles defined in the glossary. The first two equation lines indicate that the parallel acceptance angle for the top (short wavelength) junction is smaller than the parallel acceptances of the other two junctions, while for the diagonal direction the bottom junction is the limiting one.
[0073] The last two equation lines indicate that, for constant z m , when x m increases, the limiting parallel acceptance angle α p (top) increases while the limiting parallel acceptance angle α d (bottom) decreases. Therefore, for each z m , there is compromise that is solved at the value of x m at which α p (top)=α d (bottom) and then the acceptance angle α will be maximum. Therefore, we have found that the maximum desired in target (1) is obtained when the top and bottom acceptance angles are balanced.
[0074] The previous calculation can be done now with varying z m , and thus we can find the value of z m at which the coincident acceptance angle α p (top)=α d (bottom) is a maximum, leading to the absolute maximum desired. Note that since α(top)=min{α p (top), α d (top)} and α(bottom)=min{α p (bottom), α d (bottom)}, we get that α=α(top)=α(bottom)<α(middle).
[0075] FIG. 3A shows the ray trace for the top junction spectral band on an optimized design at an incidence angle equal to 0.95α along the parallel direction. FIG. 3B shows the ray trace at the same incidence angle 0.95α but for the bottom junction spectral band along the diagonal direction. The 10% drop that will occur at the incidence angle α in both direction will occur when the ray 301 that enters the SOE nearest the top cusp of the SOE reaches the adjacent lobe in the top junction parallel case ( FIG. 3A ), and when the ray 302 that enters the SOE lowest down misses the target cell in the bottom junction diagonal case ( FIG. 3B ).
[0076] Since the refractive index of typical POE lens materials is not very different from middle to bottom junction bands, the focb 207 and 208 in FIG. 2 are relatively close and the middle and bottom acceptance angles are also close. As a consequence, instead of making the parallel top acceptance angle equal to the diagonal bottom acceptance angle, the parallel top and diagonal middle acceptance angles can be made equal. This is especially adequate for the case of solar cells in which there is an excess of bottom junction photocurrent (as in commercially available GaInP—GaInAs—Ge cells), so that the bottom-junction current is unlikely to be limiting.
[0077] In U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, only a monochromatic design is disclosed, and there is no mention of different parallel and diagonal acceptance angles. In U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, we recommended locating the single focal point either on the surface of the SOE or along the chord joining the edges of the meridional curve through the optical axis of the segment, which corresponds to a point of the line z m =0 in the present specification.
[0078] As will now be shown with an example, that monochromatic design with those focus selections leads to a very low acceptance angle compared to the present polychromatic optimization, and to a poor balance between the acceptance angles of the top, middle, and bottom junctions.
[0079] Two 4-fold devices with a flat Fresnel lens were designed, both with geometrical concentration Cg=1024×, POE made of silicone on glass with dimensions 160 mm×160 mm, SOE made of Savosil glass with 21.8 mm average diameter, GaInP—GaInAs—Ge triple junction 5 mm×5 mm solar cell, and depth to POE diagonal ratio 1.08. One of the devices was designed with the polychromatic optimization just described, while the other device was designed using the procedure disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018.
[0080] To reproduce the monochromatic design of U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, the acceptance angle at the selected wavelength was maximized. The selected wavelength was 550 nm, which is centered for the top junction band. This wavelength is commonly used in optics because at that wavelength the refractive index takes approximately the value of the median of the distribution. The choice of the 550 nm wavelength was not stated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, but can be easily inferred from column 8, lines 40-50, where it is stated that a polychromatic ray trace analysis for the top junction band achieves an acceptance angle of ±1.43° and the monochromatic analysis ±1.47° . The proximity of these two values is consistent with the 550 nm selection.
[0081] Table 1 shows the comparison of the performance parameters of the two designs obtained with a ray-trace analysis:
[0000]
TABLE 1
α (top)
α (middle)
α (bottom)
α
CAP
x m (mm)
z m (mm)
Polychromatic
±0.90°
±0.94°
±0.90°
±0.90°
0.51
11.7
−5.1
optimization
U.S. Pat. No.
±0.92°
±0.66°
±0.63°
±0.66°
0.35
10.3
0
8,000,018
[0082] The first noticeable difference between the results for the two devices is that the focus of the 550 nm rays in the present polychromatic optimization is 5.1 mm away from the z m =0 line, where the U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018. This distance is as large as the cell side, indicating the substantial difference between this polychromatically optimized design and the ones disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018.
[0083] The second difference is that while the acceptance angle for the three junctions is very well balanced in the polychromatic design, the bottom and middle junction acceptance angles are 30% lower than the top junction acceptance angle in the concentrator of U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, so the imbalance is substantial.
[0084] The third remarkable difference is that the resulting concentrator acceptance angle, given by α=min{α(top), α(middle), α(bottom)}, and the CAP, are also 30% less in the device of U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018.
[0085] For this comparison, the U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018 concentrator was designed with the 550 nm focus located at the line z m =0, but, as mentioned before, in that patent we suggested as an alternative to locate the focus on the surface of the SOE. That alternative selection leads to an acceptance and CAP even lower than the ones shown in the above Table.
[0086] The POE and SOE materials selected for the previous example are of special interest at present due to their expected long term durability. However, they have a relatively low refractive index (silicone has n=1.41 and Savosil has n=1.46 at 550 nm) which makes their attainable acceptance angle and CAP lower than with alternative materials, specially for the low depth to POE diagonal ratio (1.08). For instance, using PMMA for the POE and B270 glass for the SOE (which have n=1.49 and n=1.52, respectively), which are also excellent candidates in terms of durability, with the same depth to POE diagonal ratio, the same design algorithm leads to a 15% higher CAP value in about 15% thanks to their higher refractive indices.
[0087] On the other hand, performance target (2), which is that the irradiance distributions of the three junctions must be very similar, is obtained by optimizing the SOE. In this case, a single third design parameter is enough to obtain excellent results, and that is the point along the cell diagonal to be imaged by each quadrant on its corresponding POE sector. A central wavelength can be used for the calculations since the SOE imaging required is very little affected by the chromatic dispersion due to the large field of view of view that the SOE is imaging. The actual optimum position depends on the specific embodiment.
[0088] For instance, in the case of concentrators with flat POEs, being either 4-fold or 9-fold, the optimum is obtained when the selected cell diagonal point is the end of the diagonal furthest from the POE paired sector, as was disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018. However, for a domed POE the optimum point is the end of the diagonal closest to the paired sector. Although this selection is optimum for the balance of the irradiances (2), it is not optimum for other criteria, such as the acceptance angle. For instance, FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B show the irradiance for the extreme bands of the top and bottom junctions, respectively, of a flat-POE design with PMMA POE and B270 glass SOE using the furthest point selection, which is the optimum for target (2) and thus they look extremely alike. On the other hand, FIG. 4C and FIG. 4D show the same graphs for a flat-POE design using the closest point selection, in which a significantly poorer uniformity balance is visible. However, the furthest-point configuration of FIGS. 4A and 4B has a CAP=0.59, while the nearest-point configuration of FIGS. 4C and 4D achieves CAP=0.63.
[0089] In addition, the present polychromatic optimization makes possible a much better uniformity over the three junctions. With previous monochromatic designs, as illustrated by Kritchman, Ref. [15], FIGS. 9 and 10 , a too-perfect focusing at the nominal frequency sometimes resulted in a very non-uniform irradiation at that one frequency, and/or a wide variation in uniformity from one waveband to another.
[0090] The following Tables 2 and 3 show the numerical data describing the shape of the polychromatically optimized design just discussed whose performance data is given in the previous Table 1). For both the POE and the SOE, a Cartesian coordinates system is used, with the origin at the cell center and with the X and Y axes parallel to the cell sides, while the z axis is perpendicular to the cell plane. The size of the units is arbitrary, and in these units the cell active area is 5×5 while the POE is 160×160. Due to the 4-fold symmetry, the lenses need to be described only in the quadrant X>0 and Y>0. Both the POE and SOE are symmetric with respect to the plane X=Y.
[0091] The surface of the SOE has rotational symmetry with respect to the line joining the cell corner at X=Y=−7.071 and Z=0 with the POE corner at X=Y=113.2, Z=244.5. The SOE sag list is given in Table 2:
[0000]
TABLE 2
X = Y
Z
10.905
7.974
10.505
12.5481
10.4675
12.9181
10.4194
13.2878
10.3603
13.6565
10.2901
14.0236
10.2084
14.3884
10.115
14.7502
10.0097
15.1082
9.89223
15.4617
9.76245
15.8099
9.62025
16.152
9.46554
16.4872
9.29828
16.8146
9.11848
17.1335
8.92617
17.4431
8.72146
17.7424
8.50449
18.0308
8.27547
18.3074
8.03465
18.5716
7.78232
18.8225
7.51885
19.0596
7.24464
19.2822
6.96015
19.4896
6.66587
19.6815
6.36235
19.8572
6.05018
20.0165
[0092] The Fresnel lens segment has an axis of rotational symmetry parallel to the Z axis, at X=Y=5.14468, and the vertices describing its polygonal profile are given in the following Table 3:
[0000]
TABLE 3
X = Y
Z
5.14746
244.454
6.14746
244.459
6.14774
244.443
7.14746
244.459
7.14792
244.433
8.14746
244.459
8.14811
244.422
9.14746
244.459
9.14829
244.412
10.1475
244.459
10.1485
244.401
11.1475
244.459
11.1487
244.391
12.1475
244.459
12.1488
244.38
13.1475
244.459
13.149
244.37
14.1475
244.459
14.1492
244.36
15.1475
244.459
15.1494
244.349
16.1475
244.459
16.1496
244.339
17.1475
244.459
17.1498
244.328
18.1475
244.459
18.15
244.318
19.1475
244.459
19.1501
244.308
20.1475
244.459
20.1503
244.298
21.1475
244.459
21.1505
244.287
22.1475
244.459
22.1507
244.277
23.1475
244.459
23.1509
244.267
24.1475
244.459
24.1511
244.257
25.1475
244.459
25.1513
244.247
26.1475
244.459
26.1515
244.237
27.1475
244.459
27.1517
244.227
28.1475
244.459
28.1519
244.217
29.1475
244.459
29.1521
244.209
30.141
244.459
30.1456
244.209
31.0975
244.459
31.1021
244.209
32.021
244.459
32.0256
244.209
32.9148
244.459
32.9195
244.209
33.7819
244.459
33.7866
244.209
34.6246
244.459
34.6293
244.209
35.445
244.459
35.4497
244.209
36.2449
244.459
36.2496
244.209
37.0258
244.459
37.0306
244.209
37.7892
244.459
37.794
244.209
38.5363
244.459
38.5411
244.209
39.2681
244.459
39.273
244.209
39.9857
244.459
39.9905
244.209
40.6899
244.459
40.6947
244.209
41.3814
244.459
41.3863
244.209
42.0611
244.459
42.066
244.209
42.7295
244.459
42.7344
244.209
43.3873
244.459
43.3922
244.209
44.035
244.459
44.0399
244.209
44.6731
244.459
44.678
244.209
45.302
244.459
45.307
244.209
45.9223
244.459
45.9273
244.209
46.5342
244.459
46.5392
244.209
47.1382
244.459
47.1432
244.209
47.7346
244.459
47.7396
244.209
48.3236
244.459
48.3287
244.209
48.9057
244.459
48.9108
244.209
49.4811
244.459
49.4862
244.209
50.05
244.459
50.0552
244.209
50.6127
244.459
50.6179
244.209
51.1695
244.459
51.1747
244.209
51.7204
244.459
51.7256
244.209
52.2659
244.459
52.2711
244.209
52.8059
244.459
52.8111
244.209
53.3407
244.459
53.346
244.209
53.8706
244.459
53.8759
244.209
54.3956
244.459
54.4009
244.209
54.9159
244.459
54.9212
244.209
55.4316
244.459
55.4369
244.209
55.9429
244.459
55.9483
244.209
56.45
244.459
56.4554
244.209
56.9529
244.459
56.9583
244.209
57.4518
244.459
57.4572
244.209
57.9467
244.459
57.9522
244.209
58.4379
244.459
58.4433
244.209
58.9253
244.459
58.9308
244.209
59.4092
244.459
59.4147
244.209
59.8896
244.459
59.8951
244.209
60.3665
244.459
60.372
244.209
60.8401
244.459
60.8457
244.209
61.3105
244.459
61.3161
244.209
61.7778
244.459
61.7834
244.209
62.242
244.459
62.2476
244.209
62.7031
244.459
62.7087
244.209
63.1614
244.459
63.167
244.209
63.6167
244.459
63.6224
244.209
64.0693
244.459
64.075
244.209
64.5192
244.459
64.5249
244.209
64.9664
244.459
64.9721
244.209
65.411
244.459
65.4167
244.209
65.853
244.459
65.8588
244.209
66.2926
244.459
66.2984
244.209
66.7297
244.459
66.7355
244.209
67.1645
244.459
67.1703
244.209
67.5969
244.459
67.6027
244.209
68.027
244.459
68.0329
244.209
68.4549
244.459
68.4608
244.209
68.8806
244.459
68.8865
244.209
69.3041
244.459
69.3101
244.209
69.7256
244.459
69.7315
244.209
70.145
244.459
70.1509
244.209
70.5623
244.459
70.5683
244.209
70.9777
244.459
70.9837
244.209
71.3911
244.459
71.3972
244.209
71.8027
244.459
71.8087
244.209
72.2123
244.459
72.2184
244.209
72.6202
244.459
72.6263
244.209
73.0262
244.459
73.0323
244.209
73.4305
244.459
73.4366
244.209
73.833
244.459
73.8391
244.209
74.2338
244.459
74.24
244.209
74.6329
244.459
74.6391
244.209
75.0304
244.459
75.0366
244.209
75.4263
244.459
75.4325
244.209
75.8206
244.459
75.8268
244.209
76.2133
244.459
76.2196
244.209
76.6045
244.459
76.6108
244.209
76.9941
244.459
77.0005
244.209
77.3823
244.459
77.3887
244.209
77.7691
244.459
77.7754
244.209
78.1543
244.459
78.1607
244.209
78.5382
244.459
78.5446
244.209
78.9207
244.459
78.9271
244.209
79.3018
244.459
79.3083
244.209
79.6816
244.459
79.6881
244.209
80.06
244.459
80.0665
244.209
80.4372
244.459
80.4437
244.209
80.813
244.459
80.8196
244.209
81.1876
244.459
81.1942
244.209
81.561
244.459
81.5676
244.209
81.9331
244.459
81.9397
244.209
82.304
244.459
82.3106
244.209
82.6737
244.459
82.6804
244.209
83.0423
244.459
83.049
244.209
83.4097
244.459
83.4164
244.209
83.7759
244.459
83.7826
244.209
84.1411
244.459
84.1478
244.209
84.5051
244.459
84.5119
244.209
84.868
244.459
84.8748
244.209
85.2299
244.459
85.2367
244.209
85.5907
244.459
85.5975
244.209
85.9505
244.459
85.9573
244.209
86.3092
244.459
86.3161
244.209
86.6669
244.459
86.6738
244.209
87.0236
244.459
87.0305
244.209
87.3794
244.459
87.3863
244.209
87.7341
244.459
87.7411
244.209
88.0879
244.459
88.0949
244.209
88.4408
244.459
88.4478
244.209
88.7927
244.459
88.7997
244.209
89.1437
244.459
89.1507
244.209
89.4937
244.459
89.5008
244.209
89.8429
244.459
89.85
244.209
90.1912
244.459
90.1983
244.209
90.5386
244.459
90.5457
244.209
90.8852
244.459
90.8923
244.209
91.2309
244.459
91.238
244.209
91.5757
244.459
91.5829
244.209
91.9197
244.459
91.9269
244.209
92.2629
244.459
92.2702
244.209
92.6053
244.459
92.6126
244.209
92.9469
244.459
92.9542
244.209
93.2877
244.459
93.295
244.209
93.6277
244.459
93.6351
244.209
93.967
244.459
93.9743
244.209
94.3055
244.459
94.3128
244.209
94.6432
244.459
94.6506
244.209
94.9802
244.459
94.9876
244.209
95.3164
244.459
95.3239
244.209
95.6519
244.459
95.6594
244.209
95.9868
244.459
95.9942
244.209
96.3209
244.459
96.3284
244.209
96.6543
244.459
96.6618
244.209
96.987
244.459
96.9945
244.209
97.319
244.459
97.3266
244.209
97.6503
244.459
97.6579
244.209
97.981
244.459
97.9886
244.209
98.311
244.459
98.3187
244.209
98.6404
244.459
98.6481
244.209
98.9691
244.459
98.9768
244.209
99.2972
244.459
99.3049
244.209
99.6247
244.459
99.6324
244.209
99.9515
244.459
99.9593
244.209
100.278
244.459
100.286
244.209
100.603
244.459
100.611
244.209
100.928
244.459
100.936
244.209
101.253
244.459
101.261
244.209
101.577
244.459
101.584
244.209
101.9
244.459
101.908
244.209
102.222
244.459
102.23
244.209
102.545
244.459
102.553
244.209
102.866
244.459
102.874
244.209
103.187
244.459
103.195
244.209
103.507
244.459
103.515
244.209
103.827
244.459
103.835
244.209
104.147
244.459
104.155
244.209
104.465
244.459
104.474
244.209
104.784
244.459
104.792
244.209
105.101
244.459
105.11
244.209
105.419
244.459
105.427
244.209
105.735
244.459
105.744
244.209
106.052
244.459
106.06
244.209
106.367
244.459
106.376
244.209
106.683
244.459
106.691
244.209
106.997
244.459
107.006
244.209
107.312
244.459
107.32
244.209
107.625
244.459
107.634
244.209
107.939
244.459
107.947
244.209
108.251
244.459
108.26
244.209
108.564
244.459
108.572
244.209
108.876
244.459
108.884
244.209
109.187
244.459
109.196
244.209
109.498
244.459
109.507
244.209
109.809
244.459
109.817
244.209
110.119
244.459
110.127
244.209
110.428
244.459
110.437
244.209
110.738
244.459
110.746
244.209
111.046
244.459
111.055
244.209
111.355
244.459
111.363
244.209
111.663
244.459
111.671
244.209
111.97
244.459
111.979
244.209
112.277
244.459
112.286
244.209
112.584
244.459
112.593
244.209
112.89
244.459
112.899
244.209
113.196
244.459
113.196
249.034
5.14746
249.034
[0093] FIG. 5A and FIG. 5B disclose another preferred embodiment which consists of a 4-fold symmetric device in which the POE is a Fresnel lens 501 of a dome-like shape instead of flat. The additional degree of freedom to choose the curve of the overall profile of the Fresnel lens makes it possible in the polychromatic optimization to control the positions of two foci for two junctions instead of one.
[0094] FIG. 6 illustrates the steps in the design of a domed 4-fold concentrator. First of all, point A on the POE, placed on the optical axis, is chosen. Then, point C of the SOE, on the symmetry axis, is chosen, and the SOE is designed as a Cartesian oval coupling spherical wavefronts with origins at A and at point E on the near edge of the cell passing through C. Next, point D is chosen as the point of the SOE where the meridional tangent line to the SOE forms a certain angle with the vertical direction (typically 5° to allow for easy demolding of the SOE part). Later, the POE is designed from A to B. One suitable method is described by Kritchman et al., Appl. Opt. 18, 2688-2695 (1979), Ref [15], which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, focusing parallel rays tilted+α(starting from ray c and ending with ray a) in D and focusing parallel rays tilted −α(starting in ray d and ending with ray b) in C, where a is the desired acceptance angle. Kritchman describes only the design of a cylindrical lens, but it is within the skill in the art at the present time to generalize Kritchman's method to a dome lens. Kritchman does not consider the possibility of a Köhler configuration, but can still be used to locate the primary focus 209 .
[0095] In the present embodiments, the Kritchman method is modified as a polychromatic design, where rays focused in C are chosen to have a short wavelength in the solar spectrum (e.g. 450 nm, in the top junction band) and rays focused in D are chosen to have a long wavelength (e.g. 1,000 nm, in the bottom junction band). Rays impinging within ±α on point A, after being refracted in POE and SOE, will go to E. Then, analogously to the polychromatic optimization described, the coordinates of points F, C and the abscissa of D are considered as the free parameters that define the space in which the acceptance angle is maximized to achieve performance target (1).
[0096] Domed Fresnel designs can achieve lower depth to diameter ratios than flat Fresnel designs (0.7 to 0.9 for domed Fresnels compared with 0.9 to 1.2 for flat Fresnels) and higher CAPs due to the less constrained POE design (up to 0.73).
[0097] Regarding the balanced irradiance distributions intended in performance target (2), FIG. 7C and FIG. 7D show the irradiance of a design with Cg=1,234 for the extreme bands of the top and bottom junctions, respectively, of a dome designed according to the previous paragraphs. It shows that the irradiances are significantly less uniform and less alike than for the flat-Fresnel cases in FIG. 4A to 4D . The reason is that, since the lens is not flat, even if its projection on a plane normal to the sun direction is square, the angular region seen by the SOE lobes is not, and the image the SOE projects is very distorted and, because of the low depth to POE diagonal ratio, wavelength dependent. That design achieves a CAP=0.73. If the abscissae of C and D are diminished, it is possible to provide a much more balanced uniformity, as shown in FIG. 7A and FIG. 7B , but at a lower CAP=0.55.
[0098] Apart from the higher compactness and CAP, the dome Fresnel is advantageous over the flat one in its smaller SOE (this implies a lower absorption inside the material and lower cost in the glass molding process). However, since the combination of the lens convexity and high optical efficiency can result in the facets of the dome POE having negative draft angle, the manufacturing of the dome lens becomes challenging. One technique is based on the use of PMMA injection molding using a moveable mold, as the Japanese company Daido Steel has developed for rotationally symmetric lenses, see Ref. [5]. An alternative is shown in FIG. 8 , in which the Fresnel interior face of the lens is made with a spiral profile 81 (which can be demolded by a combination of rotation and pull, as a screw), truncated to the square projected aperture 82 . The exterior surface has the four lobes 83 to produce the desired beam separation. The spiral is constructed from a 2D polygonal profile contained in a meridional plane in three steps available in many CAD software packages: (a) a linearly varying spiral is generated passing through the concave vertices, (b) the same as (a) for the convex vertices, and (c) the facet profile is swept along the spirals using the them as rails. Of course, it is also possible to use the 4-fold front surface 83 of the POE in combination with a rotationally symmetric Fresnel inner surface.
[0099] The following two Tables 4 and 5 show the numerical data describing the shape of the polychromatically optimized dome design just discussed with CAP=0.73. For both the POE and the SOE, a Cartesian coordinates system is defined with the origin at the cell center and with the X and Y axes parallel to the cell sides, while the z axis is perpendicular to the cell plane. The size of the units is arbitrary, and in these units the cell active area is 5×5 while the POE is 176×176. Due to the 4-fold symmetry, the lenses need to be described only in the quadrant X>0 and Y>0. Both the POE and SOE are symmetric with respect to the plane X=Y.
[0100] The surface of SOE has rotational symmetry with respect to the line joining the cell corner at X=Y=7.071 and Z=0 with the POE vertex at X=Y=0, Z=200. The SOE sag list is given in the following Table 4:
[0000]
TABLE 4
X = Y
Z
9.39701
5.93534
9.3411
6.49868
9.25159
7.08115
9.1247
7.67954
8.95669
8.28958
8.7439
8.90578
8.48307
9.52134
8.17144
10.1281
7.80715
10.7165
7.38944
11.2758
6.91901
11.7941
6.39831
12.2591
5.8317
12.6585
5.22555
12.9807
4.58818
13.2153
3.92959
13.3546
3.261
13.3936
[0101] The dome Fresnel lens has an axis of rotational symmetry parallel to the Z axis, at X=Y=5.211, and the points describing the inner polygonal profile and smooth outer profile are given in the following Table 5:
[0000]
X = Y
Z
5.21094
200
10.2099
199.931
15.2015
199.648
20.1765
199.152
25.1259
198.445
30.0409
197.529
34.9128
196.406
39.7334
195.08
44.4947
193.555
49.1891
191.835
53.8095
189.925
58.3491
187.83
62.8016
185.556
67.1612
183.108
71.4226
180.493
75.5809
177.717
79.6316
174.787
83.5707
171.708
87.3947
168.487
91.1003
165.13
94.6847
161.645
98.1453
158.036
101.48
154.311
104.687
150.475
107.764
146.535
110.711
142.495
113.525
138.363
116.207
134.143
118.755
129.841
121.168
125.462
123.446
121.011
125.588
116.494
120.603
115.182
120.198
116.06
119.787
116.937
119.371
117.81
118.95
118.682
118.524
119.55
118.092
120.417
117.656
121.28
117.214
122.141
116.766
123
116.314
123.855
115.856
124.708
115.393
125.558
114.925
126.405
114.452
127.25
113.973
128.091
113.489
128.93
113
129.765
112.506
130.598
112.007
131.427
111.502
132.254
110.992
133.077
110.477
133.897
109.957
134.714
109.431
135.527
108.901
136.337
108.365
137.144
107.824
137.948
107.278
138.748
106.727
139.544
106.171
140.337
105.61
141.126
105.043
141.912
104.471
142.694
103.895
143.473
103.313
144.247
102.726
145.018
102.134
145.785
101.537
146.548
100.935
147.307
100.328
148.062
99.7157
148.813
99.0986
149.56
98.4764
150.303
97.8493
151.042
97.2172
151.777
96.5801
152.507
95.9381
153.233
95.2911
153.954
94.6392
154.672
93.9824
155.384
93.3207
156.093
92.6541
156.796
91.9827
157.495
91.3064
158.19
90.6253
158.88
89.9394
159.565
89.2487
160.245
88.5532
160.92
87.853
161.591
87.148
162.256
86.4383
162.917
85.7239
163.572
85.0049
164.223
84.2812
164.868
83.5528
165.508
82.8199
166.143
82.0824
166.773
81.3403
167.397
80.5937
168.016
79.8426
168.629
79.087
169.237
78.327
169.84
77.5625
170.436
76.7936
171.027
76.0204
171.613
75.2428
172.193
74.4609
172.766
73.6747
173.335
72.8842
173.897
72.0896
174.453
71.2907
175.003
70.4877
175.547
69.6806
176.085
68.8694
176.617
68.0541
177.143
67.2349
177.663
66.4116
178.176
65.5844
178.683
64.7533
179.183
63.9184
179.677
63.0796
180.164
62.237
180.645
61.3907
181.12
60.5407
181.588
59.687
182.049
58.8297
182.503
57.9689
182.951
57.1045
183.391
56.2366
183.825
55.3653
184.252
54.4906
184.672
53.6125
185.085
52.7312
185.491
51.8466
185.89
50.9588
186.281
50.0679
186.666
49.1738
187.043
48.2768
187.413
47.3767
187.776
46.4737
188.131
45.5679
188.479
44.6592
188.819
43.7477
189.152
42.8335
189.478
41.9167
189.796
40.9972
190.106
40.0753
190.409
39.1508
190.704
38.2239
190.991
37.2947
191.271
36.3631
191.543
35.4293
191.807
34.4933
192.063
33.5552
192.312
32.6151
192.552
31.673
192.785
30.7289
193.01
29.783
193.226
28.8353
193.435
27.8858
193.636
26.9347
193.828
25.982
194.013
25.0278
194.189
24.0721
194.358
23.115
194.518
22.1565
194.67
21.1969
194.814
20.236
194.949
19.274
195.077
18.311
195.196
17.347
195.307
16.382
195.41
15.4163
195.504
14.4497
195.591
13.4825
195.669
12.5146
195.738
11.5462
195.8
10.5773
195.853
9.60802
195.898
8.63837
195.934
7.66844
195.962
6.6983
195.983
5.72802
196
[0102] So far, the embodiments have had 2×2 symmetric units, but the polychromatic optimization described can be applied to other more general N×M schemes. FIG. 9 shows a 1×2 design, in which the rectangular POE lens 91 is divided into two segments that concentrate the sun light onto a two-lobe SOE lens 92 , splitting the beam into two channels that create the two foci 93 and 94 . Devices with N different from M have the capacity to produce different acceptance angles in the N and M directions. This is of interest for setting the high acceptance angle direction parallel to the elevation axis, at which the mechanical constraint is higher in usual rectangular arrays. The design in FIG. 9 has Cg=312× and acceptance angles of ±1.37° and 1.62° (larger in the direction of the long side of the POE rectangle).
[0103] The acceptance of the 1×2 concentrator may be optimized analogously with the 2×2 concentrators described above. Defining the “long parallel” direction as parallel to the edge that extends first along one segment of the primary optical element 91 and then along the other segment, and defining the “short parallel” direction as parallel to the orthogonal edges, the optimization can be done in three ways:
[0104] (1) The simplest approach, as in the 4-fold case, is to find the maximum at which α_long (top)=α_long (bottom) and maximum. In this case α_short (top) and α_short (bottom) will not in general be equal one to another.
[0105] (2) Use x m , and z m to adjust the two equations α_long (top)=α_long (bottom) and α_short (top)=α_short(bottom). In this case along will not be maximum.
[0106] (3) Find the maximum at which α_short (top)=α_short (bottom) and maximum. In this case α_long (top) and α_long (bottom) will not in general be equal one to another. This is the same as (1) exchanging long and short.
[0107] FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment of a Köhler integrating concentrator in the form of a 3×3 concentrator, for which the polychromatic optimization has to be applied. The POE is a Fresnel lens 100 comprising nine segments or sectors. The Fresnel lens is not fully rotationally symmetric, but comprises a symmetric central sector 106 , four lateral sectors 105 , each of them symmetric with each other relative to the Fresnel lens center, and four diagonal sectors 104 , also symmetric with each other relative to the Fresnel lens center. The four lateral and four diagonal sectors may be made as an off-center square piece of a symmetric Fresnel lens. SOE lens 101 also comprises nine sectors, each aligned with corresponding sector of POE lens 100 . All nine sector pairs send the sun rays within the acceptance angle to cell 102 .
[0108] Compared to 4-fold flat Fresnel designs, the 9-fold produces a higher CAP (up to 0.65) in performance target (1) and an even better uniformity and irradiance balance in performance target (2). For instance, the 9-fold in FIG. 10 achieves Cg=1000× of geometrical concentration with an acceptance angle of ±1.18° (i.e. CAP=0.65). This device is attractive for solar cells 102 with specially high spectral sensitivity, as is expected to occur in future four and five junction solar cells.
[0109] With the design of their previous U.S. Pat. No. 8,000,018, the inventors have achieved a balance no better than 0.7:1 between the top and bottom junctions, and a CAP for the worst of the three wavebands no better than 0.40. They believe that a balance of 0.75:1 and a CAP of 0.45 would be obtainable by improved design. With the present devices, in contrast, a balance of at least 0.99:1 between the top and bottom junctions, and a CAP for the worst of the three wavebands of at least 0.63 are obtainable, even with a flat primary optical element.
[0110] Embodiments of the present invention consistently achieve a CAP greater than 0.45, and a uniformity (ratio of minimum to maximum irradiance on the cell with the sun centered on the perfect-aim position) of at least 0.5 for all wavebands simultaneously. The inventors have found that with proper design a uniformity of at least ⅔, and usually at least 0.8, is consistently achievable for realistic configurations.
REFERENCES
[0111] [1] W. Cassarly, “Nonimaging Optics: Concentration and Illumination”, in the Handbook of Optics, 2nd ed., pp 2.23-2.42, (McGraw-Hill, New York, 2001)
[0112] [2] H. Ries, J. M. Gordon, M. Laxen, “High-flux photovoltaic solar concentrators with Kaleidoscope based optical designs”, Solar Energy, Vol. 60, No. 1, pp.11-16, (1997)
[0113] [3] J. J. O′Ghallagher, R. Winston, “Nonimaging solar concentrator with near-uniform irradiance for photovoltaic arrays” in Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer VI, Roland Winston, Ed., Proc. SPIE 4446, pp. 60-64, (2001)
[0114] [4] D. G. Jenkings, “High-uniformity solar concentrators for photovoltaic systems” in Nonimaging Optics: Maximum Efficiency Light Transfer VI, Roland Winston, Ed., Proc. SPIE 4446, pp. 52-59, (2001)
[0115] [5] http://www.daido.co.jp/en/products/cpv/technology.html
[0116] [6] http://www.solfocus.com/
[0117] [7] http://www.suncorepv.com/
[0118] [8] L. W. James, “Use of imaging refractive secondaries in photovoltaic concentrators”, SAND 89p-7029, Albuquerque, N. Mex., (1989)
[0119] [9] Chapter 13, “Next Generation Photovoltaics”, (Taylor & Francis, CRC Press, 2003)
[0120] [10] R. Winston, J. C. Miñano, P. Benitez, “Nonimaging Optics”, (Elsevier-Academic Press, New York, 2005)
[0121] [11] J. C. Miñano, P. Benitez, J.C. Gonzalez, “RX: a nonimaging concentrator”, Appl. Opt. 34, pp. 2226-2235, (1995)
[0122] [12] P. Benitez, J. C. Miñano, “Ultrahigh-numerical-aperture imaging concentrator”, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A, 14, pp. 1988-1997, (1997)
[0123] [13] J. C. Miñano, M. Hernández, P. Benitez, J. Blen, O. Dross, R. Mohedano, A. Santamaria, “Free-form integrator array optics”, in Nonimaging Optics and Efficient Illumination Systems II, SPIE Proc., R. Winston & T.J. Koshel ed. (2005)
[0124] [14] J. Chaves, “Introduction to Nonimaging Optics”, CRC Press, 2008, Chapter 17.
[0125] [15] E.M. Kritchman, A.A. Friesem, G. Yekutieli, “Highly Concentrating Fresnel Lenses”, Appl. Opt. 18, 2688-2695 (1979)
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One example of a solar voltaic concentrator has a primary Fresnel lens with multiple panels, each of which forms a Kohler integrator with a respective panel of a lenticular secondary lens. The resulting plurality of integrators all concentrate sunlight onto a common multi-junction photovoltaic cell. The integrators provide matching illumination in the different wavebands required by the different junctions. Luminaires using a similar geometry are also possible.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Welding fluxes are generally in one of three forms. They may be either fused, agglomerated or bonded.
The fused is formed by melting the flux at temperatures between 2700 and 3100 F before chilling and fragmenting the flux. The agglomerated flux has a ceramic binder which is cured at temperatures of about 2550 F. In producing a bonded flux, the raw materials are ground, dry mixed and then bonded together with the addition of potassium silicate or sodium silicate. The mixture is then pelletized and cured at relatively low temperature to drive off the moisture. Due to the relatively low temperature of the curing, metallic deoxidizers and ferroalloys can be included in the flux, without being destroyed by high temperature curing. One disadvantage of the bonded flux is that it is more likely to absorb moisture than the other types and a second disadvantage is that removal of fines, either willfully or inadvertently, will effect some alteration of the flux composition which does not occur with the other type fluxes.
The conventional method of curing the pelletized bonded flux comprises feeding the material into a high heat rotary kiln. This process takes approximately 40 minutes from the time the flux enters the kiln until exit. Due to the tumbling action within the kiln and the velocity of gases passing through the kiln, many of the fines are inadvertently removed during this process. This is sometimes minimized by making large pellets, which then requires subsequent grinding to the desired size.
Rotary kilns tend to be relatively massive and less than conveniently portable. They are costly in maintenance and fuel consumption and a typical kiln has to be fired for a period of 18 to 24 hours so that the temperature can be brought up gradually. Since these disadvantages occur even in small kilns it has been the tendency to restrict operations to large size kilns which handle a large volume of flux in a single batch.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
My invention comprises a series of inclined planes which cascade the flux from one plane to the other. The rate of flow of flux across this plane may be regulated by regulating a vibrator which vibrates the planes or by adjusting the inclination of each plane. The flux is cured by radiantly heating the flux from above as it traverses the vibrating inclined planes. The space between the radiant means and the inclined plane may be enclosed by side plates to form a passageway for natural convection of air, and for exhaust gases where gas fired radiant heaters are used. The passageway over each plane may be serially connected with that of the other planes.
This apparatus may be more rapidly heated up than rotary kilns and is suitable for either small or large batches. It will process flux more rapidly and is more portable than a kiln for a comparable capacity.
The radiant heating permits good heat transfer to the flux without high gas velocities or agitation so that loss of fine material is minimized. The serial flow through different heating means permits the use of different temperatures at each location so that a lower temperature may be used as the flux approaches dryness, thereby minimizing burnout of elements in the flux while still obtaining a relatively high heating rate for rapid curing. It has also been found that the use of a radiant heat source at a relatively high temperature level for bonded flux, say 1400° F to 1800° F, produces a stronger flux which is less subject to fragmentation during shipping than is that cured at lower temperature levels. Other advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art as the description proceeds.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a sectional side elevation of the flux curing apparatus; and
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken through one level of the apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1, structural support 10 supports upper inclined plane 12, intermediate inclined plane 14, and the lower inclined plane 16. Each of the inclined planes comprises a metal support plate 18 which may be welded to the support 10 and a ceramic insert plate 20 of a heat resisting material such as quartz.
A gas fired radiant heater 22 is supported from the support 10 parallel to each of the inclined planes. This heater includes an air inlet 24, a gas inlet 26 and a regulator 28 which controls the air gas mixture into the heater. The heater includes a fine mesh screen 30 with a gas burning on the discharge side of the screen. The screen may be maintained at any desired temperature level by appropriate regulation of regulator 28. The distance between the radiating screen 30 and the inner surface 32 of the ceramic plate is one and one-half inches.
Feed of the uncured flux 42 from hopper 44 is controlled by regulating gate 46. The flux passes through expansion joint 48 falling on inclined plane 12. Vibrator 50 vibrates the inclined planes so that the flux delivered to them traverses these planes at a rate which may be controlled by the frequency or stroke of the vibrator. A layer of flux 52 is therefore formed on the upper inclined plane 12 with the flux moving downwardly to the lower end of the plane. The lower end of the upper plane is located above the upper portion of the inclined plane 14 whereby the flux forms a free falling stream 54 to the intermediate plane 14. A layer of flux 56 is formed on this plane passing to the lower end of the plane which is located above the upper portion of inclined plane 16. The flux falls freely in stream 58 to the lower inclined plane 16. A flux layer 60 is formed on the lower inclined plane as the flux moves across this plane cascading into a discharge bin 62.
Each of the inclined planes has a side plate 66 on each side connecting the inclined plane to the radiant heater 22. This forms an unobstructive passageway through which exhaust gases from the gas fired heater and vapor driven off from the flux will pass. Four sided connecting ducts 58 join the upper end of each plane with the lower end of the plane thereabove so as to form a continuous passageway above the three inclined planes. The upper passageway is connected to a stack 68. In addition to the exhaust gases and vapor driven off, a natural convection current of air passes upwardly and serially through the passageways and through the discharge stack.
Insulation 70 covers the underside of the inclined plane and the side plate as well as the vertical duct work to retain heat within the apparatus. The radiant heater 22 is not insulated since the high temperature which would result in the heater 22 would cause it to malfunction.
In a working model which has been tested, the inclined planes were each 4 inches wide and 28 inches long. The angle of repose of the flux to be cured was 28 1/2 ° and the angle from horizontal used for the inclined planes was 27 1/2 °. The entire structure was vibrated by an adjustable vibrating means 50, although it is necessary only that the inclined planes itself be vibrated. Retention time in the apparatus is three to five minutes, with an output of 600 pounds per hour.
The preferred operating temperature of the radiating screen is 1600° F. Temperatures from 1000° F to 1800° F are acceptable but the lower temperature increases the required traverse time and also results in a cured flux which is more frangible than the flux cured at a higher temperature.
1800° F is believed to be about the highest acceptable temperature. At temperatures beyond this, there will be a tendency for some of the flux additives to oxidize. The use of the high temperature, however, has been found to produce a flux which is more suitable for shipping without the particles crumbling. Accordingly, 1600° F is the preferred temperature at which the radiating body should operate.
The preferred spacing of the radiating body from the inclined plane is 11/2 inches. If the distance is significantly less than this, the velocity of gases passing along the inclined plane increases and accordingly, the tendency to entrain fine particles will increase. On the other hand, should the distance significantly exceed 11/2 inches, the radiant energy is dissipated due to absorption of heat in the moisture and in the gas passing through the passageway.
The cascading action of the flow stream 54 and 58 reverses any layering that might occur in the flux and permits the flow of hot air and gases to bathe the flux. During the freefall, the entire surface of the flux particles is exposed, thereby increasing the effectiveness of release of vapor from the surfaces. The use of radiant heating permits the apparatus to be more rapidly warmed for starting, since the heat is to be directed only at the flux itself. However since the flux will also transfer heat in turn to the inclined plane material during operation, the material must be prewarmed. There will be some limitation on heat-up rate, depending on the material used. It has been found that the test apparatus can be brought up to temperature in less than 40 minutes with no deleterious effect on any of the equipment.
The use of radiant heating produces a heating method wherein very little force is exerted on flux particles due to flow of air or other gases. Accordingly, the fine material in the flux is retained with only rejection being that which may be willfully made in screening after curing. It has been reported that with bonded flux, the fine material will have a different chemical composition, although the problem may be initiated due to the pelletizing method used, the retention of the fines assures the uniformity of a cured flux. Normally, the only rejection of material would be that which passes through a 200 mesh screen.
While the inclined planes are shown at a fixed angle, it is preferable that they be made adjustable so that depending on the consistency of the flux to be cured, better control can be effected over the flow rate. Normally the inclined plane should be at an angle slightly less than the angle of repose of the material to be cured.
Since the material to be cured is very moist in the upper inclined plane 12 but rather dry as it reaches the lower inclined plane 16, different temperatures of the radiating source may be used. For instance, a radiating source at 1800° F may be used at the upper level with 1600° F being used at the intermediate level and 1200° F being used at the lower level. This will decrease the possibility of inadvertent burnout of oxidizable additives.
While the preferred embodiment has been described with three planes, a greater number may be used.
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An apparatus for curing bonded welding flux wherein the flux is passed along a series of vibrating inclined planes. Gas fired radiant heaters are positioned above the planes to heat the flux, with combustion gases and vapor driven off the flux passing upwardly between the radiant heaters and the flux covered planes.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for attaching at least one shaped part, together with a wear part onto a support piece and to an arrangement for mounting at least one shaped part which is equipped with a wear part, onto a support piece.
2. Description of the Related Art
An arrangement of this type is known from the German prior art document DE-OS 1 761 174, which discloses the mounting of an oxide ceramic strip (shaped part/wear part) to a strip shaped support (support piece). The support piece may be manufactured from metal or a hydrophobic, deformation resistant synthetic material such as sintered low-pressure polyethylene. The oxide ceramic strip is longitudinally movable and flexible for expansion and is equipped for this purpose with a longitudinal groove extending along the entire length thereof. The groove enlarges toward the inside to a T-shaped cross section. The support is provided with several longitudinal slots distributed along its length, whose orientation is in a longitudinal direction. The longitudinal slots intersperse the support from its flat cover surface on which the floor area of the oxide ceramic strip rests, through to a longitudinal groove on the floor area of the support. A screw intended for securing the oxide ceramic strip on the support can slide in each longitudinal slot. The oxide ceramic strip has profile flanges which point toward the inside. A shim facilitates the screw head resting on such profile flanges. A nut is fastened onto the screw, whereby the nut with the help of springy shims, for example two Belleville washers, supports itself on a shim which rests on the oxide ceramic strip. If the oxide ceramic strip expands differently than the support, then the screws glide in the longitudinal slots, a process further facilitated by the springy shims. Since the fastening elements which secure the oxide ceramic strip on the support engage the oxide ceramic strip from the bottom, the surface of the oxide ceramic strip interacting with the wire and felts remains completely smooth, thereby neither increasing the friction resistance nor causing countersink holes for the fastening screws in the surface in which stock particles could accumulate.
A disadvantage of this arrangement including fastening elements (for example, screws) is, that the fastening elements may loosen during operation and, in a worst case scenario, may independently detach themselves. A detached fastening element may get into the processing zones of the paper, cardboard or tissue machine and may cause considerable damage, resulting in a forced shut-down of the machine and possibly in expensive repairs.
Further, such replacement of the wear part together with the shaped part results in longer down times because of the multitude of fastening elements which would normally require unscrewing, tightening and securing. Furthermore, an easy change-over of the wear part, together with the shaped part, is not possible from the machine side since the fasteners are mounted at more or less equal distances in the CD (cross-machine direction) direction and must be actuated at their installation locations.
Existing arrangements are already known from the PCT document WO 93/00473 and the two German documents DE 43 19 311 A1 and DE 37 17 532 A1 in which the shaped part is held and fastened by a dovetail connection, a T-groove connection or a cross connection in the support piece.
Because of the required manufacturing tolerances on the one hand, and the required clearances between the shaped part and the support piece on the other hand various problems can occur. A fit which is too tight makes the mounting of the shaped part more difficult and makes it impossible to slide the long shaped part onto the support piece. Many times, disassembly of a shaped part with too tight a clearance is not possible without destroying the wear piece mounted on it. On the other hand, too much clearance between the shaped part and the support piece leads to wobbling of the shaped part on the support piece, resulting in that no defined dewatering geometry (e.g., foil angle) can be adhered to. Furthermore, too large a clearance may cause vibration of the parts which, in the area of the former, may lead to formation problems in the material web which is to be formed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the objective of the invention to improve a method and an arrangement of mounting at least one shaped part, which is equipped with a wear part, onto a support piece in such a way that the aforementioned disadvantages of the state of the art are avoided. A prime aspect is the realization of an improved cost-effectiveness ratio. With respect to the method of the present invention, two parts are clamped to each other by a clamping device so that an operating tolerance is vastly or preferably totally eliminated based on manufacturing tolerances; and a quick and non-destructive change-over of the shaped part is possible; and a common sealing of the two parts (support piece and shaped part) by the clamping device on the one hand and a positive locking of the two parts on the other hand provides that neither fiber-loaded nor dirt-loaded processing water can penetrate between them. This type of clamping provides an excellent way of realizing the advantages of increased effective operating time, a defined and constant dewatering geometry and low change-over times.
Furthermore, clamping is achieved by the clamping device in a manner whereby vibrations are eliminated and the clamping becomes oscillation damping, whereby a “softer” and low-noise machine operation is achieved.
A defined and constant dewatering geometry is also facilitated if clamping by the clamping device is achieved in a manner whereby the foil angle during clamping is not changed.
From a statistical point of view, it is advantageous if clamping is achieved so that, in addition to the clamping device's clamping line, at least two additional defined support lines ensure clear positioning between support piece and shaped part.
With respect to the apparatus of the present invention, the shaped part displays a contour, specifically an inside contour extending along the entire length of the under side thereof, this contour is essentially complimentary to the outside contour extending along the entire length on the top of the support piece, and a preferably operable clamping device is provided in the area of the two complimentary contours.
The clamping device provides that the two parts are definitively and permanently clamped to each other, whereas the complementing contours provide that, even in the event of a clamping device malfunction, the basic operation thereof is maintained, so that there is no increased danger of wire and/or felt destruction.
In a first embodiment of the invention, on the first side, the shaped part has a 2-part T-groove as an inside contour and on the second side has a 2-part dovetail groove as an inside contour; and on the first side the support piece has a 2-part T-rib as an outside contour and on the second side has a 2-part dovetail rib as an outside contour; and the clamping device is located in the area of the angled 2-part dovetail contour.
In a second embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the groove bottom; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour; and the clamping device is mounted preferably in the center in the area of the grooved bottom.
In a third embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess at the groove bottom; the support part has a T-rib as an outside contour; and the clamping device is mounted preferably centered on the T-rib and will act upon the T-groove, preferably in the area of the groove bottom.
In a fourth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a dovetailed groove, equipped with a parallel base as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a dovetailed rib with a parallel base as an outside contour; and a clamping device is installed on each side of the angled dovetailed contours.
In a fifth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour; and a clamping device is installed on each side in the area of the two opposing short face surfaces (clamping at bottom).
In a sixth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a T-rib with clamping rail as an outer contour, and the clamping device is installed between the T-rib of the support piece and the clamping rail, integrated preferably in a V-groove which is centered preferably on the T-rib.
In a seventh embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour; and at least one clamping device is installed between the top side of the T-rib and the grooved bottom.
In an eighth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a T-rib with two side bevels progressing from the T-rib bottom toward the outside and with a parallel base; and a clamping device is installed in the areas of each of the two bevels.
In a ninth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a dovetail groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the groove bottom; the support piece has a dovetail rib as an outside contour; and the clamping device is installed preferably centered in the area of the groove bottom.
In a tenth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, preferably with a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour; and a clamping device is installed in the area of each of the two opposing short face areas (clamping on top).
In an eleventh embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour, whereby the T-groove has a recess in the grooved bottom; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour; and the clamping device is installed in the recess in the groove bottom.
In a twelfth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a dovetail groove as an inside contour; the support piece has a dovetail rib as an outside contour; and at least one pivoting clamping device, located primarily in the support piece, is installed in the area of the dovetail contours which are angled on both sides.
In a thirteenth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a dovetail groove as an inside contour; the support piece has a dovetail rib as an outside contour; and at least one expansive clamping device, located primarily in the support piece, is installed in the area of the dovetail contours which are angled on both sides.
This embodiment has already proven itself successful in trials. This design successfully prevented penetration of dirt into the clamping device; easy unclamping was made possible by only one rubber tube; optimum and safe clamping was achieved through the wedge effect; the damping rubber tube permitted only slight vibrations; and production, due to only one-sided loading for the rubber tube, turned out to be relatively cost effective.
Total avoidance of dirt penetration into the clamping device is achieved in that the mutual sealing of the two parts (support piece and shaped part) is achieved by the clamping device, specifically an elastomer tube on the one hand and positive locking of the two parts on the other hand. Due to this sealing, neither fiber-loaded nor dirt-loaded processing water can penetrate.
In a fourteenth embodiment of the invention, the shaped part has a T-groove as an inside contour; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour which is beveled on one side, progressing from the T-rib bottom toward the outside; and the clamping device is installed in the area of the bevel.
In a fifteenth embodiment of the invention, the shaped body has a T-groove as an inside contour; the support piece has a T-rib as an outside contour which on one side has a shorter root face; and the clamping device is installed in the area of the shorter root face.
All fifteen described embodiments of the invention solve the objective in an excellent manner. The shaped part and the support piece are geometrically defined and permanently clamped to each other. The clamping device is integrated into the internal area of the two parts and the cost effectiveness ratio is improved.
The clamping device in the design according to the invention is, in a first embodiment thereof, an eccentric with associated operating device, whereby the operating device can be, for example, an eccentric disk or an electric motor. Advantages of this embodiment are the low design considerations and the low acquisition and operating costs for the clamping device.
A second embodiment of the clamping device includes an elastomer tube with a certain operating pressure, generally between 0.5 bar and 5 bar, preferably between 2 bar and 3.5 bar. The elastomer tube offers the advantage of a clamping device that is subject to operating wear and tear only in small measures. Design considerations and acquisition costs are low also in this instance.
In accordance with the invention, the operating pressure is produced by a preferably central pressure source, including a control system. Furthermore, the pressure source serves at least one clamping connection (preferably all clamping devices) with pressure. When serving multiple clamping devices one ensures that more or less uniform operating conditions, as far as pressure is concerned, prevail at the served supports.
In a third embodiment thereof, the clamping device is made at least one element, preferably a bolt equipped with a flange, activated by an associated operating device. The operating device advantageously is a pressure producing element, preferably a spring element, having a direction of action. Preferably in the area of the flange thereof, the bolt can be activated by a recoil device having a direction of action which is opposite to the direction of action of the operating device. This clamping device has the clear advantage that, during utilization of the shaped part, no operating costs occur due to external activation of the operating device. The working mechanism is oriented opposite to the two aforementioned working mechanisms. To release the arrangement, merely a force must be applied through the recoil device. This embodiment of the clamping device results in advantages regarding operational safety, operability and various costs, i.e. maintenance costs.
In a fourth embodiment thereof, the clamping device is made at least one element, preferably a ball, activated by an associated operating device. The operating device advantageously is a pressure producing element, preferably a spring element, having a direction of action. An advantage with this clamping device is the low design considerations and the low acquisition and operating costs for the clamping device. The working mechanism further corresponds with that of the third clamping device, which offers various positive characteristics.
In order to be able to utilize the clamping device according to the invention in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine, it is made to be resistant to acid and alkaline process water, preferably in a range of pH 2.5 to pH 12.
In order to meet the aforementioned demand, the clamping device is made to be further resistant against all solvents and chemicals, for example 20% caustic soda lye, and is hydrolysis resistant, meaning it is greatly resistant to swelling.
The wear part of the arrangement in accordance with the invention consists of a ceramic material or a thermoplastic material, whereas the shaped part consists of at least one of a ceramic material; a duroplastic material, for example GFK; and of a thermoplastic material. The aforementioned material types have hitherto proven themselves suitable for operation in paper, cardboard or tissue machines.
In a further embodiment, the shaped part and the wear part are designed as one unit, consisting of the same material, for example, a ceramic material or a thermoplastic material. The single unit design creates the advantage that only one unit exists, the one unit being homogeneous and not conjoined by connecting elements, particularly gluing.
Based on operational demands, the support part of the arrangement consists preferably of at least one of stainless steel and a duroplastic material.
It is understood that the aforementioned characteristics of the invention, as well as those yet to be described below can be used not only in the cited combinations, but can be utilized in other combinations or on their own, without leaving the scope of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIGS. 1 through 16 are cross-sectional view of various embodiments of the arrangement in accordance with the present invention.
Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate at least one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, shaped part 2 has a 2-part T-groove 7 . 1 representing an inside contour 6 extending along the entire length on under side 2 . 1 thereof on first side 6 a , and a dovetail groove 8 . 1 made up of two halves representing an inside contour 6 on second side 6 b , extending along the entire length of shaped part 2 . Support piece 5 , on upper side 5 . 1 and on first side 9 a thereof, includes a 2-part T-rib 10 . 1 representing an outside contour 9 extending along the entire length thereof, and a dovetail rib 11 . 1 on second side 9 b representing an outside contour 9 , also extending along the entire length thereof. A preferably controllable clamping device 12 is located in the area of angled 2-part contour 13 . 1 . Clamping device 12 however, can also be designed as a non-operable unit, for example, a spring clamp. The embodiment of FIG. 1 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 2 shows a schematic cross section of a second embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the second embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , advantageously with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as outside contour 9 . Clamping device 12 favorably is mounted in the center in the area of grooved bottom 15 . The embodiment of FIG. 2 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 3 shows a schematic cross section of a third embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the third embodiment, shaped part 2 has a dovetail groove 8 , equipped with a parallel base 16 as inside contour 6 thereof, favorably with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a dovetail rib 11 with a parallel base 17 as an outside contour 9 . A clamping device 12 is installed on each side of angled dovetailed contours 13 . The embodiment of FIG. 3 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 4 shows a schematic cross section of a forth embodiment of arrangement. According to the fourth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , advantageously with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 . A clamping device 12 is installed on each side in the area of two opposing short face surfaces 18 . 1 , 18 . 2 .
FIG. 5 shows a schematic cross section of a fifth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the fifth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , favorably with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 with clamping rail 19 as an outer contour 9 . Clamping device 12 is installed between T-rib 10 of support piece 5 and clamping rail 19 , integrated preferably in a V-groove 20 which advantageously is centered on T-rib 10 . The embodiment of FIG. 5 includes at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Support piece angled surface 32 is nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 6 shows a schematic cross section of a sixth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the sixth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 . At least one clamping device 12 is installed between top side 21 of T-rib 10 and grooved bottom 15 . The embodiment of FIG. 6 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 7 shows a schematic cross section of a seventh embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the seventh embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , advantageously with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 , with two side bevels 23 . 1 , 23 . 2 progressing from T-rib bottom 22 toward the outside and with a parallel base 17 . A clamping device 12 is installed in the areas of each of bevels 23 . 1 , 23 . 2 . The embodiment of FIG. 7 includes at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Support piece angled surface 32 is nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 8 shows a schematic cross section of an eighth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the eighth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a dovetail groove 8 as an inside contour 6 , favorably with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a dovetail rib 11 as an outside contour 9 . Clamping device 12 is advantageously installed so as to be centered in the area of grooved bottom 15 . The embodiment of FIG. 8 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 9 shows a schematic cross section of a ninth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the ninth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , advantageously with a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 . A clamping device 12 is installed in the area of each of opposing short face areas 18 . 1 , 18 . 2 .
FIG. 10 shows a schematic cross section of a tenth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the tenth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , whereby T-groove has a recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 . Clamping device 12 is installed in recess 14 in grooved bottom 15 .
FIG. 11 shows a schematic cross section of an eleventh embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the eleventh embodiment, shaped part 2 has a dovetail groove 8 as an inside contour 6 and support piece 5 has a dovetail rib 11 as an outside contour 9 . At least one pivoting clamping device 12 , located primarily within support piece 5 , is installed in the area of dovetail contours 13 , which are angled on both sides. According to this embodiment, clamping device 12 is an eccentric 25 with an associated operating device, which is not separately illustrated here. The operating device can, for example, be a cam plate or an electric motor, and, since such operating devices are well known in the state of the art, they will not be described, or illustrated, in further detail in this instance. The embodiment of FIG. 11 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 12 shows a schematic cross section of a twelfth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the twelfth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a dovetail groove 8 as an inside contour 6 , and support piece 5 has a dovetail rib 11 as an outside contour 9 . At least one expansive clamping device 12 , located primarily in support piece 5 , is installed in the area of dovetail contours 13 , which are angled on both sides. According to this embodiment, clamping device 12 is an elastomer tube (e.g., “rubber tube”) with a certain operating pressure, generally between 0.5 bar and 5 bar, preferably between 2 bar and 3.5 bar. The operating pressure is produced by a preferably central pressure source, already known in the state of the art and therefore not illustrated here, including a control system. Furthermore, the pressure source serves at least one clamping connection, favorably serving all clamping connections with pressure. When serving multiple clamping connections, one ensures that more or less uniform operating conditions, as far as pressure is concerned, prevail at the served supports. The embodiment of FIG. 12 includes at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Both shaped part angled surface 31 and support piece angled surface 32 are nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with each of at least one shaped part angled surface 31 and at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 13 shows a schematic cross section of a thirteenth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the thirteenth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 which has a bevel 23 on one side thereof, progressing from T-rib bottom 22 toward the outside. Clamping device 12 is installed in the area of bevel 23 . The embodiment of FIG. 13 includes at least one support piece angled surface 32 . Support piece angled surface 32 is nonparallel and nonperpendicular to the machine direction as viewed in cross-section. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned and in contact with at least one support piece angled surface 32 .
FIG. 14 shows a schematic cross section of a fourteenth embodiment of arrangement 1 . According to the fourteenth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , and support piece 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 which on side 9 b has a shorter root face 24 than root face 33 on the other side 9 a . Clamping device 12 is installed in the area of shorter root face 24 .
FIG. 15 shows a schematic cross section of a fifteenth embodiment of arrangement 1 According to the fifteenth embodiment, shaped part 2 has a T-groove 7 as an inside contour 6 , favorably with a recess 14 at grooved bottom 15 and support part 5 has a T-rib 10 as an outside contour 9 . Clamping device 12 is mounted and, advantageously, centered on T-rib 10 and will act upon T-groove 7 , favorably in the area of grooved bottom 15 . The invention provides that clamping device 12 is designed as at least as one element 27 , preferably a bolt 27 . 1 equipped with a flange 27 . 2 , and activated by an associated operating device 28 . Operating device 28 is a pressure producing element 29 , favorably a spring element 29 . 1 , having a direction of action WB (arrow). In the area of flange 27 . 2 thereof, bolt 27 . 1 can be activated by a recoil device 30 having a direction of action WB (arrow) which is opposite to direction of action WB (arrow) of operating device 28 . In accordance with the current state of the art, recoil device 28 may be a pressure-supplied elastomer tube or other similar element.
FIG. 16 shows a schematic cross section of a sixteenth embodiment of arrangement 1 . Arrangement 1 is similar to that in FIG. 15 to which we will herewith refer. According to the sixteenth embodiment, clamping device 12 is at least one element 27 , advantageously a ball 27 . 3 , activated by an associated operating device 28 . Operating device 28 is favorably a pressure producing element 29 , advantageously a spring element 29 . 1 , having a direction of action W B (arrow).
The embodiments in FIGS. 15 and 16 could naturally also assume the embodiments of the prior Figures. For example, shaped part 2 could be equipped with a dovetail groove 8 , and support piece 5 could be equipped with a dovetail rib 11 . In principle, all described arrangements 1 are possible also for FIGS. 15 and 16.
All illustrated clamping devices 12 , according to the invention, are advantageously resistant to acid and alkaline process water, preferably in a range of pH 2.5 to pH 12, as well as to all solvents and chemicals, for example 20% caustic soda lye. They are also favorably hydrolysis resistant, meaning they are greatly resistant to swelling, in order to be able to utilize them in a paper, cardboard or tissue machine.
According to the invention, a possible embodiment is one in which shaped part 2 and wear part 4 are constructed integrally as one unit, manufactured from the same material, for example, an oxide ceramic.
In the method according to the invention, two parts 2 , 5 are clamped to each other using a clamping device 12 , so that an operating tolerance is vastly or, preferably, totally eliminated, based on manufacturing tolerances. Additionally, a quick and non-destructive change-over of shaped part 2 is possible, and a common sealing of parts 2 , 5 is possible so that no fiber-loaded and/or dirt-loaded processing water can penetrate between them.
While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.
1 Arrangement
2 Shaped part
2 . 1 Underside
3 Top surface
4 Wear part
5 Support piece
5 . 1 Top side
6 Inside contour
6 . 1 Contour
6 a , 9 a First side
6 b , 9 b Second side
7 T-groove
7 . 1 2-part groove
8 Dovetail groove
8 . 1 2-part dovetail groove
9 Outside contour
9 . 1 Contour
10 T-groove
10 . 1 2-part T-groove
11 Dovetail rib
11 . 1 2-part dovetail rib
12 Clamping device
13 Dovetail contour
13 . 1 2-part dovetail contour
14 Recess
15 Grooved bottom
16 , 17 Base
18 . 1 , 18 . 2 Face
19 Clamping rail
20 V-groove
21 Top side
22 T-rib bottom
23 , 23 . 1 , 23 . 2 Bevel
24 Root face
25 Eccentric
26 Elastomer tube
27 Element
7 . 1 Bolt
27 . 2 Flange
27 . 3 Ball
28 Operating device
29 Pressure producing element
29 . 1 Spring element
30 Recoil device
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The arrangement is for use within a machine for at least one of making and processing at least one of paper, cardboard and tissue. The arrangement includes a first unit, a support piece and at least one clamping device. A first unit has a shaped part together with a wear part, the shaped part having a part underside. The part underside has an underside length, the shaped part displaying a part contour upon the part underside along substantially all of the underside length. A support piece interlocks with the shaped part, the support piece having a support piece top and a corresponding top length. The support piece has a piece contour upon the support piece top along substantially all of the top length, the piece contour being substantially complimentary to the part contour. At least one clamping device is operatively positioned relative to both the part contour and the piece contour.
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This is a division of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 027,786, filed Mar. 19, 1987, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,976,462.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a water cooling means for an engine and more particularly to an improved thermostat arrangement and cooling layout for an internal combustion engine.
As is well known, with liquid cooled internal combustion engines, it is the normal practice to provide a thermostat within the cooling system for maintaining a uniform temperature and for insuring quick warm-up. The thermostat includes a thermostatically operated valve element that causes the coolant to be recirculated through the engine cooling jacket without flowing through the associated radiator when the engine is cold. As the temperature of the engine increases, the thermostatic valve progressively opens and increasing amounts of coolant are circulated through the radiator before they are returned to the engine cooling jacket for recirculation.
It has been found that a particular problem results from such arrangements. Specifically, the water that enters the thermostat housing has pulsations in it and if the thermostatic valve is partially opened, these pulsations are transmitted through the thermostat housing back into the engine cooling system. Not only does this cause uneven coolant flow but it also can cause vibrations to occur in the thermostat housing, connecting pipes and the radiator. Obviously, these vibrations can adversely affect the durability of all of the components of the engine associated with the cooling jacket and particularly the radiator, piping and clamps not to mention the thermostat itself.
In a V type engine, the two banks of the engines normally have their own separate cooling jackets which operate independent but which return the coolant to the radiator through the same thermostat housing. With such types of engines, the problems described in the preceding paragraph may be even more prevalent.
It is, therefore, a principal object of this invention to provide an improved cooling system for an internal combustion engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved cooling system for an internal combustion engine in which vibrations in the cooling system and specifically in the thermostat housing are avoided.
It has been the practice to mount both the thermostat and the water pump at the same end of the engine. This facilitates the driving of the water pump without necessitating external shafting and also can provide a relatively compact nature for the engine. However, the water inlet from the radiator back to the engine normally extends into the water pump housing and the water return back to the radiator normally extends from the thermostat housing. This means that the engine water inlets and outlets are positioned in close proximity to each other. Although in some applications this is desirable, there are others where this is not true.
For example, if the radiator or associated heat exchanger is disposed in parallel side-by-side relationship to the engine as is common with transverse engine, front wheel drive arrangements, the plumbing for the radiator can be complicated or, alternatively, it is necessary to use a vertical flow rather than a cross flow radiator. In addition, the positioning of both the water pump and the thermostat at the same end of the engine can give rise to certain servicing problems.
It is, therefore, a still further object of this invention to provide an improved cooling system for an internal combustion engine.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a cooling system for an internal combustion engine wherein the water pump and thermostat housing may be positioned at widely different locations relative to the associated engine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A first feature of the invention is adapted to be embodied in a thermostat arrangement for an internal combustion engine having an outer housing defining an internal cavity. A thermostatic valve is contained within the outer housing and defines first and second portions. The thermostatic valve is movable between a closed position wherein the communication between the housing portions is restricted, and an opened position wherein the portions have substantially unrestricted communication. An inlet port extends into one of the housing portions and an outlet port opens into another of the housing portions. At least one of the ports is configured relative to the associated housing portion for generating a swirl around the thermostat for precluding the transmission of pulsations through the thermostat housing.
Another feature of the invention is adapted to be embodied in a cooling system for an internal combustion engine having a cylinder construction which incorporates a cooling jacket having an inlet port at one end of the engine and an outlet port at the other end of the engine. A water pump is driven by the engine and is located at a first end thereof and is associated with the port at that end. A thermostat housing containing a thermostat is positioned at a second end of the engine and is associated with the port at that end.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 1--1 of FIG. 2 and shows a thermostat housing constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along a plane extending generally perpendicularly to the plane of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a partially schematic top plan view of a motor vehicle incorporating an internal combustion engine having a cooling system constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention and incorporating a thermostat of the type shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a thermostat constructed in accordance with an embodiment of the invention is identified generally by the reference numeral 11. The thermostat is particularly adapted for use with the cooling system of a liquid cooled internal combustion engine and particularly one of the type having inclined or angularly disposed cylinder banks.
The thermostat 11 includes an outer housing that is comprised of a main body portion 12 and a cover plate 13. The cover plate 13 and main body port 12 are affixed to each other in any known manner. The overall thermostat housing is indicated generally by the reference numeral 14.
An internal cavity is defined within the thermostat housing 14 and supports a thermostatic valve, indicated generally by the reference numeral 15. The thermostatic valve 15 may be of any known type and it includes an outer housing 16 that has a peripheral flange 17 so as to be clamping engaged between the thermostat housing portion 12 and the cover plate 13.
The housing 16 of the thermostatic valve 15 also defines a valve seat with which a movable valve element 18 cooperates. The movable valve element 18 is actuated by means of a thermostatically operable pellet 19 that is supported within the outer housing 16 of the thermostat by means including a mounting post 21. When the valve element 18 is in its closed position, communication between a first inlet part 22 of the thermostat housing 14 and a second outlet part 23 is precluded. The thermostatic element 19 is disposed within the part 22, as is well known in this art, so that it will sense the coolant temperature and will open the valve element 18 as the engine coolant becomes heated. When the valve 18 begins to open, coolant may flow between the parts 22 and 23. As has been noted, the construction of the thermostatic valve 15 forms no part of the invention and any of the known valves may be utilized in combination with the invention.
The thermostat housing 14 and specifically the main body port 12 is provided with a bypass return port 24 that extends in a generally axial direction with respect to the housing cavity portions 22 and 23. In addition, there are provided a pair of coolant inlet ports 25 and 26 which communicate with the part 22 in a manner to be described.
It should be noted that the inlet ports 25 and 26 are generally cylindrical in configuration and have their respective axis C 1 and C 2 disposed at an angle to a central axis O of the thermostat housing portion 22. As a result, when coolant is delivered to the thermostat housing portion 22 from the inlet ports 25 and 26, there will be a swirling motion occur as indicated by the arrows A. This swirling motion causes a swirling flow around the thermostatic element 19 and has been found to substantially reduce pulsations in the fluid system. As a result, there will be little, if any, pulsations delivered to the cooling system and the aforenoted deleterious effects will be avoided.
When the thermostatic valve 15 is closed, as has been noted, the coolant will be returned to the engine coolant jacket through the bypass port 24. However, as the thermostatic valve 15 progressively opens, the coolant will be delivered to a heat exchanger through a coolant outlet port 27 that is formed in the cover plate 13.
FIG. 3 shows an application as to how the thermostat assembly 11 may be employed in connection with a motor vehicle. In the illustrated embodiment, the motor vehicle is of the transverse engine, front wheel drive type, although, as is well known, the same principle may be applied to a transverse engine, mid engine or rear engine, rear wheel drive vehicle. The engine is identified generally by the reference numeral 31 and is depicted of the V type having cylinder banks 32 and 33 that are disposed at an angle to each other. These cylinder banks include cylinder blocks which are not shown and associated cylinder heads 34 and 35.
In accordance with the aforedescribed application for the engine, the cylinder banks 32 and 33 extend transversely to the longitudinal axis of the associated vehicle, which vehicle has a fire wall 36 that divides the engine compartment 37 from a passenger compartment 38. The output shaft of the engine 31 rotates about a transverse axis to the longitudinal axis of the vehicle.
In accordance with the invention, an engine driven water pump 39 is positioned at one end of the engine. The water pump 39 discharges through a water pump housing 41 that has a pair of branch passages 42 and 43 that deliver the engine coolant to the cylinder heads 34 and 35, respectively. The cylinders heads 34 and 35 and cylinder blocks of each of the banks 32 and 33 have appropriate water jacketing. After circulation through the appropriate water jackets, the coolant is delivered to the housing 14 of the thermostat 11, which has a configuration as in FIGS. 1 and 2, as previously noted, through water return pipes 44 and 45. The water return pipes 44 and 45 feed into the inlet ports 25 and 26 of the thermostat housing so as to create the aforedescribed swirl condition.
A radiator or other heat exchanger 46 is positioned within the engine compartment 37 transversely to the longitudinal center line of the vehicle and in side-by-side relationship to the engine 31. A return hose 47 is connected between the thermostat housing outlet 27 and a radiator inlet 48 for delivering coolant to the radiator 46 when the thermostatic valve is opened.
The radiator 46 is of the cross flow type and has a return outlet 49 from which coolant is delivered to an inlet 51 of the water pump housing 41 by means of a flexible conduit 52.
A bypass line 53 also extends to a bypass fitting 54 of the water pump housing 41 from the housing of the thermostat and specifically its bypass port 24. The bypass line 53 may run longitudinally of the engine in the valley between the banks of cylinders 32 and 33.
Coolant may be delivered to a heater core 55 that is positioned within the passenger compartment 38 by mean of appropriate conduits extending from the cylinder bank 33. This coolant is returned to the thermostat housing either through a separate return line or through the fitting 45.
In a similar manner, an oil radiator 56 may be associated with an oil filter 57 carried by the cylinder bank 32 for cooling the engine oil. This coolant is also delivered to the thermostat housing 11 by means of a suitable conduit or through the fitting 44.
In the illustrated embodiment, the engine 31 is depicted as having overhead mounted camshafts and these camshafts are driven by timing belts contained within timing belt covers indicated by the boxes 58 and 59.
It should be readily apparent from the foregoing description that a highly effective thermostat housing is provided for an engine cooling system that will insure against pulsations in the cooling jacket. In addition, an improved layout is provided for the components of the cooling system consisting of the water pump and thermostat housing that are particularly useful in transverse engine placements. Although an embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined by the appended claims.
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An improved thermostat arrangement for an internal combustion engine and an associated cooling system for the engine. The thermostat is designed so as to introduce a swirl in the thermostat housing to reduce pulsations in the coolant. In addition, the engine disclosed has its cooling jacket in such a way that the water pump is at one end of the engine and the thermostat is at the other end of the engine so as to facilitate transverse mounting of the engine.
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This is a divisional of application Ser. No. 08/478,294, filed on Jun. 7, 1995, now abandoned, which is a divisional application of Ser. No. 08/145,815, filed Nov. 2, 1993, and issued as Pat. No. 5,532,907.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to computer systems and more specifically to a computer system that has an improved bus for transmitting electric power from a power supply to the electronic components that comprise the computer system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
A computer system is actually comprised of numerous, individual electronic components such as resistors, capacitors and transistors. To combine these electronic components into the thousands of circuit configurations that eventually comprise the entire computer system, the components are either directly "wired" into sheets of resistive material that contain various patterns of conductive materials in them ("circuit boards"); or are contained in integrated chips manufactured from semi-conductive materials, which are generally known simply as "chips". These chips are then usually wired into the circuit boards.
Several circuit boards are connected together by various means to make up the overall computer system. A computer system may be comprised of hundreds of circuit boards, each containing thousands of electronic components and chips all connected together in various circuit configurations.
As computer systems continuously evolve, it is desirable to improve their features, function and capabilities in every respect. For instance, each new generation of computer system is designed with more memory capability, functions faster, performs more functions and is simpler to operate for users than the previous generation.
The method by which these continual computer enhancements are achieved is by adding ever more chips and electronic components and/or replacing old electronic components and chips with new and improved versions. For example, if more memory is needed in a particular computer system, then more memory chips are added; or, if it is desirable that a computer function faster, then the central processing unit (CPU) is replaced with a larger one or an improved one that is comprised of more electronic components and chips.
When a computer system is updated by adding new and larger components or chips to the system, the number of circuit boards that comprise the overall computer system must eventually be increased. The constant addition of electronic components and chips or the replacement of outdated chips with new, larger and improved ones has created configuration problems in present computer systems.
One problem is that there is simply not enough space in the computer system to accommodate all of the additional circuit boards required for the new chips and components. Indeed, space is at a premium in all modern computer systems. Thus, it is desirable to design new computer systems with as many "space saving" features as possible.
One known method of conserving space in a computer system is to concentrate as many chips as possible in a small, enclosed device that is then wired into the circuit board. For example, I.B.M. Corporation manufactures a device that is called a "Thermal Controlled Module", which contains 110 chips ("TCM"). A TCM is comprised of a rectangular-shaped, ceramic substrate populated with approximately 110 chips. A TCM requires at least 2,500 connections to the circuit board accomplished with an array of pins on the bottom of the TCM. A more detailed description of the structure and function of TCM's is provided in IBM Journal of Research & Development 26(1): pp. 30-36, January, 1982, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The design of devices such as the TCM, in which a large concentration of chips is contained, has created other problems. One problem is that these devices require a tremendous amount of power to function. Indeed, supplying the huge amounts of power required by new and updated chips and electronic devices such as the TCM is a problem throughout modern computer systems in general.
Accordingly, large power buses must be used to carry the requisite amount of power from power supplies to the circuit boards in a modern computer system. These large power buses complicate and add to the space problem discussed above, because they consume even more space in the computer system.
Yet another problem with modern computer systems is that the improved components of the system, such as TCM's, require not only huge amounts of power, but power that is supplied at different voltage levels. Thus, even larger power buses are required to supply the power at various levels, again adding to the space problem within the overall computer system.
The shear magnitude of power at different voltage levels required by the components that comprise modern computer systems has also created problems in the design of power buses and the means used to attach them to circuit boards. The usual method for attaching power buses to circuit boards is to solder perpendicular tabs extending from the output end of the bus to pads on the end of the circuit board, so that the bus and circuit board are attached perpendicular to one and other. This method creates several problems when used in a modern computer system.
One problem is inefficiency. Because the power bus is attached to the solder pads instead of directly to the main load contained on the circuit board (possibly a TCM or several TCM's), the power must be transmitted through conductors provided at different levels of the circuit board to the load. Accordingly, power is needlessly lost as it is transmitted through the board conductors to the load. In most instances, this power loss is significant because the power must travel across clearance hole areas manufactured into the conductors. A clearance hole area insulates an electrical connection, such as a signal or different power connection, from the power carried in a particular conductor. These clearance hole areas effectively act as resistors, and thus, power is lost as it travels across them.
Another problem associated with the known method of attaching power buses to circuit boards is that, because the power bus is attached to the board in the same perpendicular plane that the TCM's, input/output devices (I/O's) and other devices are attached to the board, it's mechanical bulk consumes potential component placement sites and restricts their usage.
Yet another problem is that this known method of delivering power to circuit boards often requires more than one power bus; usually four, are required to deliver power to the board. Each of these buses are attached to the front plane of a board assembly with the axis of each bus being perpendicular to the plane of the board to provide the maximum amount of room for components. This orientation, although it reduces the space consumed by the four power buses, still unnecessarily consumes potential component space.
Yet another problem with the known method of attaching power buses to circuit boards is that the bus cannot be easily removed from the circuit board because they are soldered together. Thus, the service and rework times for the board assembly is increased unnecessarily.
Accordingly, it is the object of the present invention to provide a computer system that has a power bus which decreases the space required to accommodate it in the computer system. Another object of this invention is to provide a computer system that has a power bus which provides different levels of voltage to a circuit board with a minimum use of space.
A further object of this invention is to provide a computer system that has a power bus that may be connected directly to a large load, for example a TCM, to minimize or eliminate the space required on a circuit board to connect the bus to the load.
Yet another object of this invention is to provide a computer system that has a power bus that can be quickly attached to and detached from a circuit board to provide easy maintenance of either one.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A power bus is disclosed that connects a matrix of power supplies to a circuit board in a computer system. The power bus is substantially planar and attached to the circuit board so that the power bus and circuit board are parallel to one another. This parallel relationship decreases the amount of space utilized by the circuit board in the computer system. The circuit board also has connectors for delivering power directly to a power consuming device which increases the efficiency of power delivery. These connectors are pluggable which allows easy removal from the circuit board.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 depicts a circuit board/power supply assembly of a computer system having a power bus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an assembly of the power bus and circuit board of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a back view of the assembly of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a bus leg of the power bus of FIGS. 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is the power bus of FIG. 2 and a pluggable, V-shaped connector used to connect the circuit board of FIG. 2 to the power bus;
FIGS. 6(A-C) is an explosion of the assembly of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 7 is an alternate embodiment of the power bus of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIG. 1, one circuit board/power supply assembly 10 of a computer system is shown. The computer system is actually comprised of a plurality of circuit board/power supply assemblies that are connected together, each being contained within its own rectangular housing. The circuit board/power supply assemblies in the preferred embodiment are so large that they each require their own housing. However, more than one assembly may be contained in a larger housing if the system designer desired such a configuration. Each circuit board/power supply assembly of the computer system is similar, if not identical, in construction and operation to the assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1.
Referring specifically now to the assembly 10 shown in FIG. 1, it is comprised of a circuit board 12 that has several of the electronic components of the computer system connected to it. The circuit board 12 is mounted in a housing 14 which encloses and protects the circuit board of the computer system. (The walls of housing 14 are actually comprised of a solid non-transparent material, such as steel, but are shown as transparent in FIG. 1 so that assembly 10 can be viewed.) The assembly 10 also has a matrix of power supplies 16 mounted within the housing that provides the power required by the components of the computer system connected to circuit board 12. The matrix of power supplies 16 may be comprised of any known power supplies presently used to provide power in computer systems. A single power supply could be substituted for the power supply matrix 16; however, the power requirements of the preferred embodiment dictate that a matrix of power supplies be used. The power supplies that comprise matrix 16 are actually bolted to the bottom of housing 14 and, as more fully described below, circuit board 12 is mounted on the power supplies.
The circuit board 12 is substantially planar and arranged vertically in the housing 14, such that the back of the circuit board 12 faces outwardly from the back of the housing 14. The circuit board 12 is rectangular in shape.
The circuit board 12 has a new and inventive power bus 18, connected to it. The power supplies 16 are then connected to each power bus 18 through known power transmission means, such as a power plate bus 20. Power plate bus 20 is bolted to the power supplies and electrical connections (not shown) are made from the power supplies to different layers of conductive material within plate bus 20. Thus, power is delivered from the power supply matrix 16, through the plate bus 20 and power bus 18, to the circuit board 12.
Power bus 18 is substantially planar, and connected to circuit board 12, as more fully described below, such that it is parallel to the circuit board and coextensive with the rectangular shape of the circuit board. Thus, in FIG. 1, the circuit board 12 is partially hidden from view by power bus 18.
Referring now to FIG. 2, an assembly 22 of power bus 18 connected to circuit board 12 is shown. Although FIG. 2 shows assembly 22 on a horizontal axis, assembly 22 is mounted in an upright, vertical position when mounted in housing 14 as shown in FIG. 1.
The bottom of power bus 18 has seven, planar input tabs 24a-g that extend downward when power bus 18 is mounted in housing 14. Each of the tabs 24a-g has a 90° bend such that each tab is L-shaped. The longer section or leg of each tab extends downwardly from the 90° bend when assembly 22 is mounted in housing 14. The shorter leg of each tab extends horizontally from the 90° bend towards the back of housing 14 when assembly 22 is mounted in housing 14.
Each of the shorter legs of the tabs 24a-g is actually an extension from a different layer of a commoning section 26 of bus 18. Commoning section 26 is also substantially planar and L-shaped with a 90° bend. Commoning section 26 has a first portion 28 that is horizontal when assembly 22 is mounted in housing 14. Each of the shorter, horizontal legs of tabs 24a-g extend from the horizontal portion 28 of commoning section 26.
Commoning section 26 also has a second portion 30 that is vertical when assembly 22 is mounted in housing 14. Vertical portion 30 is attached to three, vertical bus legs 32, 34 and 36. Commoning section 26 "commons" the bus legs 32, 34 and 36 and tabs 24a-g into the single power bus 18, and thus, allows power to be distributed from the tabs 24a-g, through this common area to the bus legs 32, 34 and 36. Bus legs 32, 34 and 36 are connected to the circuit board 12 through a multitude of pluggable, V-shaped connectors attached to both sides of bus legs 32, 34 and 36 (one bank or group of such V-shaped connectors connecting bus leg 32 to circuit board 12 is identified as 38 in FIG. 2, and another bank is identified as 40). The structure and operation of each of the V-shaped connectors, which are discussed more fully below, are identical.
Referring now to FIG. 3, a back view of assembly 22 is shown. Accordingly, bus legs 32, 34 and 36 as well as tabs 24a-g are vertical. FIG. 3 depicts the back of assembly 22 and bus 18 in their actual position when mounted in housing 14.
Power bus 18 is actually comprised of four layers of conductive metal, such as copper, that are laminated together with any known insulating material, such as fiberglass, kevlar, kapton or tedlar, between each layer. A single, unitary sheet of each conductive layer is machined into the physical configuration of power bus 18 shown in FIG. 2, including bus legs 32, 34 and 36, commoning section 26 and one or two of the tabs 24a-g that extend -from that particular layer. Each of the layers is then bent into the shape of power bus 18 and laminated together with the other layers using known manufacturing processes to form power bus 18. Finally, all exterior metal, except tabs 24a-g and the tabs to which the V-shaped connectors are attached, is covered with an insulator, such as tedlar, for safety purposes. When the manufacturing process is complete, power bus 18 is twenty (20) inches wide and twenty (20) inches in height. Power bus 18 is also 1.5 inches thick with a seven (7) inch offset between the 90° bends and weighs approximately 100 lbs.
Each layer of conductive metal in power bus 18 carries a different voltage potential required to operate the electronic components connected into circuit board 12. Referring now to FIG. 4, the four layers of power bus 18 are shown in a cross-section of bus leg 34 along line A of FIG. 3. The top or first layer of power bus 18 carries a reference voltage and is labeled V 1 . The smallest input tab 24d extends from this layer. The second layer of power bus 18 carries a negative voltage and is labeled V 2 . Input tabs 24b and 24f extend from layer V 2 . The third layer of power bus 18 is labeled V 3 and carries a positive voltage. Input tabs 24c and 24e extend from the layer labeled V 3 . Finally, the fourth layer of bus 18, labeled V 4 , is common or ground to the voltages carried by the first three layers. Input tabs 24a and 24g are the ground input tabs that extend from layer V 4 .
As stated above, each of the tabs 24a-g is actually an extension of one of the layers of power bus 18. Each of these tabs is connected, through plate bus 20, to a particular voltage level generated by power supply matrix 16. Accordingly, power supply matrix 16 supplies a selected voltage to each layer of power bus 18 through the corresponding tab that is an extension of that layer.
Each of the four layers of power bus 18 may be required to conduct a different amount of current. Thus, the sizes of tabs 24a-g and the thicknesses of the four layers may vary. For example, in the preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 4, layer V 1 conducts the least amount of current, and, therefore is the thinnest layer and only has a single, narrow input tab 24d extending from it. Layers V 2 and V 3 are required to conduct more current, and thus, are thicker than V 1 and each have two input tabs. Layer V 4 is the thickest layer and also requires two tabs because it returns all of the current to power supply matrix 16 that passes through the other three layers.
The tabs 24a-g are attached to the plate bus 20 by bolts that pass through clearance holes that are in each tab. For example, tab 24a is attached to plate bus 20 by bolts that pass through a set of four clearance holes 42 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
Referring now to FIG. 5, power bus 18 is shown in a vertical position and an exploded view of a V-shaped connector 44 from bank of V-shaped connectors 38 is also shown. All of the V-shaped connectors attached to power bus 18 are sonically welded to tabs that protrude from the various conductive layers of power bus 18. Thus, each V-shaped connector carries one of four voltage potentials to circuit board 12 depending upon the particular layer of power bus 18 that it is connected to. For example, if a particular V-shaped connector is sonically welded to a tab protruding from the first conductive layer of bus bar 32, it conducts the voltage V 1 to circuit board 12.
Connector 44 is identical in structure and operation to all the other connectors attached to power bus 18. Connector 44 is comprised of a V-shaped braided copper cable 46, a U-shaped spring housing 48 that is gold-plated copper, two gold-plated, beryllium-copper louvered spring contacts 50 (only one shown) and a hallow plastic shield 52. One end of the braided cable 46 is sonically bonded to the spring housing 48 which contains grooves 54 in its interior walls into which the spring contacts 50 are inserted. Spring housing 48 is then inserted into and contained by plastic shield 52.
The connection to the circuit board 12 is made by placing the spring housing 48 containing the spring contacts 50 and plastic shield 52 over and onto a gold-plated, copper tab soldered to and extending perpendicularly from the circuit board 12 (not shown) until the bottom of the spring housing 48 touches the circuit board 12 at the bottom of the tab. The opposing spring contacts 50 exert forces on opposite sides of the board tab such that they firmly grip the tab. The V-shape in the heavy braided cable of the V-shaped connectors provides flexibility while not imparting any side loads on the solder joints of the tabs of the circuit board 12. Electrical continuity from circuit board 12 to power bus 18 is accomplished from the board tab; through spring contacts 50, spring housing 48 and braided cable 46; to bus leg 32.
Connector 44 can be manually disconnected from circuit board 12 simply by pulling the plastic shield 52 with the spring housing 48 off of the tab extending from circuit board 12. Accordingly, maintenance on circuit board 12 and, moreover, the entire computer system, can be performed quickly and efficiently.
Referring now to FIG. 6, an exploded view of assembly 22 is shown. Assembly 22 includes circuit board 12 with a circuit board cover 60. Two support bars 62 and 64 are fastened to circuit board 12 with a plurality of screws, only three of which are shown as examples in FIG. 6 (66a, 68a and 68b).
Power bus 18 rests on support bars 62 and 64 and is fastened to circuit board 12 such that support bars 62 and 64 provide a space between power bus 18 and circuit board 12. Vertical portion 30 of the commoning section 26 of bus 18 rests on support bar 62 and is secured thereto by screw 66a and three other screws 66b-d as shown in FIG. 2. Screws 66a-d actually pass through bus 18 and support bar 62 and are screwed into an aluminum stiffener plate 13 epoxied to the front of the circuit board 12. The ends of bus legs 32, 34 and 36 fit in support bar 64 into three slots, A, B and C, respectively, as shown in FIG. 2. Thus, power bus 18 is securely fastened to circuit board 12 by screws 66a-d with support bars 62 and 64 providing a space between them.
Support bar 62 is comprised of aluminum and not only supports bus 18, but also serves as a securing block for cover 60 and a group of four retainers 70a-d more fully described below. Support bar 64 is also manufactured from aluminum and slots A, B and C within it are lined with vulcanized rubber. Accordingly, slots A, B and C insulate bus legs 32, 34 and 36, electrically, as well as provide protection from any mechanical shock or stress.
Cover 60 is comprised of sheet steel and provides a barrier that protects the components of circuit board 12 from any stray contact with personnel operating the computer system or falling objects during assembly of the computer system.
Assembly 22 also includes the four retainers 70a-d mentioned above. Retainers 70a-d are fastened with screws to the top of support bars 62 and 64. One end of each retainer 70a-d is inserted into a slot in support bar 62, and the other end is fastened to support bar 64. The retainers 70a-d are each comprised of an aluminum bar with a plurality of molded plastic covers that are each divided into a plurality of V-groove-shaped compartments to insure electrical isolation between the V-shaped connectors. The covers are attached to the aluminum bars with screws. Within each compartment are vulcanized, silicone rubber pressure pads that provide a downward force to the pluggable connectors to insure that the board tab solder joints remain in compression and the connector remains plugged during mechanical shock and vibration loads. Retainers 70a-d are only shown in FIG. 6 and not the other figures to provide a clear view of the V-shaped connectors in these other figures.
Circuit board 12 includes several rows of tabs that extend out perpendicularly from its surface. When assembly 22 is assembled for operation, each tab fits into the spring housing 48 of a corresponding V-shaped connector attached to power bus 18. Two rows of these tabs 72 and 74 are identified in FIG. 6.
Each row of tabs from circuit board 12 extends through a corresponding slot in cover 60 when assembly 22 is assembled. Thus, rows 72 and 74 extend through a pair of slots 76 and 78, respectively. When assembly 22 is assembled as shown in FIG. 2, each of the V-shaped connectors from bus 18 is fit or pressed onto the corresponding tab of circuit board 12. For example, rows of tabs 72 and 74 fit into banks of connectors 38 and 40, respectively.
There are 6 TCMs connected into circuit board 12. The position of the TCM's on circuit board 12 are identified in FIG. 6 as TCM1-6. Two rows of tabs extend from circuit board 12 on two vertical sides of each TCM. For example, rows 72 and 74 extend from circuit board 12 on the two vertical sides of TCM1. The close proximity of the TCM's to the tabs allows current to be conducted directly through the board power levels to the TCM without the need for clearance hole areas in the power levels. Accordingly, power is connected directly to each TCM on circuit board 12. In fact, power is delivered to two sides of each TCM, amply meeting the power requirements of each TCM.
Because inventive power bus 18 delivers power through the board in close proximity to the TCM, the disadvantages of prior art power buses that are connected to the perimeter of a circuit board are eliminated. In the prior art power buses the power had to be conducted through many inches of the circuit board to the power consuming device, which, as described above, created power losses across clearance holes required to insulate the power and signal conductors in the circuit board. Power bus 18 is attached as close as possible to the power consuming device (TCM), and thus, eliminates the power losses associated with conducting power through the clearance hole areas of the circuit board.
Furthermore, conducting power through circuit boards, as required by the prior art power buses, generates heat in the circuit board (due to the resistive nature of the clearance hole areas) that could cause the circuit board to malfunction. This heat problem is eliminated by the use of power bus 18.
In addition, power bus 18 is mechanically parallel to circuit board 12. Accordingly, assembly 22 requires far less space in computer system 10 than a conventional power bus/circuit board assembly in which the power bus is attached perpendicular to the front side of circuit board. Power bus 18 is fastened to circuit board 12 so that the entire assembly of circuit board 12 and power bus 18, assembly 22, requires only 3.5 inches or 9 centimeters of horizontal space in computer system 10. This results in 2 inches or 5 centimeters of saved space compared to the prior art perpendicular attachment of a power bus to a circuit board which requires 5.5 inches or 14 centimeters.
Referring now to FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the invention is shown. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the power bus 18 and plate bus 20 of the preferred embodiment are combined into a single power bus 80. Power bus 80 is a laminated bus that may consist of four layers of conductive material similar to power bus 18. Power bus 80 also has three bus legs and a plurality of V-shaped connectors that are identical in operation and structure to the bus legs and connectors of power bus 18. The advantage of power bus 80 is that one of the power buses of the preferred embodiment as well as the connections between the two power buses are eliminated. However, a disadvantage of the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 compared to the preferred embodiment is that power bus 80 cannot be serviced without completely disconnecting it from the power supply matrix, while circuit board and power bus assembly 22 in the preferred embodiment can be easily removed from assembly 10 without disconnecting plate bus 20 from power supply matrix 16.
Accordingly, the preferred embodiment of a computer system with an improved power bus has been described. With the foregoing description in mind, however, it is understood that this description is made only by way of example, that the invention is not limited to the particular embodiments described herein, and that various rearrangements, modifications, and substitutions may be implemented without departing from the true spirit of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
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A multi-layer power bus (18) is described that includes input tabs (24) and three legs (32, 34, and 36) and that connects a matrix of power supplies to a circuit board (12) in a computer system. The power bus (18) is substantially planar and attached to the circuit board (12) so that the power bus (18) and circuit board (12) are parallel to one another. This parallel relationship decreases the amount of space utilized by the circuit board (12) in the computer system. The circuit board (12) also has connectors for delivering power directly to tabs (72, 74) on circuit board (12) which increases the efficiency of power delivery. Each connector (44) includes a U-shaped spring housing (48) located within a hollow shield (52) and is joined to one of the power bus voltage layers by a braided copper cable (46).
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This application is the U.S. National Phase Application of PCT International Application No. PCT/CN2011/000207, filed Feb. 10, 2011, the contents of such applications being incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom, and in particular, to an air leakage-preventing structure for a heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
As shown in FIG. 1 , a heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in the prior art comprises a frame 110 having an opening 101 open toward the bathroom and an opening 102 connected with a joint, an ventilation fan profile constituted by a hood 110 a for covering the opening 101 at the lower side of the frame 110 , fan blades 120 , a motor 130 , a heater 140 and an air passage-switching plate 150 . When the heating and ventilation fan 100 is operated, the air is drawn from an air inlet 160 of the hood 110 a of the heating and ventilation fan 100 toward the air passage-switching plate 150 . The air passages are switched by rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 , so that one of a heating function, an air-exchanging function, and a drying function of the heating and ventilation fan 100 is selected.
Since selection of the above functions should be performed by rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 , a certain gap 180 between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 should be ensured, and thus the air passage-switching plate 150 can be smoothly rotated. In this way, when the heating and ventilation fan 100 is operated, a small amount of the air is blown into the gap 180 , causing lost of air volume and generation of noise. However, if the gap 180 between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the surrounding air passage wall 170 is too small, the small gap will cause noise when the air is blow into the gap or the air passage-switching plate 150 can not be smoothly rotated during operation of the heating and ventilation fan.
SUMMARY
Accordingly, it is desired to provide a heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom which is capable of reducing noise.
In order to achieve the above object, the heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom according to the present invention is an ventilation fan for a bathroom, comprising an ventilation fan frame, a scroll casing provided with fan blades and a motor, an air passage-switching plate provided downstream of an air outlet of the scroll casing and configured to switch air passages directed in at least two directions, and a heater. An air leakage-preventing structure is provided at the air outlet of the scroll casing to direct the air to an inside of the air passage-switching plate.
The air leakage-preventing structure comprises a protrusion piece configured to protrude from the air outlet of the scroll casing to the inside of the air passage-switching plate, and the air passage-switching plate has a rotation piece configured to overlap with the outer side of the protrusion piece.
An air passage wall forming an air passage extends from the air outlet of the scroll casing, and the protrusion piece and the air passage wall forming the air passage form a gap for receiving the rotation piece of the air passage-switching plate downstream of the air outlet of the scroll casing
The protrusion piece is provided at the periphery of the whole air outlet of the scroll casing.
The protrusion piece is protruded from a position higher than the position at which a rotation shaft, passing across the air outlet of the scroll casing, of the air passage-switching plate is located.
The protrusion piece is protruded from a position lower than the position at which a rotation shaft, passing across the air outlet of the scroll casing, of the air passage-switching plate is located.
The air leakage-preventing structure comprises protruding structures provided on the air passage-switching plate and on the air passage wall forming the air passage and operable to be engaged with each other.
The protruding structures comprise protrusions provided on the left and right sides of the air passage-switching plate and of the air passage wall, respectively, and the protrusions on the air passage-switching plate and the protrusions on the air passage wall can be engaged with each other.
The protrusions of the air passage-switching plate comprise a first air passage-switching plate protrusion and a second air passage-switching plate protrusion provided on side plates of the air passage-switching plate adjoining the air passage wall, respectively, and the protrusions of the air passage wall comprise a first air passage wall protrusion provided at the middle of the air passage wall.
The protrusions of the air passage-switching plate comprise a third air passage-switching plate protrusion and a fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion provided on a front end portion and a rear end portion of the air passage-switching plate adjoining the air passage wall, respectively, and the protrusions of the air passage wall comprise a second air passage wall protrusion provided at the middle of the air passage wall on the air outlet side.
A third air passage wall protrusion is provided on a top surface side of the air passage wall, and the lowest point of the third air passage-switching plate protrusion is higher than the lowest point of the third air passage wall protrusion.
The advantage of the present invention is that a desired air volume can be ensured and a noise can be reduced while guaranteeing a gap required for smooth rotation of the air passage-switching plate.
Further, the present invention comprises the following structures:
a control unit for controlling the motor, the heater, and the air passage-switching plate and a sensor for detecting the position of the air passage-switching plate and sending a signal to the control unit are provided.
The sensor comprises a first body-side sensing element provided on the side face of the air passage wall of the scroll casing and a first air passage switching plate-side sensed element provided outside of a rotation piece of the air passage-switching plate and provided at a position corresponding to the position of the first body-side sensing element.
The first body-side sensing element is provided to correspond to movable limit points of the first air passage switching plate-side sensed elements moved along with the air passage-switching plate.
The sensor comprises a second body-side sensing element provided on the top portion of the air passage wall of the scroll casing and a second air passage switching plate-side sensed element provided outside of a rotation piece of the air passage-switching plate and located at a position corresponding to the position of the second body-side sensing element.
The sensor comprises a third body-side sensing element provided on the bottom portion of the air passage wall of the scroll casing and a third air passage switching plate-side sensed element provided outside of a rotation piece of the air passage-switching plate and located at a position corresponding to the position of the third body-side sensing element.
The first, second, and third body-side sensing elements are magnetic sensors, and the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements are magnets.
The magnetic sensors are electromagnets.
With the above structure, a necessary space required for smooth rotation of the air passage-switching plate and a desired air volume can be ensured and a noise can be reduced. Furthermore, since the position of the air passage-switching plate can be detected by the sensor, in a case where the position of the air passage-switching plate offsets from the normal position due to external factors during the heating operation or the air-exchanging operation, the control unit can be used to correct the position of the air passage-switching plate.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the prior art;
FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D are schematic views of a first embodiment;
FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic views of a second embodiment;
FIGS. 4A and 4B are schematic views of a third embodiment;
FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D are schematic views of a fourth embodiment;
FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D are schematic views of a fifth embodiment;
FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views of a first embodying example of a sixth embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a second embodying example of the sixth embodiment; and
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a third embodying example of the sixth embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
With reference to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C, and 2D , schematic views of a first embodiment of the present invention are shown. As shown in FIG. 2A , a heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom comprises an ventilation fan frame 110 , an ventilation fan appearance formed by a hood 110 a for covering an opening 101 positioned at the lower side of the ventilation fan frame 110 , a scroll casing 131 provided with fan blades 120 and a motor 130 , an air passage-switching plate 150 , a heater 140 , and so on. A side wall of the ventilation fan frame 110 is provided with an air outlet 111 . The hood 110 a has an air inlet 160 and an indoor air outlet 112 . The scroll casing 131 has an air outlet 132 in a square-tube shape defined by a top wall, side walls, and a bottom wall. The body of the heating and ventilation fan 100 has an air passage from the air outlet 132 to the air outlet 111 provided in the side wall of the ventilation fan frame 100 and an air passage from the air outlet 132 to the indoor air outlet 112 provided at the hood and through which air is blown toward the indoor.
As shown in FIGS. 2B and 2D , the air passage-switching plate 150 comprises a rotation shaft 151 passing across the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing. Around the rotation shaft 151 , a main plate 152 configured to switch the air passages and a rotation piece 155 configured to drive the main plate 152 to continuously rotate toward the rotation shaft and having side plates 154 are provided. The air passage-switching plate 150 is provided downstream of the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 . The air outlet 132 is switched to two directions, that is, to the above-mentioned two air passages according to the position of the main plate 152 . At the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 , an air leakage-preventing structure for guiding the air to an inside of the air passage-switching plate 150 is provided.
The air leakage-preventing structure shown in FIG. 2B is a protrusion piece 200 configured to protrude from the periphery of the whole air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 to an inside of the air passage-switching plate 150 . The rotation piece (not shown in FIGS.) of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the outer side of the protrusion piece 200 overlap with each other.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B , an air passage wall 170 for forming the air passages extends from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 to the indoor air outlet 112 , through which the air is blown toward the indoor, and the air outlet 111 of the ventilation fan. There is a certain gap 190 downstream of the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 between the protusion piece 200 and the air passage wall 170 . The gap 190 receives the rotation piece 155 of the air passge-switching plate 150 .
An air passage wall 170 for forming the air passages extends from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 to the indoor air outlet 112 , through which the air is blown toward the indoor, and the air outlet 111 of the ventilation fan. There is a certain gap 190 downstream of the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 between the protrusion piece 200 and the air passage wall 170 . The gap 190 receives the rotation piece 155 of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
The protrusion piece 200 protrudes from the periphery of the whole air outlet 132 toward an inside of the air passage to form a “□” shape. The “□” shape is divided by the rotation shaft 151 of the air passage-switching plate 150 as a boundary into an upper portion and a lower portion, of which the portion close to the top surface 134 of the scroll casing 131 is the upper portion 210 of the protrusion piece 200 , and the portion close to the bottom surface 135 of the scroll casing 131 is the lower portion 220 of the protrusion piece 200 .
The heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom realizes selection among a heating function, an air-exchanging function and a drying function of the heating and ventilation fan 100 by controlling a rotation position of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
With reference to FIG. 2A again, a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in a heating mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 . The side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and a front end portion 1521 of the main plate 152 are inserted into the gap 190 between the upper portion 210 of the protrusion piece 200 and the air passage wall 170 from a downstream side of the air outlet 132 . That is to say, the upper portion 210 of the protrusion piece 200 and the air passage wall 170 form a structure for receiving the side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the front end portion 1521 of the main plate 152 . When the heating and ventilation fan 100 operates, the air is sucked from the air inlet 160 of the heating and ventilation fan, passes through the fan blades 120 , and are blown out from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward the heater 140 . With such a structure, the air can be prevented from directly flowing out from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
That is to say, the protrusion piece 200 is provided downstream of the scroll casing 131 , and the outer side of the protrusion piece 200 and the air passage-switching plate 150 overlap with each other to form a receiving structure, so that the air blown out of the scroll casing 131 will not leak to outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 but will be guided into the air passage-switching plate 150 . Finally, the air can flow to one of the two air passages from the air outlet 132 to the indoor air outlet 112 through which air is blown toward the indoor.
With reference to FIG. 2C , a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in an air-exchanging mode is shown. By control of the step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom surface 135 side of the scroll casing 131 . The side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and a rear end portion 1522 are inserted into the gap 190 between the lower portion 220 of the protrusion piece 200 in a “□” shape and the air passage wall 170 from the downstream side of the air outlet 132 . That is to say, the lower portion 220 of the protrusion piece 200 and the air passage wall 170 form a structure for receiving the side walls 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the rear end portion 1522 of the main plate 152 . When the heating and ventilation fan 100 operates, the air is sucked from the air inlet 160 of the heating and ventilation fan, passes through the fan blades 120 , and are blown out from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward the air outlet 111 . With such a structure, the air can be prevented from directly flowing out from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
That is to say, the protrusion piece 200 is provided downstream of the scroll casing 131 , and the outer side of the protrusion piece 200 and the lower portion 220 of the air passage-switching plate 150 overlap with each other to form a receiving structure, so that the air blown out of the scroll casing 131 will not leak to outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 but will be guided into the air passage-switching plate 150 . Finally, the air can flows to one of the two air passages from the air outlet 132 to the air outlet 111 of the ventilation fan.
As described above, when the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated, there is a gap between the air passage wall 170 and the portions, contacting with the air passage wall 170 , of the air passage-switching plate 15 . By providing an air leakage-preventing structure, i.e., the protrusion piece 200 in a “□” shape, between the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 and the air passages to cover the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 from an upstream side of the air flow, the air can be prevented from being blown into the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 , so that generation of noise and undesired rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be prevented and the desired air volume can be ensured. In this way, performance of products and utilization efficiency of energy can be improved.
FIGS. 3A and 3B show sectional views of a second embodiment of the present invention. Downstream of the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 , the air passage wall 170 extends, and a protrusion piece 300 protruded from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward a downstream side and the inner side of the air passage wall 170 form a certain gap 290 .
The protrusion piece 300 is provided at an upper location than the rotation shaft 151 of the air passage-switching plate 150 for the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 , i.e., forming an inverse “U” shape.
At a certain rotation position, the side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and a front end portion 1521 of the main plate 152 are received by the gap 290 formed between the outer side of the protrusion piece 300 and the air passage wall 170 .
With reference to FIG. 3A again, a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in a heating mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 . The side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the front end portion 1521 of the main plate 152 are inserted from a downstream side in a direction of the air flow into the gap 290 between the protrusion piece 300 in an inverse “U” shape and the air passage wall 170 . The protrusion piece 300 and the air passage wall 170 form a structure for receiving the side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the front end portion 1521 of the main plate 152 . When the heating and ventilation fan 100 operates, the air is sucked from the air inlet 160 of the heating and ventilation fan 100 , passes through the fan blades 120 , and is blown out from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward the heater 140 . With such a structure, the air can be prevented from directly flowing out from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
That is to say, the protrusion piece 300 protrudes toward the downstream side of the scroll casing 131 , and the outer side of the protrusion piece 300 and the air passage-switching plate 150 overlap with each other to form a receiving structure, so that the air blown out of the scroll casing 131 will not leak out and will be guided into the air passage-switching plate 150 . Finally, the air can flow to one of the two air passages from the air outlet 132 to the indoor air outlet 112 through which air is blown toward the indoor. In this way, performance of products and utilization efficiency of energy can be improved.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show sectional views of a third embodiment of the present invention. Downstream of the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 , the air passage wall 170 extends, and a protrusion piece 400 protruded from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward a downstream side and the inner side of the air passage wall 170 form a certain gap 390 .
The protrusion piece 400 is provided at a lower location than the rotation shaft 151 of the air passage-switching plate 150 for the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 , i.e., forming a “U” shape.
At a certain rotation position, the air passage-switching plate 150 is received by the gap 390 formed between the outer side of the protrusion piece 400 and the air passage wall 170 .
With reference to FIG. 4A again, a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in an air-exchanging mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom surface 135 side of the scroll casing 131 . The side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and a rear end portion 1522 are inserted from a downstream side in a direction of the air flow into the gap 390 between the protrusion piece 400 in a “U” shape and the air passage wall 170 . The protrusion piece 400 and the air passage wall 170 form a structure for receiving the side plates 154 on the two sides of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the rear end portion 1522 . When the heating and ventilation fan 100 operates, the air is sucked from the air inlet 160 of the heating and ventilation fan 100 , passes through the fan blades 120 , and is blown out from the air outlet 132 of the scroll casing 131 toward the air outlet 111 . With such a structure, the air can be prevented from directly flowing out from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
That is to say, the protrusion piece 400 is provided to protrude toward the downstream side of the scroll casing 131 , and the outer side of the protrusion piece 400 and the air passage-switching plate 150 overlap with each other to form a receiving structure, so that the air blown out of the scroll casing 131 will not leak out and will be guided into the air passage-switching plate 150 . Finally, the air can flow to one of the two air passages from the air outlet 132 to the air outlet 111 of the ventilation fan. In this way, performance of products and utilization efficiency of energy can be improved.
FIGS. 5A, 5B, 5C, and 5D show sectional views of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B , the side plates 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 are provided with a pair of a first air passage-switching plate protrusion 161 and a second air passage-switching plate protrusion 162 on the left side surface 1541 and the right side surface 1542 of the side plates 154 facing the air passage wall 170 , respectively. That is to say, the first air passage-switching plate protrusion 161 and the second air passage-switching plate protrusion 162 look like flanges on end surfaces of the side plates 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and radially extend from the rotation shaft 151 .
The air passage wall 170 is provided with first air passage wall protrusions 171 at the middle positions on the left side and the right side 176 thereof, respectively. That is to say, the first air passage wall protrusions 171 are provided along a line from the rotation shaft 151 of the air passage-switching plate 150 to the lower end of the air outlet 111 . Furthermore, the first air passage wall protrusions 171 are located between the first air passage-switching plate protrusion 161 and the second air passage-switching plate protrusion 162 .
When the heating and ventilation fan 100 is operated in the air-exchanging mode or in the heating mode, the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 is set to separate the air passage from the air outlet 132 to the air outlet 111 of the ventilation fan provided on the side wall of the ventilation fan frame 110 from the air passage from the air outlet 132 to the indoor air outlet 112 provided at the hood and through which air is blown toward the indoor, by means of protruding structures formed by superposing the first air passage-switching plate protrusion 161 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the first air passage wall protrusion 171 of the air passage wall 170 on each other and engaging the first air passage-switching plate protrusion 161 with the first air passage wall protrusion 171 , or formed by superposing the second air passage-switching plate protrusion 162 and the first air passage wall protrusion 171 on each other and engaging the second air passage-switching plate protrusion 162 with the first air passage wall protrusion 171 , so that the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
The detailed description is provided as follows.
With reference to FIG. 5C , a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in a heating mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 . At this point, the second air passage-switching plate protrusions 162 provided on the left side surface (not shown) and the right side surface 1542 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engage with the first air passage wall protrusions 171 provided on the left side (not shown) and the right side 176 of the air passage wall 170 , respectively, to form a tight engagement state, so that the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
With reference to FIG. 5D , a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in an air-exchanging mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom surface 135 side of the scroll casing 131 . At this point, the first air passage-switching plate protrusions 161 provided on the left side surface (not shown) and the right side surface 1542 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engage with the first air passage wall protrusions 171 provided on the left side and the right side 176 of the air passage wall 170 , respectively, to form a tight engagement state, so that the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
FIGS. 6A, 6B, 6C, and 6D show sectional views of a fifth embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B , the front end portion 1521 and the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 are provided on the outer sides thereof with a third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 and a fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 , respectively, and the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 and the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 face the air passage wall 170 . A second air passage wall protrusion 186 is provided on the lower end, on the air outlet 111 side, of the middle portion of the air passage wall 170 . Furthermore, the second air passage wall protrusion 186 is located between the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 and the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 .
When the heating and ventilation fan is operated in the air-exchanging mode or in the heating mode, the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 by superposing the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and the second air passage wall protrusion 186 of the air passage wall 170 on each other and engaging the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 with the second air passage wall protrusion 186 , or by superposing the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 and the second air passage wall protrusion 186 on each other and engaging the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 with the second air passage wall protrusion 186 .
The detailed description is provided as follows.
With reference to FIG. 6C , a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in a heating mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 . At this point, the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 provided on the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engages with the second air passage wall protrusion 186 of the air passage wall 170 to form a tight engagement state, so that the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
With reference to FIG. 6D , a sectional view of the heating and ventilation fan 100 for a bathroom in an air-exchanging mode is shown. By control of a step motor, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom surface 135 side of the scroll casing 131 . At this point, the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 provided on the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engages with the second air passage wall protrusion 186 of the air passage wall 170 to form a tight engagement state, so that the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 .
With reference to FIG. 6C again, in this embodiment, the air passage wall 170 is provided on the top surface 172 side thereof with a “V”-shaped third air passage wall protrusion 177 protruding downwards, and the lowest point 1640 of the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 on the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 is higher than the lowest point 1770 of the “V”-shaped third air passage wall protrusion 177 . The third air passage wall protrusion 177 has a front side 1772 on the air outlet 132 side and a rear side 1771 downstream of the air outlet 132 , and has a vertex on the lower side thereof. Moreover, the cross section of the third air passage wall protrusion 177 is in a right triangle shape, with the front side 1772 forming hypotenuse and the rear side 1771 forming a side.
When the heating and ventilation fan 100 is operated in a heating mode, the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 by control of a step motor. At this point, the third air passage-switching plate protrusion 164 on the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engages with the rear side 1771 of the third air passage wall protrusion 177 , and the fourth air passage-switching plate protrusion 165 on the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 engages with the second air passage wall protrusion 186 of the air passage wall 170 , so that a tight engagement state is formed. Moreover, as described above, the front side 1772 of the “V”-shaped third air passage wall protrusion 177 forms hypotenuse of the right triangle, that is, the front side 1772 also serves as a guiding plate to direct the air blown out from the air outlet side to the inside of the air passage-switching plate 150 . Therefore, with the “V”-shaped third air passage wall protrusion 177 , not only the air can be prevented from directly flowing toward outside of the air passage-switching plate 150 from the gap between the air passage-switching plate 150 and the air passage wall 170 , but also the resistance to the air flow can be reduced and a performance can be enhanced. In this way, product performance and utilization efficiency of energy can be improved.
The sixth embodiment of the present invention is based on the above second embodiment. On the basis of the above second embodiment provided with the protrusion piece 300 as the air leakage-preventing structure, the sixth embodiment of the present invention further comprises a control unit for controlling the motor 130 , the heater 140 , and the air passage-switching plate 150 , and a sensor for detecting the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 and sending signals to the above control unit.
During the heating operation or the air-exchanging operation, the sensor detects the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 and sends the position signals to the control unit. In a case where the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position, the control unit controls the step motor according to the position signals to rotate the air passage-switching plate to the normal position.
Since the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be detected, the control unit can correct the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 if the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position due to external factors during the heating operation or the air-exchanging operation.
Therefore, with the air leakage-preventing structure of the present invention, not only the air can be certainly directed into the air passage-switching plate 150 , but also the air leakage caused by offset of the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be prevented.
Further, the sensor comprises a first body-side sensing element provided on the side face of the air passage wall 170 of the scroll casing 131 and a first air passage switching plate-side sensed element provided outside of the side plate 154 of the rotation piece 155 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and provided at a position corresponding to the position of the first body-side sensing element.
FIGS. 7A and 7B are schematic views showing the sixth embodiment in a first embodying form. As shown in FIG. 7A , the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 provided on the side face of the air passage wall 170 of the scroll casing 131 are provided to correspond to movable limit points of the first air passage switching plate-side sensed elements 551 moved along with the air passage-switching plate 150 .
As shown in FIG. 7A , the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 is provided with the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 . In this embodying form, the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 looks like a flange on an upper portion of an end surface of the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and is disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 151 (at the same positions as the first air passage-switching plate protrusions in FIG. 5A ).
As shown in FIG. 7A , the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 are disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 151 and are provided at two positions on the side face or side faces of the left side or right side 176 of the air passage wall 170 .
The first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 provided at the two positions on the side face of the air passage wall 170 are provided to correspond to movable limit points of the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 moved along with the air passage-switching plate 150 .
That is to say, the position of the first body-side sensing element 0011 on one side of the air passage wall 170 corresponds to the position of the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 on the air passage-switching plate side in the heating mode. In other words, when the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top surface 134 side of the scroll casing 131 , the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 provided on the upper portion of the end surface of the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated along with the air passage-switching plate 150 , and the first body-side sensing element 0011 and the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 in a state of reaching the upper limit point are disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 151 and opposite to each other.
Further, as shown in FIG. 7B , the position of the first body-side sensing element 0012 on the other side of the air passage wall 170 corresponds to the position of the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 on the air passage-switching plate side in the air-exchanging mode. In other words, when the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom surface 135 side of the scroll casing 131 , the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 provided on the upper portion of the end surface of the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated along with the air passage-switching plate 150 , and the first body-side sensing element 0012 and the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 in a state of reaching the lower limit point are disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 151 and opposite to each other.
As described above, since the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 provided at two positions on the side face of the air passage wall 170 are provided to correspond to the upper and lower movable limit points of the air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 , in the heating mode, when, along with rotation of the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 moves up to the upper movable limit point, the normal position of the air passage-switching plate 150 operated in the heating mode is detected by means of the first body-side sensing element 0011 disposed on one side and corresponding to the upper limit point,
In the air-exchanging mode, when, along with rotation of the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 moves up to the lower movable limit point, the normal position of the air passage-switching plate 150 operated in the air-exchanging mode is detected by means of the first body-side sensing element 0012 disposed on the other side and corresponding to the lower limit point.
The control unit sends a signal to the step motor according to this position signal and controls rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
Further, the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 is disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 151 and is provided on separated locations, like a flange on the upper portion of the end surfaces of the side plates 154 . If the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 provided at two positions on the side face of the air passage wall 170 are disposed along a direction radially extending from the rotation shaft 15 and are provided on the separated locations, since the first body-side sensing element 0011 and the second body-side sensing element 0012 are distant from each other and will not interfere with each other when detecting the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 , the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 can be stably detected by the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 .
By use of the non-contact axially-sensing operation performed by the first body-side sensing elements 0011 , 0012 provided at the two positions on the side face of the air passage wall 170 and the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element 551 provided on the side plate 154 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be detected.
Since the normal position of the air passage-switching plate 150 during the drying operation and the air-exchanging operation can be accurately detected, if the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position due to the outer factors during the heating operation or the air-exchanging operation, the control unit can correct the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
Therefore, with the air leakage-preventing structure of the present invention, not only the air can be certainly directed into the air passage-switching plate 150 , but also the air leakage caused by offset of the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be prevented.
FIG. 8 is a schematic view showing the sixth embodiment in a second embodying form. As shown in FIG. 8 , the sensor also may comprise a second body-side sensing element 0021 provided on the top portion of the air passage wall 170 of the scroll casing 131 and a second air passage switching plate-side sensed element 552 provided outside of the front end portion 1521 of the rotation piece 155 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and located at a position corresponding to the position of the second body-side sensing element 0021 .
By use of the non-contact radially-sensing operation performed by the second body-side sensing element 0021 provided on the inside of the top portion of the air passage wall 170 and the second air passage switching plate-side sensed element 552 provided on the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , the normal position of the air passage-switching plate during the heating operation can be detected.
That is to say, the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 in the heating mode is such arranged that when the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the top 134 side of the scroll casing 131 , the second body-side sensing element 0021 and the second air passage switching plate-side sensed element 552 provided on the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 are disposed along two opposite directions.
The second body-side sensing element 0021 and the second air passage switching plate-side sensed element 552 may be provided at any position on the inside surface of the top portion of the air passage wall 170 and at any position on the outside surface of the front end portion 1521 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , respectively. The two elements are disposed along two opposite directions when being in the heating mode.
The control unit sends a signal to the step motor according to the position signal from the second body-side sensing element 0021 and the second air passage switching plate-side sensed element 552 and controls rotation of the air passage-switching plate.
In a case where the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position due to the outer factors during the heating operation, the control unit can correct the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
Therefore, with the air leakage-preventing structure of the present invention, not only the air can be certainly directed into the air passage-switching plate 150 , but also the air leakage caused by offset of the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be effectively prevented.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view showing the sixth embodiment in a third embodying form. As shown in FIG. 9 , the sensor may comprise a third body-side sensing element 0031 provided on the bottom portion of the air passage wall 170 of the scroll casing 131 and a third air passage switching plate-side sensed element 553 provided outside of the rotation piece 155 of the air passage-switching plate 150 and located at a position corresponding to the position of the third body-side sensing element 0031 .
By use of the non-contact radially-sensing operation performed by the third body-side sensing element 0031 provided on the inside of the bottom portion of the air passage wall 170 and the third air passage switching plate-side sensed element 553 provided on the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , the normal position of the air passage-switching plate during the air-exchanging operation can be detected.
That is to say, the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 in the air-exchanging mode is such arranged that when the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the bottom 135 side of the scroll casing 131 , the third body-side sensing element 0031 and the third air passage switching plate-side sensed element 553 provided on the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 are disposed along two opposite directions.
The third body-side sensing element 0031 and the third air passage switching plate-side sensed element 553 may be provided at any position on the inside surface of the bottom portion of the air passage wall 170 and at any position on the outside surface of the rear end portion 1522 of the air passage-switching plate 150 , respectively. The two elements are disposed along two opposite directions when being in the air-exchanging mode.
The control unit sends a signal to the step motor according to the position signal from the third body-side sensing element 0031 and the third air passage switching plate-side sensed element 553 and controls rotation of the air passage-switching plate.
The normal position of the air passage-switching plate 150 during the air-exchanging operation can be accurately detected.
In a case where the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position due to the outer factors during the air-exchanging operation, the control unit can correct the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 .
Therefore, with the air leakage-preventing structure of the present invention, not only the air can be certainly directed into the air passage-switching plate 150 , but also the air leakage caused by offset of the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be effectively prevented.
Further, the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements may be magnetic sensors, and the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements may be magnets.
The first body-side sensing element, the second body-side sensing element, and the third body-side sensing element are hole elements in the magnetic sensors. Moreover, the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements are magnets.
With rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 , when the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements enter into the detection range of the first, second, and third body-side sensing element, the magnetic sensor can detect a magnetic field generated by the magnet.
The first, second, and third body-side sensing elements may be magnetic sensors using hole elements. If magnets are used as the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements, the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements are non-contacting compared with a mechanical switch and may facilitate miniaturization of the sensor.
Further, the above described magnetic sensor (the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements) may be an electromagnet.
That is, the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements may be electromagnets.
With rotation of the air passage-switching plate 150 , when the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements enter into the detection range of the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements, the magnetic field of the magnet will change, and the coil of the electromagnet will generate a voltage.
During the air-exchanging operation or the heating operation, when the control unit controls the step motor to rotate the air passage-switching plate, the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements first detect that the magnets (the first, second, and third air passage switching plate-side sensed elements) enter into the detection range of the electromagnet. Then, the magnetic sensors on the body side for the electromagnet (the first, second, and third body-side sensing elements) are switched on and the air passage-switching plate 150 is rotated to the vicinity of the normal position during the air-exchanging operation or the heating operation. The magnetic sensors on the body side (the first body-side sensing element, the second body-side sensing element) will attract the magnets on the air passage-switching plate 150 side (the first air passage switching plate-side sensed element and the second air passage switching plate-side sensed element).
The air passage-switching plate 150 can be ensured to be retained in the normal position during the heating operation and the air-exchanging operation. If the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 offsets from the normal position, the position of the air passage-switching plate 150 can be adjusted to the normal position and then be locked.
Further, the air leakage-preventing structure according to the sixth embodiment is a structure having the protrusion piece 300 of the second embodiment, or an embodying form of any one of the first embodiment, the second embodiment, and the fifth embodiment in combination of the air leakage-preventing structure. With the control unit and the sensor according to the sixth embodiment and the air leakage-preventing structure according to the embodiments, not only the air can be certainly directed into the air passage-switching plate 150 , but also the air leakage caused by position offset of the air passage-switching plate 150 toward the air-exchanging position side due to the self weight thereof during the heating operation can be effectively prevented and the air leakage caused by position offset of the air passage-switching plate 150 due to the air pressure during the air-exchanging operation can be effectively prevented.
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A heating and ventilation fan for a bathroom comprises an ventilation fan frame, a scroll casing provided with fan blades and a motor, an air passage-switching plate, and a heater; characterized in that: an air leakage-preventing structure is provided between an air outlet of the scroll casing and the air passage. The advantage of the present invention is that a desired air amount can be ensured and a noise can be reduced while guaranteeing a gap required for smooth rotation of the air passage-switching plate.
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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES
The present application claims the grace period exception under AIA 35 USC §102(b)(1)(A) to Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1559077 (published on Oct. 8, 2015), which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ball check valve apparatus, and more particularly to a ball check valve apparatus that is installed in a wastewater pipe to prevent wastewater from flowing backwards.
2. Description of the Related Art
In general, a check valve apparatus installed in a wastewater pipe according to the related art includes a structure that has a flip type opening/closing member mainly having a thin disk such that the interior of a pipe is selectively opened and closed while the opening/closing member is rotated forward or rearward.
However, as the opening/closing member of the check valve apparatus according to the related art is frequently opened and closed, fatigues are accumulated in the opening/closing member and thus, a hinge of the opening/closing member is frequently damaged.
Furthermore, a damage and impact noise are generated due to an excessive water impact when the opening/closing member closes the pipe, and solids contained in wastewater are interposed between the opening/closing member and the inner side of the pipe, making the operation of the opening/closing member unsmooth.
Moreover, because the check valve apparatus according to the related art separately includes a valve seat structure for supporting the opening/closing member, the structure of the check valve apparatus is complex so that the check valve apparatus cannot be easily manufactured and maintained, causing an increase in the price of the product due to deterioration of productivity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-mentioned problems, and provides a ball check valve apparatus that is installed to a wastewater pipe to reduce noise and damages to the ball check valve apparatus with a simple structure.
In accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure, there is provided a ball check valve apparatus including: a first body into which wastewater is introduced; a second body coupled to the first body to be communicated with the first body and configured to discharge the wastewater introduced into the first body; and a valve member disposed in the first body to be elevated and configured to close an opening/closing hole formed in the first body by the self-weight thereof and open the opening/closing hole by a pressure of wastewater introduced through the opening/closing hole.
The valve member may include a spherical opening/closing part seated at a periphery of the opening/closing hole, a connection part vertically extending from an upper side of the opening/closing part, and a guide ring disposed to be perpendicular to the connection part and having a pair of through-holes through which wastewater passes.
The ball check valve apparatus may further include a weight balancing boss vertically extending from a lower end of the opening/closing part.
The weight balancing boss may have an inverse conic shape.
The diameter of the guide ring may be larger than the diameter of a discharge hole formed in the second body.
According to the present invention, a separate hinge structure can be excluded from the valve member, and because, a valve seat structure of the valve member is provided in the first body 20 itself, the overall structure thereof can become simple and the ball check valve can be easily manufactured and maintained.
Furthermore, according to the present invention, because the opening/closing part of the valve member has a spherical shape to improve durability, damage to the ball check valve apparatus due to a water impact cause by the flows of the wastewater when the valve member is opened and closed can be reduced and noise can be reduced.
Because a hinge structure is excluded from the valve member and the valve seat structure of the valve member is provided for the first body, the overall structure of the ball check valve apparatus can be simplified and can be easily manufactured and maintained.
In addition, according to the present invention, because the opening/closing part of the valve member has a spherical shape to improve durability, damage to the ball check valve apparatus due to a water impact can be reduced and noise can be reduced when the valve member is opened and closed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a ball check valve apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan view illustrating a valve member of FIG. 1 ;
FIGS. 3 and 4 are sectional views illustrating coupled states in which an opening/closing hole is opened and closed as the valve member of the ball check valve apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is lifted and lowered; and
FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating another example of the valve member of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be understood that the embodiment described in the following is merely exemplary to help understanding of the present invention and may be variously modified differently from the embodiment of the present invention described herein. Meanwhile, in a description of the present invention, a detailed description and a detailed illustration of the known functions and configurations may be omitted to avoid making the essence of the present invention obscure. Further, the elements are not illustrated in actual scales but some of the elements may be exaggerated to help understanding of the present invention.
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 , a ball check valve apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a first body 20 , a second body 30 , and a valve member 40 .
The first and second bodies 20 and 30 are disposed between first and second wastewater pipes 51 and 53 (see FIG. 3 ) for feeding wastewater discharged from a wastewater collection tank (not illustrated).
A lower part 35 of the second body 30 is separately inserted into an upper part 21 of the first body 20 . In this case, an accommodation space 21 a that defines a movement space in which a valve member 40 may be elevated is formed inside the upper part 21 of the first body 20 . The accommodation space 21 a also acts as a passage through which wastewater passes.
The upper part 21 of the first body 20 is inclined such that a lower end 21 b of the first body 20 becomes gradually narrower as towards the center of the first body 20 . Accordingly, an opening/closing hole 22 opened and closed by the valve member 40 is formed inside the first body 20 . A periphery of the opening/closing hole 22 acts as a valve seat in which a valve member 40 may be seated.
A screw part 26 is formed at an outer periphery of the lower part 23 of the first body 20 to be screw-coupled to a first wastewater pipe 51 . In this case, a hexagonal protrusion 25 , with which the head of a spanner (not illustrated) may be fitted, is formed such that the first body 20 may be easily screw-coupled to a first wastewater pipe 51 (here, the first wastewater pipe 51 is directly communicated with a pump (not illustrated)).
Moreover, although it is illustrated in the embodiment of the present invention that the screw part 26 of the first body 20 is connected to the first wastewater pipe 51 , the present invention is not limited thereto but the screw part 26 may be directly coupled to the pump (not illustrated). In this case, because a common pump generally has a female thread at an inner periphery of a coupling hole (not illustrated), to which a pipe is connected, it is preferable that the screw part 26 has a male thread in this aspect.
As described above, the lower part 35 of the second body 30 is inserted into the upper part 21 of the first body 20 . The second body 30 has a coupling hole 33 , to which one end of a second wastewater pipe 53 is inserted, inside an upper part 31 of the second body 30 .
A discharge hole 34 communicated with the accommodation space 21 a of the first body 20 is formed inside the second body 30 . In this case, it is preferable that the diameter of the discharge hole 34 is smaller than the diameter of a guide ring 45 of the valve member 40 . This structure prevents the valve member 40 from deviating from the accommodation space 21 a of the first body 20 when the valve member 40 is moved upwards by a hydraulic pressure of the wastewater.
The valve member 40 includes an opening/closing part 41 , a connection part 43 , a guide ring 45 , and a weight balancing boss 48 .
The opening/closing part 41 closes the opening/closing hole 22 of the first body 20 by the self-weight thereof (see FIG. 3 ), and in contrast, opens the opening/closing hole 22 while rising due to the pressure of the wastewater introduced through an interior space 23 a of the lower part 23 of the first body 20 (see FIG. 4 )
The connection part 43 is formed to be substantially perpendicular to the upper side of the opening/closing part 41 , and supports the guide ring 45 and spaces the guide ring 45 to the upper side of the opening/closing part 41 such that the guide ring 45 maintains a predetermined interval with the opening/closing part 41 .
In this case, it is preferable that the connection part 43 has a substantially plate shape and has a thin plate shape not to be interfered by the flows of the wastewater that passes through the accommodation space 21 a of the first body 20 through the opening/closing hole 22 .
The guide ring 45 is disposed substantially horizontally, and a pair of through-holes 46 a and 46 b are formed by the connection part 43 as illustrated in FIG. 2 . Various solids contained in the wastewater as well as the waste water pass through the pair of through-holes 46 a and 46 b
As illustrated in FIG. 4 , the spherical opening/closing part 41 that is lifted by a pressure as the wastewater is introduced through the opening/closing hole 22 is not rotated but lifted substantially vertically by the guide ring 45 .
The weight balancing boss 48 extends vertically downwards from a lower end of the opening/closing part 41 . In this case, the weight balancing boss 48 is disposed in the vertical direction as that of the connection part 43 .
Because the weight balancing boss 48 acts as a weight pendulum, the center of weight of the opening/closing part 41 may be situated on the lower side of the center of the opening/closing part 41 when the opening/closing part 41 is elevated such that the posture of the opening/closing part 41 is maintained together with the aforementioned guide ring 45 .
Referring to FIG. 5 , the opening/closing member 40 a may has a weight balancing boss 48 a having a different shape from the aforementioned weight balancing boss 48 of the opening/closing member 40 .
The weight balancing boss 48 a may have a substantially inverse conic shape at a lower end of the opening/closing part 41 .
In this way, when the weight balancing boss 48 a is manufactured to have an inverse conic shape, the wastewater introduced into the opening/closing hole 22 may be guided upwards while the interference with the outside of the opening/closing part 41 along an outer peripheral surface of the weight balancing boss 48 a is minimized. Accordingly, the flows of the wastewater that passes through the accommodation space 21 a of the first body 20 may become smoother.
As described above, because a hinge structure is excluded from the valve member 40 and the valve seat structure of the valve member 40 is provided for the first body, the overall structure of the ball check valve apparatus can be simplified and can be easily manufactured and maintained.
In addition, according to the present invention, because the opening/closing part 41 of the valve member 40 has a spherical shape to improve durability, damage to the ball check valve apparatus due to a water impact can be reduced and noise can be reduced when the valve member 40 is opened and closed.
Although the present invention has been with reference to the limited embodiment and the drawings, the present invention is not limited thereto, but it should be noted that the present invention can be variously corrected and modified by those skilled in the part to which the present invention pertains within the technical spirit of the present invention and the equivalents of the claims, which will be described below.
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Provided is a ball check valve apparatus including: a first body into which wastewater is introduced; a second body coupled to the first body to be communicated with the first body and configured to discharge the wastewater introduced into the first body; and a valve member disposed in the first body such that the valve member is movable up and down in the first body and configured to close an opening/closing hole formed in the first body by a self-weight thereof and open the opening/closing hole by a pressure of wastewater introduced through the opening/closing hole.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to thermosetting polymers prepared from methylated pyridines or pyrazines and hydroxy aromatic mono-aldehydes.
In the aerospace and/or aircraft industry there is a need for light weight fire resistant polymeric composites for interior and exterior use. A recent development in this critical area was the discovery that composites based on polystyrylpyridines are useful in this field of endeavor. The key patents are outlined below.
It is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,994,862 that polystrylpyridine thermosetting prepolymers and cured polymers can be obtained by reacting methylated pyridines and aromatic dialdehydes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,740 discloses the preparation of solutions of polystyrlpyridines in various organic solvents such as ethyl acetate, propanol, and methylethylketone.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,362,860 discloses related polystyrylpyridines terminated with vinyl pyridine.
Bramsch, Chemische Berichte 42:1193-97 (1909) discloses the reaction of methylated pyridines and salicylaldehyde to prepare monomeric hydroxy methyl stilbazoles.
Franke, Chemische Berichte 38:3724-28 (1905) discloses the reaction of methylated pyrazines with salicylaldehyde to prepare related monomeric compounds.
Related monomeric stilbazole compounds are also disclosed by Chiang et al. J. Org. Chem. 10:21-25 (1945). In each of these articles there is no disclosure of polymers.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It now has been found that heat resistant thermosetting prepolymers and cured polymers can be prepared by reacting one or more hydroxy aromatic aldehydes and one or more aza compounds having the formula ##STR1##
where Z is N, C--CH 3 , C--CH 2 --CH 3 or C--H
R is hydrogen, methyl, or ethyl,
whereby the total number of methyl groups substituted on the ring is in the range from 2-4.
These hydroxystyrylazapolymers are useful to make high temperature resistant composites with fiber glass, carbon fibers and the like. The advantage of this invention is that the polymers and composites made herein are based on the use of a cheaper (or more readily available) raw material i.e. hydroxy aromatic monoaldehydes. Hence, the compositions of this invention can be prepared for less cost and one can still obtain the same or better fire resistant properties as the prior art compositions. Furthermore, the hydroxy aldehydes are more reactive and provide a faster cure time.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The prepolymers of this invention are prepared by reacting alkylated azine compounds such as methyl pyridines and methyl pyrazines with hydroxy aromatic aldehydes in the presence of an acidic catalyst.
The azine compounds and the aldehydes are heated to a temperature in the range from about 130° to about 230° C., preferably in the range from 170° to 190° C. for a period of time from 0.5 to 6 hours and preferrably 1 to 2 hours. The reaction is conducted in the absence of oxygen and suitably with a nitrogen purge.
Useful catalysts that can be used are sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, ZnCl 2 , acetic anhydride, AlCl 3 , toluene disulfonic acid, trichloro acetic acid, and acetic acid. The catalysts are used in amounts from 0.5 to 20 weight percent based on the total weight of the reactants and preferrably in amounts from 2 to 5 weight percent. It is to be understood that the reaction can proceed in the absence of catalyst but the reaction time is much longer.
Examples of useful pyridines are 2,3-dimethyl pyridine, 2,4-dimethyl pyridine, 2,5-dimethyl pyridine, 2,6-dimethyl pyridine, 3,4-dimethyl pyridine, 3,5-dimethyl pyridine, 3,5-dimethyl-2-ethyl pyridine, 2,3,4,6-tetramethyl pyridine, 2,3,5-trimethyl pyridine, 2,3,6-trimethyl pyridine, 2,4,5-trimethyl pyridine and 2,4,6-trimethyl pyridine.
Examples of useful hydroxy aromatic aldehydes are 2-hydroxy benzaldehyde, 3-hydroxy benzaldehyde and 4-hydroxy benzaldehyde.
Examples of useful pyrazines are 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 2,3-dimethyl pyrazine, 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine, 2,3,5-trimethyl pyrazine and 2,3,5,6-tetramethyl pyrazines.
It is to be understood that the foregoing reactants can be used alone or in combination as in an initial mixture of each or by the sequential addition during the reaction to achieve beneficial results.
The molar ratio range of the hydroxy aromatic aldehyde to the azine compounds can be from about 0.5:1 to about 6:1 and preferrably in the range of 1:1 to 3:1.
The prepolymer (oligomer or resin) initially obtained is cured by press molding at a temperature range of about 180° to 300° C. for a time of 1 to 8 hours. The resultant semicured polymer is further cured at a temperature range of about 250° to 300° C. for a time of 2 to 10 hours to obtain the final fire resistant molding.
Composites are made by adding fibers to the prepolymer before the press molding. Examples of useful fibers to be used herein are graphite fibers, fiber glass, aramid fibers, asbestos fibers, and the like.
The following examples are presented to further illustrate but not limit the invention.
EXAMPLE 1
In a 2 liter resin kettle equipped with a stirrer, thermometer, nitrogen purge, and reflux condenser, there was introduced 640.0 grams of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (5.25 moles) and 668.9 grams of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (5.53 moles). This represents 5.34 mole % excess 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine based on a 1/1 reactant mole ratio. The catalyst, 19.0 grams of concentrated sulfuric acid, was then added, and the reaction mixture was heated from 170° C. to 190° C. for three hours. Water, a product of the reaction, that escaped through the reflux condenser was condensed in another condenser and collected.
When allowed to cool to ambient temperature, the reaction product solidified to a dark, maroon-colored, hard and brittle solid. The reaction product is believed to be an oligomeric mixture based on the adduct of the benzaldehyde with 4-hydroxystyryl dimethylpyridine. This material has a softening point of about 150° C. and is soluble in a solution of about 90% tetrahydrofuran and 10% water. The material has a yellow-orange color when ground to a powder.
The reaction product was oven-cured under full vacuum at 150° C. for three hours, followed by an additional three hours of curing at 200° C. and ambient pressure. The resulting product was ground to a powder and washed with copious quantities of methanol.
The methanol-washed reaction product had a melting point range of 200° C. to 220° C.
IR Analysis: Throughout the course of the reaction the carbonyl absorption band (1670 cm -1 ) was seen to decrease. This was accompanied by an increase in the trans-unsaturation absorption band (970 cm -1 ) due to the condensation reaction.
The powdered reaction product was set by press-molding at 250° C. for 2 hours followed by an additional 2 hours at 280° C. The resulting mold was post-cured for 16 hours at 250° C.
Following are the properties of the neat molded polymer:
Glass Transition Temperature (Tg)=360° C.
Thermo Gravimetric Analysis in nitrogen (TGA)=1% weight loss at 300° C. 2% weight loss at 400° C. and 46% weight loss at 1000° C.
EXAMPLE 2
In a 500-ml glass resin kettle, equipped identically as the kettle described in Example 1, there was introduced 378.9 grams of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (3.11 moles), and 187.9 grams of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (1.55 moles). The reaction mixture was heated and agitated until a homogenous mixture resulted. Then, 6.32 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid was added (equivalent to 2.0 weight % of total reactants). This mixture was reacted for four hours over a temperature range of 165° C. to 195° C. The resulting product was a viscous, maroon-colored liquid. The reaction product is believed to be an oligomeric mixture based on bis(4-hydroxy styryl)methyl pyridine. When allowed to cool to ambient temperature, a very hard and brittle solid formed. The properties of the product are
Melting Point Range=115° C. to 130° C.
Elemental Weight % Analysis=75.9% carbon, 4.0% nitrogen, 5.6% hydrogen.
IR Spectrum Analysis: The product totally lacked the aldehyde peak (1670 cm -1 ), thus indicating that the hydroxybenzaldehyde was totally reacted. This is an advantage over PSP. As expected, trans-unsaturation absorption bands were found to be present (970 cm -1 ). Aromatic carbon-oxygen bonds were also determined to exist (1250 cm -1 ) due to the phenolic groups.
EXAMPLE 3
In a 1000 ml resin kettle with a nitrogen purge there was introduced 504.3 grams of salicylaldehyde (4.13 moles), 176.2 grams of 2,4,6-trimethyl pyridine (1.45 moles) and 14.0 grams of sulfuric acid. The mixture was heated from 170° C. to 190° C. for five hours. Water, the volatile condensation byproduct, was collected overhead during the course of the reaction.
The color and composition of the reaction mixture varied from a clear, thin liquid at the start of the reaction to a maroon, viscous liquid at reaction termination. After cooling to ambient temperature, the reaction product turned to a hard, brittle solid. The reaction product is believed to be an oligomeric mixture based on 2,4,6-tris(2-hydroxystyryl)pyridine. The softening point of the product was 115° C. to 120° C. When ground to a fine powder, the product exhibits a very bright yellow-orange color. Infrared analysis of the reaction product shows a dramatic decrease in the carbonyl absorption peak (C═O at 1670 cm -1 ) with a corresponding increase in the trans-unsaturation absorption peak (--C═C-- at 970 cm -1 ).
In order to remove unreacted salicylaldehyde and 2,4,6-trimethyl pyridine the powder was washed with copious quantities of acetone. The resulting solids were dried in a vacuum oven for 2 hours at 100° C. The melting point of the dried product was found to be 240° C. Infrared analysis of this product revealed trace quantities of carbonyl (aldehyde at 1670 cm -1 ) existing in the prepolymer. The trans-unsaturation absorption peak (970 cm -1 ) remained unchanged.
The above mentioned dried product was then press molded at 280° C. for 2 hours. The resulting molded product had physical characteristics identical to those of Example 1. The product was a very dark and hard solid.
EXAMPLE 4
588 grams (4.85 moles) of 2,4,6-trimethylpyridine (TMP) were added to a 2 liter reactor having a nitrogen purge along with 26 grams of ZnCl 2 . This was heated to the reflux point and 887 grams (7.26 moles) of p-hydroxybenzaldehyde (PHB) were added in seven increments over a period of 110 minutes. The reaction temperature was maintained in the range from 145° to 149° C. during this time. After addition of all the PHB the temperature was raised to 160° C. After four hours (with stirring) at this temperature, 560 grams of 2,6-dimethyl pyridine (DMP) were added. Water of condensation was collected as an azeotrope with the methyl pyridines using a side arm and condenser off of a reflux column. After 150 ml of distillate had been collected, another 150 ml of fresh 2,6-dimethyl pyridine was added to the reaction mixture. In both cases the reaction mixture was cooled below the boiling point of the DMP before it was added. The final mole ratio of TMP:PHB:DMP was approximately 1:1.5:1. The reaction was run for four hours at 160° C. after the initial addition of the DMP. At this point the reaction mixture was very viscous and stirring was slow and difficult.
When cooled, the product was the color and consistency of dark caramel. The product proved to be soluble in acetone, methanol, tetrahydrofuran and methylethylketone. It was completely insoluble in water.
Purification was accomplished by dissolving the material in methanol and then adding water to precipitate out the reaction product. This material was filtered, washed with hot water and dried. The resulting orange powder had a melting range of 148°-165° C. IR analysis of the powder showed no residual aldehyde at 1670 cm -1 . This material was press molded into a thermosetting polymer. Thermo Gravimetric Analysis of the cured polymer showed a 45% weight loss in nitrogen at 1000° C.
EXAMPLE 5
2,3,5,6-tetramethylpyrazine (204 grams, 1.5 moles) and p-hyroxybenzaldehyde (733 grams, 6 moles) were added to a 2 liter resin kettle having a nitrogen purge. After complete dissolution, sulfuric acid (15.12 grams, 0.15 moles) was added to the reactor contents. The temperature was maintained between 176°-198° C. After 3 hours, 4 minutes, the viscosity reached 740 centipoise. A dark hard glossy solid was obtained after the reactor contents were cooled to room temperature. The solid was crushed to give a violet powder with a mortar and pestle. The violet prepolymer was dissolved in methanol. The methanolic solution of prepolymer was added to water which caused the prepolymer to precipitate. The precipitate was dried, crushed, redissolved in methanol, precipitated in water, and dried overnight at 120° C. in a vacuum oven. The dried prepolymer was a light brown colored powder. The prepolymer melted between 177°-192° C. It was compression molded at 255°-290° C. and 490 psi for 2 hours to give a cured black polymer with the following properties:
Glass transition temperature=430°-440° C. (determined by DSC)
weight loss in nitrogen @ 950° C.=38.5%
This polymer was post cured in an oven for 15 hours at 280° C. which increased the glass transition temperature to 460° C. and decreased the weight loss in nitrogen at 950° C. to 31.8%.
EXAMPLE 6
Using the same procedure of Example 5, 270.3 grams of 2,5-dimethyl pyrazine was reacted with 610.6 grams of 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde to prepare a dark brown prepolymer.
EXAMPLE 7
Approximately 30 grams of the prepolymer prepared as described in example 2 was dissolved in 30 cc of acetone in a shallow pan. Ten 3"×3" (7.6×7.6 cm) sections of glass fiber mat were dipped in this prepolymer and acetone solution and then dryed in an oven at 150° C. and a high vacuum for 1.5 hours. After vacuum drying, the ten glass fiber prepregs were layed up on top of one another and then compression molded at 260° C. and 400 psi (28.1 kg/cm 2 ) for 3 hours. The finished composite had thoroughly fused giving a flexible sample after trimming.
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Heat resistant thermosetting prepolymers are prepared by reacting one or more methylated pyridines or pyrazines with one or more hydroxy aromatic aldehydes. The total number of methyl groups on the pyridine or pyrazine can vary from 2 to 4. The prepolymers are cured to produce heat resistant polymers and laminates with conventional fibers such as carbon fibers.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The invention relates to a shock sensor for detecting an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor.
BACKGROUND ART
[0002] With the development of the society and technical advancement, more and more convenient facilities, such as automobiles, motorcycles, automatic teller machines (ATM) and the like, appear in our daily life. These facilities normally need to be equipped with alarm devices against an attack, and when the facilities are subjected to the attack, the alarm devices can sense the attack and generate corresponding alarms, such as sound alarms.
[0003] At present, the alarm device normally is a shock sensor. That is, it is determined whether the facilities are subjected to the attack according to a shock signal sensed by the shock sensor. To this end, the known shock sensor is provided with a sensing device for sensing the shock signal. In the prior art, a piezo bimorph is usually used as the sensing device. The shock signal sensed by the pizeo bimorph is transmitted to a processor and is analyzed by the processor.
[0004] As is well known, the piezo bimorph is an analog element and can only sense a shock in one direction. In operation, the piezo bimorph transforms a strain thereof into an analog voltage as an output signal. Therefore, the shock signal sensed actually by the piezo bimorph may not be a real shock signal and can not describe really the attack as the real shock signal generated by the attack usually has three dimensional components. Moreover, the output signal is interfered easily by many factors, such as noise, a power supply for powering the piezo bimorph, etc.
[0005] The shock sensor also needs a complicated analog electrical circuit due to the piezo bimorph, thereby causing the shock sensor unstable.
[0006] The known shock sensor mainly executes a detection method as follows. A threshold value is predetermined, the shock signal detected by the shock sensor is compared with the threshold value, and exceeding of the threshold value indicates that the facility is subjected to the attack, thus generating a corresponding alarm. In some eases, in addition that the shock signal detected by the shock sensor is compared with a threshold value, one or more judgment conditions need to be met, in order to further decrease false alarm and missing alarm. However, as described above, the shock signal sensed by the piezo bimorph may not describe really the real attack, and therefore the false alarm and missing alarm may increase so as to cause the shock sensor ineffective.
[0007] Thus, it is desirable to provide a simple and reliable shock sensor adapted to detect the shock signal describing really the attack and thereby generate the alarm properly according to the shock signal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] In view of the problems existed in the prior art, an object of the invention is to provide a more simple and reliable shock sensor for detecting an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor.
[0009] For achieving this object, in one aspect, the present invention provides a shock sensor for detecting an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor, which comprises:
a microprocessor; a micro electromechanical system (MEMS) in communication with the microprocessor, the micro electromechanical system being integrated with a shock sensing device adapted to sense a shock generated by the attack in any direction and a microchip adapted to receive and store at least one parameter from the microprocessor and to analyze a shock signal generated by the shock based on the at least one parameter; and an output device connected with the microprocessor and adapted to output information based on an analysis result of the shock signal.
[0013] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock sensor further comprises a sensitivity adjusting device connected with the microprocessor, and a sensitivity of the shock senor can be adjusted by means of the sensitivity adjusting device.
[0014] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the microchip is provided with a serial peripheral interface, and the microprocessor is provided with a corresponding serial peripheral interface connected with the serial peripheral interface of the microchip; or the microchip is in communication with the microprocessor in a wireless manner.
[0015] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock sensing device is an acceleration sensing device; and/or the shock sensing device samples the shock signal at a sampling frequency of about 2 kHz, preferably 2 kHz; and/or the output device is an alarm device.
[0016] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the microchip is programmable and comprises a first register for storing the at least one parameter received from the microprocessor, a second register for storing the shock signal received from the shock sensing device, a memory for storing a program sequence to analyze the shock signal, and an on-chip interrupt controller at least adapted to send an interrupt instruction to the microprocessor based on the analysis result of the shock signal.
[0017] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock sensor further comprises a mode setting device connected with the microprocessor, and the shock sensor can be set to a sensitivity determining mode by means of the mode setting device; and the sensitivity of the shock sensor is determined by means of the following steps: a) setting the shock sensor to the sensitivity determining mode by means of the mode setting device and powering the shock sensor on; b) simulating a desired attack in a predetermined time period and recording an amplitude of the shock signal generated by the desired attack in the predetermined time period by means of the micro electromechanical system; and c) determining the sensitivity of the shock sensor at least based on the amplitude of the shock signal.
[0018] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, when the sensitivity of the shock sensor is determined, the shock sensor is switched from the sensitivity determining mode to another mode in which the determined sensitivity is allowed to be set by means of the sensitivity adjusting device.
[0019] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sensitivity adjusting device comprises a first DIP (double in-line package) switch adapted to select a sensitivity range for the shock sensor and a potentiometer (POT) adapted to set the sensitivity of the shock sensor in the selected sensitivity range; and/or the mode setting device comprises a second DIP switch.
[0020] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock sensor further comprises: an additional adjusting device, in particular a third DIP switch, connected with the microprocessor, wherein a corresponding additional parameter can be set by means of the additional adjusting device, and the corresponding additional parameter is taken into account when the shock signal is analyzed; and/or a tamper switch for protecting the shock sensor itself and connected with the output device.
[0021] In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the shock sensor further comprises an indication device, in particular an LED (light emitting diode), connected with the microprocessor; the output device comprises an optical alarm device and an acoustic alarm device; and the indication device can be used for assisting in setting the sensitivity of the shock sensor and functions as the optical alarm device.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0022] The invention and advantages thereof will be further understood by reading the following detailed description of some preferred exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing essential components of a preferred exemplary embodiment of a shock sensor for sensing an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor.
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred exemplary embodiment of a MEMS of the shock sensor.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a preferred exemplary embodiment of some components connected with a microprocessor of the shock sensor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] Now, a shock sensor according to a preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention will be described with reference to FIG. 1 . As previously described, the shock sensor is usually installed on some important facilities in order to detect a possible attack on the facilities and generate an alarm when the attack is determined as a real attack possibly breaking the facilities and/or causing any property loss.
[0027] As shown in FIG. 1 , the shock sensor 1 mainly comprises a MEMS 2 at least adapted to sample a shock signal which is transmitted to the MEMS 2 , a microprocessor 3 adapted to be communicated with the MEMS 2 , an alarm device 4 for generating an alarm in any suitable manners (preferably in an optical and/or acoustic manner) when the real attack is detected, and a power supply 5 at least for powering the MEMS 2 and the microprocessor 3 .
[0028] As further shown in FIG. 1 , the alarm device 4 is connected with and controlled by means of the microprocessor 3 .
[0029] As an example, the power supply 5 may be a 3 VDC power supply.
[0030] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1 , a serial peripheral interface (SPI) 6 of the microprocessor 3 is electrically connected with a SPI 7 of the MEMS 2 , in order to achieve a communication between the microprocessor 3 and the MEMS 2 in a wired manner.
[0031] Preferably, as shown FIG. 2 , the MEMS 2 is at least integrated with a shock sensing device 8 for sensing all of three dimensional components of the shock signal, and a microchip 9 at least adapted to receive and store at least one parameter from the microprocessor 3 and to analyze the shock signal based on the at least one parameter.
[0032] For example, the shock sensing device 8 samples the shock signal at a sampling frequency of 2 kHz.
[0033] Preferably, the microchip 9 is programmable and a first preprogrammed program sequence is stored in the microchip 9 to analyze the shock signal. Further, the microchip 9 at least comprises a digital interface (such as the SPI 7 ), a first register for storing the at least one parameter transmitted from the microprocessor 3 , a second register for storing the shock signal received from the shock sensing device 8 , a memory for storing the first program sequence, and an on-chip interrupt controller at least adapted to send an interrupt instruction to the microprocessor 3 according to an analysis result of the shock signal.
[0034] As an alternative, the MEMS 2 can be communicated with the microprocessor 3 in a wireless manner. In this case, the microchip 9 is provided with a wireless transceiver and the microprocessor 3 is provided with a corresponding wireless transceiver.
[0035] Preferably, the shock sensing device 8 is an acceleration sensing device. It should be understood by a person skilled in the art that the shock sensing device 8 may be any other suitable sensing device, as long as the shock signal sensed by the shock sensing device 8 is able to describe really the attack.
[0036] Preferably, the interrupt instruction is an instruction for indicating that the attack is determined as the real attack by analyzing the shock signal, and the instruction is sent immediately to the microprocessor 3 when the real attack is determined.
[0037] Preferably, a second preprogrammed program sequence is stored in a memory of the microprocessor 3 to at least control the alarm device 4 according to the interrupt instruction received from the on-chip interrupt controller of the MEMS 2 . When the microprocessor 3 receives the interrupt instruction, the microprocessor 3 sends a control signal to the alarm device 4 to generate the alarm.
[0038] It may be understood by a person skilled in the art that a sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 usually needs to be adjusted when the shock sensor 1 is used in different applications and sites. Generally, as described above, the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 corresponds to a certain threshold value, with which an amplitude of the shock signal will be compared in operation. As an example, by comparing the amplitude of the shock signal generated by the attack with the threshold value (and additionally comparing a duration of the attack with a predetermined duration), the microchip 9 analyzes the shock signal and generates the alarm when the attack is determined as the real attack.
[0039] To this end, as shown in FIG. 1 , the shock sensor 1 further comprises a sensitivity adjusting device 10 for adjusting the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 . The sensitivity adjusting device 10 is connected with the microprocessor 3 .
[0040] As shown in FIG. 3 , as an example, the sensitivity adjusting device 10 comprises at least one first DIP switch 11 and a potentiometer 12 which are connected with the microprocessor 3 . The first DIP switch 11 is used for selecting different sensitivity levels (ranges) for the shock sensor 1 as desired, and the potentiometer 12 is used for setting accurately the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 in the selected sensitivity range. That is to say, the first DIP switch 11 and the potentiometer 12 cooperate with each other to set the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 . Once the first DIP switch 11 and the potentiometer 12 is adjusted well, the microprocessor 3 can determine the sensitivity of the shock sensor I according to adjusted positions of the first DIP switch 11 and the potentiometer 12 when the shock sensor 1 is powered on. In this case, the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 can be maintained until the first DIP switch 11 and/or the potentiometer 12 is readjusted.
[0041] It is preferable to provide four different sensitivity levels for the shock sensor 1 . In this case, the at least one first DIP switch 11 comprises two DIP switches 11 , as shown in FIG. 3 . Each first DIP switch 11 has two setting positions and thereby the two DIP switches 11 are able to cooperate with each other to provide four different sensitivity levels.
[0042] When the microprocessor 3 determines the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 , the threshold value corresponding to the determined sensitivity, as a parameter, is assigned to the first register of the microchip 9 by means of the microprocessor 3 . Then, the microchip 9 can be used for analyzing the shock signal at least based on the determined sensitivity by using the first program sequence.
[0043] Preferably, as shown in FIG. 1 , the shock sensor 1 further comprises an indication device 13 at least for assisting in adjusting of the sensitivity, which is connected with and controlled by means of the microprocessor 3 . More preferably, the indication device 13 can also undertake other function, for example, generating an optical alarm when the attack is determined as the real attack.
[0044] According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the indication device 13 may be or comprises an LED, in particular a colored LED.
[0045] For assisting in adjusting the sensitivity, as shown in FIG. 1 , the shock sensor 1 preferably further comprises a mode setting device 14 connected with the microprocessor 3 . The shock sensor 1 can be set to a normal working mode or a sensitivity determining mode by means of the mode setting device 14 .
[0046] Preferably, the mode setting device 14 is a second DIP switch, as shown in FIG. 3 .
[0047] In the normal working mode, the shock sensor 1 works normally to detect the attack. Preferably, when the shock sensor 1 is installed on the facility and set to the normal working mode by means of the mode setting device 14 , the shock sensor 1 can be communicated with a control system (not shown) of the facility.
[0048] Preferably, in the sensitivity determining mode, the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 can be determined intelligently as follows. Specifically, a process for determining the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 comprises the following steps:
[0049] a) setting the shock sensor 1 to the sensitivity determining mode by means of the mode setting device 14 and powering the shock sensor 1 on;
[0050] b) simulating a desired attack in a predetermined time period and recording an amplitude of the shock signal generated by the desired attack in the predetermined time period by means of the MEMS 2 ; and
[0051] c) determining the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 at least based on the amplitude of the shock signal.
[0052] Preferably, the process for determining the sensitivity of the shock sensor I is carried out in the microchip 9 . Of course, the process can also be carried out in the microprocessor 3 .
[0053] Once the sensitivity is determined, the shock sensor 1 is set to not be in the sensitivity determining mode and the sensitivity of the shock sensor 1 is finally adjusted to the determined sensitivity by means of the sensitivity adjusting device 10 with the help of the indication device 13 .
[0054] In operation, in addition to the comparison between the amplitude of the shock signal and the threshold value, an additional characteristic value of the shock signal needs to be compared with the corresponding additional threshold value to further decrease false alarm and missing alarm. To this end, the shock sensor 1 further comprises an additional setting device connected with the microprocessor 3 and adapted to set the corresponding additional threshold value. Preferably, the additional setting device is used for selecting one additional threshold from a plurality of predetermined values. In this case, the additional setting device preferably is a third DIP switch 15 , as shown in FIG. 3 .
[0055] As further shown in FIG. 3 , the two first DIP switches 11 , the second DIP switch 14 and the third DIP switch 15 preferably are integrated into a single module and the module is available from market.
[0056] Preferably, the shock sensor 1 further comprises a tamper switch for self protection. The tamper switch is connected with the alarm device 4 and generates an alarm when the shock sensor 1 is subjected to damage.
[0057] While certain embodiments have been described, these embodiments have been presented by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. The attached claims and their equivalents are intended to cover all the modifications, substitutions and changes as would fall within the scope and spirit of the invention.
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Disclosed is a shock sensor for detecting an attack on a facility equipped with the shock sensor, comprising: a microprocessor; a micro electromechanical system in communication with the microprocessor, the micro electromechanical system being integrated with a shock sensing device adapted to sense a shock generated by the attack in any direction and a microchip adapted to receive and store at least one parameter from the microprocessor and to analyze a shock signal generated by the shock based on the at least one parameter; and an output device connected with the microprocessor and adapted to output information based on an analysis result of the shock signal. According to the invention, the shock sensor can detect reliably any attack and has a simple circuit arrangement.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission used in vehicles.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Generally, a conventional automatic transmission used in a vehicle includes a torque converter, a multistage gear shift mechanism connected to the torque converter, and a plurality of friction elements actuated by hydraulic pressure for selecting a gear shift stage of the gear shift mechanism.
The conventional automatic transmission is provided with a hydraulic control system which controls the automatic transmission.
In such a hydraulic control system, hydraulic pressure generated by a hydraulic pump is selectively supplied to each friction element by a plurality of control valves such that automatic shifting is realized in accordance with a driving state of the vehicle and engine throttle opening.
The above described hydraulic control system generally comprises a line pressure controller for regulating hydraulic pressure generated by the hydraulic pump to line pressure, a damper clutch controller for actuating a damper clutch of the torque converter, a reducing pressure controller for reducing line pressure, a range controller for selectively supplying line pressure to lines corresponding to respective shift ranges, a shift controller for supplying hydraulic pressure from the range controller to lines corresponding to respective shift ranges, a hydraulic pressure controller for duty-controlling hydraulic pressure from the range controller into operational pressure operating the friction elements, and a hydraulic pressure distributor for determining a hydraulic flow path corresponding to each shift range by operating valves according to the hydraulic pressure from the shift controller, and suitably distributing the operational pressure to each friction element.
The shift controller operates spool valves of the hydraulic pressure distributor under the control of a transmission control unit, such that the hydraulic flow path corresponding to each shift range is determined to realize shifting.
When changing shift stages, the timing of exhausting hydraulic pressure from one set of friction elements and supplying hydraulic pressure to another set of friction elements through the hydraulic flow path, determined by the shift controller in accordance with each shift range, greatly influences shift quality. However, mis-timing can cause an abrupt increase in engine revolutions or locking of the shift mechanism. Further, abrupt changes in hydraulic pressure levels in the hydraulic flow path decreases the life span of the automatic transmission.
In order to improve shift quality and durability of the transmission by both accurately controlling the timing of pressure supply and minimizing changes in hydraulic pressure levels, a method of modifying shift valve structure has been developed. However, such a method complicates both the structure of the shift valves and the control process.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above problems. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic control system used in an automatic transmission for a vehicle, which easily and accurately controls timing of pressure supply to, and reduces a change in hydraulic pressure levels flowing in, a flow path. Further, it is another object of the present invention to provide a hydraulic control system which improves shift response when skip shifting, and, in particular, when up or downshifting into a third speed, the hydraulic control system accurately controlling operating timing of corresponding friction elements by control of a transmission control unit.
To achieve the above object, the present invention provides a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission including a plurality of friction elements associated with respective transmission speeds, the hydraulic control system comprising:
a hydraulic fluid source;
line pressure control means for regulating hydraulic pressure from the fluid source to line pressure;
reducing pressure control means for reducing hydraulic pressure from the line pressure control means;
range control means for selectively supplying hydraulic pressure from the line pressure control means;
shift control means for supplying hydraulic pressure from the range control means to lines corresponding to respective shift ranges by control of a transmission control unit;
hydraulic pressure control means for duty controlling hydraulic pressure, supplied from the range control means, to convert the duty-controlled hydraulic pressure into control pressure for operating the friction elements; and
hydraulic pressure distributing means for determining a hydraulic flow path corresponding to each shift range by operating valves according to the hydraulic pressure from the shift control means, and suitably distributing the hydraulic pressure from the shift control means or the control pressure to each of the friction elements;
wherein the hydraulic pressure distributing means comprises:
a 3-4 shift valve for realizing port conversion during 3-4 shifting to selectively supply/exhaust the control pressure to/from at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds;
a 2-3/4-3 shift valve for realizing port conversion during 2-3 or 4-3 shifting to selectively supply/exhaust the control pressure to/from at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds;
a 4-2 shift valve for realizing port conversion during 4-2 skip-shifting to selectively supply/exhaust the control pressure to/from at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds;
a 1-2 shift valve for realizing port conversion during 1-2 shifting to selectively supply/exhaust the control pressure to/from the 2-3/4-3 shift valve and 4-2 shift valve in accordance with the respective transmission speeds and to selectively supply/exhaust hydraulic pressure from the range control means to at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds;
a control switch valve for realizing port conversion to selectively supply/exhaust hydraulic pressure from the shift control means and the control pressure via the 1-2 shift valve to at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds such that accurately controls timing when each corresponding friction element begins to operate; and
a solenoid valve for controlling the control switch valve in accordance with a control signal of the transmission control unit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a neutral N range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a reverse R range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a first speed of a drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 1-2 upshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a second speed of the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 2-3 upshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 7 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a third speed of the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 8 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 3-4 upshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 9 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a fourth speed of the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 10 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 4-3 downshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 11 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 3-2 downshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 12 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 2-1 downshifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
FIG. 13 is a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow during 4-2 skip-shifting in the drive D range of a hydraulic control system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience and reference only and will not be limiting. The words "right" and "left" are only used to designate directions in the drawings to which reference is made.
Referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a hydraulic circuit diagram showing hydraulic pressure flow in a neutral N range of a hydraulic control system according to the present invention. The hydraulic control system is structured such that hydraulic pressure created by hydraulic pressure generating means is supplied to/released from each friction element to engage/disengage the same, realizing automatic shifting.
In more detail, an hydraulic pump 4, mounted to a pump drive hub of a torque converter 2, is connected to a line pressure passage 6 to enable supply of hydraulic pressure to a pressure regulating valve 8.
The pressure regulating valve 8 supplies hydraulic pressure supplied through the line pressure passage 6 to a torque converter control valve 10, a damper clutch control valve 12, and the torque converter 2 such that lubrication of a transaxle and a damper clutch, mounted in the torque converter 2, are able to be controlled.
Part of the hydraulic pressure supplied from the hydraulic pump 4 is supplied to a reducing valve 14, which reduces line pressure, and to a manual valve 16, indexed by a selector lever (not shown) operated by the driver to determine shift ranges by controlling hydraulic flow.
Part of the hydraulic pressure reduced by the reducing valve 14 is supplied to a high-low pressure valve 18, which minimizes power loss of the hydraulic pump 4 by reducing line pressure in a high speed stage, to control the same valve 18. Further, part of the reduced hydraulic pressure is supplied to first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22 to control the same, the first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22 being comprised in a hydraulic pressure controller. Further, another part of the reduced hydraulic pressure is supplied to a N-R control valve 24 which reduces shift shock when changing shift modes from the neutral N range to a reverse R range.
When the manual valve 16, which is a range controller, is positioned at a drive D range, hydraulic pressure from the manual valve 16 flows into a line 26. The line 26 is connected to a shift control valve 28 which determines the hydraulic flow path by port conversion according to control of the first and second solenoid valves S1 and S2, ON/OFF controlled by a transmission control unit (TCU), the manual valve 16 being comprised in a range controller and the shift control valve 28 and the solenoid valves S1 and S2 being comprised in a shift controller.
The shift control valve 28 is connected to a second speed line 30, a third speed line 32, and a fourth speed line 34 to control valve spools of spool valves being comprised in a hydraulic pressure distributor.
In more detail, hydraulic pressure in the second speed line 30 is supplied to a left side port of a 1-2 shift valve 36 to control a valve spool of the same, hydraulic pressure in the third speed line 32 is supplied to a left side port of a 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 to control a valve spool of the same, and hydraulic pressure in the fourth line 34 is supplied to a right side port of the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 and a left side port of a 3-4 shift valve 40 to control valve spools of the same valves 38 and 40.
Meanwhile, the first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22 realize port conversion in accordance with the third and fourth solenoid valves S3 and S4, respectively.
The line 26 connected to the manual valve 29 is branched off to a first speed line 27. Accordingly, hydraulic pressure is supplied to the first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22, which duty-control the hydraulic pressure into control pressure, such that the control pressure is supplied to a first friction element C1, acting as an input element in the first speed stage, via the 3-4 shift valve controlled by the third and fourth solenoid valves S3 and S4.
Further, the first speed line 40 is connected to a timing control line 42 such that line pressure in the first speed line 40 is supplied to a control switch valve 44 and a 4-2 shift valve 46.
The control switch valve 44 supplies/exhausts operational pressure to/from a third friction element C3, which acts as an input element in the third and fourth speed stages, and controls a timing of when the operational pressure is supplied to the third friction element C3. Further, the control switch valve 44 controls an operating timing of a second friction element C2, which acts as a reaction element in the second and fourth speed stages. The above timing control is realized through port conversion of the control switch valve 44 according to control of a fifth solenoid valve S5, the fifth solenoid valve S5 being ON/OFF controlled by the TCU.
The control switch valve 44 comprises a first port receiving hydraulic pressure from the manual valve 16 to control a valve spool of the control switch valve 44, a second port receiving line pressure through the third speed line 32, a third port receiving hydraulic pressure from the first pressure control valve 20 via the 1-2 shift valve, a fourth port receiving line pressure through the second speed line 30, a fifth port supplying hydraulic pressure supplied through the fourth port to an operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2, and a sixth port supplying hydraulic pressure supplied through the second port to the third friction element C3. A valve spool of the control switch valve 44 is operated by a fifth solenoid valve S5, connected to the first port, such that hydraulic pressure supplied through the third port is selectively supplied to the operational chamber h2 through the fifth port or to the third friction element C3 through the sixth port.
The 4-2 shift valve 46 comprises a port connected to the first port of the control switch valve 44, a port receiving the third speed pressure in the third speed line 32, a port receiving hydraulic pressure from the first pressure control valve 20 via the 1-2 shift valve 36, a port supplying hydraulic pressure to the third friction element C3, and a port connected to the 3-4 shift valve 40.
A valve spool of the 4-2 shift valve 46 is controlled by both the hydraulic pressure supplied through the port connected to the first port of the control switch valve 44 and the hydraulic pressure supplied through the port connected to the 3-4 shift valve 40. By the this control, the 4-2 shift valve 46 more accurately controls operating timing of the third friction element C3.
The 1-2 shift valve 36 supplies control pressure from the first pressure control valve 20 to the operational chamber h2 via the control switch valve 44. Simultaneously, the 1-2 shift valve 36 supplies the control pressure from first pressure control valve 20 to the fourth friction element C4 and a release chamber hi of the second friction element C2 via a 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38.
For the above operation, the 1-2 shift valve 36 comprises a port receiving line pressure from the shift control valve 28 through the second speed line 30 to control a valve spool of the 1-2 shift valve 36 in second, third, and fourth speed states, a port receiving reverse control pressure through a reverse control line 48 when in the reverse R range, a port receiving control pressure from the first pressure control valve 20, a port through which the reverse range pressure is supplied to the fifth friction element C5, and a port through which the hydraulic pressure supplied from the first pressure control valve 20 is supplied to the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38, the 4-2 shift valve 46, and the control switch valve 44 in the drive D range.
On a side of the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 is provided a kickdown switch 50. The kickdown switch 50 detects whether or not the second friction element C2 is operating and transmits a corresponding signal to the TCU.
The 3-4 shift valve 40 supplies control pressure from the second pressure control valve 22 to the first friction element C1 in the first, second, and third speeds. Further, the control pressure supplied to the first friction element C1 is exhausted through the 3-4 shift valve 40 during 3-4 shifting.
The hydraulic pressure supplied to the release chamber h1 of the second friction element C2 is returned through a second reverse control line 52 via the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 or the 3-4 shift valve 40 to be exhausted through an exit port of the manual valve 16.
Reference numeral S6, which has not yet been described, is a sixth solenoid valve. The sixth solenoid valve S6 controls the damper clutch control valve 12 according to a control signal of the TCU.
The flow of hydraulic pressure and shift processes for each shift stage in the hydraulic control system structured as in the above will now be described with reference with the accompanying drawings.
When in the neutral N range as shown in FIG. 1, hydraulic pressure from the hydraulic pump 4 is regulated to a predetermined level by the pressure regulating valve 8 and reduced by the reducing valve 14 to be supplied to the first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22, and to the damper clutch control valve 12. Here, the third and fourth solenoid valves S3 and S4 are duty-controlled to OFF by the TCU such that the valve spools of the pressure control valves 20 and 22 move to the right.
From the above state, when the manual valve 16 is positioned in the reverse R range, as shown in FIG. 2, part of the hydraulic pressure being supplied to the manual valve 16 is supplied to the 1-2 shift valve 36 through the first reverse control line 48 via the N-R control valve 24 duty-controlled by the third solenoid valve S4. Accordingly, the valve spool of the 1-2 shift valve 36 moves to the right such that the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the fifth friction element C5 acting as a reaction element at the reverse R range. Also, part of the hydraulic pressure from the manual valve 16 is supplied to the fourth friction element C4, which acts as an input element in the reverse R range, through the second reverse control line 52 via the 3-4 shift valve 40 and the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 to realize shifting into the reverse R range.
If the manual valve 16 is positioned in the drive D range from the neutral N range, as shown in FIG. 3, part of the hydraulic pressure being supplied from the manual valve 16 is supplied to the first and second pressure control valves 20 and 22, and to the shift control valve 28. Here, the first and second solenoid valve S1 and S2 are controlled to ON such that the valve spool of the shift control valve 28 is positioned identically as that in the neutral N range.
Further, in this state, the third solenoid valve S3 is controlled to ON such that the hydraulic pressure is not able to be supplied to the first pressure control valve 20. Thus, the hydraulic pressure passes through the second pressure control valve 22 to be supplied to the first friction element C1, which acts as an input element in the first speed stage of the drive D range, through the 3-4 shift valve 40.
Here, through the line 42 branched off from the first speed line 27, part of the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the first port of the control switch valve 44 to push the valve spool of the same to the left.
If throttle opening and vehicle speed are increased in the first speed state, the TCU controls the first solenoid valve S1 to OFF from ON such that the shift control valve 28 supplies the hydraulic pressure supplied from the manual valve 16 to the second speed line 30, as shown in FIG. 4. Also, the third solenoid valve S3 is duty-controlled to OFF such that hydraulic pressure in the first speed line 40 is supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 via the 1-2 shift valve 36 or the control switch valve 44.
Here, part of hydraulic pressure passing the 1-2 shift valve 36 is supplied to the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 and the 4-2 shift valve 46 to stand by at these valves 38 and 46. Further, part of hydraulic pressure in the second speed line 30 is supplied to the control switch valve 44 through a line branched from the second speed line 30 and stands by at the control switch valve 44.
In this state, if the third and fifth solenoid valve S3 and S5 are controlled to OFF, as shown in FIG. 5, the valve spool of the control switch valve 44 moves to the left such that the second speed line 30 is communicated with the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 to realize shifting into the second speed of the drive D range.
If vehicle speed and throttle opening are increased in the above state, the first and second solenoid valves S1 and S2 are controlled to OFF as shown in FIG. 6. By this control, hydraulic fluid flows into the second speed line 30 and the third speed line 32. Thus, line pressure in the third speed line 32 is supplied to a left side port of the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 such that the valve spool of the same moves to the right.
Accordingly, the hydraulic pressure standing by at the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 in the second speed is supplied to the release chamber h1 of the second friction element C2 to stop the operation of the same and, simultaneously, the hydraulic pressure is supplied to the fourth friction element C4.
Also at the same time, the fifth solenoid valve S5 is controlled to ON such that the hydraulic pressure being supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 via the 1-2 shift valve 36 is converted into control pressure from line pressure in the second speed line 30, which the second and third speed pressures stands by at the control switch valve 44.
In this state, if the fifth solenoid valve S5 is controlled to OFF from ON as shown in FIG. 7, the valve spool of the control switch valve 44 moves to the left such that the hydraulic pressure being supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 is converted back into line pressure in the second speed line 30. Further, the line pressure in the third speed line 32 is supplied to the third friction element C3 to realize shifting into the third speed of the drive D range.
Here, part of the hydraulic pressure being supplied to the third friction element C3 is supplied to the high/low pressure valve 18 such that the pressure regulating valve 8 is controlled to reduce line pressure. The reduction of line pressure reduces power loss of the hydraulic pump 4.
As described above, when shifting into the fourth speed from the third speed, because the fifth solenoid valve S5 controls the third friction element C3, the problem of shifting temporarily into the neutral N range is prevented.
If vehicle speed and throttle opening are increased in the third speed state, as shown in FIG. 8, the TCU controls the first and fifth solenoid valves S1 and S5 to ON such that hydraulic fluid flows in the second, third, and fourth speed lines 30, 32, and 34. Further, the third solenoid valve S3 is duty-controlled.
Accordingly, the hydraulic pressure being supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 is converted into control pressure from the 1-2 shift valve 36 from line pressure in the second pressure line 32. Further, line pressure in the fourth speed line 34 is supplied to the left side port of the 3-4 shift valve 40 and the right side port of the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 such that the valve spool of the 3-4 shift valve 40 moves to the right and the valve spool of the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 moves to the left.
Consequently, the hydraulic pressure in the first friction element C1 is exhausted through an exit port Ex of the 3-4 shift valve 40. Further, because hydraulic pressure is supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 to press a wall of the release chamber h1 to the left, the hydraulic pressure in the release chamber h1 is quickly exhausted through an exit port Ex of the manual valve 16 via the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38, 3-4 shift valve 40, and the second reverse control line 52.
After completing the above control process, the valve spool of the control switch valve 44 moves to the left by OFF-control of the fifth solenoid valve S5 such that line pressure in the third speed line 34 is supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 via the control switch valve 44 to realize shifting into the fourth speed of the drive D range.
When downshifting into the third speed state from the fourth speed state, the first solenoid valve S1 is controlled to OFF as shown in FIG. 10 such that line pressure in the fourth speed line 34 is exhausted. Accordingly, the valve spool of the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38 moves to the right and the valve spool of the 3-4 shift valve 40 moves to the left.
Further, by duty-control of the third and fourth solenoid valves S3 and S4, control pressure regulated by the first pressure control valve 20 is supplied to the fourth friction element C4, and to the operational and release chambers h2 and h1 of the second friction element C2 via the 1-2 shift valve, the control switch valve 44, and the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38. Here, hydraulic pressure applied to the release chamber h1 and the fourth friction element C4 are affected by hydraulic pressure applied to the operational chamber h2. The second pressure control valve 22 duty-controls and supplies hydraulic pressure to the first friction element C1 to realize shifting into the third speed state from the fourth speed state. Consequently, shift shock is reduced and shifting temporarily into the neutral N range is prevented.
When downshifting into the second speed state from the third speed state as shown in FIG. 11, the second solenoid valve S2 is controlled to OFF such that the hydraulic pressure in the third friction element C3 is quickly exhausted through the shift control valve 26 via the third speed line 32. Further, by duty-control of the third solenoid valve S3, hydraulic pressure being supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 through the control switch valve 44 is converted into control pressure from the 1-2 shift valve 36. Because the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 receives hydraulic pressure, the wall of the release chamber h1 is pushed leftward such that hydraulic pressures in the release chamber h1 and the fourth friction element C4 are exhausted through the manual valve 16 via the 2-3/4-3 shift valve 38, the 3-4 shift valve 40, and the second reverse control line 52.
When downshifting into the first speed state from the second speed state as shown in FIG. 12, the first solenoid valve S1 is maintained in an OFF state and the second solenoid valve S2 is switched ON. Further, the fifth solenoid valve S5 is initially controlled to ON then returned to OFF at the end of shifting.
Accordingly, line pressure in the second speed line 30 is quickly exhausted through the exit port Ex of the shift control valve 28 and the hydraulic pressure in the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2 is exhausted by duty-control of the third solenoid valve S3.
The hydraulic control system according to the present invention is able to realize 4-2 kickdown skip shifting. If the TCU transmits a 4-2 kickdown skip shift signal, the first solenoid valve S1 is controlled to OFF from ON and the second solenoid valve S2 is controlled to ON from OFF, as shown in FIG. 13. Also, the fifth solenoid valve S5 is initially controlled to ON then controlled to OFF at the end of shifting.
The third and fourth solenoid valves S3 and S4 are duty-controlled such that the hydraulic pressure in the third friction element C3 is exhausted, while hydraulic pressure is supplied to the first friction element C1 to realize skip shifting into the second speed state.
As described in the above when up or downshifting, in the hydraulic control system according to the present invention, the fifth solenoid valve S5 is controlled to ON at the middle of the shifting process such that the control switch valve 44 supplies control pressure, duty-controlled by the first pressure control valve 20, to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2, and, at the end of the shifting process, the fifth solenoid valve S5 is controlled to OFF such that the switch control valve 44 supplies line pressure in the second speed line 30 to the operational chamber h2. Accordingly, shift shock and damage to friction elements is greatly reduced and shift quality is improved.
Further, when 3-4 or 3-2 shifting, because hydraulic pressures in the first and third friction elements C1 and C3 are quickly exhausted and hydraulic pressures exhausted from the release chamber h1 and the fourth friction element C4 are controlled by of hydraulic pressure supplied to the operational chamber h2 of the second friction element C2, shift shock is reduced and the temporary shifting into the neutral state is prevented. In addition, 4-2 skip shifting is able to be realized. Accordingly, shift response and durability of the automatic transmission are improved.
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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Disclosed is a hydraulic control system for an automatic transmission including a plurality of friction elements associated with respective transmission speeds. The hydraulic control system includes a hydraulic fluid source, a line pressure controller, a reducing pressure controller, a range controller, a shift controller, a hydraulic pressure controller, and a hydraulic pressure distributor. The hydraulic pressure distributor further includes a 3-4 shift valve, a 1-2 shift valve, a 2-3/4-3 shift valve, a 4-2 shift valve for realizing port conversion during a 4-2 skip-shifting process to selectively supply/exhaust the control pressure to/from at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds, a control switch valve for realizing port conversion to selectively supply/exhaust hydraulic pressure from the shift controller and the control pressure via the 1-2 shift valve to at least one of the friction elements corresponding to the respective transmission speeds, and a solenoid valve for controlling the control switch valve in accordance with a control signal from a transmission control unit.
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STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The government has rights in this invention pursuant to contract no. DE-AC04-94AL8500 between the U.S. Department of Energy and Sandia Corporation.
This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/568,844, filed Dec. 7, 1995, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the preparation of carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries and more particularly to methods of treating polymeric precursor powders and fibers and producing carbon materials for use as anode materials in rechargeable lithium batteries having improved performance.
A majority of the research aimed at development of rechargeable batteries that exhibit improved performance characteristics, such as increased cycle life and energy and power densities, has focused on the development of lithium rechargeable batteries because they provide significant advantages in performance characteristics when compared to other battery systems. Of particular interest, has been the development of lithium anodes for secondary battery applications.
Rechargeable lithium battery cells that utilize lithium metal as an anode material have not gained widespread use due to limitations in cell performance resulting from extensive dendrite formation leading to cell shorting and inefficient electrochemical deposition of lithium on charging, coupled with safety problems inherent in the use of lithium metal, which is highly reactive. As disclosed by Murakami et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,514, many of these problems can be overcome by incorporating lithium into a graphitic carbon structure. This process, known as intercalation, involves insertion of lithium metal atoms along the c-axis of graphite to form a charge transfer compound, wherein the lithium atom appears to donate an electron to the graphite/carbon host binding the lithium to the graphite/carbon host by electrostatic attraction. By incorporating lithium into a graphite/carbon host in this fashion the chemical reactivity of the lithium is reduced, overcoming problems associated with the use of metallic lithium.
Carbon in various physical forms (foams, powders, fibers) and states of aggregation (films, monolithic pieces, pressed powders/fibers) has been used for many years as an electrode material in batteries. The synthesis of carbonaceous materials for lithium intercalation anodes has been extensively described. These syntheses generally involve the controlled pyrolysis of an organic precursor material such as benzene (Mohri et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,814; Yoshimoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,863,818 and Yoshimoto et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,527), selected furan resins (Nishi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,959,281), thin films of poly(phenylene oxadiazole) (Murakami et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,749,514), various carbonizable organic compounds such as condensed polycyclic hydrocarbons and polycyclic hetrocyclic compounds, novalak resins and polyphenylene and poly(substituted) phenylenes (Miyabayashi et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,725,422; Hirasuka et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,977).
By way of example, Arnold et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,832,881 and Simandl et al., U. S. Pat. No. 5,208,003, describe carbon materials in the form of foams, aerogels and microcellular carbons which are useful as anode materials for high energy density batteries. While these carbon materials represent an improvement over conventional carbon powder for use as anodes, they have several disadvantages. Methods used to prepare these carbon materials require elaborate processing steps to prepare their precursor materials; among other things, solvents used to prepare the precursor materials must be completely removed from the precursor materials prior to the carbonization step. In order not to disrupt the microstructure of the precursor material the solvent removal step must be done under carefully controlled conditions using, for example, freeze drying or supercritical extraction. Furthermore, the solvents must either be disposed of or purified if they are to be reused. In addition, before the carbonized product produced by these processes can be used, additional fabrication steps, such as machining, must be employed.
For the reasons set forth above, there has been a particular interest in developing carbon materials that will reversibly intercalate and deintercalate lithium. However, many of the carbon-based systems initially developed were not able to provide high cycle life due to limitations of the graphite/carbon electrode material, e.g., exfoliation during cycling and/or reaction with the solvent. Further work has led to development of carbon materials that are able to cycle well, and battery cells utilizing these materials are commercially available. However, these carbons are typically monolithic materials, having high surface areas, which limit their usefulness, particularly for secondary battery applications. Furthermore, they are difficult and expensive to manufacture.
In addition to new carbon electrode materials that are more compatible with lithium, there have been numerous efforts to improve the intercalation efficiency of carbon materials useful for lithium intercalation electrodes. One solution is described in Yoshino et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,668,595, wherein doping of a wide variety of carbons formed from carbon powders, carbon blacks and carbonized polymeric fibers is disclosed. Azuma et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,093,216 disclose incorporation of phosphorous into carbonized materials to improve intercalation efficiency and Mayer et al., in U.S. Pat. No. 5,358,802, disclose doping carbon foams with dopants such as phosphorous, boron, arsenic and antimony to improve intercalation efficiency. However, these carbon materials showed poor cycle life and one problem that still remains to be overcome is the irreversible loss of lithium that takes place during initial cycling of these carbon material as an electrode in a battery environment. The irreversible losses of lithium from the carbon electrode materials can result in the loss of 30 to 60% of the initial battery capacity.
What is required is a carbon material that can be fabricated into electrodes for lithium secondary batteries that exhibits high intercalation efficiencies for lithium, low irreversible loss of lithium, long cycle life, is capable of sustaining a high rate of discharge and is cheap and easy to manufacture.
Responsive to these needs, novel processing methods have been developed for producing carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Polymeric precursor materials processed in accordance with the present invention can yield carbon materials for use as electrodes that exhibit high intercalation efficiencies and in which the irreversible loss of lithium can be reduced to a few percent of the initial capacity. Furthermore, the lengthy and involved extraction procedures for removing solvents can be eliminated thereby reducing the cost of producing the carbon material. In addition, carbon materials having higher densities can be obtained, thereby making it possible to achieve high energy density batteries. In particular, the present invention can improve the performance of alkali metal secondary batteries by the use of anodes prepared from treated polymeric precursor materials. Additionally, lithium intercalation electrodes prepared from polymeric precursor materials processed in accordance with the present invention exhibit minimal dendritic deposition, have long cycle life and are capable of sustaining the high rate of discharge required for high energy density secondary batteries. Electrodes prepared from such treated polymeric precursor materials can also retain a large fraction of their initial capacity.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides methods for processing carbonizable polymeric precursor materials and producing carbon materials which can be used to produce electrodes for use in rechargeable batteries. In particular, a novel two-step stabilization process is described in which the polymeric precursor materials can be stabilized by first heating the polymeric precursor materials in an inert atmosphere and subsequently heating the product of the first heating step in air. During the stabilization steps, the polymeric precursor material can be agitated by tumbling the powder within a rotating container, or fluidized in a fluidized bed or by any other means of imparting relative motion to the particles to reduce particle fusion and enhance heat and mass transfer of water vapor and oxygen between the particles and the gas phase. The stabilized polymeric precursor material can then be converted to a synthetic carbon material, suitable for fabricating lithium intercalation electrodes, by heating to a high temperature in an inert atmosphere. Control of carbon particle morphology can also be achieved by the addition of inert pore formers, such as urea, prior to either the initial stabilization step or the carbonization step.
These and other features will become apparent to those skilled in the art from detailed disclosure of the present invention as described and claimed herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a micrograph of a carbon fiber produced from a polymer fiber precursor by the process disclosed herein.
FIG. 2 shows a micrograph of carbon powder produced from a polymer powder precursor by the process disclosed herein.
FIG. 3 show a discharge curve for a carbon anode made from carbon powder produced by the process disclosed herein. Also shown is the variation in battery capacity with time as a function of % Li 6 C. The electrolyte was an anhydrous 1.0 molar solution of lithium hexafluoroarsenate in a 70:30 mixture of ethylene carbonate and diethylcarbonate.
FIG. 4 shows a charge curve for incorporation of lithium into a carbon anode made from powder produced by the process disclosed herein. The electrolyte was an anhydrous 1.0 molar solution of lithium hexafluoroarsenate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to methods for processing carbonizable polymeric precursor materials and producing carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries.
To better understand the present invention, the following introductory comments are provided. It has been recognized by the inventors that the final properties of carbon materials produced by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursor materials, such as polyacrylonitrile (PAN) and co-polymers of (PAN), are strongly determined by the pretreatment process that stabilizes the polymeric precursor material prior to carbonization. The need for pretreating ("preoxidizing" or "stabilizing") certain polymeric precursor materials prior to carbonization in order both to increase the carbon yield as well as ensure that the desired carbon structure is achieved is known. In order, for example, for PAN to pyrolyze it is necessary to crosslink or cyclize the polymeric precursor material prior to carbonization. As disclosed by Arnold, supra, this pretreatment has traditionally be done by slowly heating the precursor material in air to a temperature in the range of 150°-300° C. Without this pretreatment step, carbonization of the precursor material occurs with significant degradation of the polymeric material; low molecular weight fragments are formed in preference to carbon and the carbon yield is low.
The chemistry associated with the aforementioned pretreatment step has been extensively investigated. Although it is a complex system, it is generally accepted that PAN undergoes an intermolecular reaction that leads to fused, conjugated cyclic structures down the chain length (referred to as a "ladder polymer") and that this ladder polymer rapidly reacts with oxygen to form the final brown/black "preoxidized" or "stabilized" material. This pretreated material can be subsequently heated to temperatures in the range 500°-2500° C., in the presence of an inert gas, to form a final carbonized product. The overall pretreatment step is quite exothermic; without careful control of processing conditions the polymeric precursor material can become so hot that it may fuse, decompose or even burn. However, the inventors have found that by appropriate control of the pretreatment process, it is possible not only to produce carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries with improved and reproducible properties without the need for further processing but also to reduce significantly lot-to-lot variability in the produced carbon materials, thereby lowering costs.
The ability to tailor the morphology, i.e. surface area, particle shape and size, of the final carbon materials is also critical for various applications. For example, for capacitors, solid electrolyte batteries and high rate applications, in general, submicron sized carbon particles are required, whereas for lower rates of discharge and/or with liquid electrolytes, carbon particles having a diameter of about 30 μm are necessary in order to reduce self discharge. The inventors have discovered that carbon materials having low surface areas (<10 m<2>/g) are advantageous for reducing the irreversible loss of lithium.
More specifically, the instant invention is directed to a method of processing carbonizable, polymeric, precursor materials that can be subsequently pyrolyzed to produce carbon materials for use as lithium intercalation electrodes in rechargeable batteries. The process disclosed herein provides a novel two-step method for stabilizing polymeric precursor materials, such as polyacrolynitrile (PAN) and co-polymers of PAN with monomers including, but not limited to, itaconic acid, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, vinyl acetate, styrene, divinyl benzene, vinyl chloride and vinylidene chloride, thereby improving the yield and quality of the carbon materials produced by carbonizing these stablized precursor materials. It will be appreciated that by first heating the precursor material to a range of about 150° C. to about 250° C. in an inert atmosphere, preferably nitrogen, followed by a second heating step to a range of about 100° C. to about 250° C. in an oxygen containing atmosphere, preferably air, the methods of the instant invention provide a significant improvement over existing pretreatment processes for stabilizing carbonizable, polymeric precursor materials.
Examples of carbon materials, both powder and fiber, which are prepared from acrylonitrile based polymers, such as PAN and PAN co-polymers, by the method of the present invention are shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. They have microcrystalline structures consisting of randomly oriented domains shown by transmission electron microscopy to contain approximately 4 to 10 lattice planes extending approximately 20 to 50 Å in the lateral dimension. X-ray diffraction spectra show d 002 lattice spacing on the order of 3.5 to 3.7 Å and Raman spectra show peaks of near equal height at 1360 cm -1 (disordered peak) and 1580 cm -1 (ordered peak). Carbon materials when produced in accordance with the process of the present invention from PAN powder (having an average particle size of 35 μm), the BET surface area of the carbon material was approximately 5 m<2>/g. Electrodes constructed from this carbon material are suited for use as the anode in lithium ion secondary batteries and are capable of utilizations in excess of 80%, based on LiC6 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.
The product of the first heating step of the stabilization pretreatment procedure comprises a ladder polymer or PAN cyclic imine having a yellow to orange color and the following nominal elemental composition:
65.2% Carbon
5.14% Hydrogen
22% Nitrogen
6.9% Oxygen.
The product of the second heating step of the stabilization pretreatment procedure has the following nominal elemental composition:
60% Carbon
3.23% Hydrogen
21.6% Nitrogen
13% Oxygen.
These compositions are intended only to be indicative and neither limit nor define the process of this invention.
The material produced by the pretreatment program disclosed herein can be converted to a synthetic carbon by heating to a high temperature in a flowing inert atmosphere, preferably argon flowing at a rate of about 25 standard cubic ft/hr. The pretreated polymeric precursor material is placed in a container or crucible, preferably alumina, that will withstand the carbonization conditions. The following carbonization conditions can be used:
1) Place the crucible and its contents in a furnace and adjust the flow rate of an inert gas over the crucible;
2) Raise the temperature of the crucible and its contents at a rate of less than about 5° C./min from ambient to about 300° C.;
3) Maintain the temperature at about 300° C. for about 2 hours;
4) Raise the temperature of the furnace from about 300° C. to about 370° C. at a rate of less than about 5° C./min;
5) Maintain that temperature for about 5 hours;
6) Raise the temperature from about 370° C. to about 900° C. at a rate of less than about 5° C./min;
7) Maintain that temperature for about 6 hours;
8) Cool to ambient temperature.
The carbon powder resulting from this procedure can be characterized as having a radially symmetric branched fractal morphology similar to the original polymer precursor. It posses the following characteristics: Tap density: >0.95 g/cm3 Particle size distribution: 10 to 90 μm with a mean size of 30 μm Principal Raman peaks: 1300 to 1400 cm<-1> and 1550-1600 cm<-1> Ratio of principal Raman peaks: 3.2.
Analysis of the elemental composition showed the following (on a weight percent basis except for sulfur):
>90% carbon
<3-6% nitrogen
<1.5% oxygen
<0.5% hydrogen
<150 ppm sulfur.
By agitating the particle bed during the two-step stablization or pretreatment process, for example, tumbling the particle bed in a rotating container in a furnace or fluidized in a fluidized bed reactor, detrimental self-heating effects such as particle agglomeration and fusion can be mitigated. Agitating the particle bed further operates to enhance heat transfer and mass transfer of oxygen and water vapor between particles and the gas phase. This results in better process control and a more highly reproducible product. The carbon material produced from the agitation process exhibits high capacity and improved charge/discharge rates for lithium.
The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter by way of various examples illustrative of the invention. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiment set forth herein.
The following examples illustrate the process of pretreatment of carbonizable, polymeric precursor materials.
EXAMPLE 1
1200 g of PAN powder was placed into a 12" diameter rotating drum which was mounted in the interior of a programmable oven. The drum was purged with nitrogen for about an hour and then heated according to the following cycle: from room temperature to about 175° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr, 175° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 6 hours. During the heating cycle the drum was rotated at approximately 10 rpm and a stream of nitrogen was directed into the drum to maintain the inert atmosphere. After cooling to room temperature, the nitrogen purge was exchanged for a flow of compressed air (approximately 275 ml/min) and the drum was again heated using the following cycle: room temperature to about 100° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr, 100° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 10° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 18 hours. As before, the drum was rotated during the heating cycle at about 10 rpm.
EXAMPLE 2
1200 g of PAN powder was placed into a 12" diameter rotating drum which was mounted in the interior of a programmable oven. The drum was purged with nitrogen for about an hour and then heated according to the following cycle: from room temperature to about 175° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr., 175° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 6 hours. During the heating cycle the drum was rotated at approximately 10 rpm and a stream of nitrogen was directed into the drum to maintain the inert atmosphere. After cooling to room temperature under the nitrogen purge, the contents of the drum were transferred into a drum of similar dimension made from porous graphite/carbon. This drum was mounted in a programmable oven. A stream of compressed air (approximately 275 ml/min) was directed into the drum and the drum was rotated at approximately 10 rpm while the following heat cycle was applied: room temperature to about 100° C. at a rate of 100° C./hr, 100° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 10° C./hr, hold for about 8 hours at about 250° C.
The inventors have found that other carbonizable polymer, as described below, can be substituted for PAN and pretreated in the same manner as in the examples given above to produce a carbon powder having the desired properties.
EXAMPLE 3
A carbonizable polymer was pretreated in exactly the same manner as described in either Examples 1 or 2 except that polyacrolynitrile homopolymer was substituted for PAN.
EXAMPLE 4
A carbonizable polymer was pretreated in exactly the same manner as described in either Examples 1 or 2 except that polyacrolynitrile co-monomer of vinyl acetate (containing from 6-10 wt % vinyl acetate) was substituted for PAN.
EXAMPLE 5
A carbonizable polymer was pretreated in exactly the same manner as described in either Examples 1 or 2 except that a co-polymer of polyacrolynitrile and polymethylmethacrylate was substituted for PAN.
As illustrated in the next examples, pore formers, such as urea, can be mixed with the polymer precursor material prior to the pretreatment step or with the stabilized polymer precursor prior to the carbonization step in order to control particle morphology and size distribution.
EXAMPLE 6
1200 g of PAN powder and 600 g of urea was placed into a 12" diameter rotating drum which was mounted in the interior of a programmable oven. The drum was purged with nitrogen for about an hour and then heated according to the following cycle: from room temperature to about 175° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr., 175° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 6 hours. During the heating cycle the drum was rotated at approximately 10 rpm and a stream of nitrogen was directed into the drum to maintain the inert atmosphere. After cooling to room temperature, the nitrogen purge was exchanged for a flow of compressed air (approximately 275 ml/min) and the drum was again heated using the following cycle: room temperature to about 100° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr, 100° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 10° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 18 hours. As before, the drum was rotated during the heating cycle at about 10 rpm. The addition of urea to the PAN powder prior to the pretreatment process creates reduced particle size and an inert atmosphere.
EXAMPLE 7
1200 g of PAN powder and 600 g of urea was placed into a 12" diameter rotating drum which was mounted in the interior of a programmable oven. The drum was purged with nitrogen for an hour and then heated according to the following cycle: from room temperature to about 175° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr., 175° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 6 hours. During the heating cycle the drum was rotated at approximately 10 rpm and a stream of nitrogen was directed into the drum to maintain the inert atmosphere. After cooling to room temperature, the nitrogen purge was exchanged for a flow of compressed air (approximately 275 ml/min) and the drum was again heated using the following cycle: room temperature to about 100° C. at a rate of less than 100° C./hr, 100° C. to about 250° C. at a rate of less than 10° C./hr, hold at about 250° C. for about 18 hours. As before, the drum was rotated during the heating cycle at 10 rpm. The addition of urea creates reduced particle size and an inert atmosphere.
EXAMPLE 8
PAN powder was pretreated exactly as described in either of Examples 1 or 2. The stabilized PAN material was treated with an aqueous solution containing about 600 g of urea. This mixture was then dried and placed into a crucible, preferably alumina, that will withstand the carbonization conditions. The following carbonization conditions may be used:
1) Place the crucible an its contents in a furnace and adjust the flow rate of an inert gas over the crucible;
2) Raise the temperature of the crucible and its contents at a rate of less than 5° C./min from ambient to about 300° C.;
3) Maintain the temperature at about 300° C. for about 2 hours;
4) Raise the temperature of the furnace from about 300° C. to about 370° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./min;
5) Maintain that temperature for about 5 hours;
6) Raise the temperature from 370° C. to about 800° C. at a rate of less than 5° C./min;
7) Maintain that temperature for about 6 hours;
8) Cool to ambient temperature.
While the illustrative Examples have employed PAN powder, the process of the present invention also works equally well for PAN fibers and for many battery applications PAN fibers are the preferred form for the carbon electrode material.
From the foregoing description and examples, one skilled in the art can readily ascertain the essential characteristics of the present invention. The description and examples are intended to be illustrative of the present invention and are not to be construed as limitations or restrictions thereon, the invention being delineated in the following claims.
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A method of producing carbon materials for use as electrodes in rechargeable batteries. Electrodes prepared from these carbon materials exhibit intercalation efficiencies of ≈80% for lithium, low irreversible loss of lithium, long cycle life, are capable of sustaining a high rates of discharge and are cheap and easy to manufacture. The method comprises a novel two-step stabilization process in which polymeric precursor materials are stabilized by first heating in an inert atmosphere and subsequently heating in air. During the stabilization process, the polymeric precursor material can be agitated to reduce particle fusion and promote mass transfer of oxygen and water vapor. The stabilized, polymeric precursor materials can then be converted to a synthetic carbon, suitable for fabricating electrodes for use in rechargeable batteries, by heating to a high temperature in a flowing inert atmosphere.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a U.S. national phase application of PCT Application Serial No. PCT/US2015/38543, filed Jun. 30, 2015, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/023,419, filed Jul. 11, 2014, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Shaving systems often consist of a handle and a cartridge in which one or more blades are mounted in a plastic housing. In some cases, the blades are held in place in the housing by a pair of metallic clips, mounted at opposite ends of the length of the blades.
[0003] Most modern razor cartridges include one to five razor blades disposed between a guard and a cap. The cutting edge of each razor blade is positioned adjacent a plane that tangentially intersects the contact surfaces of the guard and the cap. This plane, referred to as the “contact plane,” represents the theoretical position of the surface being shaved. The position of a razor blade's cutting edge relative to the contact plane is described in terms of the “exposure” of the cutting edge. A cutting edge with “positive exposure” is one that extends through the contact plane and into the area normally occupied by the object being shaved. A cutting edge with “negative exposure” is one that is positioned below the plane and therefore does not intersect the contact plane. A cutting edge with “neutral exposure” is one that is contiguous with the contact plane. Generally, positioning the cutting edge of a blade at a positive exposure has been found to improve closeness, but potentially also increases the chance of skin irritation. On the other hand, neutral or negative blade exposure tends to reduce the likelihood of irritation, but also tends to decrease the closeness of the shave.
[0004] The overall blade geometry of the cartridge, including blade exposure and other factors such as blade span, affects the comfort and closeness of the shave obtained with the razor, as well as the likelihood of nicks and cuts during shaving. As will be discussed further below, comfort and closeness is also impacted by “skin management,” i.e., the way in which the skin bulge contacted by the blade edges is affected by other elements of the razor, including the guard that is provided at the leading edge of most razor cartridges.
SUMMARY
[0005] In general, the present disclosure pertains to razor cartridges (also known as blade units), and to shaving assemblies that include such cartridges.
[0006] In one aspect, the invention features a razor cartridge comprising (a) a frame defining a base, said frame having an opening defined in part by a composite guard having a leading guard surface and a cap having a trailing cap surface, said leading guard surface and said trailing cap surface cooperating to define a contact plane tangential thereto and extending across said opening; and (b) at least three razor blades attached to said base, said razor blades being fixedly spaced. The cutting edge of the razor blade closest to the leading guard surface has a cutting edge exposure relative to said contact plane that is positive, and the cutting edge exposures of the other razor blades become less positive from said leading guard surface to said cap.
[0007] By “composite guard,” we mean a guard that includes a flexible elastomeric portion and a rigid or semi-rigid supporting portion that is closer to the blades than the flexible elastomeric portion and that is the last skin-engaging surface prior to the blades.
[0008] Some implementations include one or more of the following features.
[0009] The razor cartridge may include four or more blades, e.g., five blades.
[0010] The composite guard may include an elastomeric guard bar having a skin contacting surface, and a rigid guard bar support defining said leading guard surface, wherein the rigid guard bar support is proximal to the cutting edge of the razor blade closest to the leading guard surface. In some cases, the skin contacting surface of the elastomeric guard bar is higher than an uppermost surface of the rigid guard bar support, e.g., by about 0.05 to 0.5 mm, preferably by about 0.2 to 0.3 mm.
[0011] In some implementations, the cartridge has a pivot point that is closer to the trailing cap surface than to the leading guard surface. The pivot point may be below a lowermost portion of the blades.
[0012] In preferred implementations, the blades are spaced relatively close together. At least two of the blades may have an inter-blade span that is less than about 0.9 mm, e.g., from about 0.75 to 0.85 mm. The primary span, i.e., the distance between a leading edge of the leading guard surface and the cutting edge closest to the leading guard surface may be from about 0.3 to 0.75 mm, e.g., from about 0.35 to 0.45 mm.
[0013] In some implementations, the blades are bent blades, and the blades are fixedly supported within the frame such that the blades are not intended to move relative to the frame during shaving.
[0014] In another aspect, the invention features a razor cartridge comprising (a) a frame defining a base, said frame having an opening defined in part by a guard having a leading guard surface and a cap having a trailing cap surface, said leading guard surface and said trailing cap surface cooperating to define a contact plane tangential thereto and extending across said opening; and (b) at least three razor blades attached to said base, said razor blades being fixedly spaced. The cutting edge of the razor blade closest to the leading guard surface has a cutting edge exposure relative to said contact plane that is positive, the cutting edge exposure of the cutting edges of the other razor blades become less positive from said leading guard surface to said cap, and one or more of the blades has a cutting edge exposure that is negative or neutral.
[0015] In some implementations, razor cartridges according to this aspect of the invention may include any one or more of the features disclosed above.
[0016] In other aspects, the invention features methods of contacting the skin with the razor cartridges described herein, and methods of manufacturing razor cartridges.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a razor cartridge according to one implementation.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view of the razor cartridge shown in FIG. 1 , taken along line 2 - 2 in FIG. 4 .
[0019] FIG. 3 is a cut-away perspective view of the razor cartridge shown in FIG. 1 , cut along line 3 - 3 in FIG. 1 .
[0020] FIG. 4 is a rear plan view of the razor cartridge.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic cross-sectional view of a portion of the razor cartridge, showing features of the blade geometry of the cartridge.
[0022] FIG. 5A is an enlarged diagrammatic view showing details of the blade geometry.
[0023] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the cartridge with the cartridge pivot point indicated.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] FIG. 1 shows a razor cartridge 10 that includes a housing 12 , a cap 14 , a composite guard 16 , and a plurality of blades 18 disposed between the cap and guard. In some implementations, the cap 14 may be formed of a rigid plastic. The housing 12 defines a generally rectangular frame surrounding an open area in which the blades are positioned. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 , the housing also defines a rigid guard bar support 21 having a leading guard surface 11 ( FIG. 5 ), and a rigid cap support 23 having a trailing cap surface 13 ( FIG. 5 .) As will be discussed in detail below, the razor cartridge 10 includes a number of features that contribute to enhanced skin management and thus to a close, comfortable shave.
[0025] Referring to FIGS. 2-3 , the composite guard 16 includes an elastomeric portion having a plurality of fins 17 and an elastomeric guard bar 19 , and a rigid portion provided by the rigid guard bar support 21 . The elastomeric guard bar 19 is supported by the rigid guard bar support 21 , which prevents excessive deflection of the elastomeric guard bar as the elastomeric guard bar stretches the user's skin during shaving. The elastomeric guard bar uniformly stretches, tensions, straightens and flattens the skin prior to the skin contacting the rigid guard bar support. The rigid guard bar support 21 is the last point of skin contact before the blades. Such composite guards are described in further detail in U.S. application Ser. No. 61/983,790, filed Apr. 24, 2014, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0026] The elastomeric guard bar 19 is higher than the guard bar support 21 , and is also higher than the cutting edge of the blade that is closest to the guard bar support (hereafter referred to as the “primary blade.”) In some preferred implementations, the skin contacting surface of the elastomeric guard bar is higher than an uppermost surface of the rigid guard bar support by at least 0.05 mm, e.g., from about 0.05 to 0.5 mm or in some cases from about 0.2 to 0.3 mm higher. This height allows the elastomeric guard bar to stretch the skin prior to the skin contacting the primary blade, thereby managing the skin bulge and reducing the tendency of the primary blade to nick the skin. The rigid guard bar support then supports and manages the skin again prior to contact between the skin and the primary blade, setting the skin up for blade contact.
[0027] Blades 18 are positioned relative to each other and relative to the cutting plane discussed in the Background section above (plane P c in FIG. 5A , defined herein between the leading surface 11 of the guard bar support 21 and the trailing surface 13 of the cap support 23 ) by blade positioning elements 22 ( FIG. 2 ). As shown in FIG. 4 , the blade positioning elements are positioned at intervals along the length of the blades, providing open areas 20 between the blade positioning elements for rinse through of hair and debris. Together, the blade positioning elements provide a base for the blades.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2 , each of the blade positioning elements 22 defines a plurality of slots 24 which hold the blades in predefined positions relative to each other, while the curved upper surfaces 26 of the positioning elements 22 support the lower surfaces of the upper portions of the blades to maintain the blades in a predefined shaving geometry. The blades are preferably fixed blades, i.e., they are positioned by the positioning elements 22 in a manner that is intended to substantially prevent deflection of the blades during shaving.
[0029] Referring to FIG. 1 , a pair of clips 28 , disposed just inboard of the short ends of the housing 12 , retain the blades securely in the housing. The clips may be arranged, for example, as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 61/885,906, filed Oct. 2, 2013, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0030] Blades 18 are preferably bent blades, as shown in FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6 . By “bent blades,” we mean blades that include an elongated blade portion that tapers to a cutting edge, an elongated base portion that is integral with the blade portion, and a bent portion, intermediate the blade portion and the base portion. Such blades are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,010,646, the full disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
[0031] It is also preferred that the blades be fixed blades, rather than “sprung” blades (e.g., blades of the type described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,270,268.) Thus, the blades are positioned by their placement in the slots of the blade positioning elements and held in place by the clips such that their position relative to the housing does not change during shaving.
[0032] The distance between the cutting edges of adjacent blades, referred to herein as inter-blade span (S i , FIG. 5 ), is selected to enhance skin management, by managing the skin bulge as the cutting surface moves across the user's skin. The distance between each of the blade edges is preferably less than 0.9 mm, e.g., from about 0.75 to 0.85 mm.
[0033] The primary span (S p , FIG. 5 ), i.e., the distance from the leading edge of the guard to the cutting edge of the primary blade, is also important to effective skin management. This distance, along with the relative heights of the elastomeric guard bar, guard bar support, and cutting edge of the primary blade, affects the balance between shaving comfort and closeness. The primary span is preferably from about 0.3 to 0.75 mm, more preferably from about 0.35 to 0.45 mm. Too small a distance tends to impact shaving closeness detrimentally, while too large a distance could cause the skin bulge to be too large, tending to result in nicking or skin irritation.
[0034] The skin management provided by the features discussed above contributes to the ability to have a primary blade with a positive exposure relative to the cutting plane without compromising user comfort. Preferably, the primary blade is positive by at least 0.02 mm, preferably by at least 0.025, e.g., at least 0.035 mm, and in some cases by about 0.04 mm or more. In some implementations, the primary blade could be positive by as much as 0.1 mm. As shown in FIG. 5A , the remaining blades have a less positive exposure as the blades become closer to the cap, with the blades closest to the cap having a negative exposure. In some cases, the second blade (counting from the primary blade towards the cap) has a neutral or slightly positive exposure, the third blade has a neutral exposure, and the fourth and fifth blades have a negative exposure.
[0035] The cartridge is designed to pivot in a manner that takes advantage of this blade exposure arrangement by causing shaving forces to be relatively evenly distributed over the blades during shaving, with somewhat less force being applied to the primary blade. By applying more force to the negative and neutral blades and less to the primary blade, shaving comfort is enhanced without deleteriously affecting closeness.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 6 , in preferred implementations the pivot axis P of the cartridge is positioned closer to the cap trailing edge than to the guard leading edge, measured along the x axis, and below the bases of the blades, measured along the y axis. This arrangement, known as “rear pivoting,” reduces the likelihood of nicking due to the positive exposure of the primary blade, especially during clean up strokes, and spreads blade wear relatively evenly between the blades. The rear pivoting arrangement also helps to prevent nicking by the positively exposed primary blade.
[0037] The pivot axis is also positioned below a lowermost portion of the base portions of the blades. This positioning allows the cartridge to have a small footprint.
[0038] The housing 12 can be made of any suitable material including, for example, amorphous blends of polyphenylene ether and polystyrene, e.g., polymers sold under the tradename NORYL resins, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate (PET or PETE), high density (HD) PETE, thermoplastic polymer, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polyester, high-gloss polyester, nylon, or any combination thereof. The cap 14 is preferably formed of the same material as the housing.
[0039] The clips can be made of metals (preferably Aluminum, aluminum alloys) or other malleable material.
[0040] The guard, including the elastomeric portion of the composite guard, may be made of any suitable materials, e.g., as described in U.S. application Ser. No. 61/983,790, filed Apr. 24, 2014.
[0041] A number of embodiments have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
[0042] For example, the cartridge may have more or fewer than five blades. Moreover, the exposure of the blades other than the primary blade may in some implementations be different from the progression described above.
[0043] As another example, while a composite guard bar consisting of an elastomeric guard bar and a rigid guard bar support has been described above, other types of guard bars may be used.
[0044] Moreover, while a generally rectangular cartridge is shown in the Figures, other shapes can be used, e.g., oval.
[0045] Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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Replaceable shaving assemblies are disclosed that include a razor cartridge having a blade geometry that is designed to provide a close, comfortable shave. Shaving systems including such shaving assemblies are also disclosed, as are methods of using such shaving systems and methods of manufacturing these cartridges.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to the technology and equipment for stressed metal skin sheet coverings, and especially for the technology and equipment of stressed skin sheet coverings for buses and railway rolling stock.
2. Description of Related Art
At present there are three known methods for applying stressed skin sheet coverings. The first method is a mechanical stretching, i.e. of welding the steel sheet as a skin cover onto the frame of a passenger vehicle under mechanical stretching.
By this technology the equipment needed for stretching is heavy, expensive and inefficient. It requires two processes: The initial and final stretching processes, and the stress distribution is not uniform. The second method uses electromagnetic induction heating for stretching. In this process the electricity consumption is also very large and the heating is not uniform. The third method presently applied uses a heating box for baking the steel skin sheet (see Chinese Patent No. CN 85101016A). Similar to the above mentioned technologies, the electricity consumption is very large, the heating is not uniform, and the operation is quite inconvenient.
The present invention uses the method of heating by the direct introduction of electricity into the steel skin sheet. Under the heating action of the electrical current the steel skin sheet is heated and stretched on its own, and then fixed by welding while it is still hot. After cooling, the residual stresses in the horizontal and vertical directions of the plane of the steel sheet have already been developed, so as to obtain a good result of skin covering.
Compared with the previous techniques the present invention provides obvious advantages. First of all, according to the technology of this invention, simple equipment is used, a reduction in cost is achieved, and there is a resulting convenience in operation and long service life. In addition, the electricity consumption is reduced compared to other methods. For steel sheets of 10 m in length, 0.6-0.7 m in width and 1-1.2 mm in thickness the time needed for heating the skin sheet will be no longer than 5 min, and the electricity consumption is no more than 3 kw-hr. For steel sheets of 23 m in length, 0.85 m in width and 1.5-2.5 mm in thickness, the heating time is no more than 25 min and the electricity consumption is no more than 40 kw-hr. Furthermore this invention can be applied to the technology of skin sheet coverings for various vehicles such as a side wall skin sheet covering of railway rolling stock, buses, subway cars, refrigerator cars and so on.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The method of skin sheet covering, provided by the present invention is first to join one end of steel skin sheet onto the frame by spot welding, then the steel sheet is put on a bracket and fixed by a hooking plate, mounted on this bracket, and clamping both ends of the steel sheet by the electric conductor apparatus. At the same time, the free end of the steel sheet is clamped by the grasper of a guiding apparatus. The guiding apparatus is moved apart from the frame so as to develop an angle β between the steel sheet for skin covering and the cover plane of the frame. After turning on the electricity while the steel sheet stretches to the predetermined elongation value by heating, the guiding apparatus is moved back so as to fit the steel sheet in contact with the cover plane of the frame. The free end is then joined to the frame by spot welding. Finally after the electricity has been turned off, the bracket, guiding apparatus and electric conductor apparatus are removed. The position of the welding spots is determined by measuring equidistant sections. The upper and lower sides are welded spot by spot by this method onto the transverse girders of the frame, thus the technology of skin sheet covering is finished.
Another method of skin sheet covering, provided by this invention is at first to hang the insulation plate and the adjusting plate on the transverse girder of the frame. After positioning and alignment, one end of the steel sheet is welded onto the frame for skin covering by spot welding. The electromagnetic holding plates are put on both ends of the steel sheet, and then the electricity to the holding plates is turned on. The holding plate is connected at the free end with the guiding cylinder by an iron chain. The cylinder is started and the transformer is switched on so as to introduce the current throughout the steel sheet. While the steel sheet stretches at a set elongation value by heating, the free end of the steel sheet is welded onto the frame by spot welding, the electricity is turned off and air pressure in the cylinder is released, then the guiding apparatus, insulation plate, adjusting plate and electromagnetic holding plate are removed. At the same time the position of the welding spots by measuring equidistant sections is determined, and then the upper and lower sides are welded spot by spot to the girders of the frame, thus finishing the technology of skin sheet covering.
The technology of the stressed skin sheet covering and its necessary equipment provided by this invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. (1) and FIG. (2) are schematic drawings of one embodiment of the structure of the present invention;
FIG. (3) is a schematic drawing of a bracket for use in the present invention;
FIG. (4) is a schematic drawing of a guiding apparatus and holder for use in the present invention;
FIG. (5) is a schematic drawing of an adjusting plate for another embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. (6) is a schematic drawing of an electromagnetic plate with electroconducting contactors for use in the present invention; and
FIG. (7) is a schematic drawing of the arrangement of the guiding apparatus, insulation plate and adjusting plate for another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. (1) and FIG. (2) reference number 1 is a single phase transformer, reference number 2 refers to a welding holder or the electro-conducting apparatus, 3 is a frame, 4 is a guiding apparatus, 5 is a bracket and 6, 7 are conductors of a secondary coil of the transformer 1. Element 21 is a column, 22 is a lifting nut of the guiding apparatus 4, 23 is a swiveling frame of the guiding apparatus 4, 24 is an adjusting tube, 25 is an adjusting rod, 47 is a grasper and 29 is a steel skin sheet.
In FIG. (3) element 8 is a bracket stand, 9 is a column, 10 is a lifting nut, 11 is the body of the bracket 5, 12 is a small pin, 13 is a supporting sleeve insulator, 15 is a constraining plate, 16 is a hooking plate, 18 is a revolving handle, 19 is a fixing handle and 20 is an insulation spacer.
In FIG. (4), 26 is the fastening bolt of the grasper 47, 27 is an insulation jaw, and 28 is a compressible spring.
FIG. (5), 37 is a handle with a locking nut, 38 is a bolt with a square head, 39 is an insulation spacer, 40 is an insulation sliding block, 41 is an insulation plate, and 30 is a vertical plate.
In FIG. (6), 42 is a spring, 43 is an insulation locking nut, 44 is a guiding sleeve bolt of the electro-conducting contactor, 45 is a panel for fixation of the guiding sleeve bolt and electromagnet, 46 is an electromagnet of the holding plate, 34 is an electro-conducting contactor of the electromagnetic holding plate.
In FIG. (7), 33 is an electromagnetic holding plate, 32 is a guiding cylinder, 35 is an iron chain, 48 is a spring support (balancer), and 31 is an insulation plate.
The process for skin sheet covering, provided by the present invention is as follows. First, one end of the steel skin sheet is welded onto the frame of the passenger car, then the steel sheet is put on the bracket 5 (FIGS. (1) and (2)) and fixed by a hooking plate 16 (keeper) (FIG. (3)). Thereafter the welding holder 2 is attached and, connected with the conductor 6, 7 of the secondary coil of the transformer 1 to both ends of the steel sheet, respectively. The free end of the steel sheet is caught by the grasper 47 of the guiding apparatus 4 in order to guide the steel sheet elongated by electrical heating. After that, the guiding apparatus pulls the free end of the sheet so as to develop a gap with an angle β (β=2°-5°) between the steel sheet and the plane of the frame for covering. Meanwhile, an electrical circuit is completed around the specialized single phase transformer, and the electricity is switched on. When the current passes through the steel sheet, it expands as its temperature rises. Once the steel sheet is elongated by thermal deformation at a set value the guiding apparatus fits the steel sheet tightly against the plane of the frame for covering. At this time, the free end of the steel sheet is joined to the frame by spot welding, the electricity is cut off, and the guiding apparatus, the bracket and the electroconducting apparatus or welding holder are removed. Next, the upper and lower sides of the steel sheet are welded spot by spot onto the frame with an equidistant distribution of spots, and then the skin covering is finished. Finally, the surplus portion at both ends of the steel sheet may be cut away by a portable electro-impulse cutting torch or other cutting tool.
The equipment for realization of the present invention consists of a single phase transformer, a bracket, a guiding apparatus, a conductor and a welding holder or the electro-conduction apparatus. The primary voltage of the transformer is 220 or 380 V, the secondary voltage is 8 V, 12 V, 16 V, or 20 V. The structure of the bracket (FIG. 3)) comprises a column 9, mounted on the stand 8. The column has a lifting nut 10 and body of the bracket 11, on which there is provided a fixing handle 19. An insulation spacer 20, and a small pin 12 with a supporting insulation sleeve 13 thereon. The constraining plate 15 is fixed on the body of the bracket. On the top of the constraining plate there is a revolving handle 18 and hooking plate 16. The guiding apparatus (FIGS. (1) and (4)) consists of the column 21, the lifting nut 22, the swiveling frame 23, the adjusting tube 24, the adjusting rod 25 and the grasper 47 (with the insulation jaws). The lifting nut and the swiveling frame are mounted around the column (with the locking screw on the swiveling frame), and the adjusting tube is joined with the swiveling frame by a binge; the jaw of the grasper is of open type; in one jaw there is a fastening screw 26 such that the end of the steel sheet is put into the jaw and fixed with the fastening screw 26. The swiveling frame 23 can be turned around the column and can be moved up and down so long as the angle β has been developed between the steel sheet and the frame, and the swiveling frame will be locked by the locking screw.
Another method for skin sheet covering, provided by the present invention is as follows. First, hanging an insulation plate 31 onto the transverse girder of the frame (FIG. (7)), then putting the steel skin sheet onto the insulation plate, hanging an adjusting plate onto a transverse girder of the frame, adjusting the horizontal position of the steel skin sheet by this adjusting plate (FIG. (5)), welding one end of the steel skin sheet to the frame, moving separately two electromagnetic holding plates 33, hung on a spring support (balancer) 48, towards both ends of the steel skin sheet, switching the holding plates on with electricity after positioning and alignment of the holding plates with respect to the steel skin sheet, attracting the steel sheet firmly by the magnetic force of the holding plates, connecting the electro-contactor 34 of the holding plate with the secondary conductor of the single phase transformer 1, connecting the iron chain 35 of the piston rod of the guiding cylinder 32 with an electromagnetic holding plate near the free end of the steel sheet, producing a guiding or stretching force by starting the cylinder, switching on the electricity of the transformer; and conducting current through the steel sheet. Once the steel skin sheet stretches at a set value of thermal elongation, the free end of the steel sheet is welded spot by spot onto the frame. After the circuit of electromagnetic holding plate and the transformer are cut, the insulation plate 31 and the adjusting plate are removed, and the upper and lower sides of the steel sheet are welded to the frame spot by spot from the middle point toward both ends to form a fixed unit. After cooling of the steel sheet, residual stresses in two directions will be developed, whereupon the unit steel skin sheet covering is finished.
EXAMPLES
The first embodiment of this invention is the skin sheet covering for the side wall of the frame of a highway passenger car. The adopted steel sheet for skin covering is 600 mm in width, 10 m in length, and 1 mm in thickness. A single phase transformer is used with 30 KVA capacity whereas, the usual voltage of the primary coil is 380 V. A secondary voltage of 20 V has been taken.
When the process of skin covering is carried out, one end of the steel sheet should be welded spot by spot onto the terminal part of the frame of the passenger car. Then the bracket 5 (FIG. (1)) is set to support the steel sheet, and catches its upper side firmly by a hooky plate 16, which is located on the top of the bracket so as to keep the steel sheet from inclining. The third step is to clamp the free end of the steel sheet by grasper 47 of the guiding apparatus 4, and to pull it for compressing the spring in the guiding apparatus (in order to pull the steel sheet at all times, while it stretches by heating so as to keep it from bending due to elongation of heating). Then the swiveling frame 23 is turned and offset at an angle β between the steel sheet and the frame so that the whole frame of the car can be excluded from the electric circuit. The electricity consumption would not be increased and the thermal effect of the current would not be reduced. Angle β is 5°.
Thereafter the clamps 2 (welding holder) are set at the appropriate places at the free end of the steel sheet and the electricity is turned on. When the steel sheet is heated and elongated at a value of 0.1% of its full length, the swiveling frame is turned back to the frame of the car until the sheet is tightly fitted to the frame. Shortly thereafter, the free end should be spot welded onto the frame of the car. When the electricity has been cut off, the guiding and the electroconducting apparatuses and the bracket are removed, then the two sides of the steel sheet are welded spot in spot onto the frame by equidistant sections. After the spot welding has been done, the process of skin covering is finished.
The second embodiment of this invention (FIGS. (5) (6)) is the process of skin covering for the side wall of the railway rolling stock with a steel sheet width of 860 mm, a thickness of 2 mm and a length of 23 M. A single phase transformer of 60 KVA has been used with a primary voltage of 380 V, and a secondary voltage under 36 V.
The process of the skin covering is as follows. First, the insulation plate 31 is hung onto the transverse girder of the frame (FIG. (7)), then the steel sheet 29 is hung onto the transverse girder of the frame in turn by an adjusting plate and the horizontal position is adjusted by the sliding block 36 of the adjusting plate (FIGS. (5), (7)). The handle 37 of the sliding block 36 with a locking nut is turned to generate a grasping action through the bolt 38 and the insulation spacer 39 so as to fix the sliding block 36 on the adjusting plate.
After the relative position between the steel skin sheet and the frame has been adjusted and determined and one end of the steel skin sheet has been welded onto the frame by spot welding, the electromagnetic holding plate 33 with the electro-conducting contactors 34, hung by the spring support 48, are set apart in agreement with both ends of the steel sheet (at the free end the area for spot welding should be reserved). The holding plate is switched on so as to catch the steel sheet with the electromagnetic plates, the holding plate at the free end of the sheet is connected with the chain 35 of the piston rod from the cylinder 32, and the cylinder is started and pulls the steel sheet under tension. As the transformer is turned on, the steel sheet stretches by electric heating. When it is elongated at a set value (0.1% of the full length) the free end is welded onto the frame by spot welding. After all of this, the transformer is turned off and the electromagnetic holding plate is taken away, the cylinder action is stopped, and the insulation plate and the adjusting plate are removed. At the same time, the upper and lower sides of the steel sheet are welded onto the frame by spot welding according to the equidistant section of the spot distribution. Thus the skin covering process is finished. The determination of equidistant sections for the welding spot locations gives uniform distribution of the residual stresses in the vertical direction.
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This invention is related to the process and apparatus for applying stressed skin sheet coverings to large passenger vehicles. The apparatus for the process, provided by this invention includes a single phase transformer, conductors, electric contactors and a guiding apparatus. The present invention uses a specialized transformer, capable of producing a strong electric current of low voltage as an energy source, utilizing the steel skin sheet as a resistor element in the output circuit, welding the steel sheet onto the frame while the steel sheet is heated by the electric current passing through the sheet, thereby elongating the sheet at a set value due to the rise in temperature, cutting off the electricity and welding the upper and lower sides quickly onto the frame, thus finishing the process of skin covering and resulting in residual stresses within the steel skin sheet. By the present invention not only can high efficiency, high quality and low cost be realized, but also the strength of railway, highway passenger cars, and other large vehicles can be improved with respect to their flat surfaces.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains in general to floor coverings and in particular to an apparatus and method for texturing marble.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Crystalline metamorphosed calcium carbonate, commonly known as marble, is a form of limestone capable of taking a high polish. Having been mined for centuries, marble is valued for its beauty and adaptability for various construction uses. Pentelic marble is mined from the quarries of Mount Pentelikon in Attica and used by sculptors of ancient Greece such as Phidias. Elgin marble is mined from the quarries of Mount Papessa and also used by sculptors and architects of ancient Greece. Carraba marble, mined in the Apuan Alps of Italy and quarried in the region around Carrara, Massa, and Serrvezza, was used in Italy from the time of the first emperor Augustus and forms the basis of some of the greatest works of Michelangelo.
Impurities together with the level of crystallation produce classifiable levels of hardness. The impurities create variegated patterns of colors which are prized for their attractiveness. The hardness of the marble provides for various construction uses. For instance, Verde Mente is one of the softest forms of marble which is excellent for sculpting but not for conventional floor coverings. Carrara is harder marble, Portoro is harder than Carrara, and Green Dark is one of the hardest marbles. Thus, the exposed surface of marble reacts differently when exposed to the elements. While all marble is considered durable in a dry atmosphere, some kinds of marble readily crumble when exposed to a moist acid atmosphere. The actual rate of decay is dependent upon the marble hardness and the environment exposure of the marble. Marble that is "weathered" due to exposure is appealing for numerous applications providing a surface that appears to date back to the time of Michelangelo. The problem in providing a weathered marble surface, to which this invention is directed, is that marble is not exposed to natural weathering process while in the earth.
It is apparent that mined marble could be artificially weathered by spraying acidic water over the surface but such a process is impractical since regulations typically prevent the dispersion of low pH fluids on the ground. Sand blasting of marble could also provide a weathered surface but is an expensive proposition for treating large amounts of marble. U.S. Pat. No. 5,140,783 discloses a method of surface finishing materials using a large vibrating container filled with material having an abrasive coating, a process that is impractical for the instant application as marble is easily cracked or chipped by impacting other hard objects.
Thus, what is needed in the art is an apparatus and method for treating large amounts of marble without chipping or cracking so as to provide the sought after uniformly weathered surface that has developed great appeal for the average consumer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The instant invention comprises an apparatus and method for artificially weathering large amounts of marble by use of a horizontally disposed drum having a stone lined interior surface. Within the drum is placed a large quantity of marble having similar surface hardness together with a slurry of abrasive material which operates to cushion the marble from chipping. The stone lining of the drum can be soapstone, limestone, porcelain, ceramic, or the like providing an irregular surface that provides a tumbling effect yet absorbs the impacting of marble. The materials are rotated at a particular speed for a predetermined amount of time. Various types of acid can also be inserted into the mixture providing a faster processing time and surface etching not possible with straight abrasion techniques. Once the marble is processed it is removed from the drum and sliced in half so as to provide two pieces of weathered tile, each having a flat mounting surface and the sought after weathered surface.
The drum includes a sealable hatch on the side of the drum for insertion of the marble and a slurry mixture of silica sand, pea gravel, clay and water. On a 3000 liter drum, the processing of soft marble requires the mixture to be rotated at approximately 16 revolutions per minute for approximately 2800 revolutions. If the marble is hard, the drum is rotated approximately 5900 revolutions at approximately 32 revolutions per minute. Use of hydrochloric, oxalic, or the like acid will reduce the amount of revolutions as well as provide the unique surface etching mentioned previously.
Accordingly, a primary objective of the instant invention is to teach a method of processing large quantities of marble to provide a uniformly weathered appearance without damaging the marble.
Still another objective is to disclose an apparatus capable of tumbling large quantities of marble utilizing a lining constructed of materials that prevent marble sliding and chipping.
Yet still another objective of the invention is to teach a method of artificially weathering marble that is environmentally safe utilizing reusable abrasive materials. The above-stated objectives as well as other objectives which, although not specifically stated, but are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention, are accomplished by the present invention and will become apparent from the hereinafter set forth Detailed Description of the Invention, Drawings, and the claims appended herewith.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a pictorial view of the apparatus of the instant invention used for tumbling marble tile;
FIG. 2 is a partial cross sectional side view of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a pictorial view of a patterned layout of weathered tile;
FIG. 4 is pictorial view of a piece of processed marble;
FIG. 5 is a side view of FIG. 4; and
FIG. 6 is FIG. 5 after the marble is sliced.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As required, detailed embodiments of the present invention are disclosed herein; however, it is to be understood that the disclosed embodiments are merely exemplary of the invention which may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
Turning now to the drawings in detail and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, the apparatus of the instant invention is disclosed wherein drum 10 is defined as a steel tubular housing having a continuous side wall and two end walls. The drum is supported by a structure steel support member 12 having a bearing housing 14 to support bearing trusses, not shown, which extend outwardly from each end wall of the drum 10. Member 12 includes a centrally disposed motor support member 16 slightly offset from the centerline of the member 12 so that fluid spillage will not drop on to the drive belt pulley shaft. The actual size of the drum is dependant on the quantity of marble to be processed. The preferred embodiment is to use a 500, 2,000, or 3,000 liter drum.
A ladder frame 18 provides support for steps 20 providing operator access to materials placed within the drum 10. Ladder railing 22 is available for the operator and provides support for control panel 24 which controls the electric motor 26 drive means. The control panel typically includes an on/off switch, circuit breaker, hour meter, rotation counter, rpm monitor, and timer mechanism to automatically shut down the motor after the drum has rotated a preset number of revolutions. The drive motor 26 utilizes drive shaft 28 for engaging a plurality of drive belts 30 necessary to frictionally engage the outer surface of drum 10 for purposes of rotation without slippage in conjunction with the rotation of the drive shaft 28.
A removable access door 32 is locked in position by engagement tabs 34 and sized so as to provide sufficient room for operator access into the interior of the drum 10. The access door 32 can be lined with similar stone like material as the remainder of the drum or preferable with rubber making the door lightweight. A door 32 lined with rubber is also more resilient to the frequent openings and subsequent droppage providing superior fluid sealing capability during operation.
FIG. 2 depicts a pictorial side view of FIG. 1 wherein the end wall of drum 10 is removed illustrating the lined surface 40 which is formed of stone like element, such as soapstone, limestone, porcelain, ceramic, or the like element. Alternative linings can be used such that the lining is capable of chipping before the marble chips so that the lining is available to accept the impact of the marble. The lining further provides resistance to acidic fluids that may be used within the drum for etching of marble. An internal cavity 42 formed within the drum is available for placement of the marble as well as the abrasive slurry. Access to the drum is depicted in the drawing wherein the door 32 is tilted to a position above the slurry level so as to prevent spillage when access is needed.
FIG. 3 sets forth an illustration of the treated material wherein the processed tile 50 is placed in a kitchen setting depicting the weathered aspects of the tile highlighted by the grouting 52. The tile surface 54 shows the textured appearance that provides a uniqueness that cannot be duplicated, for each tile has individual character. The tile can be cut into irregular shapes before processing as evidenced by the diamond shape tile 56, and made part of the unique pattern 58 that can be copied but not duplicated.
FIG. 4 sets forth a top view of a piece of tile 50 illustrating the irregular shaped sides 52 produced during the tumbling process. Surface etching 56 can be enhanced by optional use of acidic substance to obtain a greater depth of material removal.
FIG. 5 is an end view of a typical piece of tile which may have a side wall 60 of one inch in thickness wherein the tumbling process affects both the bottom surface 62 as well as the upper surface 64. FIG. 6 depicts a tile sliced down the longitudinal center of a piece of marble tile upon fabrication, thereby providing two separate pieces with the first piece of tile having a treated surface 62 and a flat mounting surface 68. Additionally the second piece of tile also has a treated surface 64 and a smooth mounting surface 66.
The process of surface treating marble to produce a weathered appearance consists of the steps of first selecting a group of marble materials having similar hardness. A majority of the most popular marble materials can be classified into four classifications of hardness. Chart 1 identifies popular types of marble by their recognized name with Group I identifying the softest type of marble and Group IV identifying the hardest marbles.
______________________________________CHART 1Group I Group II Group III Group IV______________________________________LIME- CARRARA BIANCO GREENSTONE TRAVERTINO PERLINO DARKVERDE CLASSICO BOTTICINO GREENMENTE TRAVERTINO ROSA LIGHT LIGHT PERLINO BARDIGLIO ROSSO TRAVERTINO VERONA PINK BLANCO TRAVERTINO AURORA SILVER EMPERADOR THASSOS DARK NERO MARQUINA ROJO ALICANTE ROSA AURORA ROSA GIRONA ROSSO LEVANTO TRAVERTINO CHOCOLATE CREMA VALENCIA NORWEGIAN ROSE PORTORO ROSSO LAGUNA______________________________________
An operator deposits marble into the horizontally disposed drum 10 by removal of the access hatch 32. The interior surface of the drum has a stone like lining that will sacrifice itself before the marble will chip thus accepting marble impacts without damaging the marble. During insertion of the marble, silica sand is placed into the drum to operate as the abrasion material. In the preferred embodiment three grades of silica: 6-20, 8-20, and 20-30 are added to the drum, as well as pea rock which prevents coagulating and provides the marble with a rolling action. Water is added into the drum, together with a contingency of clay. The clay further acts to prevent the marble from quick movement and is maintained in a fluid state by use of the pea gravel. The marble and slurry mixture is then rotated for a predetermined period of time, depending upon the hardness of the marble materials.
EXAMPLE 1
A 500 liter machine is used to process approximately 1,700 pounds of TRAVERTINO SILVER in sizes from 1/2"×1/2" up to 6"×6" tile pieces. The marble is placed within the 500 liter drum together with 60 to 70 gallons of water, 140 to 160 pounds of silica sand having mesh sizes of 6-20, 8-20, and 20-30. In addition, 25 to 35 pounds of clay is added. The drum is then rotated at 33 revolutions per minute for approximately 10,500 revolutions. Optionally, one pound of oxalic acid or two pounds of hydrochloric acid can be added to the slurry mixture providing an acidic substance that provides unique surface etching and can lessen the processing time. After processing the marble materials are removed from the drum and sliced along a longitudinal length thereof to provide two separate marble pieces. The sliced area provides a flat surface for mounting to a floor.
The control panel 24 of the apparatus can employ a revolution counter and automatically stop the rotation when a present number is reached. Group I materials are rotated between 6,000 and 6,500 revolutions; Group II materials are rotated between 10,000 and 10,500 revolutions; Group III materials are rotated between 12,000 and 12,500 revolutions; and, Group IV materials are rotated between 16,000 and 16,500 revolutions.
EXAMPLE 2
A 2,000 liter machine is used to process approximately 6,800 pounds of ROSSO LEVANTO in sizes between 1"×1" to 18"×18". The marble materials are placed within the machine together with approximately to 250 to 300 gallons of water and 560 to 600 pounds of silica having a mesh size between 6-20, 8-20, 20-30, together with 100 to 125 pounds of clay. In this example, the optional chemical to be added could be four pounds of oxalic acid or eight pounds of hydrochloric acid. The 2,000 liter machine is rotated at 16 revolutions per minute approximately 4,800 revolutions.
Using a 2,000 liter machine, Group I materials are rotated between 3,000 and 3,400 revolutions; Group II materials are rotated between 4,500 to 4,800 revolutions; Group III materials are rotated between 5,700 to 5,900 revolutions; and, Group IV materials is rotated between 6,500 and 6,800 revolutions.
EXAMPLE 3
A 3,000 liter machine is used to process those material sizes from one half inch by one half inch to 18 inches by 18 inches. In a 3,000 liter machine 9,600 to 10,000 pounds of material is added into the drum together with 360 to 400 gallons of water and 760 to 780 pounds of calico having a mesh size between 6-20, 8-20, 20-30. Also to the slurry is added between 150 to 160 pounds of clay. Optional chemical to be added would be five pounds of oxalic acid or ten pounds of hydrochloric acid. The 3,000 liter machine is rotated at 16 revolutions per minute with group one materials rotated between 2,800 and 3,000 revolutions, group two materials rotated between 3,800 and 4,000 revolutions, group three materials rotated between 4,700 and 4,900 revolutions, and group four materials rotated between 5,800 to 5,950 revolutions.
While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated, and shown in certain terms or certain embodiments or modifications which it has assumed in practice, the scope of the invention is not intended to be, nor should it be, deemed to be limited thereby, and such other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved especially as they fall within the scope of the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
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An apparatus and method for artificially weathering large amounts of marble by use of a horizontally disposed drum having a stone lined interior surface. The drum houses a large quantity of marble having similar surface hardness together with a slurry of abrasive material including silica, clay, and gravel which operates to cushion the marble from chipping during tumbling of the marble. The stone lining of the drum absorbs the impact of marble to reduce or prevent chipping of the marble. The marble and slurry are rotated at a particular speed for a predetermined amount of time. Various types of acid can also be inserted into the mixture providing a faster processing time and surface etching not possible with straight abrasion techniques. The processed marble is removed from the drum and sliced in half so to provide two pieces of weathered tile each having a flat mounting surface.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the delivery of a fiber web from a feed chute for supplying fibers to a fiber preparation machine such as a card. It is concerned particularly with methods and apparatus which will reduce the compression forces on the fiber web during intervals when the carding machine is stopped, so that an indentation or more highly compacted zone will not be formed in the portion of the web that is to be advanced into the carding machine upon the return of such machine to its operating condition.
BACKGROUND
It is known for cards and cleaning machines to be supplied by means of pneumatic conveying lines with fiber flocks which are separated from the conveying air by a separator and supplied to a feed chute which is usually positioned below the separator.
A chute of this kind has been described, for example, in an article entitled "Die Neue Kardenspeisung Aerofeed-U", published in the February 1986 issue of the journal "mittex". The article discloses that the pneumatically supplied flocks are conveyed by means of a separating head into a feed chute in which the flocks are separated from the air conveying them.
The flocks are delivered from the chute by means of feed rollers and supplied by way of an opening cylinder to a second stock chute lower down, from which they are delivered by means of a pair of non-displaceable delivery rollers and, through the agency of one of the two such rollers and of another displaceable pressing roller, are conveyed further, for example, to a guide plate of a card.
The pressing roller is either weight-biased or spring-biased so that resulting pressure consolidates or compresses the web at a predetermined pressure.
A disadvantage can arise in connection with the use of such arrangements. When the card is stopped and delivery of the feed web ceases for a time, even though temporarily, a compressed zone is produced in the web because of the pressing between the pressing roller and the delivery roller. This zone does not return to its original shape after regular machine operations are resumed. That is, a web zone that has been compressed for a time between stationary rollers will not spring back to anything like the same extent as a web which has been fed continuously through such a compression zone. The web could be said to "breathe" much less in a zone compressed for a time between stationary feed means than in the rest of the web which has been compressed at the same pressure but while being conveyed continuously.
Such indentations or more highly compacted zones in the fiber web being supplied to the carding instrumentalities have been found to be sources of irregularities in slivers produced by the card. Such irregularities are undesirable, particularly in systems which include automatic control systems intended to make possible the production of uniform slivers.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to obviate disadvantages of the type noted above.
A more particular object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus which will serve to relieve the compression action exerted on a fiber web in the supply path to a fiber preparation machine during times when the web is not being advanced, so as to avoid the later presentation to the fiber preparation machine of a fiber web in which some zones are compacted to a greater extent than others.
A further object is to improve the uniformity of the output of a card by methods and apparatus for avoiding the introduction, during periods of card stoppage, of irregularities in the fiber web being supplied to a card.
In accordance with the invention, the supply system for a fiber preparation machine includes means which exert a compression force on a moving fiber web being fed to the machine during normal operations but such means is so controlled that the compression force is relieved when the machine is stopped. In one embodiment, for example, the web normally is pressed between two rollers but, when the advance of the web into the fiber preparation machine is stopped, one of the rollers is moved away from the other roller to free the web from the pressing action. Then, upon the resumption of web feeding, the roller which had been moved away is returned to its active position to again exert compression forces on the web as it moves along the supply path.
The invention is particularly advantageous when applied in connection with the supply of cotton fibers to a card. Cotton fiber flocks from a feed chute are formed into a web whose crosssectional density may be sensed and measured on its way to the nip between the feed roller and the feed plate at the card. Through use of the present invention, undesired displacements and deflections in the inner structure of portions of the web of the occasions of machine stoppages are avoided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention may be more fully understood from consideration of the descriptions made hereinafter with reference to the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a view in semi-diagrammatic form through a feed chute according to the invention, the chute being followed by a card;
FIG. 2 shows a detail of the chute of FIG. 1 on the line I--I thereof;
FIG. 3 shows a detail of FIG. 2 but with a further detail thereof in a different operative position;
FIG. 4 shows another detail of the chute on the section line II--II of FIG. 5 and to an enlarged scale;
FIG. 5 shows details of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the line III--III of FIG. 1;
FIGS. 6 and 7 each show a variant of the chute of FIG. 1;
FIG. 8 is a view looking in the direction IV and on the section line V--V of the chute shown in FIG. 7; and
FIG. 9 shows a variant of the detail of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring initially to FIG. 1, fiber flocks enter the system at the upper right of this view. A separating head 3 and an exhaust air casing 4 are connected to a casing 2 of a feed chute 1. Casing 4 is connected to an exhaust air pipe 5.
An air separation chute 6 extends downwardly (looking at FIG. 1) in casing 2. It is disposed below the head 3, as considered in the direction of movement of the fiber flocks, and is bounded by a perforate plate 7.
The chute 6 receives a mixture of flocks and air which is conveyed by way of the head 3 into the chute 6. The flocks remain therein while the air passes through the plate 7 into an exhaust chamber 8 and therefrom by way of the casing 4 into the exhaust pipe 5.
The chute 6 then comprises feed rollers 9 and an opening cylinder 10 which respectively deliver the flocks in the chute 6 and open the flocks further and deliver them to a stock chute 11.
Disposed at the bottom end of the chute 11 as shown in FIG. 1 (i.e., at the exit of the chute 11 as considered in the direction of flock flow) are two non-displaceable delivery rollers 12 which are adapted to deliver the flocks from the chute 11 and which are rotatable around their axes of rotation. The rollers 12 are driven by a drive 15 indicated in chain-dotted lines. This drive comprises a chain 16, a driving wheel 17 and an idler gear 18. The chain extends around sprockets 19 (FIG. 5) on the respective delivery roller shafts in such a way that the delivery rollers rotate in opposite directions.
Another roller 13 also is provided. It is displaceable. To drive this displaceable delivery roller 13, sprockets are disposed one at each end of the shafts of the delivery rollers 12 and 13; the sprockets being interconnected by a chain 20 so that the torque transmitted by the sprocket 19 to the corresponding non-displaceable roller 12 can be transmitted by the chain 20 to the displaceable roller 13. Both shafts of the non-displaceable rollers 12 have a sprocket 19.
Also, each of the non-displaceable delivery rollers 12 is non-displaceably mounted by means of a pivot bearing 21 and 22 in the casing 2 while the displaceable roller 13 has its shaft mounted at both ends in pivoted links 23 and 24 (only the link 24 being visible in FIG. 4) which are pivotally received by the shaft of the roller 12 on the right as viewed in FIG. 1. The latter shaft is designated by the reference character 25.
The links 23 and 24 are rigidly interconnected by way of a stirrup 26 pivotally connected by way of a pivot 27 to a pressure-operated reciprocating actuator or cylinder 14. This is pivotally connected by way of a pivot 29 to a bracket 30 rigidly secured to the casing 2 (see FIG. 4).
The non-displaceable rollers 12 are separated from one another by a fixed gap or spacing A but the operative gap or spacing B between the displaceable roller 13 and the non-displaceable roller 12 opposite the same usually corresponds to the gap arising due to compression of the fiber web by the force produced by the actuator 14. The gap B is, as a rule, not fixed but corresponds to the thickness of the fiber web passing between the rollers.
The displaceable roller 13 is pivotable away from the opposed roller 12, in the direction indicated by an arrow W, into a normal or inoperative position until the gap B corresponds substantially to the gap A.
The actuator 14 is a single-acting pressing cylinder having a spring (not shown) for the inwards movement of plunger 31. The actuator 14 is pressurized by means of a pressure line 32 and, for the outwards movement, air is vented in the direction indicated by an arrow 33. As can be gathered from FIG. 1, the line 32 is connected to an electrically controlled single-acting 4-way 2-position diverter or valve 34.
The diverter 34 is pneumatically connected by way of a line 36 to a compressed air supply 37 and electrically connected by way of a line 38 to a control 39.
A pressure-reducing valve 40 can be provided in the line 32 to control the pressure for the actuator 14. In the absence of any such valve the pressure in either the line 36 or supply 37 must be controlled; alternatively, the actuator 14 is selected in accordance with a given air pressure and a required force.
As can also be gathered from FIG. 1, another pressure line 41 extends to a single-acting actuator 42, the same being effective, in the absence of conveyance of flocks into the chute 6, to close an air control flap 43 closing the plate 7. The actuator 42 is not connected to the flap 43 since the same must be able to pivot in a predetermined zone for its operation. To this end, the flap 43 is connected to a balance weight 44. The function of the flap 43 has been described in the journal article previously mentioned and will therefore not be referred to further. FIG. 3 shows the flap 43 in the closed state and in engagement with the plunger rod of the actuator 42.
As can also be gathered from FIG. 1, the feed chute 1 communicates by way of a guide plate 45 with a card 46. The chain-dotted-line framing around the card 46 is intended to indicate that the chute 1 can be connected to other fiber preparation or spinning plant machines supplied with fiber webs for processing.
The card 46 may be of conventional construction. It comprises a feed roller 47 driven by a drive 56, a taker-in 48 driven by a drive 57, a swift 49 and associated flats 50, a doffer 51, a draw-off roller 52, a pair of crushing rollers 53, a condenser 54 and a pair of sensing rollers 55. As indicated in FIG. 1, the elements 51, 52, 53 and 55 are driven by a common drive 58.
Also, the control 39 controls the drives 56, 57 and 58. Controls of this kind are known per se and need not be further described here. In the simplest case the control 39 can be understood as controlling the starting and stopping of the illustrated card drives which can in turn be part of a comprehensive card control not described herein.
In operation fiber flocks go through the head 3 into the chute 6 and are conveyed therefrom by the feed roller 9 and opening cylinder 10 into the stock chute 11. The non-displaceable delivery rollers 12 then compress the flocks in the chute 11 in accordance with the gap "A" to form a fiber web which is conveyed by means of the rollers 12 between the displaceable delivery roller 13 and the opposed stationary delivery roller 12 and is thus pressed to become an even more condensed fiber web. The same then goes to the guide plate 45 and moves thereon to the feed roller 47 and into the card 46.
If for any reason carding has to be stopped, the drives 56, 57 and 58 also are stopped, and the control 39 simultaneously resets the valve 34 so that the pressure line 32 discharges and the pressure line 41 charges up. Consequently, the displaceable delivery roller 13 pivots back into its non-operating position in the direction W and the actuator 42 closes the flap 43.
However, the movement according to the invention of the displaceable delivery roller 13 from its operating position into its non-operating position is of course not dependent upon the combination with the flap 43. However, if the feed chute has a flap as shown herein or a similar flap, the combination is advantageous.
Upon the resumption of carding, the valve 34 returns to its position shown in FIG. 1 so that the displaceable delivery roller 13 and the actuator 42 return to their respective operative positions. The flap 43 then is once again free to be moved by the air movements, the latter term denoting the air flow from chamber 8 into casing 4.
FIG. 6 shows a feed chute 1.1 which is a variant of the chute 1 of FIG. 1 to the extent that it comprises a conveyor belt 59 around the displaceable delivery roller 13 and the associated non-displaceable delivery roller 12, so that the conveyor belt 59 conveys the fiber web being compressed and fed toward the card. The stirrup 26 engages over the conveyor belt 59, as indicated in FIG. 4 by the chain-dotted-line representation of the conveyor belt 59.
Consequently, the driving chain 20 and the chain-receiving sprockets (not shown) can be omitted since the displaceable roller 13 can be driven from the non-displaceable roller 12 by way of the conveyor belt 59. Alternatively, the chain and associated sprockets can be retained and the conveyor belt 59 need not be relied upon to provide a drive function.
All the other elements of the chute 1.1 correspond to those of the chute 1 and so need not be further described.
FIG. 7 shows a feed chute 1.2 which is a variant of the chute 1 of FIG. 1 to the extent that the stock chute 11.1 of FIG. 7 is formed by a conveyor belt 60, a conveyor belt 61 opposite the same and two end walls 62 (only one end wall 62 being visible in FIG. 7).
The conveyor belt 60 is non-displaceable and the conveyor belt 61 is arranged for pivoting around a pivot 63. The same is also the pivot for the reversing roller 64 which is at the top in FIG. 7.
As can be gathered from FIG. 7, the bottom reversing rollers of the conveyor belts 60, 61 are driven in the same way as the non-displaceable rollers 12 except that the idler gear 18 of the drive 15 must be able to receive the movements of the pivoted belt 61.
The reversing rollers of the belt 61 are interconnected at their ends by links 70 and 71 (FIG. 8) in the same way as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 with respect to the pivoted links 23 and 24. The connecting links 70 and 71 are connected to a stirrup 28 similar to the stirrup 26 of FIG. 4, and the reciprocating actuator 14.1 can be pivotally secured to the stirrup 28. The actuator 14.1 is pivotally secured to the casing 2 and connected to the pressure line 32 in exactly the same way as the actuator 14 of FIG. 4.
Due to the pivoting feature of the conveyor belt 61, the bottom reversing roller thereof can, just like the displaceable delivery roller 13, be pivoted towards the bottom reversing roller of the belt 60, to bring the belt 61 into the operative position, and can pivot the belt 61 back into its inoperative normal position when carding stops to relieve the compression exerted on the fiber web by the opposed lower end portions of the belts.
FIG. 8 shows, on the left of each of the conveyor belts 60 and 61 as they are seen in FIG. 8, a sprocket 19.1 corresponding to the sprocket 19 of FIG. 5. A sprocket 19.1 is provided on each of the two bottom shafts of the belts 60 and 61, there being visible on the right-hand side thereof a chain 20.1 which cooperates with a corresponding sprocket (not shown) to drive the top reversing roller unless the same is driven by the belt itself.
FIG. 8 shows only the non-displaceable conveyor belt 60. As will be apparent, the two free ends of the shaft of the top reversing roller are disposed one each in a bearing 65 secured to the casing 2, and the ends of the shaft of the bottom reversing roller are rotatably mounted in bearings 66 secured in the casing 2. Also, of course, the shaft of the top reversing roller of the belt 61 has its two free ends rotatably mounted in bearings in the casing 2 just like the shaft of the reversing roller of the belt 60, while the shaft of the bottom reversing roller of the belt 61 is rotatably mounted in the links 70 and 71.
FIG. 9 shows another variant wherein the non-displaceable delivery roller 12 shown on the right of FIG. 4 is omitted and the displaceable delivery roller 13 is mounted for pivoting around the pivot 67. To this end, shaft 68 of the displaceable roller 13 is mounted for rotation in a swivel plate 69 pivotally connected to the actuator 14.2 which is pivotably mounted on the casing 2.
The displaceable roller 13 has a gear 19 thereon like the gear on the non-displaceable roller 12, and the chain 16 of the drive 15 extends around the sprockets, as shown in chain-dotted lines in FIG. 9, in order to drive the displaceable roller 13 in a direction of rotation opposite to that of the non-displaceable roller 12. The other elements are the same and correspondingly have like references. The stock chute 11.1 is adapted, as compared with the feed chute 11, to suit the swivel plate 69.
Although several embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail, further embodiments will be apparent to persons skilled in the art. Moreover, while the new fiber web supply system is especially advantageous in combination with a card, it also can be combined with other fiber preparation machinery into which a fiber web has to be fed. Accordingly, the foregoing descriptions are to be understood as illustrative only, and the scope of the invention is to be ascertained from the following claims.
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A card feed is disclosed in which, in order to prevent machine stoppages from causing the formation of permanent impressions in a fiber web delivered from a feed chute, a displaceable delivery roller is movable on the occasion of a machine stoppage by means of a pressure-operated reciprocating actuator from an operative position, in which the fiber web is being compressed between a pair of delivery rollers, into another position in which the fiber web is no longer compressed to an extent such that a permanent impression would be produced in it during the period of machine stoppage.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to an erosion control system for reducing erosion and, more particularly, to a system for reducing erosion of erosion susceptible areas in flowing effluent environments.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The Clean Water Act and subsequent legislation requires storm water to be discharged in a non-erosive manner. Unfortunately, storm water pipe outlets and the like used to divert water runoff are highly erosive at their outlets as the result of velocity and shear force problems associated with the funneling of water toward a narrow outlet. Erosion control associated with such Outlets involves economic, physical and logistical problems. Traditionally, storm water is transported from a street or parking lot in a storm water pipe to a conveyance, such as a stream or river. Storm water may also be drained from a permanent structure, like a parking lot, at designated outlets where it flows overland and naturally dissipates. The soil area adjacent such discharge points is highly susceptible to severe erosion associated with discharging water.
The energy of water discharging from such outlets varies with the velocity, shear force and volume of the effluent. Water 25 centimeters deep, flowing rapidly, is much more erosive and destructive than water 8 centimeters deep, flowing at the same rate. Accordingly, allowing runoff water to spread out is an effective means to counteract funneling of discharge water, dissipating both velocity and shear force without mechanical input. Conversely, squeezing water raises its height and increases its hydraulic pressure. This increase in hydraulic pressure results in increased shear force which, in turn, leads to increased erosion. Unfortunately, the factors associated with diverting water, namely collecting water from a relatively large area and funneling it to a very small area, using hard, smooth surfaces, cannot help but magnify the weight, velocity and shear force of the water at the discharge point.
Traditionally, at such discharge points, material, such as rip rap, is added. Such installation of various sized rocks, stacked in a concave manner to funnel water, may be used to reduce erosion, but is very expensive and time consuming to install. Alternatively, concrete blankets (flat soft material filled with concrete or concrete blocks held together with steel cables), or concrete slabs may be used to control erosion at discharge points. These products, and other similar products, are referred to as “hard armor.” Hard armor often dissipates water energy and protects the soil therebeneath from eroding away and polluting natural resources. One drawback associated with hard armor is the requirement of very large equipment needed to install the hard armor. Additionally, a significant volume of material must be freighted to the site and a large amount of preparatory work is required before installing the hard armor.
While hard armor is useful for dissipating velocity and countering shear forces associated with runoff water, poor installation often allows the water to splash or divert out of the designated channel, many times leading to the erosion and washout of the hard armor installation itself. While concrete blankets are better able to withstand velocity and shear forces, they do little to inhibit the velocity and, therefore, the destructive force of water runoff. Another drawback associated with hard armor is that it typically lacks aesthetics associated with other forms of erosion control.
Recently, the industry has developed blanket-type products called turf reinforcement mats to convey water and withstand designated loads. While such turf reinforcement mats do little to reduce or mechanically dissipate the energy of runoff water energy themselves, their installation allows for the growth of vegetation which, in turn, mechanically reduces energy associated with runoff water. Such blankets are typically three-dimensional, flexible mats constructed of plastic webbing. The open weave of such mats allows vegetation to grow up therethrough. The combination of the mechanical stable structure and open weave design results in a significant synergistic effect, with the capacity to carry much greater velocity and sheet force load because roots and stems associated with the upgrowing vegetation are reinforced by the mat.
It is also known in the art to provide an erosion control mat as described in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 6,951,438 to reduce erosion. The erosion control mat is more rigid than turf reinforcement mats. Unlike hard armor, the erosion control mats allow for vegetative growth therethrough. Although turf reinforcement mats and erosion control mats have numerous advantages over the prior art in terms of reducing erosion, it is often difficult to securely mount these types of mats in an erosion susceptible area. While the mats may obviously be secured into concrete blankets, if it is desired to secure the mats directly to the soil, complex and expensive anchoring systems requiring specialized tools and multiple installers are typically required. One method of installation involves securing a pivoting anchor to a cable and driving the anchor and cable through the mat into the soil. The cable is then lifted upward to pivot and lock the anchor. One installer thereafter pulls upward on the cable, while a second installer swages a bead to the cable to prevent the mat from becoming dislodged from the ground. Although this system works reasonably well for securing mats to the ground, the system involves several drawbacks.
First, the system typically requires multiple installers, one to generate sufficient upward force to eliminate any slack in the cable, while a second installer crimps the bead to the cable. Another drawback associated with the prior art is that the system typically involves a complex securement of the cable to the anchor. This requires the anchor to be associated with a predetermined length of cable, which must be cut to size with the remainder discarded. This leads to undesired waste and severely limits the use of the system in areas where a securement lower than the predetermined length of the cable is desired.
Another drawback associated with prior art is the lack of resiliency associated with the cable. Even using multiple installers, the system typically does not provide significant bias of the mat into the ground. As the installation system typically results in at least a small amount of “play” between the mat and the ground, effluent can often move underneath the mat, causing undesired erosion and additional play between the mat and the ground. Play is a particular problem in continuous water flow environments, such as creek beds and large flow and pressure environments such as drainage ditches. If the play becomes substantial enough, the anchor can become dislodged, allowing the mat to move away from the erosion susceptible surface, thereby defeating the purpose of the mat.
Another drawback associated with the prior art is the weight of the prior art anchoring systems. While the weight of one anchor system is of only marginal consequence, the cost of transporting and moving a large number of anchors makes the use of heavy anchors and cables undesirable. Still another drawback associated with the prior art is the difficulty in removing the anchor system if it is desired to remove the mat. Typically, removal requires multiple installers with the first installer pulling upward on the bead sufficiently to allow the second installer to move bolt cutters between the bead and the mat. The difficulties encountered in the prior art discussed hereinabove are substantially eliminated by the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In an advantage provided by this invention, an erosion control system is provided which is of a lightweight, low cost manufacture.
Advantageously, this invention provides an erosion control system which is easy to install.
Advantageously, this invention provides an erosion control system which is easy to remove.
Advantageously, this invention provides an erosion control system which is adjustable to accommodate anchoring at various depths.
Advantageously, this invention provides an erosion control system which biases an erosion control mat toward the ground.
Advantageously, this invention provides an erosion control system which allows for quick installation without heavy or costly tools.
Advantageously, this invention provides a rigid erosion control system which allows greater securement with fewer securement points.
Advantageously, this invention provides for maintaining an erosion control surface in intimate contact with an erosion susceptible area.
Advantageously, in a preferred example of this invention, an erosion control system is provided. The erosion control system includes a surface defining a plurality of holes and means for securing the surface over an erosion susceptible area against a fluid flow of at least two meter's per second. The surface preferably weighs less than one hundred kilograms. In the preferred embodiment, the surface weighs less than ten kilograms and is secured to soil using an anchor system, positioning an anchor at least five centimeters below the surface of the soil and secured to the surface by a flexible line. The surface may be used in high flow effluent areas, such as drainage ditches and creeks to prevent erosion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 illustrates a top plan view of a plurality of erosion control mats secured in place by the anchor system of the present invention at the outlet of an effluent discharge;
FIG. 2 illustrates a top perspective view showing the driving rod being positioned into the anchor for securement below ground;
FIG. 3 illustrates a side elevation in partial cross-section of the driving rod positioning the anchor below the ground;
FIG. 4 illustrates a side elevation in partial cross-section of the anchor system of the present invention, shown securing an erosion control mat over an erosion susceptible surface;
FIG. 5 illustrates a side elevation in partial cross-section of an alternative embodiment of the present invention, shown locking the strap around a portion of the erosion control mat;
FIG. 6 illustrates a side elevation in partial cross-section of the anchor system securing a plurality of erosion control mats over sod in a drainage ditch; and
FIG. 7 illustrates a side elevation in cross section of the anchor system securing a plurality of erosion control mats in an overflow application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
An erosion control system according to this invention is shown generally as ( 10 ) in FIG. 1 . A plurality of the systems ( 10 ) are shown securing a plurality of erosion control mats ( 12 ), such as those described in U.S. Letters Pat. No. 6,951,438, which is incorporated herein by this reference. The system ( 10 ) may, of course, be used in association with any type of erosion control surface, such as plastic sheeting, canvas, sod, a turf reinforcement mat, or any other erosion control surface. As shown, the anchor system ( 10 ) of the present invention is used to secure the erosion control mats ( 12 ) in an overlapped relationship. The erosion control mat ( 12 ) may be constructed in any desired configuration, but is preferably rigid once constructed. In the preferred embodiment, a two meter long and one meter wide section of the material used to construct the erosion control mat ( 12 ) deflects less than forty-five degrees when supported by one end. The erosion control mat ( 12 ) is provided with holes ( 16 ) having a diameter of preferably less than ten centimeters and, more preferably, less than five centimeters. The erosion control mat ( 12 ) is less than one hundred square meters, preferably less than five square meters and, most preferably about one square meter in area. The erosion control mat ( 12 ) weighs less than one hundred kilograms, preferably less than ten kilograms and, most preferably, about five kilograms. The erosion control mat ( 12 ) weighs preferably at least three kilograms.
The anchor systems ( 10 ) provided at the upstream and downstream portions of the erosion control mats ( 12 ) extend through two erosion control mats ( 12 ) tying them together, as well as securing them over the erosion susceptible surface ( 14 ), such as dirt, sod or secondary erosion control surface such as a turf reinforcement mat or the like. As shown in FIG. 1 , the anchor system ( 10 ) extends through one of the holes ( 16 ) provided in the erosion control mats ( 12 ). The erosion control mat ( 12 ) can be secured in a non-overlapping, or any desired configuration. Similarly, any desired erosion control surface may be used instead of an erosion control mat ( 12 ). As shown, the erosion control mats ( 12 ) are provided at the mouth of an effluent discharge ( 18 ) which, in the preferred embodiment, is a concrete slab but may, of course, be any type of hard armor or any other type of effluent discharge known in the art.
As shown in FIG. 2 , an anchor ( 20 ) is provided to secure a line such as a strap ( 22 ) into the ground ( 24 ). ( FIGS. 2 and 3 ). As shown in FIG. 2 , the anchor ( 20 ) is preferably stamped from a single sheet of steel to provide a tapered, four-sided structure. The anchor ( 20 ) is also preferably provided with holes ( 23 ) to allow the anchor ( 20 ) to be used in association with prior art cables (not shown) instead of the flat strap ( 22 ) of the present invention. While the anchor ( 20 ) may be constructed of any desired configuration, the tapered configuration allows the anchor ( 20 ) to be easily inserted into the ground ( 24 ), while reducing damage to the anchor ( 20 ) during insertion. Preferably, the anchor ( 20 ) is die cut and bent in a manner known in the art to provide a tapered retaining slot ( 26 ) to receive the driving rod ( 28 ). The slot ( 26 ) is defined by a plurality of ribs ( 30 ), but may be defined by an extra piece secured to the anchor ( 20 ), or may be integrally cast into the anchor ( 20 ) as desired.
As shown in FIG. 2 , the anchor ( 20 ) is provided with a plurality of slots ( 32 ) to receive the strap ( 22 ) which is woven therein. The slots ( 32 ) are preferably provided of a size, configuration and orientation so as to lock the strap ( 22 ) into place as the anchor ( 20 ) is inserted into the ground ( 24 ) by the driving rod ( 28 ). Below the slots ( 32 ) the anchor ( 20 ) is preferably stamped into a corrugation ( 34 ), so as to disrupt the ground ( 24 ) as the anchor ( 20 ) is inserted therein. The corrugation ( 34 ) prevents the ground ( 24 ) from shearing the strap ( 22 ) against the sides of the slots ( 32 ). The strap ( 22 ) is preferably flexible and resilient. In the preferred embodiment, the strap is constructed of woven nylon, fiberglass or any other suitable material known in the art. Preferably, the strap ( 22 ) is treated and/or constructed of a material designed to resist degradation associated with ultraviolet radiation, heat, cold and submersion in water, as well as any other elements to which the system ( 10 ) is to be subjected.
When it is desired to insert the anchor ( 20 ) into the ground, the driving rod ( 28 ) is secured into the slot ( 26 ) defined by the ribs ( 30 ). The ribs ( 30 ) are vertically offset from the slots ( 32 ) so that the strap ( 22 ) does not interfere with the driving rod ( 28 ) during insertion of the anchor ( 20 ). Preferably, the driving rod ( 28 ) is constructed of steel and provided with a tapered end ( 36 ), configured to fit into a mating engagement with the slot ( 26 ). The opposite end of the driving rod ( 28 ) is preferably provided with a head ( 38 ) to provide a striking surface during insertion of the driving rod ( 28 ) into the ground ( 24 ). ( FIG. 3 ). Once the strap ( 22 ) has been woven into the slots ( 32 ) of the anchor ( 20 ), and the driving rod ( 28 ) secured within the slot ( 26 ), the erosion control mat ( 12 ) is positioned as desired over the erosion susceptible surface ( 14 ). Thereafter, the driving rod ( 28 ) is used to insert the anchor ( 20 ) through one of the holes ( 16 ) in the erosion control mat ( 12 ) and into the ground ( 24 ).
Depending upon the type of ground ( 24 ) into which the anchor ( 20 ) is to be inserted, the driving rod ( 28 ) is used to insert the anchor ( 20 ) deeper or shallower so as to attain the desired anchoring of the erosion control mat ( 12 ) relative to the erosion susceptible surface ( 14 ). In very hard ground ( 24 ), the anchor ( 20 ) may be inserted shallow, while in loose dirt or sand the anchor ( 20 ) must be provided more deeply to obtain a similar amount of anchoring. The strap ( 22 ) is preferably provided on a spool ( 40 ) to allow the desired amount of strap ( 22 ) to be inserted into the ground ( 24 ) with minimal waste. To assist in driving the anchor ( 20 ) into the ground, a hammer ( 42 ) or the like may be used to strike the driving rod ( 28 ) on the head ( 38 ).
Once the driving rod ( 28 ) has been used to drive the anchor ( 20 ) to the desired depth, the driving rod ( 28 ) is pulled upward. As the top surface ( 44 ) of the anchor ( 20 ) is provided with a much greater surface area than the bottom ( 46 ) of the anchor ( 20 ), the anchor ( 20 ) inserts easily into the ground ( 24 ), but resists upward movement of the anchor ( 20 ) relative to the ground ( 24 ). Accordingly, as the driving rod ( 28 ) is pulled upward, the tapered end ( 36 ) of the driving rod ( 28 ) exits the slot ( 26 ), leaving the anchor ( 20 ) imbedded into the ground ( 24 ). After the driving rod ( 28 ) has been removed, the strap ( 22 ) is pulled upward to “set” the anchor ( 20 ) into the ground ( 24 ). Once the anchor ( 20 ) has been set, the strap ( 22 ) is cut, preferably ten to twenty centimeters above the top of the erosion control mat ( 12 ). Thereafter, a washer ( 48 ), such as those known in the art, is positioned over the strap ( 22 ) and set on the erosion control mat ( 12 ). Preferably, the washer ( 48 ) is constructed of nylon or other strong weather resistant material and is preferably provided of a diameter greater than the hole ( 16 ) through which the strap ( 22 ) extends.
A one-way button ( 50 ) is then provided over the strap ( 22 ) and secured over the washer ( 48 ). Preferably, the one-way button ( 50 ) is provided of a weather resistant material. The button ( 50 ) is provided with an opening ( 52 ) having a one-way mechanism, such as those known in the art, to allow the strap ( 22 ) to move in a first direction, but which prevents movement of the strap ( 22 ) in an opposite direction through the opening ( 52 ). To set the button ( 50 ) in place, the strap ( 22 ) is preferably pulled upward with pliers ( 54 ), or the like, while the button ( 50 ) is pushed downward. By stretching the strap ( 22 ) with the pliers ( 54 ), when the button ( 50 ) is in place and the pliers ( 54 ) released, the resiliency of the strap ( 22 ) pulls against the one-way button ( 50 ), forcing the erosion control mat ( 12 ) into contact with the erosion susceptible surface ( 14 ). As shown in FIG. 1 , preferably a plurality of anchor systems ( 10 ) are provided as desired to secure the erosion control mats ( 12 ) as needed.
FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the present invention in which the erosion control mat ( 56 ) is provided with a support bar ( 58 ) having a circular cross-section. The support bar ( 58 ) may be integrally formed as part of the erosion control mat ( 56 ), or may otherwise be secured to the erosion control mat ( 56 ). As shown in FIG. 5 , the strap ( 60 ) is anchored into the ground ( 62 ) in a manner such as that described above for the preferred embodiment. A button ( 64 ) is then provided with two slots ( 66 ) and ( 68 ). Although one or both of the slots ( 66 ) and ( 68 ) may be of a one-way construction such as that noted above, in the preferred embodiment both of the slots ( 66 ) and ( 68 ) are provided of a one-way construction. Accordingly, the strap ( 60 ) is threaded through the first slot ( 66 ), around the support bar ( 58 ) and back through the second slot ( 68 ). The strap ( 60 ) is preferably secured by pulling on the strap ( 60 ) with pliers or other retention means to stretch the strap ( 60 ) so that when the pliers (not shown) are released, the resiliency of the strap ( 60 ) pulls the support bar ( 58 ) and erosion control mat ( 56 ) into the ground ( 62 ).
FIG. 6 shows a plurality of erosion control mats ( 12 ) secured along the bed ( 70 ) of a drainage ditch ( 72 ). The erosion control mats ( 12 ) may be secured over turf reinforced mats (not shown), or may be secured over sod ( 74 ) provided over the soil ( 76 ). Alternatively, the soil ( 76 ) may be seeded and the grass allowed to grow through the holes ( 16 ) in the erosion control mats ( 12 ). The combination of the erosion control mats ( 12 ), with geotextile fabric (not shown), such as that known in the art, turf reinforcement mats (not shown) or vegetation, such as grass ( 78 ) over the soil ( 76 ), aids in the further reduction of soil erosion.
The erosion control mats ( 12 ) are secured using a plurality of anchor systems ( 10 ) in a manner Such as that described above. The erosion control mats ( 12 ) may be abutted to one another or they may be shingled in relationship to one another. Preferably, the anchor systems (I 0 ) extend at least five centimeters below the soil ( 76 ), and are provided in sufficient number and to a sufficient depth in the soil ( 76 ) to secure the erosion control mats ( 12 ) against heavy now of effluent, such as water ( 78 ), through the drainage ditch ( 72 ).
FIG. 7 shows a plurality of erosion control mats ( 12 ) secured at the crest ( 80 ) of a retention embankment ( 82 ). Additional erosion control mats are secured at the bottom ( 84 ) of the runoff slope ( 86 ) to prevent overflow effluent ( 88 ) from eroding or “head cutting” the bottom ( 84 ) of the runoff slope ( 86 ). As shown in FIG. 7 , multiple erosion control mats ( 12 ) may be anchored next to on another as shown at the crest ( 80 ) of the retention embankment ( 82 ) or an angled erosion control mat ( 90 ) may be used alone or in association with other erosion control mats ( 12 ) to accommodate the angled bottom ( 84 ) of the runoff slope ( 86 ).
The anchor systems ( 10 ) secure the erosion control mats ( 12 ) against water flows of at least one meter per second, preferably at least two meters per second and, most preferably, at least four meters per second over a time period of at least thirty minutes. The anchor systems ( 10 ) secure the erosion control mats ( 12 ) against flowing fluid pressures of at least two and one-half kilograms per square meter, preferably at least five kilograms per square meter and, most preferably, at least eight kilograms per square meter.
The foregoing description and drawings merely explain and illustrate the invention, and the invention is not limited thereto, except insofar as the claims are so limited, as those skilled in the art that have the disclosure before them will be able to make modifications and variations therein without departing from the scope of the invention. The anchor system ( 10 ) may, of course, be utilized with any desired strap ( 22 ) constructed of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, metal or rope. Similarly, any desired type of retainer may be utilized which allows the strap to move in a first direction relative to the retainer and prevents the strap from moving in a second direction relative to the retainer.
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An erosion control system for reducing erosion under effluent flow conditions. The system includes an erosion control mat anchored over an erosion susceptible area. The anchoring system uses an anchor positioned below the soil, connected to the mat by a flexible strap. Due to its high shear resistance, the system may be used in high effluent flow areas, such as drainage ditches and creeks.
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This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/523,581 filed Mar. 10, 2000; now U.S. Pat. No. 6,606,719 the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method to estimate a transmission channel characteristic as defined in the non-characteristic part of claim 1 , a transmission channel characteristic estimating arrangement able to perform this method as defined in the non-characteristic part of claim 8 , and a related remote terminal as defined in the non-characteristic part of claim 9 .
Such a method to estimate a transmission channel characteristic and related equipment are already known in the art, e.g. from the U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,995, entitled ‘ Digitally Controlled Transmission Impairment Measurement Apparatus ’. Typically, the operator needs knowledge of certain channel characteristics of a transmission channel between a central office and a remote terminal to be able to guarantee a certain service to a subscriber that has installed the remote terminal. The presence of line imperfections such as bridged taps, line attenuation, ageing effects, disturbers like radio frequency interference, and so on, has to be estimated by the operator before a certain quality of service can be guaranteed. To estimate all basic parameters necessary to characterize a transmission channel for its ability to carry data traffic, U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,995 describes a portable microprocessor controlled apparatus that measures specified parameters for a telephone channel. The known apparatus for channel characteristic estimation either consists of two units to be connected respectively to both ends of the transmission channel, or of a single unit to be connected to a single end of the transmission channel. The latter embodiment of the known channel characteristic estimating apparatus requires manual loop-back at the end of the transmission channel whereto the apparatus is not coupled. Summarizing, U.S. Pat. No. 4,105,995 describes dedicated transmission channel test equipment enabling off-line measurement of channel characteristics. To apply the known technique, transmission of user data over the transmission channel has to be interrupted and test equipment has to be connected to the transmission channel either at one or at both sides of the channel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a method for estimation of a transmission channel characteristic and related equipment similar to the above described one, but which allows both on-line and off-line channel characteristic estimation without the necessity to connect dedicated test equipment to the transmission channel.
According to the invention, this object is achieved by the method to estimate a transmission channel characteristic, the transmission channel characteristic estimating arrangement, and the remote terminal.
Indeed, the remote terminal itself collects all information required to estimate the transmission channel characteristic of interest and sends this information back to the central office wherein the information is matched with a simulation model of the transmission channel and remote terminal. The information collected by the remote terminal can be fed back in a multiplexed way simultaneously with user data so that the data traffic over the transmission channel does not have to be interrupted. The simulation model used in the central office for the matching process typically contains a number of parameters, e.g. the location along the transmission line of a bridged tap, corresponding to the transmission channel characteristics of interest. During the matching process, the values of these parameters are determined.
It is to be noticed that the term ‘comprising’, used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to the means listed thereafter. 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.
Similarly, it is to be noticed that the term ‘coupled’, also used in the claims, should not be interpreted as being limitative to direct connections only. Thus, the scope of the expressions ‘a device A coupled to a device B’ should not be limited to devices or systems wherein an output of device A is directly connected to an input of device B. It means that there exists a path between an output of A and an input of B which may be a path including other devices or means.
Indeed, the remote terminal of an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) system operating in accordance with ANSI's T1.413 standard, issue 2 for instance automatically collects information concerning the attenuation of a set of carriers with equidistant frequencies as can be deduced from paragraph 9.9.8.1 of the draft edition of issue 2 of ANSI's T1E1.413 standard, entitled ‘ Standards Project for Interfaces Relating to Carrier to Customer Connection of Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) Equipment . This information is collected for use in the bit rate selection process described in paragraph 9.9.8.2 of the cited draft standard, and for use in the bit allocation process described in paragraph 9.9.14 of the cited draft standard, but in addition is very useful for estimating certain transmission channel characteristics such as the position of a bridged tap along the line. A preferred embodiment of the present invention consequently makes use of this automatically collected information for transmission channel characterization.
Thus, by multiplexing the collected information that will be used for transmission channel characterization with user data, a transmission channel can be characterized without interruption of the system. This is so because the remote terminal that is able to transmit the user data does not have to be replaced by test equipment.
Alternatively, a transmission channel characteristic is estimated off-line.
Thus, by interrupting transfer of user data over the channel and bringing the system into a test phase, a transmission channel characteristic according to the present invention can also be estimated off-line without the requirement to connect dedicated test equipment to the channel.
In this way, information indicative for the attenuation and phase rotation of carriers having different frequencies, such as is typically collected in a multi-carrier ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) modem and used therein for setting equaliser coefficients, can additionally be used for channel characterization.
In this way, information indicative for the noise affecting carriers having different frequencies, such as is typically collected in a multi-carrier ADSL modem and used therein for allocation of bits to carriers, can additionally be used for channel characterization.
Furthermore, the present invention is very suitable for implementation in an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) system, or any similar system, e.g. a Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line (VDSL) system.
An additional advantageous feature of the arrangement for estimating a transmission channel characteristic.
Hence, information suitable for use in the transmission channel characterization method can be collected over a certain time interval, and can be fed back to the central office as soon as this time interval has elapsed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above mentioned features of the invention will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood by referring to the following description of an embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings:
FIG. 1 is a functional block scheme of a telecommunication system wherein the method to estimate a transmission channel characteristic according to the present invention is applied; and
FIG. 2 is a flowchart of the method to estimate a transmission channel characteristic.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
In FIG. 1 , the central office CO 1 and remote terminal RT 4 of an Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) system are drawn. The remote terminal RT 4 in addition to traditional ADSL receiving circuitry that is supposed to form part of the receiver RX 5 and traditional ADSL transmitting circuitry that is supposed to form part of the transmitter TX 6 contains a channel information gathering unit INFO 7 and channel information memory MEM 8 . The central office CO 1 on top of traditional ADSL transceiving circuitry, not drawn in the figure, contains a channel and modem matching unit MATCH 2 .
The receiver RX 5 in the remote terminal RT 4 is coupled between an input/output port and an output terminal of this remote terminal RT 4 , and further has an output coupled to the channel information gathering unit INFO 7 . The transmitter TX 6 in the remote terminal RT 4 is coupled between an input terminal and the above mentioned input/output port of the remote terminal RT 4 . To a second input terminal of the transmitter TX 6 , the channel information memory MEM 8 is coupled. An output of the channel information gathering unit INFO 7 and an input of the channel information memory MEM 8 are interconnected. A twisted pair telephone line CHANNEL 3 serves as bi-directional physical communication medium between the remote terminal RT 4 and the central office CO 1 . The remote terminal RT 4 is coupled to this telephone line CHANNEL 3 via the above mentioned input/output port. In the central office CO 1 , an input of the channel and modem matching unit MATCH 2 is coupled to the telephone line CHANNEL 3 .
In the drawn ADSL system digital data are transferred bi-directionally on top of telephone signals over the telephone line CHANNEL 3 . At both the remote side and the central office side, a splitter separates received digital data from received telephone signals, applies the digital data to respectively the ADSL remote terminal RT 4 or ADSL central office CO 1 , and applied the telephone signals to respectively the customer's telephone apparatus or a POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) line-card. In FIG. 1 , the splitters at the remote side and central office side, and the customer's telephone apparatus as well as the PTOS line-card are not drawn because the present invention only has an impact on the ADSL central office CO 1 and the ADSL remote terminal RT 4 .
For the operator of the drawn system, one of the problems is how to guarantee a certain service to the customer at the time of installation or later without exact knowledge of the channel characteristics of the telephone line CHANNEL 3 . Because of the frequent changes in disturbances (e.g. the presence of a radio amateur) and line faults (e.g. due to water logging), databases containing information concerning the channel characteristics of telephone lines usually are outdated. Since the remote terminal RT 4 of the drawn ADSL system automatically collects information that is useful for channel characteristic information, access to this information by the operator enables the operator to track changes in the channel characteristics.
The remote terminal RT 4 in FIG. 1 is supposed to operate in accordance with Issue 2 of ANSi's T1E1.413 standard and consequently performs certain channel measurements such as a gain and phase measurement for each carrier transferred over the telephone line CHANNEL 3 and a signal to noise ratio (SNR) measurement for each carrier. The so obtained information is used for setting parameters of a time domain equaliser and frequency domain equaliser which typically forms part of the ADSL receiver RX 5 and for allocating data bits to carriers in the ADSL transmitter TX 6 . Referring to FIG. 2 , at S 100 , the channel information gathering unit INFO 7 collects the measured information and the information is temporarily stored in the channel information memory MEM 8 . Thereafter, at S 200 , the ADSL transmitter TX 6 reads the channel information out of the channel information memory MEM 8 and sends the information to the central office CO 1 so that it is available at the operator's side for channel estimation purposes.
At S 300 the central office CO 1 , the channel and modem matching unit MATCH 2 use a simulation model of the telephone line CHANNEL 3 and remote terminal RT 4 and matches the received information with this simulation model. The simulation model contains a number of parameters like the line attenuation, the length of the telephone line, length and location of bridged taps, water logging, and so on. By matching the simulation model with the information received from the remote terminal RT 4 , at S 400 , the channel and modem matching unit MATCH 2 determines the values for the different parameters in the simulation model. These parameter values are an estimation of the channel characteristics where the operator can rely on to guarantee a certain service to the customer.
Since the measurements can be done by the remote terminal RT 4 on-line, the channel characteristics can be monitored in time so that each time the customer wants to install a new service, recent channel characteristic estimations are available to the operator allowing the operator to give quality guarantees concerning the newly installed service. The permanently available channel characteristic estimations moreover enable the operator to take appropriate measures in case of quality loss, to monitor changes to the customer's in-house network that may affect the quality of service, and to fast evaluate complaints of the customer concerning the quality of service.
The channel information gathering unit INFO 7 , that is coupled to an output terminal of the ADSL receiver RX 5 in the above described embodiment, may be integrated within this ADSL receiver RX 5 . Indeed, since an ADSL receiver RX 5 that operates in accordance with the specifications of ANSI's T1E1.413 Issue 2 standard collects channel information at initialization for use in the bit allocation algorithm and for setting equaliser taps, channel information gathering equipment INFO 7 may in certain embodiments of the invention be integrated in the receiver circuitry RX 5 .
Although the embodiment of the present invention illustrated by FIG. 1 contains a channel information memory MEM 8 , provision of such a channel information memory MEM 8 is not an absolute requirement for implementation of the present invention. Indeed, without the channel information memory MEM 8 , the channel information collected by the remote terminal RT 4 would be fed back instantly to the central office CO 1 , whereas with a channel information memory MEM 8 , the channel information can be collected during a certain time interval and can be fed back at certain time instants in between the time intervals wherein the channel information is collected. When providing a channel information memory MEM 8 , the collected channel information may be sent automatically at regular time intervals to the central office CO 1 or may be sent to the central office CO 1 upon request of the latter one.
The channel and remote terminal matching unit MATCH 2 may form part of the central office CO 1 , as is the case for the embodiment of the invention drawn in the figure, but alternatively may be a separate unit connected to an operator terminal of the central office CO 1 .
The applicability of the present invention is not limited to any particular physical communication medium in between the central office CO 1 and the remote terminal RT 4 or any particular physical layer transport protocol. Thus, instead of a twisted pair telephone line, a coaxial cable, an optical fibre, a radio link, a satellite connection, or even a hybrid transmission medium such as a hybrid coax/optical fibre link may serve as communication medium between the central office CO 1 and remote terminal RT 4 , and evidently, instead of the Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL) protocol, any other physical layer protocol, e.g. the VDSL (Very High Speed Digital Subscriber Line) protocol or the Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) protocol may be adopted in the system wherein the present invention is implemented.
Furthermore, the embodiments of the present invention are described above in terms of functional blocks. From the functional description of these blocks it will be obvious for a person skilled in the art of designing electronic devices how embodiments of these blocks can be manufactured with well-known electronic components. A detailed architecture of the contents of the functional blocks hence is not given for most of them.
While the principles of the invention have been described above in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the invention.
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A channel characteristic of a transmission channel between a remote terminal and a central office is estimated by collecting information in the remote terminal, transferring this information from the remote terminal to the central office and matching the received information at the central office with a channel and remote terminal simulation model. The values of parameters of the latter simulation model, which define the channel characteristic to be estimated, are determined as a result of the matching process. The information collected by the remote terminal typically is information that is automatically collected by the remote terminal for operational purposes. such as equalizer setting and, bit allocation.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to mechanisms used for load compensating a door or hatch, and more particularly to a method and an apparatus for load compensating doors and hatches, including trunks and tailgates of automobiles.
Most of today's cars, trucks, vans, sport utility vehicles, etc., have doors or hatches such as trunks, hatchbacks, tailgates, or the like. These doors or hatches are very convenient in that accessibility to the inside of the vehicle is greatly enhanced. These doors and hatches are often quite large, therefore, they are often quite heavy.
To accommodate for the weight of the door or hatch, auto makers often put some sort of compensating device on the door or hatch to make the opening or lifting of it easier. Such compensating devices are known to include gas or mechanical springs and hydraulic struts.
Generally, a gas spring is a cylinder, sealed on both ends, which contains a shaft connected to a piston within the cylinder and extending out one end of the cylinder. Nitrogen, or an equivalent gas, is placed in the cylinder. The pressure created by the nitrogen applies force to the piston and causes the shaft to be extended. The amount of nitrogen placed in the cylinder can be varied to compensate for the weight of the door or hatch that is being supported. However, when a person closes the door or hatch, the force exerted on the piston by the nitrogen must be overcome in order to force the shaft back into the cylinder. Hence, the gas cylinder aids the opening of the door by load compensating the weight of the door or hatch during opening, but hinders the closing of the door or hatch by requiring more force to close it.
Similar to gas springs, hydraulic struts are comprised of a cylinder with a shaft attached to a piston. However, hydraulic struts utilize pressurized water, or similar liquid, to provide the force necessary for load compensating the weight of the door or hatch.
Additionally, hydraulic struts can be adapted to remove the excessive closing forces associated with gas springs. To accomplish this, the hydraulic strut is fitted with a mechanism providing override capability. Such an override mechanism puts a back pressure on the hydraulic system. This allows the door or hatch to be closed easily without the requirement of overcoming the load compensating forces of the hydraulic strut.
However, hydraulic struts are complicated systems. They are expensive to build and require power sources, such as special fluid pumps or the like, which are not typically present on the vehicle. In addition, adding override capability to a hydraulic strut is difficult to do, for a control must be used to sense when the door or hatch is being closed and thus applying a back pressure.
What is needed therefore is a method and an apparatus for load compensating doors or hatches for: (1) assisting in the opening of the door or hatch, (2) counterbalancing the door or hatch to keep it open, (3) easily overriding the load compensation forces for closing the door or hatch, and (4) utilizing a power source already present on a typical vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame. The apparatus includes a first threaded member which is mechanically linked to the vehicle frame. The apparatus further includes a second threaded member which is mechanically linked to the vehicle door, wherein the second threaded member cooperates with the first threaded member so that the second threaded member is moved linearly relative to the first threaded member when either the first threaded member or the second threaded member is rotated.
Pursuant to another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame. The apparatus includes a motor for rotating a shaft. The apparatus further includes a first threaded member coupled to the shaft of the motor, wherein the first threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle frame. Moreover, the apparatus includes a second threaded member which cooperates with the first threaded member so that the second threaded member is moved linearly relative to the first threaded member when the first threaded member is rotated by the shaft of the motor, wherein the second threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle door.
According to yet another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame. The apparatus includes a motor for rotating a shaft. The apparatus further includes a first threaded member coupled to the shaft of the motor, wherein the first threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle door. In addition, the apparatus includes a second threaded member which cooperates with the first threaded member so that the second threaded member is moved linearly relative to the first threaded member when the first threaded member is rotated by the shaft of the motor, wherein the second threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle frame.
Pursuant to still another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a method of moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame, with the vehicle frame being connected to a first threaded member and the vehicle door being connected to a second threaded member. The method includes the steps of (1) engaging the first threaded member with the second threaded member so that the second threaded member moves linearly relative to the first threaded member when either the first threaded member or the second threaded member is rotated, and (2) rotating either the first threaded member or the second threaded member so as to cause the vehicle door to be moved relative to the vehicle frame.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and useful method and apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an improved method and apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which is powered by an energy source such as a D.C. voltage source which is readily available in a conventional vehicle.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which requires a relatively small amount of effort to close the vehicle door onto the vehicle frame.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which is less complex relative to other load compensating devices.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description and the attached drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle having an apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which incorporates the features of a first embodiment of the present invention therein;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view of the apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view of the apparatus taken generally along the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction of the arrows;
FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame of FIG. 1, with the nut and the shaft shown located at a first position;
FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the apparatus similar to FIG. 4, but showing the nut and the shaft located at a second position;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which incorporates the features of the present invention therein; and
FIG. 7 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a third embodiment of the apparatus for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame which incorporates the features of the present invention therein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, a specific embodiment thereof has been demonstrated by way of example in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood that there is no intention to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a perspective view of a portion of a vehicle A. The vehicle A includes a power actuated load compensation device 100 on opposite sides of the vehicle A. A first end 22 of the power actuated load compensation device 100 is affixed to a vehicle frame C. Moreover, a second end 24 of the power actuated load device 100 is affixed to a door B. As used herein, the term "door" is a hinged door, a sliding door, a trunk lid, a hatchback lid, a tailgate lid, or any other movable closure device on the vehicle.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a first embodiment of a power actuated load compensation device 100 which incorporates the features of the present invention therein.
A first end 22 of a closed cylinder 1, includes a motor 50. The motor 50 includes a commutator 3 which is contacted by brushes 4. A D.C. voltage is supplied to the brushes 4, via motor leads 2. The motor leads 2 are connected, through seals 17, to a control system (not shown), or the like, which contains a power supply. The D.C. voltage from the brushes 4 is transferred to an armature 5 via the commutator 3. The armature 5 utilizes the D.C. voltage to create a magnetic field. This magnetic field interacts with the magnetic fields of magnets 6a-6b. The magnet 6a represents the north pole of a magnet, whereas the magnet 6b represents the south pole of a magnet. The interaction between the magnetic fields sets a motor shaft 9 into motion. The commutator 3 reverses the flow of current at regular intervals in order to reverse the magnetic field of the armature 5 and thus keeping the motor shaft 9 turning. Collectively, the motor leads 2, the commutator 3, the brushes 4, the armature 5, the magnets 6a-6b, and the motor shaft 9 comprise the motor 50. The embodiment in FIG. 2 utilizes a D.C. motor 50, however, those skilled in the art will realize that any type of motor would suffice, including a universal motor for both D.C. and A.C. voltages.
A radial bearing 7 counteracts the radial forces transmitted to motor shaft 9 and thus holds the motor shaft 9 central to the closed cylinder 1.
A rotor mechanism 29 is disposed on a first end 28 of the motor shaft 9 and interacts with a clutch assembly 8. When the rotor mechanism 29, reaches a predetermined acceleration, the clutch assembly 8 engages the rotor mechanism 29, which in turn rotates a screw 11 which is connected to the clutch assembly 8.
The screw 11 is externally threaded in order to threadingly engage the nut 10 which is internally threaded. The nut 10 is attached to a shaft 15 at the shaft portion 15a. For example, the nut 10 could be either welded, screwed, or similarly fastened to shaft 15 by other suitable means. As the screw 11 rotates, it is threaded through the nut 10 and into the shaft portion 15b.
As the screw 11 is threaded through the nut 10, the nut 10 is forced in a direction as indicated by arrow 26 toward a second end 24 of the closed cylinder 1. The shaft 15, being attached to nut 10, is likewise forced towards the second end 24 of closed cylinder 1, through seals 18.
The closed cylinder 1 includes guide members 13 which are secured to an internal wall thereof. The guide members 13 may be integrally formed with the cylinder 1. The shaft 15 includes channels 23 (FIG. 3) which receive the guide members 13 therein so as to prevent the shaft 15 from rotating. Hence, the nut 10 likewise does not rotate, but moves only in the linear direction indicated by arrow 26 and the linear direction indicated by the arrow 36. FIG. 3 shows the cooperative relationship between the guide members 13 and the channels 23.
Radial and thrust bearing 12 compensates for the axial forces created by the movement of nut 10. Additionally, radial and thrust bearing 12 counteracts the radial forces created by the screw 11 as it rotates, and therefore keeps the screw 11 central to the closed cylinder 1.
The second end 24 of the closed cylinder 1 includes the opening 14. The shaft 15 protrudes through the opening 14 through seals 18. FIG. 4 shows the shaft 15 in a first position, whereas FIG. 5 shows the shaft 15 in a second position. As the nut 10 continues to exert force upon the shaft 15, the shaft 15 moves from the first position of FIG. 4 to the second position of FIG. 5.
A shaft portion 15c includes a mount 20. A mount 19 is disposed on the first end 22 of the closed cylinder 1. The mount 19 is affixed to the vehicle frame while the mount 20 is affixed to the vehicle door (FIG. 1). Therefore, as the shaft 15 is forced out of the closed cylinder 1, the mount 20 is pushed in a direction opposite to the mount 19 and therefore assists in opening the door or hatch. Alternatively, the mount 19 may be affixed to the door or hatch of the vehicle and the mount 20 attached to the frame of the vehicle.
As discussed above, the power actuated load compensation device 100 assists in opening a hatch or door. However, it is not desirable to require large amounts of force to close the hatch or door. Depending on the size of the motor 50 used, the linear force in a direction indicated by the arrow 26, generated by the motor 50, can make it difficult to move the screw 11 in the direction indicated by arrow 36 through the nut 10. In such a case, it is advantageous to decouple the motor from the screw 11. Hence, if the acceleration of the rotor mechanism 29 is less than a predetermined level, the clutch assembly disengages the rotor mechanism 29. Therefore, the motor shaft 9 is decoupled from the screw 11. This efficiently allows the screw 11 to move in the direction indicated by arrow 36 through the nut 10, and therefore, move the shaft 15 back into the closed cylinder 1 without requiring a substantial amount of force to overcome the linear force in the direction indicated by the arrow 26 generated by the motor 50. Hence, only the friction created by the interface of screw 11 and nut 10 needs to be overcome to close the door or hatch.
Referring now to FIG. 6, there is shown a second embodiment of a power actuated load compensation device 200 which incorporates the features of the present invention therein. The power actuated load compensation device 200 includes all of the elements of power actuated load compensation device 100, with the exception of the clutch 8 and the rotor mechanism 29. Instead, the compensation device 200 includes a coupling 34 for directly coupling the motor shaft 9 to the screw 11. Alternatively, the motor shaft 9 could be made longer and a portion of the motor shaft 9 could be externally threaded so as to define the screw 11, thus eliminating the need for a separate screw 11.
This embodiment has the advantage of a simpler design by using fewer components, a lower cost to manufacture, and can be used if an override mechanism is not needed for the power actuated load compensation device.
Referring now to FIG. 7, there is shown a third embodiment of a power actuated load compensation device 300 which incorporates the features of the present invention therein. The power actuated load compensation device 300 includes all of the elements of power actuated load compensation device 100. However, the compensation device 300 further includes an orifice 40, a piston 41, a piston seal 42, and a gas area 43. Although not shown, the anti-rotational function of guide members 13 and channels 23 may be accomplished in other ways. In this regard, cylinder 1 could be designed such that it defines a non-cylindrical shape, such as a closed oblong, ellipse, any polygonal shape (e.g. triangular or rectangular), or any other shape suitable for preventing rotation. A complementary-shaped piston 41 having a suitable piston seal 42, such as an O-ring or an O-ring-like, may then be placed in the cylinder 1.
In some vehicle applications, it may not be possible to completely counterbalance the weight of the door or hatch without continually operating the motor 50 due to the weight of the door or hatch. Hence, when the shaft 15 is fully extended, the weight of the door or hatch may cause the door or hatch to close abruptly unless the motor 50 continues to operate to provide the necessary force in the direction indicated by the arrow 26 so as to hold the door or hatch open.
To prevent this from occurring, it may be desirable to provide a fluid material in the fluid area 43. One fluid which may be used is a gas such as nitrogen. Collectively working with the piston 41, the fluid can provide a counterbalancing force to aid in both the opening of the door or hatch and the maintaining of the door or hatch in the open position as shown in FIG. 1. This counterbalancing is achieved using the pressure and volume principles at work upon the fluid in fluid area 43. As the piston 41 is moved in the direction indicated by arrow 26, the fluid is forced through orifice 40 in the direction indicated by arrow 36. When the piston reaches full extension, as shown in FIG. 5, it is no longer being driven by the motor 50. At this point, the piston 41 will naturally tend to move in the direction indicated by arrow 26 and return to the closed position, as shown in FIG. 4. This tendency is opposed by the dampening effect created as the return of the fluid to area 60 is resisted by the flow of the fluid from a high pressure area 60 to a low pressure area 43 (FIG. 7) through orifice 40.
While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description is to be considered as exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments have been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.
For example, to aid in the function of holding the door or hatch open, an additional clutch mechanism could be added to either the screw 11 or the shaft 15. This clutch assembly could engage and lock the screw 11 or the shaft 15 in place when the door or hatch is fully opened. Moreover, when the door or hatch is desired to be moved to its closed position, the clutch could be disengaged and the screw 11 would be allowed to back drive through the nut 10, and therefore, pull the shaft back into closed cylinder 1.
It should be understood that other suitable means for facilitating driving screw 11 may be provided. For example, gear and clutch features shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,582,279, which issued to the same assignee as the present invention and which is incorporated herein by reference and made a part thereof, may be used. Additionally, it should be appreciated that a different type of screw and nut combination could be used in place of the screw 11 and the nut 10. For example, screw 11 could be a ball screw and nut 10 could be a ball nut.
Further, the motor 50 is a D.C. motor. This type of motor was selected due to its use of D.C. voltages, which are generally present in most vehicles. However, any motor type, powered by any power source, could be used if it provided the force needed to drive the screw 11.
A variation in the type and number of bearings included is possible, as long as the motor shaft 9 and the screw 11 are held centrally to the closed cylinder 1. For example, if the power actuated load compensation device 200 utilizes a single member functioning as both the motor shaft 9 and the screw 11, then the radial bearing 7 could possibly be deleted, relying on the radial and thrust bearing 12 to function as the sole bearing for the system.
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An apparatus is disclosed for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame. The apparatus includes a motor for rotating a shaft. The apparatus further includes a first threaded member coupled to the shaft of the motor, wherein the first threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle frame. In addition, the apparatus includes a second threaded member which cooperates with the first threaded member so that the second threaded member is moved relative to the first threaded member when the first threaded member is rotated by the shaft of the motor, wherein the second threaded member is mechanically linked to the vehicle door. A method for moving a vehicle door relative to a vehicle frame is also disclosed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to a flow restricting valve mechanism and, more particularly, to a mechanical shut off device for an automatic water faucet.
[0002] Plumbing devices using valves to restrict and permit flow, such as automatic water faucets, are known. These plumbing devices may rely on detecting an object, such as a user's hands, to trigger an actuator to open the valve permitting water flow through the faucet. After the user's hands are removed, the actuator moves the valve to a flow restricting position. The flow restricting position can prevent flow though the automatic water faucet.
[0003] These plumbing devices typically rely on battery-powered actuators to manipulate the valve. Accordingly, in the event of a battery failure or other actuator malfunction, the valve may remain in a flow permitting position. This situation may result in wasted water or even flooding.
[0004] Therefore, there exists a need in the art to provide a mechanical shut off device for an automatic water faucet.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] The present invention provides a valve mechanism for a plumbing device. The present invention includes a movable valve, an actuator and a plumbing conduit. When powered, the actuator moves the valve between a flow restricting position and a flow permitting position. Under normal operation, the actuator moves the valve between these positions. However, in the event of a malfunction, such as a battery failure, the valve moves to the flow restricting position and may do so without relying on the powered actuator. Thus, a malfunction triggers the valve to move to the flow restricting position.
[0006] The invention may have a spring, which is used to move the valve in the event of a malfunction independent of the battery. The spring is more relaxed when the valve is in the flow restricting position, than when the valve is in the flow permitting position. Therefore, as the valve moves from the flow restricting position to the flow permitting position, the spring becomes less relaxed. If a malfunction occurs, the spring moves the valve to the flow restricting position. Under normal operation, the actuator moves the valve to the flow restricting position.
[0007] The invention may be used in an automatic water faucet. The actuators in automatic water faucets are typically battery powered. Automatic water faucets usually contain an object detection system triggering the actuator to move the valve. Generally, the actuator will utilize planetary gears to move the valve. The actuator also moves the spring between a relaxed position and a less relaxed position. If, when triggered, the actuator cannot fully actuate the valve, such as during a battery failure, the spring returns the valve to the flow restricting position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the currently preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can be briefly described as follows.
[0009] FIG. 1 is a schematic of the plumbing device when the valve is in a flow permitting position.
[0010] FIG. 2 is a schematic of the plumbing device when the valve is in a flow restricting position.
[0011] FIG. 3 is a schematic of the plumbing device after detecting a malfunction.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0012] Referring to FIG. 1 , a schematic depicting the operation of a valve mechanism 10 for a plumbing device 12 is illustrated. The schematic depicts a valve 14 in communication with an automatic water faucet 30 . Although the present invention is described in terms of an automatic water faucet 30 , it should be recognized that other plumbing devices 12 may employ configurations similar to the one described herein.
[0013] FIG. 1 illustrates the position of a spring 34 when the valve 14 is in a closed position 22 , a flow restricting position. The valve 14 may be of the sliding variety such that the valve 14 will rotate into the closed position 22 . A sliding type valve 14 lessens the force necessary to restrict the flow through the automatic water faucet 30 .
[0014] The valve 14 in the closed position 22 prevents water from flowing from a water supply 26 to the automatic water faucet 30 . Generally, the flow rate through an automatic water faucet 30 is less than 2 gallons per minute. However, the present invention may also be used in higher flow rate environments, such as Roman tubs or bathtubs, where flow rates may exceed 5 gallons per minute. In addition, flow rates through plumbing devices 12 may be controlled by mechanisms upstream or downstream from the valve 14 .
[0015] The spring 34 is in communication with the valve 14 . When the valve 14 is in the closed position 22 the spring 34 maintains a more relaxed position 38 . A power supply 54 powers a powered actuator 50 . Under normal operation, the powered actuator 50 moves the valve 14 between the closed position 22 and an open position 18 , a flow permitting position.
[0016] An object detection system 58 can trigger the valve 14 to move from the closed position 22 to the open position 18 . When the object detection system 58 detects an object, such as a user's hands, the powered actuator 50 moves the valve 14 to the open position 18 , as shown in FIG. 2 . When the object is no longer detected, the powered actuator 50 returns the valve 14 to the closed position 22 , as shown in FIG. 1 . The powered actuator 50 also moves the spring 34 from the more relaxed position 38 of FIG. 1 to a less relaxed position 42 of FIG. 2 . Thus, the valve 14 moves from the closed position 22 , as shown in FIG. 1 , to the open position 18 , as shown in FIG. 2 while the spring moves from the more relaxed position 38 to the less relaxed position 42 during normal operation.
[0017] Referring again to FIG. 2 , a set of planetary gears 46 may move the spring 34 and the valve 14 . The powered actuator 50 drives the planetary gears 46 , although other types of a low force operating mechanisms or commercially available devices may be used. Typically, the planetary gear set 46 comprises a three-stage gear set. The planetary gears 46 may rotate the valve 14 between the closed position 22 and the open position 18 , a position permitting flow.
[0018] The default position of the valve 14 is the closed position 22 , and the valve 14 will move to the closed position 22 after a malfunction 66 , such as a control circuit failure, in the plumbing device 12 . FIG. 3 schematically depicts the positions of the spring 34 and the valve 14 after the malfunction 66 , in the plumbing device 12 . As shown, the spring 34 returns to the more relaxed position 38 , the default position of the spring 34 and, in so doing, moves the valve 14 to the closed position 22 . The spring 34 does not rely on the powered actuator 50 and the planetary gears 46 to move the valve 14 when the malfunction 66 is detected. Operating the plumbing device 12 in this manner prevents the valve 14 from maintaining the open position 18 upon the malfunction 66 in the plumbing device 12 .
[0019] FIG. 3 also shows an alternative power supply 54 , a battery 62 . The battery 62 is frequently used as a power source for powered actuators 50 in automatic water faucets 30 . Failure of the battery 62 is the type of malfunction 66 capable of triggering moving the valve 14 to the closed position 22 . There are many advantages to moving the valve 14 to the closed position 22 upon a malfunction 66 in the automatic water faucet 30 . For example, as the valve 14 moves to the closed position 22 when the batteries 62 fail, there is minimal risk of flooding or wasting water.
[0020] It should be understood that various alternatives to the embodiments of the invention described herein may be employed in practicing the invention. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that certain modifications are within the scope of this invention. The following claims define the invention and should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this invention.
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A valve mechanism for a plumbing device includes a valve for a plumbing conduit. The valve is movable between an open position and a closed position. An actuator moves the valve between the open position and the closed position. When the plumbing device malfunctions the valve moves to the closed position.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method for producing a molded crystalline resin article and especially a method of crystallizing the molded resin article.
2. Detailed Description of the Related Arts
Exterior equipment such as side moldings and bumper corners have conventionally been required to be highly glossy for the purpose of exhibiting an appearance of high quality. For this type of exterior equipment, those that are obtained by molding resins are generally employed because they are readily incorporated into automobiles and have satisfactory pliability and strength.
Examples of such molded resin articles are those having a double-layered structure consisting of a core layer and a skin layer (Japanese Laid-Open Publication No. 8-127107).
A core layer is present as a composite material having suitable pliability and rigidity which is obtained by mixing a polypropylene resin with a rubber component. A skin layer is made from a material obtained by mixing a crystalline polypropylene resin having a high Rockwell hardness with additives such as a colorant, and exhibits a satisfactory appearance, high gloss, metal-like surface and an anti-abrasion property.
A molded resin article which has the two layers described above is produced by a two-color molding method in which the starting material for the core layer and the starting material for the skin layer are injected simultaneously into the cavity of a mold and then cooled.
However, the molded resin article described above has conventionally been produced by heating the mold to a high temperature during injection of the resin and then cooling the mold to a low temperature upon cooling the resin in order to obtain the anti-abrasion property. In such a procedure, a prolonged period to raise or lower the temperature of the mold is required, and an enormous energy consumption is associated therewith.
Thus, it has been difficult to produce a large amount of molded resin articles by molding resins at a low cost.
Accordingly, for the purpose of improving producibility, it was proposed that the temperature of the mold be kept at a temperature as low as about 30° C. and then the molded crystalline resin article is cooled rapidly. Nevertheless, such procedure undergoes insufficient crystallization of the skin layer of the resin article especially at its surface, resulting in a poor abrasion resistance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the hitherto problems described above, the object of this invention is to provide a method for producing a molded crystalline resin article which raises the degree of the crystallization to a high degree and further, to mass-produce the molded crystalline resin articles.
This invention provides a method for producing a molded crystalline resin article comprising molding a molded resin article from a thermoplastic resin containing a crystalline resin followed by performing a heating process to obtain a molded crystalline resin article having a surface region with a crystallization index of 0.9 or higher when determined by IR spectrometry.
In the present invention, a crystallization index means a value based on which the crystallization degree of a molded resin article can be evaluated. The crystallization index can be obtained by determining IR spectrum and then calculating the ratio of the peak intensity of the crystal portion to the peak intensity of the non-crystal portion.
In the present invention, a thermoplastic resin containing a crystalline resin means a thermoplastic resin that is partly or entirely formed of a crystalline resin. Thus, all or part of the thermoplastic resin is crystalline resin. In order to obtain a surface layer with a crystalline index of 0.9 or more, the crystalline resin should be contained in the thermoplastic resin which constitutes the surface layer.
Specifically, it is favorable that the crystalline resin is present in the thermoplastic resin in a range of 20-100 wt. % since this weight percent range enables formation of a surface layer with a crystalline index of 0.9 or more. On the other hand, where less than 20 wt. % crystalline resin is present, a crystalline index or 0.9 or more may not be obtained since the amount of the crystalline resin present is too low.
Further, it is more favorable that the crystalline resin is present in the thermoplastic resin in a range of 30-100 wt. %. With this range, a surface layer with a crystalline index of 0.9 or more can be more easily formed.
The surface layer of the molded crystalline resin article is readily subjected to the effect of atmospheric temperature since it is located on the surface of the molded crystalline resin article. Therefore, on the surface, the temperature is lowered more quickly and the crystallization tends to proceed insufficiently when compared with the inner portion of the resin article.
To solve this problem, the resin article is heated after being molded in the present invention. Therefore, the heating serves to promote further crystallization in the surface layer of the molded resin article.
The molded resin article is heated so that the crystallization index of the surface layer becomes 0.9 or higher. Accordingly, the crystallization of the surface layer of the molded resin article can be proceeded sufficiently. As a result, the surface layer of the molded resin article is brought to the state where the crystallization is almost saturated. Therefore, a highly crystalline molded resin article can be obtained. The upper limit of the crystallization index may vary depending on the crystallization degree specific to a certain crystalline resin, and, for example, that of a polypropylene resin is about 1.03.
Since the surface layer is highly crystalline, it exhibits excellent abrasion resistance, excellent appearance, a high gloss and a metal-like surface.
In addition, since the heating process serves to establish a state where the crystallization is almost saturated, a subsequent process in which the article is cooled gradually to proceed the crystallization is not required. Accordingly, the cooling after the heating process can be performed quickly.
Therefore, a highly crystalline molded resin article can be produced in a short time at a high efficiency. In addition, the energy consumed during the production can be reduced since the mold employed to mold the resin article can be kept at a low temperature.
On the other hand, when the crystallization index of the surface layer after the heating process is less than 0.9, the crystallization of the surface layer is insufficient, resulting in a reduced abrasion resistance and a poor appearance.
According to the present invention, the crystallization degree of a molded crystalline resin article can be raised to a higher degree, and a method for producing a molded crystalline resin article on a large scale is provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective, partial cutaway view of the side molding according to Embodiment 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The temperature of the heating process described above is preferably in a range of 20° C. lower than the crystallization temperature of the molded resin article to 30+ C. higher than the crystallization temperature. This temperature range serves to further improve the crystallization of the surface layer. On the other hand, when the article is heated at a temperature more than 20° C. lower than the crystallization temperature, the crystallization of the surface layer may become insufficient.
When the article is heated at a temperature more than 30+ C. higher than the crystallization temperature, wrinkles may be formed on the surface layer. A higher production cost due to energy waste may also be associated.
The crystalline resin described above is preferably a polypropylene resin, by which a further higher crystallization degree of the surface layer can be achieved.
The molded crystalline resin article described above is preferably a side molding. In such a case, the molded crystalline resin article can be employed wherein the advantage described above is experienced most effectively.
In addition to the side molding mentioned above, the molded crystalline resin article may also be applied to exterior equipment such as wheel covers, side garnishes, locker panels, bumpers, bumper corners, spoilers, center pillars and the like, interior equipment such as meter cluster panels, center cluster panels, garnishes and the like, as well as various industrial devices such as transportation devices, electric products and the like which are required to be glossy. The molded article described above may be produced by two-layer extrusion and two-layer blow molding in addition to sandwich injection molding.
Embodiments 1 to 6
The preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated referring to Comparatives.
A thermoplastic resin was prepared by adding 2.3 parts by weight of a colorant to 100 parts by weight of a crystalline thermoplastic polypropylene resin. The colorant consisted of 0.2 parts by weight of carbon black, 0.3 parts by weight of phthalocyanine blue, 0.1 parts by weight of benzine yellow, 0.2 parts by weight of titanium oxide, 0.5 parts by weight of magnesium stearate and 1.0 parts by weight of aluminum powder.
The thermoplastic resin prepared as above was injected into a mold of a injection molding machine and molded into a plate having a mirror surface of the size of 150 mm×150 mm×2 mm. The cylinder clamping force of the injection molding machine was 80 tons.
The molded plate obtained was subjected to the heating process. The heating process was conducted by two methods, namely, a gear oven method in which the molded plate was placed in an electric furnace and blown with hot air, and an intermediate infrared irradiation method. In the gear oven method, the heating temperature and the heating period were varied as indicated in Table 1. In the intermediate infrared irradiation method, the intermediate infrared radiation haying the peak wavelength of about 3 Am was irradiated for 1 minute to raise the temperature of the surface of the molded plate to 140° C.
The molded resin articles obtained as described above were designated as Embodiments 1 to 6 and Comparatives 1 to 3, which are shown in Table 1. As a control, a molded resin article which had not been heated was produced and designated as Comparative 4.
Subsequently, the crystallization temperature of the thermoplastic resin employed to prepare the molded resin articles was determined by a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC). In DSC analysis, about 10 mg of flakes taken by abrading the surface of the molded resin article was employed as a sample, which was cooled from 220° C. to 50° C. at the rate of 10° C./min under nitrogen atmosphere. During the course of the cooling, the temperature at which the sample was crystallized was recorded as the crystallization temperature. As a result, the crystallization temperature of the sample was 127° C.
The Rockwell hardness of the thermoplastic resin described above was 113 when determined according to ASTM D785. The melt flow rate was 45 g/10 min when determined according to ASTM D123.
Subsequently, various molded resin articles thus obtained were examined for the crystallization index, abrasion resistance and appearance of the surface.
The crystallization index was determined by IR spectrometry similar to the determination described above. Specifically, the ratio of the peak intensity of the crystal portion (998 cm −1 ) to the peak intensity of the non-crystal portion (973 cm −1 ) was determined as the crystallization degree by means of IR spectrometry.
The abrasion resistance was evaluated by a cotton canvas abrasion test and a scratch test. The cotton canvas abrasion test was performed using a JIS L0823 No. 1 device and mounting a JIS L3102 plane cotton canvas (mesh #10) on an abrader having an abrasion surface of 1 cm×1 cm, which was moved back and forth for 40 rounds under the load of 500 g. The result was indicated as ⊚ when no abrasion was observed in this cotton canvas abrasion test, as ◯ when almost no abrasion was observed, as Δ when abrasion was observed slightly and as X when marked abrasion was observed.
The scratch test was conducted by the method according to JIS K5400, except for using the load of 20 g and an iron rod instead of a pencil.
Also in this scratch test, the results were evaluated similarly as in the cotton canvas abrasion test described above. The appearance of the surface was evaluated visually. The result was indicated as X when damages such as wrinkles due to melting or flow end vaporization were noted on the surface of the molded resin article and as ◯ when no such damages were noted.
The results are shown in Table 1.
TABLE 1
abrasion resistance
evaluation
cotton
canvas
crystallization
abrasion
scratch
surface
heating condition
index
test
test
appearance
Comparative 1
gear oven, 80° C. × 30 min
0.82
X
X
(96)
◯
Comparative 2
gear oven, 100° C. × 30 min
0.85
Δ
X
(97)
◯
Embodiment 1
gear oven, 120° C. × 30 min
0.91
◯
Δ
(80)
◯
Embodiment 2
gear oven, 130° C. × 30 min
0.95
⊚
◯
(73)
◯
Embodiment 3
gear oven, 140° C. × 5 min
0.94
◯
◯
(75)
◯
Embodiment 4
gear oven, 140° C. × 10 min
0.98
⊚
⊚
(60)
◯
Embodiment 5
gear oven, 140° C. × 30 min
1.00
⊚
⊚
(55)
◯
Comparative 3
gear oven, 160° C. × 10 min
— *
— *
— *
X
Embodiment 6
intermediate infrared
0.91
◯
Δ
(71)
◯
irradiation,
140° C. × 1 min
Comparative 4
unheated (control)
0.71
X
X
(113)
◯
— * unable to examine due to generation of wrinkles on the surface layer
As evident from Table 1, in embodiments 1 to 6, the heating temperature was within the range from −20° C. to +30° C. from the crystallization temperature (Tc) of the thermoplastic resin, exhibiting the excellent results.
On the other hand, Comparatives 1, 2 and 4 exhibited lower abrasion resistance. Comparative 3 underwent wrinkle formation on the surface of the molded resin article, which made the evaluation for the anti-abrasion property impossible, and caused poor appearance. In Comparatives 1 and 2, the heating temperature was more than 20° C. lower than the crystallization temperature (Tc), suggesting that the heating process had no effects. In Comparative 3, wrinkles were formed on the surface possibly because of the excessively higher heating temperature.
Embodiment 7
The molded crystalline resin article of this invention is a side molding formed of a core layer 2 and a skin layer 3 coated around the core layer 2 as shown in FIG. 1 . The core layer 2 consists of polypropylene composite materials and the skin layer 3 consists of a mixture of a polypropylene resin and colorant.
The polypropylene resin in the skin layer 3 was a polypropylene resin having a Rockwell hardness of 113, containing no ethylene as in Embodiment 1. As the colorant, the same colorant in Embodiment 1 was used. The polypropylene composite material in the core layer 2 described above consists of 30% by weight of highly crystalline polypropylene resin, 60% by weight of unfixed ethylene propylene rubber, and 10% by weight of talc.
The highly crystalline polypropylene resin has 4.3% by weight of ethylene content and its melt flow rate is 30 g/10 min. The unfixed ethylene propylene rubber has a Mooney Viscosity ML 1+4 (100° C.) of 15 and 24% by weight of propylene content.
The side molding 10 of this invention was molded by a sandwich injection molding machine, using the above-described materials. This side molding 10 exhibits an anti-abrasion property, a high gloss as excellent as a painted article, a metal-like surface, and is able to function as a side molding sufficiently.
Further, this side molding has excellent pliability and rigidity since it comprises a double-layered structure consisting of a core layer and a skin layer.
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To provide a method for producing a molded crystalline resin article which enables a higher crystallization degree and to mass-produce the molded crystalline resin articles. The method comprises molding a molded resin article from a thermoplastic resin containing a crystalline resin followed by performing a heating process to obtain a molded crystalline resin article having a surface layer whose crystallization index is 0.9 or higher when determined by IR spectrometry. It is preferable that the temperature of the heating process is within the range of 20° C. lower than the crystallization temperature of the molded resin article to 30° C. higher than the crystalline temperature, and that the crystalline resin is a polypropylene resin.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a label tape, suitable for application to vulcanizable articles to provide identification of said articles after vulcanization has been completed.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Various techniques for identifying vulcanized articles such as vehicle tires have previously been disclosed. U.S. Pat. No. 2,984,596 (Franer) discloses a label tape providing visible indicia capable of being applied to a vehicle tire prior to vulcanization. In addition to such visible methods, magnetic identification methods have been long sought. For example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,920,674 (Bull) and 3,460,119 (Ugo et al.), systems are disclosed in which the bead wires conventionally present in vehicle tires are selectively magnetized to provide an identification code. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,225,810 (Enabnit) and 3,233,645 (Newell), articles are disclosed wherein discrete blocks of a permanent magnet material such as barium ferrite are selectively positioned within the tire to provide an identification code. Since the discrete blocks must be positioned prior to vulcanization, the recorded information cannot be changed subsequent to vulcanization.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,750,120 (McCarty) discloses an identification system wherein a magnetic pigment such as magnetite is uniformly dispersed throughout a portion of the article such as a band on the sidewall of the tire. While this system overcomes several limitations inherent in the above discussed systems, the special compounding and other problems limit the applicability of such a system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In contrast to the prior art systems discussed hereinabove, the present invention provides a tape suitable for labeling vulcanizable articles such as vehicle tires with firmly attached, magnetically encodeable and readable labels. These labels may be both printed with visible identifying indicia and magnetically encoded prior to the application thereof to an unvulcanized article. During the vulcanization process, the labels become permanently affixed to the article, and thereafter the indicia may be read and the magnetic code may be detected, erased and/or altered by conventional magnetic recording techniques. The tape is capable of being wound upon itself in roll form for storage and transport and of being unwound in condition for printing, magnetic encoding and/or application. Because of the severity of the vulcanization conditions and of the desire to read out the magnetic record after vulcanization, it is important that the labels have a high degree of structural integrity and that they become firmly bonded to the article during vulcanization.
The tape of the present invention comprises a flexible temporary disposable carrier web having a low-adhesion surface and adhered thereto a detachable label structure capable of withstanding vulcanization conditions. Each label comprises a backing, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer permanently adhered to one surface of the backing and a magnetic recording layer secured to the other surface of the backing. The pressure sensitive adhesive layer enables the tag to be secured to the article prior to vulcanization and releasably adhered to the low adhesive surface of the carrier web. The magnetic recording layer has a substantially uniform thickness less than 50 micrometers, comprises a major proportion of magnetizable particles and a minor proportion of a polymeric binder, and has a remanent flux of at least 0.4 maxwells per cm of width.
The backing is flexible, non-porous and has a substantially uniform thickness within the range of 10 to 100 micrometers. It withstands vulcanization temperatures and pressures during molding operations without appreciable dimensional change so as to protect the magnetic recording layer from any appreciable physical movement. To this end the backing should not melt or decompose at 200° C. In order that the labels are sufficiently stiff so as to minimize handling difficulties prior to application to the article to be vulcanized, it is desirable that the backing have a modulus of elasticity of at least 5 × 10 10 dynes/cm 2 . The pressure sensitive adhesive layer is substantially uniformly thick and has a dry coating weight within the range of 6 and 45 grams/meter 2 . Such a layer preferably comprises a vulcanizable rubber and tackifying resin. The adhesive layer may be strongly anchored to the backing by means of a substantially uniformly thick layer of adhesion promoting primer, ranging in thickness between 0.1 and 3 grams/meter 2 .
In order to provide a readily printable surface on which indicia characteristic of an intended use of the label may be printed, an outer protective layer is desirably applied over the recording layer. The protective layer is preferably provided by a resin that separates readily from tire molds at the conclusion of the vulcanizing process.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The FIGURE is a cross-section of a label tape constructed pursuant the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The FIGURE shows a cross-section of a length of label tape of the present invention, in which a tape 10 may be seen to comprise a release liner 12 which is continuous over the length of tape 10 and a series of labels 14, 16 and 18 respectively. Each of the labels comprise a number of layers secured to a central backing 20. Between the backing 20 and the release liner 12 is a layer of adhesive primer 22 and a layer of pressure sensitive adhesive 24. The opposite side of the backing is provided with a primed surface 25, a layer of magnetic recording material 26 and a protective outer layer 28 on which indicia 30 may be printed.
The tape depicted in the FIGURE is preferably constructed of a number of continuous coatings applied to a large web on a suitable backing material, after which the discrete labels 14, 16 and 18 are die-cut, the waste material between adjacent labels removed and the web slit into tape form.
In a preferred embodiment, the labels are designed to be affixed to tire carcasses prior to vulcanization. Accordingly, the backing 20 is selected to withstand conditions present during the molding process. A particularly desirable backing has been found to be biaxially oriented polyester having an uniform thickness in the range between 10 and 100 micrometers. Even though the second order or glass transition temperature of such a material is well below the temperatures encountered during vulcanization, the labels have been found to be intact and firmly and permanently adhered to the tires after vulcanization. Alternatively, backings formed of polymers having high glass transition temperatures such as polyimides have also been found to be suitable, but the initial cost is greater, and properties superior to polyethylene terephthalate are not required
In some applications, paper and cellulose acetate backings may also be used. Backings of non-magnetic metals should also be useful. Backings which will withstand the vulcanization temperatures and pressures without appreciable stretching or other dimensional change such that the magnetic recording layer is preserved intact are generally required. For example, backings which will not melt or decompose at 200° C are required for general tire vulcanization applications. Because of the indeterminateness of conditions actually present during vulcanization, the suitability of a given backing is best determined during in-situ testing. In order to facilitate handling of the label prior to application on a vulcanized article, it has further been found desirable that the backing have a modulus of at least 5 × 10 10 dynes/cm 2 . Backings having a lower modulus will generally be so limp as to require special handling techniques or undue thicknesses. An upper thickness of 100 micrometers provides a backing which is sufficiently strong to support the magnetic layer while minimizing the physical interference with the article to which it is to be attached. Backings having a surface roughness of less than 0.25 micrometer are desirable since the surface roughness of the magnetic recording layer applied to the backing is dependent thereon. A smooth magnetic layer minimizes signal "dropouts" when a magnetic recording or playback head is passed along the surface of a label.
In making a label tape of the present invention, a thus selected backing is coated with the magnetic recording layer on one surface and a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on the other. While the sequence of which surface is first coated is somewhat arbitrary, it is convenient to describe first the application of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer.
In order to ensure that the pressure sensitive adhesive layer 24 be firmly adhered to the backing and thereby prevent the backing from separating from the adhesive and shifting in position during vulcanization, it is desirable to coat the backing with an adhesion promoting primer. A variety of such primers are known to those skilled in the art and must be selected to be compatible with both the backing and the adhesive to be applied. For a polyester backing and an adhesive layer compatible with rubber articles, i.e., such as a latex crepe, a suitable primer layer may be formed by applying a dilute solution of crude rubber in heptane, thereafter evaporating the solvent and exposing the layer to UV radiation in order to improve the bond of the primer to the backing.
After the primer layer has been formed, the pressure sensitive layer is applied thereto via conventional coating techniques, typically using solvent based systems.
After oven drying to remove the solvent, the adhesive surface is pressed against a carrier web having a low adhesion surface such as a silicone coated paper. The carrier web is desirably selected to be sufficiently stiff so as to support the layers during subsequent die-cutting operations.
While in the above description, the pressure sensitive adhesive layer was described as being applied to a primed surface of the backing, it is also within the scope of the present invention to coat the adhesive onto the carrier web, dry it, and thereafter to press the dried adhesive layer against the primed backing.
Following the application of the pressure sensitive adhesive layer and carrier web to the backing, the opposite surface of the backing is then coated with a dispersion of a magnetizable material in binder, solvents, etc., magnetically aligned, and dried to provide the magnetic recording layer. As is well known to those skilled in magnetic recording formulations, any of a wide variety of magnetic materials, binders, etc. may be selected of materials which will withstand vulcanization conditions.
A protective top coat over the magnetic recording layer is thereafter desirably applied so as to improve the resistance of the recording layer to abrasion, to provide a more ink receptive surface, to protect the binder from oxidation and to prevent transfer of material to the mold during vulcanization.
An example of a preferred construction of a label tape according to the present invention is as follows:
EXAMPLE
A web of biaxially oriented polyethylene terephthlate film 3 mils thick (75 micrometers) was selected. Such films are particularly useful over the range of 40 to 100 micrometers; films of less thickness may be so flexible and limp as to require special handling.
A dilute (2.5%) solution of crude rubber in heptane was coated onto the backing to provide an extremely thin adhesive promoting layer, such as approximately 1.0 grams/meter 2 dried coating weight. After applying the solution to the backing, the coating was dried by heating to approximately 100° C and thereafter exposed to high intensity UV. The latter step is desired so as to enhance the bonding of the primer layer to the backing.
A pressure sensitive adhesive was provided by a solution of 80% heptane and 20% of the following ingredients:
100 parts of latex crepe
75 parts of pure hydrocarbon thermoplastic terpene resin melting at approximately 115° C and having a zero acid number (such as Piccolyte S-115, manufactured by Hercules, Inc.)
1 part of an anti-oxidiant (i.e., 2,5-ditertiaryamylhydroquinone) or "Santovar A", manufactured by Monsanto Chemical Co.
1 part of a vulcanization accelerator, i.e., cyclohexylamine
This solution was applied and oven-dried, thereby forming a pressure sensitive adhesive layer having a dry coating weight of 6 grains per 24 square inches (25 grams/meter 2 ). A carrier web, i.e., a silicone-coated kraft-glassine 60 pounds/ream (3000 ft 2 ) release paper (100 gm/meter 2 ) was then pressed against the adhesive surface.
The magnetic recording layer was made from the following dispersion of acicular gamma-Fe 2 O 3 particles:
______________________________________methyl ethyl ketone (MEK) 4560 gmToluene 3660 gmSurfactant (a phosphorylated 272 gmethoxylated long chain alcohol)gamma-Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 5440 gm25% solids solution of a high 2980 gmmolecular weight polyesterpolyurethane polymer synthesizedfrom neopentyl glycol, poly-epsilon-caprolactone diol and p,p'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate dissolved in MEK30% solids solution in MEK of Phenoxy 1050 gmPKHH resin, manufactured by UnionCarbideCarbon black (Vulcan XC-72, manufac- 440 gmtured by Cabot Corp.)______________________________________
After ball milling the dispersion until smooth and filtering it through a 7-8 micrometer filter, one percent of a suitable cross-linking agent, i.e., "PAPI" sold by the Polychemical Division of UpJohn Co., which is polymethylene polyphenyl isocyanate having on the average 3.2 groups per molecule, was mixed into the dispersion. The dispersion was coated by conventional magnetic recording media manufacturing procedures onto the backing which had previously been primed to promote adhesion of the magnetic coating. Such a primer was formed by drying a dilute solution of parachorophenol in MEK. The wet coating was subjected to a magnetic field to align the iron oxide particles in longitudinal direction and then dried in an oven to a dried thickness of approximately 20 micrometers.
A 2.5 micrometer thick protective printable top layer was obtained by topcoating the magnetic recording layer with a 10% solution of two parts of "Phenoxy PKHH" and one part of "PAPI" cross-linking agent in a mixture of 59 parts of MEK and 41 parts of toluene. The solvents were thereafter removed by drying.
Such an overcoated product was found to be readily printed upon. The product was printed via flexographic press using an ink such as that manufactured by Consolidated Printing Ink Co., type "Flexo Silver FA-10770." The product was then die-cut in a conventional manner and the waste between adjacent labels stripped off. The resultant labels were 3.6 cm long by 8.25 cm wide. Tape containing strips of labels were then formed by slitting the carrier web to a width of 0.5 inch (1.27 cm), thereby reducing the labels to 3.6 cm long by 1.27 cm wide.
The resultant tapes and labels were successfully employed in a tire identification system in which the labels while still on the backing were passed through a special dispenser apparatus in which a magnetic code was recorded thereon and the release liner removed. Thus dispensed labels were then applied to the sidewalls of tire carcasses prior to insertion into the vulcanization molds. After vulcanization, the labels were securely bonded to the sidewalls. Upon passing the labeled portion of the sidewalls past a magnetic pickup head, the encoded information was readily detected. Good signal-to-noise ratios were observed even with head spacings from the sidewalls of up to 5 mils (125 micrometers), such as may arise from the use of blemish paint, mold release paint or other debris adhering to the tire.
Such a preferred product was also found not to transfer any visible material onto the tire mold and to resist staining of the label due to black blemish paint often applied to the tire carcass prior to molding.
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A label tape suitable for application to vulcanizable articles such as vehicle tires is disclosed. This tape includes a carrier web and a plurality of removable labels, each label comprising a backing, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on one surface of the backing and a magnetic recording layer on the other surface of the backing. In a desired application, each label is magnetically encoded prior to being affixed via the adhesive layer to an unvulcanized tire carcass. During vulcanization the label becomes permanently affixed to the tire without altering the magnetically encoded information. The tire may subsequently be moved past a magnetic play-back head to produce a signal corresponding to the magnetically encoded information to thereby provide information indicative of the specific tire.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil, serving as an insulating means, to an insulated container, in order to maintain and improve the insulating properties of insulated containers, including household insulated containers such as vacuum flasks, cooler boxes and heat-retaining lunch boxes, and insulating materials used for thermal insulation equipment.
This application is based on Patent Application No. Hei 9-270186 filed in Japan, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
2. Description of the Related Art
With household insulated containers such as vacuum flasks, particularly metal vacuum flasks, cooler boxes and heat-retaining lunch boxes, and thermal insulation equipment such as refrigerators, as an insulating means for retaining heat, there are those which use vacuum insulation or a solid insulating material such as urethane foam, and those which use an insulating layer with a gas having low thermal conductivity such as krypton, xenon or argon, or air filled between the container walls. Moreover with any of these, in order to improve the insulating property for retaining heat, a plating layer may be formed on the container wall where the insulating layer is formed, using a metal having high thermal reflectivity such as aluminum, copper, nickel and the like, or these metals may be made into a foil which is disposed on the face of the container wall of the insulating layer, to thereby reduce heat loss due to the radiant heat which is one of the factors in insulation.
With the above method where a plating layer is formed however, there is the disadvantage in that the plating operation is not only complex but also manufacturing costs are high. Accordingly, the method where a metal foil is disposed on the face of the container wall of the insulating layer is widely used, because it has the advantage that the manufacturing process is simpler and manufacturing costs are less. With this method however, when the foil is secured to the container wall face of the insulating layer, it is secured by positioning double-sided adhesive tape or an adhesive on the back face of the metal foil. At the time of attaching the foil, since the adhesive tape or the adhesive is hidden on the back of the foil and cannot be seen by the worker fitting the foil, it is difficult to check the state of the adhesive tape and the positional relation between the adhesive tape and the container wall face where it is attached. Therefore, it is necessary to make a preliminary plan in detail for the arrangement and carry out a rehearsal operation. Moreover, once the foil is attached, if the proposed attaching position is not correct, it is very difficult to peel off and re-adhere without damaging the thin and easily damaged foil.
When the metal foil is disposed on the container wall face of the insulating layer, if the container wall face on which this is to be arranged is for example parallel flat surfaces or a cylindrical side wall face, there will be no problem. However, if the metal foil is to be disposed on a container wall face which is not uniform parallel faces, such as a sphere or a conical face, the metal foil will have remaining faces. Therefore, complicated manufacturing process and design control have been necessary to uniformly adhere the metal foil, by overlapping or cutting out the remaining faces. Furthermore, in spite of the detailed design control and manufacturing process, it is very difficult to adhere and secure the metal foil to container wall faces which are not uniform, in a state where it is disposed uniformly as desired.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In view of the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to a container wall of an insulating layer of an insulated container, which facilitates attaching the metal foil arranged on the container wall face of the insulating layer in order to block radiant heat, and improves workability, as well as making it possible to always uniformly attach the metal foil to the attachment face.
With a view to solving the above problems and attaining the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention involves a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil of an insulated container, wherein at least one hole is formed in the radiant heat blocking metal foil disposed along the container wall of the insulating layer of the insulated container, and the radiant heat blocking metal foil is secured to the container wall via the hole.
The construction for attaching the radiant heat blocking metal foil of an insulated container may be such that one of the at least one hole in the radiant heat blocking metal foil is formed by piercing therein at a position corresponding to an approximate center of the container wall of the insulating layer where the radiant heat blocking metal foil is to be disposed, and the metal foil is disposed on the container wall with the hole as a reference.
When the insulated container in which the radiant heat blocking, metal foil is disposed is a container having a spherical wall or non-parallel side walls, the construction for attaching the radiant heat blocking metal foil is such that the metal foil to be disposed on the container wall of the insulating layer of the container is formed preferably in the shape of a container having a side wall formed in pleats around the periphery, and the radiant heat blocking metal foil is formed with at least one hole, and is disposed around the container wall of the insulating layer of the insulated container, and the radiant heat blocking, metal foil is secured to the container wall via the at least one hole.
Furthermore, the construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil of an insulated container may be such that one of the at least one hole in the radiant heat blocking metal foil formed in the shape of a container having a side wall formed in pleats around the periphery, and which is disposed on the container wall of the insulating layer of a container having a spherical wall or non-parallel side walls, one is formed by piercing at a position corresponding to an approximate center of the container wall of the insulating layer where the radiant heat blocking metal foil is to be disposed, and the metal foil is disposed on the container wall with the hole as a reference.
The construction for attaching the radiant heat blocking metal foil of the insulated container according to the present invention is constructed and put into practice as described above, thus giving the following effects.
Attachment of the radiant heat blocking metal foil to the insulating layer disposed on the container wall of the insulated container is performed by piercingly providing at least one hole in the metal foil at the time of attachment to the container wall face of the container where the insulating layer is formed, and affixing the container wall face of the insulating layer, the surface of which can be seen via the hole, to the peripheral portion of the hole to thereby join and secure the two parts. Hence the positioning can be freely adjusted in a state where the adhesive has not yet been applied. Therefore, unintentional attachment due to the adhesive does not occur, failures in the attachment operation are practically eliminated, and the positioning of the metal foil for arrangement and attachment can be done precisely, thereby performing the attachment operation with high yield. Moreover, the attachment operation is simplified, thus improving workability.
By piercing one of the at least one hole in the approximately central position of the shape, then when the metal foil is disposed on the container wall of the insulating layer precise positioning is possible so that workability is further improved. Moreover, if a protrusions is formed on the container wall to match to the size and the position of hole, and the hole and the protrusion are engaged, positioning is facilitated so that workability can be even further improved.
Furthermore, when the opposed container wall faces of the insulating layer of a container having a spherical surface such as a bowl-shaped container, or of a container such as a cup-shaped container with the drinking mouth enlarged are not parallel, then by making the metal foil to be disposed thereon in a shape having a side wall formed in pleats around the periphery thereof, it becomes possible to attach the metal foil by arranging the metal foil close to the container wall face of the insulating layer, even if the face on which the metal foil is disposed is not a uniform plane. Hence, the arrangement operation is extremely easy, and workability is improved, and the ridges of the pleats of the metal foil can be arranged regularly around the container wall. As a result, the metal foil can be arranged to uniformly cover the container. Moreover, the ridges of the foil are not brought into contact with the other container which is not wrapped by the foil, and moreover, a multi-layered insulation effect partially results, thus improving the heat-retaining properties.
Furthermore, since at least one hole is by piercingly provided in the metal foil, and the container wall face of the insulating layer, the surface of which can be seen via the hole, is affixed to the peripheral portion of the hole to thereby join and secure the two parts, the positioning can be freely adjusted in a state where the adhesive has not yet been applied, and precise positioning can be carried out with good workability.
Furthermore, if a protrusion is formed on the container wall to match to the size and the position of the hole, and the hole and the protrusion are engaged, positioning is facilitated so that workability can be even further improved, as described above.
Moreover, with each of the attachment constructions described above, the radiant heat blocking effect can be enhanced by using a sealing material such as an adhesive tape or sticky tape comprising a metal foil, as a material for affixing the radiant heat blocking metal foil to the container wall via the hole.
Furthermore, as well as the constructions being very simple and the piercing processing easily effected, the attachment operation is also simple and easily carried out. In addition, as described above, since the yield is improved, manufacturing costs are reduced, with the effect that an insulated container with good performance can be provided.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulating layer illustrating one example of a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an assembly drawing for the attachment of a radiant heat blocking metal foil to an insulating layer of a bowl-shaped insulated container; and
FIG. 3 is a enlarged partial view of a portion for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to a bowl-shaped insulated container having a protrusion on the container wall.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
An embodiment of a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to an insulated container according to the present invention will now be described.
The present invention is a construction for attachment of a metal foil having high heat reflectance, to the container wall of an insulating layer, as an insulating layer for blocking heat transfer due to radiant heat which is one of the factors in insulation, in insulated containers such as the household insulating tableware including vacuum flasks, cooler boxes, heat-retaining lunch boxes and insulated cups, and insulated containers such as refrigerators, whereby the attachment position can be freely adjusted and the metal foil can be fixed in a precise position with good workability.
An insulating layer disposed on the wall of the insulated container to be insulated is formed, and the radiant heat blocking metal foil is arranged and fixed to a container wall such as an inner wall or an outer wall of a container made of a synthetic resin or a stainless steel, and which has an insulating material filled inside the insulating layer, or which has an evacuated space formed therein, or which is filled with air or a gas having a low heat conductivity. At the time of attaching the metal foil, one or more holes are piercingly provided in the metal foil, the hole is placed on a predetermined position of the container wall of the insulating layer, and the container wall face of the insulating layer appearing through the hole made in the metal foil and the metal foil at the peripheral portion of the hole are attached together by affixing means to be thereby joined and secured. Therefore, at the time of attachment and fixation of the metal foil, it is not necessary to apply or arrange an adhesive in advance on the face of the metal foil to be attached. Hence, positioning of the metal foil to be attached can be precisely adjusted in a state wherein an adhesive has not been applied, and the metal foil is attached and fixed after being arranged at the position. Hence failures of arrangement are reduced and fixation by precise positioning becomes possible.
By positioning one of the at least one hole made in the metal foil at a position corresponding to the approximate center of the insulating layer face where the metal foil is to be affixed, the hole becomes a reference for deciding the relative position of the metal foil and the container wall face, between the container wall face of the container where the insulating layer is formed and the metal foil to be arranged thereon. Hence adjustment of the arrangement position is facilitated and precise positioning of the arrangement position becomes possible. If a protrusion is formed on the container wall, corresponding to the size and the position of the hole, and the hole and the protrusion are engaged, positioning becomes more accurate and easy, thus further improving the workability.
Furthermore, when the container wall face which forms an insulating layer of a container having a sphere such as a bowl-like container is a curved surface, or the opposed container wall faces of the insulating layer are not parallel, such as with a cup-shaped insulated container with the drinking mouth enlarged, then by making preferably the metal foil to be disposed on the container wall into a container shape having a side wall formed in pleats around the periphery thereof, it becomes possible to attach the metal foil to the container wall of the insulating layer where a curved or non-parallel container wall is formed, even though the container wall is not a uniform plane, by arranging the metal foil close to the container wall face of the insulating layer. Moreover, the arrangement operation becomes extremely easy and workability is improved. In addition, one or more holes are piercingly provided in the metal foil, and the container wall face of the insulating layer on the surface which can be seen via the hole and the peripheral portion of the hole in the metal foil are adhered together to be joined and secured. Hence the position of the metal foil can be freely adjusted in a state wherein an adhesive has not been applied.
Since the position adjusting operation can be done in a state wherein an adhesive has not been applied, unintentional attachment due to the adhesive does not occur during manufacturing, failures in the attachment operation are practically eliminated, and the positioning of the metal foil for arrangement and attachment can be done precisely, thereby performing the attachment operation with high yield. Moreover, by providing one of the at least one hole made in the metal foil in the approximately central position on the bottom face of the metal foil having a shape of a container, corresponding to the approximate center in the bottom portion located in the central portion of the container wall of the insulating layer where the metal foil is to be affixed, the hole becomes a reference for deciding the relative positioning of the metal foil and the container wall face, between the container wall face where the insulating layer is formed and the metal foil to be arranged thereon. Hence adjustment of the arrangement position is facilitated and precise positioning of the arrangement position becomes possible. Furthermore, in spite of the easy arrangement operation, ridges of the pleats of the metal foil can be regularly wrapped around the container, to cover the container with the metal foil uniformly. Moreover, ridges of the foil are not brought into contact with the other container which is not wrapped by the foil, beyond the insulating layer, and a layered insulation effect partially results, thus improving the heat-retaining properties.
Moreover, with each of the attachment constructions described above, the radiant heat blocking effect can be enhanced by using a sealing material such as an adhesive tape or a sticking tape comprising a metal foil, as a material for affixing the radiant heat blocking metal foil to the container wall via the hole.
Examples of the construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil of an insulated container, according to the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
EXAMPLE 1
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an insulating layer, illustrating one example of the attachment construction of a radiant heat blocking metal foil according to the present invention. Reference numeral 1 denotes an insulating layer in a slab form to be arranged between container walls of an insulated container (not shown). As an example of the slab-like insulating layer 1, for example, after filling a powdery insulating material such as pearlite into a container 2 made of a synthetic resin such as ethylenevinylalcohol copolymer or a metal container made of stainless steel, the container is held in an evacuated state to form the slab-like insulating layer 1, Alternatively a gas having low heat conductivity such as krypton, xenon or argon, or air is filled and sealed inside a similar container 2 made of a synthetic resin to form the slab-like insulating layer 1.
Furthermore, there is a slab-like insulating layer where the container wall of the insulated container itself has a double-wall construction, having inner and outer containers made of a synthetic resin or a metal with a void portion therebetween, and the void portion in the double-wall construction is evacuated so that the evacuated void becomes a slab-like insulating layer 1 Moreover, there are those in which the slab-like insulating layer 1 is formed with only polystyrene or urethane foam.
On the container wall of the container 2 of such a slab-like insulating layer 1, a radiant heat blocking metal foil 3 is arranged. As a metal for this metal foil 3, metals having a high heat reflectance such as aluminum, nickel, copper or the like can be effectively used. In the metal foil, one or more holes 4 are made. The holes may be provided in a desired number, by properly selecting the number according to the size of the surface area of the slab-like insulating layer 1 where the hole is provided in a prescribed location. Of these holes 4, one is made as a hole 4a in the approximate central position of the metal foil in terms of the shape, so as to make precise positioning possible, and improve workability at the time of positioning the hole in a subsequent process. Moreover, the size of the hole is suitably selected according to the size of the slab-like insulating layer 1 to be used, but otherwise is not particularly limited.
The metal foil 3 as described above is attached to the wall of the container 2 of the slab-like insulating layer 1 in a manner described below. First, the metal foil is cut in accordance with the size and the shape of the wall area of the container 2 of the slab-like insulating layer 1, where the metal foil is to be arranged, the metal foil is then placed on the wall face of the container 2 at a predetermined position on the slab-like insulating layer 1, and after the accuracy of the arrangement position is properly adjusted, while visually confirming the arrangement, the metal foil is affixed from the upper face of the hole 4 with a prepared adhesive tape 5, so that this holes 4 are stopped up. As a result, the container wall face of the slab-like insulating layer 1 which can be seen from the hole 4 in the metal foil 3 and the peripheral portion of the hole 4 of the metal foil 3 are joined by the adhesive tape 5, to thereby affix and secure the metal foil 3 to the container wall at the predetermined position on the slab-like insulating layer 1. In addition, at the time of attachment by the adhesive tape 5, if the hole 4a formed at a position corresponding to the approximate central portion on the container wall of the slab-like insulating layer 1 where the metal foil 3 is to be arranged is first affixed and secured in order to accurately perform the positioning, the subsequent operations are simplified.
Moreover, if protrusions (not shown) are formed on the container wall of the insulating layer 1 of the container, matching the size and the position of holes 4 which pierced in the metal foil 3, and the holes and the protrusions are engaged, the positioning becomes more accurate and easy, thus further improving workability.
Furthermore, the adhesive tape 5 may of course be a one-sided tape, and as for the quality of material, if a sealing material such as an adhesive tape comprising a metal foil which is similar to the metal foil 3 is used, the radiant heat blocking effect can be further promoted. Of course the fixation is not limited to the use of the adhesive tape 5, and may be by an adhesive.
In example 1, the description has been given for the case where the slab-like insulating layer 1 is composed of a container 2 made of a synthetic resin or a metal. However the same applies to the case where the material itself, such as polystyrene or urethane foam as described above forms the slab-like insulating layer 1. In this case instead of the container wall face of the container 2, the material face of the insulating material can be read in its place. It is thus to be fully understood that an intercommonality exists for these attachment constructions. Furthermore, in the above example 1, the description has been given for the case where the radiant heat blocking metal foil 3 is arranged on the outer face of the slab-like insulating layer 1. However the metal foil 3 may be arranged on the inner face thereof to give a similar effect. In this case, the metal foil is positioned on and attached to the inner face of the container 2, before the slab-like insulating layer 1 is assembled.
As described above, attachment of the radiant heat blocking metal foil 3 to the slab-like insulating layer 1 according to the present invention is performed in such a manner that holes 4 are made in the metal foil 3 for attaching the metal foil 3 to the wall face of the container 2 of the slab-like insulating layer 1, and the wall face of the container 2 of the slab-like insulating layer 1 and the peripheral portion of the holes in the metal foil 3 are adhered together via the holes 4 to be thus joined and secured. Hence, the positioning operation of the metal foil can be freely adjusted without having an adhesive attached thereon Therefore, unintentional adhesion due to the adhesive is not caused, failures in the attachment operation are practically eliminated and the positioning of the metal foil and attachment can be done precisely, thereby performing the attachment operation with high yield. Moreover, the attachment operation is simplified, thus improving workability.
In example 1, the description has been given for the case where the insulating layer 1 is composed of the slab-like container. However, in a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to the insulating layer of a container where the container wall has a curved face in the form of a bowl, or has a non-parallel opposite side walls centered on an axis in the form of a cup, similarly with FIG. 1, the construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil of an insulated container may be such that one of the at least one hole in the radiant heat blocking metal foil is formed by piercing at a position corresponding to an approximate center of the container wall of the insulating layer where the radiant heat blocking metal foil is to be disposed, and the metal foil is disposed on the container wall with the hole as a reference.
EXAMPLE 2
As another example of the present invention, a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to the insulating layer of a container where the container wall has a curved face in the form of a bowl or a china bowl, or has a shape where the opening is larger than the bottom portion as with a cup, that is, having non-parallel opposed side walls, centered on an axis, will now be described with reference to FIG. 2. Here, the same reference numerals are given to parts in common with the construction of example 1 shown in FIG. 1, and detailed description thereof is omitted.
FIG. 2 is an assembly drawing for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to an insulating layer of a bowl-shaped insulated container. Reference numeral 11 denotes an insulating layer arranged on a container wall of a bowl-shaped insulated container (not shown). This bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 comprises a container 12 made of, for example, a synthetic resin or a metal having a spherical curved face adjusted to the shape of a bowl-shaped insulated container into which the insulating layer is to be arranged. This may be a bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 into which a gas having low heat conductivity such as krypton, xenon or argon, or air is filled and sealed, one in which the container wall of the insulated container itself has a double-wall structure having inner and outer walls with a void portion therebetween, and the void portion in the double-wall structure is evacuated to make the evacuated void a bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, or one in which a bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 is formed with only a polystyrene or urethane foam.
On the container wall of the container 12 of such a bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, a radiant heat blocking metal foil 13 with the container shape is arranged. As a metal for this metal foil 13, metals having a high heat reflectance such as aluminum, nickel, copper or the like can be effectively used. This metal foil 13 is sectioned in accordance with the shape and the size of a bottom portion 12b of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 into which the metal foil 13 is arranged, designating a central portion 13b of the metal foil 13a cut in a circular shape as a bottom portion, and a circular peripheral portion 13d is raised upward along the sectioned peripheral edge 13c. As a result, the metal foil 13 in the form of a container having the bottom portion 13b and the peripheral portion 13d as a side wall can be obtained. At the same time, on the side wall formed by the raised peripheral portion 13d, ridges 13e and valleys 13f extending vertically are formed alternately and continuously around the peripheral wall of the side wall 13d to form the metal foil 13 in the shape of a container having the side wall 13d in the form of pleats 16.
With the metal foil 13 having the shape of a container formed as described above, one or more holes 14 are made. The holes may be provided in a desired number, appropriately considering the size of the surface area of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. Of these holes 14, one is made at the central position in terms of the shape, making it possible to locate the metal foil at a precise position at the time of positioning in a subsequent process. Hence the workability can be improved. In the case of the shape of the container as shown in the figure, corresponding to the center position the container wall in the bottom portion 12b of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, by making a hole 14a at the center of the bottom portion (central portion) 13b of the metal foil 13 having the shape of a container, favorable effects such as accuracy of the arrangement position and ease with the positioning operation can be obtained at the time of adjusting the arrangement position in a subsequent step.
Furthermore, if as shown in the enlarged partial view of FIG. 3, a protrusion P is formed on the container wall on the insulating layer 11 side of the container 12, matching the size and the arrangement position of the hole 14 pierced in the metal foil 13 and the protrusion and the hole are engaged, the positioning becomes even more accurate and easy, and workability can be further improved. The height of this protrusion P is preferably from 0.1 to 1.0 mm.
Furthermore, the number and size of the holes 14 is determined according to the size of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 to be used, and suitably selected according to the adhesion (cohesion) strength required for fixing. Considering workability, the size is preferably from 20 to 50 mm in diameter. In addition, when arrangement of the metal foil 13 is performed by determining direction, the hole is preferably a rectangle having a side of from 20 to 50 mm.
Into the metal foil 13 having the shape of a container with a side wall in the form of pleats 16 as described above, is inserted from its bottom portion 12b the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, to be arranged therein. With the increase in size of the diameter of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, the pleats 16 located at the position expand so that the container wall of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 and the metal foil 13 are brought into close contact and engaged. Moreover, since the side wall 13d of the metal foil 13 having the shape of a container is formed in the form of pleats 16, the side wall 13d of the metal foil 13 exerts a contraction force toward the center due to the pleats. Hence the metal foil 13 can be closely engaged with and attached to the wall of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. With respect to the increase of the size in the diametric direction of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, the increase in size can be absorbed by the pleats 16 formed as described above, within the allowable range of the contraction.
After the metal foil 13 having the shape of a container is attached to the wall face of the container 12 of a predetermined bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, and the arrangement position is precisely adjusted as intended, then while visually confirming the arrangement, separately prepared adhesive tapes 5 or adhesive is attached from the upper face of the holes 14 so that the holes 14 are stopped up. As a result, the wall face of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 which can be seen through the holes 14 made in the metal foil 13, and the peripheral portion of the holes 14 in the metal foil 13 are bonded with the adhesive tapes 5 so that the metal foil 13 is affixed and secured to the container wall at a predetermined position on the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. With respect to the adhesion with the adhesive tapes 5 for positioning precisely, if the hole 14a formed at a position corresponding to the approximate center of the container wall in the bottom portion 12b of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 where the metal toil 13 is to be arranged is first affixed and secured, the adjustment operation in subsequent positioning will become simplified. In addition, the adhesive tape may certainly be a one-sided tape, and as for the quality of material, if a sealing material such as an adhesive tape comprising a metal foil which is similar to the metal foil 13 and has a high reflectance is used, the radiant heat blocking effect can be further promoted. Of course that the fixation is not limited to the use of the adhesive tape 5, and may be by an adhesive.
In example 2, the description has been given for the case where the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 is composed of a container made of a synthetic resin or a metal. However the same applies to the case where the insulated material itself, such as polystyrene or urethane foam as described above forms the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. In this case, instead of the container wall face of the container 12, the material face of the insulating material can be read in its place. These both have common operational effects, and the metal foil 13 can be attached thereto in a similar manner. Furthermore, in example 2, the description has been given for the case where the radiant heat blocking metal foil 13 with the container shape is arranged on the outer face of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. However the metal foil 13 may be arranged on the inner face thereof to give a similar effect. In this case, prior to assembling the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11, the attachment position on the inner face of the container 12 can be adjusted beforehand and then affixed and secured via the hole 14.
As described above, the radiant heat blocking metal foil 13 in example 2 has the shape of a container, and is constructed with pleats 16 with vertically extending ridges 13e and valleys 13f, formed alternately and continuously around the periphery (side wall) 13d. Hence, even though the attachment of the metal foil 13 to the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 which forms a curved and non-parallel container wall is not performed on a uniform plane, it becomes possible to arrange and attach the metal foil 13 closely and uniformly on the container wall face of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11. Furthermore, the arrangement operation is extremely easy and the ridges of the pleats of the aluminum foil can be regularly wrapped and arranged to cover the container uniformly with the aluminum foil. Moreover, ridges of the foil are not brought into contact with the other container which is not wrapped by the foil, beyond the insulating layer, and a multi-layered insulation effect partially results, thus improving the heat-retaining properties.
Moreover, since a hole 14 is made in the metal foil 13, and the wall face of the container 12 of the bowl-shaped insulating layer 11 on the surface which can be seen via the hole 14 and the peripheral portion of the hole 14 in the metal foil 13 are adhered together to be joined and secured, the positioning work of the metal foil 13 can be performed by freely adjusting the position thereof in a state wherein an adhesive has not been applied. Furthermore, unintentional adhesion due to the adhesive does not occur, failures in the attachment operation are practically eliminated, and the positioning of the metal foil for arrangement and attachment can be done precisely, thereby performing the attachment operation with high yield. Moreover, the attachment operation is simplified, thus improving workability.
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The invention relates to a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil to an insulating layer of an insulated container. Heretofore, a construction for attaching a radiant heat blocking metal foil involves positioning, an adhesive or adhesive tape on the rear face of the metal foil to thereby attach the foil at a predetermined position. However this has the problem that the foil can be attached at an unintended position, so that accurate positioning is not achieved, and the fixing takes time. The invention addresses such problems, with a construction enabling accurate fixing of the metal foil at a predetermined position, by forming at least one hole in a radiant heat blocking metal foil provided along the container wall face of a container formed with an insulating layer on the wall portion of the insulated container, and mounting the metal foil along a predetermined container wall face in a state wherein an adhesive or adhesive tape has not been applied, and after freely adjusting the arrangement position to a predetermined condition, affixing and securing the container wall face which can be seen via the hole to the metal foil at the peripheral portion of the hole, using adhesive tape.
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CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to electronic article surveillance systems, and more particularly to a transceiver antenna having a core made of an amorphous magnetic material for electronic article surveillance marker detection.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electronic article surveillance (EAS) systems are typically used to protect assets including reducing theft of retail articles. In operation, an EAS interrogation zone is established around the perimeter of a protected area such as the exits of a retail store. EAS markers, which are detectable within the interrogation zone, are attached to each asset or article to be protected. The interrogation zone is established by EAS antennas positioned for example, in the vicinity of the store's exit. The EAS antennas transmit an electromagnetic interrogation field, which causes a response from an active EAS marker in the interrogation zone. The EAS antennas receive and the EAS electronics detect the EAS marker's response, which indicates an article, with an attached EAS marker, is in the interrogation zone. EAS markers are removed, or the markers deactivated, for articles purchased or otherwise authorized for removal from the store or protected area. Hence, an EAS marker detected within the interrogation zone indicates that an article is attempting to be removed from the protected area, or store, without authorization, and appropriate action can be taken.
The EAS antennas, which are typically made of air core coils of wire, may be configured as separate transmit and receive antennas, or as transceiver antennas. These conventional EAS air-core antennas must generate interrogation zones that are sufficient to cover stores that have very wide exits, and are relatively large. In food and other stores, having narrow aisles the smallest antennas possible are desired. In these narrow aisle environments EAS antennas must operate near metal surfaces and check-stands, which can result in degraded performance. Expensive, large, and heavy shielding is required for conventional air-core EAS antennas for effective operation in this environment. There exists a need for smaller EAS antennas that perform satisfactorily, especially in tight spaces and near metal surfaces.
The use of ferrite core EAS receive antennas is well known. Ferrite material is a powder, which is blended, compressed into a particular shape, and then sintered in a very high temperature oven. It is a compound that becomes a fully crystalline structure after sintering. Ferrite has a higher magnetic permeability than air effectively increasing the detection performance of a ferrite core antenna. A ferrite core receiver antenna sold by Sensormatic uses a manganese zinc ferrite rod about 19 cm long and 0.6 cm in diameter with magnet wire wound about the surface. However, in certain EAS frequency bands of interest and at required levels of excitation field, ferrite cores may saturate before producing an interrogation field suitable for detecting EAS markers at a useable distance.
The use of amorphous magnetic material core antennas is known for certain receiver applications. U.S. Pat. No. 5,220,339, to Matsushita, discloses a receiver antenna having an amorphous core for UHF and VHF television frequency reception. The '339 patent discloses two magnetic core geometries. The first core geometry is a solid cylindrical shape made of amorphous fibers. The second core geometry is a hollow cylindrical shape made of an amorphous sheet spiral rolled to form a hollow cylinder. A conductive insulated winding surrounds each core. The magnetic permeability of amorphous metal is significantly higher than ferrite, indicating improved reception performance in comparison to a ferrite core at certain frequencies. The '339 patent provides no useable information or teaching directed toward transmitting using an amorphous core antenna.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,537, to Yoshizawa et al., discloses a passive transponder antenna using a magnetic core for identification systems applications. A remote transmitter field source produces an induced voltage on the transponder antenna that energizes the transponder transmitting/receiving device, which then transmits a digital code to a remote receiver antenna. The transponder core antenna uses a very thin magnetic core and is not directly coupled to the electronics that powers the remote transmitter and receiver antennas. The magnetic core element, which can be an amorphous alloy, is 25 microns thick or less. A thickness greater than 25 microns is not suitable due to decreased Q and lower sensitivity. The lower the thickness, the better the performance, and, as stated in the '537 patent at column 5, lines 1-6, 15 microns thickness is better than 25 microns. The thickness of the laminated core antenna, which is made up of a plurality of core elements, is disclosed to be 3 mm or less. The target frequency for the identification system is 134 kHz. The preferred Q value is greater than 25 or 35, or even more, at the 134 kHz frequency. The power levels operating the passive transponder are quite low, and the level of magnetic field transmitted by such a device is extremely low.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an electronic article surveillance antenna for generating an electromagnetic field to interrogate and detect electronic article surveillance markers. Including a core formed by a plurality of amorphous alloy ribbons insulated from each other and stacked to form a substantially elongated solid rectangular shape. A coil winding of wire disposed around at least a portion of the core, the coil winding of wire insulated from the core, the core and the coil winding being of a minimum size for generation of an electromagnetic field for interrogation and detection of electronic article surveillance markers.
In one embodiment the antenna has a core about 75 centimeters long and about 2 centimeters wide made with about 60 amorphous alloy ribbons, each amorphous alloy ribbon is about 23 microns thick stacked and laminated together to form the core. The coil winding of wire can be 24-gauge wire with about 90 turns around the core.
In an alternate embodiment the antenna includes a central core member about 50 centimeters long and about 2 centimeters wide made of about 25 amorphous alloy ribbons, each amorphous alloy ribbon about 23 microns thick stacked and laminated together forming the central core member. A first outer member and a second outer member are disposed on opposite sides of the central member. Each of the first second outer members are about 30 centimeters long and 2 centimeters wide made of about 15 amorphous alloy ribbons, each amorphous alloy ribbon about 23 microns thick stacked and laminated together forming the first and second outer layer, respectively. The central core member and the first and second outer members together form the core.
One embodiment for an electronic controller is connected to said coil winding or wire and includes a transmitter for generating an electromagnetic field for transmission into an interrogation zone for reception by an electronic article surveillance marker, the electronic article surveillance marker responding with a characteristic response signal. And, a receiver for detecting the characteristic response signal from the electronic article surveillance marker, and a switching controller for switching the coil winding of wire between the transmitter and the receiver. The electronic controller can operate in a pulsed mode where the switching controller sequentially switches between the transmitter and the receiver in preselected time periods.
Objectives, advantages, and applications of the present invention will be made apparent by the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the amorphous core transceiver antenna.
FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line 2 - 2 in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a BH hysteresis curve for the amorphous core shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 4 is a plot of relative permeability verses H-field of the amorphous core shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the amorphous core transceiver antenna.
FIG. 6 is a BH hysteresis curve for the amorphous core shown in FIG. 5 .
FIG. 7 is a plot of relative permeability verses H-field for the amorphous core shown in FIG. 5 FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration showing an operational configuration of the present invention using two amorphous core transceivers.
FIG. 9 is a schematic illustration showing an operational configuration of the present invention using four amorphous core transceivers.
FIG. 10 is a schematic illustration showing one embodiment of control electronics for the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1 , one embodiment of the disclosed amorphous core transceiver antenna 2 consists of an amorphous core 4 surrounded by a wire coil winding 6 which is directly connected to control electronics, as fully described hereinbelow, to generate an electromagnetic field for EAS marker detection. Preferably an insulating layer (not shown) is placed between the core 4 and the coil winding 6 .
Referring to FIG. 2 , the amorphous core 4 consists of a stack of amorphous ribbons 8 , which are preferably laminated together with a suitable insulation coating 10 , such as an acrylic lacquer, plastic, paint, varnish, or the like, to electrically isolate each ribbon from adjacent ribbons to reduce eddy current losses. The amorphous core 4 and coil winding 6 are optimized according to the desired frequency of operation. Preferred dimensions of the amorphous core antenna 2 , for operation at an EAS frequency of about 58 kHz, are about 75 cm. long by about 2 cm. wide, with the core ( 4 ) stack preferably containing 60 ribbons ( 8 ) that are each about 23 microns thick. The corresponding coil winding of wire ( 6 ) is 24-gauge insulated wire with about 90 turns positioned around the full extent of amorphous core ( 4 ). The number of windings can vary from 50 to 100, or more, depending on the core configuration, the frequency of operation, and desired impedance. The ribbons ( 8 ) are a suitable amorphous alloy, such as VC6025F available from Vacuumschmelze GmBH Co. (D-6450 Hanau, Germany), or other amorphous alloy with similar magnetic properties, and which are transverse field annealed in order to produce a linear permeability at relatively low magnetic field levels. The transverse field annealing also results in lower core losses than for as-cast materials or for longitudinal field annealing.
The magnetic properties and geometry of the core 4 used in the core transceiver antenna 2 are optimized to perform the dual role of transmitter and receiver antenna. It is important that the core doesn't saturate during the excitation pulse. It is also important for the receiver antenna sensitivity to be optimized by achieving the maximum effective permeability at low magnetic field levels. There are several compromising situations arising in the dual role of the transceiver core antenna. To prevent saturation, the core volume needs to be a minimum size. For a fixed length, this is achieved by increasing the width of the material or the number of ribbons in the stack. For the receiver antenna sensitivity to be optimized, the effective permeability must be maximized. This means that for a given core length, the cross-sectional area (product of width and overall thickness) must be minimized to a sufficient degree. An acceptable compromise between these competing parameters can occur for a core geometry consisting of a length of about 75 cm. and a cross-sectional area of about 0.276 cm. 2 , as illustrated in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 , illustrates a BH hysteresis curve for a 75 cm. long, 2 cm. wide core ( 4 ) of 60 ribbons ( 8 ) of 23 micron thickness each that have been coated with an insulation coating ( 10 ), as shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 illustrates the relative permeability verses H-field of the same core ( 4 ) of FIG. 3 . As illustrated, the relative permeability is fairly constant at a value of about 2500 and then declines rapidly at an H-field of about 170 A/m as the material starts to saturate. Beyond 170 A/m the amorphous core antenna 2 performance for both transmit and receive modes is greatly reduced. A simple rectangular cross-sectional magnetic core when wound with a coil along most of its length will first experience saturation in the central region of the core. The magnetic field decreases toward the ends of the core. This is a simple demagnetization effect. The hysteresis loop for a simple rectangular core, as shown in FIG. 3 , has two regions: (1) a linear region at fields below saturation (H between about +/−170 A/m) and (2) a flat region at saturation (H above and below +/−170 A/m, respectively). The slope of the linear region determines the permeability. For better receiver antenna operation, the higher the permeability. However, when you reach saturation the permeability drops off dramatically, as shown in FIG. 4 .
Referring to FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. Amorphous core transceiver antenna 12 consists of an amorphous core 14 having a central core member 6 , disposed between a top core member 18 and a bottom core member 20 , all wound with coil winding 22 . An insulating layer (not shown) can be placed between the core 14 and the coil winding 22 . Preferably, for operation at an EAS frequency of about 58 kHz (typical for magnetomechanical or acoustomagnetic EAS systems) the central core member 16 is about 50 cm. long by about 2 cm. wide with 25 amorphous ribbons, each about 23 microns thick, stacked in the same manner illustrated in FIG. 2 . Top core member 18 and bottom core member 20 both being about 35 cm. in length by 2 cm. wide, with 15 amorphous ribbons, each about 23 microns thick, stacked in the same manner illustrated in FIG. 2 .
FIG. 6 illustrates a BH hysteresis curve for an amorphous core antenna 12 configuration as described hereinabove and as illustrated in FIG. 5 . FIG. 7 illustrates the relative permeability verses H-field for the amorphous core antenna 12 configuration as described hereinabove and as illustrated in FIG. 5 . The amorphous core antenna 12 produces a more uniform magnetic field distribution inside of the core region in comparison to the simple rectangular geometry of amorphous core antenna 2 , and produces a two step permeability curve shown in FIG. 7 . For the sandwich core configuration illustrated, the added material in the central region prevents the central region of the core from saturating before the end regions of the core saturate. The two-step hysteresis loop illustrated in FIG. 6 is produced, and which is more pronounced in the permeability vs. H curve shown in FIG. 7 . While the permeability of about 2000 falls off at about 160 A/m, saturation occurs at a higher H of about 270 A/m.
The quality factor Q if the amorphous core transceiver antennas is defined as follows,
Q
=
2
π
f
L
R
,
where f is the operating frequency, L the inductance, and R the resistance. Q plays an important role in both transmit and receive modes of the antenna. Generally, a higher value of Q enhances detection sensitivity, but due to the transmit function using the same core, the value of Q is typically limited to 20 or less. Limiting Q to 20 or less prevents ringing of the transmitter signal into the nearby receiver window (as fully explained hereinbelow), causing false detections. Referring back to FIG. 2 , the insulation coating 10 between the ribbons 8 is very important to the overall performance of the core antenna. The effective permeability and Q are dramatically reduced when the ribbons 8 in the core stack are allowed to touch.
Referring to FIG. 8 , an array of two amorphous core transceiver antennas 24 , 26 can offer substantially improved detection of an EAS marker (not shown) in a typical aisle environment, which may have a maximum zone width of about 100 cm. An array of two amorphous core transceiver antennas 24 , 26 increases the size of the effective interrogation zone 28 . The two antennas 24 , 26 are connected to an electronics controller 30 , were L1 and L2 represent the antenna loads. The two amorphous core transceiver antennas 24 , 26 may be phase switched to optimize detection performance. See U.S. Pat. No. 6,118,378, to Balch et al., the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. Alternately, the amorphous core transceiver antennas 24 and 26 can operate in a transmit only mode or a receive only mode so that one of the antennas 24 , 26 would transmit and the other would receive.
Referring to FIG. 9 , an array of four amorphous core transceiver antennas 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 may be used to cover an interrogation zone 39 . The four antennas 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 are connected to an electronics controller 40 , were L1, L2, L2, and L4 represent the antenna loads. A four-element antenna array allows more phase modes and improved detection performance compared to a one or two-element array. Electronics controllers 40 , and 30 shown in FIG. 8 , can be adapted to generate pulsed or continuous waveform detection schemes, including swept frequency, frequency hopping, frequency shift keying, amplitude modulation, frequency modulation, and the like, depending on the specific design of the desired EAS system.
Referring to FIG. 10 , one embodiment of control electronics 42 is illustrated for driving the amorphous core transceiver antennas 2 , 12 , which are used herein to describe the invention. The control electronics 42 energizing the core transceiver antenna consists of a transmitter drive circuit 44 , which includes signal generator 45 and transmitter amplifier 48 , and a receiver circuit 46 . The transmitter drive circuit 44 energizes the amorphous core antenna, represented by the inductor L A and resister R C , and resonating capacitor C R , with about 200 A-turns of excitation at an operating frequency of about 58 kHz for a short period of time. This transmitter burst applied to the amorphous core antenna 2 , 12 produces a substantial magnetic field level at distances up to 50 cm. or more from the antenna. The excitation magnetic field level is sufficient, out to 50 cm, to excite EAS markers of the type described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,729,200 and 6,181,245 B1, to Copeland et al., the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. EAS markers excited by this interrogation electromagnetic field produce sufficient response signal levels for detection when the amorphous core antenna is connected to the receiver circuit. Preferably, a transmitter burst occurs for approximately 1.6 ms where the transmitter amplifier 48 is directly connected to the amorphous core antenna at 72 . After a very short delay following the transmitter burst, the amorphous core antenna at 72 is directly connected to the receiver circuit 46 by the controller 50 . Controller 50 achieves the switching of the antenna into and out of the circuit to effectively switch back and forth from transmitter to receiver modes. During the 1.6 ms transmitter pulse the receiver circuit 46 is isolated from the antenna load at 72 through the decoupling network CDEC and RDEC, and the input protection network 52 . After the transmission pulse, there is a subsequent delay to allow the energy from the transmitter circuit to fully dissipate. Afterwards, the controller 50 disconnects the transmitter amplifier 48 from the antenna at 72 , leaving the receiver circuit 46 connected to the antenna at 72 . The alternating transmitter connection to the antenna load at 72 continues, and with the receiver connection, establishes an EAS interrogation zone for detection of EAS markers.
It is to be understood that variations and modifications of the present invention can be made without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the present invention contemplates complex core configurations, other than the two examples provided herein, which may enhance core performance, as well as other frequency bands of operation. It is also to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be interpreted as limited to the specific embodiments disclosed herein, but only in accordance with the appended claims when read in light of the forgoing disclosure.
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A magnetic core transceiver antenna for EAS marker detection is provided. The core includes a stack of amorphous alloy ribbons insulated from each other and laminated together. A coil winding of wire, also insulted from the ribbons, and connected to an electronic controller provides the transmitter and receiver modes. The transceiver antenna is optimized for the dual mode operation, and is smaller and uses less power than conventional air-core EAS antennas with equivalent performance. Complex core geometries, such as a sandwiched stack of different sized ribbons, can be implemented to vary the effective permeability of the core to customize antenna performance. Multiple transceiver antennas can be combined to increase the size of the generated EAS interrogation zone.
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Cross-reference to related patents, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,108--SIGL et al./BOSCH--May 26, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,642--BOTZENHARDT et al./BOSCH--Mar. 19, 1991; U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,792--PRZYBYLA et al./BOSCH; U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,370--ARNOLD et al./BOSCH; U.S. Pat. No. 4,852,009--JONNER et al./BOSCH.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates generally to a control system for a motor vehicle and, more particularly, to such a control system in which overloading of the serial data bus is avoided by not transmitting, on the bus, operating parameter values which are inappropriate to the current operating mode of the vehicle. For example, in downhill braking mode, one should refrain from transmitting fuel injection data, because the engine doesn't fire.
BACKGROUND
A control apparatus for calculating the parameter control values for repetitive control operations is already known from the report "Bussysteme fuKFZ-Steuergerate" (Bus Systems for Automotive Control Devices) by W. Botzenhardt, M. Litschel and J. Unruh; VDI-Berichte 612 Elektronik im Kraftfahrzeugbau, 1986 (Reports 612 of the Society of German Engineers: Electronics in Automotive Vehicle Construction, 1986), in which the parameter control values are, however, transmitted at regular intervals via the external data bus, regardless of the operating state or condition.
THE INVENTION
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a control apparatus of the aforementioned kind with means determining whether at least one predetermined condition is satisfied and, if so, for omitting or suppressing the transfer of at least one of the parameter control values to the data bus. By making a determination in respect of a condition of one operational parameter for a control operation, such an apparatus advantageously makes a decision about which parameter control values, if any, need be transmitted. In this manner, superfluous or unnecessary data transmissions may be avoided, and the load on the bus may be reduced. Thus, a reduction in the system latency time can be achieved in the connected bus system.
In accordance with the invention, the control apparatus is provided with means for suppressing the calculation of the control variable if the condition of the at least one operational parameter is satisfied. If the condition is true in respect of the at least one operational parameter the control apparatus advantageously performs a calculation in respect of at least one other control variable and/or further data. Moreover, in case the condition in respect of the one operational parameter is found to be true, the control apparatus transfers the at least one other control variable and/or further data to the data bus. Advantageously, the control apparatus is provided with means for evaluating signals from connected sensors or transducers for determining operational parameters. The apparatus is also provided with means for receiving further operational parameters by way of the serial data bus. The condition of the operational parameter in respect of which the control apparatus makes a determination may be whether a brake contact switch has been actuated. Another operational parameter, of whose condition the control apparatus makes a determination, may be whether an idling switch has been actuated and whether the engine speed (engine rotations) exceeds a predetermined value. Other parameters calculated by the control apparatus may be the ignition angle, the instant of ignition, the period of fuel injection, the instant of fuel injection and values for setting at least one actuator of the brake system of an automotive vehicle. One test the control system can make is whether the current value of a parameter exceeds the previous value of that same parameter by more than a predetermined amount; an absolute value/subtraction function can be used to make such a test.
It is of particular advantage to make a determination of an operational parameter before performing a calculation, and not to make a calculation of those parameter control values which need not be transmitted. In this manner, the load imposed upon the control apparatus by calculations is reduced. It is also advantageous to make a calculation in respect of another parameter and/or other data, and to transmit the result over the bus, instead of the parameter control value which needs no calculation or transmission. In this manner, greater precision or exactness is attainable in respect of certain control processes. Furthermore, safety functions having high data content can be carried out. A particularly advantageous determination establishes whether the value of a calculated control variable has not changed by more than a predetermined value from a previously calculated value. Thus, many parameter control values do not need to be transmitted.
DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the invention are depicted in the drawings and are explained in detail in the following description.
FIG. 1 is a schematic rendition of a control apparatus for calculating parameter control values, and showing the ignition, fuel injection and brake modules connected thereto by an external data bus;
FIG. 2 depicts the transmission patterns in the external data bus of data relating to three different operational states;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart of a program to be executed by a microprocessor of the control apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 depicts a frictional drive control unit and a throttle valve control unit interconnected by an external data bus;
FIG. 5a depicts time-synchronous data transmissions of a control value from the traction control apparatus;
FIG. 5b depicts the result-synchronous data transmission of a control value from the traction control apparatus; and
FIG. 6 is a flowchart of a program to be executed by a microprocessor of the traction control apparatus.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In FIG. 1, reference numeral 20 designates a central processing unit, reference numeral 21 designates an ignition module, reference numeral 22 identifies a fuel injection module, and reference numeral 23 refers to a brake module. The mentioned components are connected to an external data bus 24. For connection to the external data bus 24 each components is provided with an interface 25. The network thus structured is intended for use in an automotive vehicle of the kind provided with an internal combustion engine.
In addition to the interface 25, the central processing unit 20 is provided with a high-performance microprocessor 20a and a memory component 20b. The microprocessor 20 is configured such that it may detect with reasonable speed the parameters of repetitive control processes, such as of the ignition, fuel injection and braking processes. The calculated parameter control values are then transmitted to the individual modules by way of the external data bus 24. Repeating parameter control values in respect of the ignition process are, for example, the ignition angle and the ignition timing.
These two variables have to be recalculated within an extremely short time period in order to assure maximum performance of the combustion engine. In a six-cylinder engine running at 6,000 rpm, the interval between two ignitions is only 3.3 milliseconds, so that the calculation, the transmission as well as the adjustment of the calculated values must all be carried out within this interval. Repetitive parameter control values of the fuel injection process are the period or duration of the injection and the instant of injection, for example. They, too, given particular operating conditions, need to be determined within a very brief period of time.
The central processing unit also performs calculations relating to repetitive processes in the braking module, such as the parameters of connected actuators 23c of the hydraulic control circuits of the brake system, for instance. In some circumstances the calculations of these variables require solving complicated differential equations. Such systems are disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,116,108, SIGL et al.
In addition to their interfaces 25 shown in FIG. 1, each of the depicted modules 21, 22, 23, is also provided with a microprocessor, as well as a memory component and input and output circuits. Transducers 21a for reading the engine speed, the engine temperature and crankshaft or camshaft reference marks of the combustion engine are connected to the ignition module 21a, for instance. The actuator 21b has been shown, for example, as the final or input stage of an ignition coil. Transducers 22b reading the intake air quantity, the throttle valve position, the intake air temperature, and the full-load contact are connected to the fuel injection module 22. The idle contact transducer 22a has been shown separately. The actuators 22c shown here are final stages connected to the fuel pump and the injection valve. In respect of the braking module 23, there are provided transducers 23b reading the rotations of each wheel, for instance, and the actuators 23c are the final stages connected to magnetic valves of the hydraulic brake control circuits. A sensor 23a for the braking contact has been depicted separately.
For calculating the respective parameter control values, the transducer signals from the individual control modules 21, 22, 23 must be fed to the central processing unit 20. For that reason, the modules are continually transmitting these values to the central processing unit 20 by way of the external data bus 24. The calculation of the parameter control values, the detection of the transducer signals by the modules, as well as the setting of the calculated parameter control values, have been described sufficiently in prior art literature, such as BOSCH Technical Reports and MOTRONIC manuals, so that only those aspects of these processes will hereafter be explained which are essential to the invention. The transmissions of data by the interfaces and by the external data bus 24 have also been described in the prior art. In this connection, any data transmission system suitable for automotive vehicles, such as, for example, the CAN (Controller Area Network) bus system, may be utilized in the practice of the present invention. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,001,642--BOTZENHARDT.
FIG. 2 depicts the flow of data in the external data bus 24 from the central processing unit 20 to the ignition, fuel injection and braking modules 21, 22, 23 under three operational modes or conditions, viz.: "normal operation, braking at engine speeds in excess of 1,500 rpm, and braking at engine speeds below 1,500 rpm." During normal operation of the automotive vehicle, transducer signals E g are transmitted by the fuel injection module 22 to the central processing unit 20 in a particular timed pattern.
During normal operation, no data is transmitted to the central processing unit 20 from the braking module 23. The ignition module, for its part, is transmitting detected transducer signals Z g to the central processing unit 20. In this process, the individual instances of transmission are selected in synchronism with the rotation of the crankshaft of the combustion engine of the automotive vehicle. The instances of transmission are thus related to the crankshaft angle and need not necessarily be uniformly spaced with regard to previous instances of transmission. From the transducer signals received by it, the central processing unit 20 derives parameter control values Z, E relating to the ignition and fuel injection processes, respectively.
During normal operation, these parameter control values are also transmitted in a crankshaft angle-related manner to the ignition and fuel injection modules 21, 22. When the driving state of the vehicle changes from normal operation to a braking operation, the braking module 23 transmits the detected transducer signals A g to the central processing unit 20 time-synchronously, hereinafter referred to as "real time". Together with the initial transmission, a message A Ein or A on is also transmitted to the central processing unit 20, alerting the central processing unit 20 of the closure of the braking contact, which has now occurred, and of the initiation of a braking operation. In case the engine speed is in excess of 1,500 rpm, the central processing unit 20 will from then on transmit over the external data bus 24 to the ignition module 21 only the control variable Z in an angle-related manner.
In addition, however, calculated parameter control values A for the braking module 23 are transmitted to the braking module 23 at short time intervals. These calculated parameter control values may correspond, for instance, to the control values of the magnetic valves in the hydraulic control circuits of the braking system. The brake pressure is controlled by those valves. The ignition module 21 and the fuel injection module 22 continue transmitting detected transducer signals Z g and E g to the central processing unit 20, just as during normal operation. If the central processing unit 20 detects that during the braking operation the engine speed falls below 1,500 rpm, parameter control values E for fuel injection operations will additionally be transmitted in a manner related to the crankshaft angle to the fuel injection module 22, again. In other respects, the flow of data in the external data bus 24 is the same as during a braking operation with an engine speed in excess of 1,500 rpm, yet at an increased load on the bus or a reduced cycling of the parameter control value A.
The purpose of FIG. 3 is to explain the flow of the control steps performed by the central processing unit 20. Following the start 30 of the program, by turning an ignition key to its "on" position (not shown), the central processing unit 20 is initialized in program stage 31. This involves executing test sequences, and setting of the central processing unit's 20 registers at predetermined initial values. The central processing unit 20 reads the operational parameters into the program unit. These operational parameters correspond to transducer signals received from the individual modules 21, 22, 23. Thereafter, the program is fed to a test or decision stage 33. The operational parameter condition determined by the decision stage 33 is whether the brake has been activated. If it has not, the program in stage 37 will be carried out. This prompts calculation of the ignition and fuel injection parameter control values Z, E as provided for the normal operation depicted in FIG. 2. The calculated parameter control values Z, E are thereafter transmitted by a programming stage 38 angle-synchronously to the modules 21, 22, respectively.
Following this, the program is cyclically continued or repeated by the programming stage 32. If the decision stage 33 determines that the brake has been activated, the program continues to test or decision stage 34. The operational parameter to be determined there is whether the idle switch is closed and whether the speed of the engine is in excess of 1,500 rpm. If both conditions are true, the program stage 35 will calculate the parameter control values Z and A for ignition and brake operations, respectively. No calculation will be performed regarding fuel injection control value E.
In program step 36, parameter control value Z is sent angle-synchronously, and parameter control value A is sent time-synchronously, to respective modules 21, 23. Following this, the program will again continue to a programming stage 32.
If the operating condition determined by the decision stage 34 are false or negative, parameter control values Z, E, A of the ignition, fuel injection and braking operations, respectively, will be calculated in program stage 39 and transmitted to program stage 40. Again, parameter control values Z, E are transmitted in relation to the crankshaft angle, and control value A is transmitted in a real time mode. Thereafter, the program again continues to program stage 32.
FIG. 4 schematically depicts a second embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 4, reference numeral 50 designates a traction control unit of an automotive vehicle provided with an internal combustion engine, the traction control unit being connected to a throttle valve control unit 51 of the vehicle by an external data bus 24. The controls are each provided with an interface 25 to which the external data bus 24 is connected. The throttle valve control unit, as well as the traction control unit are provided with at least one microprocessor, a memory as well as input and output circuits connected to transducers 50a, 51a and to the actuators 50b, 51b. For the sake of clarity, these components have not been shown in the drawing.
On the basis of the transducer signals, the throttle valve control unit 51 determines the value of the throttle valve position angle in a given time frame. This value corresponds to a certain "driver's wish" input to the throttle valve control unit 51 expressed by depressing an accelerator pedal. For this purpose, a sensor or transducer is connected to the throttle valve control unit 51 which detects the position of the accelerator pedal. However, the "driver's wish" may require an adjustment by the traction control unit 50, as it is deemed not to be sensible, in terms of a safe driving operation, to open the throttle valve of the internal combustion engine further when the traction control unit 50, with the aid of transducers connected to it, is detecting that the wheels are already spinning.
Hence, the value of the throttle valve setting is transmitted to the traction control unit 50 before it is actually set by the throttle valve control unit 51. The traction control unit 50 then calculates an adjustment value D k and transmits the adjustment value D k to the throttle valve control unit 51 prompting an adjustment by the value D k in the position of the throttle valve and then to set its adjusted throttle valve position value.
FIG. 5a depicts several data transmissions of adjustment values D k from the traction control unit 50 to the throttle valve control unit 51. As shown, the transmissions are taking place in a set time pattern in spaced intervals dt. The consecutive transmission pulses are spaced equidistantly.
FIG. 5b shows several data transmissions of adjustment values D k by a traction control unit 50 in accordance with the invention. In this instance, transmissions are not taking place in a set time pattern, but adjustment values D k are instead transmitted to the throttle valve control unit 51 if the adjustment value D k differs from a previously transmitted adjustment value D k by more than a threshold value ±dD k .
The operational mode of the traction control unit 50 as regards the transmission of the adjustment value D k , is depicted in FIG. 6. Following the program start 60, execution of the program in stage 61 is taking place. This prompts initialization and testing of the traction control unit 50. Thereafter, the operational parameters of the control processes of the traction control unit 50 are being established. For that purpose, the transducer signals of the connected transducers 50a, for instance, are detected. Simultaneously therewith, several operational parameters are also received from the throttle valve control unit 51 by way of the connected external data bus 24. Among others, the throttle valve set value is received from the throttle valve control unit 51 in this program stage. Thereafter, the calculation of the adjustment values D k takes place in program stage 63, taking into consideration the previously determined operational parameters. Following this, a determination is made in the decision stage 64 about the state of the operational parameter as to whether the newly detected adjustment value D k has changed relative to the previously detected adjustment value as hyteresis by more than a threshold value ±dD k . If the answer is affirmative, the newly established adjustment value D k is transmitted by the program stage 64 to the throttle valve control unit 51. Thereafter, the program continued to a program stage 62. If no change is detected by the decision stage 64, no adjustment value D k will be transmitted to throttle valve control unit 51, and the program will continue to the program stage 62.
The first embodiment may be modified in a simple manner when turning off thrust or driving power is to be accomplished during extended downhill driving. For that purpose, the program of the central processing unit 20 requires modification in such a manner that the positive output of the decision stage 34 will prompt suppression of the calculation as well as the transmission of fuel injection data E from the central processing unit 20, even though no braking is taking place.
The two embodiments described are by no means the only possibilities of practicing the invention. The invention may be practiced in connection with any control unit which detects, and transmits, via an external data bus to further receivers connected to the bus, parameter control values of repetitive control processes. These need not necessarily be control units of automotive vehicles. Such control apparatus may, for instance, also be used in the automation of factories and in process controls in general, in which case the control units may be connected to field bus systems. The invention may also be useful in connection with control apparatus which function as network supervision units within a network.
These control apparatus may then perform command decisions on the basis of decisions made in respect of operational parameters which parameters are then transmitted to connected control units.
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It is known for a central electronic control unit in a motor vehicle to exchange data through a serial data bus with other control units, e.g. those for fuel injection, ignition timing, and braking. Prior art systems transmitted these data automatically, regardless of whether all these parameters were relevant to the actual operating state of the vehicle, thereby resulting in heavy loading of the serial bus. The present invention determines which parameters are irrelevant to the current operating state and suppresses transmission, or even calculation, of these irrelevant parameters.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/873,157, filed Dec. 5, 2006; and is also a continuation-in-part of Design application Nos. 29/243,861, filed Dec. 1, 2005, each of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety. This application also incorporates by reference U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/844,434, filed Sep. 14, 2006 in its entirety. This is a divisional application of U.S. Non-Provisional Application 11/999,680, filed Dec. 5, 2007.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of insulated attic access covers and, more specifically, an invented attic access door insulator for any type of door between the attic and a conditioned space.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Conventionally, attics are insulated from the remaining portion of the house in order to minimize heat transfer between the attic and conditioned portion of the house. For example, it is not uncommon to have ample insulation in an attic floor, with an R-value of 38 or higher, to reduce heat transfer from the attic to the conditioned house during the summer, as well as reduce heat transfer from the conditioned house to the attic during the winter. However, conventional insulation is difficult and impractical to install at the point of access to the attic.
[0006] Typically, access to the attic is gained through either a folding attic stairway in the ceiling or through a knee-wall access door in a wall. With regards to the attic access opening in the wall, the attic door is difficult to insulate and the integrated door seal is easily damaged, the frame becomes warped after installation or the door is warped preventing a good seal. Typical methods to insulate the door are hanging fiberglass insulation batts to the back of the door by stapling or gluing. The insulation does not cover the door in its entirety and is usually torn off of the door during its use and when the homeowner carries articles into the attic. The use of foam board has been somewhat effective. However, the same problem exists with trying to cover the door in its entirety and the additional thickness hinders the installation so the door can open without hitting the insulation and tearing it off of the door. Also, due to the placement of the insulation, pieces of that are often torn or otherwise damaged by a person while accessing the attic, further reducing the effectiveness of the insulation and causing insulation debris to fall to the floor. Neither method of installation provides a seal for the opening and therefore the infiltration and exfiltration of the conditioned space takes place dependant upon the attic pressure versus the conditioned space pressure. The furnace and air conditioning within the home may create pressurization or depressurization. Dryer vents, bathroom exhaust fans and kitchen stove fans create a negative effect and may help draw attic air into the living space.
[0007] In addition, the variations in the dimensions of the attic access openings create a problem in fitting the covers to the attic access opening unless an enclosure is built. In most installations, the door is placed within 3 to 4 feet from the edge of the roof, thus the roof vents in the soffit allow the wind to enter the attic and blow directly against the door or in some cases creates an inductor effect to depressurize the attic.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The invented access cover eliminates the need to replace warped doors and frames because it conforms to the door frame and seals the frame even when the door or seal have been damaged or warped. The home owner is able to prevent outside air from the attic entering the home as well as the insulative benefits of the invented attic access cover. Furthermore, the cover insulates the door framework further reducing heat transfer between the attic and conditioned space. The frame of the invented cover is permanently attached to the exterior surfaces of the framework and creates an air space to further enhance the insulation properties of the cover.
[0009] If the attic access cover is a premium unit that has a zippered top as previously referenced in related applications, the home owner only has to unzip the cover to the side and rezip when leaving the attic. The invented method is not only practical, safer and easier to use but provides a superior permanent seal between the attic and conditioned space.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The above described and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention are better understood when the following detailed description of the invention is read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a front view of the invented attic door access cover installed in a wall (or ceiling) for insulating a door in order to reduce heat transfer between the attic and conditioned portion of a house;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an attic access cover installed in a ceiling;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a left side view of the attic access cover in FIG. 2 ;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a top view of the attic access cover of FIG. 2 ;
[0015] FIG. 5 is a right side view of the attic access cover of FIG. 2 ;
[0016] FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the attic access cover of FIG. 2 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be considered as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. These exemplary embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be both thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
[0018] Referring to FIGS. 1-6 the invented embodiment of an attic access cover 400 for insulating an attic access opening 410 for a knee wall door 412 ( FIG. 1 ) is illustrated. Referring to FIG. 1 , the knee wall-door 412 includes a door 414 , hinges 416 for allowing the door 412 to swing between an open and closed position, and framework 418 that defines the opening 410 within a wall 422 (or ceiling) of a house.
[0019] In the preferred embodiment the attic access cover 400 includes a perimeter flange 424 , a top wall 426 and a zipper 428 connecting the flange 424 to the top wall 426 , as illustrated in FIGS. 1-6 . One-half of the zipper 428 is attached to the top wall 426 and the complementary other half of the zipper 428 is attached to the perimeter flange 424 . The zipper 428 is oriented generally perpendicular to the flange 424 and top wall 426 such that the top wall 426 is projected outwards from the flange 424 . The zipper 428 and top wall 426 collectively define a chamber 430 (i.e., the top wall 426 forms the top, the zipper 428 forms the sides, and the bottom is open) of air between the wall door 412 ( FIG. 1 ) and cover 400 when the wall door is closed, thereby improving the insulation characteristics of the cover 400 . By only requiring the zipper 428 , (i.e., no other component to form walls) to space the top wall 426 outward from the flange 424 , the cover 400 requires minimal components and little space, yet provides excellent insulative properties. Preferably, the flange 424 is unitary in construction, that is, it is uninterrupted along the perimeter direction without requiring any seams.
[0020] The top wall 426 encompasses the entire top portion of the cover 400 so that it does not interfere with ingress and egress there-through and to reduce the possibility of tripping which can otherwise cause a person to fall or damage the cover 400 .
[0021] The zipper 428 forms the connection between the top 426 and the flange 424 . Preferably, the zipper 428 is, or is nearly, continuous, extending around the perimeter or the top wall 426 and, thus, beginning and ending at about the same point, which preferably is at one of the corners of the zipper pathway. The zipper 428 forms a zipper pathway with rounded corners to allow for smooth movement of the zipper 428 around the perimeter of the top wall 426 . By the zipper 428 being, or nearly being, continuous it forms the connection between the top wall 426 and flange 424 about which the top wall 426 hinges when being opened or closed. That is, the portion of the zipper 428 that is unzipped forms the hinge about which the top wall 426 opens and closes. Optionally, the zipper 428 may include double pulls 432 , 434 so that the zipper 428 may be independently unzipped in opposite directions to allow for the cover 400 to be hingedly opened in a variety of directions. It is to be noted since the left, right, bottom and top of the cover 400 have the same configuration, other than possible differences in length, FIG. 3 showing the left side is also illustrative of the right side and, likewise, FIG. 5 showing the top is also illustrative of the bottom.
[0022] The top wall 426 and flange 424 are formed of at least one material having insulative properties. In a preferred embodiment, the are comprised of a closed cell insulation (foam) core with 99% pure aluminum laminates on both sides to reflect radiant energy, such as the insulative material sold under the name of PRODEX®. Preferably the top wall 426 has two or more layers to enhance the insulative properties of the cover 400 . It is to be understood that other material may be suitably used.
[0023] The flange 424 is sized to be larger than the access opening 420 so that it may be secured to the framework 418 . Preferably, the flange 424 and top wall 426 are formed of a flexible or semi-flexible material in order to properly install the cover 400 as discussed below.
[0024] In installing the cover 400 , the flange 424 is secured to the outward facing surface 436 (i.e. the surface of the framework 418 that faces inward towards the attic) of the framework 418 defining the access opening 410 . During installation, an installer pre-applies caulking to the outward facing surface 436 that positions the cover 400 over the opening 410 and pushes the flexible flange 424 to the framework 418 whereat the pre-applied silicone caulking adheres the flanges 424 in place. As the flange 424 is flexible, the cover 400 can be easily installed, even if the framework 418 is uneven, without requiring modification of the cover 400 or additional caulking to fill in gaps that could otherwise exist if the flange 424 was of a rigid construction.
[0025] It is to be understood that the foregoing description and specific embodiments are merely illustrative of the best mode of the invention and the principles thereof, and that various modifications and additions may be made to the apparatus by those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention.
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A flexible attic access cover positionable for attachment to the framework of an attic access opening of an attic access door for the purpose of reducing heat transfer between the attic and conditioned portion of a building or house.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a banking system equipped with a radio linked portable terminal, and particularly to that wherein a radio linked portable terminal is used together with an IC card for drawing or depositing electronic money from/to a bank.
The electronic purse system for settling a bank account making use of an IC card is well known, wherein the IC card is issued in advance from the bank to a customer. The customer charges the IC card with an amount by way of an ATM (Automatic Teller Machine) and uses it for payment when shopping for some goods.
The electronic purse system can provide a safe and convenient settlement, since no cash need be carried about with the customer and consequently, no cash need be transferred by the armored car from the store to the bank.
Furthermore, compared to a prepaid card, for example, with which the payable amount is limitted, the IC card can be used for shopping even when the registered amount becomes to zero, by revising the amount through ten-keys provided thereon, on condition that there is left some amount to be used in the bank account of the customer.
Examples of the above electronic purse system are disclosed in Japanese patent applications laid open as Provisional Publications No. 92966/'91 and No. 94458/'93.
In the prior art disclosed in the Provisional Publication No. 92966/'91, an IC card is provided with a microcomputer chip together with a display and input-keys. After activating it by closing a power switch and entering his password, a customer uses it for drawing money from an ATM or paying by way of a store terminal in the same way as a prepaid card. In the Provisional Publication No. 94458, there is disclosed an electronic purse system equipped with store terminals identifying an IC card with a "bank key" provided therein, which is unique for each user and variable according to time passage.
However, there are still left various problems in the electronic purse system.
First, the time and place are limited for charging the IC card, that is, for revising the amount registered therein, because each IC card is to be charged by way of an ATM installed in each corresponding financial window.
Second, there is a risk of security information plagiary when the IC card is lost or stolen, because the conventional IC card, provided with a display and input-keys for entering the password or available amount, can be easily misused once the password is detected.
Third, the usage of the IC card is a little complicated, because the IC card is to be mounted to an ATM after being activated with its own password and then another password for the ATM must be input when it is charged, and when it is used for a payment at a store, it must be activated in advance by closing its power switch and entering the password.
Fourth, the IC card can not be used when its battery is discharged, because an IC card can not function without a power supply, disabling its new charging or even using the charged amount.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a banking system equipped with a radio linked portable terminal, where is no risk of the security information plagiary because of the missing IC card, no complexity of the IC card usage, nor the problem of the discharged battery.
In order to achieve this object, a banking system of the present invention comprises radio communication means to be connected to a center terminal of a financial organization by way of a radio communication network for drawing an amount from and depositing an amount to a bank account in the financial organization, the bank account being identified by a bank password.
The radio communication means includes a radio linked portable terminal and an IC card to be connected to the radio linked portable terminal, the IC card comprising a memory for storing information of an available amount reserved for the IC card and a processor for adding an amount drawn from the bank account to the available amount and subtracting an amount to be deposited to the bank account from the available amount.
Therefore, the IC card can be charged at anytime at anywhere without ATM.
The IC card, having no input key nor display and supplied from the radio linked portable terminal, further comprises means for confirming coincidence of a password entered from outside with the bank password stored in cryptogram therein making use of a public-key crypto-system.
Therefore, there is little risk of information plagiarism therefrom because of password leakage, and the guarded information could not be used illegally even if it were read out, in the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing, further objects, features, and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following description, the appended claims, and the accompanying drawings wherein the same numerals indicate the same or the corresponding parts, and:
FIG. 1 illustrates a banking system of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of an embodiment of the radio linked portable terminal 1 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the bus controller 13 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the memory interface 22 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the LCD interface 23 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the I/O interface 24 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the radio interface 25 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 8 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of the IC card 2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating read/write processes in the IC card 2;
FIG. 10 is a flowchart illustrating detailed processes for drawing or depositing an amount from/to the bank account, wherein processes performed in the radio linked portable terminal are described in the left part and those performed in the IC card 2 are in the right part;
FIG. 11 is a flowchart illustrating processes for treating amount information in the IC card 2;
FIG. 12A is a flowchart illustrating an example of ciphering process performed in the radio linked portable terminal 1;
FIG. 12B is a flowchart illustrating an example of deciphering process performed in the IC card 2; and
FIG. 12C is a flowchart illustrating another example of deciphering process performed in the radio linked portable terminal 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Now, embodiments of the present invention will be described in connection with the drawings.
FIG. 1 illustrates a banking system of the present invention, comprising a radio linked portable terminal 1, and an IC card 2 to be inserted therein. A center terminal 5 in a financial organization 4 is linked with the radio linked portable terminal 1 and with a register terminal 7 of a store 6 by way of a relay station 3.
The financial organization 4 administrates banking information of its customers. When an amount is entered by an input device provided on the radio linked portable terminal 1, it is transmitted to the financial organization 4 through the relay station 3 and the center terminal 5. Then, the amount is drawn from the account of the customer to be reserved and charged in the IC card 2.
When the customer having the IC card 2 shops in the store 6, the IC card 2 is inserted in the register terminal 7 of the store 6. Then, an amount to be paid to the store 6 is drawn from the amount registered in the IC card 2. The store 6 bills the amount to the financial organization 4 through the register terminal 7, the relay station 3 and the center terminal 5 referring to customer information read out from the IC card 2. The financial organization 4 pays the corresponding amount into account of the store 6 from the amount previously reserved for the IC card 2 of the customer.
Now, a configuration of the radio linked portable terminal 1 is described referring to a block diagram of FIG. 2 illustrating an embodiment thereof, comprising a CPU (Central Processor Unit) 11, a clock generator 12, a bus controller 13, a DMA (Dynamic Memory Access) controller 14, a mask ROM (Read Only Memory) 15, a flash memory 16, a DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) 17, a LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) 18, a touch panel 19, a PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) output 20, a radio unit 21, a memory interface 22, a LCD interface 23, an I/O interface 24, a radio interface 25, and an IC card power supply 26.
The CPU 11 is a core for executing software provided for the radio linked portable terminal 1 of the invention, such as an OS (Operating system) and other application programs. The OS performs a multitask operation, executing application programs for the electronic settlement, a protocol program for the radio communication, a decoding program for the touch panel 19 and so on in time-sharing.
The clock generator 12 generates a clock signal used in the radio linked portable terminal 1.
The bus controller 13 takes charge of usage arbitration of the main bus connecting the CPU 11, the DMA controller 14, the memory interface 22, the LCD interface 23, the I/O interface 24 and the radio interface 25.
The DMA controller 14 controls data transfer among the mask ROM 15, the flash memory 16, the DRAM 17, the LCD 18, the memory interface 22, the LCD interface 23, the I/O interface 24 and the radio interface 25, to be performed automatically when the main bus is not accessed by the CPU 11.
In the mask ROM 15, the OS and other basic programs of the radio linked portable terminal 1 are prepared.
In the flash memory 16, there is provided basic software such as device drivers for controlling read/write of the IC card 2, the touch panel 19 and the PWM output 20 or application programs for exchanging the radio communication protocol, performing the purse function by administrating money in-out, coding/decoding of amount information, store codes, account number, password, etc., and so on.
The DRAM 17 is mainly used for a work memory for the application programs and the I/O devices, a VRAM (Video RAM) for the LCD 18, and a buffer for data received through the radio interface 25.
The LCD 18 displays necessary information such as guidance information for accessing the financial organization 4, or changing the password used for obtaining account information and so on, as a display device of the radio linked portable terminal 1.
The touch panel 19 provided overlapped on the LCD 18 takes charge of input device of the radio linked portable terminal 1, detecting touched position thereof where a virtual keyboard, ten-keys or selection buttons are displayed by the LCD 18, on which also response information concerning the detected position is displayed to be confirmed by the customer.
The PWM output 20 is an audio signal output device for outputting speech guidance synchronized with the guidance information displayed on the LCD 18 for accessing the financial organization 4, for example.
Communication with outer systems of the radio linked portable terminal 1 is performed through the radio unit 21. By way of a radio wave such as used in a pager system, penetrating almost all buildings, the radio linked portable terminal 1 is able to draw its account from almost everywhere.
The memory interface 22 interfaces the mask ROM 15, the flash memory 16 and the DRAM 17 with other devices.
The LCD interface 23 mediates control signal exchange between the LCD 18 and the CPU 11 or the DMA controller 14. LCD data including stratum information prepared in the DRAM 17 are transferred to the LCD 18 after converted into display data by the LCD interface 23, under the control of the DMA controller 14.
With the I/O interface 24 are connected the IC card 2, the touch panel 19 and the PWM output 20.
The radio interface 25 takes charge of interfacing other devices with the radio unit 21 for communicating with the relay station 3.
For supplying the IC card 2, the IC card power supply 26 is provided.
Here, in the embodiment, the IC card 2, having a size similar to a credit card, to be connected to the I/O interface 24 is also equipped with a CPU and is able to return response data after processing input data. Detail of the IC card 2 will be described afterwards.
Now, more detailed configuration of each interface will be described.
FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the bus controller 13, comprising a DRAM refresh timing generator 31, an arbiter 32 and an address decoder 33.
The DRAM refresh timing generator 31 requires memory refreshment of the DRAM 17 to the arbiter 32, counting timings for the DRAM 17 to be refreshed;
the arbiter 32 performs arbitration of the main bus usage among the CPU 11 and the interfaces 22 to 25, according to priorities each assigned for each of the interfaces 22 to 25; and
the address decoder 33 generates signals for selecting areas of each interfaces 22 to 25 to be accessed by the CPU 11 according to designated address data.
Abbreviations of signals such as HOLD, RDY (ready), etc., and their destination being described in FIG. 3, intricate description is omitted, here, which is the same with FIGS. 4 to 7.
FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the memory interface 22, comprising a DRAM address generator 41, a flash memory address generator 42, a data bus sizing unit 43, a RDY signal generator 44, a refresh signal generator 45 and a RAS/CAS (Row Address Strobe/Column Address Strobe) generator 46.
The DRAM address generator 41 converts address data of the DRAM 17 to be accessed by the CPU 11 into row and column addresses of the DRAM 17;
the flash memory address generator 42 converts address data of the flash memory 16 to be accessed by the CPU 11 into address signals appropriate for the flash memory 16;
the data bus sizing unit 43 converts data transferred through the main bus into data of a bit width appropriate for each of the DRAM 17 and the flash memory 16, and converts them vice-versa. For example, data of 16 bits supplied from the main bus is divided into data of upper 8 bits and lower 8 bits to be stored in two different addresses of the flash memory 16;
the RDY signal generator 44 returns RDY signals replying to IF/ADS (InterFace Address Selection) signals delivered from the bus controller 13;
the refresh signal generator 45 generates RAS/CAS at each refreshing timing of the DRAM 17 triggered by the refresh timing signal from the bus controller 13; and
the RAS/CAS generator 46 generates signals for accessing and refreshing the DRAM 17.
FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating configuration of the LCD interface 23, comprising a control signal generator 51, a data bus sizing unit 52, a field memory unit 53 and a selector 54.
The control signal generator 51 generates control signals for controlling the data bus 52, the selector 54 and the LCD 18, including frame number signal, line data load signal, LCD drive voltage alternation signal, shift, register clock signal, etc., for driving the LCD 18; and
LCD display data are reformed by the data bus sizing unit 52 and written in each field of the field memory unit 53 to be selected by the selector 53 and displayed on the LCD 18.
FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating configuration of the I/O interface 24, comprising an address decoder 61, a control signal generator 62 and two selectors 63 and 64.
The address decoder 61 generates a signal for designating one of the IC card 2, the PWM output 20 and the touch panel 19 to be accessed together with a signal for indicating their register address;
the control signal generator 62 generates control signals for controlling the IC card 2, the PWM output 20 and the touch panel 19, such as a clock signal and a reset signal for the IC card 2, for instance; and
the two selectors 63 and 64 select data to be output and to be input respectively.
FIG. 7 is a block diagram illustrating configuration of the radio interface 25, comprising an address decoder 71, a data bus sizing unit 72, and a control generator 73.
The address generator 71 generates a signal for indicating a register number of the radio unit 21 to be accessed;
the data bus sizing unit 72 converts bit width of data delivered from the CPU 11 into bit width appropriate for the register of the radio unit 21; and
the control signal generator 73 generates signals for controlling the radio unit 21.
In the following paragraphs, a configuration of the IC card 2 is described referring to a block diagram thereof illustrated in FIG. 8.
The IC card 2 comprises a CPU 81, a memory interface 82, a first and a second memories Mem1 and Mem2, a serial interface 83, and a serial I/O port 84.
The CPU 81 performs operation processes in the IC card 2 such as password verification or addition/subtraction of the registered amount;
the first and the second memories Mem1 and Mem2 are used for storing programs to be executed by the CPU 81 and its work areas;
the memory interface 82 mediates the CPU 11 and the memories Mem1 and Mem2;
data, such as ID information or account information, are input and output to the IC card 2 through the serial I/O port 84; and
the serial interface 83 mediates the serial I/O port 84 and the CPU 81.
Here, it is to be noted that the memory space of the IC card 2 is divided into the first and the second memories Mem1 and Mem2 for a security maintenance. For this purpose, contents of the first memory Mem1 are made unable to be revised or deciphered without a correct password, while the second memory Mem2 is freely accessible through the serial I/O port 85 from outside.
Now, operation of the IC card 2 will be described.
As for information prepared in the IC card 2, there is included an ID information for identifying its user and passwords necessary for accessing to his account in the financial organization 4, which are stored in the first memory Mem1.
The ID information comprises bank code, store code, deposit code, account number, customer name, etc., of the account.
The passwords consist of a user password and a bank password corresponding to the bank account. The user password is used for activating a communication program of the radio linked portable terminal 1 or verifying contents of the ID information in the IC card 2, for example, and so may to be changed by the customer. On the contrary, the bank password corresponds to the account contracted between the customer and the financial organization 4 and may not be changed by the customer himself.
Heretofore, the embodiment is described to have one bank password supposing a case the customer uses only one bank account, but when the customer uses a plurality of bank accounts, there should be prepared one password for each of the plurality of bank accounts.
In addition to the ID information and the passwords, there should be stored information easily confirmed by the third person, such as the stored amount to be confirmed when the IC card is used as a prepaid card, for example. Such information is prepared in the second memory Mem2, as above described.
Thus, the third person is permitted to read out the amount information and is inhibited from accessing security information such as the ID information or the passwords.
FIG. 9 is a flowchart illustrating read/write processes in the IC card 2, wherein a command is input through the serial I/O port 84 and processed by the CPU 81, and the result thereof returned through the serial I/O port 84.
Referring to FIG. 9, when a memory read command for the first memory Mem1 is detected to be input (at step S1), the CPU 81 verifies whether the first memory Mem 1 is masked or released (at S2). The first memory Mem1 being released only with the user password, dummy data (nonsense data) are returned (at step S3) to the memory read command from a third person, while normal data returned (at step S4) to the memory read command from the customer himself. In a similar way, when a memory write command for the first memory Mem1 is transfered (at step S5), the memory masking is verified (at step S6), and the memory write command is executed (at step S8) when it is input by the customer and otherwise it is ignored (at step S7).
When a password is transfered to the IC card 2 as the user password, the CPU 81 verifies whether it is the same or not (at step S10), and releases masking of the first memory Mem1 (at step S11) when it is, otherwise returning an error code (at step S12).
When a password is transferred to the IC card 2 as the bank password, the CPU 81 verifies whether it is the same or not (at step S15), and confirms the masking is released or not (at step S16). When the bank password is input by the customer himself, the masking should be previously released and the access to the account of the financial organization 4 is enabled (at step S17). In case even a correct bank password is input by a third person accidentally, an error code is to be returned (at step S18), since the masking of the first memory Mem1 must be left unreleased in the case. The error code is returned also when the input password is found (at step S15) not to be the bank password.
Without the user password input, the ID information in the IC card 2 inserted to the radio linked portable terminal 1 is left in a mode unable to be read and written even by the customer, the possessor of the IC card 2, thus inhibitting the ID information to be seen by a third person. The user password is able to be changed, as beforehand described, by executing a program prepared in the radio linked portable terminal 1, on condition that the same user password with that previously registered by the customer is confirmed to be entered before execution of the program. The revision itself of the user password is performed in the IC card 2.
The bank password is registered by the financial organization 4 when the IC card 2 is issued and the same bank password is to be input when an amount is drawn from or transferred to the bank account in the financial organization 4. The bank password verification is performed also in the IC card 2, not by the radio communication which has risk to be slipped out.
In the following paragraphs, detailed processes will be described for drawing or depositting an amount from/to the bank account in connection with a flowchart of FIG. 10, wherein the processes performed in the radio linked portable terminal are described in the left part and those performed in the IC card 2 in the right part.
First, the IC card 2 being inserted in the radio linked portable terminal 1, the user password is input through the touch panel 19 of FIG. 2. Then, a request signal Req is sent from the radio linked portable terminal 1 to the IC card 2 (at step S21), to which an acknowledge signal Ack is returned from the IC card 2 (at step S22). Receiving the acknowledge signal Ack, the user password is sent from the radio linked portable terminal 1 to the IC card 2 to be verified by a user password verification program activated (at step S23).
Thus, the input password being verified by the IC card 2, an error code is returned (at step S24) to the radio linked portable terminal 1 when it is not confirmed to be the same and the control process goes to abnormal termination (at step S25). When it is confirmed, returning a normal return code (at step S26) to the radio linked portable terminal 1, the user password verification program goes to normal termination (at step S27), and the masking of the first memory Mem1 is released (at step S28). Receiving the normal return code, communication session with the financial organization 4 is established (at step S29) in the radio linked portable terminal 1.
The communication session being established, another password is input through the touch panel 19 and another request signal Req is sent to the IC card 2 (at step S30) for activating a bank password verification program (at step S31), which returns an acknowledge signal Ack (at step S32).
Receiving the acknowledge signal Ack, the radio linked portable terminal 1 sends the input password to the IC card 2 (at step S33), which is verified by the IC card 2 (at step S34) and a normal return code is returned (at step S35) when the input password is confirmed to be the same with the bank password corresponding to the account in the financial organization 4.
When it is not confirmed, an error code is returned to the radio linked portable terminal 1 (at step S36). Receiving the error code, a user can retry the bank password input until three times (at step S37).
With three erroneous inputs, the IC card 2 is disabled with abnormal termination (at step S38), which is reported as an illegal operation to the financial organization 4 by the radio linked portable terminal 1 (at step S39).
Receiving the normal return code, the radio linked portable terminal 1 becomes ready to receive indication for adding or subtracting the amount registered in the IC card 2 (at step S40). When indicated, balance revising data are sent to the IC card 2 (at step S41), which revise balance data (at step S43) according to the revising data and returns an acknowledge signal Ack (at step S42).
After revising the balance, a masking request signal Req is sent from the radio linked portable terminal 1 to the IC card 2 (at step S44), according to which the IC card masks again the first memory Mem1 and returns an acknowledge signal Ack (at step S45).
Finally, the radio linked portable terminal 1 reports information of the amount revision, and the drawing/depositting process returns to the initial status.
For the input bank password verification at the step 34, bank password information is stored in the first memory Mem1 of the IC card 2 in cryptogram to be decoded making use of the input bank password itself as a secret-key as follows.
First, the masking of the first memory Mem1 storing the bank password information is released with the user password, with which the IC card 2 becomes prepared to draw an amount from the account in the financial organization 4. Then, the input bank password is transferred from the radio linked terminal 1 to the IC card 2, which is used as the secret-key for deciphering the bank password information stored in the first memory Mem1 together with a public-key stored there. After confirming coincidence of the deciphered bank password with the input bank password, the processes of registered amount revising at the step S40 to S44 of FIG. 10 are performed.
When an account dealing is accomplished, all buffer memory areas in the IC card 2 used for verifying the bank password are erased, and all buffer memory areas used in connection with the input bank password are erased as well in the radio linked portable terminal 1, when disconnection with the IC card 2 is detected, normally or abnormally.
Therefore, even when a third person might succeed to access the first memory Mem1, he can not obtain the bank password information but a cryptogram.
On the contrary, when the IC card is used as a prepaid card, the amount information therein is to be read and rewritten by a third person such as the register terminal 7 in the store 6. And, at the same time, it should be guarded against being rewritten freely by the customer or the third person independent of the bank account. For the purpose, processes illustrated in a flowchart of FIG. 11 is prepared in the embodiment.
When commanded to add the registered amount (at step S51), it is executed (at step S53) only after connection with the financial organization 4 is confirmed (at step S52) of the radio linked portable terminal 1, and othewise the control process of the IC card 2 is returned to wait another command outputting an error code (at step S54). The connection confirmation is checked with a connection flag which is set to ON only when the correct user password and the correct bank password are both verified and, in addition, a connection OK code from the financial organization 4 is received through the radio linked portable terminal 1.
On the other hand, as for subtraction (at step S56) of the registered amount when shopping some goods, for example, it is executed (at step S57) without, the connection confirmation.
In the following paragraphs, crypto-system applied in the embodiment is described.
As for the crypto-system for the bank password information stored in the first memory Mem1 of the IC card 2, a common key crypto-system such as DES (Data Encryption Standard) system or FEAL (Fast Data Encipherment Algorithm) system may be applied. In the embodiment, the RSA public-key crypto-system is employed.
For ciphering a word into a cryptogram, a ciphering key is used, and the cryptogram can not be a deciphered without deciphering key. In the common key crypto-system, the cryptogram can be deciphered by the same key used for ciphering, while a cryptogram ciphered according to the public-key crypto-system needs another key, called the secret-key, to be deciphered in addition to a key called the public-key used for ciphering. The public-key can be derived from the secret-key, but the secret-key can not be obtained from the public key.
FIG. 12A illustrates a ciphering process, wherein data to be guarded in the radio linked portable terminal 1 or those read out from the IC card 2 are ciphered with the public-key into a cryptogram. The ciphering process is performed in the radio linked portable terminal 1 having larger ability than the IC card 2, in the example of FIG. 12A.
A plain text is ciphered making use of the public-key (at step S81) into a cryptogram, which is transferred to the IC card 2 in order (at step S82). Thus, the data to be guarded are prevented from illegal use even if it is accessed by a third person.
FIG. 12B is a flowchart illustrating an example of deciphering process, wherein the deciphering is performed in the IC card 2 with the public-key prepared in the IC card 2. The customer enters the secret-key (at step S61) by way of the touch panel 19 of the radio linked portable terminal 1. The secret-key is transmitted (at step S61) to the IC card 2 to be used for deciphering (at step S63) the cryptogram together with the public-key prepared in the IC card 2. The deciphered text is transferred to the radio linked portable terminal 1 (at step S64). In the example of FIG. 12B, the customer can read the guarded data even with a terminal other than his own radio linked portable terminal 1, since the deciphering process is accomplished in the IC card 2.
In the public-key crypto-system, the deciphering process may be performed in the radio linked portable terminal 1 or another other terminal such as a register terminal 7 as illustrated in FIG. 12C, since the public-key, useless without the secret key, need not be guarded.
In the deciphering process of FIG. 12C, the cryptogram is transferred (at step S71) to the radio linked portable terminal 1, for example, together with the public-key. Then, the secret-key is entered there (at step S72) by the customer, possessor of the secret-key, for deciphering the cryptogram transfered from the IC card 2.
Now, an example of preparation and usage of the public-key and the secret-key is described.
The public-key is generated from the bank password (to be used as the secret-key) corresponding to the bank account in the financial organization 4 and the serial number of the IC card. When issuing the IC card 2, the public-key generation is performed by the financial organization 4 which knows both the serial number and the bank password of the account. The public-key is registered in the first memory Mem1 of the IC card 2 to be sent to the customer together with cryptogram of the bank password and other ID information.
The IC card 2 thus issued is sent to the customer without masking of the first memory Mem1 thereof for enabling the customer to access the public-key, etc.
Receiving the IC card 2, the customer inserts it into his radio linked portable terminal 1 for setting up the public-key there. Detecting that the IC card 2 is connected, the radio linked portable terminal 1 requires delivering of the public-key to the IC card 2. Receiving the public-key, the radio linked portable terminal 1 stores it therein for using it for ciphering data to be guarded. Thus, the initialization of the radio linked terminal 1 is accomplished.
When the IC card 2 is used for shopping in the store 6, a certain store code is used for releasing masking of the first memory Mem1. The store code is delivered from the financial organization to contracted stores and registered in the register terminal 7 provided in each of the contracted stores. The register terminal 7 sends the store code when the IC card is inserted therein. Receiving the store code, the IC card releases masking of the first memory Mem1 in the same way as the user password is entered and the ID information, for example, is prepared to be read out.
Thus, the customer needs not enter the user password every time when shopping through the register terminal 7, providing as well easy use of the IC card 2 as a prepaid card.
When more security is required of the IC card 2 charged with a large amount, for example, the IC card may be set optionally by the customer to reject the store code and to become ready only when the correct user password is entered through the register terminal 7.
For drawing an amount to be paid from the IC card 2, the register terminal 7 sends a-payment command. The IC card 2 subtracts the amount from its registered amount and returns an acknowledge signal ACK to the register terminal 7 when the subtraction is normally performed.
The IC card 2 can be charged also through an ATM of the financial organization 4. In this case, the store code is sent from the ATM for releasing the first memory Mem1 as from the register terminal 7. However, the charging itself is made only after correct bank password is entered and confirmed in the same way as it is charged through the radio linked portable terminal 1.
Heretofore, the present invention is described in connection with an embodiment of the radio linked portable terminal 1 of FIG. 2. However, various applications can be considered in the scope of the invention. For example, the radio linked portable terminal 1 can be realized with a notebook computer connected with a PHS (Personal Handy-phone System) hand set and the IC card 2 can be prepared according to PCMCSA (Personal Computer Memory Card Standard Association) standard.
Thus, according to a banking system of the invention equipped with a radio linked portable terminal;
the IC card can be charged at anytime at anywhere without ATM, since it is equipped with a radio linked portable terminal having radio communication means for linking the IC card to a center terminal of corresponding financial organization after confirming passwords entered by possessor of the IC card;
the IC card having no input key nor display, there is little risk of information plagiarism therefrom because of password leakage, and the guarded information could not be used illegally even if it were read out, as it is stored therein in cryptogram;
the IC card can be used as practically as a prepaid card, since it needs no complicated handling for entering password when shopping; and
the IC card need not be provided with a battery, preventing problem of battery discharge and illegal use too, since the IC card does not function on its own power.
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In order to provide a banking system having an IC card available anytime anywhere with no risk of the security information plagiary because of the missing IC card, no complexity of the IC card usage, nor problem of the discharged battery, a banking system of the present invention comprises radio communication means to be connected to a center terminal (5) of a financial organization (4) by way of a radio communication network for drawing an amount from and depositing an amount to a bank account in the financial organization (4), the bank account being identified by a bank password. The radio communication means includes a radio linked portable terminal (1) and an IC card (2) to be connected to the radio linked portable terminal, the IC card comprising a memory for storing information of an available amount reserved for the IC card (2) and a processor for adding an amount drawn from the bank account to the available amount and subtracting an amount to be deposited to the bank account from the available amount.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of heat-sealing apparatus and more particularly to a semi-automatic and automated heat-sealing process to effect high speed sealing of interconnected polymeric vials after filling each vial with a pharmaceutical product.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] As the pharmaceutical industry has grown, there has been a demand for vial closing machines to be compact and located at each pharmacy. Today's high-speed machines are physically too large for the pharmacy. Single stand-alone heat sealers are limited to manual or automatic vial entry, then filling, then sealing, then unloading all in a sequential order. Although some operations can take place concurrently such as loading and filling or loading and sealing, the basic current apparatus is a sequentially based operation.
[0005] Previously, stand-alone machines such as that described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,489, “Method and Apparatus for Impulse Sealing Polymeric Vials in Tandem” filed on Jun. 1, 2000, not only operate in a sequential manner, but also depend upon heater bars for the sealing operation and often toggle clamps are required for accurate positioning of the vials. The constant opening and closing of the toggle clamps promotes wear on these parts and therefore requires frequent replacement causing unnecessary downtime and expense.
[0006] As production demands increase, so does the productivity of the apparatus. This requirement was initially addressed by increasing the size or length of the sealing machine such that more interconnected polymeric vials are positioned in tandem, and sealed in the same time period. Productivity was addressed with size. However, there is a need to produce a vial sealing machine with increased productivity without significantly increasing the overall size of the machine.
[0007] Ultrasonic sealing has been used to close vials in the past, however one of the more prevailing problems using ultrasonic sealing is when the rounded or straight edge of an ultrasonic horn comes into contact with the vial material. Since the vial material is formed, it has an elasticity that will cause the material to form around the ultrasonic horn, thus creating burn holes into the vial material.
[0008] Thus, there is a need to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art as discussed above, and in particular to provide a semi-automatic and automated heat-sealing process to effect high speed sealing of interconnected polymeric vials after filling each vial with a pharmaceutical product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] An integrated indexed mechanical system is comprised of several stations including loading, filling, sealing and unloading. Each station is active concurrently with the all other stations. So, at the same time the filler station is filling each vial, the sealer is sealing each vial, operator is loading vials, and the machine is expelling filled and sealed vials. This turntable approach is formulated in the embodiment of a Ferris wheel type mechanism and also in a stadium type mechanism.
[0010] The Ferris wheel type mechanism has each of the four stations positioned 90 degrees apart. Multiple sets of interconnected vials effect increased production rates.
[0011] The Stadium type mechanism uses an inline approach such that loading, filling, and sealing is on one level and unloading is on a lower level. Multiple levels facilitate an increase in the number of vials filled and sealed within the same production rate. And as additional levels are added, the total number of filled and sealed vials increase without necessarily increasing the footprint size of the machine.
[0012] Both machine design types are expandable. The Ferris wheel type expands by increasing the number of interconnected vial sets thus increasing the width of the machine. The Stadium type expands by increasing the number of levels for increased machine height, and/or increasing number of interconnected vial sets for increased machine width.
[0013] The present invention provides a high speed heat sealing mechanism capable of exceeding the current vial productivity rate of approximately 60 vials per minute without increasing the relative size of the apparatus to produce filled and sealed vials. The present invention reduces maintenance and replacement parts, provides modularity, increases handling efficiency, maximizes quality, decreases overall cycle time, and increases machine safety. Further, the present invention increases throughput by coupling the integrated indexed mechanism to one or more automatic vial loading stations. The use of automatic vial loading stations enables the cycle time to remain constant even while the number of vials processed concurrently increases.
[0014] Moreover, the present invention provides a mechanism that pre-flattens the vial in an area within close proximity of sealed area. With this mechanism, burn holes are avoided. This mechanism and its use will substantially reduce this problem from occurring with other ultrasonic sealing applications for vial closing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The subject matter that is regarded as the invention is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims at the conclusion of the specification. The foregoing and other features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
[0016] [0016]FIG. 1 is a side-view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Ferris wheel design type showing each of the four indexed stations according to the present invention.
[0017] [0017]FIG. 2 is a front-view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Ferris wheel design type showing relative position of stand alone or interconnected vials as it relates to FIG. 1 according to the present invention.
[0018] [0018]FIG. 3 is an isometric full assembly view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Ferris wheel design type according to the present invention.
[0019] [0019]FIG. 4 is a front-view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Stadium design type showing each level of two levels such that the top of each level is for loading, filling, and sealing, and the bottom of each level is for expelling filled and sealed vials and for return of fixtures to loading station according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] [0020]FIG. 5 is a side-view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Stadium design type showing relative and tandem position of each level as it relates to FIG. 4 according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 6 is an isometric full assembly view of an automated vial sealing machine of a Stadium design type according to an alternate embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] [0022]FIG. 7 illustrates an example of a strip of interconnected vials in accordance to the present invention.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 8 is an exemplary schematic defining control logic used for machine operation of either Ferris wheel or Stadium design types according the present invention.
[0024] [0024]FIG. 9 is an isometeric full view of the automated vial sealing machine of a Ferris wheel design of FIG. 1, according to the present invention.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 10 is an isometeric full view of the automated vial sealing machine of a Stadium Wheel design of FIG. 6, according to the present invention.
[0026] [0026]FIG. 11 is an isometeric full view of an embodiment of a portion of the heating stack used with the designs of FIGS. 9 and 10, according to the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Overview
[0027] It should be understood that these embodiments are only examples of the many advantageous uses of the innovative teachings herein. In general, statements made in the specification of the present application do not necessarily limit any of the various claimed inventions. Moreover, some statements may apply to some inventive features but not to others. In general, unless otherwise indicated, singular elements may be in the plural and vice versa with no loss of generality. In the drawing like numerals refer to like parts through several views.
[0028] The present invention, according to a preferred embodiment, overcomes problems with the prior art by providing an integrated indexed mechanical system comprised of several stations including loading, filling, sealing and unloading. Each station is active concurrently with the all other stations, and any of the stations may be automatic, manual or a combination of both. So, at the same time the filler station is filling each vial with a substance, the sealer is sealing each vial, an operator is loading vials, and the machine is expelling filled and sealed vials. This turntable approach is formulated in the embodiment of an indexed mechanism in the form of a Ferris wheel type mechanism and also in a Stadium type mechanism. The substance contained in each vial may be any liquid, powder, solid, or gas that is dispensable into a vial such as vitamins, pharmaceuticals, candies, food, beverages, whether organic or inorganic and equivalents. The vials may be made of plastic such as polymeric materials.
[0029] Two exemplary embodiments are described in the present invention to meet the requirements of automatic or semi-automatic, a small footprint, a high throughput, and low maintenance. These two designs are described as the Ferris Wheel design and the Stadium Design.
[0030] A first exemplary embodiment illustrating the Ferris Wheel machine design is now described. A more detailed description for this Ferris Wheel machine design follows. Turning now to FIG. 9, shown is an isometeric full view of the automated vial sealing machine of a Ferris wheel according to the present invention. The machine frame 902 is designed to sit on a counter top (not shown). A series of vials 112 are placed into a vial fixture 114 which are rotated in an orbital direction from station to station. The stations are various positions in the orbital path of this Ferris Wheel embodiment include loading, filling, sealing, and unloading. The front loading station 914 is positioned to enable easy loading of a plurality of vials 112 . It is important to note that all of the stations may be fully automatic, semi-automatic or manual. The automatic attachment is not shown for simplicity and is shown in FIG. 1 as more fully described below. In this exemplary embodiment there are four fixtures 114 mounted between two octagonal wheels 912 . A filler station 104 with distribution manifold 910 is used to fill each of the vials 112 with a predetermined amount of a substance. As the vial fixtures 114 rotate towards the interior of the machine, a sealing station 916 seals the top of the vials. Continuing in the same direction of rotation, an unloading station 918 is used to invert each vial fixture 114 for unloading as shown in FIG. 1 as described further below. An optional housing 908 for the electronics and controls 906 is situated on top of the machine as shown. The electronics are more fully illustrated in FIG. 8. A one-way clutch 904 is shown to make sure the Ferris Wheel only turns in one direction and this is especially important when the vials are being sealed against an anvil as further described below.
[0031] A second exemplary embodiment illustrating the Stadium design is now described. FIG. 10 illustrates an isometeric full view of the automated vial sealing machine of a Stadium Wheel design according to the present invention. Like the Ferris wheel design, the machine frame 1002 is designed to sit on a counter top (not shown). A series of vials 112 are placed in the vial fixture 114 . In this example, the Stadium Design has two redundant levels, an upper level and a lower level. These levels run in parallel to permit higher throughput of the machine in the compact space. For each level a vial fixture 114 is rotated in an orbital direction from station to station. The stations include a loading station, a filling station, a sealing station, and an unloading station. The loading station 102 , the filling station 104 , and the sealing station 120 are placed side-by-side along the width of the machine. The unloading station 108 is placed at a bottom portion of each level the machine 108 . The filler station 104 with distribution manifold 1010 is used to fill each of the vials 112 . As the vials rotate towards the right side of the machine they are sealed and as the vials rotate towards the lower end of the machine, the vial fixture is inverted for unloading as shown in FIG. 4 described further below. A housing 1008 for the electronics and controls 1006 is situated on top of the machine as shown. The electronics are more fully illustrated in FIG. 8.
[0032] Common to both of these machine embodiments of the Ferris Wheel and the Stadium, is sealing station 120 which includes a sealing apparatus as shown in FIG. 11. The sealing apparatus includes an ultrasonic horn 120 , a pre-flattener 124 and an anvil 122 for working in cooperation with the pre-flattener 124 . The area of the vials 112 , typically the top open end, are positioned in the vial fixture 114 between the horn 120 and the anvil 122 . This is more easily understood by referring to FIG. 1 below.
Details of Ferris Wheel Embodiment
[0033] Now a more detailed description of each design and the electronics follows. Beginning with the Ferris wheel design, shown in FIG. 1 are four stations positioned 900 apart. Multiple sets of interconnected vials effect increased production rates. The Ferris wheel design type includes four indexed stations revolving about a center shaft 110 . Each station consists of vial fixtures 114 such that vial fixture 114 is contained within a long trough 128 with dividers separating each strip of interconnected vials. Circular rods 126 at each end of the trough 128 attach each trough to a set (first and second) of vertical wheel assemblies 130 , support the trough 128 and enable the trough to rotate to an upside-down position for unloading. Each station provides a different, albeit concurrent, function. Loading station 102 is for loading individual vials 112 or a strip of interconnected vials 112 . The Loading station 102 in one embodiment is automatic and uses a plunger 132 to push a vial 112 biased up against the wall 138 down through opening 134 as shown by direction 136 to be received in Loading stations 102 . It is important that in one embodiment, several vials are loaded at once in groups in Loading station 102 (not shown). This facilitates a higher throughput in the Loading station 102 . The vials are either joined as shown in FIG. 7 or separate. Filler station 104 is reserved for filling each vial by using a distribution manifold containing a filler mechanism 302 (shown in FIG. 3) located above the vial fixture 114 located at station 104 or filler mechanism 302 could be located at another location away from the Filler station. Sealing station 106 is where vials are sealed. In the preferred embodiment, the welding method used is ultrasonic welding, and as such, a moveable sealing device such as an ultrasonic horn 120 and material flattener 124 move horizontally against vials 112 towards an opposing sealing device such as anvil 122 . It should be noted that other means of sealing, such as heat sealing using a heated platen or impulse welding, could be used in place of the ultrasonic welding. The use of the material flattener 124 to pre-flatten the vial 112 below sealing area creates a better, more reliable seal without damaging the integrity of the vial material. When in position, the horn 120 is energized to ultra sonic levels of vibration, creating heat between the compressed walls of the vial 112 . While under pressure with heat, and subsequently without heat, (also known as cooling), the vial 112 is closed and sealed. Alternately, the ultrasonic horn 120 may be stationary and the anvil 122 may be mobile, or both anvil 122 and ultrasonic horn 120 could move together in an opposing motion. In the embodiment where both the anvil 122 and ultrasonic horn move together in opposing motion, it has been shown through experiments that the flattener 124 is optional and depends on how the vial is clamped or held during the sealing process.
[0034] The purpose of the flattener 124 is to pre-stress the vial, and not to seal the vial 112 when only the anvil 122 or the stack moves to seal the vial. The flattener 124 is made from any material including metal, ceramic, plastic, composite or a combination thereof and may be formed in a wide variety of shapes depending on the vial 112 and the geometries of the anvil 122 and fixtures to hold the vial 112 during the sealing process. The edge of the flattener is coming into contact with the vial 112 is rigid and can be any geometric shape including a straight edge, convex, a point which permits pre-stressing of the vial. When the flattener 124 is used with an ultrasonic means, then the flattener 124 may not touch the horn 120 . If another heating or welding means is used, then the flattener may or may not touch the sealing apparatus based on the selection of flattener material and whether or not the material would distract energy flow direction. For example, if the method of heat sealing uses a heated platen, and the flattener 124 is made of aluminum, then intimate contact would sink energy from platen to flattener, and the flattener 124 would become the heated platen, which would not be desirable.
[0035] The sealing device described above for the ultrasonic horn 120 , anvil 122 and flattener 124 has several variations. For convenience, the term “stack” refers to an ultrasonic horn, ultrasonic sonotrode and ultrasonic booster. The stack is powered by an ultrasonic generator. If another means of welding is used, the stack and anvil are not applicable. For example, if an impulse sealing means is used, the sealing device is comprised of impulse sealing bar and anvil or impulse sealing bar against another impulse sealing bar.
[0036] A sealing device and method, which has been found to be used advantageously in the present invention is disclosed in U.S. patent application, Ser. No. 10/0321,119 entitled “Method for Semi-Automatic Retrofit of Vial Closing Machines” filed on Dec. 31, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
[0037] Further in one embodiment several vials are sealed at once using a generator matched to each horn to permit sealing the vials simultaneously. Alternatively, a single generator may be sequenced to one or more horns. Each horn would seal a vial using the generator for a predetermined period of time, before the generator is sequenced to the next horn in the series. A single generator sequenced to a series of horns. A “sequencer” for a generator in this embodiment is available by DuKane. Still, in another embodiment, only a single horn and generator is used and moved quickly from vial-to-vial for sealing. After vials 112 are filled and sealed, the vial fixture 114 holding the vials 112 move through a roller wheel 116 which turns the vial fixture 114 upside down in Station 108 causing vials 112 to drop down through an unloading slide. When the vial fixtures move from Station 108 clockwise towards Station 102 , the vial fixtures 114 move through a roller wheel 118 similar to roller wheel 116 , acting as a mechanical cam device, which pivots the vial fixture 114 90°, or right side up, for sequence of operations to begin again by loading new vials 112 into vial fixture 114 at loading station 102 . FIG. 2 illustrates the location of filler station 104 as it relates to unloading station 108 . It is important to note that the exact number of stations is not important and a various number of stations are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 3 illustrates an isometric front and side view of the Ferris wheel design type and illustrates relative position of distribution manifold 302 shown above trough of vial fixtures 114 . Machine controls consist of ultrasonic generator 308 , line filters, programmable logic controller, and other control devices and are located in the control section 304 . Ultrasonic mechanical components known as a stack 306 consist of a sonotrode, booster and horn. The stack 306 is encapsulated within an acoustic tile material rated specifically to reduce the noise associated with ultrasonic sealing.
Details of Stadium Embodiment
[0039] The Stadium type mechanism, an alternate embodiment of the present invention, uses an inline approach of a conveyor system such that loading, filling, and sealing is on the top of upper level 424 and lower level 426 , respectively, along a stationary raceway (conveyor track) and unloading is on the bottom of upper level 424 and lower level 426 , respectively, along a second stationary raceway (conveyor track). Multiple levels facilitate an increase in the number of vials filled and sealed within the same production cycle. As additional levels are added, the total number of filled and sealed vials increase without necessarily increasing the footprint size of the machine. The relative front and side view layout of the Stadium design type with two levels is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. A vial fixture 422 is a carrier or buggy that moves from station to station along a chain 410 for the upper level 424 and chain 412 for the lower level 426 . Movement of chain 410 and chain 412 around roller wheels 414 and 416 for the upper level 424 and roller wheels 418 and 420 for the lower level 426 is concurrent. Movement is from left to right. A set of interconnected vials 112 is loaded into vial fixture 422 at station 402 for upper 424 and lower 426 levels. After a predetermined cycle time, vial fixture 422 moves to station 404 where the vials 112 are filled. Filling is accomplished by using a filler pump 602 , and a distribution manifold 608 and 610 located above the vial fixture. 422 located at filler station 404 for upper 424 and lower 426 levels. Refer to FIG. 5 to see relative position of upper 424 and lower 426 levels. FIG. 5 also illustrates relative position of Camco indexer 502 , which is the indexable motor used to move vial fixture 422 from one station to the next. When vials 112 are filled, and after a predetermined cycle time, vial fixture 422 moves from the filling station 404 to sealing station 406 for upper 424 and lower 426 levels. At the sealing station 406 , ultrasonic horn 520 and material flattener 524 move horizontally against vials 112 towards anvil 522 . When in position, horn 520 is energized to ultrasonic levels of vibration, creating heat between the compressed walls of the vial 112 . Again, as with the Ferris wheel design, while under pressure with heat, and subsequently without heat, (also known as cooling), the vial 112 is closed and sealed. After vials 112 are filled and sealed, the vial fixture 422 moves along chains 410 and 412 and around roller wheels 416 and 420 such that vial fixture 422 returns to station 408 in an upside down position. While vial fixture 422 returns and is moved through three indexed return stations, the vials 112 drop from the vial fixture 422 to an unloading tray positioned to expel filled and sealed vials. Vial fixture 422 continues to move along chain 410 and 412 until vial fixture 422 moves about roller wheels 414 and 418 positioning vial fixture 422 in right side up position for loading at station 402 . The sequence of operation begins again. As shown in FIG. 4 there may be six vial fixtures 422 moving along chain 410 for upper level 424 and an additional six vial fixtures 422 moving along chain 412 for lower level 426 . The number of vial fixtures may be increased or decreased within the true scope and spirit of the present invention. For example, at the exact time when vials 112 are in vial fixture 422 at the filler station 404 , another set of vials 112 are in another vial fixture 422 at the sealing station 406 , and at the first indexed unloading station 408 directly below station 406 , and at the second indexed unloading station 409 directly below station 404 , and at the third indexed unloading station 407 directly below station 402 , and at the loading station 402 on each of the two levels. As shown in FIG. 4, each level is positioned such that the levels are in tandem as they relate to each other. Additional levels could be added in the same manner. It is important to note that the exact number of vial fixtures is not important and various number of vial fixtures are within the true scope and spirit of the present invention.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 6 illustrates an isometric front and side view of the Stadium design type and illustrates the relative position of each level as it relates the loading, filling and sealing stations. For this design the filling of each vial 112 is accomplished with a distribution manifold, which is located above the filling station 404 over each level. So, for a two level Stadium design type machine, there are two sets of distribution manifolds, one positioned above the upper level 424 and the other position above the lower level 426 . Since the Stadium design type 400 uses tandem positions for each stackable level, there is no interference created by having more than one manifold. There is an ultrasonic generator and stack 606 consisting of a sonotrode, booster and horn for each level. Each stack 606 is encapsulated within an acoustic tile material rated specifically to reduce the noise associated with ultrasonic sealing. Controls 604 for the Stadium design 400 are similar to those described for the Ferris wheel design 100 and will be discussed in detailin FIG. 8.
[0041] These compact integrated designs use either impulse sealing or ultrasonic sealing methods to heat-seal and close the vials. Impulse sealing cycle times may range from 10-30 seconds whereas ultrasonic sealing cycle times vary from 1-5 seconds. Machine productivity is equal to number of vials processed multiplied by number of cycles in one minute. So, for example, a 5 second cycle time produces 20 cycles per minute, and if each cycle is sealing 24 vials, then total production is 24 vials per cycle multiplied by 20 cycles per minute or 480 vials per minute. Ultrasonic sealing provides the quickest cycle time, thus can increase productivity by as much as 800% over conventional existing methods or heat sealing apparatus as disclosed to date.
[0042] Both machine design types are expandable. The Ferris wheel type 100 expands by increasing the number of interconnected vial sets thus increasing the width of the machine. The Stadium type 400 expands by increasing the number of levels for increased machine height, and/or increasing number of interconnected vial sets for increased machine width.
Details of Vials
[0043] [0043]FIG. 7 illustrates an example of vials 112 and illustrates how vials could be interconnected to form a strip of vials. A strip of vials may contain any number of vials 112 . FIG. 7 also illustrates relative regions A and B of a vial 112 . Region A is the region sealed. Medicines are filled into the vial 112 and pass from region A to region B. Fill level resides in region B. The vials can be loaded as a unit using Loading station 102 in one embodiment where the strip of vials forms one unit. In FIG. 1, the strip is not shown and the perspective would be perpendicular to the paper. Vials from several manufactures have been shown to be used advantageously with the present invention including vials manufactured and/or distributed by STAT, AVERY, LETCO, BMJ/Adept vials.
Details of Control Logic
[0044] [0044]FIG. 8 illustrates exemplary control logic used to program the programmable logic controller of the control system used to manage the order of sequential and concurrent operations. The sequence of operations, as shown on the schematic, includes the following steps. Operator presses “Start” switch to begin operation. Relay 1 closes and is maintained. Index motor moves Indexer 1 to first station. After this first movement, Relay 5 is operated by the Microswitch 242 to close. Relay 5 energizes Relay 2 and Filler mechanism, holds if closed, and energizes Hydraulic Valve to move the Hydraulic Cylinder to prepare for heat sealing. At the end of Cylinder stroke, Microswitch 89 is closed, Relay 3 is energized and holds, and closes the Sealing Timer for Generator 1 and Generator 2 and Generator 3 (provided that these three Generator On/Off switches are closed). Sealing Timer starts and, when timer completes time cycle, Cooling Timer starts. After Cooling Timer completes, Relay 4 is energized which locks-in and also energizes the Cylinder's return stroke. Only when the Cylinder is in the return position will Microswitch 73 energize Relay 6 , which opens Relay 1 . This resets everything as well as the emergency STOP switch, if used. This system is foolproof because every action is consecutive, depending on the completion of the previous action. Pressing the Start Switch operates the Camco Indexer, Filler Pump, hydraulic cylinder, ultrasonic generators, cooling cylinder return, and Completion of Cycle. Operations are sequential. Filler circuit assures filling is completed before a cycle may continue. A safety feature is used to assure loading is completed before a cycle may continue.
[0045] An optional loading slide (not shown) is added to both the Ferris wheel embodiment and the Stadium embodiments so as to assist an operator in quickly loading strips of vials without the automatic attachment.
[0046] Moreover, an optional exit slide (not shown) to either of the embodiments described above for stadium and Ferris wheel is added. The exit slide gathers vials from the machine. The slide in one embodiment is motorized, as in a conveyor. In another embodiment, the slide works with gravity; and slide can expel vials either to a side of the machine or to front or back, or below machine.
[0047] Although specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed, those having ordinary skill in the art will understand that changes can be made to the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation to the teachings of the present invention without departing from the central inventive concepts described herein. Furthermore, an embodiment of the present invention may not include all of the features described above. The scope of the invention is not to be restricted, therefore, to the specific embodiments, and it is intended that the appended claims cover any and all such applications, modifications, and embodiments within the scope of the present invention.
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A vial closing machine includes an indexed mechanism to facilitate movement of vial fixtures between a plurality stations—loading, filling, sealing, and unloading; integration of a filler and manifold system, to dispense a pharmaceutical product equally into each of the vials; an electrical enclosure containing a programmable logic controller or a series of timers to control filler, sealing mechanism, indexer movement; a moveable heat sealing device providing pressure against an opposing respective device which creates pressured system required for sealing process; a material flattener, attached to the moveable heat sealing device, used to pre-flatten a vial below a sealing area in order to create a reliable seal without damaging the integrity of the vial material; and a means for removing filled and sealed vials from vial fixture. The vial closing machine may be one of two types—a Ferris wheel design type or a stadium design type.
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BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to latch mechanism assemblies, and more particularly to a latch mechanism assembly for a portable computer.
2. Description of Related Art
Typically, an electronic device, such as a portable computer, includes a cover unit and a base unit pivotably connected to the cover unit, and a latch mechanism is provided to lock the cover unit to the base unit.
As disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,115,239, a latch mechanism for locking a cover unit to a base unit includes a latch frame movably installed inside of the cover unit, a plurality of latches are formed on the latch frame at predetermined intervals, one end portion of each latch protrudes from a front surface of the cover unit, and a slide knob is operatively connected to the latch frame for concurrently operating the latches. The latches are inserted into and locked by latch grooves formed at positions corresponding to the latches on an upper surface of the base unit. The latches are urged against the base unit by elastic forces applied by double springs mounted to two ends of the latch frame. However, to open the cover unit, the slide knob is slid to counter the elastic forces of the springs and disengage the latch mechanism from the base unit. The sliding force depends on the friction between the slide knob and the operator's fingers. It is laborious for an operator to provide enough force to move a slide knob.
What is needed, therefore, is a labor saving latch mechanism assembly.
SUMMARY
In one embodiment, a chassis includes a cover unit, a base unit which includes a bottom panel and a cover panel fixed to the bottom panel, a through hole defined in the cover panel, and a latch mechanism assembly. The latch mechanism assembly includes a hook protruding from the cover unit, an operating apparatus mounted to the bottom panel, a supporting member mounted to the bottom panel, a latch member resiliently mounted to the supporting member, and a connecting pole connecting the latch member to the operating apparatus. The hook is capable of extending through the through hole of the cover panel. The latch member includes a latch portion capable of securing the hook. The latch member is capable of engaging the hook when the hook is located within the through hole, and the operating apparatus is capable of retracting the connecting pole and thus causing the latch member to disengage the hook.
Other advantages and novel features of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of an embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view of a latch mechanism assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention with a cover unit and a base unit, the base unit including a bottom panel and a cover panel, the latch mechanism assembly including an operating apparatus, two latch members, two connecting poles, and two mounting members;
FIG. 2 shows another view of the cover panel of FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the latch mechanism assembly with the bottom panel of FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the operating apparatus of FIG. 1 , but viewed from another aspect, the operating apparatus including a receiving member;
FIG. 5 is a view of the receiving member of FIG. 4 , but viewed from another aspect;
FIG. 6 is an assembled view of FIG. 4 ;
FIG. 7 is an assembled view of one latch member and one mounting member of FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 8 is an assembled view of FIG. 3 ;
FIG. 9 is a partially assembled view of FIG. 1 ; and
FIGS. 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of FIG. 9 , showing two using states respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , a latch mechanism assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention is provided for locking a cover unit 10 to a base unit 20 of an electronic device, such as a portable computer. The latch mechanism assembly includes two pins 12 fixed to the cover unit 10 , an operating apparatus 30 mounted to the base unit 20 , two latch members 40 , two connecting poles 50 , and two supporting members 60 .
Each pin 12 includes a tapered leading portion 122 formed at a free end thereof. An annular locking slot 124 is defined in the pin 12 in the vicinity of the leading portion 122 . The base unit 20 includes a bottom panel 22 , and a cover panel 24 covered on the bottom panel 22 . A plurality of electronic components, such as a motherboard, a power supply, data storage devices, and so on, is arranged between the bottom panel 22 and the cover panel 24 . Two through holes 242 are defined in the cover panel 24 corresponding to the pins 12 of the cover unit 10 .
Referring also to FIG. 3 , the bottom panel 22 has a flange 221 extending up from one side thereof. A receiving slot 224 is defined in a middle of the flange 221 . The bottom panel 22 includes two columns 222 adjacent to the receiving slot 224 , two locating rods 225 , and two mounting rods 226 adjacent to the locating rods 225 respectively extending up therefrom. A rib (not labeled) is formed on the bottom panel 22 connected to each column 222 . A mounting hole 223 is defined in each column 222 . The locating rods 225 and the mounting rods 226 are located away from the receiving slot 224 . A mounting hole 227 is defined in each mounting rod 226 .
Referring also to FIGS. 4 and 5 , the operating apparatus 30 includes a receiving member 31 , a first resilient member 32 , a second resilient member 33 , a driving member 34 , two linking members 35 , a cover 36 , and an operating member 37 . The receiving member 31 includes a bottom wall 311 , a first sidewall 312 perpendicularly extending up from a side of the bottom wall 311 , a second sidewall 313 perpendicularly extending up from an end of the bottom wall 311 and perpendicularly connected to one end of the first sidewall 312 , a third sidewall 314 opposite to the first sidewall 312 perpendicularly extending up from an opposite side of the bottom wall 311 and perpendicularly connected to the second sidewall 313 , and a fourth sidewall 315 opposite to the second sidewall 313 perpendicularly extending up from an opposite end of the bottom wall 311 and perpendicularly connected to the first sidewall 312 and the third sidewall 314 . Two through holes 3112 are defined in opposite ends of the bottom wall 311 outside of the second and fourth sidewalls 313 , 315 respectively. Three elongated locking slots 3114 are defined in the bottom wall 311 outside of the third sidewall 314 . A through slot 3122 is defined in a middle of the first sidewall 312 . Three protrusions which are not labeled extend from an inner surface of the first sidewall 312 . Three locking slots 3124 are defined in the first sidewall 312 below the three protrusions respectively and run through the first sidewall 312 . Two posts 3132 , 3152 extend up from the tops of the second sidewall 313 and the fourth sidewall 315 respectively, adjacent to the first sidewall 312 . Two cutouts 3134 , 3154 are defined in the second sidewall 313 and the fourth sidewall 315 respectively in the vicinity of the third sidewall 314 . Two posts 3142 extend up from the top of the third sidewall 314 . A post 3144 , as seen in FIG. 5 , extends towards the first sidewall 312 from a lower portion of the third sidewall 314 .
The first resilient member 32 is a compressing spring. The second resilient member 33 is a torsion spring. The second resilient member 33 includes two blocking ends.
The driving member 34 includes a Y-shaped main body. The main body includes an operating portion 342 and two driving portions 344 extending from an end of the portion 342 . A wedge-shaped block 3422 extends up from an opposite end of the operating portion 342 . A driving post 3442 extends up from each driving portion 344 . A shaft 346 extends between the driving portions 344 away from the operating portion 342 .
Each linking member 35 is rectangular-shaped. A first sliding slot 352 and a second sliding slot 354 are defined in two opposite sides of the linking member 35 adjacent to two diagonally opposite corners respectively. The first and second sliding slots 352 , 354 are parallel to each other. A locking hole 356 is defined in the linking member 35 at the same side as the first sliding slot 352 . A triangular slot is defined in the linking member 35 between the first and second sliding slots 352 , 354 . An slanted surface 358 is formed at an inner sidewall of the triangular slot.
The cover 36 includes a horizontal plate 362 and an upright plate 364 perpendicularly extending down from a side of the horizontal plate 362 . Two elongated slots 3622 parallel to the upright plate 364 are defined in the horizontal plate 362 , adjacent to a conjunction of the horizontal plate 362 and the upright plate 364 . Two limiting slots 3624 perpendicular to the elongated slots 3622 are defined in the horizontal plate 362 . Three engaging portions 3626 extend from an opposite side of the horizontal plate 362 . Two arc-shaped locking slots 3628 are defined in opposite ends of the horizontal plate 362 respectively, adjacent to the engaging portions 3626 . Three engaging portions 3642 extend down from a bottom of the upright plate 364 .
The operating member 37 defines a locking slot 372 configured for receiving the operating portion 342 of the driving member 34 .
Referring also to FIGS. 3 and 7 , each latch member 40 is made by bending a resilient metal wire. The latch member 40 includes a latch portion 42 in a middle thereof, two fixing portions 44 extending down from opposite ends of the latch portion 42 , and two resilient portions 46 extending from distal ends of the fixing portions 44 respectively. The latch portion 42 is generally U-shaped. A bending portion 442 extends in from a free end of each latch portion 42 . Each resilient portion 46 is helical.
Each connecting pole 50 is made of a metal wire, and includes a first connecting portion 52 and a second connecting portion 54 at opposite ends thereof, respectively.
Each supporting member 60 includes a base plate 61 , a columnar supporting portion 62 perpendicularly extending up from the base plate 61 . A plurality of ribs is formed between the base plate 61 and a circumference of the supporting portion 62 . The supporting portion 62 defines a locking hole 622 therein along its axis. A slot 626 is defined in the circumference of the supporting portion 62 and communicates with the locking hole 622 . A mounting hole 68 and a locating hole 69 are defined in the base plate 61 at opposite sides of the supporting portion 62 . Two notches 611 are defined in each side of the base plate 61 .
Referring also to FIG. 6 , in assembling the operating apparatus 30 , the second resilient member 33 fits the post 3144 of the third sidewall 314 of the receiving member 31 . The first resilient member 32 fits the shaft 346 of the driving member 34 . The driving member 34 with the first resilient member 32 is received in the receiving member 31 with the first resilient member 32 being compressed. One end of the first resilient member 32 engages with the driving member 34 , the other end of the first resilient member 32 engages with an inner surface of the third sidewall 314 of the receiving member 31 . The operating portion 342 of the driving member 34 extends through the through slot 3122 of the first sidewall 312 of the receiving member 31 . The operating member 37 fits the operating portion 342 via the locking slot 372 thereof. The block 3422 of the operating portion 342 is engaged with the operating member 37 in order to avoid the operating member 37 from being disengaged from the operating portion 342 of the driving member 34 .
One of the linking members 35 is supported by the second and third sidewalls 313 , 314 , and the other linking member 35 is supported by the third and fourth sidewalls 314 , 315 . The posts 3142 of the third sidewall 314 are inserted through the first sliding slots 352 of the linking members 35 , respectively. The post 3132 of the second sidewall 313 and the post 3152 of the fourth sidewall 315 are inserted through the second sliding slots 354 of the linking members 35 , respectively. The driving posts 3442 of the driving member 34 are received in the triangular slots of the linking members 35 , and engaged with the corresponding slanted surfaces 358 , respectively. Two blocking ends of the second resilient member 33 extend through the first sliding slots 352 of the linking members 35 and are engaged with the linking members 35 , respectively. The cover 36 covers the linking members 35 . The engaging portions 3626 of the horizontal plate 362 are engaged in the locking slots 3124 of the first sidewall 312 , respectively. The engaging portions 3642 of the upright plate 364 are engaged in the locking slots 3114 of the bottom wall 311 of the receiving member 31 , respectively. The locking slots 3628 of the horizontal plate 362 of the cover 36 are engaged with the post 3132 of the second sidewall 313 and the post 3152 of the fourth sidewall 315 respectively. The driving posts 3442 of the driving member 34 extend through the limiting slots 3624 of the cover 36 , respectively. The posts 3142 of the third sidewall 314 of the receiving member 31 extend through the elongated slots 3622 of the cover 36 , respectively.
Referring also to FIG. 7 , each latch member 40 is mounted to a corresponding supporting member 60 . The latch portion 42 of the latch member 40 is engaged in the slot 626 of the supporting member 60 . The fixing portions 44 of the latch member 40 are locked in the notches 611 of the base plate 61 respectively to fix the latch member 40 to the supporting member 60 .
Referring also to FIG. 8 , in assembly, two screws extend through the through holes 3112 of the bottom wall 311 of the receiving member 31 to be engaged in the mounting holes 223 of the columns 222 of the bottom panel 22 , for fixing the operating apparatus 30 to the bottom panel 22 . The operating member 37 of the operating apparatus 30 is received in the receiving slot 224 of the bottom panel 22 .
Each supporting member 60 is fixed to the bottom panel 22 via the corresponding locating rod 225 of the bottom panel 22 being engaged in the locating hole 69 of the supporting member 60 and a screw extending through the mounting hole 68 of the supporting member 60 to be engaged in the mounting hole 227 of the corresponding mounting rod 226 of the bottom panel 22 .
The connecting poles 50 are mounted between the operating apparatus 30 and the latch members 40 , respectively. The first connecting portion 52 of each connecting pole 50 is engaged in the locking hole 356 of a corresponding linking member 35 . The second connecting portion 54 of each connecting pole 50 is engaged with the corresponding latch member 40 , adjacent to the latch portion 42 , as shown in FIG. 9 . The cutout 3134 of the second sidewall 313 and the cutout 3154 of the fourth sidewall 315 of the receiving member 31 are configured for avoiding interference with the connecting poles 50 .
The cover panel 24 is fixed to the bottom panel 22 , thereby fully assembling the base unit 20 . The cover unit 10 is rotationally attached to the base unit 20 . The cover unit 10 is rotated to cover the base unit 20 when the electronic device is not in use. The leading portions 122 of the pins 12 of the cover unit 10 extend through the corresponding through holes 242 of the cover panel 24 of the base unit 20 to abut against the latch portions 42 of the corresponding latch members 40 . The cover unit 10 is further rotated, the leading portions 122 of the pins 12 deform the latch members 40 toward the operating apparatus 30 against the resilient portions 46 . After the leading portions 122 of the pins 12 entirely extend through the latch members 40 respectively, the latch portions 42 of the latch members 40 rebounds to be engaged in the locking slots 124 of the pins 12 respectively, as shown in FIG. 11 . Thus, the cover unit 10 is locked to the base unit 20 .
To unlock the cover unit 10 from the base unit 20 , the operating portion 37 of the operating apparatus 30 is pressed. The driving member 34 slides toward the third sidewall 314 of the receiving member 31 against the first resilient member 32 . The driving posts 3442 of the driving member 34 are engaged with the slanted surfaces 358 of the linking members 35 respectively, to move the linking members 35 toward each other. Each linking member 35 drives a corresponding connecting pole 50 to pull the latch portion 42 of the corresponding latch member 40 . The latch members 40 are to make the latch portions 42 from the corresponding locking slots 124 of the pins 12 , as shown in FIG. 10 . Therefore the cover unit 10 is released from the base unit 20 .
To unlock the cover unit 10 from the base unit 20 , the operating portion 37 of the operating apparatus 30 is pressed. The driving member 34 slides toward the third sidewall 314 of the receiving member 31 against the first resilient member 32 . The driving posts 3442 of the driving member 34 are engaged with the slanted surfaces 358 of the linking members 35 respectively, to move the linking members 35 toward each other. Each linking member 35 drives a corresponding connecting pole 50 to pull the latch portion 42 of the corresponding latch member 40 . The latch members 40 are to make the latch portions 42 from the corresponding locking slots 124 of the hooks 12 , as shown in FIG. 10 . Therefore the cover unit 10 is released from the base unit 20 .
It is to be understood, however, that even though numerous characteristics and advantages of the present invention have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of the structure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrative only, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts within the principles of the invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaning of the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.
For the sake of convenience, the reference numbers and what they represent are shown in the list as follows:
10
Cover unit
12
pin
122
Tapered leading
124
Locking slot
20
Base unit
22
Bottom panel
24
Cover panel
242
Through hole
221
Flange
222
Column
223
Mounting hole
224
Receiving slot
225
Locating rod
226
Mounting rod
227
Mounting hole
30
Operating apparatus
31
Receiving member
311
Bottom wall
3112
Through hole
3114
Locking slot
312
First sidewall
3122
Through hole
3124
Locking slot
313
Second sidewall
3132
Post
3134
Cutout
314
Third sidewall
3142
Post
3144
Post
315
Fourth sidewall
3152
Post
3154
Cutout
32
First resilient member
33
Second resilient member
34
Driving member
342
Operating portion
344
Driving portion
3422
Block
3442
Driving post
346
Shaft
35
Linking member
352
First sliding slot
354
Second sliding slot
356
Locking hole
358
Slanted surface
36
Cover
362
Horizontal plate
3622
Elongated slot
3624
Limiting slot
3626
Engaging portion
3628
Locking slot
364
Upright plate 364
3642
Engaging portion
37
Operating member
372
Locking slot
40
Latch member
42
Latch portion
44
Fixing portion
46
Resilient portion
442
Bending portion
50
Connecting pole
52
First connecting portion
54
Second connecting portion
61
Base plate
611
Notch
62
Supporting portion
622
Locking hole
626
Slot
68
Mounting hole
69
Locating hole
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A chassis includes a cover unit, a base unit which includes a bottom panel and a cover panel fixed to the bottom panel, a through hole defined in the cover panel, and a latch mechanism assembly. The latch mechanism assembly includes a hook protruding from the cover unit, an operating apparatus mounted to the bottom panel, a supporting member mounted to the bottom panel, a latch member resiliently mounted to the supporting member, and a connecting pole connecting the latch member to the operating apparatus. The hook is capable of extending through the through hole of the cover panel. The latch member includes a latch portion capable of securing the hook. The latch member is capable of engaging the hook when the hook is located within the through hole, and the operating apparatus is capable of retracting the connecting pole and thus causing the latch member to disengage the hook.
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[0001] This application claims the benefit of United States Provisional Application No. 60/178,006 filed on Jan. 24, 2000.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Generally the invention relates to a device for the protection of jambs, such as door openings, end walls, or the like from injury or damage resulting from contact with persons or objects. Specifically, the invention relates to force dissemination and force absorbtion technology and techniques which can be incorporated into jamb protection devices which may be removably applied to jambs.
[0003] Jambs are prone to damage. Whether the jamb is cased or uncased opening; defining a door, a window, or an arch, as examples, the jamb is prone to damage when persons or objects come in contact with them. The jamb may be particularly prone to damage during periods of construction or during periods when the tenants of a building are relocating. The persons or objects which come in contact with the jamb may also be injured as well.
[0004] There is a large commercial market for jamb protection systems. Because there is a large commercial demand for jamb protection systems, the designs and technology incorporated into jamb protection systems have taken a variety of forms. In spite of the variety of designs and technology available to potential buyers, substantial problems remain unresolved with providing a jamb protection system having sufficient force absorbance and force dissemination characteristics. As such, there is a continued demand in the marketplace for innovations in jamb protection technology.
[0005] A significant problem with existing jamb protection devices can be that the surfaces are not sufficiently force disseminating. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,203,130; 4,768,320; 5,737,878; and 5,799,443, each hereby incorporated by reference, many jamb protection devices fit snuggly to a door frame. The resulting configurations may present surface features that terminate in relatively small radius and therefore may not disseminate the force of contact over a large area either with respect to the jamb protection device or with respect to the object or person coming in contact with the jamb protection device.
[0006] A similar problem with existing jamb protection devices can be that the surfaces have insufficient force absorbance characteristics. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,203,130; 4,768,320; 5,737,878; and 5,799,443, each hereby incorporated by reference, these jamb protection devices are configured to have little or no space between the jamb and the jamb protection devices. This may not allow for adequate give or recoil of the jamb protection device upon coming in contact with an object or person.
[0007] A related problem with existing jamb protection devices that have little give or recoil may be injury to the person or object coming in contact with such a little give or recoil jamb protection device.
[0008] Another problem with existing jamb protection devices may be a lack of components to sufficiently grip the jamb. Door frame protection devices, as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,320; and 5,737,878, each hereby incorporated by reference, may come loose from the door frame when struck. A related problem as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,203,130; and 5,799,443; each hereby incorporated by reference, may be that the gripping components are not sufficiently hebetated. The gripping components may, as a result, damage the jamb themselves.
[0009] Another problem with existing jamb protection devices may be a lack of openings conformed to work around hinges, baseboards, or the like. Door frame protection devices such as those disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,320; 5,203,130; 5,737,878 and 5,779,443, each hereby incorporated by reference, do not have hinge accommodation openings or do not have base board accommodation openings. The lack of baseboard accommodation openings may cause the jamb protection device to be hard to use or become dislodged during use, both can be a frustration to the user.
[0010] Still another problem with existing jamb protection devices may be that they catch cords, hoses, lines, or the like. Door frame protection devices, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4768,320; 5,203,130; 5,737,898; and 5,799,443, each hereby incorporated by reference, have configurations which may catch cords, hoses, lines, or the like because they lack a rounded shape or lack baseboard adaptation openings allowing cords, or the like, to become snagged on the bottom of the jamb or on the bottom of the jamb protection device. Certain types of cords and hoses have metal connectors which may cause significant damage to the jamb as a result.
[0011] Yet another problem with existing jamb protection devices may be that they are difficult to use. For example, as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,130, hereby incorporated by reference, existing jamb protection devices often have straps or clips to secure the device to the jamb. Or as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,449, hereby incorporated by reference, the jamb protection device may use adjustable toothed clips that have to be cut to size to make a proper fit. Neither of these jamb protection devices have a size accommodating shape or quick fit design.
[0012] A related problem with existing jamb devices may be that they are cumbersome. As disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,130, hereby incorporated by reference, some jamb protection devices comprise a multiple component system which may be awkward for the user to carry and install. Or as disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 5,799,443, hereby incorporated by reference, the user may have to use a knife to cut pieces from the jamb device to allow the proper fit and then slip each leg extension into the correct tooth of the center section. The center section is similarly adjustable in this cumbersome manner. The use of such jamb devices having adjustable tooth clips and straps with clips and the like may be cumbersome to transport, awkward to install, and may be frustrating for the user.
[0013] Still another problem with existing jamb devices may be the lack of warning colors. Jamb devices such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,768,320; 5,203,130; 5,737,878; and 5,799,443, each hereby incorporated by reference, lack warning colors to draw attention to the device to reduce the incidence of impacts from persons or objects.
[0014] From the consumers point of view a problem with existing jamb devices may be increased expense. One aspect of this problem may be the that more complex jamb devices are more costly to produce and thereby more costly to purchase. Examples of such jamb protection devices may be disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,203,130; 5,799,443; and 4,768,320, each hereby incorporated by reference. Moreover, jamb devices with greater numbers of components may be more costly to maintain.
[0015] A second problem from the consumers point of view may be the amount of time to install more complex jamb devices such as disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,799,443, and 5,203,130. It simply may take more time to adjust straps and clips during installation of such complex jamb device to the jamb.
[0016] With respect to making and using jamb protection devices, the present invention discloses technology which addresses every one of the above-mentioned problems in a practical fashion.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0017] A broad object of the invention can be to protect jambs from damage due to contact with persons or objects. Due to the unresolved problems with respect to jamb protection, as described above, the objects of the invention are numerous.
[0018] A significant object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide a jamb protection system which absorbs the forces generated by contact with objects or persons. One aspect of this object may be to provide sufficient give and recoil so that impact to the jamb protection device may not transmit sufficient force to damage the jamb. Another aspect of this object may be to reduce damage to objects or reduce injury to persons which contact the jamb protection system.
[0019] Another significant object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide sufficient force dissemination on the surface of the jamb protection system. Force dissemination may reduce damage or injury to persons or objects which make contact with the jamb protection system and may also help eliminate the problem of cords, lines or hoses from catching or snagging on the jamb protection system.
[0020] Another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide sufficient grip to secure the jamb protection system to the jamb. One aspect of this object may be to provide grip components which provide sufficient securement to prevent the jamb protection system from becoming dislodged due to the usual forces encountered during use. Another aspect of this object may be to provide grips that help alleviate marring, scratching, or other damage to the jamb.
[0021] Another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide a jamb protection system which can have features conformed to hinge, baseboard, or other hardware or architectural configurations. One aspect of this object may be to allow for ease of installation. Another aspect of this object may be to provide for an installation which is properly aligned to the floor or to the jamb surfaces to help eliminate potential edges on which to snag or catch hose, lines, cords, or the like.
[0022] Still another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide features which help eliminate catching or snagging of hoses, lines, cords, or the like as such items are pulled over or slide in contact with the jamb protection system. One aspect of this object may be the above-mentioned aligned fit due to having a design conformed to hinges, base boards, or the like. Another aspect of this object is to provide sufficiently hebetated surfaces which cords, hoses, lines, or the like may slide or move easily over.
[0023] Yet another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to reduce damage or injury to objects or persons that make contact with the jamb protection system. One aspect of this object may be to provide force absorption elements which consume the force of impact with the jamb protection system. Another aspect of this object may be to provide force disseminating elements or elements sufficiently hebetated which can spread the impact of force over a greater surface area both with respect to the jamb protection system and the object or person contacting the system.
[0024] Another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to make the jamb protection system easy to use. One aspect of this object may be to reduce the number of components which make up the system. Another aspect of this object may be to reduce the number of steps required to install the jamb protection system on a jamb. A third aspect of this object may be to make a jamb protection system where one size of jamb protection device fits numerous sizes of jambs without modification.
[0025] Another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to make the jamb protection system less cumbersome. One aspect of this object may be to reduce the size of the jamb protection device. Another aspect of this object may be to reduce the weight of the jamb protection device by eliminating components such as snaps, clasps, straps, clips, or the like.
[0026] Yet another object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to provide informative indicia to the viewable surface of the jamb protection system. One aspect of this object may be a warning system to make the jamb protection system more noticeable. A second aspect of this object may be to provide information to persons around the jamb protection system, such as, off limits areas, safety glasses required, fire extinguishers, fire egress route instructions, or the like. A third aspect of this object may be to add color as a coding system for ready identification of different types of jamb protection devices.
[0027] Still another object of particular embodiments of the invention may be to provide gripping features that help eliminate damage to the jamb such as mars or scratches, or the like.
[0028] From the consumers point of view an object of particular embodiments of the invention can be to make the jamb protection system less expensive. This object may be accomplished by providing a jamb protection device having few components and which may be readily manufactured with a limited number of steps, or with personnel having less expertise.
[0029] Naturally, further independent objects of the invention are disclosed throughout other areas of the specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0030] [0030]FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a basic embodiment of the jamb protection system.
[0031] [0031]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 3 shows a cross section view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention.
[0033] [0033]FIG. 4 shows a cross section view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system installed to a cased jamb.
[0034] [0034]FIG. 5 shows a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention installed to a cased jamb.
[0035] [0035]FIG. 6 shows a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system having mitered corners.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 7 shows a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system having mitered corners.
[0037] [0037]FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention having an accommodation feature for a base board.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 9 shows a perspective view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention having an accommodation feature for a hinging system.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 10 shows a cross section view of a particular embodiment of the jamb protection system invention having a liner element.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0040] The invention provides a jamb protection system and the methods which disclose how to make and how to use jamb protection technology. This jamb protection technology satisfies a long felt desire on the part of consumers for a jamb protection system that affords enhanced force absorbtion and dissemination features that may be less complex, easier to use, or less expensive than existing jamb protection devices.
[0041] Referring first to FIGS. 1 and 2, a basic embodiment of the jamb protection invention is shown. This basic embodiment of the jamb protection invention can comprise a first compression surface ( 1 ), and a second compression surface ( 2 ). Understandably, the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) can be configured in a variety of ways so long as they can be positioned to direct compressive force toward a first wall surface ( 3 ) and a second wall surface ( 4 ) respectively as illustrated by FIG. 3. As such, the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) could merely comprise the terminal edges of a configured sheet of material as shown in FIG. 1.
[0042] As shown by FIG. 3, the first compression surface ( 1 ) or the second compression surface ( 2 ) may have additional features coupled to them to enhance their gripping capacity to the first wall surface ( 3 ) and the second wall surface ( 4 ), to the jamb ( 5 ), or other moldings ( 6 ) attached to the first wall surface ( 3 ), the second wall surface ( 4 ), or the jamb ( 5 ). Naturally, because such other moldings may take a variety of forms these gripping enhancement features may take a variety of forms which will be further discussed below.
[0043] As can be understood from FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 , the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) are a distance apart. Various embodiments of the invention may have different distances between the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) depending upon the distance between the first wall surface ( 3 ) and the second wall surface ( 4 ) in various applications. Similarly the height of the compression surfaces will vary with the actual height of the desired portion of the jamb to be protected.
[0044] Again referring to FIG. 1, the basic embodiment of the invention can comprise a compression generator ( 7 ). While the compression generator ( 7 ) in the embodiment of the inventions shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 has been incorporated into these embodiments through the type of material selected which is resiliently flexible, and by the configuration chosen, the compression generator ( 7 ) could also comprise band springs, springs, stretch cord, or other device which would resist the movement of the first compression surface ( 1 ) away from the second compression surface ( 2 ).
[0045] The embodiments of the invention shown by FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 , use a resiliently flexible material which upon extension returns substantially to the non-extended shape. This may be a plastic such as styrene, polyvinylchoride, ABS, or Kydex, as examples. Alternately, the material could be a metal such as aluminum or spring steel, or could be a laminate of the same or different plastics, plastic-paper, plastic-metal, or the like, as examples.
[0046] The embodiments of the invention shown by FIGS. 1 - 10 can further comprise a force dissemination surface ( 8 ) responsive to the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ). As can be understood, the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) can cover a desired portion of: the first wall surface ( 3 ), the second wall surface ( 4 ), the jamb ( 5 ) or associated moldings ( 6 ). The force dissemination surface ( 8 ) could take a variety of configurations so long the desired portion of the jamb is covered or protected from impact from objects or persons.
[0047] The force dissemination surface ( 8 ) can be configured as a cylindroid as shown by FIGS. 1, 2, and 3 having sufficient radius to minimize injury, prevent impalement, or prevent laceration to persons who may inadvertently fall in contact with the surface of the hebetated force dissemination surface ( 8 ). A radius of about half the width of the jamb may be typical. An embodiment of the invention used for standard architectural jambs may, for example, have a radius of between about 1 inch to about 3 inches. Naturally, the radius could be larger or smaller depending on the particular application.
[0048] Referring now to FIG. 2, the jamb protection system may further comprise a gripper element ( 9 ). The gripper element applies the compression force developed by the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) to the wall surfaces ( 3 ) ( 4 ), the jamb ( 5 ) features, or the molding ( 6 ) features to enhance the association of the invention with the jamb.
[0049] The gripper element ( 9 ) may also comprise an affirmatively selected gripper angle ( 10 ) which is selected to ascertain that the gripper element applies compression force to the jamb even when the first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) may be at full extension. The gripper element may terminate in a gripper augmentation element ( 11 ). The gripper augmentation element ( 11 ) may enhance the securement of the gripper element ( 9 ) to the jamb. The gripper augmentation element ( 11 ) may comprise a radially enlarged terminal of the gripper element as shown by FIG. 2, or it may comprise a textured or otherwise configured surface at the terminal of the gripper. The gripper augmentation element ( 11 ) may be made from plastic, rubber, elastic, or the like.
[0050] Particular embodiments of the jamb protection invention may be made as one piece or comprise a unitized construct having elements selected from the group consisting of the first compression surface ( 1 ), the second compression surface ( 2 ), the compression generator ( 7 ), the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) the gripper element ( 9 ). Each of the above-mentioned elements may be unitized in various combinations or permutations, or alternately may be assembled from separate components.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, particular embodiments of the invention may also comprise a crumple zone ( 12 ) defined by the configuration of the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) and the jamb ( 5 ) or other molding features ( 6 ) that allows the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) to give inwardly toward the jamb ( 5 ) helping to extinguish the forces of impact with the force dissemination surface ( 8 ). The crumple zone ( 12 ) could be, for example, the entire area defined by the radius of the cylindroid shaped force dissemination surface ( 8 ) and the jamb ( 5 ).
[0052] Referring to FIGS. 5 and 10, particular embodiments of the invention may also comprise a force absorption element ( 13 ). The force absorption element could be made of foam rubber, plastic having entrapped air, a corrugated material, or a Styrofoam® like product, as examples. The force absorption element could naturally be sized or shaped as desired.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 8, the jamb protection system may further comprise a projection accommodation element(s) ( 14 ). The projection accommodation element(s) allows the jamb protection system to be installed in circumstances where the first wall surface ( 3 ), the second wall surface ( 4 ), or the jamb ( 5 ) may have features which project outwardly. The projection accommodation element(s) ( 14 ) allows the jamb protection system to be installed over features such as baseboards, or the like.
[0054] Similarly, referring to FIG. 9, the projection accommodation element(s) ( 14 ) may have various embodiments to work around other common hardware such as a hinge accommodation element ( 15 ) shown. Projection accommodation elements ( 14 ) may also be developed to allow installation of the jamb protection invention in conjunction with other architectural design or hardware features.
[0055] Referring now to FIGS. 5 and 6, the jamb protection system can be used to protect a jamb ( 5 ) whether cased or uncased. The first compression surface ( 1 ) and the second compression surface ( 2 ) can be separated a distance greater than the distance of the first wall surface ( 3 ) and the second wall surface ( 4 ). The first compression surface ( 1 ) is positioned against the first wall surface ( 3 ). The second compression surface ( 2 ) is positioned against the second wall surface ( 4 ). The desired portion of the jamb ( 5 ) can be covered by the force dissemination surface element ( 8 ). The compression generator ( 7 ) applies compressive force to the first compression surface ( 1 ) and to the second compression surface ( 2 ) allowing the compression surfaces or the gripper elements ( 9 ) to associate with the first wall surface ( 3 ) and the second wall surface ( 4 ) by application of compressive force. By positioning the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) in this manner the force dissemination surface ( 8 ) and the jamb ( 5 ) define the crumple zone ( 12 ). To remove the jamb protection system these steps are reversed.
[0056] Referring now to FIG. 6, the jamb protection system may be tailored to be complementary with the entire jamb. An embodiment of the invention may comprise matching mitered corners The miter could be adjusted depending on the geometric configuration of the jamb. Custom shaped jamb protection devices could be made to protect arches or other architectural configured jambs.
[0057] Again to FIG. 2, the jamb protection system may further incorporate informative indicia ( 16 ) such as colored elements, reflective elements, glow-in-the-dark elements or alpha-numerical elements as a means of warning, identification, or conveyance of information and the like.
[0058] The discussion included in this application is intended to serve as a basic description. The reader should be aware that the specific discussion may not explicitly describe all embodiments possible; many alternatives are implicit. It also may not fully explain the generic nature of the invention and may not explicitly show how each feature or element can actually be representative of a broader function or of a great variety of alternative or equivalent elements. Again, these are implicitly included in this disclosure. Where the invention is described in functionally-oriented terminology, each aspect of the function is accomplished by a device. Apparatus claims may not only be included for the devices described, but also method or process claims may be included to address the functions the invention and each element performs. Neither the description nor the terminology is intended to limit the scope of the claims.
[0059] Further, each of the various elements of the invention and claims may also be achieved in a variety of manners. This disclosure should be understood to encompass each such variation, be it a variation of any apparatus embodiment, a method or process embodiment, or even merely a variation of any element of these. Particularly, it should be understood that as the disclosure relates to elements of the invention, the words for each element may be expressed by equivalent apparatus terms or method terms—even if only the function or result is the same. Such equivalent, broader, or even more generic terms should be considered to be encompassed in the description of each element or action. Such terms can be substituted where desired to make explicit the implicitly broad coverage to which this invention is entitled. As but one example, it should be understood that all actions may be expressed as a means for taking that action or as an element which causes that action. Similarly, each physical element disclosed should be understood to encompass a disclosure of the action which that physical element facilitates. Regarding this last aspect, as but one example, the disclosure of a “compression generator” should be understood to encompass disclosure of the act of “generating compression”—whether explicitly discussed or not—and, conversely, were there only disclosure of the act of “generating compression”, such a disclosure should be understood to encompass disclosure of a “compression generation” and even a means for “generating compression”. Such changes and alternative terms are to be understood to be explicitly included in the description.
[0060] Additionally, the various combinations and permutations of all elements or applications can be created and presented. All can be done to optimize the design or performance in a specific application.
[0061] Any acts of law, statutes, regulations, or rules mentioned in this application for patent: or patents, publications, or other references mentioned in this application for patent are hereby incorporated by reference. Specifically, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 60/178,006 is hereby incorporated by reference herein including any figures or attachments, and each of the references in the Information Disclosure Statement are hereby incorporated by reference.
[0062] In addition, as to each term used it should be understood that unless its utilization in this application is inconsistent with such interpretation, common dictionary definitions should be understood as incorporated for each term and all definitions, alternative terms, and synonyms such as contained in the Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, second edition are hereby incorporated by reference. However, as to each of the above, to the extent that such information or statements incorporated by reference might be considered inconsistent with the patenting of this/these invention(s) such statements are expressly not to be considered as made by the applicant(s).
[0063] In addition, unless the context requires otherwise, it should be understood that the term “comprise” or variations such as “comprises” or “comprising”, are intended to imply the inclusion of a stated element or step or group of elements or steps but not the exclusion of any other element or step or group of elements or steps. Such terms should be interpreted in their most expansive form so as to afford the applicant the broadest coverage legally permissible in countries such as Australia and the like.
[0064] Thus, the applicant(s) should be understood to claim at least: i) each of the embodiments of the jamb protection system as herein disclosed and described, ii) the related methods disclosed and described, iii) similar, equivalent, and even implicit variations of each of these devices and methods, iv) those alternative designs which accomplish each of the functions shown as are disclosed and described, v) those alternative designs and methods which accomplish each of the functions shown as are implicit to accomplish that which is disclosed and described, vi) each feature, component, and step shown as separate and independent inventions, vii) the applications enhanced by the various systems or components disclosed, viii) the resulting products produced by such systems or components, and ix) methods and apparatuses substantially as described hereinbefore and with reference to any of the accompanying examples, and x) the various combinations and permutations of each of the elements disclosed.
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A jamb protection system that may be installed to jambs to reduce damage to the jamb or injury to persons working around jambs. Force absorbing and disseminating elements help to spread and transmit forces applied to the jamb protection system.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based on a prior provisional application Ser. No. 60/649,374, filed on Feb. 1, 2005, the benefit of the filing date of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e).
BACKGROUND
Large numbers of older oil wells in the U.S. bypassed relatively thin oil-bearing formations, whose recovery was not economical at the time those wells were drilled. Production of oil from formations that were thus bypassed represents a significant opportunity in an era of higher oil prices. Many of these previously bypassed zones are now being reworked. Oil production from thin zones and depleted older producing zones is commonly accompanied by substantial water production. Hydraulic fracturing is the principal technique for stimulating production from thin zones and depleted fields. This technique typically results in a pair of vertical wing fractures extending into the formation. In thin zones or depleted formations, the fractures commonly intersect water-bearing formations, resulting in the recovery of oil cut with water. The cost of separating the oil from the recovered oil and water mixture, and disposing of the water, is significant.
Jet drilling rotors are capable of drilling porous rock such as sandstone, with low thrust and zero mechanical torque. These tools can be made very compact, enabling the tools to conform to a small bend radius. Ultra-short radius jet drilling offers the potential to drill production holes entirely within the oil- or gas-bearing volume of a producing formation, or within a previously bypassed formation, such as those noted above. This approach should minimize the amount of water recovered with the oil, while simultaneously enabling the recovery of oil from a relatively large area.
Lateral completion wells in thin producing zones with good vertical permeability provide the greatest potential for increased production relative to vertical wells. The target formations for lateral drilling are typically relatively thin (i.e., ranging from about 2 to about 10 meters in thickness) formations that were bypassed in existing production wells. Jet drilling tools provide effective drilling at minimal thrust in permeable oil and gas producing formations, but may not effectively drill through impermeable cap-rock. The objective when drilling such formations is to drill a curved well within the formation thickness, implying the need to drill around a short radius curve having a minimum radius of about 1 meter (40 inches). Working within such a tight radius cannot be achieved using small diameter steel or titanium coiled tubing without exceeding the elastic yield of the tubing and generating a set bend that prevents subsequent straight hole drilling. Composite tubing capable of elastic bending through a small bend radius is available (for example, from Hydril Advanced Composites Group of Houston, Tex.). Unfortunately, such composite tubing generally exhibits maximum pressure ratings of about 35 MPa (˜5000 psi), which is too low for many jet drilling objectives. Wire-wound high-pressure hose capable of bending though a short radius is also available (for example, from the Parflex Division of the Parker Hannifin Corporation in Ravenna, Ohio). Unfortunately, such wire-wound high-pressure hose is very flexible, and will buckle if employed to drill lateral completion wells. It would therefore be desirable to provide a hose assembly configured to deliver high-pressure jetting fluid to a jet drilling tool, where the hose assembly is sufficiently flexible to pass through a short radius curve without damage or acquiring a permanent set, yet is stiff enough to drill a long lateral extension without buckling or locking up in the hole.
SUMMARY
Disclosed herein is a sleeved hose assembly configured to facilitate the drilling of a long lateral extension through a short radius curve without buckling. As noted above, conventional wire-wound high-pressure hoses are not configured to exhibit transverse moduli sufficient to prevent such buckling from occurring during the drilling of a long lateral extension. The sleeved hose assembly disclosed herein includes both a wire-wound high-pressure hose having a transverse stiffness insufficient to prevent such buckling from occurring, and a sleeve having a transverse stiffness that is sufficient to prevent such buckling from occurring. The wire-wound high-pressure hose is inserted into the sleeve to achieve a sleeved hose assembly having a transverse stiffness sufficient to prevent buckling. As disclosed in greater detail below, a critical buckling load can be determined for a particular drilling application. Based on the critical buckling load that is thus determined, an adequate sleeve material can be selected. In a particularly preferred embodiment, the sleeve material exhibits a transverse modulus of at least about 10 GPa. It should be recognized however, that such a figure is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting. Carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites can be used to provide the sleeve, although other types of reinforcing fibers, such as fiberglass or aramid fiber, may be employed. The use of composite sleeve materials also reduces the weight and sliding friction resistance of the sleeved hose assembly, which allows drilling of longer laterals before buckling occurs. Because the composite material retains its elasticity, it will straighten upon exiting the curve, allowing straight drilling of lateral holes.
Also disclosed herein is a method for drilling a short radius curve using such a sleeved hose assembly and a method for drilling a lateral borehole using such a sleeved hose assembly.
Another aspect of this novel approach is directed to a method for drilling an ultra-short radius curve using a rotating jetting tool with a bent housing. The method includes the steps of selecting a wire-wound high-pressure hose capable of withstanding a fluid pressure required to operate the rotating jetting tool that will be used to drill the ultra-short radius curve. A sleeve is selected that is capable of jacketing the wire-wound high-pressure hose. The wire-wound high-pressure hose is then inserted into the sleeve to achieve a sleeved hose assembly. A drill string including the sleeved hose assembly and the rotating jetting tool is assembled, and the drill string is inserted into a borehole. The jetting tool incorporates a bent housing to facilitate drilling of the curved hole. A pressurized fluid is introduced into the sleeved hose assembly to energize the rotating jetting tool. The rotating jetting tool is then used to drill the short radius curve.
The method for drilling the lateral borehole includes the steps of selecting a wire-wound high-pressure hose capable of withstanding a fluid pressure required to operate a drilling tool to be used to drill the lateral drainage borehole, wherein a transverse stiffness of the wire-wound high-pressure hose is insufficient to prevent buckling of the wire-wound high-pressure hose during lateral drilling. A sleeve is selected that is capable of jacketing or encompassing the wire-wound high-pressure hose, and having a transverse stiffness sufficient to prevent buckling of the wire-wound high-pressure hose when jacketed/encompassed by the sleeve during lateral drilling. The wire-wound high-pressure hose is then inserted into the sleeve to achieve a sleeved hose assembly. A drill string is assembled that includes the sleeved hose assembly and a straight drilling tool, and the drill string is inserted into a borehole. A pressurized fluid is introduced into the sleeved hose assembly to energize the drilling tool, and the drilling tool is used to drill the lateral drainage borehole, without danger of the wire-wound high-pressure hose buckling during the lateral drilling.
Alternatively, a mechanism may be incorporated into the bent housing, which causes it to straighten when subjected to a change in pressure or axial load. For example, the housing could incorporate a knuckle joint that bends at high load, enabling the tool to drill a curve, but then straighten at a lower load, enabling straight hole drilling. Exemplary (but not limiting) high load (or high pressure) conditions can range from about 1000 psi to about 10,000 psi, while exemplary (but not limiting) low load (or low pressure) conditions can range from about 0 psi to about 500 psi. Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that such a pressure/load actuated bendable housing can be configured to predictably respond to various pressure/load conditions.
Because such ultra-short radius curves are particularly useful for drilling lateral extensions in relatively thin producing zones, additional desirable steps include selecting a sleeve having a transverse stiffness sufficient to prevent the wire-wound high-pressure hose from buckling during the short radius curve drilling, and drilling lateral extensions beyond the short radius curve.
This Summary has been provided to introduce a few concepts in a simplified form that are further described in detail below in the Description. However, this Summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter.
DRAWINGS
Various aspects and attendant advantages of one or more exemplary embodiments and modifications thereto will become more readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 (Prior Art) schematically illustrates a conventional wire-wound high-pressure hose that is sufficiently flexible to be used for lateral drilling, but which is not stiff enough to be used for lateral drilling without buckling;
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a sleeved hose assembly that includes a wire-wound high pressure hose encompassed in a structural sleeve configured to prevent buckling of the sleeved hose assembly during lateral drilling;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view of the sleeved hose assembly of FIG. 2 ;
FIG. 4A schematically illustrates placement of a whipstock assembly in a vertical well;
FIG. 4B schematically illustrates milling of a window in the casing of a vertical well;
FIG. 4C schematically illustrates spooling of the sleeved hose assembly into the well;
FIG. 4D schematically illustrates a spring-biased housing of a rotary jetting tool being bent as it is loaded against a whipstock;
FIG. 4E schematically illustrates drilling of a short radius curve, with the spring-biased housing of the rotary jetting tool of FIG. 4D in the bent position;
FIG. 4F schematically illustrates drilling of a straight lateral hole, with the spring-biased housing of the rotary jetting tool of FIG. 4D in the straight position;
FIG. 5 illustrates a rotary jet drill incorporating a bent housing being used to drill a short radius curved hole;
FIG. 6 illustrates a rotary jet drill incorporating a straight housing being used to drill a straight lateral hole;
FIG. 7A schematically illustrates a spring-biased housing in a straight configuration;
FIG. 7B schematically illustrates a spring-biased housing in a bent configuration; and
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates a spring-biased housing being bent by a whipstock.
DESCRIPTION
Figures and Disclosed Embodiments Are Not Limiting
Exemplary embodiments are illustrated in referenced Figures of the drawings. It is intended that the embodiments and Figures disclosed herein are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
Those of ordinary skill in the art will readily recognize that FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a Prior Art wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 . In its simplest form, a wire-wound hose includes an inner rubber or plastic hose 12 encapsulated by a metal sheath (preferably of wire or metal braid). Wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 includes two spiral-wound wire layers 14 and 16 , and an outer protective layer 18 . Additional spiral wound layers may be employed to provide higher pressure capacity. The material used to implement protective layer 18 generally depends upon the intended use of the wire-wound hose. When the wire-wound hose is intended to be used in corrosive environments, protective layer 18 typically comprises a polymer. When the wire-wound hose is intended to be used in environments where abrasion resistance is important, protective layer 18 typically comprises a layer of steel braid. Significantly, protective layer 18 in conventional wire-wound hoses is not intended to provide significant structural support. That is, the prior art does not teach or suggest that the material used for protective layer 18 should exhibit sufficient stiffness to enable wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 to be used for lateral drilling applications without buckling.
FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a sleeved hose assembly 22 specifically configured to facilitate the drilling of short radius lateral wells. Significantly, sleeved hose assembly 22 can be used with high-pressure fluids, is sufficiently flexible to achieve short radius bends (i.e., bends having a minimum radius of curvature of about 1 meter), and exhibits sufficient stiffness to prevent buckling during lateral drilling. Essentially, sleeved hose assembly 22 is achieved by jacketing wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 within a separate sleeve 20 , where sleeve 20 comprises a material that exhibits a transverse stiffness sufficient to prevent buckling during lateral drilling. A particularly preferred material for sleeve 20 is a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite. Critical buckling loads for drilling applications and the transverse moduli required to enable lateral drilling without buckling are discussed in greater detail below. While carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composites represent a particularly preferred material for implementing sleeve 20 , it should be recognized that such a material is intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting. Other materials having a sufficient transverse stiffness (as discussed in detail below) can also be beneficially employed. Particularly preferred materials will provide the required transverse stiffness, and will also be sufficiently flexible to traverse a short radius curve (i.e., a curve having a minimum radius of curvature of about 1 meter, and a maximum radius of up to about 10 meters).
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of sleeved hose assembly 22 , including wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 and sleeve 20 inside a lateral bore 36 . Preferably, wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 supports or enables pumping of fluid at pressures from about 20 MPa to about 400 MPa (i.e., from about 3,000 to about 60,000 psi).
An exemplary deployment sequence for the sleeved hose assembly is schematically and sequentially illustrated in FIGS. 4A-4F . Referring to FIG. 4A , the sleeved hose assembly is preferentially deployed using a relatively low-cost workover rig 40 , equipped with tools 43 for pulling and setting oil and gas production tubing. A first step, schematically illustrated in FIG. 4A , involves lowering a whipstock 42 mounted on a distal end of tubing 41 (preferably jointed tubing) into a well 28 . The jointed tubing has an inside diameter that is equal to, or slightly larger than, the diameter of the lateral to be drilled, which helps to stabilize the sleeved hose assembly in the tubing and provides a high velocity flow path that helps facilitate transport of the cuttings liberated during drilling. Whipstock 42 is lowered to the desired depth, oriented azimuthally, and suspended in the well. If the well is cased at the depth of the desired lateral, a window may be milled into the casing using a hydraulic motor 45 and a mill 44 equipped with a knuckle joint 46 to allow milling of a relatively short window, as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4B . Power for milling is supplied by a pump 47 . If the well is not cased, this step (i.e., the window milling step shown in FIG. 4B ) is not required.
FIG. 4C schematically illustrates sleeved hose assembly 22 and a jet drill 34 (i.e., a rotary jetting tool) being spooled into well 28 from a reel 48 . Jet drill 34 is disposed at a distal end of sleeved hose assembly 22 . The proximal end of sleeved hose assembly 22 is then attached to a high pressure tubing 26 , which is then tripped into well 28 by workover rig 40 , as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4D . When jet drill 34 encounters whipstock 42 , a spring-biased housing 37 (details of which are provided below) is forced to bend. Bending is indicated on the surface by a decrease in the weight, which can readily be detected at workover rig 40 . Drilling fluid is then supplied to jet drill 34 via a high-pressure pump 24 (through high pressure tubing 26 and sleeved hose assembly 22 ), which causes spring-biased housing 37 to lock in the bent position. Once the pressure at the jet drill 34 reaches a level required to drill, the bend in spring-biased housing 37 will enable a short radius curved path 30 to be drilled, as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4E . The tubing (high pressure tubing 26 , sleeved hose assembly 22 , spring-biased housing 37 , and jet drill 34 ) is advanced through a distance equal to an arc required to incline the drill to a desired inclination (90 degrees for the case illustrated in FIG. 4E ), to allow drilling of a horizontal lateral.
At this point, high-pressure pump 24 is stopped, so that the pressure in high pressure tubing 26 , sleeved hose assembly 22 , and jet drill 34 decreases. The tubing (high pressure tubing 26 , sleeved hose assembly 22 , spring-biased housing 37 , and jet drill 34 ) is then un-weighted and pulled up slightly, to allow the bend in spring-biased housing 37 to straighten. Once the bend in spring-biased housing 37 is removed, the now straight housing enables: a lateral well extension 32 to be drilled, as is schematically illustrated in FIG. 4F . The process can be repeated multiple times without tripping sleeved hose assembly 22 out of well 28 . Once the lateral well extension is complete, sleeved hose assembly 22 , spring-biased housing 37 , and jet drill 34 are retracted into the jointed tubing 41 . Whipstock 42 can then be repositioned at any desired depth or azimuth. Tubing hangers (not specifically shown) can be used to suspend high pressure tubing 26 in jointed tubing 41 . Both strings (i.e., the first string comprising high pressure tubing 26 , sleeved hose assembly 22 , spring-biased housing 37 , and jet drill 34 , and the second string comprising jointed tubing 41 ) can then be indexed upwards by a single joint. An outer tubing joint can next be disconnected to expose an inner tubing joint. The inner tubing can be hung in the outer tubing, and the two upper joints of the tubing can be removed. Jet drilling can then resume, generally as shown in FIGS. 4D and 4E . This procedure is intended to be exemplary, and other related procedures will be apparent to those skilled in the art of handling concentric jointed tubing.
FIG. 5 schematically illustrates short radius curved hole 30 being drilled by jet drill 34 , which is attached to sleeved hose assembly 22 by spring-biased housing 37 (shown here in a bent configuration), generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 4E . The radius of curvature of the hole will be defined by three points of contact, including jet drill 34 , the outer diameter of spring-biased housing 37 , and a point of contact somewhere along sleeved hose assembly 22 . Those skilled in the art of directional drilling will recognize that stabilizers (preferably two) can be incorporated along the housing to define additional contact points, in order to define the radius of curvature more accurately.
FIG. 6 schematically illustrates lateral well extension 32 (a straight lateral hole) being drilled by rotary jetting tool 34 , which is attached to sleeved hose assembly 22 by spring-biased housing 37 (shown here in a straight configuration), generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 4F . Because the jet drill face is larger in diameter than the sleeved hose assembly, this configuration will tend to drill a hole with a slight upwards bend. Those skilled in the art will recognize that a stabilizer may be incorporated on the housing if a truly straight hole is desired.
FIG. 7A schematically illustrates spring-biased housing 37 in a straight configuration, while FIG. 7B schematically illustrates spring-biased housing 37 in a bent configuration. These Figures enable details of a preferred embodiment of spring-biased housing 37 to be visualized. This embodiment enables spring-biased housing 37 to transition from a curved or bent configuration (to enable the drilling of a curved hole) to a straight configuration (to enable drilling of a straight hole, such as a lateral extension) without pulling the assembly out of the hole. In such an embodiment, spring-biased housing 37 incorporates a knuckle joint 50 that includes a ball and a socket with internal flow passages. In these Figures, spring-biased housing 37 is shown with rotary jet drill 34 attached to its distal end. A spring 51 biases knuckle joint 50 to be straight when the tool is lying horizontally and is attached to the sleeved hose assembly. Alternative spring configurations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. The spring is sufficiently compliant that a side load on the nozzle head will cause the joint to bend as shown in FIG. 7B . For example, the spring can be sized to allow the knuckle joint to bend when the tool is forced at a load in excess of about 100 lbf into the angled whipstock shown in FIGS. 4A-4F (i.e., whipstock 42 ). The knuckle joint allows the tool to bend in the direction of the whipstock. When internal pressure is applied to the knuckle joint while it is bent, friction between the ball and socket is sufficient to lock the joint in the bent position. When pressure is applied to the knuckle joint while it is straight, friction between the ball and socket will lock the joint in the straight position.
FIG. 8 schematically illustrates spring-biased housing 37 being bent by a whipstock 42 , generally as discussed above with respect to FIG. 4D . As jet drill 34 exits jointed tubing 41 , it is deflected to the side by the slope of whipstock 42 . When high pressure tubing 26 providing fluid to sleeved hose assembly 22 is substantially un-pressurized, the side load will cause spring biased housing 37 to bend. Exemplary (but not limiting) high load/high pressure conditions causing spring biased housing 37 to lock in a position can range from about 1000 psi to about 10,000 psi, while exemplary (but not limiting) low load/low pressure conditions enabling spring biased housing 37 to bend can range from about 0 psi to about 500 psi.
Exemplary Properties of the Sleeved Hose Assembly
The critical buckling load for a tube in a horizontal well (expressed in Newtons (N)) is defined as:
F crit = 2 E I w r ,
where E is the transverse stiffness of the tube material in Pascals (Pa), I is the beam section moment of inertia in m 4 , w is the weight of the tube per unit length (expressed in N/m), and r is the radial clearance between the tube and the borehole (expressed in meters).
Steel wire-wound hose (i.e., wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 ) is used to provide mass, w, which helps to stabilize sleeved hose assembly 22 against buckling. In an exemplary preferred embodiment, sleeve 20 is formed of a carbon fiber reinforced epoxy composite material. The composite sleeve provides a substantially higher transverse stiffness obtained from the product of modulus, E, and moment of inertia, I, than is available from wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 alone. The composite sleeve (i.e., sleeve 20 ) also reduces the clearance, r, between the sleeve assembly and the borehole. In one particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, sleeved hose assembly 22 exhibits the following properties:
TABLE 1
Exemplary Properties of Sleeved Hose Assembly
Wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 outer diameter
25
mm
Wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 inner diameter
13
mm
Wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 submerged weight
3.1
N/m
Wire-wound high-pressure hose 10 pressure capacity
180
MPa
Composite sleeve 20 inner diameter
25.4
mm
Composite sleeve 20 outer diameter
33
mm
Composite sleeve 20 transverse modulus
10
GPa
Minimum bend radius
762
mm
Lateral Hole diameter
44
mm
Critical buckling load
1548
N
It should be recognized that the above identified properties are intended to be exemplary, rather than limiting. A rotary jet drill of this size may require 200 N of axial thrust for effective drilling. The additional thrust is used to overcome the frictional resistance due to the submerged weight of the sleeved hose in the borehole. Assuming a sliding friction coefficient of 0.5, this assembly could be used to drill an 800 m lateral without buckling.
Although the present invention has been described in connection with the preferred form of practicing it and modifications thereto, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand that many other modifications can be made to the present invention within the scope of the claims that follow. Accordingly, it is not intended that the scope of the invention in any way be limited by the above description, but instead be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
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A sleeved hose assembly for lateral jet drilling through an ultra-short radius curve. The sleeved hose assembly includes a wire-wound high-pressure hose inserted inside a reinforcing sleeve. In general, wire-wound high-pressure hoses exhibit transverse moduli that are insufficient to resist buckling forces encountered during lateral drilling. A sleeve is selected to encompass a wire-wound high-pressure hose and to exhibit a transverse stiffness sufficient to prevent the combination of the wire-wound high-pressure hose and the sleeve (i.e., a “sleeved hose assembly”) from buckling during lateral drilling. Also disclosed are a method for drilling a lateral borehole using such a sleeved hose assembly, and a method for drilling an ultra-short radius curve using such a sleeved hose assembly. In a particularly preferred exemplary embodiment, the sleeve includes a fiber reinforced epoxy composite having a transverse modulus of about 10 GPa.
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CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application is a continuation-in-part application of my pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/387,583, filed May 6, 2009 for a Storm Water Filter System Having a Floating Skimmer Apparatus; which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/315,820, filed Dec. 8, 2008, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,846,327 for a Storm Water Filter System Having a Floating Skimmer Apparatus; and which claims the benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/009,086, filed Dec. 27, 2007 for a Floating Skimmer Apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm water passing through a storm water drain system and more specifically, the present invention is directed towards a storm water filtering system having a floatable skimmer therein for capturing floatable debris and trash from the storm water and separate filtration of non-floatable pollutants from water passing therethrough.
Federal clean water requirements require that water bodies such as lakes and rivers meet strict minimal water quality specifications. To achieve this end, storm water drainage pipes often require treatment before conveying storm water into receiving water bodies. As a result, a wide variety of technologies have been developed to treat storm water and improve the water quality.
A common variety of storm water treatment systems are hydrodynamic separators such as baffle boxes and vortex systems. Hydrodynamic separators can treat relatively large water flows and are good for removing solids that are relatively large in size. Hydrodynamic separators do very little to remove the dissolved pollutants and have a typically poor removal efficiency for fine particles.
To achieve water treatment beyond what can be accomplished by a hydrodynamic separator, another class of storm water treatment systems commonly referred to as filtration systems are used. Filtration systems typically will pass the water flow through a filter media such as sand, zeolite, activated carbon, and the like. Filter media is typically selected to do more than remove solids from the water flow. Depending on the pollutants of concern, filter media can be selected to remove specific dissolved pollutants such as nutrients, metals, or a wide variety of chemical contaminates. However, a problem with using filter media in a storm water treatment system is the significant influence of friction between the water and the media. In addition, changing the direction of water flow as it passes through a filtration system reduces the kinetic energy of the water flow which will reduce the volume water flow. During big rain events a storm water filtration system in a storm water pipe can significantly inhibit the passage of water and cause flooding upstream from the filtration system. If the filtration system becomes clogged with debris the water flow can be completely stopped.
The purpose of the present invention is to be able to treat the storm water flow with a storm water filtration system that is resistant to clogging, yet be able to pass large water flows during large rain events. In this way filter media can be incorporated into the treatment of storm water without the potential of flooding upstream caused by the filtration system. The invention can be described as a vault that contains a floating skimmer system with an up-flow filtration system. The skimmer system portion of the invention will be positioned in line with the water flow and will divert the water flow through the filtration system. The water flow will then flow through the filter where it is treated by the media. Once the water flow has passed through the filter it will continue down stream. During large rain events that cause the water levels within the invention to rise, the floating skimmer will also rise and allow water to flow under the skimmer and by-pass the filter by-pass the filtration treatment.
The invention has two primary components that work in concert with each other. The floating skimmer system acts to direct the water flow down toward the underside of the skimmer and through the filter during low to medium flow rates. During large flow rates the floating skimmer reacts to allow the high flow rates to pass straight ahead through the vault with minimal friction. The up-flow filter provides treatment to the water flow during low to medium flow rates and is resistant to clogging due to its design and nature.
In the present invention a relative short floating skimmer is used and has the same performance of a much taller fixed skimmer without the head loss associated with a taller skimmer by opening up a larger passageway under the skimmer. A storm water treatment structure that makes use of a floating skimmer can be more easily retrofitted to an existing water shed storm drain system due to the minimal head loss of the shorter skimmer.
In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,525 for a Storm Drain Filter System I show a storm drain filter system which includes a skimmer for collecting floating hydrocarbons and for absorbing the hydrocarbons in a hydrocarbon absorbing boom while preventing them from passing out of the skimmer. In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 7,294,256 for a Storm Water Filter System, a storm water filter system is provided for filtering storm water being fed into an in-ground well and uses a fixed skimmer to prevent floating organic debris from entering the discharge into the in-ground recharge well.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm water passing through a storm water drain system. The storm water filtering system has a floatable skimmer therein for capturing floatable debris and trash from the storm water and a separate filtration system to filter non-floatable pollutants from water passing therethrough. The storm water filter system has a housing having a chamber therein having an inlet and an outlet. A skimmer frame having a pair of side tracks is mounted to said housing inside the housing chamber between the inlet and outlet. A skimmer panel has a top and a bottom and is movably mounted in the skimmer frame tracks and positioned to form a passageway under the bottom of the skimmer. A filter element is attached to the skimmer frame below the skimmer panel for passing storm water therethrough. Storm water is forced under the bottom of the floatable skimmer panel and through the filter element while blocking floatable debris from entering the housing chamber outlet until the skimmer panel is raised by the water level to allow water flow under the skimmer panel while bypassing the filter to allow a smoother flow of water through the system during peak flows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the written description and the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a floatable skimmer apparatus with up-flow filter;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the up-flow filter and skimmer apparatus of FIG. 1 having the skimmer in a floated position;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the floating skimmer portion of FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the up-flow filter and skimmer apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 ;
FIG. 5 is a side elevation of the up-flow filter and skimmer of FIGS. 1 and 2 having the up-flow filter raised for service;
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through the floatable skimmer and up-flow filter of FIGS. 1 through 5 ;
FIG. 7 is a side sectional view of the up-flow filter and floatable skimmer apparatus of FIGS. 1 through 6 with the skimmer raised by the high water level; and
FIG. 8 is a top sectional view of the up-flow filter and floatable skimmer of FIGS. 1 through 7 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 8 , a filtering system 10 has a box or vault 11 having a skimmer and filter system 12 having a floatable skimmer 13 with a skimmer panel 13 having a plurality of floats 14 attached therein but spaced from the panel 13 with a space 15 . The skimmer panel 13 is movably mounted in the frame 16 pair of tracks 17 . The frame also has a support beam 18 . The vault has an inflow side or inlet 20 and an outlet 21 as seen in FIGS. 4 through 8 .
The skimmer panel 13 is rigid and is typically made from either fiberglass, plastic or metal. The skimmer panel 13 floats 14 are attached to the inflow side of the vault to create the buoyancy to enable the skimmer panel 13 to float up with a rising water levels in the vault 10 . The floats 14 are spaced off the face of the in-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 so that water can surround the floats on all sides which will create buoyant lift. Typically, the floats 14 are made of rotomolded plastic and then bolted to the in-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 . Because the floats 14 are positioned on the in-flow side of the skimmer panel and spaced off the skimmer panel, the buoyancy and vertical positioning of the skimmer panel is dependent only on the in-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 . If there is no water against the out-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 , the skimmer panel could still float depending only on the water level on the in-flow side. The skimmer panel 13 is a front side buoyancy skimmer because all the buoyancy required to enable the skimmer panel 13 to float is due to the floats 14 attached to the front side of the skimmer panel 13 .
The skimmer panel 13 has a plurality of load rollers or wheels 22 which allow the skimmer panel 13 to move vertically in the tracks 17 with minimal friction. At the top and bottom corner of each end of the skimmer panel 13 is a centering roller 23 which prevents friction between the skimmer panel and the side walls of the vault 11 . The load rollers are located between the top and bottom of each end of the skimmer panel 13 . The load rollers 22 supports the panel 13 against the force of the water entering the vault 11 and prevents friction between the tracks 17 and the skimmer panel 13 . The rollers have a low friction design and may be made of Delrin mounted stainless steel axles.
The skimmer panel 13 has a seal on each side thereof to prevent the passage of lighter than water liquids such as oils. The seals will be typically be made out of either plastic or rubber and be resistant to chemicals and are tensioned to press against the up-flow side of the tracks 17 . Hydrocarbon absorbent media 29 can be floated in front of the skimmer panel 13 to collect oils that enter the vault 11 as shown in FIGS. 4 through 8 .
The support beam 18 spans the width of the vault 11 between each vertical track member 17 that acts as a landing for the skimmer panel 13 when it is not floating and is in its resting or lower position. Each vertical track 17 is attached to a side wall of the vault 11 . The roller system on each end of the skimmer panel 13 fits within the track 17 . If the skimmer panel begins to float and move up vertically, the tracks will guide the skimmer panel.
During low to medium flow rates the floating skimmer panel 13 directs the water flow downward toward the underside of an up-flow filtration system 24 . The up-flow filtration system has a frame 25 having absorbent media filters 26 supported therein. There is a space 27 between the bottom of the up-flow filtration system 24 and the floor of the vault 11 spanning the width of the vault. The space allows water to pass under and through the filters 26 and allows debris that may have been collected on the outside of the filters to settle when water is not flowing therethrough.
The hydraulic grade line on the in-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 is higher than the hydraulic grade line on the out-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 , water flow is forced up through the up-flow filters 26 . As water flow passes through the media in the up-flow filters, the contaminates contained in the water are reduced. Once the water flow exits the top of the up-flow filter it will flow out the outlet 21 of the vault 11 . The filter frame 25 is hinged to the support beam 18 and rests on a filter support members 28 .
The media in the up-flow filter is contained in a housing which may include the frame portion 25 having the generally rigid screen 26 on the top and bottom. The water enters the bottom of the up-flow filter 24 and exits the top. The screen 26 used on the top and bottom of the up-flow filter is sized so that the openings in the screen are smaller than the particulate of the media. The filter media is typically heavier than water so that it sinks to the bottom of the up-flow filter. When there is no water flowing there is a space between the top of the media in the up-flow filter and the top screen. This void space between the media and the top screen enables the media to move and churn when water is flowing. This churning with flowing water aids in preventing the media from clogging.
A wide variety of filter media is readily available in the market place. The selection of the desired filter media is typically determined by targeting treatment with regard to the pollutants of concern. Some types of media come in a sheet form rather than a particulate. For an up-flow filter where the media is in sheet form there will be no void space between the media and the top screen of the up-flow filter housing.
The filter frame 25 is hinged to the support beam 18 or is removable from the support beam for access to the media in order to replace or do maintenance to the media. The entire up-flow filter system is hinged to allow access to the space below the up-flow filter. Servicing the space 27 below the up-flow filter includes vacuuming the vault to remove solids that have settled on the floor of the vault.
The operation of floating skimmer and up-flow filter apparatus can be seen in connection with FIGS. 4 through 7 . FIG. 4 illustrates a no flow condition with the hinged up-flow filter system filter resting in the water while FIG. 5 shows the filter system 24 raised for servicing the vault 11 area beneath the filter. FIG. 6 shows the vault 11 during a low flow of storm water therethrough which is the more normal condition with all the skimmer panel resting on the support beam 18 and all the storm water passing through the up-flow filter 24 . The high flow of water in FIG. 7 has raised or floated the skimmer into a raised position to open an overflow passageway beneath the skimmer panel 13 and above the up-flow filter 24 . FIG. 8 shows a top sectional view of the filter system.
It should be clear at this point that during small to medium rain events the floating skimmer system 12 will direct the water flow down toward the under side of the up-flow filter 24 . As water passes up through the up-flow filter 24 contaminates are removed from the water and retained in the media. Depending on the type of contaminate, micro-organisms can consume the contaminates between rain events through a process known as consumption or predation. This aids to free up and make available the media surface for the next rain event. Large solids such as leaves can collect on the bottom of up-flow filter screen 26 but are prevented from entering the media by a screen across the bottom. After the rain event is over the solids collected on the bottom of the up-flow filter 24 will fall away and settle on the bottom of the vault 11 . During large rain events the hydraulic grade line on the in-flow side of the skimmer panel 13 will rise high enough to enable the skimmer to float and move up vertically while being guided by tracks 17 . A roller system on each end of the skimmer panel eliminates friction between the skimmer panel 13 and the tracks 17 , and enables free vertical movement of the skimmer panel 13 . As the panel rises less water is diverted toward the bottom of the up-flow filter 24 . During a peak flow rain event the floating skimmer panel will rise high enough to allow all the water flow to by-pass the filtration process and flow straight ahead out the outlet 35 . During peak flow conditions the floating skimmer 12 and up-flow system 24 will have almost no impact on the water flow or the potential for flooding upstream. As the large rain event diminishes the floating skimmer 13 will settle back down onto its landing and the up-flow filtration system will resume treating the water flow.
It should be clear at this time that a floatable skimmer for a storm water system has been provided which advantageously allows the capture of floatable debris and hydrocarbons in the entering storm water while allowing a larger channel for the passage of the storm water by the skimmer and through a filter for removing pollutants before going into the outlet of the storm water filter vault. However, the present invention is not to be limited to the forms shown which are to be considered illustrative rather than restrictive.
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The present invention is a storm water filter system for filtering floatable debris and non-floating pollutants from storm water passing through a storm water drain system. The storm water filtering system has a floatable skimmer therein for capturing floatable debris and trash from the storm water and a separate filtration system to filter non-floatable pollutants from water passing therethrough.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This Application is a Divisional Application of application Ser. No. 11/345,706 filed Feb. 2, 2006 which is a Continuation-In-Part of application Ser. No. 11/053,480 filed Feb. 8, 2005.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates oto the field of immunological assays for determining the presence and/or quantifying the amount of 5-fluoro-uracil [5-FU] in human biological samples in order to rapidly determine optimal drug concentrations during chemotherapy.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Cancer is a term used to describe a group of malignancies that all share the common trait of developing when cells in a part of the body begin to grow out of control. Most cancers form as tumors, but can also manifest in the blood and circulate through other tissues where they grow. Cancer malignancies are most commonly treated with a combination of surgery, chemotherapy, and/or radiation therapy. The type of treatment used to treat a specific cancer depends upon several factors including the type of cancer malignancy and the stage during which it was diagnosed.
[0004] 5-FU is one of the more commonly used cytotoxic agents that are used for the treatment of Breast and Colorectal cancer. This chemotherapeutic agent has the formula:
[0005] This compound has been associated with debilitating side effects such as bone marrow density loss, mucositis, nausea and vomiting. By monitoring the levels of 5-FU in the body and adjusting the dose these side effects can be better controlled and limited in patients.
[0006] At the same time, there is often a highly variable relationship between the dose of 5-FU and the resulting serum drug concentration that affects therapeutic effect. The degree of intra- and inter-individual pharmacokinetic variability of 5-FU can be as high as 10-fold (Diasio et. al. J. Clin. Invest. 81: pp 47-51, 1988, Wei et. al. J. Clin. Invest. 98: pp610-615, 1996) and is impacted by many factors, including:
Organ function Genetic regulation Disease state Age Drug-drug interaction Time of drug ingestion, Mode of drug administration, and Technique-related administration.
[0015] As a result of this variability, equal doses of the same drug in different individuals can result in dramatically different clinical outcomes (Hon et. al. Clinical Chemistry 44, pp 388-400, 1998). The effectiveness of the same 5-FU dosage varies significantly based upon individual drug clearance and the ultimate serum drug concentration in the patient. Therapeutic drug management would provide the clinician with insight on patient variation in both oral and intravenous drug administrations. With therapeutic drug management, drug dosages could be individualized to the patient, and the chances of effectively treating the cancer without the unwanted side effects would be much higher (Nieto, Current Drug Metabolism 2: pp 53-66, 2001).
[0016] In addition, therapeutic drug management of 5-FU would serve as an excellent tool to ensure compliance in administering chemotherapy with the actual prescribed dosage and achievement of the effective serum concentration levels. It has been found that variability in serum concentration is not only due to physiological factors, but can also result from variation in administration technique and ability of the body to absorb 5-FU.
[0017] As a chemotherapeutic agent, 5-FU can be administered in its pro-drug form as tegafur which has the structure:
Tegafur, when administered to a patient, is generally absorbed and metabolized into 5-FU by the patient at different rates. Therefore, in monitoring the level of 5-FU in patients by means of an immunoassay, it is important that the immunoassay be able to distinguish between tegafur, the inactive substance, and 5-FU, the active substance, into which tegafur metabolizes. The problem with antibodies to 5-FU is that they could be cross-reactive with tegafur making these immunoassays not useful.
[0018] Routine therapeutic drug management of 5-FU would require the availability of simple automated tests adaptable to general laboratory equipment. Tests that best fit these criteria are immunoassays. Currently there are no immunoassays for 5-FU available and monitoring levels of this drug is conducted by physical methods like high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) (Escoriaza et. al. J. of Chromatography B: Biomedical Sciences and applications, 736 (1+2): pp 97-102, 1999). In order to be most effective in monitoring drug levels the antibody should be most specific to 5-FU and display very low cross-reactivity to no cross-reactivity to related pyrimidine bases, particularly tegafur.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0019] In accordance with this invention, a new class of antibodies have been produced which are substantially selectively reactive to 5-FU so as to bind to 5-FU without any substantial cross reactivity to tegafur, as well as, to other interfering pyrimidine bases, uracil and cytosine. By selectively reactive it is meant that this antibody reacts with the 5-FU molecule and does not substantially react with the other interfering pyrimidine bases such as analogues of 5-FU, the most important blocking pyrimidine base being tegafur. By providing an antibody that does not substantially cross-react with tegafur, allows one to provide an immunoassay for 5-FU which can accurately monitor levels of 5-FU for therapeutic management of patients being treated with 5-FU.
[0020] It has been found that by using immunogens which are conjugates of an immunogenic polyamine polymer with a compound of the formula:
wherein Y is an organic spacing group; X is a terminal functional group capable of binding to a polyamine polymer; and p is an integer from 0 to 1.
produce antibodies which are specific for 5-FU and do not substantially react with or bind to tegafur, as well as other pyrimidine bases such as uracil, and cytosine. The provision of these antibodies which substantially selectively react with 5-FU and do not cross react with tegafur allows one to produce an immunoassay which can specifically detect and monitor 5-FU in the fluid samples of patients being treated with 5-FU. Also included within this invention are reagents and kits for said immunoassay. The presence of tegafur is the major cause for false positive readings which have made immunoassays for 5-FU unsuitable.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0024] In accordance with this invention, a new class of antibodies is provided which substantially selectively reacts with 5-FU and does not substantially react or cross react with tegafur, as well as other interfering pyrimidine bases such as uracil, and cytosine. It has been discovered that through the use of the 3-substituted 5-FU derivative of formula II-A as an immunogen, this new class of antibodies of this invention are provided. It is through the use of these antibodies that an immunoassay, including reagents and kits for such immunoassay for detecting and/or quantifying 5-FU in blood, plasma or other body fluid samples has been developed. By use of this immunoassay, the presence and amount of 5-FU in body fluid samples, preferably a blood or plasma sample, can be detected and/or quantified. In this manner, a patient being treated with 5-FU can be monitored during therapy and his treatment adjusted in accordance with said monitoring. By means of this invention one achieves the therapeutic drug management of 5-FU in cancer patients being treated with 5-FU as a chemotherapeutic agent.
[0025] The reagents utilized in the immunoassay of this invention are conjugates of a carrier with the 1-substituted 5-FU compound of formula II-B:
wherein p, X and Y are as above;
[0027] or a compound of the formula
wherein p, X and Y are as above;
or mixtures thereof.
[0029] In the reagents of formula II-A and II-B, the carrier can be any of the conventional reagents carriers utilized in carrying out immunoassays, preferably these carriers are labeled for detection. In the compound of formula II-A, which are utilized in forming the reagents used in the assay, X can be any functional group capable of bonding to the carrier. The preferred carriers contain a polymeric polyamine polymer with a reactive amino group and X is a terminal functional group capable of binding to a polyamine polymer.
[0030] In the immunoassay of this invention, these conjugates are competitive binding partners with the 5-FU present in the sample for the binding with the antibodies of this invention. Therefore, the amount of conjugate reagent which binds to the antibody will be inversely proportional to the amount of 5-FU in the sample. In accordance with this invention, the assay utilizes any conventional measuring means for detecting and measuring the amount of said conjugate which is bound or unbound to the antibody. Through the use of said means, the amount of the bound or unbound conjugate can be determined. Generally, the amount of 5-FU in a sample is determined by correlating the measured amount of the bound or unbound conjugate produced by the 5-FU in the sample with values of the bound or unbound conjugate determined from standard or calibration curve samples containing known amounts of 5-FU, which known amounts are in the range expected for the sample to be tested. These studies for producing calibration curves are determined using the same immunoassay procedure as used for the sample.
[0031] The conjugates are prepared from compounds of formulae II-A and II-B whereas immunogens are prepared from compounds of the formula II-A. In performing the immunoassay in accordance with this invention, it is important that the conjugate be formed from the compound of formulae II-A or II-B and the immunogen be formed from the compound of formula II-A. In the conjugates including the immunogens, the polyamine polymer is conjugated with the ligand portion which has the formula:
wherein Y and p are as above; and x′ is —CH 2 — or a functional linking group;
[0034] on with the ligand portion of the compound of formula II-B which has the formula:
wherein x′, Y and p are as above.
[0036] These ligand portions may be connected in one or more active sites on the carrier of the conjugate.
Definitions
[0037] Throughout this description the following definitions are to be understood:
[0038] The terms “immunogen” and “immunogenic” refer to substances capable of eliciting, producing, or generating an immune response in an organism.
[0039] The term “conjugate” refers to any substance formed from the joining together of two parts. Representative conjugates in accordance with the present invention include those formed by the joining together of a small molecule, such as the compound of formula II-B, and a large molecule, such as a carrier or a polyamine polymer, particularly protein. In the conjugate the small molecule may be joined at one or more active sites on the large molecule.
[0040] “Haptens” are partial or incomplete antigens. They are protein-free substances, mostly low molecular weight substances, which are not capable of stimulating antibody formation, but which do react with antibodies. The latter are formed by coupling a hapten to a high molecular weight immunogenic carrier and then injecting this coupled product, i.e., immunogen, into a human or animal subject. The hapten of this invention is 5-FU.
[0041] As used herein, a “spacing group” or “spacer” refers to a portion of a chemical structure which connects two or more substructures such as haptens, carriers, immunogens, labels, or tracers through a CH 2 or functional linking group. These spacer groups will be enumerated hereinafter in this application. The atoms of a spacing group and the atoms of a chain within the spacing group are themselves connected by chemical bonds. Among the preferred spacers are straight or branched, saturated or unsaturated, carbon chains. Theses carbon chains may also include one or more heteroatoms within the chain or at termini of the chains. By “heteroatoms” is meant atoms other than carbon which are chosen from the group consisting of oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur. Spacing groups may also include cyclic or aromatic groups as part of the chain or as a substitution on one of the atoms in the chain.
[0042] The number of atoms in the spacing group is determined by counting the atoms other than hydrogen. The number of atoms in a chain within a spacing group is determined by counting the number of atoms other than hydrogen along the shortest route between the substructures being connected. A functional linking group may be used to activate, e.g., provide an available functional site on, a hapten or spacing group for synthesizing a conjugate of a hapten with a label or carrier or polyamine polymer.
[0043] An “immunogenic carrier,” as the terms are used herein, is an immunogenic substance, commonly a protein, that can join with a hapten, in this case 5-FU or the 5-FU derivatives of formula II-A described, thereby enabling these hapten derivatives to induce an immune response and elicit the production of antibodies that can bind specifically with these haptens. The immunogenic carriers and the linking groups will be enumerated hereinafter in this application. Among the immunogenic carrier substances are included proteins, glycoproteins, complex polyamino-polysaccharides, particles, and nucleic acids that are recognized as foreign and thereby elicit an immunologic response from the host. The polyamino-polysaccharides may be prepared from polysaccharides using any of the conventional means known for this preparation.
[0044] Also various protein types may be employed as a poly(amino acid) immunogenic carrier. These types include albumins, serum proteins, lipoproteins, etc. Illustrative proteins include bovine serum albumin (BSA), keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH), egg ovalbumin, bovine thyroglobulin (BTG) etc. Alternatively, synthetic poly(amino acids) may be utilized.
[0045] Immunogenic carriers can also include poly amino-polysaccharides, which are a high molecular weight polymer built up by repeated condensations of monosaccharides. Examples of polysaccharides are starches, glycogen, cellulose, carbohydrate gums such as gum arabic, agar, and so forth. The polysaccharides also contain polyamino acid residues and/or lipid residues.
[0046] The immunogenic carrier can also be a poly(nucleic acid) either alone or conjugated to one of the above mentioned poly(amino acids) or polysaccharides.
[0047] The immunogenic carrier can also include solid particles. The particles are generally at least about 0.02 microns (μm) and not more than about 100 μm, and usually about 0.05 μm to 10 μm in diameter. The particle can be organic or inorganic, swellable or non-swellable, porous or non-porous, optimally of a density approximating water, generally from about 0.7 to 1.5 g/mL, and composed of material that can be transparent, partially transparent, or opaque. The particles can be biological materials such as cells and microorganisms, including non-limiting examples such as erythrocytes, leukocytes, lymphocytes, hybridomas, Streptococcus, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli , and viruses. The particles can also be comprised of organic and inorganic polymers, liposomes, latex, phospholipid vesicles, or lipoproteins.
[0048] “Poly(amino acid)” or “polypeptide” is a polyamide formed from amino acids. Poly(amino acids) will generally range from about 2,000 molecular weight, having no upper molecular weight limit, normally being less than 10,000,000 and usually not more than about 600,000 daltons. There will usually be different ranges, depending on whether an immunogenic carrier or an enzyme is involved.
[0049] A “peptide” is any compound formed by the linkage of two or more amino acids by amide (peptide) bonds, usually a polymer of α-amino acids in which the α-amino group of each amino acid residue (except the NH 2 terminus) is linked to the α-carboxyl group of the next residue in a linear chain. The terms peptide, polypeptide and poly(amino acid) are used synonymously herein to refer to this class of compounds without restriction as to size. The largest members of this class are referred to as proteins.
[0050] A “label,” “detector molecule,” or “tracer” is any molecule which produces, or can be induced to produce, a detectable signal. The label can be conjugated to an analyte, immunogen, antibody, or to another molecule such as a receptor or a molecule that can bind to a receptor such as a ligand, particularly a hapten. Non-limiting examples of labels include radioactive isotopes, enzymes, enzyme fragments, enzyme substrates, enzyme inhibitors, coenzymes, catalysts, fluorophores, dyes, chemiluminescers, luminescers, or sensitizers; a non-magnetic or magnetic particle, a solid support, a liposome, a ligand, or a receptor.
[0051] The term “antibody” refers to a specific protein binding partner for an antigen and is any substance, or group of substances, which has a specific binding affinity for an antigen to the exclusion of other substances. The generic term antibody subsumes polyclonal antibodies, monoclonal antibodies and antibody fragments.
[0052] The term “derivative” refers to a chemical compound or molecule made from a parent compound by one or more chemical reactions.
[0053] The term “carrier” for forming the conjugate of formula II-B refers to solid particles and/or polymeric polymers such as immunogenic polymers such as those mentioned above. Where the carrier is a solid particle, the solid particle may be bound, coated with or otherwise attached to a polyamine polymer to provide one or more reactive sites for bonding to the terminal functional group X in the compounds of the formula II-B.
[0054] The term “reagent kit,” or “test kit,” refers to an assembly of materials that are used in performing an assay. The reagents can be provided in packaged combination in the same or in separate containers, depending on their cross-reactivities and stabilities, and in liquid or in lyophilized form. The amounts and proportions of reagents provided in the kit can be selected so as to provide optimum results for a particular application. A reagent kit embodying features of the present invention comprises antibodies specific for 5-FU. The kit may further comprise ligands of the analyte and calibration and control materials. The reagents may remain in liquid form or may be lyophilized.
[0055] The phrase “calibration and control materials” refers to any standard or reference material containing a known amount of a drug to be measured. The concentration of drug is calculated by comparing the results obtained for the unknown specimen with the results obtained for the standard. This is commonly done by constructing a calibration curve.
[0056] The term “biological sample” includes, but is not limited to, any quantity of a substance from a living thing or formerly living thing. Such living things include, but are not limited to, humans, mice, monkeys, rats, rabbits, horses, and other animals. Such substances include, but are not limited to, blood, serum, plasma, urine, cells, organs, tissues, bone, bone marrow, lymph, lymph nodes, synovial tissue, chondrocytes, synovial macrophages, endothelial cells, and skin.
Reagents and Immunogens
[0057] In constructing an immunoassay, a conjugate of 5-FU is constructed to compete with the 5-FU in the sample for binding sites on the antibodies of this invention. In the immunoassay of this invention, the immunogen for producing the antibodies of this invention is the 3-substituted 5-FU derivatives of the compounds of formula III-A and the reagent is the 1-substituted 5-FU derivatives of formulae III-A or III-B. In the compounds of formula III-A and III-B, the linker spacer constitutes the —CH 2- (Y) p- X′— portion of this molecule. The linker X′ and the spacer —CH 2- (Y) p- are conventional in preparing conjugates and immunogens. Any of the conventional spacer-linking groups utilized to prepare conjugates and immunogens for immunoassays can be utilized in the compounds of formula III-A and III-B. Such conventional linkers and spacers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,501,987 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,101,015.
[0058] Among the preferred spacer groups are included the spacer groups hereinbefore mentioned. Particularly preferred spacing groups are groups such as alkylene containing from 1 to 10 carbon atoms,
wherein n and o are integers from 0 to 6, and m is an integer from 1 to 6 with alkylene being the especially preferred spacing group. With respect to the above structures represented by Y, terminal functional group X, is connected to these substituents at their terminal end on the right side of the structures, i.e., a the end designated by (CH 2 ) o or (CH 2 ) m .
[0059] In the compounds of formula III-A and III-B, X′ is —CH 2 — or a functional group linking the spacer, preferably to an amine group on the polymer or the carrier. The group X′ is the result of the terminal functional group X in the compounds of Formula II-A and II-B which is capable of binding to the amino group in the polyamine polymer used as either the carrier or the immunogen. Any terminal functional group capable of reacting with an amine can be utilized as the functional group X in the compounds of formula II-A and II-B. These terminal functional groups preferably included within X are:
wherein R 3 is hydrogen or taken together with its attached oxygen atom forms a reactive ester and R 4 is oxygen or sulfur. The radical —N═C═R 4 , can be an isocyanate or as isothiocyanate. The active esters formed by OR 3 include imidoester, such as N-hydroxysuccinamide, 1-hydroxy benzotriazole and p-nitrophenyl ester. However any active ester which can react with an amine group can be used.
[0060] The carboxylic group and the active esters are coupled to the carrier or immunogenic polymer by conventional means. The amine group on the polyamine polymer, such as a protein, produces an amide group which connects the spacer to the polymer, immunogens or carrier and/or conjugates of this invention.
[0061] In the immunogens and conjugates of the present invention, the chemical bonds between the carboxyl group-containing 5-FU hapten and the amino groups on the polyamine polymer on the carrier or the immunogen can be established using a variety of methods known to one skilled in the art. It is frequently preferable to form amide bonds. Amide bonds are formed by first activating the carboxylic acid moiety of the 5-FU hapten in the compounds of formula II-A and II-B by reacting the carboxyl group with a leaving group reagent (e.g., N-hydroxysuccinimide, 1-hydroxybenzotriazole, p-nitrophenol and the like). An activating reagent such as dicyclohexylcarbodiimide, diisopropylcarbodiimide and the like can be used. The activated form of the carboxyl group in the 5-FU hapten of formula II-A or II-B is then reacted with a buffered solution containing the protein carrier.
[0062] In cases where the 5-FU derivative of formula II-A or II-B contains a primary or secondary amino group as well as the carboxyl group, it is necessary to use an amine protecting group during the activation and coupling reactions to prevent the conjugates from reacting with themselves. Typically, the amines on the conjugate are protected by forming the corresponding N-trifluoroacetamide, N-tertbutyloxycarbonyl urethane (N-t-BOC urethane), N-carbobenzyloxy urethane or similar structure. Once the coupling reaction to the immunogenic polymer or carrier has been accomplished, as described above, the amine protecting group can be removed using reagents that do not otherwise alter the structure of the immunogen or conjugate. Such reagents and methods are known to one skilled in the art and include weak or strong aqueous or anhydrous acids, weak or strong aqueous or anhydrous bases, hydride-containing reagents such as sodium borohydride or sodium cyanoborohydride and catalytic hydrogenation. Various methods of conjugating haptens and carriers are also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,996,344 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,146, which are herein incorporated by reference.
[0063] On the other hand where X is a terminal isocyanate or thioisocyanate radical in the compound of formula II-A or II-B, these radicals when reacted with the free amine of a polyamine polymer produce the conjugate of formula II-B or the immunogen where X′ is
where R 4 is as above, which functionally connects with the carrier or the immunogenic polypeptide.
[0064] Where X, in the compounds of formula II-A and II-B, is an aldehyde group these compounds may be connected to the amine group of the polyamine polypeptide or carrier through an amine linkage by reductive amination. Any conventional method of condensing an aldehyde with an amine such as through reductive amination can be used to form this linkage. In this case, X′ in the ligand portions of formula III-A and III-B is —CH 2 —.
[0065] The 1-nitrogen atoms in the compound of formula I can be connected to form the compound of formula II-B by reacting 5-FU with a halide of the formula:
R 1 —CH 2 —(Y) p —X V-A
where R 1 is chloro or bromo and Y, p and X are as above, to produce the compound of the formula:
[0067] The compound of formula I is reacted at its 1-ring nitrogen atom with the halide of formula V-A to form the compounds of formula II-B by any conventional means of condensing a halide with an amine group. This condensation reaction is carried out in the presence of a base. In this reaction, the ring nitrogen atom at the 1-position of the compound of formula I is more reactive than the ring nitrogen atom at the 3-position. Therefore the ring nitrogen atom at the 1-position will preferably condense with the halide. If the compound of formula V-A contains any reactive amino or other functional substituents, these substituents can be reacted with conventional protecting groups prior to the reaction of 5-FU with a compound of V-A. After the compound of formula VI-A is produced, these protecting groups can be removed by procedures well known in the art for removing such protecting groups while retaining the amine in the compound of formula II-B.
[0068] The 3-substituted 5-FU of formula II-A can be prepared from 5-FU by first converting 5-FU into the dichloro compound of the formula:
[0069] This is accomplished by treating the compound of formula I with a chlorinating agent such as phosphorous oxychloride. Any of the conditions conventional in utilizing these chlorinating agents can be used in carrying out this reaction. In the next step, the compound of formula VII is converted to the compound of the formula:
which enolizes into the compound of formula:
[0070] This conversion is carried out by treating the compound of formula VII with sodium hydroxide in an aqueous medium at a temperature of from 35° C. to 50° C. The compound of formula VIII-B can be converted to the compound of the formula:
where R 2 is benzyl.
[0072] In forming the compound of formula IX, the compound of formula VIII-B is reacted with benzyl alcohol in an organic solvent in the presence of solid sodium hydroxide. In the next step the compound of formula IX is converted to the compound of formula II-A by reacting the compound of formula IX with the halide of formula V-A, in the manner described hereinbefore in connection with the condensation of compound of formula I with the halide of formula V-A.
[0073] The compound of formulae II-A or II-B can be converted into the conjugate carrier reagent of this invention by reacting these compounds with a polyamine, polypeptide or a carrier. The same polypeptide can be utilized as the carrier in the compound of formula II-B and as the immunogenic polymer in the immunogen of formula II-A of this invention provided that polyamine or polypeptide is immunologically active. However, to form the conjugates, these polymers need not produce an immunological response as needed for the immunogens. In accordance with this invention, the various functional groups represented by X in the compounds of formula II-A and II-B can be conjugated to the polymeric material by conventional means of attaching a functional group to an amine group contained within the polymer. In accordance with a preferred embodiment, in the compound of formula II-A and Il-B, X is a carboxylic acid group or active esters thereof.
Antibodies
[0074] The present invention also relates to novel antibodies including monoclonal antibodies to 5-FU produced by utilizing the aforementioned immunogens. In accordance with this invention it has been found that these antibodies produced in accordance with this invention are selectively reactive with 5-FU and do not react with tegafur or other pyrimidine containing compounds which would interfere with immunoassays for 5-FU.
[0075] The present invention relates to novel antibodies and monoclonal antibodies to 5-FU. The antisera of the invention can be conveniently produced by immunizing host animals with the immunogens this invention. Suitable host animals include rodents, such as, for example, mice, rats, rabbits, guinea pigs and the like, or higher mammals such as goats, sheep, horses and the like. Initial doses, bleedings and booster shots can be given according to accepted protocols for eliciting immune responses in animals, e.g., in a preferred embodiment mice received an initial dose of 100 ug immunogen/mouse, i.p. and two or more subsequent booster shots of 100 ug immunogen/mouse over a six month period. Through periodic bleeding, the blood samples of the immunized mice were observed to develop an immune response against 5-FU binding utilizing conventional immunoassays. These methods provide a convenient way to screen for hosts which are producing antisera having the desired activity.
[0076] Monoclonal antibodies are produced conveniently by immunizing Balb/c mice according to the above schedule followed by injecting the mice with 100 ug immunogen i.p. or i.v. on three successive days starting three days prior to the cell fusion. Other protocols well known in the antibody art may of course be utilized as well. The complete immunization protocol detailed herein provided an optimum protocol for serum antibody response for the antibody to 5-FU.
[0077] B lymphocytes obtained from the spleen, peripheral blood, lymph nodes or other tissue of the host may be used as the monoclonal antibody producing cell. Most preferred are B lymphocytes obtained from the spleen. Hybridomas capable of generating the desired monoclonal antibodies of the invention are obtained by fusing such B lymphocytes with an immortal cell line, which is a cell line that which imparts long term tissue culture stability on the hybrid cell. In the preferred embodiment of the invention the immortal cell may be a lymphoblastoid cell or a plasmacytoma cell such as a myeloma cell, itself an antibody producing cell but also malignant. Murine hybridomas which produce 5-FU monoclonal antibodies are formed by the fusion of mouse myeloma cells and spleen cells from mice immunized against 5-FU-protein conjugates. Chimeric and humanized monoclonal antibodies can be produced by cloning the antibody expressing genes from the hybridoma cells and employing recombinant DNA methods now well known in the art to either join the subsequence of the mouse variable region to human constant regions or to combine human framework regions with complementary determining regions (CDR's) from a donor mouse or rat immunoglobulin. An improved method for carrying out humanization of murine monoclonal antibodies which provides antibodies of enhanced affinities is set forth in International Patent Application WO 92/11018.
[0078] Polypeptide fragments comprising only a portion of the primary antibody structure may be produced, which fragments possess one or more immunoglobulin activities. These polypeptide fragments may be produced by proteolytic cleavage of intact antibodies by methods well known in the art, or by inserting stop codons at the desired locations in expression vectors containing the antibody genes using site-directed mutageneses to produce Fab fragments or (Fab′) 2 fragments. Single chain antibodies may be produced by joining VL and VH regions with a DNA linker (see Huston et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A., 85:5879-5883 (1988) and Bird et al., Science, 242:423-426 (1988))
[0079] The antibodies of this invention are selective for 5-FU and do not have any substantial cross-reactivity with such pyrimidine bases such as uracil, cytosine, tegafur etc. By having no substantial cross-reactivity it is meant that the antibodies of this invention have a cross reactivity relative to 5-FU with these metabolites of not greater than 12% preferably less than 5%.
Immunoassays
[0080] In accordance with this invention, the aforementioned conjugates and the antibodies generated from the immunogens of these compounds of formula II-A can be utilized as reagents for the determination of 5-FU in patient samples. This determination is performed by means of an immunoassay. Any immunoassay in which the reagent conjugates formed from the compounds of formula II-B compete with the 5-FU in the sample for binding sites on the antibodies generated in accordance with this invention can be utilized to determine the presence of 5-FU in a patient sample. The manner for conducting such an assay for 5-FU in a sample suspected of containing 5-FU, comprises combining an (a) aqueous medium sample, (b) an antibody to 5-FU generated in accordance with this invention and (c) the conjugates formed from the compounds of formulae II-A and II-B. The amount of 5-FU in the sample can be determined by measuring the inhibition of the binding to the specific antibody of a known amount of the conjugate added to the mixture of the sample and antibody. The result of the inhibition of such binding of the known amount of conjugates by the unknown sample is compared to the results obtained in the same assay by utilizing known standard solutions of 5-FU. In determining the amount of 5-FU in an unknown sample, the sample, the conjugates formed from the compounds of formula II-B and the antibody may be added in any order.
[0081] Various means can be utilized to measure the amount of conjugate formed from the compounds of formulae II-A and II-B bound to the antibody. One method is where binding of the conjugates to the antibody causes a decrease in the rate of rotation of a fluorophore conjugate. The amount of decrease in the rate of rotation of a fluorophore conjugate in the liquid mixture can be detected by the fluorescent polarization technique such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,269,511 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,420,568.
[0082] On the other hand, the antibody can be coated or absorbed on nanoparticles so that when these particles react with the 5-FU conjugates formed from the compounds of formulae II-A and II-B, these nanoparticles form an aggregate. However, when the antibody coated or absorbed nanoparticles react with the 5-FU in the sample, the 5-FU from the sample bound to these nanoparticles does not cause aggregation of the antibody nanoparticles. The amount of aggregation or agglutination can be measured in the assay mixture by absorbance.
[0083] On the other hand, these assays can be carried out by having either the antibody or the 5-FU conjugates attached to a solid support such as a microtiter plate or any other conventional solid support including solid particles. Attaching antibodies and proteins to such solid particles is well known in the art. Any conventional method can be utilized for carrying out such attachments. In many cases, in order to aid measurement, labels may be placed upon the antibodies, conjugates or solid particles, such as radioactive labels or enzyme labels, as aids in detecting the amount of the conjugates formed from the compounds of formula II-B which is bound or unbound with the antibody. Other suitable labels include chromophores, fluorophores, etc.
[0084] As a matter of convenience, assay components of the present invention can be provided in a kit, a packaged combination with predetermined amounts of new reagents employed in assaying for 5-FU. These reagents include the antibody of this invention, as well as, the conjugates formed from the compounds of formulae II-A and II-B.
[0085] In addition to these necessary reagents, additives such as ancillary reagents may be included, for example, stabilizers, buffers and the like. The relative amounts of the various reagents may vary widely to provide for concentrations in solution of the reagents which substantially optimize the sensitivity of the assay. Reagents can be provided in solution or as a dry powder, usually lyophilized, including excipients which on dissolution will provide for a reagent solution having the appropriate concentrations for performing the assay.
EXAMPLES
[0086] In the examples, the following abbreviations are used for designating the following:
THF Tetrahydrofuran EA Ethyl alcohol DCM Dichloromethane DMAP Dimethylaminopyridine NHS N-hydroxy-succinimide EDC 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide hydrochloride TLC Thin Layer Chromatrography ANS 8-Anilino-1-naphthalenesulfonic acid i.p. Intraperitoneal HRP Horse radish-peroxidase TMB 3,3′,5,5′-Tetramethylbenzidine TRIS Tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane hydrochloride BSA Bovine serum albumin BTG Bovine thyroglobulin PBS Phosphate buffered saline di deionized water
[0103] In the examples, Scheme 1, Scheme 2, Schemes 3a, 3b and Scheme 4, below set forth the specific compounds prepared and referred to by numbers in the Examples. The schemes are as follows:
Example 1
Scheme 1, Preparation of 1-substituted 5-FU activated ester [4]
[0104] To a solution of Fluorouracil (50 g) [1] in DMF (100 mL), triethylamine (78 g) was added at 30° C. while stirring. Then ethy-4-bromobutyrate (88.5 g) was added drop wise. After the addition was completed, the resulting reaction mixture was stirred for 48 hours at room temperature. The reaction mixture was filtered and the solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The residue was crystallized in ethyl acetate to afford 26 g (29%) of compound [2].
[0105] To a solution of [2] (20 g) in methanol (100 mL), 20% of potassium hydroxide aqueous solution (27 mL) was added. The resulting solution was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours, and then the mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was dissolved in acetone (50-100 mL) and adjusted to pH 2˜3 with concentrated HCl. It was then filtered and washed with acetone. The solid product was dissolved in acetone (50 mL) by heating. After cooling to room temperature, the solid was precipitated out by adding ethyl acetate (100 mL). The solid product was collected by filtration, followed by drying to afford about 10 g of [3]. The TLC condition for ester was ethyl acetate:ether (3:1). The TLC condition for acid is chloroform:methanol (15:1) with 2 drops of acetic acid.
[0106] To 6.3 g of compound [3] in 600 mL of dichloromethane at 0° C., NHS was added. To this a solution of DCC (4.8 g) in dichloromethane was added drop wise. After stirring for 2 hours at 0° C., the resulting reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 hours. The reaction mixture was concentrated. The residue was crystallized in acetone to give crude product. The crude product was purified on a silica gel column (eluted with ethyl acetate:ether, 3:1) to provide 4 g of compound [4].
Example 2
Scheme 2, Preparation of 1-substituted 5-FU acid [5]
[0107] To a solution of compound [4] (3.2 g) in acetonitrile (300 mL), water (900 mL) was added, followed by addition of 1.2 eq. of p-methylamino-benzoic acid. The resulting reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 hours. The mixture was concentrated under reduced pressure to remove acetonitrile. A precipitate formed and was collected by filtration. It was then crystallized in acetone to give 2.8 g of crude product. The crude product was purified on a silica gel column (eluted with chloroform:methanol, 15:1 with 1-2 drops of acetic acid) to afford 2 g of compound [5].
Example 3a
Scheme 3a, Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU acid derivatives [12], [14]
[0108] A mixture of 15.6 g of 5-FU [1] in 80 mL of POCl 3 was stirred in a three neck-flask equipped with condenser, thermometer and dropping funnel at 40° C. After addition of 25 mL of N,N-dimethylaniline drop wise, the resulting mixture was heated to reflux for 3 hours. The excess of POCl 3 was evaporated under reduced pressure. The mixture was cooled to room temperature and poured into 75 g of crushed ice. It was then extracted with chloroform (50 mL three times). The combined extracts were washed with water, dried with MgSO 4 , and concentrated to give a yellowish solid of compound [7] in about 50% yield.
[0109] A mixture of 16 g of oxychloride [7] in 48 mL solution of 2 N NaOH was stirred at 45° C. for one hour. The pH of the reaction mixture was reduced to 7. Another 48 mL solution of 2 N NaOH was added and continued to stir until no more oily materials were observed in the reaction mixture. After the mixture was cooled to room temperature, the pH was adjusted to pH 3 with concentrated HCl. It was cooled and the product [8] precipitated out. Compound oxychloride [8] was collected and washed with water until the washing solution became neutral. The yield was about 55%.
[0110] To a three-neck flask equipped with condenser, thermometer and dean stark apparatus was added 20 mL of toluene, 52 mL of benzyl alcohol and 2.44 g of solid NaOH. The resulting mixture was refluxed until dry. Then, 3 g of Compound [8] was added and continued to be refluxed for 3 hours. After the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature, 50 mL of water was added. The organic phase was washed with water twice (50 mL each). The aqueous phases were combined and the residues of toluene and benzyl alcohol were removed under reduced pressure. The solution was adjusted to pH 3 with concentrated HCl, cooled down, and a precipitate formed, which was collected. It was re-crystallized in ethanol to afford compound [9] in about 60% yield.
[0111] After a mixture of 20 mL of benzene, 20 mL of water and 0.5 g of tetrabutylammonium bromide was heated to 55° C., solution A (2 g of [9] in 20 mL of 1 N NaOH aqueous solution) and solution B (1.9 g of ethyl 4-bromobutyrate in 20 mL of benzene) were added into the mixture alternatively in drop wise fashion. The pH of the reaction mixture was controlled between pH 8-10. After the addition was completed, the reaction mixture was refluxed for two and a half hours. The organic phase was separated, washed with a 5% NaOH and water and dried with MgSO 4 . The organic solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The residue was purified on a silica gel column (eluted with ether and ethyl acetate, 10:1) to give compound [10] as an oily product in about 40% yield.
[0112] A mixture of 3 g of compound [10], 0.3 g of 10% Pd/C in 50 mL of methanol was stirred under hydrogen gas (15 psi) for about 24 hours. The catalyst was removed by filtration. To the filtrate containing [10], 2 g of NaOH and 50 mL of water were added. The resulting mixture was stirred for 8 hours at room temperature. The methanol was removed under reduced pressure. The mixture was adjusted to pH 3 with concentrated HCl. After cooling, a precipitate was formed and collected by filtration. The precipitate was re-crystallized from ethanol to afford [12] in about 50% yield.
[0113] A mixture of 1 g of dried [12], 0.74 g of NHS, 1.47 g of DCC in 50 mL of chloroform was stirred for overnight (about 24 hours) at room temperature. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue was purified on a silica gel column (eluted with ethyl acetate and methanol, 10:1) to afford compound [13] in about 40% yield.
[0114] A mixture of 1 g of compound [13], 0.5 g 4-(aminomethyl)benzoic acid in 30 mL of DMF was stirred at room temperature for 8 hours. A portion of 150 mL water was added to the reaction mixture. The resulting mixture was washed with 100 mL of ethyl acetate. The aqueous phase was allowed to stand at 4° C. and the product [14] slowly precipitated out of the solution, was collected by filtration and dried under vacuum at room temperature in the presence of P 2 O 5 to yield about 65% of [14].
Example 3b
Scheme 3b, Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU acid derivative [6]
[0115] After a mixture of 20 mL of benzene, 20 mL of water and 0.5 g of tetrabutylammonium bromide was heated to 55° C., solution A (2 g of [9] in 20 mL of 1 N NaOH aqueous solution) and solution B (2.05 g of ethyl 4-bromobutyrate in 20 mL of benzene) were added into the mixture simultaneously. The pH of the reaction mixture was controlled between pH 8-10. After the addition was completed, the reaction mixture was refluxed for two and a half hours. The organic phase was separated, washed with a 5% NaOH and water and dried with MgSO 4 . The organic solvent was removed under reduced pressure. The residue was purified on a silica gel column (eluted with ether and ethyl acetate, 10:1) to give compound [15] as an oily product in about 38% yield.
[0116] A mixture of 2 g of compound [15], 0.2 g of 10% Pd/C in 60 mL of methanol was stirred under hydrogen gas (15 psi) for about 24 hours. The catalyst was removed by filtration. The filtrate containing compound [16] was concentrated to approximately 20 mL to which was added 1 g of NaOH and 20 mL of water. The resulting mixture was stirred for 8 hours at room temperature. The methanol was removed under reduced pressure and the mixture adjusted to pH 3 with concentrated HCl. After cooling, a precipitate was formed and collected by filtration. The precipitate was re-crystallized from ethanol to afford [6] in about 60% yield.
Example 4
General Method for Preparing NHS Activated esters from the Corresponding Acids [3,5,12,14,6]
[0117] To a stirred solution of NHS (1.39 mmol) in 20 mL of dry CH 2 Cl 2 the acid (0.695 mmol) [3, 5, 12, 14 or 6] and EDC (2.085 mmol) were added. The solution was stirred for 18 hours at room temperature under a nitrogen atmosphere. The reaction was quenched by the addition of 3 mL of hydrochloric acid (0.3 N) and stirred for an additional 5 minutes. The organic layer was separated, dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), filtered and evaporated (under vacuum) to yield a white solid.
Example 5
Preparation of 1-substituted 5-FU KLH Immunogen
[0118] To 5.86 mL of KLH (31.2 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) 0.692 mL of compound [4] (12.8 mg/mL in DMSO), that was prepared in Example 1, was added drop wise and the pH was adjusted to 8.5. The mixture was allowed to stir 18 hours at room temperature. This immunogenic conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et. al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 6a
Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU BTG Immunogen
[0119] To 11.4 mL of BTG (16.9 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) 1.2 mL of DMSO was added drop wise and the pH was checked to be at 7.5. To this 0.277 mL of compound [13] (52.5 mg/mL in DMSO), that was prepared in Example 3a, was added drop wise and the pH was again checked to be 7.5. The mixture was allowed to stir 18 hours at room temperature. This immunogenic conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et. al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 6b
Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU KLH Immunogen
[0120] To 8.3 mL of KLH (24.9 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) 0.922 mL of DMSO was added drop wise and the pH was checked to be at 7.5. To this 0.277 mL of compound [13] (52.6 mg/mL in DMSO), that was prepared in Example 3a, was added drop wise and the pH was again checked to be 7.5. The mixture was allowed to stir 18 hours at room temperature. This immunogenic conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et. al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 7a
Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU BSA conjugate (10:1 Ratio) with Derivative 12
[0121] To a 1 mL solution of BSA (50 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) 0.111 mL of DMSO was added drop wise. The activated N-Hydroxysuccinimide ester of compound [12] prepared as in example 4 (0.045 mL of a 52.5 mg/mL in DMSO solution) was added drop wise. The mixture was allowed to stir overnight at room temperature to produce the conjugate of the 3-substituted 5-FU and BSA. This conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 7b
Preparation of 3-substituted 5-FU BSA Conjugate (1:1 ratio) with Derivative
[0122] To 20.0 mL of BSA (50.0 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) 2.222 mL of DMSO was added drop wise and the pH was checked to be at 7.5. To this 0.272 mL of the activated N-Hydroxysuccinimide ester of compound [6] (20.0 mg/mL in DMSO), that was prepared in Example 4, was added drop wise and the pH was again checked to be 7.5. The mixture was allowed to stir 18 hours at room temperature. This immunogenic conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et. al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 8
Preparation of 1-substituted 5-FU BSA conjugate (20:1 ratio) with Derivative 5
[0123] To a 14 mL solution of BSA (50 mg/mL) in 50 mM phosphate buffer (50 mM, pH 7.5) in an ice bath 14 mL of DMSO was added drop wise. The activated N-Hydroxysuccinimide ester of compound [5] prepared as in example 4 (1.65 mL of a 57 mg/mL in DMSO solution) was added drop wise. The mixture was allowed to stir overnight at room temperature to produce the conjugate of the 1-substituted 5-FU and BSA. This conjugate was then purified by dialysis and characterized according to procedures described previously (Wu et. al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 385-390, 1997, Li et al., Bioconj. Chem., 8: pp 896-905, 1997, Salamone et al., J. Forensic Sci. pp 821-826, 1998).
Example 9
Preparation of 5-FU Antibodies
[0124] Ten Female BALB/c mice were immunized i.p. with 100 μg/mouse of 5-FU-KLH prepared in example 5 or with 5-FU-BTG prepared in example 6a, emulsified in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Mice were boosted once four weeks after the initial injection with 100 μg/mouse of the same immunogens emulsified in Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant. Ten days after the boost test bleeds from each mouse were obtained by orbital bleed. The anti-serum from these test bleeds contained 5-FU antibodies evaluated in Examples 12a, 13, and 14. For monoclonal antibodies ten Female BALB/c mice were immunized i.p. with 100 μg/mouse of 3-substituted 5-FU-KLH prepared in example 6b, emulsified in Complete Freund's Adjuvant. Mice were boosted once four weeks after the initial injection with 100 μg/mouse of the same immunogens emulsified in Incomplete Freund's Adjuvant. Ten days after the boost test bleeds from each mouse were obtained by orbital bleed and these were screened as in examples 12a and 15. To produce monoclonal antibodies starting four days before the fusion (day 0), the mice were injected i.p. with 400 μg (day 3), 200 μg (day 2) and 200 μg (day 1) 3-substituted 5-FU KLH immunogen in PBS on three successive days. Spleen cells were isolated from the selected mice and fused with 2×10 7 SP2/0 cells with 50% polyethylene glycol 1500 according to the method of Coligan, J. E. et al., eds., Current Protocols in Immunology, 2.5.1-2.5.8, (1992), Wiley & Sons, NY. The fused cells were plated on 10 96-well plates in DMEM/F12 supplemented with 20% FetalClone I, 2% L-glutamine (100 mM) and 2% 50×HAT. Two weeks later, the hybridoma supernatant was assayed for the presence of anti-5-FU by ELISA (example 12b). Positive wells were expanded and again screened by the same method. The positive clones were confirmed for 5-FU binding by a competitive ELISA (examples 12a and 15). Clones positive by ELISA were subcloned once or twice by limiting dilution according to the method disclosed in Coligan, J. E. et al., eds., Current Protocols in Immunology, 2.5.8-2.5.17, (1992), Wiley & Sons, NY.
Example 10
Microtiter Plate Sensitization Procedure with 5-FU Derivative 5—BSA Conjugate
[0125] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed in polystyrene microtiter plates (Nunc MaxiSorp C8 or F8 Immunomodules) optimized for protein binding and containing 96 wells per plate. Each well was coated with 5-FU-BSA conjugate (prepared as in example 8) by adding 300 μL of 5-FU-BSA conjugate at 10 μg/mL in 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH=9.6, and incubating for three hours at room temperature. The wells were washed with 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH 9.6 and then were blocked with 400 μL of 5% sucrose, 0.2% sodium caseinate solution for 30 minutes at room temperature. After removal of the post-coat solution the plates were dried at 37° C. overnight.
Example 11a
Microtiter Plate Sensitization Procedure with 5-FU Derivative 6—BSA Conjugate
[0126] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed in polystyrene microtiter plates (Nunc MaxiSorp C8 or F8 Immunomodules) optimized for protein binding and containing 96 wells per plate. Each well was coated with 5-FU-BSA conjugate (prepared as in example 7a) by adding 300 μL of 5-FU-BSA conjugate at 10 μg/mL in 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH=9.6, and incubating for three hours at room temperature. The wells were washed with 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH 9.6 and then were blocked with 400 μL of 5% sucrose, 0.2% sodium caseinate solution for 30 minutes at room temperature. After removal of the post-coat solution the plates were dried at 37° C. overnight.
Example 11b
Microtiter Plate Sensitization Procedure with 5-FU Derivative 6—BSA Conjugate
[0127] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed in polystyrene microtiter plates (Nunc MaxiSorp C8 or F8 Immunomodules) optimized for protein binding and containing 96 wells per plate. Each well was coated with 5-FU-BSA conjugate (prepared as in example 7b) by adding 300 μL of 5-FU-BSA conjugate at 10 μg/mL in 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH=9.6, and incubating for three hours at room temperature. The wells were washed with 0.05M sodium bicarbonate, pH 9.6 and then were blocked with 375 μL of 5% sucrose, 0.2% sodium caseinate solution for 30 minutes at room temperature. After removal of the post-coat solution the plates were dried at 37° C. overnight.
Example 12a
Antibody Screening Procedure—Titer
[0128] The ELISA method for screening 5-FU antibodies (produced in example 9) was performed with the microtiter plates that were sensitized with 5-FU-BSA as described in examples 7a, 7b and 8. The antibody screening assay was performed by diluting the antisera containing 5-FU antibodies to 1:100, 1:1,000, 1:10,000 and 1:100,000 in phosphate buffered saline containing 0.1% BSA and 0.01% thimerosal. To each well of 5-FU-BSA sensitized wells (prepared in examples 11a, 11b and 10) 100 μL of diluted antibody was added and incubated for 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking. During this incubation antibody binds to the 5-FU-conjugate in the well. The wells of the plates were washed three times with 0.02 M TRIS, 0.9% NaCl, 0.5% Tween-80 and 0.001% Thimerosal, pH 7.8 to remove any unbound antibody. To detect the amount of 5-FU antibody bound to the 5-FU-BSA conjugate in the wells, 100 μL of a goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate (Jackson Immunoresearch) diluted 1/2000 in PBS with 0.1% BSA, 0.05% ANS, 0.01% thimerosal, capable of binding specifically with murine immunoglobulins and producing a colored product when incubated with a substrate, were added to each well. After an incubation of 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking, during which the goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate binds to 5-FU antibodies in the wells, the plates were again washed three times to remove unbound goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate. To develop a measurable color in the wells washing was followed by the addition of 100 μL of TMB (TMB Liquid Substrate, Sigma or BioFx), a substrate for HRP, to develop color during a 10 minute incubation with shaking at room temperature. Following the incubation for color development, 50 μL of stop solution (1.5% sodium fluoride in di H 2 O) was added to each well to stop the color development and after 10 seconds of shaking the absorbance was determined at 650 nm (Molecular Devices Plate Reader). The amount of antibody in a well was proportional to the absorbance measured and was expressed as the dilution (titer) resulting in an absorbance of 1.5. Titers were determined by graphing log antibody dilution of the antibody measured (x-axis) vs. absorbance 650 nm (y-axis) and extrapolating the titer at an absorbance of 1.5. The titer determined the concentration (dilution) of antibody used in the indirect competitive Microtiter plate assay described in examples 13, 14 and 15.
Example 12b
Antibody Screening Procedure—Monoclonal Screening
[0129] The ELISA method for screening 5-FU monoclonal antibodies (produced in example 9) was performed with the microtiter plates that were sensitized with 5-FU-BSA as described in example 7b. To each well of 5-FU-BSA sensitized wells (prepared in example 11b) 50 uL phosphate buffered saline containing 0.1% BSA and 0.01% thimerosal and then 50 μL of monoclonal culture supernatant were added and incubated for 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking. During this incubation antibody binds to the 5-FU-conjugate in the well. The wells of the plates were washed three times with 0.02 M TRIS, 0.9% NaCl, 0.5% Tween-80 and 0.001% Thimerosal, pH 7.8 to remove any unbound antibody. To detect the amount of 5-FU antibody bound to the 5-FU-BSA conjugate in the wells, 100 μL of a goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate (Jackson Immunoresearch) diluted to a predetermined specific activity (approximately 1/2000) in PBS with 0.1% BSA, 0.05% ANS, 0.01% thimerosal, capable of binding specifically with murine immunoglobulins and producing a colored product when incubated with a substrate, were added to each well. After an incubation of 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking, during which the goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate binds to 5-FU antibodies in the wells, the plates were again washed three times to remove unbound goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate. To develop a measurable color in the wells washing was followed by the addition of 100 μL of TMB (TMB Liquid Substrate, Sigma or BioFx), a substrate for HRP, to develop color during a 10 minute incubation with shaking at room temperature.
[0130] Following the incubation for color development, 50 μL of stop solution (1.5% sodium fluoride in di H 2 O) was added to each well to stop the color development and after 10 seconds of shaking the absorbance was determined at 650 nm (Molecular Devices Plate Reader). The amount of antibody in a well was proportional to the absorbance measured. Samples with an absorbance of greater than twice background were designated as positive.
Example 13
Indirect Competitive Microtiter Plate Immunoassay Procedure Determining IC50 and Cross-Reactivity for Antibodies to 5-fU Derivative 4 Conjugate
[0131] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed with the microtiter plates that were sensitized with 5-FU-BSA described in example 7a. 5-FU, uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur were diluted 10 fold in PBS over a concentration range of 0.01 to 10,000 ng/mL. The assay was performed by incubating 50 μL of the analytes to be measured with 50 μL of antibody (produced in example 9 with immunogen of example 5) diluted to a titer determined in example 12a. During the 10 minute incubation (R.T., with shaking) there is a competition of antibody binding for the 5-FU conjugate in the well and the analyte in solution. Following this incubation the wells of the plate were washed three times with 0.02 M TRIS, 0.9% NaCl, 0.5% Tween-80 and 0.001% Thimerosal, pH 7.8 to remove any material that was not bound. To detect the amount of 5-FU antibody bound to the 5-FU-BSA conjugate in the wells, 100 μL of a goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate (Jackson Immunoresearch) diluted 1/2000 in PBS with 0.1% BSA, 0.01% ANS, 0.05% thimerosal, capable of binding specifically with murine immunoglobulins and producing a colored product when incubated with a substrate, were added to each well. After an incubation of 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking, during which the goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate binds to 5-FU antibodies in the wells, the plates were again washed three times to remove unbound secondary conjugate. To develop a measurable color in the wells washing was followed by the addition of 100 μL of TMB (TMB Liquid Substrate, Sigma or BioFx), a substrate for HRP, to develop color in a 10 minute incubation with shaking at room temperature. Following the incubation for color development, 50 μL of stop solution (1.5% sodium fluoride in di H 2 O) was added to each well to stop the color development and after 10 seconds of shaking the absorbance was determined at 650 nm (Molecular Devices Plate Reader). The amount of antibody in a well was proportional to the absorbance measured and inversely proportional to the amount of 5-FU in the sample. The absorbance of the color in the wells containing analyte was compared to that with no analyte and a standard curve was generated. The IC50 value for a given analyte was defined as the concentration of analyte that is required to inhibit 50% of the absorbance for the wells containing no analyte. The cross-reactivity of a given analyte was calculated as the ratio of the IC50 for 5-FU to the IC50 for uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur expressed as a percent. When measured with an antibody as produced in example 9 with immunogen of example 5 the percent cross-reactivities relative to 5-FU for uracil, thymine, and cytosine were less than 7% and 200% for tegafur. The results are in table I.
Example 14
Indirect Competitive Microtiter Plate Immunoassay Procedure Determining IC50 and Cross-Reactivity for Antibodies to 5-FU Derivative 13 Conjugate
[0132] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed with the microtiter plates that were sensitized with 5-FU-BSA described in example 8. 5-FU, uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur were diluted 10 fold in PBS over a concentration range of 0.01 to 10,000 ng/mL. The assay was performed by incubating 50 μL of the analytes to be measured with 50 μL of antibody (produced in example 9) diluted to a titer determined in example 12a. During the 10 minute incubation (R.T., with shaking) there is a competition of antibody binding for the 5-FU conjugate in the well and the analyte in solution. Following this incubation the wells of the plate were washed three times with 0.02 M TRIS, 0.9% NaCl, 0.5% Tween-80 and 0.001% Thimerosal, pH 7.8 to remove any material that was not bound. To detect the amount of 5-FU antibody bound to the 5-FU-BSA conjugate in the wells, 100 μL of a goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate (Jackson Immunoresearch) diluted 1/2000 in PBS with 0.1% BSA, 0.05% ANS, 0.01% thimerosal, capable of binding specifically with murine immunoglobulins and producing a colored product when incubated with a substrate, were added to each well. After an incubation of 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking, during which the goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate binds to 5-FU antibodies in the wells, the plates were again washed three times to remove unbound secondary conjugate. To develop a measurable color in the wells washing was followed by the addition of 100 μL of TMB (TMB Liquid Substrate, Sigma or BioFx), a substrate for HRP, to develop color in a 10 minute incubation with shaking at room temperature. Following the incubation for color development, 50 μL of stop solution (1.5% sodium fluoride in di H 2 O) was added to each well to stop the color development and after 10 seconds of shaking the absorbance was determined at 650 nm (Molecular Devices Plate Reader). The amount of antibody in a well was proportional to the absorbance measured and inversely proportional to the amount of 5-FU in the sample. The absorbance of the color in the wells containing analyte was compared to that with no analyte and a standard curve was generated. The IC50 value for a given analyte was defined as the concentration of analyte that is required to inhibit 50% of the absorbance for the wells containing no analyte. The cross-reactivity of a given analyte was calculated as the ratio of the IC50 for 5-FU to the IC50 for uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur expressed as a percent. When measured with an antibody as produced in example 9 with immunogen of example 6a the percent cross-reactivates relative to 5-FU for uracil was less than 8%, for cytosine less than 0.03%, less than 1% for tegafur and about 12% for thymine. The results are in table I.
Example 15
Indirect Competitive Microtiter Plate Immunoassay Procedure Determining IC50 and Cross-Reactivity for Antibodies to 5-FU Derivative 13 Conjugate
[0133] The ELISA method for measuring 5-FU concentrations was performed with the microtiter plates that were sensitized with 5-FU-BSA described in example 7b. 5-FU, uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur were diluted 10 fold in PBS over a concentration range of 0.1 to 1,000,000 ng/mL depending on the sample. The assay was performed by incubating 50 μL of the analytes to be measured with 50 μL of antibody (produced in example 9) diluted to a titer determined in example 12a. During the 10 minute incubation (R.T., with shaking) there is a competition of antibody binding for the 5-FU conjugate in the well and the analyte in solution. Following this incubation the wells of the plate were washed three times with 0.02 M TRIS, 0.9% NaCl, 0.5% Tween-80 and 0.001% Thimerosal, pH 7.8 to remove any material that was not bound. To detect the amount of 5-FU antibody bound to the 5-FU-BSA conjugate in the wells, 100 μL of a goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate (Jackson Immunoresearch) diluted to a predetermined specific activity (approximately 1/2000) in PBS with 0.1% BSA, 0.05% ANS, 0.01% thimerosal, capable of binding specifically with murine immunoglobulins and producing a colored product when incubated with a substrate, were added to each well. After an incubation of 10 minutes at room temperature with shaking, during which the goat anti-mouse antibody—HRP enzyme conjugate binds to 5-FU antibodies in the wells, the plates were again washed three times to remove unbound secondary conjugate. To develop a measurable color in the wells washing was followed by the addition of 100 μL of TMB (TMB Liquid Substrate, Sigma or BioFx), a substrate for HRP, to develop color in a 10 minute incubation with shaking at room temperature. Following the incubation for color development, 50 μL of stop solution (1.5% sodium fluoride in di H 2 O) was added to each well to stop the color development and after 10 seconds of shaking the absorbance was determined at 650 nm (Molecular Devices Plate Reader). The amount of antibody in a well was proportional to the absorbance measured and inversely proportional to the amount of 5-FU in the sample. The absorbance of the color in the wells containing analyte was compared to that with no analyte and a standard curve was generated. The IC50 value for a given analyte was defined as the concentration of analyte that is required to inhibit 50% of the absorbance for the wells containing no analyte. The cross-reactivity of a given analyte was calculated as the ratio of the IC50 for 5-FU to the IC50 for uracil, thymine, cytosine and Tegafur expressed as a percent. When measured with a monoclonal antibody as produced in example 9 with immunogen of example 6b the percent cross-reactivities relative to 5-FU for uracil was less than 8%, less than 0.01% for cytosine, about 1% for tegafur and less than 4% for thymine. The results are in table II.
TABLE 1 Cross-Reactivity of 5-Fluorouracil Immunoassays with Related Compounds Using polyclonal antibodies Immunoassay Systems Plate Coating Cross-Reactivity Immunogen Conjugate 5Fluorouracil Uracil Thymine Cytosine Tegafur 1-Substituted KLH 3-Substituted BSA 100.0% 4.0% 6.7% <0.1% 200.0% Immunogen Conjugate (10:1 ratio) (Scheme 1, Cmpd 4, (Scheme 3a, Cmpd 12, Example 5) Example 7a) Compound II-B Compound II-A 3-Substituted BTG 1-Substituted BSA 100.0% 7.5% 12.0% <0.3% 0.5% Immunogen Conjugate (20:1 ratio) (Scheme 3a, Cmpd (Scheme 2, Cmpd 5, 12, Example 6a) Example 8) Compound II-A Compound II-B
[0134]
TABLE 2
Cross-Reactivity of 5-Fluorouracil Immunoassay using a monoclonal antibody
to 3-substituted-KLH (example 6b) with plate coating 3-substitued-5-FU
compound-BSA conjugate (example 7b).
Immunoassay Systems
Plate Coating
Cross-Reactivity
Immunogen
Conjugate
5Fluorouracil
Uracil
Thymine
Cytosine
Tegafur
3-Substituted KLH
3-Substituted BSA
100.0%
7.3%
3.2%
<0.01%
1.0%
Immunogen
Conjugate
(Scheme 3a, Cmpd 12,
(Scheme 3b, Cmpd 6,
Example 6b)
Example 7b)
Compound II-A
Compound II-A
[0135] The results in these tables demonstrate the importance of forming the immunogen from the compound of formula II-A and the reagent from the compound of formula II-A or II-B. From these results it can be seen that it is when the immunogen is formed from the compound of formula II-A, rather than II-B, an antibody is produced which does not cross-react with Tegafur. It is through the antibody provided from the immunogen of the compound of the formula II-A and the reagent carrier provided from the compound of II-A or II-B, that produces an accurate immunoassay for 5-FU to monitor patients being treated with 5-FU.
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Novel conjugates of 5-fluoro-uracil and novel 5-fluoro-uracil immunogens and monoclonal antibodies generated by these immunogens which are useful in immunoassays for the quantification and monitoring of 5-fluoro-uracil in biological fluids.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority from German Patent Application Nos. 103 389 47.4 dated 25 Aug. 2003 and 10 2004 033 509.5 dated 10 Jul. 2004, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention relates to a card top assembly for a carding machine.
[0003] In a known kind of carding machine cotton, synthetic fibres and the like, there is at least one card top bar having card top clothing, the card top clothing being fastened to the card top bar and positioned opposite to the clothing of a roller, e.g. the cylinder, and at least the regions of the clothing that face the card top bar being made of a ferrous product, especially steel.
[0004] In a known arrangement (U.S. Pat. No. 3,151,362), the card top bar consists of a back portion and a carrier body (carrier) having a foot face. Fastened to the foot face (portion that accommodates the clothing) is all-steel clothing or a clothing strip (flexible clothing) that extends in the longitudinal direction of the foot face. The all-steel clothing consists of a large number of saw-tooth wire portions arranged adjacent to one another. The clothing strip comprises a carrying element consisting of a plurality of textile layers, in which a large number of small wire hooks (clothing tips) are fastened. The regions of the steel clothings that are in each case remote from the tips are associated with the card top bar. The clothing strip is fastened along the longitudinal sides of the carrier body by means of two clamps (brackets, clips). With one end, the clamps encompass the longitudinally oriented edge regions of the clothing strip and with their other end engage in recesses in the carrier body. In practice, the clamps consist of a sheet metal strip, one longitudinal edge of which is cut into the textile material. On assembly, the textile material of the clothing strip is fastened to the carrier body of the card top bar in a positive fit under considerable stress. In the process, the clamps exert tensile forces in such a manner that the textile material is deformed convexly away from the foot face, so that the clothing tips facing outwards are also, undesirably, arranged on a convex-shaped envelope. When not in use, the resulting card top assembly has a precision of 0.05 mm in height and evenness. In use, the differences in height in the assembly increase to approximately 0.2 mm. Sharpening the clothing on the machine improves precision only insignificantly. After a throughput of approximately 400 t of fibre material, the card top clothing is so worn that it has to be replaced. In order to dismantle the sheet metal staples, the card top bar is clamped and the positive fit is reversed by means of a lever and pincers. The considerable forces that occur during assembly and dismantling have a deleterious effect on the dimensional stability of the card top bar.
[0005] It is an aim of the invention to provide an arrangement of the type described at the beginning that avoids or mitigates the disadvantages mentioned, makes it possible, especially in simple manner, to obtain a clothed card top bar that is dimensionally stable and enables simpler and more rapid reclothing (clothing replacement).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The invention provides a card top bar for a carding machine, comprising a card top bar carrier member; a clothing member comprising a ferrous portion; and at least one magnetic element positioned between the card top bar carrier member and said ferrous portion of said clothing member.
[0007] The solution makes it possible to obtain a simplified seating for the clothing strip (carrier layer and wires arranged in accordance with the setting configuration) on the card top bar, which additionally enables replacement to be made without causing any damage. For example, when the clothing is worn, the clothing strip to be replaced can be removed easily and the undamaged card top bar having the clothing seating according to the invention can be used for a new clothing strip.
[0008] Advantageously, a magnetic component comprising a said magnet is fastened to the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, a magnetic component comprising a said magnetic element is fastened by means of an adhesive layer or the like. Advantageously, a magnetic component comprising a said magnetic element is fastened by a screw connection or the like. Advantageously, the or each magnetic element is a permanent magnet, for example is of a permanent magnetic material. Advantageously, the magnetic force is greater than the forces acting upon the clothing member, e.g. carding force, force of a rotating cleaning roller or the like. Advantageously, the clothing member is detachable from the magnetic component. Advantageously, the clothing member is connected to the card top bar by means of the magnetic component as fastening element. Advantageously, the clothing is reversibly detachable from the magnetic component. Advantageously, the clothing, which is set into a backing layer, e.g. fabric or the like, consists of wires or the like that are bent approximately in a U-shape and are so inset that the web portion of the U-shaped wires or the like runs on the reverse side of the backing layer. Advantageously, a compensating layer is present between the card top bar carrier member and the clothing member, which compensating layer is able to compensate for different spacings between the carrier member and the clothing member. Advantageously, the compensating layer is able to compensate for different spacings between the reverse face of the card top clothing member and the foot face of the card top bar carrier member. A compensating layer may be able to compensate for one or more of: different spacings between the sliding surfaces of the card top heads and the foot face of the card top bar; different spacings between the sliding surfaces of the card top heads and the circle formed by the tips of the clothing; different spacings between the circle formed by the tips of the clothing and the circle formed by the tips of the clothing on the cylinder; local different spacings between the reverse face and the foot face. The upper face of the cylinder clothing may constitute a reference surface for the orientation of the card top bar carrier member and of the card top clothing member. The card top bar may form part of a revolving card top. The card top bar may be a fixed carding element.
[0009] Advantageously, flexible clothing is present. Advantageously, the flexible clothing comprises a carrier and clothing tips, wires, hooks or the like. Advantageously the carrier is strip-shaped. Advantageously, the clothing consists of saw-tooth wire strips, e.g. all-steel clothing. Advantageously, the clothing is mounted on the card top bar carrier member in the region of the foot face. Advantageously, a plastics material, an artificial resin, e.g. epoxy resin, or the like is provided as compensating substance. The card top bar carrier member may be a shape extruded from a light metal, e.g. aluminium. The extruded shape may be a hollow shape. Advantageously, two end pieces (card top heads) are associated with the carrier body. Preferably, the end pieces are pins of hardened steel or the like. Advantageously, the carrier element (textile material) and the compensating layer are arranged in a recess of the foot face (carrier body). Preferably, the recess is limited by at least two lateral webs or the like on the longitudinal sides of the carrier body. Advantageously, the underside of the clothing strip, on which the spines of the bent wires are located, is held securely by means of a magnet fixed to the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, the clothing strip is additionally fixed laterally to the side faces of the carrier layer, for example by webs mounted on the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, all the clothing strips, e.g. irrespective of the setting configuration, are arranged to be held flexibly by a magnet, so providing the connection to the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, the connection is supported mechanically, e.g. by pieces of sheet metal fastened to the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, there is additional securing or holding of the clothing strip in the horizontal plane e.g. by the clothing strips being held mechanically by webs. Advantageously, two webs are present on the longitudinal sides and/or two webs are present on the transverse sides. Advantageously, a clothing strip is accommodated, to which there is additionally fastened, by way of a compensating adhesive layer, a piece of sheet metal which is brought into contact with the magnet of the card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, the vertical connection is supported mechanically. Advantageously, the clothing strip is additionally provided with e.g. wire claws or the like at its outer edges where there is only carrier layer and none of the wires embedded therein. Advantageously, the magnetic component, e.g. magnetic tape, magnetic strip, magnetic bar or the like, extends in the longitudinal direction of the card top bar. Advantageously, a plurality of magnetic elements is present in the longitudinal direction of the card top bar. Advantageously, the magnetic elements are arranged spaced from one another. Advantageously, the magnetic elements are arranged offset relative to one another. Advantageously, the direction of offsetting is the working direction. Advantageously, a base made from a magnetic material is arranged on the reverse side of the card top clothing member. Preferably, the base is a steel tape, piece of sheet metal or the like. Preferably, the base has on its sides attachments, webs or the like that are bent at an angle. Advantageously, the card top clothing member has at least two groups of clothing, each of which is held by a magnet. Advantageously, at least two groups of clothing each have a heel zone relative to the roller clothing. Advantageously, the card top clothing member consists of a large number of all-steel clothing wires arranged axially relative to the clothed roller, e.g. cylinder. Advantageously, the card top clothing member is held on the card top bar carrier member by at least one magnetic element. Advantageously, the card top bar carrier member consists of a fibre-reinforced plastics material, for example, a glass-fibre-reinforced plastics material is used. Advantageously, a carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics material is used. Advantageously, the magnetic element is integrated in the fibre-reinforced plastics material, for example, by casting the magnetic element integrally with the plastics card top bar carrier member. The magnetic element may be cast or pressed into the plastics card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, the magnetic element is incorporated during manufacture of the plastics card top bar carrier member. Advantageously, at least one and preferably each of the edge regions bordering the longitudinal edges is provided with tips.
[0010] The invention also provides a card top bar for a carding machine, having a card top bar carrier member and a clothing member attached to the card top carrier member with an inner surface of the clothing member facing the carrier member, at least a region of the inner surface comprising a ferrous material, wherein at least one magnetic element is provided between the carrier member and the ferrous region or regions of the clothing member.
[0011] Moreover, the invention provides an arrangement at a carding machine for cotton, synthetic fibres and the like, in which there is at least one card top bar having card top clothing, the card top clothing being fastened to the card top bar and positioned opposite to the clothing of a roller, e.g. the cylinder, and at least the regions of the card top clothing that face the card top bar being made of a ferrous product, especially steel, wherein between the card top bar and the regions of the card top clothing facing the card top bar there is at least one magnetic element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a carding machine comprising an arrangement according to the invention;
[0013] FIG. 2 shows card top bars with a cut-away view of a slideway and a flexible bend;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a clothing strip comprising a carrier layer and small wire hooks;
[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view of a card top bar, in detail, comprising magnetic strip and all-steel clothing;
[0016] FIG. 5 a is a side view of a card top bar, as in FIG. 4 but with the magnetic strip and clothing strip (small wire hook clothing), in the assembled state;
[0017] FIG. 5 b is a side view of a card top bar, as in FIG. 5 a , but with the clothing strip detached;
[0018] FIG. 5 c is a cut-away view of a card top foot having two recesses;
[0019] FIG. 6 is a side view of a card top bar having additional fastening elements for the card top clothing;
[0020] FIG. 7 is a side view of a card top bar having an additional sheet metal base, for example a steel strip and a compensating layer on the reverse side of the card top clothing;
[0021] FIG. 8 is a plan view of an integral magnetic strip;
[0022] FIG. 9 is a plan view of a magnetic element consisting of a plurality of individual magnets;
[0023] FIG. 10 is a side view of a card top bar having two groups of clothing, each having a heel zone and having two magnets;
[0024] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a card top bar comprising a large number of all-steel clothing wires arranged parallel to the axis of the clothed roller;
[0025] FIG. 12 a is a side view of a card top bar made from fibre-reinforced plastics having an integrated magnetic element; and
[0026] FIG. 12 b shows a portion of the card top bar according to FIG. 12 a with card top clothing fastened to the magnet.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] With reference to FIG. 1 . a carding machine, for example a TC 03 carding machine made by Trützschler GmbH & Co. KG of Mönchengladbach, Germany, comprises a feed roller 1 , feed table 2 , lickers-in 3 a , 3 b , 3 c , cylinder 4 , doffer 5 , stripper roller 6 , nip rollers 7 , 8 , web-guiding element 9 , web funnel 10 , draw-off rollers 11 , 12 , revolving card top 13 having card-top-deflecting rollers 13 a , 13 b and card top bars 14 , can 15 and can coiler 16 . The directions of rotation of the rollers are indicated by curved arrows. Reference letter M denotes the centre (axis) of the cylinder 4 . Reference numeral 4 a denotes the clothing and reference numeral 4 b denotes the direction of rotation of the cylinder 4 . Reference letter C denotes the direction of rotation of the revolving card top 13 at the carding location and reference letter D denotes the direction in which the card top bars 14 are moved on the reverse side.
[0028] Referring to FIG. 2 , a flexible bend 17 comprising a plurality of adjusting screws is fastened laterally by screws to each side of the machine framework. The flexible bend 17 has a convex outer face 17 a and a lower face 17 b . Above the flexible bend 17 there is a slideway 20 , for example made of a slideable plastics material, that has a convex outer face 20 a and a concave inner face 20 b . The concave inner face 20 b rests on the convex outer face 17 a . The card top bars 14 , which are extruded from aluminium, have a carrier body 14 c and, at both their ends, have a card top foot 14 a to which there are fastened axially two steel pins 18 which slide on the convex outer face 20 a of the slideway 20 in the direction of arrow C. The card top clothing 24 is attached to the lower face of the card top foot 14 a . Reference numeral 23 denotes the circle formed by the tips of the card top clothings 24 .
[0029] The cylinder 4 has around its circumference a cylinder clothing 4 a , for example saw-tooth clothing. Reference numeral 22 denotes the circle formed by the tips of the cylinder clothing 4 a . The distance between the tip circle 23 and the tip circle 22 is denoted by reference letter a and is, for example, {fraction (2/1000)}″. The distance between the convex outer face 20 a and the tip circle 22 is denoted by reference letter b. The variable radius of the convex outer face 20 a is denoted by reference letter r 1 and the constant radius of the tip circle 22 is denoted by reference letter r 2 . The radius r 2 intersects the centre M (see FIG. 1 ) of the cylinder 4 . Reference numeral 14 c denotes the backs of the card top bars. Reference numeral 19 denotes a clamping element that engages the card top pins 18 and that is connected to the drive belt (not shown) for the card top bars 14 .
[0030] In the embodiment of FIG. 3 , the card top clothing 24 consists of clothing tips 26 (small wire hooks) and a carrier element 25 of a textile material. The small wire hooks 26 are approximately U-shaped and are fastened in the carrier element 25 by being pushed through the surface 25 ′. The bent-round regions 26 ′ of the small wire hooks 26 project above the surface 25 ′. The ends of the wire hooks 26 , that is to say the clothing tips, are free. The wire hooks 26 are made of steel wire.
[0031] In the embodiment of FIG. 4 , two webs 14 d , 14 e are arranged on the card top foot 14 a laterally in the longitudinal direction, so that in the region of the foot face 14 b (see FIG. 5 c ) there is a two-step recess 14 f 1 , 14 f 2 (see FIG. 5 b , 5 c ). As a result, the card top clothing 242 is held, protected and embedded. In the upper recess 14 f 1 there is arranged a magnetic element 29 , for example a magnetic tape, magnetic strip, magnetic bar or the like, which is fastened to the foot face 14 b 1 by an adhesive layer 30 . In the lower recess 14 f 2 there is arranged the card top clothing 242 , which consists of a large number of saw-tooth all-steel clothing strips 28 that are held in position by a steel cassette 27 . The card top clothing 242 is fastened to or held in position on the magnetic element 29 by its region remote from the free clothing tips (teeth).
[0032] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5 a and 5 b , the card top clothing 24 , consists of small wire hooks 26 and a carrier element 25 (see FIG. 3 ). FIG. 5 a shows the card top bar 14 and the card top clothing 24 , in the assembled state, the card top clothing or its bent-round regions 26 ′ being held securely by the magnet 29 so that forces acting on the card top clothing 24 , by the carding machine in operation are not able to detach the card top clothing 24 , from the magnet 29 . According to FIG. 5 b , the card top clothing 24 , has been separated from the magnet 29 and removed from the recess 14 f 21 for example in the event of wear, damage or the like of the clothing hooks 26 . Separation from the magnet 29 can be effected by a suitable tool by means of which the holding magnetic force can be overcome. The separation can also be effected while the carding machine is running in operation during the return of the card top bars 14 on the reverse side (see arrow D 1 in FIG. 1 ).
[0033] FIG. 5 c shows a portion of the two-step recess, recess 14 f 1 having a foot face 14 b 1 and recess 14 f 2 having a foot face 14 b 2 . As can be seen in FIGS. 4, 5 a and 5 b , 6 and 7 , the width c of recess 14 f 1 is smaller than the width d of recess 14 f 2 .
[0034] In the embodiment of FIG. 6 , two pieces of sheet metal 31 a and 31 b , for example made from aluminium, are mounted on the longitudinal outer sides of the webs 14 d and 14 e , the free end regions of which pieces of sheet metal are bent at right angles in opposite directions ( 31 a ′ counter-clockwise and 31 b ′ clockwise) around the lower region of the webs 14 d , 14 e . In the position shown in FIG. 6 , the regions that have been bent round 31 a ′, 31 b ′ provide additional holding of the carrier element 25 of the card top clothing 24 . Before detachment of the card top clothing 24 , from the magnet 29 , the end regions are bent open through 90° ( 31 a ′ clockwise and 31 b ′ counter-clockwise). The sheet metal pieces 31 a , 31 b can also be formed resiliently in the form of clips.
[0035] FIG. 7 shows an embodiment of a simplified seating for clothing (magnet 29 ) that additionally comprises a compensating layer 32 , by means of which it is possible to obtain greater card top precision and a larger fastening surface area. The compensating layer 32 is advantageously an adhesive layer, to which a piece of sheet metal 33 or the like, for example a piece of sheet steel, is fastened, which is in contact with the magnet 29 . The magnet 29 is fastened to the card top foot 14 a by lateral screws 34 a , 34 b.
[0036] FIG. 8 shows an elongate strip-shaped magnet 29 . According to FIG. 9 , the magnetic element consists of a plurality or large number of magnets 29 a to 29 n.
[0037] In the embodiment of FIG. 10 , the tips of the clothing 26 are divided into two groups 26 1 , 26 2 with two carrier elements 25 , and 252 , respectively. The two card top clothing strips so formed are each fastened to an associated magnetic element 291 and 292 , respectively. The tips of the groups 261 , 262 are arranged at a tangent to the clothing 4 a of the cylinder 4 at angles α and β, respectively. In that manner each group has a heel zone (narrowest point between the card top clothing and the cylinder clothing). The card top clothing may have a ground heel portion known per se (not shown) at the narrowest point. The heel zone and ground heel portion may similarly be present in the other embodiments of the invention.
[0038] In the embodiment of FIG. 11 , a large number of all-steel clothing wires are arranged parallel to the axial direction, for example, of the cylinder 4 , and are held in position by the magnet.
[0039] In the embodiment of FIGS. 12 a and 12 b a card top bar 14 is made from a fibre-reinforced plastics material, for example carbon-fibre-reinforced plastics. In the recess 14 f (see FIG. 5 c ) there is a magnetic tape 29 which is incorporated at the time of manufacture of the card top bar 14 and is thus an integral component of the card top bar 14 . The card top bar 14 can be manufactured, for example, by pressing, drawing, injection-moulding or the like. Provided a mould (matrix) is used, the magnetic strip 29 can be placed into the mould and cast or pressed at the same time. According to FIG. 12 b , the card top clothing 24 , is arranged in the other recess 14 f 2 (see FIG. 5 c ) and is held in position and fixed by the magnetic tape 29 .
[0040] The invention provides simplified accommodation of clothing on the card top bar 14 , which additionally enables damage-free replacement of the strip. The invention enables simplified seating of the clothing strip (carrier layer and wires arranged according to the setting configuration) on the card top bar 14 , which also allows damage-free replacement. For example, in the event of the clothing being worn, the clothing strip to be replaced can be removed easily and the undamaged card top bar 14 with the clothing seating can be used for a new clothing strip. The underside of the clothing strip, on which the spines of the bent wires are located, is held in position by means of a magnet 29 fixed to the card top bar 14 , and thus the clothing strip is fixed to the card top bar 14 ( FIG. 5 a , 5 b ). The clothing strip can additionally be fixed laterally to the side faces of the carrier layer, for example by webs mounted on the card top bar 14 , so providing additional securing/holding of the clothing strip in the horizontal plane of movement. All the clothing strips (e.g. irrespective of the setting configuration) are arranged to be held flexibly by a magnet, so providing the connection to the card top bar. If required, the connection is supported mechanically, e.g. by pieces of sheet metal fastened to the card top bar ( FIG. 6 ). Advantageously additional securing/holding of the clothing strip in the horizontal plane is made possible, for example by the clothing strips being held mechanically by way of webs (e.g. two on the longitudinal sides and optionally two on the tranverse sides). Advantageously, in addition to the use of the clothing strips known in the art, it is also possible to use a modified clothing strip to which there is additionally fastened, by way of a compensating adhesive layer, a piece of sheet metal which is brought into contact with the magnet of the card top bar. Advantages of that compensating and fastening layer and of the additional sheet metal piece are that card tops can be manufactured with greater precision and the surface area of the magnetic contact is increased. In that embodiment it is also possible optionally for the vertical connection to be supported mechanically (according to FIG. 6 ). If required, the clothing strip is preferably additionally provided with e.g. wire claws at its outer edges where there is only carrier layer and none of the wires embedded therein, so increasing the securing of the clothing strip.
[0041] Although the foregoing invention has been described in detail by way of illustration and example for purposes of understanding, it will be obvious that changes and modifications may be practised within the scope of the appended claims.
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In an arrangement at a carding machine for cotton, synthetic fibres and the like, at least one card top bar has a carrier and card top clothing. The card top clothing is fastened to the card top bar carrier and is positioned opposite to the clothing of a roller, e.g. the cylinder, and at least the regions of the clothing that face the card top bar carrier are made of a ferrous product, especially steel. In order to enable there to be obtained in simple manner a dimensionally stable clothed card top bar and simpler and more rapid reclothing (clothing replacement), at least one magnetic element is present between the card top bar carrier and the regions of the clothing member that face the card top bar carrier.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for producing 2-butenals with an acyloxy group or a halogen atom at 4-position as the substituent (abbreviated as "4-substituted-2-butenals" hereinbelow).
The 4-substitued-2-butenals produced by the process of the present invention are useful as synthetic intermediates of pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals and the like. For example, 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal is a key compound for producing vitamin A acetate (see Pure & Appl. Chem., 63, 45(1991); British Patent No. 1168639 and the like). In addition, 4-chloro-2-methyl-2-butenal can be converted readily into the above described 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal by the treatment with potassium acetate see J. Org. Chem., 42, 1648(1976) and the like!.
2. Related Art of the Invention
A variety of processes have been known as the process for producing 4-substituted-2-butenals. As to the process for producing 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal, for example, the following processes have been known.
i) A process comprising converting 1,4-dihydroxy-2-butene into 3,4-dihydroxy-1-butene by rearrangement, acetylating the 3,4-dihydroxy-1-butene to give 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene, hydroformylating the 3,4-diacetoxy-1-butene and eliminating one acetoxy group from the hydroformylation product (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,840,589).
ii) A process comprising ethynylating methylglyoxal dimethyl acetal, partially hydrogenating the resulting product to give 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-butenal dimethyl acetal, acetylating the 2-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-butenal dimethyl acetal to give 2-acetoxy-2-methyl-3-butenal dimethyl acetal and converting the 2-acetoxy-2-methyl-3-butenal dimethyl acetal into 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal dimethyl acetal by rearrangement in the presence of copper catalyst, followed by selective hydrolysis (see U.S. Pat. No. 3,639,437).
iii) A process comprising subjecting propanal to the reaction with acetoxyacetaldehyde in the presence of a secondary amine and an organic acid (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,362).
In addition, as to the process for producing 4-chloro-2-methyl-2-butenal, the following processes have been known.
iv) A process comprising oxidizing isoprene with an organic peracid such as peracetic acid in ethyl acetate to give 2-methyl-2-vinyloxirane and chlorinating the 2-methyl-2-vinyloxirane in the presence of copper chloride and lithium chloride see J. Org. Chem., 41, 1648(1976)!.
v) A process comprising chlorinating the above-described 2-methyl-2-vinyloxirane with acetyl chloride and alumina under gas-phase conditions (see U.S. Pat. No. 4,054,608).
vi) A process comprising oxidizing prenyl chloride with selenium dioxide see Nippon Kagaku Kaishi, Vol.12, pp.2246 (1975)!.
However, the processes i) and ii) require a number of reaction steps. Also, the process iii) requires the use of secondary amine and organic acid as the catalysts at 20 to 100 mol % based on the starting acetoxyacetaldehyde, in order to obtain the objective compound at a higher yield. However, the yield of the objective compound according to the process iii) is 42% to 63%.
The processes iv) and v) require the use of an organic peracid, which is explosive, during the preparation of 2-methyl-2-vinyloxirane; and the processes have the problem of the corrosion of reaction apparatus during the halogenation. Also, the process vi) requires the use of highly toxic selenium dioxide at an equimolar amount to the amount of the starting material.
As has been described above, the conventionally known processes for producing 4-substituted-2-butenals are disadvantageous for industrial practice.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a process for producing 4-subtituted-2-butenals industrially advantageously in a simple manner.
The object of the present invention can be achieved by a process described hereinbelow.
More specifically, the present invention is a process for producing a 4-substituted-2-butenal represented by the following formula (1); ##STR2## (wherein X represents an acyloxy group or halogen atom; R represents hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group; and these hydrocarbon groups can be substituted with hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an acyl group or an alkoxycarbonyl group), comprising subjecting a substituted acetaldehyde represented by the following formula (2);
X--CH.sub.2 --CHO (2)
(wherein X has the same meaning as defined above), to the reaction with an aldehyde represented by the following formula (3);
R--CH.sub.2 --CHO (3)
(wherein R has the same meaning as defined above) in the presence of an amino carboxylic acid.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is described in more detail.
In the above formula (2) which represents a substituted acetaldehyde used as one starting material, the acyloxy group represented by X includes, for example, aliphatic acyloxy groups such as acetoxy group, propionyloxy group, butyryloxy group, isobutyryloxy group, valeryloxy group, isovaleryloxy group, pivaloyloxy group, octoyloxy group, lauroyloxy group myristoyloxy group, palmitoyloxy group and stearoyloxy group; and aromatic acyloxy groups such as benzoyloxy group, p-toluoyloxy group and p-chlorobenzoyloxy group. Among them, those with 1 to 20 carbon atoms are preferred.
In the formula (2), examples of the halogen atom represented by X include chlorine atom or bromine atom.
Specific examples of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) include acetoxyacetaldehyde, propionyloxyacetaldehyde, isovaleryloxyacetaldehyde, octoyloxyacetaldehyde and chloroacetaldehyde. Among these compounds, acetoxyacetaldehyde and chloroacetaldehyde are preferable.
As the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2), commercially available ones can be used; or those produced by the known processes can also be used. For example, acetoxyacetaldehyde, which is the substituted acetaldehyde of the formula (2) wherein X is acetoxy group, can be produced readily by a process comprising ozonolysis of 1,4-diacetoxy-2-butene (see U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,560) and the like.
In the formula (3), which represents an aldehyde used as another starting material, the aliphatic hydrocarbon groups represented by R include, for example, alkyl groups such as methyl group, ethyl group, propyl group, isopropyl group, isoamyl group and n-octyl group; alkenyl groups such as allyl group; alkynyl groups such as propargyl group; and cycloalkyl groups such as cyclohexyl group and cyclooctyl group. Among them, those with 1 to 20 carbon atoms are preferable; those with 1 to 12 carbon atoms are more preferable; and methyl group is most preferable. In addition, the aromatic hydrocarbon groups represented by R include, for example, aryl groups such as phenyl group, tolyl group and naphthyl group; and aralkyl groups such as benzyl group and phenethyl group. Among them, those with 6 to 12 carbon atoms are preferable.
These aliphatic hydrocarbon groups or aromatic hydrocarbon groups can be substituted with, for example, hydroxyl group; alkoxy groups such as methoxy group, ethoxy group, isopropoxy group, isobutoxy group and isopentyloxy group; aryloxy groups such as phenoxy group; acyl groups such as acetyl group, propionyl group and benzoyl group; and alkoxycarbonyl groups such as methoxycarbonyl group and ethoxycarbonyl group.
Specific examples of the aldehyde represented by the formula (3) include acetaldehyde, propanal, butanal, pentanal, 4-pentenal, 3-methylbutanal, 3-phenylpropanal, 3-anisylpropanal, 4-hydroxybutanal, 4-acetoxybutanal and ester derivatives of 3-formylpropionic acid. Among them, propanal is preferable.
The aldehyde represented by the formula (3) can be used without specific limitation, but from the viewpoint of the yield, reaction efficiency and cost of production of the 4-substituted-2-butenals, the aldehyde is used generally in an amount of 1 to 10 moles, preferably in an amount of 1 to 2 moles, per one mole of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2).
In the present invention, an amino carboxylic acid is used as the catalyst. The amino carboxylic acid used in the present invention means a compound having both amino group (--NH 2 ) and carboxyl group. Examples of the amino carboxylic acid include glycine, alanine, β-alanine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, serine, cysteine, methionine, threonine, tyrosine, α-aminobutyric acid, β-aminobutyric acid, phenylalanine, aspartic acid, sodium aspartate, potassium aspartate, glutamic acid, sodium glutamate and potassium glutamate. Among them, alanine, glycine, glutamic acid and aspartic acid are preferable.
If a compound having both mono- or di-N-substituted amino group and carboxylic group is used in place of the amino carboxylic acid in the present invention, side reactions such as dimerization of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) have occurred to reduce the yield of 4-substituted-2-butenals represented by the formula (1).
In the present invention, the amino carboxylic acid is generally used in an amount of 0.01 to 50 mol % based on the amount of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2). From the viewpoint of the reaction efficiency and cost of production of the 4-substituted-2-butenals, the amino carboxylic acid is used in an amount of preferably 0.1 to 10 mol %, more preferably 0.5 to 5 mol %, based on the amount of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2).
In the present invention, a carboxylic acid with no functional group other than carboxyl group (abbreviated as "carboxylic acid" hereinbelow) or the salt thereof is preferably used in combination with the amino carboxylic acid, to make the reaction proceed smoothly. Examples of such carboxylic acid include mono carboxylic acid, dicarboxylic acid and poly basic carboxylic acid, such as acetic acid, propionic acid, butanoic acid, 2-methylpropionic acid, pentanoic acid, 3-methylbutanoic acid, oxalic acid, malonic acid, succinic acid and adipic acid.
In addition, examples of the salts of the carboyxlic acid include ones with alkali metals such as sodium and potassium and ones with alkali earth metals such as calcium.
The carboxylic acid or the salt thereof can be used generally in an amount of 0.01 to 100 mol % based on the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2). From the viewpoint of the reaction efficiency and the cost of production of the 4-substituted-2-butenals, the carboxylic acid or the salt thereof is preferably used in an amount of 0.1 to 10 mol % based on the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2).
In the present invention, a solvent is not necessary, but can be used as long as it does not inhibit the reaction.
Examples of the solvent include water; saturated aliphatic hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane, heptane and octane; aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzene, toluene and xylene; halogenated hydrocarbons such as dichloromethane, dichloroethane, chloroform and carbon tetrachloride; and ethers such as diethyl ether and diisopropyl ether.
The solvent can be used generally in an amount of 0.001 to 2 fold the weight of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2). From the viewpoint of the reaction efficiency and the cost of production of the 4-substituted-2-butenals, the solvent is preferably used in an amount of 0.01 to 1 fold the weight of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2).
The process of the present invention is preferably carried out in an atmosphere of an inert gas such as nitrogen and argon.
In the present invention, the reaction mechanism of the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) with the aldehyde represented by the formula (3) is not clearly elucidated, but it is found by the inventors that an aldol condensate represented by the following formula (4); ##STR3## (wherein R and X has the same meaning as defined above) is formed as an intermediate. Therefore, 4-substituted-2-butenals are considered to be formed from the above intermediate.
The process of the present invention is generally carried out as follows.
The process is carried out by charging a reaction vessel equipped with an agitator with the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2), the aldehyde represented by the formula (3), an amino carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid or the salt thereof if desired, and a solvent if necessary, followed by agitation at a given temperature. The process is also carried out by charging a reaction vessel equipped with an agitator with the aldehyde represented by the formula (3), an amino carboxylic acid, a carboxylic acid or the salt thereof if desired, and a solvent if necessary, and adding the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) into the resulting mixture, followed by agitation at a given temperature.
The progress of the reaction can be checked by detecting the starting materials and the intermediate with conventional means such as gas chromatography.
In addition, the process of the present invention can be carried out stepwise by removing the excessive substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) or the aldehyde represented by the formula (3) under atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure to obtain the residue containing the intermediate, and then agitating the resulting residue at a given temperature.
The reaction temperature is generally within a range of 10° to 200° C., preferably within a range of 50° to 150° C., while the reaction time is generally 4 to 12 hours. The reaction can be carried out under atmospheric pressure, reduced pressure or elevated pressure.
After completion of the reaction, 4-substituted-2-butenals can be is isolated by a known method, for example, comprising pouring the reaction mixture into water, extracting the product with an organic solvent such as dichloromethane and ethyl acetate, and removing the organic solvent from the extract under atmospheric pressure or reduced pressure.
The 4-substituted-2-butenals thus obtained can be further purified by known means such as distillation under reduced pressure or chromatography.
Furthermore, the process of the present invention can be carried out stepwise comprising isolating the intermediate and converting the intermediate into 4-substituted-2-butenals.
In this case, the process of the present invention is carried out as described below.
In the same manner as described above, the substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) is subjected to the reaction with the aldehyde represented by the formula (3) in the presence of an amino carboxylic acid, and the intermediate is isolated from the reaction mixture by known methods such as distillation or extraction with an organic solvent, after the starting materials have disappeared. For the extraction, organic solvents such as dichloromethane and ethyl acetate can be used.
Then, the intermediate is heated at 50° to 160° C. to give readily 4-substituted-2-butenals. The time for the above heating process is generally within a range of 2 to 4 hours. In the above heating process, the aforementioned carboxylic acid or the salt thereof can preferably be added to the intermediate.
After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture is treated in the same manner as described above to isolate the 4-substituted-2-butenals.
According to the present invention, 4-substituted-2-butenals can be produced easily in good yield. The process of the present invention is useful as a process for producing 4-substituted-2-butenals on an industrial scale.
Other features of the present invention will become apparent in the course of the following descriptions of exemplary embodiments which are given for illustration of the present invention and are not intended to be limiting thereof.
EXAMPLES
Example 1
A 300-ml three-necked flask was charged with 43 g of propanal (0.74 mole), 0.2 g of alanine (2 mmol), 0.4 g of acetic acid and 1.6 g of water, and then, the inner temperature was heated to 60° C. under agitation. To the resulting mixture, 40 g of acetoxyacetaldehyde (0.39 mol) was added dropwise over 2 hours. After completion of the addition, the reaction mixture was agitated at the same temperature for 4 hours, while checking the progress of the reaction by the analysis of a small portion of the reaction mixture with gas chromatography under the following conditions, to confirm the disappearance of the acetoxyacetaldehyde.
Excessive propanal was distilled off from the resulting reaction mixture under atmospheric pressure. Then, the resulting residue was agitated at 80° C. for 4 hours, while checking the progress of the reaction by the analysis of a small portion of the reaction mixture with gas chromatography under the following conditions, to confirm the disappearance of the intermediate (retention time; 16 minutes). At the completion of the reaction, 40.7 g of 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal was formed.
After cooling the resulting mixture to room temperature, 10 g of aqueous 5% sodium bicarbonate was added to the mixture and, after thorough shaking, the organic layer was separated. The resulting organic layer was distilled under reduced pressure to give a crude product, which was further purified by distillation under reduced pressure to give 39.2 g of 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal (boiling point of 83°-85° C./1 mmHg; yield: 70.5%).
The conditions for gas chromatographic analysis are as follows.
Column: OV-17, 3 m×4 mmφ (made by GL Science INC.)
Temperature of column: raised to 240° C. from 70° C. (rate of temperature rise: 5° C./minute)
Detector: FID detector
Example 2
The general procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that 0.2 g (3 mmol) of glycine was used instead of 0.2 g of alanine to give 36.9 g of 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal (yield: 66.3%).
Example 3
The general procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that 0.3 g (2.5 mmol) of glutamic acid was used instead of 0.2 g of alanine to give 33.2 g of 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal (yield: 59.4%).
Comparative Example 1
The general procedure of Example 1 was repeated except that 0.2 g (1.4 mmol) of N-methylalanine was used instead of 0.2 g of alanine. Three hours after completion of the dropwise addition of acetoxyacetaldehyde, the reaction mixture was analyzed by gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1. However, no 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal was found.
Examples 4 to 6
The general procedure of Example 1 was repeated using a substituted acetaldehyde represented by the formula (2) and an aldehyde represented by the formula (3), having X and R shown in Table 1, in an amount of the same moles as in Example 1 to give corresponding 4-substituted-2-butenal. The yields of the objective compounds (determined by the internal standard method with gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1) are shown in Table 1.
The objective compounds were isolated by column chromatography on silica gel (eluent: hexane/ethyl acetate=9/1 (v/v ratio)).
TABLE 1______________________________________X R Yield (%)______________________________________Example 4 Propionyloxy group Methyl group 69.3Example 5 Isobutyryloxy group Methyl group 68.2Example 6 Acetoxy group Ethyl group 70.1______________________________________
Example 7
A 300-ml three-necked flask was charged with 58 g of propanal (1 mole), 0.2 g of alanine, 0.4 g of sodium acetate and 1.6 g of water, and then, the inner temperature was heated to 60° C. under agitation. To the resulting mixture, 98.1 g of aqueous chloroacetaldehyde containing 39 g (0.5 mol) of chloroacetaldehyde! was added dropwise over 2 hours. After completion of the addition, the reaction mixture was agitated at the same temperature for 6 hours, while checking the progress of the reaction by the analysis of a small portion of the reaction mixture with gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1, to confirm the disappearance of the chloroacetaldehyde.
Excessive propanal was distilled off from the resulting reaction mixture under atmospheric pressure . Then, the resulting residue was agitated at 80° C. for 8 hours, while checking the progress of the reaction by the analysis of a small portion of the reaction mixture with gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1, to confirm the disappearance of the intermediate (retention time; 12 minutes). At the completion of the reaction, 28.8 g of 4-chloro-2-methyl-2-butenal was formed.
After cooling the resulting mixture to room temperature, 10 g of aqueous 5% sodium bicarbonate was added to the mixture and, after thorough shaking, the organic layer was separated. The resulting organic layer was distilled under reduced pressure to give a crude product, which was further purified by distillation under reduced pressure to give 26.9 g of 4-chloro-2-methyl-2-butenal (boiling point of 40°-42° C./ 0.5 mmHg; yield: 66.3%).
Example 8
A 300-ml three-necked flask was charged with 43 g of propanal (0.74 mole), 0.2 g of alanine, 0.4 g of acetic acid and 1.6 g of water, and then, the inner temperature was heated to 60° C. under agitation. To the resulting mixture, 40 g of acetoxyacetaldehyde (0.39 mol) was added dropwise over 2 hours. After completion of the addition, the reaction mixture was agitated at the same temperature for 4 hours, while checking the progress of the reaction by the analysis of a small portion of the reaction mixture with gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1, to confirm the disappearance of the acetoxyacetaldehyde.
10 g of aqueous 5% sodium bicarbonate was added into the reaction mixture and, after thorough shaking, the organic layer was separated. The resulting organic layer was distilled under reduced pressure to give 59.2 g of a fraction (boiling point of 100° to 105° C./1 mmHg). Gas chromatographic analysis of the fraction under the same conditions as in Example 1 shows a single a peak with a retention time of 16 minutes.
The infrared absorption spectrum and mass spectrum (GC-MS) of the fraction are shown below.
Infrared absorption spectrum (ν:cm -1 ): 3475(O--H), 3000(C--H), 2950(C--H), 2900, 1740(C═O), 1460, 1440, 1380, 1240(C-O), 1160(C-O), 1120, 1050, 980, 930, 620.
Mass spectrum:
160(M + ), 142( M--H 2 O! + ), 83( M--H 2 O--CH 3 COO! + ).
The above results indicate that the fraction contains 4-acetoxy-3-hydroxy-2-methylbutanal.
0.1 g of acetic acid was added to the intermediate (59.2 g), followed by heating at 70° C. for 2 hours. The reaction mixture was analyzed by gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1 to find that the intermediate had disappeared and 44.0 g of 4-acetoxy-2-methyl-2-butenal was formed (yield: 80.2%; determined by internal standard-method with gas chromatography under the same conditions as in Example 1).
Obviously, numerous modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein.
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Described is a process for producing a 4-substituted-2-butenal represented by the following formula (1); ##STR1## (wherein X represents an acyloxy group or halogen atom; R represents hydrogen atom, an aliphatic hydrocarbon group or an aromatic hydrocarbon group; and these hydrocarbon groups can be substituted with hydroxyl group, an alkoxy group, an aryloxy group, an acyl group or an alkoxycarbonyl group), which is useful as synthetic intermediates of phormaceutieals, agricultural chemicals and the like,
comprising subjecting a substituted acetaldehyde represented by the following formula (2);
X--CH.sub.2 --CHO (2)
(wherein X has the same meaning as defined above), with an aldehyde represented by the following formula (3);
R--CH.sub.2 --CHO (3)
(wherein R has the same meaning as defined above) in the presence of an amino carboxylic acid.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
None.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a glow plug, and more particularly toward a glow plug having an integrated pressure sensing device for use in an internal combustion engine.
2. Related Art
Glow plugs are typically used in applications where a source of intense heat is required to either directly initiate or to aid in the initiation of combustion. As such, glow plugs are used in space heaters, industrial furnaces and diesel engines to name a few.
In the field of compression ignition engines, there are trends toward ever greater output and efficiency, as well as toward the use of flexible fuels, which together have increased the demand for and usage of various types of combustion sensors necessary to enable enhanced control of the engine and combustion processes. Combustion sensors, particularly combustion pressure sensors, have in the past been discrete sensors that are inserted into the combustion chamber through special threaded bores created just to accommodate these sensors. The sensors themselves have generally been used only in engine and engine control development, and not in mass production owing to their high cost and the additional demands they place on space around the cylinder head.
Several examples of glow plugs with integrated pressure sensors can be found in the prior art. A particular problem or concern with many, if not all, pressure sensing glow plug designs relates to the undesirable stresses introduced into the glow plug components, and particularly to the electrode itself, in order to adequately preload the pressure sensor. Joint strength between the electrode and heater probe components is quite often challenged by prior art designs which incorporate a pressure sensing device into the glow plug shell.
One prior art example may be found in US Publication No. 2007/0095811 published May 3, 2007. According to this design, a pressure sensing unit is preinstalled on the heater probe and pretensioned through an external support tube that is subsequently joined to the glow plug shell at its upper end. A particular drawback of this arrangement lies in the way its flexible membrane element between the glow plug shell and heater probe (to accommodate pressure fluctuations) is compressed along its length. A further drawback of this design resides in the location of its sensor element which protrudes into the combustion gas relatively far away from the cylinder head seat, and is thus subject to rapid thermal shock. These features lead to reduced working life and less than optimal functionality.
Taken as a whole, prior art glow plugs with integrated pressure sensors tend to place the center electrode or other force transmitting member in tension, with the shell components in compression. FIG. 2 provides an illustration of one such prior art glow plug design. The joint between the center electrode and the heater probe needs a tensile strength which is not required in normal glow plug operations, and which is very difficult to achieve. Furthermore, preloads or pretensioning on the sensor must be high enough to ensure that load always stays on the sensor under all conditions, even as changes in the sensed pressure reduce the preload. Doubtless, some random examples do exist where the center electrode is not tensioned, such as in the above-noted US 2007/0095811. However, these examples are prone to distortions and other design defects. Prior art designs also have a certain minimum length required for all necessary components, and rely on forces transmitted through the long and thin center electrode which can give problems of thermal performance and reduced sensitivity. Furthermore, manufacturing issues related to the assembly of a sensor stack, i.e., the stack of components which together function as a sensor assembly, complicate the necessary electrical connections.
Accordingly, there is a need for a glow plug with integrated pressure sensor that avoids placing unnecessary stress on the center electrode component, enables lower starting loads, better thermal performance, higher sensitivity, and does not require a strong bond from center electrode to heater probe. Furthermore, there is a need for such a glow plug and pressure sensor assembly that is more easily assembled in the context of high volume production.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention addresses the shortcomings exhibited in prior art designs by providing a glow plug assembly for an internal combustion engine, wherein the assembly has an integrated internal pressure sensor. The assembly comprises a shell having an axially extending bore, and an elongated heater probe. The heater probe has a base end disposed within the bore in electrical contact with the shell. An electrode is in electrical contact with the base end of the heater probe while being electrically insulated from the shell. A pressure sensor is disposed within the shell. The pressure sensor is supported against the base end of the heater probe and is adapted to measure pressure fluctuations when the glow plug assembly is installed in an engine. A canister is disposed within the shell and surrounds the pressure sensor. The canister extends between first and second ends, with its first end operatively fixed to the shell while its second end is in pressing contact with the pressure sensor. The canister establishes a compressive preload force on the pressure sensor without transmitting transient distortions that may occur in the shell to the pressure sensor.
According to another aspect of this invention, a method for manufacturing a glow plug assembly is provided. The method comprises the steps of: forming a shell having an axially extending bore, forming an elongated heater probe having a base end and a heating tip opposite the base end, supporting the base end of the heater probe within the bore of the shell so as to establish electrical conductivity between the shell and the heater probe, electrically connecting an electrode to the base end of the heater probe while maintaining electrical insulation between the electrode and the shell, providing a canister having first and second ends, attaching the first end of the canister to the shell, providing a pressure sensor, placing the pressure sensor inside the canister so that the pressure sensor rests against the base end of the heater probe, and compressing the pressure sensor with the second end of the canister to establish a preload force on the pressure sensor.
The subject invention, addresses the prior art shortcomings in that it does not depend on the electrode to transmit forces to or from the pressure sensor. Rather, the electrode passes through the pressure sensor generally untouched. This is distinguished from prior art systems like that depicted in FIG. 2 . According to this invention, the pressure sensor is effectively placed directly onto the base end of the heater probe and pressed against it using a canister which surrounds the pressure sensor to form a containment capsule. The canister is rigidly connected to the shell preferably very near to its seat. Because the heater probe moves in response to pressure fluctuations but the shell does not, movement of the heater probe leads directly to changing forces on the pressure sensor. As force increases with applied gas pressure, the initial preload force can be relatively low. The force carrying elements can thus have a short length and high cross-sectional area, giving high stiffness and hence a high degree of sensor sensitivity. The canister can be designed with a short length and, owning to its enclosed nature, gives additional benefits of good thermal performance due to reduced differences in thermal expansion, which further contributes to a low starting preload. Electrical connections can be brought out as an easily accessible, coaxial configuration if desired. Manufacturing is aided by the alignment inherent in the assembly being inside the canister. The connection of the canister to the shell of the glow plug is arranged, preferably, to be very close to the end of the shell, i.e., near the seat, thereby minimizing signal distortion due to changing forces in the external shell of the glow plug.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more readily appreciated when considered in connection with the following detailed description and appended drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a prior art glow plug assembly;
FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of a prior art glow plug assembly including an integrated pressure sensing device, wherein the center electrode is placed in tension when the sensor assembly is preloaded;
FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a glow plug assembly according to the subject invention shown in quarter-section;
FIG. 4 is a partial cross-sectional view of the glow plug assembly of FIG. 3 ;
FIGS. 5A-D depict an assembly operation wherein the subject glow plug is assembled;
FIG. 6 is a glow plug assembly according to a first alternative embodiment of the subject invention;
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of a second alternative embodiment;
FIG. 8 is a cross-section of a third alternative embodiment; and
FIG. 9 is fragmentary perspective view of the electrode according to the third alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 8 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, a glow plug according to the prior art is generally shown at 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The glow plug 10 includes an annular metal shell 12 having a bore 14 which extends along an imaginary longitudinal axis A. The shell 12 may be formed from any suitable metal, such as various grades of steel. The shell 12 may also incorporate a plating or coating layer, such as a nickel or nickel alloy coating over some or all of its surfaces including the exterior surface 16 and within the bore 14 so as to improve its resistance to high temperature oxidation and corrosion. The shell 12 includes external wrenching flats 18 or other suitably configured tool-receiving portion to advance screw threads 20 into an appropriately tapped hole in an engine cylinder head, pre-ignition chamber, intake manifold or the like. A tapered seat 22 bears against a complimentary-shaped pocket in the mating feature to perfect a pressure-tight seal in operation.
The glow plug assembly 10 includes a heater probe, generally indicated at 24 . The heater probe 24 may be of the metallic or ceramic type. A metallic type heater probe 24 commonly includes a resistance heating element, powder packing material, and a seal. In the case of ceramic construction technology, the heater probe 24 will be constructed according to known ceramic designs. Regardless of a metallic or ceramic construction, the heater probe 24 will have a base end 26 ( FIG. 2 ), supported in the shell 12 , and a heating tip 28 opposite the base end 26 . An electrode 30 makes electrical contact with the base end 26 of the heater probe 24 while maintaining electrical isolation from the shell 12 . In the example of FIG. 2 , the electrode 30 is formed with a tapering tip that seats within a mating socket formed in the base end 26 of the heater probe 24 . Other joint designs are known in the art and can be used with effectiveness in this invention providing they are properly configured. A pressure sensor, generally indicated at 32 , is disposed inside the shell 12 to form a fully integrated pressure sensing glow plug 10 .
Referring still to FIG. 2 , during assembly the electrode 30 is placed in tension to put the pressure sensor 32 into compression. Increased pressure acting on the heater probe 24 causes displacement of a flexible membrane 34 which allows movement of the center electrode 30 . This, in turn, moves an upper retainer 36 in an upward direction, which has the effect of reducing the preloaded compressive force on the pressure sensor 32 . Therefore, initial load, i.e., preload, in the electrode 30 must be enough to accommodate this fall in load plus any changes due to thermal effects in the pressure sensor assembly 32 . Considering the long length of this assembly and its open nature, which leads to greater thermal differences, thermal effects can be substantial. Therefore, a large initial preload is needed in practice. This has the undesirable effect of separating the joint between the base end 26 of the heater probe 24 and the electrode 30 .
Referring now to FIGS. 3 , 4 , and 5 A-D a glow plug assembly according to the present invention is generally shown at 110 . In FIGS. 3-5D , which illustrate one embodiment of the subject invention, reference numbers corresponding to those presented in FIGS. 1 and 2 , but offset by 100 , are used as a matter of convenience. As shown in these views, a canister, generally indicated at 138 , is disposed within the shell 112 and surrounds the pressure sensor 132 . The canister 138 extends between first 140 and second 142 ends thereof, such that the first end 140 is operatively affixed to the shell 112 , whereas the second end 142 (acting through a cap member 146 ) is in pressing contact with the pressure sensor 132 . The canister 138 is effective to establish a compressive preload force on the pressure sensor 132 without transmitting transient distortions occurring in the shell 112 to the pressure sensor 132 . Furthermore, the canister 138 isolates the center electrode 130 from any preload forces, so that its connection to the heater probe 124 is not stressed by the preloading operation of the pressure sensor 132 .
The shell 112 has an upper end adjacent its wrenching flats (not shown in FIGS. 3-5D ) and a lower end adjacent the seat 122 . The flexible pressure-sensitive membrane 134 is adapted for exposure to pressure fluctuations when installed in an engine and is preferably disposed at the lower end of the shell 112 . The first end 140 of the canister 138 is directly joined to the shell 112 adjacent the pressure-sensitive membrane 134 . As perhaps best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , the canister 138 includes a generally cylindrical sidewall 144 and a cap member 146 that extends inwardly from the sidewall 144 . The sidewall 144 is directly joined to the shell 112 , whereas the cap member 146 bears in pressing engagement against the top of the pressure sensor 132 . The cap member 146 can be brazed or welded to the sidewall 144 , as indicated by the weld line visible in FIG. 3 .
The specific joint design between the heater probe 124 and the electrode 130 can vary from one design to the next. In the disclosed embodiment, however, the heater probe 124 is shown including a probe contact 148 generally overlying its base end 126 for transmitting compressive preload forces from the pressure sensor 132 to the heater probe 124 . As can be seen therefore, the center electrode 130 establishes electrical contact and connection to the contact pad 148 , which in turn transmits electricity to the appropriate resistive elements contained within the heater probe 124 .
The pressure-sensitive membrane 134 may take many forms, but in the preferred embodiment is integrally formed with a lower portion of the shell 112 such that it contains the annular seat 122 . The pressure-sensitive membrane 134 may also include a nm section 150 that extends upwardly from the seat 122 a short distance. The rim section 150 has a mating interface for coupling directly to the first end 140 of the canister 138 . In this example, the mating interface takes the form of a counter-bore which receives the first end 140 of the canister 138 in tight fitting, e.g., interference fit, manner. The pressure-sensitive membrane 134 also includes a thin flexible membrane section that extends radially inwardly from the rim section 150 to a sleeve portion 152 . The sleeve portion 152 directly engages the outer surface of the heater probe 124 for transferring pressure induced movements of the heater probe 124 into the flexible membrane section.
Referring now to the pressure sensor 132 , several components are stacked or assembled together to form the overall pressure sensing device. These elements include a lower insulation pad 154 disposed between the probe contact pad 148 and the pressure sensor 132 . Similarly, an upper insulation pad 156 is disposed between the cap member 146 and the pressure sensor 132 . Respective upper 158 and lower 160 sensor contacts directly abut the respective upper 156 and lower 154 insulation pads, on opposite sides of the pressure sensor 132 . These contacts 158 , 160 transmit electrical signals to and from the pressure sensor 132 for use in the engine management system, without touching either the charged electrode 130 or the grounded shell 112 .
Because the canister 138 avoids placing any stress on the electrode 130 during the preload operation, there is no requirement that the electrode 130 be sufficiently rigid to carry compressive loads. Therefore, if desired, the electrode 130 may comprise a flexible cable, although a rigid electrode 130 is equally within the scope of design choice for this invention. Another advantage of this invention is realized by the closed format afforded by the canister 138 , thereby leading to much lower initial preloads being required and more even temperature characteristics. Because the canister 138 has a substantially larger cross-section and smaller length than the center electrode 130 , it is able to achieve higher measurement sensitivity than prior art designs which relied upon loads carried through the electrode. Furthermore, a reduction in the electrical noise in the system can be realized when the canister 138 acts as a grounded screen, via its direct connection to the grounded shell 112 . Also, connection of the canister 138 to the shell 112 at its lower end, close to the membrane 134 , means that changes in forces acting upon the shell 112 through the seat area 122 can be arranged to cause minimal changes in loads transferred to the pressure sensor 132 .
FIGS. 5A-D illustrate a possible assembly process for the glow plug assembly 110 . In this example, FIG. 5A shows the sidewall 144 portion of the canister 138 first attached to the rim section 150 of the pressure-sensitive membrane 134 , which forms part of the shell 112 . This connection can be accomplished by interference fit, welding, brazing or by other means. Also in this step, center electrode 130 , in the form of a flexible cable, is directly connected to the contact pad 148 of the heater probe 124 . Of course, if a rigid style electrode 130 is preferred, it can be used in place of the flexible cable. FIG. 5B shows the sensor components 154 , 160 , 132 , 156 , 158 assembled inside the sidewall 144 , on top of the probe contact pad 148 . In FIG. 5C , the cap member 146 is placed on top of the sensor stack and force is applied to provide the correct preload to the sensor 132 . A rigid joint is made between the cap member 146 and the sidewall 144 of the canister 138 , such as by welding, brazing or by other means. In FIG. 5D , the remaining electrical connections are made and the upper portion of the shell 112 is attached to the rim section 150 by an appropriate method such as welding or brazing.
FIG. 6 shows a first alternative embodiment of the subject glow plug assembly 210 , wherein like or corresponding parts to those previously introduced are distinguished by the prefix 2 . In this example, the variation to the electrical connection is shown, wherein only a lower sensor contact 260 is used together with a lower insulator pad 254 . Both the upper insulator pad and upper sensor contact have been eliminated in this design, with electrical connection occurring directly through the cap member 246 . Furthermore, in this first alternative embodiment, the construction of the shell 212 is changed, with a flange 262 extending outwardly from the sidewall 244 of the canister 238 , and interposed between the rim section 250 and the upper portion of the shell 212 .
A second alternative embodiment of the glow plug assembly is generally shown at 310 in FIG. 7 . Like or corresponding parts are here identified by common reference numerals beginning with the number 3 . This second alternative embodiment is similar in many respects to the first alternative embodiment shown in FIG. 6 , but in this instance the lower insulator pad and lower sensor contact have been eliminated. An upper insulator pad 356 and an upper sensor contact 358 are used. The canister 338 is integrated together with the pressure sensing membrane 334 , such that the sidewall 344 is formed integrally with the rim section 350 . The cap member 346 is attached to the sidewall 344 in a fashion similar to that described above. Of course, those of skill in the art will envision other configurations for the canister and its associated components without departing from the spirit of the invention.
FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate yet another, third alternative embodiment of this invention, generally indicated at 410 , with like or corresponding parts identified by familiar reference numerals beginning with 4 . In the case of this third alternative embodiment, electrical contacts to the pressure sensor 432 are not brought out of the canister 438 , but rather the electrode 430 is specially configured to route the necessary electrical connections. More specifically, the electrode 430 is provided with an insulated cover 464 . The electrode 430 in this example is rigid, although a flexible cable design may also be used. Here, the upper sensor contact 458 has a shaped wire configuration as shown in FIG. 9 , and is supported in a groove on the outer surface of the cover 464 . Likewise, the lower sensor contact 460 is supported in a groove on the cover 464 . These sensor contacts 458 , 460 have a bent circular configuration at the appropriate points of contact with respective upper 466 and lower 468 disk-like terminals positioned on opposite sides of the pressure sensor 432 . In this design, the canister 438 is also uniquely shaped. The sidewall 444 and cap member 446 are formed as an integral unity without a subsequent joining operation being required. Preloading is accomplished when the canister 438 is seated in the rim section 450 of the pressure sensitive membrane 434 , and joined thereto such as by interference fit, welding, brazing or other fixation technique.
The foregoing invention has been described in accordance with the relevant legal standards, thus the description is exemplary rather than limiting in nature. Variations and modifications to the disclosed embodiment may become apparent to those skilled in the art and fall within the scope of the invention, which is defined by the following claims.
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A glow plug assembly includes an integrated, internal pressure sensor. In order to reduce loading on the center electrode, improve sensor responsiveness, and provide better thermal performance, the pressure sensor assembly is housed in a canister which forms a containment capsule and rigidly connects inside the glow plug shell near its seat area. The pressure sensor makes direct contact with the base end of the heater probe so that movements of the heater probe caused by fluctuations in gas pressure lead directly to changing force on the sensor stack.
| 8
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This application is a continuation of prior U.S. application Ser. No. 129,070; Filing Date Dec. 7, 1987 and/which is a continuation in part of application Ser. No. 023,838 Mar. 9, 1987 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,536.
FIELD OF INVENTION
More specifically this invention relates to apparatus for dispensing a unit dosage of different viscosity impression materials in sequence from a single source so as to permit a dental impression to be taken under aseptic conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Dental impressions of prepared and unprepared teeth are a vital step in the fabrication of the prosthetic replacement. Such devices as inlays, onlays, full crowns and bridges as well as removable prosthetic devices require replication with accuracy. By means of an impression or negative duplication of the intraoral site, a dental laboratory can convert this reverse likeness to a positive of the original condition. The materials used for taking the impression have improved and presently the use of elastomers is considered the most accurate, stable and easily handled of the impression materials.
A dental impression tray is usually selected for the particular area of the mouth where the impression is to be taken. To obtain an impression of the teeth and surrounding soft tissue, it is desirable to coat the intraoral site with a low viscosity impression material followed by a separate application of a higher viscosity material. The low viscosity material fills the internal critical surfaces of the oral cavity to provide maximum detail, whereas the higher viscosity material serves as a bulking agent between the low viscosity material and the tray. Additionally, the higher viscosity material serves to develop hydraulic pressure to force the lower viscosity impression material into tight apposition to the oral tissue and hard tooth structure.
A bond is formed between the two impression materials as long as too much time does not elapse between the covering of the teeth with the low viscosity material and the seating of the tray with the higher viscosity material. Otherwise, there will be an imperfect coalescence of the two materials. Moreover, if the higher viscosity material is allowed to begin to set before the tray is seated, it will distort the impression.
Presently, the elastomeric impression materials are blended and premixed by hand from separate containers of catalyst and base with the mixed higher viscosity material added to the tray and separately formed lower viscosity material drawn into a syringe. Not only is the blending of each of the impression materials subject to inconsistency from one operation to another, but the overall operation is both messy and time-consuming, and is, in general, performed in the full view of the patient without regard to asepsis.
The apparatus of the present invention dispenses a plurality of different viscosity elastomeric impression materials from a single source in a predetermined sequence and in a predetermined unit dosage for use in taking a dental impression. In using the apparatus of the present invention there is no mess and the procedure is inherently aseptic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, an apparatus has been developed for dispensing, in sequence, a unit dosage of several elastomeric impression materials of different viscosities so as to permit a dental impression to be taken under aseptic conditions in the preparation of a dental restoration. The apparatus in accordance with one embodiment comprises:
a syringe having at least two elongated storage compartments laterally spaced apart with each compartment having a discharge end;
means for simultaneously applying pressure upon the opposite end of each compartment for discharging material from the discharge end of each compartment in common;
a nozzle assembly having a single nozzle for dispensing the materials discharged from said syringe, a head for coupling said nozzle assembly to said syringe, and a static mixing element in said nozzle for intermixing the materials fed to said nozzle;
a first impression material of relative low viscosity located in a first one of said storage compartments;
a second impression material of a substantially higher viscosity relative to the viscosity of said first impression material disposed in tandem with said first impression material in said first storage compartment;
a curing composition for said first and second impression materials located in a second storage compartment; and
means for separating said first and second impression materials for minimizing intermixing thereof during storage prior to use and during the sequential discharge of each material through said first storage compartment until one of said two impression materials is completely discharged from said storage compartment.
The apparatus in accordance with another embodiment comprises:
a syringe having a common head and two elongated storage compartments laterally spaced apart and extending from said head, with each compartment having a discharge and terminating in said common head;
means for simultaneously applying pressure upon the opposite end of each compartment for discharging material from the discharge end of each compartment in common; and
a nozzle assembly having a single nozzle for dispensing the materials discharged from said syringe, a static mixing element in said nozzle for intermixing the materials fed to said nozzle, and mean for removably coupling said nozzle assembly to said syringe with said means comprising a cylindrical member having tong-like projections for engaging the head of said syringe, and wherein the head of said syringe includes symmetrically disposed recessed grooves in alignment with the longitudinal axis of said syringe, and a curved recess in a plane substantially transverse thereto into which said tong-like projections are removably placed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
The arrangement and configuration which best illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings which are to be considered as exemplary rather than limiting, and wherein:
FIG. 1 is a side elevation in cross section of the dispensing apparatus of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the static mixing element and nozzle of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle assembly taken along the lines 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4A is a plan view of one embodiment of the separating diaphragm for separating the impression materials in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4B is a plan view of another separating diaphragm for separating the impression materials in FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the dispenser of FIG. 1 employing an alternate arrangement for removably coupling the syringe and nozzle assembly;
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 5 taken along the lines 6-6; and
FIG. 7 is another cross-sectional view of the dispenser of FIG. 5 taken along the lines 7-7 of FIG. 5.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The apparatus of the present invention comprises a multi-barrel dispenser (10) which, as shown in FIG. 1, includes a syringe (11) having two compartments (12) and (14) for storing at least two elastomeric, self-curing, impression materials of different viscosities each having a base or a catalyst constituent (A) and (B), or conversely, (B) and (A), and a corresponding catalyst or base (C). The components from each compartment are fed in common into a common nozzle assembly (16) where they intermix before discharge. Each impression material is discharged in common with a catalyst and in sequence with each other.
The dispenser (10) is preferably constructed to conform to the dispensing mixer described in the parent U.S. Ser. No. 023,838 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,753,536 filed on Mar. 9, 1987, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. The syringe (11) is preferably molded from any plastic composition such as polystyrene with each of the compartments (12) and (14) being preferably of a cylindrical configuration and of equal size and volume. Each storage compartment (12) and (14) has a discharge opening (19) and (20) for expelling impression material through the head (17) of the syringe (11). A partition (18) which is molded in the body of the syringe (11) separates the discharge openings (19) and (20) until the materials discharge in common into the nozzle assembly (16). A pair of thin diaphragm membranes (23) and (24) may be used to initially close off each of the discharge openings (19) and (20). The membranes (23) and (24) are normally closed members which readily open in response to a predetermined minimum driving force applied to each compartment from a pair of plungers (25) and (26). A diaphragm member (46) as shown in FIG. 4A having closed score lines (47) may be used for the membrane (23) and (24), respectively.
The nozzle assembly (16) includes a head (30), a common nozzle (31), a removable spout (32) and a static mixing element (34). The head (30) has threads (35) for threadably engaging complementary threads (36) in the head (17) of the syringe (11). The nozzle (31) extends from the head (30) to the removable spout (32). The spout (32) is threadably coupled to the nozzle (31) for easy replacement. Although the spout (32) is shown in FIG. 1 with internal threads, it may be externally threaded and the nozzle (31) internally threaded. The spout (32) is preferably tapered to provide a small discharge opening (33), which may have any desired cross-sectional shape and may also be angled.
The static mixing element (34) consists of a multiple number of serially arranged blades (37) which have a bowtie-like configuration. Each blade is twisted so that its upstream and downstream edges (38) and (39) are at a substantial angle to each other with each adjacent blade twisted in an opposite direction with respect to its preceding blade. An arm or flag-like member (40) extends from the first blade (37) at the end adjacent the head (30) and is adapted to rotably engage a spline (41) projecting from the nozzle (31) upon the ingress of impression material into the nozzle (31), i.e., the impression material as it is discharged into the nozzle (31) causes the static mixing element (34) to rotate until the arm (40) hits the projecting spline (41). The initial placement of the static mixing element (34) within the nozzle (31) is arbitrary. It may simply be dropped into the nozzle (31) during assembly.
The storage compartments of the dispenser (10) are preloaded with elastomeric impression materials in a predetermined manner to form predetermined unit dosages, as hereafter explained. The compartment (12) is arbitrarily loaded with the base impression materials (A) and (B), or (B) and (A), respectively, with the base materials (A) and (B) separated by a diaphragm such as 46. Compartment (14) is loaded with a catalyst (C) for use in common with each of the base materials (A) and (B) or alternatively with a separate catalyst for each base impression material. The diaphragm (46) opens in response to a predetermined driving pressure for discharging material from each compartment in common.
The elastomeric impression materials are selected from any known self-curing materials, preferably a silicone elastomeric impression material consisting basically of a diorganopolysiloxane such as divinylpolysiloxane and an organosilicon cross-linker, preferably containing silicone bound hydroxyl groups. The catalyst is preferably platinum siloxane complexes.
The base impression material (A) is a low viscosity material for directly coating the intraoral site whereas impression material (B) is of a substantially higher viscosity material. The base impression material (B) is loaded into compartment (12) containing impression material (A) in a tandem arrangement separated by the diaphragm (46), having the configuration as shown in FIG. 4A or by a thin wafer-like diaphragm (48) as shown in FIG. 4B. The diaphragm (48) has an opening (49), preferably centrally located, to allow the more viscous impression material (B) to be discharged following the discharge of impression material (A). The diaphragm (46) separating the base impression materials (A) and (B) is primarily intended to prevent splashback of the low viscosity material (A) when the high viscosity material (B) is loaded into compartment (12). It also prevents any significant intermixing of the high and low viscosity materials when pressure is applied to drive the impression materials through the discharge openings (19) and (20).
The quantity of the base impression materials (A) and (B) are premeasured to provide predetermined unit dosages when mixed with catalyst (C).
The base impression materials and catalyst are driven from the compartments (12) and (14) by plungers (25) and (26) or by any other conventional drive mechanism. The plungers (25) and (26) are preferably coupled together to be driven in unison by, e.g., a conventional double-barreled, ratchet-type gun (not shown), which may be mechanically or automatically activated.
The dispenser (10) is operated to discharge the mixed impression materials (A) and (B) in sequence with the low viscosity material exruded intraorally directed upon the patient's teeth through the spout (32), followed by extrusion of the higher viscosity material directly in the dental tray. It is preferable to remove the spout (32) after the low viscosity material is fully extruded. Upon removal of the spout (32), the discharge opening (50) of the nozzle (31) provides an opening which is larger than the orifice (33) of the spout (32) permitting the more viscous impression material to be readily extruded into the dental tray. The impression materials may also be different colors to simplify the process for the dentist. In this fashion, the dentist can complete an impression under controlled aseptic conditions in an efficient manner.
The spout (32) may be replaced with a spout having a rectangular cross section to provide a flat ribbon of impression material for use intraorally. By placing impression material on the biting surface of the teeth, the patient, upon closing the upper and lower teeth, forms an intraocclusal record. This may be used by the dental laboratory to relate the opposing case models during fabrication of the prosthesis, so that proper contour and interdigitation can be accomplished.
The following compositions may be used for the high and low viscosity materials and for the catalyst:
EXAMPLE COMPOSITIONS
______________________________________Catalyst "C" Viscosity Range______________________________________10,000 cps of 50,000-250,000 baseddivinylpolysiloxane on type of filler and percent filler loadingPlatinum complexInert silica fillers______________________________________
BASE IMPRESSION MATERIALS
______________________________________Low Viscosity "A" Viscosity Range______________________________________4,000 cps of 10,000-150,000 baseddivinylpolysiloxane on type of filler and percent filler loadingSiH cross-linking agentInert silica fillers______________________________________
Durometer when set is 45 Shore A
______________________________________High Viscosity "B" Viscosity Range______________________________________10,000 cps of 200,000-600,000 baseddivinylpolysiloxane on type of filler and percent filler loadingSiH cross-linking agentInert silica fillers______________________________________
Durometer when set is 55 Shore A
In the dispensing apparatus (10) of FIG. 1, the syringe (11) is removably coupled to the nozzle assembly (16) using a threaded syringe and a complementary threaded nozzle. An alternative closure arrangement for removably coupling the syringe (11) to the nozzle assembly (16) is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 7. The syringe (11) has a cylindrical head (60) with a recessed groove (62) located symmetrically on opposite sides of the head (60). Each groove (62) is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the syringe and extends from a chamfer (63) at the mouth (64) of the syringe (11) to a connecting recess (65) which circumscribes an arc lying in a plane, substantially transverse to the groove (62) or at a small acute angle relative thereto. The nozzle assembly (16) has a complementary cylindrical head (66) extending from the nozzle (31). The diameter of the head (66) is slightly larger than the diameter of the corresponding head (60). The head (66) has two tong-like projections (68) on opposite sides which are adapted to fit into the recessed grooves (62). To assemble the head of the nozzle into the syringe, the head (66) is positioned over the head (60) with the tongs (68) aligned with the recessed grooves (62). The tong-like projections are slid down into the grooves (62) until the tong-like projections (68) reach the curved recess (65), at which time the head (6) is rotationally twisted to lock the projections (68) into the curved recess (65). This provides a pressure lock which can withstand the forces generated when dispensing impression material.
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Apparatus for dispensing, in sequence, a unit dosage of several elastomeric impression materials of different viscosities so as to permit a dental impression to be taken under aseptic conditions in the preparation of a dental restoration. The apparatus also includes means for removably locking the syringe to the nozzle assembly.
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This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/010,527 (“the '527 application”), entitled “Time-To-Go Missile Guidance Method And System”, filed Dec. 13, 2004, in the name of the inventors Vincent Lam, now issued as U.S. Letters Patent 7,264,198. The earlier effective filing date of the '527 application is hereby claimed for all common subject matter. The '527 application is also hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes as if expressly set forth verbatim herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for guiding a missile. In particular, the present invention provides for a method of guiding a missile based upon the time of flight until the missile intercepts the target, i.e., the time-to-go.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a need to estimate the time it will take a missile to intercept a target or to arrive at the point of closest approach. The time of flight to intercept or to the point of closest approach is known as the time-to-go τ. The time-to-go is very important if the missile carries a warhead that should detonate when the missile is close to the target. Accurate detonation time is critical for a successful kill. Proportional navigation guidance does not explicitly require time-to-go, but the performance of the advanced guidance law depends explicitly on the time-to-go. The time-to-go can also be used to estimate the zero effort miss distance.
One method to estimate the flight time is to use a three degree of freedom missile flight simulation, but this is very time consuming. Another method is to iteratively estimate the time-to-go by assuming piece-wise constant positive acceleration for thrusting and piece-wise constant negative acceleration for coasting. Yet another method is to iteratively estimate the time-to-go based upon minimum-time trajectories.
Tom L. Riggs, Jr. proposed an optimal guidance method in his seminal paper “Linear Optimal Guidance for Short Range Air-to-Air Missiles” by (Proceedings of NAECON, Vol. II, Oakland, Mich., May 1979, pp. 757-764). Riggs' method used position, velocity, and a piece-wise constant acceleration to estimate the anticipated locations of a vehicle and a target/obstacle and then generated a guidance command for the vehicle based upon these anticipated locations. To ensure the guidance command was correct, Riggs' method repeatedly determined the positions, velocities, and piece-wise constant accelerations of both the vehicle and the target/obstacle and revised the guidance command as needed. Because Riggs' method did not consider actual, or real time acceleration in calculating the guidance command, a rapidly accelerating target/obstacle required Riggs' method to dramatically change the guidance command. As the magnitude of the guidance command is limited, (for example, a fin of a missile can only be turned so far) Riggs' method may miss a target that it was intended to hit, or hit an obstacle that it was intended to miss. Additionally, many vehicles and targets/obstacles can change direction due to changes in acceleration. Riggs' method, which provided for only piece-wise constant acceleration, may miss a target or hit an obstacle with constantly changing acceleration.
Computationally, the fastest methods use only missile-to-target range and range rate or velocity information. This method provides a reasonable estimate if the missile and target have constant velocities. When the missile and/or target have changing velocities, this simple method provides time-to-go estimates that are too inaccurate for warheads intended to detonate when the missile is close to the target.
FIG. 1 illustrates two different prior art methods for determining time-to-go. FIG. 1 shows a missile 100 with a net velocity v relative to the target at a missile-to-target angle relative to the LOS between the missile 100 and a target 104 . The net velocity v is a function of both the missile 100 and the target 104 velocities. The missile-to-target range is shown as r. As such a target intercept scheme occurs in three-dimensional space, vectors will be shown in bold, while the magnitudes of such vectors will be shown as standard text.
Assuming the missile and target velocities are constant, the distance between the missile 100 and target 104 at time t is:
z=r+vt. Eq. 1
The miss distance is minimized when
∂ ( z · z ) ∂ t = 0. Eq . 2
Substituting Eq. 1 into Eq. 2 yields:
r·v+v·vt= 0. Eq. 3
Solving Eq. 3, the time-to-go τ is:
τ = - v · r v · v . Eq . 4
Eq. 4 yields the exact time-to-go if the missile 100 and target 104 have constant velocities.
The minimum missile-to-target position vector z can be obtained by substituting Eq. 4 into Eq. 1 resulting in:
z = ( v · v ) r - ( v · r ) v v · v = ( v × r ) × v v · v . Eq . 5
The zero-effort-miss distance, corresponding to the magnitude of the minimum missile-to-target position vector z, illustrated as point P in FIG. 1 , is:
z
=
(
v
×
r
)
×
v
v
·
v
=
v
2
r
sin
α
v
2
=
r
sin
α
.
Eq
.
6
The prior art time-to-go formulation is simply:
τ = - r r . , Eq . 7
where {dot over (r)} is the range rate. The difference between Eq. 4 and Eq. 7 is apparent in FIG. 1 . Eq. 4 estimates the flight time for the missile 100 to reach the point of closest approach, P. Eq. 7, however, estimates the flight time for the missile 100 to reach point Q. If the missile 100 and target 104 have no acceleration, then Eq. 4 is exact. However, if a missile guidance system is trying to align the relative velocity with the LOS, the missile 100 is likely to travel the range r. In this case, Eq. 7 is more appropriate for estimating the time-to-go. On the other hand, if zero-effort-miss distance is needed by the missile guidance system, Eq. 4 is more appropriate. It must be emphasized that Eqs. 4 and 7 are only accurate when both the target 104 and the missile 100 have constant velocities.
A simple technique that includes the effect of acceleration by the missile 100 and/or the target 104 uses the piece-wise average acceleration along the LOS. The time-to-go τ using this technique by Riggs is calculated according to:
τ = 2 r v c + v c 2 + 4 a m r , Eq . 8
where v c =−{dot over (r)} the closing velocity, and a m is the piece-wise average acceleration along the LOS. When a m =0, then Eqs. 7 and 8 are the same. If a m is known, then the time-to-go can be obtained directly from Eq. 8. If a m is not known, the piece-wise constant acceleration is approximated as:
a m = a max ( t e - t 0 ) + a min ( t f - t e ) τ , Eq . 9
where t 0 is the initial time, t f is the terminal time, t e is the thrust-off time, a max is the average acceleration when the thrust is on from t 0 to t e , and a min is the average acceleration (actually deceleration) primarily due to drag when the thrust is off from t e to t f . Since the time-to-go estimate is a function of a m and a m is a function of time-to-go, an iterative solution is required.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
A first object of the invention is to provide a highly accurate method of estimating the time-to-go, which is not computationally time consuming. A further object of the invention is to provide a method of estimating the time-to-go that remains highly accurate even when the vehicle and/or target velocities change or at large vehicle-to-target angles.
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a highly accurate method of guiding a vehicle to intercept a target based on the time-to-go. Such a guidance method will not be computationally time consuming. The guidance method will also remain highly accurate in spite of changes in vehicle and/or target velocities and large vehicle-to-target angles.
These objects are implemented by the present invention, which takes actual, or real time acceleration into account when estimating the anticipated locations of a vehicle and a target/obstacle. By using actual acceleration information, the present invention can generate guidance commands that need only small adjustments, rather than requiring dramatic changes that may be difficult to accomplish. Furthermore, because the present invention more accurately anticipates the locations of the vehicle and the target/obstacle, the present invention provides more time for carrying out the guidance commands. This is especially useful as the small adjustments may be made at lower altitudes where aerodynamic surfaces, such as fins, are more responsive. In the thin air at higher altitudes, aerodynamic surfaces are less responsive, making dramatic changes more difficult.
Each of these methods can be incorporated in a vehicle and used for guiding or arming the vehicle. The method finds applicability in air vehicles such as missiles and water vehicles such as torpedoes. Vehicles using the invention may be operated either autonomously, or be provided additional and/or updated information during flight to improve accuracy.
While the invention finds application when a vehicle is intended to intercept a target, it also finds application when a vehicle is not intended to intercept a target. In particular, a further object of the invention is to guide a vehicle during accident avoidance situations. In like manner, another object of the invention is to guide a first vehicle relative to one or more other vehicles and/or obstacles. Such objects of the invention may readily be implemented by notifying a vehicle operator of potential accidents and/or the location of other vehicles and/or obstacles.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention is described in reference to the following Detailed Description and the drawings in which:
FIG. 1 shows a geometry of a vehicle-target engagement,
FIG. 2 shows a geometric relationship between a fixed reference frame and a LOS reference frame,
FIG. 3 is a plot of a guidance scaling factor as a function of initial angle α 0 and proportional navigation gain N,
FIG. 4 is a plot of the estimated time-to-go τ for different time-to-go equations using a first set of initial conditions,
FIG. 5 is a plot of the estimated time-to-go τ for different time-to-go equations using a second set of initial conditions,
FIG. 6 illustrates the trajectories of missiles using three different guidance methods to intercept a target,
FIG. 7 illustrates the magnitude of the acceleration command using three different guidance methods,
FIG. 8 illustrates the cumulative amount of energy required to implement the acceleration commands of three different guidance methods,
FIG. 9 illustrates the miss distance for one embodiment of the present invention as a function of target acceleration error,
FIG. 10 illustrates the cumulative amount of energy required to implement the acceleration commands of two different guidance methods as a function of target acceleration error,
FIG. 11 illustrates a first missile system according to the present invention, and
FIG. 12 illustrates a second missile system according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following Detailed Description provides disclosure regarding two target interception embodiments. These embodiments provide two methods for estimating the time-to-go τ with differing degrees of accuracy, and corresponding different magnitudes of computational requirements.
First Embodiment
Deriving a more accurate time-to-go estimate that accounts for the actual or real time acceleration in the first embodiment begins by modifying the zero-effort-miss distance to include acceleration:
z = r + vt + 1 2 at 2 , Eq . 10
where a is the missile-to-target acceleration. As with the velocity v, the missile-to-target acceleration a is a net acceleration and is a function of both the missile and target accelerations. Substituting Eq. 10 into Eq. 2 yields:
1
2
a
·
at
3
+
3
2
a
·
vt
2
+
(
a
·
r
+
v
·
v
)
t
+
v
·
r
=
0.
Eq
.
11
The following equations (Eqs. 12-14) simplify the remainder of the analysis.
v·r=vr cos α Eq. 12
a·r=ar cos β Eq. 13
a·v=av cos γ Eq. 14
When a≠0, the following additional equations (Eqs. 15, 16) further simplify the analysis.
v
_
=
v
a
Eq
.
15
r
_
=
r
a
Eq
.
16
Substituting Eqs. 12-16 into Eq. 11 yields:
t 3 +3 v cos γ t 2 +2( r cos β+ v 2 ) t+ 2 v r cos α=0. Eq. 17
Defining τ as the time-to-go solution, Eq. 17 becomes:
( t−τ )( t 2 +bt+c )=0. Eq. 18
Eq. 18 has only one real solution, when b 2 −4c<0. Expanding Eq. 18 yields:
t 3 +( b−τ ) t 2 +( c−bτ ) t−cτ= 0. Eq. 19
Equating Eqs. 17 and 19 yields:
b−τ= 3 v cos γ, Eq. 20
c−bτ= 2( r cos β+ v 2 ), and Eq. 21
− cτ= 2 v r cos α. Eq. 22
Rewriting Eq. 20 as:
b= 3 v cos γ+τ, Eq. 23
and substituting Eq. 23 into Eq. 21 yields:
c= 2( r cos β+ v 2 )+3 v cos γτ+τ 2 . Eq. 24
Assuming
- π 2 ≤ β ≤ π 2 and - π 2 ≤ γ ≤ π 2 ,
then c>0. Returning to Eq. 22, a real positive time-to-go τ for c>0 occurs when:
v r cos α<0. Eq. 25
Rewriting Eq. 24 as
c = 2 r _ cos β + ( τ + 3 v _ cos γ 2 ) 2 + ( 8 - 9 cos 2 γ 4 ) v _ 2 , Eq . 26
c will be positive if:
-
π
2
≤
β
≤
π
2
and
Eq
.
27
8
9
>
cos
γ
.
Eq
.
28
Combining Eqs. 23 and 24 yields:
b 2 −4 c =−(8−9 cos 2 γ) v 2 −8 r cos β−6 v cos γ−3τ 2 . Eq. 29
Satisfying Eqs. 27 and 28 also ensures that b 2 −4c is negative. In this case, only one real solution to the time-to-go τ can be obtained from Eq. 17:
τ = ( - e 2 + e 2 4 + d 3 27 ) 1 3 + ( - e 2 - e 2 4 + d 3 27 ) 1 3 - v _ cos γ , Eq . 30
where
d= 2( r cos β+ v 2 )−3 v 2 cos 2 γ, and Eq. 31
e= 2 v 3 cos 3 γ−2 v cos γ( r cos β+ v 2 )+2 v r cos α. Eq. 32
For
e 2 4 + d 3 27 ≤ 0 ,
there are three possible solutions for the time-to-go τ:
τ = 2 - d 3 cos { 1 3 cos - 1 ( - e 2 - d 3 / 27 + φ ) } - v _ cos γ , Eq . 33
where φ=0, 2π/3, and 4π/3. For the initial estimated value of the time-to-go, the angle φ is used that yields the solution closest to that predicted by Eq. 7. For all subsequent iterations, the time-to-go solution that is closest to the previously estimated time-to-go is used.
The result leads to zero-effort-miss with acceleration compensation guidance (ZEMACG). The corresponding acceleration command for the ZEMACG system is the equation:
A = r τ 2 + v τ + 1 2 a , Eq . 34
in which the estimated time-to-go τ found in Eqs. 30 or 33 is then inserted. The numerical examples below show that ZEMACG is an improvement over proportional navigation guidance (PNG).
The advantage of Eq. 30 over Eq. 8 is the actual or real time acceleration direction is accounted for more properly. For true proportional navigation acceleration, the acceleration is perpendicular to the LOS. In this case a m =0, and therefore Eq. 8 is the same as Eq. 7. Although β=0 when the acceleration is perpendicular to the LOS, the contribution of acceleration in Eq. 30 to the time-to-go is through the term containing γ. The difference between Eqs. 8 and 30 will be illustrated by an example below.
The zero-effort-miss position vector z using Eq. 34 is:
z = r + v τ + 1 2 at 2 . Eq .35
The zero-effort-miss position vector z yields a zero-effort-miss distance of:
z = ( r + v τ + 1 2 a τ 2 ) · ( r + v τ + 1 2 a τ 2 ) Eq . 36 = r 2 + ( 2 vr cos α ) τ + ( ar cos β + v 2 ) τ 2 + ( av cos γ ) τ 3 + a 2 τ 4 4 . Eq . 37
Second Embodiment
In the second embodiment, equations based upon three-dimensional relative motion will be developed leading to an analytical solution for true proportional navigation (TPN). The analytical solution to the TPN is then used to derive the time-to-go estimate that accounts for TPN acceleration.
Let [E 1 , E 2 , E 3 ] be the basis vectors of the fixed reference frame. Two additional reference frames will also be employed: the LOS frame and the angular momentum frame. Let [E 1 L , E 2 L , E 3 L ] be the basis vectors of the LOS frame, with unit vector e 1 L aligned with the LOS. Let [e 1 h , e 2 h , e 3 h ] be the basis vectors of the angular momentum frame, with unit vector e 3 h aligned with the angular momentum vector. As will be shown below, the unit vector e 1 h aligned with unit vector e 1 L . Further, the missile-to-target acceleration components expressed in the angular momentum frame can be solved analytically.
Let λ 2 and λ 3 be the LOS elevation and azimuth angles, respectively, with respect to the fixed reference frame. These LOS elevation and azimuth angles are illustrated in FIG. 2 . The transformation between the LOS frame and the fixed reference frame is the matrix:
[
e
1
L
e
2
L
e
3
L
]
=
[
cos
λ
2
cos
λ
3
cos
λ
2
sin
λ
3
-
sin
λ
2
-
sin
λ
3
cos
λ
3
0
sin
λ
2
cos
λ
3
sin
λ
2
sin
λ
3
cos
λ
2
]
[
E
1
E
2
E
3
]
.
Eq
.
38
The angular velocity ω and angular acceleration {dot over (ω)} associated with the LOS frame are:
ω
=
ω
1
e
1
L
+
ω
2
e
2
L
+
ω
3
e
3
L
=
-
λ
.
3
sin
λ
2
e
1
L
+
λ
.
2
e
2
L
+
λ
.
3
cos
λ
2
e
3
L
,
and
Eq
.
39
Eq
.
40
ω
.
=
ω
.
1
e
1
L
+
ω
.
2
e
2
L
+
ω
.
3
e
3
L
=
{
-
λ
¨
3
sin
λ
2
-
λ
.
2
λ
.
3
cos
λ
2
}
e
1
L
+
{
λ
¨
2
}
e
2
L
+
{
λ
¨
3
cos
λ
2
-
λ
.
2
λ
.
3
sin
λ
2
}
e
3
L
.
Eq
.
41
Eq
.
42
It follows that:
e
.
1
L
=
ω
X
e
1
L
=
ω
3
e
2
L
-
ω
2
e
3
L
,
Eq
.
43
e
.
2
L
=
ω
X
e
2
L
=
-
ω
3
e
1
L
+
ω
1
e
3
L
,
Eq
.
44
e
.
3
L
=
ω
X
e
3
L
=
ω
2
e
1
L
-
ω
1
e
2
L
.
Eq
.
45
The missile-to-target position r, velocity v, and acceleration a, respectively, are:
r
=
re
1
L
,
Eq
.
46
v
=
r
.
=
r
.
e
1
L
+
r
e
.
1
L
=
r
.
e
1
L
+
r
ω
3
e
2
L
-
r
ω
2
e
3
L
,
Eq
.
47
a
=
v
.
=
r
¨
e
1
L
+
2
r
.
ω
×
e
1
L
+
r
ω
.
×
e
1
L
+
r
ω
×
(
ω
×
e
1
L
)
=
{
r
¨
-
r
(
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
)
}
e
1
L
+
{
2
r
.
ω
3
+
r
ω
.
3
+
r
ω
1
ω
2
}
e
2
L
-
{
2
r
.
ω
2
+
r
ω
.
2
-
r
ω
1
ω
3
}
e
3
L
.
Eq
.
48
Eq
.
49
The angular momentum h, using Eqs 46 and 47, is defined as:
h = r × r . = r 2 { ω 2 e 2 L + ω 3 e 3 L } . Eq . 50
Rewriting Eq. 50 yields:
h=he 3 h , Eq. 51
where:
h = r 2 ω 2 2 + ω 3 2 = r 2 ω _ , and Eq . 52 e 3 h = ω 2 e 2 L + ω 3 e 3 L ω 2 2 + ω 3 2 = ω _ 2 e 2 L + ω _ 3 e 3 L , Eq . 53
based upon:
ω
_
2
=
ω
2
ω
_
,
Eq
.
54
ω
_
3
=
ω
3
ω
_
,
and
Eq
.
55
ω
_
=
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
.
Eq
.
56
From Eq. 53, it is clear that e 3 h is perpendicular to e 1 L . By aligning e 1 h with e 1 L , i.e.:
e 1 h =e 1 L , Eq. 57
then:
e
2
h
=
e
3
h
×
e
1
h
=
ω
3
e
2
L
-
ω
2
e
3
L
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
=
ω
_
3
e
2
L
-
ω
_
2
e
3
L
.
Eq
.
58
The transformation matrices between the LOS frame [e 1 L , e 2 L , e 3 L ] and the angular momentum frame [e 1 h , e 2 h , e 3 h ] are:
[ e 1 h e 2 h e 3 h ] = [ 1 0 0 0 ω _ 3 - ω _ 2 0 ω _ 2 ω _ 3 ] [ e 1 L e 2 L e 3 L ] , and Eq . 59 [ e 1 L e 2 L e 3 L ] = [ 1 0 0 0 ω _ 3 ω _ 2 0 - ω _ 2 ω _ 3 ] [ e 1 h e 2 h e 3 h ] . Eq . 60
These transformation matrices are orthogonal if ω 2 2 +ω 3 2 ≠0.
The missile-to-target acceleration a can be expressed as:
a
=
a
1
L
e
1
L
+
a
2
L
e
2
L
+
a
3
L
e
3
L
=
a
1
h
e
1
h
+
a
2
h
e
2
h
+
a
3
h
e
3
h
.
Eq
.
61
By comparing Eqs. 49 and 61 and substituting with Eqs. 52, 53, 59, and 60, the missile-to-target acceleration components are:
a
1
L
=
{
r
¨
-
r
(
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
)
}
=
{
r
¨
-
h
2
r
3
}
,
Eq
.
62
a
2
L
=
2
r
.
ω
3
+
r
ω
.
3
+
r
ω
1
ω
2
,
Eq
.
63
a
3
L
=
-
2
r
.
ω
2
-
r
ω
.
2
+
r
ω
1
ω
3
,
Eq
.
64
a
1
h
=
a
1
L
=
{
r
¨
-
h
2
r
3
}
,
Eq
.
65
a
2
h
=
ω
_
3
a
2
L
-
ω
_
2
a
3
L
=
2
r
.
(
ω
_
2
ω
2
+
ω
_
3
ω
3
)
+
r
(
ω
_
2
ω
.
2
+
ω
_
3
ω
.
3
)
,
and
Eq
.
66
a
3
h
=
ω
_
2
a
2
L
+
ω
_
3
a
3
L
=
r
{
ω
_
1
(
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
)
+
(
ω
_
2
ω
.
3
+
ω
_
3
ω
.
2
)
}
.
Eq
.
67
The resulting angular momentum rate {dot over (h)} is obtained by differentiating Eqs. 50 or 51:
h
.
=
h
.
e
3
h
+
h
e
.
3
h
=
r
×
r
¨
Eq
.
68
=
-
ra
3
L
e
2
L
+
ra
2
L
e
3
L
.
Eq
.
69
With the help of transformation matrix Eq. 60, Eq. 69 becomes:
h
.
=
-
ra
3
L
(
ω
_
3
e
2
h
+
ω
_
2
e
3
h
)
+
ra
2
L
(
-
ω
_
2
e
2
h
+
ω
_
3
e
3
h
)
=
-
r
(
ω
_
2
a
2
L
+
ω
_
3
a
3
L
)
e
2
h
+
r
(
ω
_
3
a
2
L
+
ω
_
2
a
3
L
)
e
3
h
.
Eq
.
70
Eq
.
71
By comparing Eqs. 68 and 71, and using Eqs. 63, 64, and 67, the following equations are obtained:
h
.
=
r
(
ω
_
3
a
2
L
+
ω
_
2
a
3
L
)
=
r
{
2
r
.
(
ω
_
2
ω
2
+
ω
_
3
ω
3
)
+
r
(
ω
_
2
ω
.
2
+
ω
_
3
ω
.
3
)
}
,
and
Eq
.
72
e
.
3
h
=
-
r
h
(
ω
_
2
a
2
L
+
ω
_
3
a
3
L
)
e
2
h
=
-
r
h
a
3
h
e
2
h
Eq
.
73
=
-
r
2
h
{
ω
_
1
(
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
)
+
(
ω
_
2
ω
.
3
+
ω
_
3
ω
.
2
)
}
e
2
h
.
Eq
.
74
Substituting Eqs. 72 and 74 into Eq. 68 yields:
{dot over (h)}=−r 2 { ω 1 (ω 2 2 +ω 3 2 )+( ω 2 {dot over (ω)} 3 − ω 3 {dot over (ω)} 2 )} e 2 h +r{ 2 r ( ω 2 ω 2 + ω 3 ω 3 )+ r ( ω 2 {dot over (ω)} 2 + ω 3 {dot over (ω)} 3 )} e 3 h . Eq. 75
By comparing Eqs. 66 and 72, one obtains:
a
2
h
=
ω
_
3
a
2
L
-
ω
_
2
a
3
L
=
h
.
r
.
Eq
.
76
By substituting Eqs. 65 and 76 into Eq. 61, the missile-to-target acceleration a becomes:
a
=
{
r
¨
-
h
2
r
3
}
e
1
h
+
h
.
r
e
2
h
+
a
3
h
e
3
h
.
Eq
.
77
The missile command acceleration for the TPN is:
a M =N{dot over (r)}e l L ×Ω, Eq. 78
where N is the proportional navigation constant and:
Ω = r × r . r 2 = h r 2 = ω 2 e 2 L + ω 3 e 3 L . Eq . 79
Ω is the angular velocity of the LOS. With the help of Eqs. 51-53, 59, 60, and 79, Eq. 78 becomes:
a
M
=
N
r
.
e
1
L
×
h
r
2
=
N
r
.
he
1
h
×
e
3
h
r
2
=
-
N
r
.
he
2
h
r
2
=
-
N
r
.
ω
_
e
2
h
Eq
.
80
=
N
r
.
(
-
ω
3
e
2
L
+
ω
2
e
3
L
)
.
Eq
.
81
By assuming a non-accelerating target, the missile-to-target acceleration a is:
a
=
{
r
¨
-
h
2
r
3
}
e
1
h
+
h
.
r
e
2
h
+
a
3
h
e
3
h
=
N
r
.
h
r
2
e
2
h
.
Eq
.
82
Eq. 82 leads to the following coupled nonlinear differential equations:
r
¨
-
h
2
r
3
=
0
,
Eq
.
83
h
.
=
Nh
r
.
r
,
and
Eq
.
84
a
3
h
=
0.
Eq
.
85
Assuming the solution for h is of the form:
h=c 1 r K , Eq. 86
where c 1 is an unknown to be determined. Differentiating Eq. 86 yields:
h . = c 1 Kr K - 1 r . = Kh r . r . Eq . 87
By comparing Eqs. 84 and 87, it is apparent that K=N. Therefore:
h=c 1 r N . Eq. 88
Rewriting Eq. 83 using Eq. 88 yields:
{umlaut over (r)}−c 1 2 r 2N-3 =0. Eq. 89
Assuming the solution for {dot over (r)} is of the form:
{dot over (r)} 2 =c 2 +c 3 r M , Eq. 90
where c 2 , c 3 , and M are the unknowns to be determined. Differentiating Eq. 90 yields:
2{dot over (r)}{umlaut over (r)}=c 3 Mr M-1 {dot over (r)}. Eq. 91
Substituting Eq. 89 into Eq. 91 yields:
2c 1 2 r 2N-3 =c 3 Mr M-1 {dot over (r)}. Eq. 92
From Eq. 92, the unknowns are determined to be:
M
=
2
N
-
2
,
and
Eq
.
93
c
3
=
2
c
1
2
M
=
c
1
2
N
-
1
.
Eq
.
94
Rewriting Eq. 90 in view of Eqs. 93 and 94 shows:
r . 2 = c 2 + c 1 2 N - 1 r 2 N - 2 . Eq . 95
By defining r 0 , {dot over (r)} 0 , h 0 , and ω 0 to be the initial values of r, {dot over (r)}, h, and ω , respectively, Eq. 88 can be rewritten as:
c
1
=
h
0
r
0
N
.
Eq
.
96
By applying Eq. 96 and the above initial values to Eq. 95 and solving for c 2 shows:
c
2
=
r
.
0
2
-
h
0
2
/
r
0
2
N
N
-
1
r
0
2
N
-
2
=
r
.
0
2
-
h
0
2
/
r
0
2
N
-
1
Eq
.
97
Substituting Eq. 96 into Eqs. 88 and 95, the solutions for the angular momentum h and the range rate {dot over (r)} are thus:
h
=
h
0
(
r
r
0
)
N
,
and
Eq
.
98
r
.
=
-
r
.
0
2
-
h
0
2
/
r
0
2
N
-
1
+
h
0
2
/
r
0
2
N
N
-
1
r
2
N
-
2
.
Eq
.
99
By substituting Eq. 98 into Eq. 79, the magnitude of the LOS angular velocity Ω is:
Ω = h r 2 = h 0 r 0 2 ( r r 0 ) N - 2 . Eq . 100
To maintain finite acceleration, N must thus be greater than 2.
For Eq. 99 to yield a real solution for the range rate {dot over (r)}, the following condition must be satisfied for a successful interception:
r . 0 2 - h 0 2 / r 0 2 N - 1 > 0. Eq . 101
Using Eq. 52, Eq. 101 becomes:
r
.
0
r
0
ω
_
0
>
1
N
-
1
.
Eq
.
102
Returning to Eq. 47 and using Eq. 52, the magnitude of the missile-to-target velocity v is:
v
=
r
.
2
+
r
2
(
ω
2
2
+
ω
3
2
)
=
r
.
2
+
h
2
r
2
.
Eq
.
103
Similarly, the magnitudes of the angular momentum h and the range rate {dot over (r)} from Eq. 50 and FIG. 1 are:
h=∥r×{dot over (r)}∥=rv sin α, and Eq. 104
{dot over (r)}=v cos α. Eq. 105
The following dimensionless parameters are defined as the normalized range r , the normalized angular momentum h , and the normalized time t :
r _ = r r 0 , Eq . 106 h _ = h r 0 v 0 , and Eq . 107 t _ = t r 0 / v 0 , Eq . 108
where v 0 and t 0 are initial values of v and t, respectively. Using Eqs. 106-108, Eqs. 98 and 99 simplify as:
h
_
=
h
_
0
r
_
N
,
Eq
.
109
ⅆ
r
_
ⅆ
t
_
=
-
r
.
0
2
v
0
2
+
h
_
0
2
N
-
1
(
r
_
2
N
-
2
-
1
)
.
Eq
.
110
Using Eq. 110, the normalized time t for the normalized range r is:
t _ = - ∫ 1 r _ ⅆ r _ r . 0 2 v 0 2 + h _ 0 2 N - 1 ( r _ 2 N - 2 - 1 ) . . Eq . 111
From Eqs. 104, 105, and 107, it is clear that:
r . 0 v 0 = cos α 0 , and Eq . 112 h _ 0 = sin α 0 , Eq . 113
where α 0 is the initial value of α. Eq. 111 therefore becomes:
t
_
=
-
sec
α
0
∫
1
r
_
ⅆ
r
_
1
+
tan
2
α
0
N
-
1
(
r
_
2
N
-
2
-
1
)
.
Eq
.
114
The normalized time-to-go τ is:
τ _ = sec α 0 ∫ 0 1 ⅆ r _ 1 + tan 2 α 0 N - 1 ( r _ 2 N - 2 - 1 ) . Eq . 115
If α 0 =0, then:
τ =1, and Eq. 116
τ= r 0 /v 0 . Eq. 117
A real solution to Eq. 115 imposes the following requirement:
α 0 < tan - 1 ( N - 1 1 - r _ 2 N - 2 ) . Eq . 118
As the normalized range r →0, then Eq. 118 simplifies to:
α 0 <tan −1 √{square root over ( N− 1)}. Eq. 119
The normalized missile acceleration command ā M is defined as:
a _ M = a M v 0 2 / r 0 = - N r . h r 2 v 0 2 / r 0 = - N h _ r _ 2 ⅆ r _ ⅆ t _ = N h _ 0 r _ N - 2 ⅆ r _ ⅆ t _ Eq . 120 = N h _ 0 r _ N - 2 r . 0 2 v 0 2 + h _ 0 2 N - 1 ( r _ 2 N - 2 - 1 ) Eq . 121 = sin 2 α 0 N r _ N - 2 2 1 + tan 2 α 0 N - 1 ( r _ 2 N - 2 - 1 ) , Eq . 122
when Eqs. 106-110 and 113 are used.
The above results will now be used to compute an estimated time-to-go that accounts for the missile acceleration due to TPN guidance. Turning to Eqs. 115 and 117, the time-to-go τ is:
τ = r 0 sec α 0 v 0 ∫ 0 1 ⅆ r _ 1 + tan 2 α 0 N - 1 ( r _ 2 N - 2 - 1 ) . Eq . 123
Note that for a given TPN constant N, the estimated time-to-go is dependent on the initial relative range and speed and the angle between the initial relative position and velocity vectors α. As the time-to-go is a function of both the TPN constant N and the angle α, Eq. 123 becomes:
τ = r 0 f ( N , α 0 ) v 0 , Eq . 124
where:
f
(
N
,
α
0
)
=
sec
α
0
∫
0
1
ⅆ
r
_
1
+
tan
2
α
0
N
-
1
(
r
_
2
N
-
2
-
1
)
.
Eq
.
125
The function f(N,α 0 ) in Eq. 125 is the TPN guidance scaling factor for the time-to-go calculation that accounts for the missile acceleration due to TPN acceleration commands. Plots of f(N,α 0 ) vs. α 0 for N=3, 4, and 5 are shown in FIG. 3 .
The following equation is a good approximation of Eq. 124 for N=3, 4, and 5.
τ = ( r 0 { 1 + p 1 ( N ) α 0 + p 2 ( N ) α 0 2 + p 3 ( N ) α 0 3 +
p 4 ( N ) α 0 4 + p 5 ( N ) α 0 5 } ) ( v 0 ) , Eq . 126
where p i (N), p 2 (N), p 3 (N), p 4 (N), and p 5 (N) are polynomials of the form:
p 1 ( N )=2.5285−1.05197 N+ 0.1115 N 2 , Eq. 127A
p 2 ( N )=−31.6485+13.4178 N− 1.4236 N 2 , Eq. 127B
p 3 ( N )=134.5987−55.7204 N+ 5.8922 N 2 , Eq. 127C
p 4 ( N )=−220.3862+91.0563 N− 9.6156 N 2 , and Eq. 127D
p 5 ( N )=127.9458−52.3959 N+ 5.5147 N 2 . Eq. 127E
Eq. 125 can be rewritten as:
f
(
N
,
α
0
)
=
sec
α
0
{
1
-
tan
2
α
0
N
-
1
}
-
1
2
∫
0
1
{
1
+
tan
2
α
0
r
_
2
N
-
2
(
N
-
1
)
-
tan
2
α
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.
128
When the initial angle α 0 is small, i.e.:
tan 2 α 0 ( N - 1 ) - tan 2 α 0 < 1 , Eq . 129
Eq. 129 may be approximated by:
tan 2 α 0 < N - 1 2 . Eq . 130
This leads to the further approximation of Eq. 128 as:
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.
132
The time-to-go τ under these small initial angle α 0 conditions is approximately:
τ = r 0 sec α 0 { 1 - tan 2 α 0 2 ( 2 N - 1 ) [ ( N - 1 ) - tan 2 α 0 ] } v 0 { 1 - tan 2 α 0 N - 1 } . Eq . 133
Numerical Examples
The results of several numerical examples for time-to-go calculations will now be discussed. In the first example, r=(5000, 5000, 5000), v=(−300, −250, −200), and a=(−40, −50, −60). The results are shown in FIG. 4 . It is clear that Eq. 33 yields the exact solution while Eq. 7 returns a large error initially, though the time-to-go error is reduced as the simulation time draws closer to intercept. If a missile, which carries a warhead that must detonate when the missile is close to the target, used Eq. 7 to arm itself, the warhead would uselessly explode far beyond the target as Eq. 7's time-to-go is almost twice the actual time-to-go.
The second numerical example is a TPN simulation, with a proportional navigation gain N=3. The initial missile and target conditions are:
Missile
Target
Initial Position
(0, 0, 0)
(1000, 1000, 500)
Initial Velocity
(100, 0, 0)
(−10, −5, −5)
Initial Acceleration
(0, 0, 0)
(0, 0, 0)
The results for several time-to-go approximations are plotted in FIG. 5 . It is clear that Eq. 123 provides substantially the exact time-to-go. Eq. 126 is based on curve fitting of Eq. 123, and the result is almost identical to Eq. 123. Eq. 133 is based on an approximation (Eq. 130) of the integral in order to obtain the closed-form solution. The result using Eq. 133 is good even when the initial angle α 0 between the relative velocity and the LOS used in this example is 44.7°. The acceleration used in Eq. 33 is based on half of the initial missile acceleration due to TPN guidance as the acceleration at intercept is assumed to be zero. In this numerical example, Eqs. 7 and 9 will produce the same results because the acceleration is perpendicular to the LOS, thus causing the mean acceleration along the LOS to be zero. Eq. 4 grossly underestimates the time-to-go.
In the third numerical simulation, the trajectories of three missiles and a target are shown in FIG. 6 . For this simulation, the three missiles use proportional navigation (PNG), augmented PNG (APNG), and Eq. 34 in conjunction with Eqs. 30 or 33, respectively. The combined use of Eqs. 34 and 30 or 33 will be termed zero-effort-miss with acceleration compensation guidance (ZEMACG). The ZEMACG missile clearly provides the most direct interception trajectory, with the trajectory being nearly linear for most of the flight. The advantage of ZEMACG is that it accounts for the actual target acceleration properly and steers the missile toward the proper interception path as early as possible.
FIG. 7 illustrates the magnitude of the acceleration correction for each of the three missiles illustrated in FIG. 6 . The PNG missile initially has no acceleration correction, but climbs rapidly and continues to have its trajectory corrected until the moment of interception. The APNG missile has some initial acceleration correction that increases during the course of the flight, but does not require as large an acceleration correction as the PNG missile. Lastly, the ZEMACG missile shows the greatest initial acceleration correction, but the magnitude rapidly decreases with virtually no acceleration correction required shortly before interception. Because of the higher acceleration required near the end of a PNG missile flight, it might not have enough acceleration to intercept the target. This problem may be exacerbated because the acceleration of the PNG missile can become saturated. The net result is a greater miss distance. This problem is greatest at high altitudes where the air is thin and missile maneuverability is low. Under these circumstances, it is desirable to make the acceleration corrections early, at low altitude, while the missile has high maneuverability. A ZEMACG missile, with its greater acceleration correction early in flight, thus has the advantage.
FIG. 8 illustrates the cumulative use of guidance energy due to acceleration correction as a function of flight time. As shown in FIG. 8 , the PNG missile uses approximately three times as much guidance energy as does the ZEMACG missile, while the APNG missile uses more than twice as much. An additional advantage of the ZEMACG missile is that it requires less energy and thus less weight. The result is that a lighter missile is feasible. Alternatively, if the same weight is retained, a faster and/or more lethal missile is possible.
FIG. 9 shows the miss distance for a ZEMACG missile as a function of acceleration error. This simulation shows the ZEMACG missile will intercept the target even when the acceleration error is as large as ±15 m/sec 2 . The ZEMACG missile, even with target acceleration errors, still outperforms the PNG missile.
FIG. 10 illustrates the total use of guidance energy due to acceleration correction as a function of acceleration error. The energy used by the ZEMACG missile is a function of acceleration error with greater error leading to greater energy demands. An acceleration error of ±20 m/sec 2 is required before the ZEMACG missile requires as much energy as the PNG missile.
Implementation
Depending upon the time-to-go estimation implemented, various input values are required. In the simplest case, Eq. 33 requires inputs of the missile-to-target vector r, the missile-to-target velocity v, and the missile-to-target acceleration a. Even the most computationally complex time-to-go τ estimation scheme based on Eq. 123 requires the same inputs of r, v, and a.
These three inputs can come from a variety of sources. In a “fire and forget” missile system 100 , as shown in FIG. 11 , the three inputs may be determined based upon an on-board radar 104 . A position unit 112 that determines the missile-to-target vector r processes a radar return signal 108 . A velocity unit 116 that determines the missile-to-target velocity v also processes the radar return signal 108 . Lastly, the radar return signal 108 is processed by an acceleration unit 120 that determines the missile-to-target acceleration a. A time-to-go unit 124 then determines the time-to-go τ based upon the three inputs r, v, and a. For guidance purposes, a processor 128 calculates an acceleration command A based upon Eq. 34 using the four inputs r, v, a, and τ. It should be noted that while the position unit 112 , the velocity unit 116 , the acceleration unit 120 , the time-to-go unit 124 , and the processor 128 are illustrated as separate elements, each could be implemented in software using a single processor. The time-to-go τ and the acceleration command A are iteratively computed during the course of the intercept trajectory, preferably on a periodic basis. The acceleration command A from the processor 128 is then fed to a control unit 132 that controls the trajectory of the missile system 100 . While this example uses an on-board radar 104 , use of an on-board optical system is also envisioned.
An alternative way to implement a time-to-go estimation scheme is to receive information from an external source as shown in FIG. 12 . The missile system 200 in this case receives updated r, v, and a values from the external source, preferably on a periodic basis, and calculates revised time-to-go τ and acceleration command A values. The external source may be an aircraft 204 that launched the missile system 200 . The external source may alternatively be a ground-based tracking system 208 . The missile system 200 may alternatively be ground launched rather than air launched.
Yet another alternative way to implement a time-to-go estimation scheme is to store at least a portion of the information in a memory. This method applies when the velocity and/or acceleration profiles for both the missile system and the target are known a priori. The initial values of r, v, and a would still need to be provided to the missile system.
The control unit 132 in missile system 100 may include one or more control elements. These possible control elements include, but are not limited to, axial thrusters, radial thrusters, and control surfaces such as fins or canards.
While the above description disclosed application of the time-to-go method to a missile system traveling in air, it is equally applicable to other intercepting vehicles. In particular, the disclosed time-to-go method can also be applied to torpedoes traveling in water.
Accident Avoidance
The embodiments described above relate to the intentional interception of a target by a vehicle. In many situations, just the reverse is desired. As an example, an accident avoidance system may be implemented to guide a vehicle away from another vehicle or obstacle. By including velocity and actual or real time acceleration effects in an acceleration command, an automobile can more accurately avoid moving vehicles/obstacles, such as an abrupt lane change by another automobile. This is in contrast to most current automobile systems that typically warn only of fixed vehicles/obstacles, especially when reversing into a parking spot. After estimating the time-to-go from either Eq. 30 or Eq. 33, Eq. 10 can then be used to determine the closest distance between the two vehicles if the vehicles continue at their current velocities and accelerations. An accident avoidance system according to the present invention would thus provide for earlier detection of potential accidents. The sooner a potential accident is detected, the more time a driver or system has to react and the less acceleration will be needed to avoid the accident. Such an accident avoidance system could generate an acceleration command A′ that is the complete opposite of the acceleration command A generated by the system in which an interception is intended. As such an acceleration command A′ might be more abrupt than needed to avoid an accident, the accident avoidance system would preferably generate an acceleration command A″ only of sufficient magnitude to avoid the accident. The magnitude of this acceleration command A″ could also be determined by a minimum margin required to avoid an accident by, for example, a predetermined number of feet. For purposes of an accident avoidance system, an offset vector ψ is added to the original acceleration command equation, resulting in:
A ″ = r τ 2 + v τ + 1 2 a + ψ . Eq . 134
The offset vector ψ can be a fixed vector that yields the margin required to avoid an accident. Alternatively, the offset vector ψ may be a variable, such that the margin required to avoid an accident is a function of the velocities or accelerations of the vehicle and/or obstacle. In the simplest case of an automobile accident avoidance system, the acceleration command A″ may be a braking command as many cars are equipped with automatic braking systems (ABS). The acceleration command A″ may alternatively be implemented by using a guidance unit that causes a change in direction. Such a guidance unit could include applying the brakes in such a fashion so as to change the direction of the automobile or overriding the steering wheel.
Such accident avoidance systems may also be readily applied to other modes of transportation. For example, passenger airplanes, due to their high value in human life, would benefit from an accident avoidance system based upon the current invention. An airplane accident avoidance system could automatically cause an airplane to take evasive action, such as a turn, to avoid colliding with another airplane or other obstacle. Because the present invention includes velocity and acceleration effects in calculating an acceleration command, if the obstacle similarly takes evasive action, the magnitude of the action can be diminished. For example, if two airplanes have accident avoidance systems based upon the present invention, each airplane would sense changes in velocity and acceleration in the other airplane. This would permit each airplane to reduce the amount of banking required to avoid a collision.
While the above embodiments are based upon interactions between vehicles, the accident avoidance system could be separate from the vehicles. As an example, if an airport control tower included an accident avoidance system based upon the present invention, the system could warn air traffic controllers, who could relay warnings to the appropriate pilots. The airport control tower system would use the airplanes' velocities and accelerations and calculate the closest distance between the airplanes if they continue their present flight paths. If the predicted closest distance is less than desirable, the air traffic controllers can alert each pilot and recommend a steering direction based on Eq. 134. A busy harbor that must coordinate shipping traffic could employ a similar accident avoidance system.
Vehicle Guidance
As yet another embodiment of the present invention, such a system could be used for vehicle guidance. In particular, a vehicle guidance system would be beneficial in areas of high vehicle density. The vehicle guidance system would permit vehicles to be more closely spaced allowing greater traffic flow as each vehicle would be more accurately and safely guided. Returning to the example of airplanes, airplane guidance systems would permit more frequent take-offs and landings as the interaction between airplanes would be more tightly controlled. Such airplane guidance systems would also permit closer formations of airplanes in flight. Similar to an accident avoidance system, the airplane guidance system could generate an acceleration command to keep one airplane within a predetermined range of another airplane, perhaps when flying in formation.
While many of the above embodiments have an active system that generates an acceleration command, this need not be the case. The system, especially if it is of the accident avoidance or vehicle guidance types, may be passive and merely provide an operator with a warning or a suggested action. In a simple automobile accident avoidance system, the system may provide only a visible or audible warning of another automobile or obstacle. In an airplane, a more sophisticated guidance system may provide the suggestions of banking right and increasing altitude.
Although the present invention has been described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be noted that various changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, such changes and modifications should be construed as being within the scope of the invention.
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A method and apparatus for guiding a vehicle to intercept a target is described. The method iteratively estimates a time-to-go until target intercept and modifies an acceleration command based upon the revised time-to-go estimate. The time-to-go estimate depends upon the position, the velocity, and the actual or real time acceleration of both the vehicle and the target. By more accurately estimating the time-to-go, the method is especially useful for applications employing a warhead designed to detonate in close proximity to the target. The method may also be used in vehicle accident avoidance and vehicle guidance applications.
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This application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 09/627,398 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,333,006 filed on Jul. 27, 2000, which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 08/142,049 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,123,900, filed Oct. 28, 1993.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to methods of optimizing the sterilization process for chemical compositions and to allow extended shelf life for sterilized chemical compositions on-site for operational use. In particular, the subject invention concept is directed to a method of sterilizing chemical compositions utilizing irradiation techniques which allow for the chemical composition being sterilized to be maintained within containers for extended periods of time with the assurance that the contents are maintained in a sterilized state. Still further, this invention concept is directed to an improved sterilization method for chemical compositions in general and particularly for isopropyl alcohol used in decontamination procedures. More particularly, this invention is directed to a method where chemical compositions within containers are hermetically sealed to provide a relatively contaminant free outer surface subsequent to a gamma irradiation process for sterilization of the contents of the container being sealed. Still further, this invention directs itself to a method wherein a hermetically sealed container is further hermetically sealed with a second sealing layer which in itself is formed around and encases the first sealing layer and container. More in particular, this invention directs itself to a method of optimizing the sterilization procedure for a chemical composition by providing a third sealing layer around one or a plurality of double sealed containers prior to a gamma ray irradiation process. Still further, this invention provides for a series of processing steps whereby a carton containing sterilized containers may be shipped to a relatively contaminated area and removed to a relatively contamination free area while still maintaining a double hermetic seal around the sterilized containers.
2. Prior Art
Sterilization procedures for chemical compositions are well known in the art. However, increasing statutory demands call for extended, complicated and time-consuming sterilization procedures which require detailed cataloguing and analysis associated with the assurance that a sterilized composition is being maintained in a sterilized state over a period of time so that such can be assured of being sterilized when operationally used.
In some prior art techniques, a single covering layer is used for sealing irradiated chemical compositions. However, such sterilized chemical compositions lose their sterilization ratings over an extended period of time due to the fact that even when on the shelf of a clean room, such are impinged with various microorganisms and contamination particulates. Thus, shelf lives had to be catalogued with the result that there was extended periods of time used in documenting as well as analyzing sterilization procedures in maintaining the sterilization requirements. Still further, in other prior art systems, the contents of a container were irradiated however, no sealing layers were added which even further decreased the sterilization maintenance of the contained chemical compositions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is directed to a method of sterilization which includes the step of providing a chemical composition to be sterilized. The chemical composition is then charged into a container and the container is encased within a first sealing layer forming a single layer sealed container enclosure. The single layer sealed container enclosure is then encased within a second sealing layer forming a second layer sealed container enclosure. Both the first and second sealing layers provide for hermetic sealing and the entire second layer sealed container enclosure is inserted into a carton which is lined with a third sealing layer. The third sealing layer is then closed and the entire carton is irradiated at a predetermined radiation level for sterilizing the chemical composition contained within the original container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the method steps for the method of sterilization as herein described;
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of a first sealing layer being placed over a chemical container;
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a second sealing layer encasing the first sealing layer and forming a second layer sealed container enclosure;
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a carton having a third sealing layer lining for insertion of the second layer sealed container enclosure; and,
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a closed carton member being irradiated in a plurality of planes.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, there is shown a method of sterilization for maintaining chemical compositions in a sterilized state over an extended period of time. The subject invention concept is directed to both the combined sterilization process for chemical compositions in combination with the maintenance of the sterilization state for the chemical compositions over a long period of time in order that the user may safely use the sterilized compositions at their discretion with the assurance that the chemical composition remains in a sterilized state. Thus, the problems associated with sterilization are two-fold in nature where the initial problem of sterilization is only one portion of the maintenance of the sterilization concept of the subject method. In general, chemical compositions are sterilized and then shipped in cartons such as cardboard containers with a plastic lining to protect the sterilized compositions maintained in their own containers within the cardboard cartons. The cardboard cartons are generally shipped by normal shipping procedures such as trucks, rail cars, or air transportation. The cartons are brought to the site where the sterilized containers are to be used and in general, procedures have been worked out where the containers and their plastic enclosure are brought internal to the work place while the container which may by then have various contaminating microbes or other particulates are left external to the workplace. The workplace then may store the chemical composition containers in a clean room or other type of room which in itself is designated as a room relatively free of contaminants but such clean rooms also have microbes and various other contaminating particulates in the atmosphere. Thus, a shelf life must be designated for such sterilized chemical composition containers even when used in a clean room type of atmosphere.
In order to solve the problem of shelf life, the subject invention concept's method provides for a series of steps which allow the sterilized chemical compositions within their own containers to be maintained over extended periods of time without a shelf life dependent on the sterilized state being designated nor being important to the maintenance of the chemical composition sterilization.
The use of the subject invention concept method for sterilization of chemical compositions has great use in the pharmaceutical industry. The pharmaceutical industry uses a large amount of alcohol for decontamination since it does kill various organisms. Thus, the pharmaceutical industry demands sterile alcohol and in particular the chemical compositions as herein described and detailed direct themselves to alcohol compositions and particularly to isopropyl alcohol used extensively in the pharmaceutical industry.
Referring now to FIG. 1 which provides a block diagram associated with the overall method of sterilization as herein described, the chemical composition is obtained from a vender and assayed in block 10 wherein it is determined that a proper formulation of the chemical composition has been received. In the case of isopropyl alcohol many different types of composition formulations may be required under varying statutory laws associated with sterilization in different environments. In general, if an alcohol such as isopropyl alcohol is used it may be assayed or measured to provide predetermined compositions or formulations, two of the standards being 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% water or 91% isopropyl alcohol and 9% water by volume.
The analyzed and measured chemical composition is then passed to a filter mechanism represented by block 20 in FIG. 1 . The filter shown in block 12 may be a standard mechanical filter such as a cartridge filter having a predetermined filtering range such as a 0.22 micron filter to allow removal of particulate matter greater than the filter size. In effect, filter 12 removes residual particulates that may be in the chemical composition and at the size range of 0.22 microns even removes bacteria that may be in the chemical composition liquid. Thus, certain bacteria and spores as well as other particulate contaminants are removed during this phase of the overall method of sterilization.
The chemical composition is brought from the mechanical filter 12 to block 14 which is a test for particulate or microscopic matter. Testing is done in accordance with Test Number 788 dictated in the USP XXII Journal for determination of particulate matter contained within various chemical compositions. The test procedure is well known and used as a standard in the chemical industry where the composition is mixed in a container and the chemical composition has a vacuum applied thereto to allow passage into and through a filter. A section of the filter assembly is removed from the container while maintaining the vacuum and the filter is then placed in a Petri slide. The filter is dried with the cover of the Petri slide slightly open and particles on the filter are counted. Such testing is well known in the art and determines whether particulate matter of predetermined sizes has been removed from the chemical composition.
Once the particulate material testing in block 14 has been completed, the chemical composition is then brought to a secondary concentration test block 16 where the concentration of the chemical composition is once again analyzed to make sure that the proper chemical composition formulation has teen maintained. Secondary concentration test block 16 may be a standard well known concentration test as was provided in block 10 . Once the chemical composition has passed through secondary concentration test block system 16 , the chemical composition is then ready for packaging and has been assured of a proper formulation composition as well as an assurance to the fact that predetermined particulate sizes have been removed from the overall chemical composition.
Thus, in the flow blocks associated with FIG. 1, after passage through the initial concentration or assaying test block 10 , mechanical filter 12 , testing for microscopic material 14 and insertion into the secondary concentration test block 16 , there has been provided a chemical composition of predetermined concentration which is to be sterilized in accordance with the invention concept steps of the subject method.
After the secondary concentration testing as shown in block 16 is completed, container 20 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is filled with the chemical composition as provided in block 18 of FIG. 1 . Chemical composition container 20 may be a standard aerosol can or alternatively may be a container with a cap closure. When using isopropyl alcohol as the chemical composition, such is generally inserted under pressure with an inert element such as nitrogen or another chemical formulation acting as the propellant into an aerosol can type chemical composition container 20 . Once the chemical composition is inserted into chemical composition container 20 as shown in block 18 , a nozzle may be mounted at one end with differing nozzle pattern generating systems being used dependent upon what is necessary for a particular decontamination operation. Such type of closure whether it be a nozzle arrangement system or a cap closure is not important to the inventive concept as herein described with the exception that such provide egress of the chemical composition appropriate for a particular decontamination operation. Once the filling composition container 20 has been filled, the operational phase moves to block diagram 22 of FIG. 1 where container 20 is encased within first sealing layer 24 forming a single layer sealed container enclosure 26 .
First layer 24 seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, may be formed of a plastic composition of the closed cell type and in particular may be formed of a polyethylene composition. Once chemical composition container 20 has been encased by first layer 24 , first layer 24 may be heat sealed to form a substantially hermetic seal for chemical composition container 20 as shown in FIG. 2 . At this stage of the process steps, single layer sealed enclosure 26 has been created and is moved to block 28 of FIG. 1 where second sealing layer 30 encases single layer sealed enclosure 26 to form second layer sealed container enclosure 32 . Second sealing layer 30 may also be formed of a plastic composition of the closed cell type and in particular may also be a polyethylene composition similar to first layer 24 . Second sealing layer 30 may then be also heat sealed to provide a hermetically sealed second layer sealed container enclosure 32 as shown in FIG. 3 .
Once second sealing layer 30 has been applied and heat sealed to establish second layer sealed container enclosure 32 ., the enclosure 32 is then inserted into plastic lined carton 36 as shown in FIG. 4 and depicted in flow block 34 of FIG. 1 . Carton 36 may be a cardboard type container adaptable for transportation and associated shipping to the operations site. Additionally, there is provided third sealing layer 38 as shown in FIG. 4, which is a lining for carton 36 . Third sealing layer 38 may once again be formed of a plastic type composition of the closed cell type which may also be a polyethylene bag-like element. Third sealing layer 38 lines the internal walls of carton 36 in order to provide an insert for one or a plurality of second layer sealed container enclosures 32 therein. Third sealing layer 38 may then be closed through tying or some like closure mechanism at an upper section 40 and in this manner the entire second layer sealed container enclosure 32 is then contained therein. Finally, carton 36 may be closed in the standard manner of flap closures for container members.
Once the second layer sealed container enclosure has been inserted into lined carton 36 as shown in block 34 of FIG. 1, carton 36 is then brought to block 42 for carton irradiation processes. The carton irradiation step as depicted in block 42 of FIG. 1 may be a gamma irradiation system where the decay of each atom of cobalt 60 generates a pair of photons of gamma radiation having predetermined energies as well as a beta particle. The beta particle is captured within a housing of the cobalt 60 and the photons of gamma radiation provide for the sterilization radiation process. In general, cartons 36 are brought into the irradiation plant where the cobalt 60 is transported in shielded flasks. Following transfer from the flasks to the irradiation plant, doubly encapsulated cobalt 60 in stainless steel tubes are incorporated into a three-dimensional array which form the energy source for processing carton 36 as depicted in FIG. 5 where the directional arrows 44 show impingement of the gamma radiation in a three-dimensional array direction concept. Cartons 36 are generally passed through the irradiation plant on conveyor systems either using roller beds or suspended carrier systems where the gamma radiation dose absorbed by the chemical composition within the closed cartons 36 is directly proportional to the activity level of the source and the duration of exposure.
Gamma radiation is generally used for sterilization of chemical compositions in that the gamma radiation has a high penetration capability. This high penetration capability enables relatively dense products or compositions to be processed easily. Dosages are generally defined in Grays with one Gray representing the absorption of one Joule of energy per kilogram of material. Sterilizing doses generally are in the 25-35 kilogray range and as the products undergo the irradiation process, obviously the face of carton 36 facing the source of radiation will receive a higher dosage than the side away from the source.
To insure appropriate dose levels between 20-40 kilograys, carton 36 is measured with dosimeters which measure the amount of irradiation impinging on the closed carton 36 . In this manner, the contents of container 20 is assured of appropriate irradiation levels being applied thereto.
The closed cartons 36 are then prepared for shipping as provided in block 44 of FIG. 1 and are transported for operational use downstream.
In this manner, when received at the operational site, closed cartons 36 may be then opened and third sealing layer 38 contained therein may be removed on the loading dock prior to entry into a clean room. The chemical containers 20 are maintained within third sealing layer 38 in a closed manner until removed and then brought to a clean room type operating site with the opened container 36 being left on the loading dock.
Once transported into the clean room or other operational site, third sealing layer 38 may be removed and the chemical containers 20 forming second layer sealed container enclosures 32 may be placed on a shelf for future use. It must be remembered that at this point, there is both a first layer 24 and a second sealing layer 30 encompassing chemical container 20 . When placing the second layer sealed container enclosures 32 on the shelves for use in the clean rooms, generally sterilized gloves are used however, these in themselves as well as the atmosphere of clean rooms have various particulates such as microbes or bacteria which dictate a shelf life for chemical containers 20 if only a single first layer 24 were formed around the chemical containers 20 . However, with the first and second layers 24 and 30 , the now somewhat less than sterilized second layer sealed container enclosure 32 may be kept on the shelf for an indefinite period of time prior to use of the contents of chemical container 20 .
Once the contents of chemical container 20 are to be used, second sealing layer 30 may be stripped from second layer sealed container enclosure 32 leaving first layer 24 surrounding and encasing chemical container 20 in a sterilized manner. Use then can be made of the contents of chemical containers 20 with the assurance that such has been maintained in a sterilized state.
Thus, there has been shown a method of sterilization for chemical compositions in general and in particular isopropyl alcohol compositions where the chemical composition to be sterilized is provided prior to block 10 . In overall concept the chemical composition is secondarily tested for its appropriate concentration in block 16 with an additional test for particulate or microscopic material being made in block 14 . A container 20 is then charged with the chemical composition as provided in block 18 and container 20 is encased within first sealing layer 24 forming a single layer sealed container enclosure 26 as provided in block 22 .
After the first sealing layer 24 is applied, the single layer sealed container enclosure 26 is then encased within second sealing layer 30 forming a second layer sealed container enclosure 32 as provided in flow block 28 . The encasement is provided for hermetically sealing initially the chemical container 20 with the first layer 24 and then the single layer sealed enclosure 26 with the second sealing layer 30 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.
The second layer sealed container enclosure 32 is then inserted into an open carton member 36 which is lined with a third sealing layer 38 as shown in flow block 34 and depicted in FIG. 4 . The carton member is then closed as depicted in FIG. 5 and irradiated at a predetermined radiation level for some predetermined time interval for sterilizing the chemical composition contained within container 20 .
Although this invention has been described in connection with specific forms and embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated that various modifications other than those discussed above may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example, equivalent elements may be substituted for those specifically shown and described, certain features may be used independently of other features, and in certain cases, particular locations of elements may be reversed or interposed, all without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
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A sterilized chemical composition is stored in a sterile environment for a prolonged period of time, hermetically sealed in successive enclosures and a shipping enclosure. The third sealing layer is removed prior to entering a storage area. The second layer is removed prior to taking the container to the sterile environment. The storage area may also be sterile. The innermost container may be an aerosol container and the composition a disinfectant liquid such as alcohol. The entire shipping enclosure and contects is preferably sterilized with gamma radiation.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to food appliances, and more particularly, to a liquid food fountain.
[0002] Liquid food fountains for displaying and/or serving chocolate, cheese, and various types of confectionary are festive attractions at social events. A number of tiers are stacked one on top of the other around a hollow center barrel. A rotating auger assembly disposed inside the barrel extrudes the liquid food from a collection basin at the bottom of the fountain to its top, from which the liquid spills over the tiers and returns to the basin. This process is continued as long as the auger assembly continues to rotate.
[0003] Owing to the size and the tacky nature of the material being handled by the fountain, it is difficult and time consuming to clean after use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] According to one feature of the invention, a liquid food fountain is constructed as a number of separable modules. One of the modules comprises a hollow center barrel. Another of the modules comprises a collection basin, to which the barrel is removably attached. The remaining modules each comprise in a one piece construction a tier and a free standing sleeve sized to slip over the center barrel. An auger assembly is disposed inside the center barrel and extends from the collection basin to the top of the highest tier. The auger assembly is driven by a motor located under the collection basin.
[0005] According to another feature of the invention, a liquid food fountain is constructed to display and serve a number of liquid food types at the same time. A collection basin and a number of tiers each have dividers to keep the food types from mixing. Separate auger assemblies and separating sheath for each food type are disposed inside a single center barrel.
[0006] According to another feature of the invention, the auger assembly is supported and driven by a frictionless magnetic coupling.
[0007] According to another feature of the invention, the collection basin is made of two pieces. The bottom is made from a good heat conductor such as aluminum and the rim is made from a good insulator such as a plastic material.
[0008] According to another feature of the invention, there is a well at the bottom of the collection basin. The bottom of the center barrel is seated in an annular groove formed in the bottom of the well.
[0009] According to another feature of the invention, a drive module houses the auger assembly motor and supports a spring-mounted heating element under the collection basin. The heating element has a plurality of springs that urge it. into intimate physical contact with the collection basin to insure good heat transfer.
[0010] According to another feature of the invention, the tier assembly is provided as a readily disposable unit to facilitate cleaning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The features of specific embodiments of the best mode contemplated of carrying out the invention are illustrated in the drawings, in which:
[0012] FIG. 1A is an exploded side view of a preferred embodiment (single auger assembly) of a liquid food fountain incorporating principles of the invention when used with a magnetic coupling;
[0013] FIG. 1B is an exploded side view of another embodiment (single auger assembly) of a liquid food fountain incorporating principles of the invention when used with a mechanical coupling and a shaft seal;
[0014] FIG. 2 is an exploded isometric view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B ;
[0015] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the center barrel of FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B illustrating the hooks at the top outside of the center barrel and the nipples in the inside of the top module;
[0016] FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of part of the outside surface of the center barrel illustrating the L-shaped slots;
[0017] FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of another embodiment (three auger assembly) of a liquid food fountain incorporating principles of the invention;
[0018] FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the top module in the embodiment of FIG. 5 , showing the sockets for receiving the three center barrels;
[0019] FIG. 7 is a side, partially sectional view of the collection basin illustrating its two material construction; and
[0020] FIG. 8 is a side, partially section view of the collection basin and the magnetic coupling.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0021] In each embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1A to FIG. 4 , modules 10 , 12 & 14 each comprise a dome-shaped tier 16 and an open sleeve 18 that are formed in one piece. Bosses 47 ( FIG. 1B ) are formed on the bottom of modules 10 and 12 and matching annular recesses 49 ( FIG. 2 ) are formed at the tops of modules 14 and 16 to insure the modules remain aligned with each other. A center barrel 20 is sized to fit inside sleeve 18 of each module to establish a slip fit. Center barrel 20 is removably attached to a collection basin 24 by a plurality (preferably three in number) of radially extending hooks 26 ( FIG. 3 ) that engage rivets or pegs 28 (preferably three in number) extending up through collection basin 24 . Rivets 28 ( FIG. 2 ) each have a head spaced from the upper surface of collection basin 24 . When center barrel 20 is twisted, the heads of rivets 28 engage or disengage from hooks 26 . Liquid in collection basin 24 flows toward a centrally located well 30 . A portion 32 of center barrel 20 lies under hooks 26 . An auger assembly 34 is disposed inside center barrel 20 . A motor 60 is housed in a drive module 38 . A coupling 83 is mounted on the drive shaft of motor 60 . The bottom portion 32 fits in an annular groove 40 formed at the center of well 30 to form an annular space 42 ( FIG. 3 ) between portion 32 and the inner surface of well 30 . Groove 40 keeps center barrel 20 in proper alignment.
[0022] In the embodiment of FIG. 1B , a sealed bearing 36 at the bottom of collection basin 24 connects motor 60 to auger assembly 34 .
[0023] In the embodiment of FIG. 1A , a magnetic coupling shown in detail in FIG. 8 connects motor 60 to auger assembly 34 obviating the need for a seal.
[0024] In both embodiments, a plurality of windows 46 in the side of bottom portion 32 couple annular space 42 to auger assembly 34 . Preferably, the height of windows 46 is almost the height of well 30 and close to the height of the pitch of auger assembly 34 . The function of well 30 is twofold. As the liquid food in collection basin 24 is moved up center barrel 20 by auger assembly 34 , more liquid food flows into well 30 . The presence of the well 30 ensures that there is always sufficient liquid food to fill the flights of the auger assembly 34 . The presence of the ample liquid food avoids starving the auger thus allowing it to operate at its maximum efficiency. Well 30 also creates a head-height pressure feed of the liquid food to auger 34 . This pressure insures that the liquid food is pressure-fed into and not simply pushed away from auger assembly 34 . Well 30 permits the operation of the fountain to be accomplished with less liquid food than without well 30 . An annular rim 35 on collection basin 24 forms a snap fit with a groove 64 around the top of drive module 38 . A heating element 66 is disposed between collection basin 24 and drive module 38 . Control knobs 68 on drive module 38 adjust the speed of motor 60 and the temperature of heating element 66 .
[0025] When modules 10 , 12 , and 14 are assembled they fit around center barrel 20 in stacked abutting relationship. Module 14 rests on hooks 26 , module 12 rests on module 14 , and module 10 rests on module 12 . A plurality of L-shaped slots 48 ( FIG. 4 ) are formed on the top outside surface of center barrel 20 . Nipples 50 (the same in number as slots 48 ) on the inside of top module 10 ( FIG. 3 ) engage slots 48 and lock the tiers in place when top module 10 is twisted. Top module 10 has a gripping surface 52 , which facilitates hand gripping during the locking and unlocking procedure.
[0026] Here is the assembly procedure:
[0027] 1. Place the drive module 38 on a solid, level surface. Align the non-magnetic cup-shaped sheath 84 over the opening in the heating element 66 and gently press down until the collection basin 24 is seated firmly and level on the heating element 66 .
[0028] 2. Align the barrel 20 with the center of collection basin 24 seating annular rim 35 in annular grove 40 . Turn the barrel in a clockwise direction until the hooks 26 engage the rivets 28 .
[0029] 3. Slide the auger assembly 34 magnet-side first into the barrel and let it drop. The auger assembly is self-aligning.
[0030] 4. Stack the tier modules 14 , 12 and 10 onto barrel 20 and lock top tier module 10 in place by twisting nipples 50 into “L” shaped slots 48 .
[0031] Assembly is complete.
[0032] After assembly of the fountain, collection basin 24 is filled with liquid food and motor 60 is actuated. As a result, liquid food is extruded from collection basin 24 by auger assembly 34 to opening 53 . The liquid food spills out of opening 53 and flows down tiers 16 to collection basin 24 .
[0033] In another embodiment of the invention shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 , a liquid food fountain is constructed to display and serve two or more liquid food types at the same time. The same reference numerals are used to identify parts in common with the embodiment of FIGS. 1-4 . Assume there are n food types. Collection basin 24 has dividers 69 (n in number) and wells 67 (n in number). Tiers 16 also each have dividers 70 (n in number) and collars 73 (n in number) that confine the liquid to sectioned regions. Dividers 69 and 70 are aligned with each other to keep the food types from mixing as they cascade down tiers 16 . Auger assembly assemblies 71 (n in number) are disposed in corresponding center barrels 72 (n in number). One or more windows 74 . in the side of the bottom of center barrels 72 couple the respective sectioned regions of collection basin 24 to auger assembly assemblies 71 without permitting the different liquid foods to mix.
[0034] As illustrated in FIG. 6 , inside module 10 there are a plurality of sockets 80 (n in number) for receiving respective center barrels 72 . Apertures 76 (n in number) in top tier 16 provide egress for the liquids to the respective sectioned regions of top module 10 . Apertures 76 face toward the respective sockets 80 . The interface between each center barrel and the respective socket 80 could be a sealed bearing or a magnetic coupling as in the embodiments of FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 . In summary, the flow of each type of liquid is confined to sectioned regions throughout its flow path so the different types of liquid do not mix. Drive shaft 58 on motor 60 is coupled to auger assemblies 71 by a set of gears 78 . In this embodiment top of tier 16 is closed off to prevent the liquids from spilling out from the top of the fountain.
[0035] In one embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , collection basin 24 is constructed from two materials permanently attached together. An inner portion 85 is made of aluminum or other good conductor of heat. An outer portion 86 is made of plastic or other good insulator. The plastic is fused with the aluminum by enveloping a hook 87 formed in the aluminum to anchor the plastic. The purpose of this two-material construction is that inner portion 85 is in contact with heating element 66 and there is a very efficient transfer of heat between these surfaces. Because the consumable fluids will be in contact with the inner portion, the transfer of heat to the consumable fluids will be very efficient. Outer portion 86 will serve as an insulator from the heat. This serves as a safety feature as the portions that are most likely to come into contact with the consumer will not be too hot to the touch. Additionally, the use of plastic on outer portion 86 will allow the visible portions of the removable collection basin to have the same appearance as the rest of the product which may be constructed of plastic. The outer lip of inner portion 85 is formed in such a way that during the manufacturing process, the plastic material of outer portion 86 will form around and trap the metal lip of inner portion 85 forming a strong, leak proof bond. In order to maximize the efficiency of the heating system, springs 92 ( FIG. 1A ) press upon and so urge heating element 66 into close surface contact with inner portion 85 thus providing for the maximum thermal transfer with minimum heat loss. The configuration of these springs may be accomplished in any number of ways including coil-type and leaf-type springs. In addition to cutting operating costs, maintaining full contact with inner portion 85 means heat is distributed evenly and this results in an even heating of the liquid food within the removable collection basin 24 , thus preventing hot-spots and burning of the consumable fluid. Heating element 66 is connected to a 110 volt outlet by means not shown.
[0036] FIG. 8 shows one embodiment of a drive mechanism for auger assembly 34 . According to this aspect of the invention, a magnetic coupling eliminates the need for a mechanical seal at the interface between the drive mechanism and the auger assembly. The bottom of auger assembly 34 has embedded into it a plurality of horizontally oriented anisotropic magnets 77 . A non-magnetic cup 79 is provided at the bottom of well 30 within which auger assembly 34 can rotate. Accordingly, the bottom of collection basin 24 is completely closed by cup 79 , thus eliminating any possibility of leakage. A magnet holder 81 surrounds cup 79 and is fixedly attached to motor shaft 91 . A further plurality of horizontally oriented anisotropic magnets 83 are positioned radially around and within magnet holder 81 . Due to the strong magnetic attraction between magnets 77 and 83 , as magnet holder 81 is rotated by motor shaft 91 , magnets 77 rotate in concert with magnets 83 , thus rotating auger assembly 34 . Because of the magnetic attraction between magnets 77 and 83 , the bottom of auger assembly 34 . is suspended within cup 79 and there is no contact between the surfaces of the interface. The result is a frictionless, efficient, quiet coupling that requires no mechanical seal.
[0037] Preferably, cup 79 , in additional to being non-magnetic, is also electrically conductive. As a result, eddy currents. circulate in the space between magnets 77 , which generates heat to keep the temperature of the liquid food high enough to flow easily in the small spaces between parts
[0038] The described embodiments of the invention are only considered to be preferred and illustrative of the inventive concept; the scope of the invention is not to be restricted to such embodiments. Various and numerous other arrangements may be devised by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, if a disposable fountain is desired, modules 10 , 12 , and 14 could be molded as a single unit. Or the fountain could be designed to handle non-food liquids in a decorative multi-colored display.
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A liquid food fountain comprises a center barrel having a top opening and a bottom opening and a plurality of stackable modules ( 16, 14, 12, 10 ) adapted for a slip fit on the center barrel ( 20 ). Each module has a tier ( 16 ) extending around the center barrel ( 10 ). A liquid collector ( 24 ) is adapted to be placed below the modules. An auger ( 34 ) assembly is adapted to fit inside the center barrel to carry liquid entering the center barrel at the bottom opening to the top opening. A drive module is connectable to the auger assembly. The described parts can be assembled for use and disassembled for cleaning and storage.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The invention relates to building construction and, in particular, components and their use in constructing suspended soffits.
PRIOR ART
[0002] Suspended overhead structures such as exterior soffits, canopies or like structures can be subjected to wind forces tending to lift them. When these wind forces exceed the weight of the soffit and the strength of any restraining structure, damage or destruction can occur. Commonly, exterior soffits are suspended from overlying structure, i.e. superstructure, by suspension wires. This technology has been borrowed from the techniques, equipment, tools, and skills developed with interior suspended ceilings. Products and techniques known in the art have been developed to hold-down or otherwise stabilize ceiling structures and soffits, but these approaches have not been fully effective. It is known in the prior art to provide rigid compression posts that extend downwardly from the building superstructure to engage a gridwork that supports the soffit or ceiling panels. However, prior art compression posts can exhibit limited strength and, in some instances, can be relatively complex and expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The invention provides a system for constructing suspended exterior soffits, canopies, or like structures resistant to wind up-lift loads. The disclosed methodology and componentry provide a consistently high level of stability and strength in the suspended system. The system of the invention is uncomplicated in design, inexpensive to produce, and simple to install.
[0004] As disclosed, the invention comprehends a compression post assembly that includes two primary parts, one a main strut, and the other a telescoping or sliding saddle member. The main strut has a length cut just short of the distance between the overhead support or superstructure and the soffit. The saddle member is preferably configured to initially be slidably supported on the main strut and to straddle the bulb of a conventional grid tee and engage the lower flange of the tee on both sides of the bulb.
[0005] In its simplest form, the saddle member is configured as a circular tube telescoped with the main strut of the compression post assembly or with an extension of the main strut. This form of saddle member can be simply made by cutting a tube to a suitable length and diametrically slotting it along a portion of its length.
[0006] In the various disclosed versions of the compression post assembly, the saddle member extends over the bulb of a main tee and seats against the top surfaces of the lower flange on both sides of the bulb. The saddle member, being fixed both to the main strut and to the main tee, symmetrically supports and stabilizes the main tee so as to prevent it from twisting about a horizontal axis and failing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of a suspended soffit system taken from a vantage point above the soffit plane showing one form of compression post assembly according to the invention;
[0008] FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a lower area of the compression post assembly of FIG. 1 and its relation to a main runner of a grid part of the soffit system;
[0009] FIG. 3 is an elevational view of a lower part of a second form of a compression post assembly in accordance with the invention;
[0010] FIG. 4 is an elevational view of a lower part of a third exemplary form of a compression post assembly;
[0011] FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing one example of a connection with a wooden superstructure;
[0012] FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing a connection with a steel bar joist superstructure.
[0013] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of an upper end of a compression post assembly showing a connection with concrete superstructure;
[0014] FIG. 8 is an elevational view of a lower part of a compression post assembly showing a specially formed saddle fitting with a small diameter main strut;
[0015] FIG. 9 is an elevational view similar to FIG. 8 showing the special saddle fitting with a larger diameter main strut; and
[0016] FIG. 10 is a fragmentary perspective view of a second type of compression post assembly.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0017] FIG. 1 represents a first embodiment of a suspended soffit, canopy or like static structure 10 that is exposed to up-lift wind loading. The structure or system 10 includes a rectangular grid 11 , of generally known, conventional construction. The grid 11 includes main runners 12 in the form of inverted tees and cross runners 13 shown as flanged U-shaped channels. The main runners 12 are preferably formed of sheet metal, as is conventional, and have a hollow reinforcing bulb 14 at an upper edge, a double web 16 extending from the bulb and flange portions 17 extending from opposite sides of the web. The flange portions 17 can be covered at a lower face of the main runner 12 by a sheet metal strip that forms a cap 18 with its longitudinal edges 19 folded over the longitudinal digital edges of the flange portions 17 . Together the flange portions 17 and cap 18 form a flange proper 20 . Typically, the overall height of the bulb 14 is 1½″, its width is ¼′ and the flange 20 is 15/16″ or 1½″ wide. Preferably, the cross runners 13 are formed of sheet metal and have ends that overlie the main runner flange portions 17 and cap edges 19 . The cross runners 13 include tabs 21 that extend through slots in the web 16 of the main runner 12 .
[0018] Suitable rigid water-resistant or waterproof panel material is secured to the lower faces of the main and cross runners 12 and 13 . This panel material 23 can be SHEET ROCK® brand exterior ceiling board, FIBER ROCK® brand sheeting, AQUA-TOUGH™ and DUROCK® brand cement board, such being trademarks of USG Corporation. The panels 23 are attached in a conventional manner with self-drilling and tapping screws, for example. The main runners 12 are suspended from overlying structure, i.e. superstructure, by hanger wires 26 . The hanger wires 26 , made of 12 gauge steel suitably coated, are typically used in suspension ceilings, as well as soffits, and offer an inexpensive, quick and reliable way of hanging a suspended ceiling-like structure. The wires 26 , while affording adequate tensile force to support the weight of a ceiling or soffit, afford essentially no compression strength.
[0019] The soffit installation 10 includes compression post assemblies 31 spaced along the lengths of the main runners 12 to hold the soffit down against wind up-lift forces that can exceed the weight of the soffit itself. The compression post assemblies 31 transfer the up-lift wind load on the soffit to the superstructure from which the soffit is hung. A compression post assembly 31 includes a main shaft or post 32 and a saddle fitting 33 . The main shaft 32 is preferably made of round tube stock and, in particular, can be made from thin wall electrical conduit or electrical metal tubing (E.M.T.). In FIGS. 1 and 2 , the main shaft 32 is made of nominal ½″ E.M.T. The main post 32 , ordinarily, can be cut to length at the location where the soffit 10 is constructed. The length of the main post is slightly less than the distance between the top of the bulb 14 of the particular main runner 12 being supported from the superstructure directly above the main tee. Ordinarily, the compression post assembly is installed after the grid 11 is in place so that appropriate measurements can be made to determine the suitable length of the main post 32 . FIGS. 5-7 , discussed below, show how a compression post assembly 31 may be located on a superstructure. The saddle fitting 33 can be made from tubing stock such as ¾″ E.M.T. cut to a length somewhat greater than the height of a main runner; for instance, with a length 1½ to two times the height of a main runner. The tube stock of the saddle fitting 33 is formed with diametrally opposite slots 34 extending from a lower end 36 lengthwise or axially for a distance at least equal to the height of an upper surface 37 of the main runner bulb 14 to the flange 20 of the main runner represented by the folded-over edges 19 of the cap 18 . The length of the slots 34 preferably enables the lower end 36 of the fitting 33 to rest against and bear upon the main runner flange 20 , formed by the cap edges 19 , without interfering or being obstructed by the reinforcing bulb 14 . In assembly, the saddle fitting 33 is telescoped with the main post 32 by slipping it over the main post. Depending in part on the manner by which the main shaft is located on the superstructure, the saddle fitting 33 can be slipped up over the main post 32 , aligned over a bulb 14 of a main runner 12 and dropped down against the main runner flange 20 . Alternatively, the saddle fitting 33 can be placed on the main runner flange 20 and the main shaft or post 32 can thereafter be telescoped into the fitting 33 .
[0020] With the fitting 33 resting on and abutted against the upper flange surface 37 , the fitting can be fixed to the main runner 12 with a self-drilling, self-tapping screw fastener 38 . The main post 32 received in telescoping relation with the saddle fitting 33 abuts or can be raised to abut the overlying superstructure and in this position is fixed to the saddle fitting by a self-drilling, self-tapping screw fastener 39 which can be identical to the screw 38 holding the fitting to the main runner 12 . With the fitting 33 screwed or otherwise fixed to the tee 12 and the post or shaft 32 screwed or otherwise fixed to the fitting, these elements form a rigid structure.
[0021] The compression post assembly 31 is easily used with any common superstructure. FIG. 5 illustrates use of the compression post assembly 31 with a wood truss or joist 41 forming the superstructure. A suitable screw, e.g. a wood screw or heavy drywall screw 42 is partially driven into the joist 41 directly above a main runner 12 where the saddle fitting 33 is located or will eventually be located. FIG. 6 illustrates an example of an installation of the compression post assembly 31 where the superstructure includes a steel bar joist 46 . The upper end of the main shaft 32 is secured to the bar joist 46 by cross-drilling the main post and affixing it to the bar joist with a wire 47 . It will be seen that the upper post end 43 is abutted against the lower face of the bar joist 46 . FIG. 7 illustrates installation of the compression post assembly 31 with a superstructure formed of a concrete beam or slab 51 . A powder driven anchor 52 , known in the art, is driven into the concrete 51 and the upper end 43 of the main post 32 is abutted against the lower face of the concrete 51 .
[0022] FIG. 3 illustrates the lower area of a compression post assembly 56 that has a larger load bearing capacity and/or a longer strut or post length limitation than that of the compression post assembly 31 illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 . The compression post assembly includes a strut or post 57 which can be made from ¾″ E.M.T. A saddle fitting 58 can be made of a short length of 1″ E.M.T. that is slotted in the same manner as the earlier described fitting 33 . FIG. 4 illustrates still another form of a compression post assembly 61 . The assembly 61 comprises a main post or shaft 62 , made for example of ¾″ E.M.T., a splice segment 63 made from ½″ E.M.T. and a saddle segment or fitting 64 made of ¾″ E.M.T. As before, the saddle fitting or element 64 is slotted to straddle the bulb 14 and web 16 to enable the lower end of the saddle to abut the upper flange surface 37 . The splice segment 63 is telescoped within the shaft or post 62 and saddle 64 . As in the earlier embodiments, the saddle is fixed by a screw 38 to the main runner 12 and the splice segment 63 is fixed to the saddle 64 and post 62 by separate screws 39 .
[0023] FIGS. 8 and 9 illustrate a saddle fitting 70 in compression post assemblies 71 and 72 . The saddle fitting 70 is a tubular member having different diameters at respective ends 73 , 74 . Each end 73 , 74 is provided with slots 76 adapted to receive the bulb and web 14 , 16 of a main runner 12 .
[0024] FIG. 10 illustrates a modified form of a compression post assembly 76 . The assembly comprises a rectangular channel 77 that forms the main shaft or strut and a saddle fitting 78 . The compression post assembly 76 is analogous to the previous circular tube arrangements shown in the previously described figures. The saddle fitting 78 has a U or C-shaped configuration in a horizontal cross-section and includes a slot 79 sized to enable it to be assembled over the bulb 14 and web 16 of a main runner 12 . The fitting 78 is proportional to slide in telescoped relation to the main shaft 77 . The fitting 78 is fixed with its lower end abutting the upper side of the tee flanges by a screw 38 to the main tee 12 and the main shaft 77 by a screw 39 . As described in connection with the previous embodiments, the main shaft 77 has its upper end abutted against a downwardly facing surface of an overlying superstructure or is otherwise suitably fixed or anchored to the same in a vertical position.
[0025] The compression post assembly of the invention is characterized by a sliding, preferably telescoping fit between a main post and a saddle element. The saddle element is arranged to surround the bulb and web of an inverted T-shaped main runner and to stabilize the main runner by contacting the lower flange of the main runner on both sides of the web. With the saddle fitting fixed both to the main runner and to the main shaft, the main runner is prevented from prematurely buckling by twisting about its longitudinal axis. The telescoping relation between the saddle fitting and main shaft or strut is very dimensionally tolerant of variations between the ideal length of a main post in relation to the actual distance between a main runner and its overlying superstructure.
[0026] While the invention has been shown and described with respect to particular embodiments thereof, this is for the purpose of illustration rather than limitation, and other variations and modifications of the specific embodiments herein shown and described will be apparent to those skilled in the art all within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the patent is not to be limited in scope and effect to the specific embodiments herein shown and described nor in any other way that is inconsistent with the extent to which the progress in the art has been advanced by the invention.
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A compression post assembly for a soffit, canopy or like structure utilizing a suspended grid of inverted tees to support the soffit surface forming panels comprising a main strut and a saddle coupling, the main strut having a hollow cross-section along substantially its full length between its upper and lower ends, the saddle coupling being adapted to connect the lower end of the strut to a grid tee by receiving separate self-tapping screws, one in each of the main strut and grid tee, the saddle coupling having a pair of spaced depending legs, the legs being spread apart by a distance sufficient to straddle the bulb of a conventional grid tee and having a length sufficient to engage the upper surfaces of the lower flange of the grid tee and thereby stabilize the grid tee against pivotal motion about a horizontal axis.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a shield for use by an adult whilst burping a baby.
[0002] Burping is useful in helping a baby release excessive air from its stomach after feeding. A common technique for burping a baby is to hold the baby so that it rests with its head supported on the carer's shoulder. The carer can then rub or gently pat the baby's back in order to encourage the baby to burp.
[0003] A problem that arises when burping a baby in the fashion described above is that the carer's clothes are likely to become soiled. This occurs because babies are prone to dribble and also because a baby may vomit liquid during the burping procedure. One approach to addressing this problem is to place a towel over the shoulder before burping the baby. However, towels and the like have a propensity to shift from the shoulder as the baby moves and also to become damp and soak through to the carer's underlying clothing.
[0004] The discussion of any prior art documents, techniques, methods or apparatus is not to be taken to constitute any admission or evidence that such prior art forms, or ever formed, part of the common general knowledge.
[0005] It is an object of the present invention to address one or more of the above described problems.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a wearable burping shield adapted to complement a user's shoulder and including an armhole for receiving an arm therethrough.
[0007] Preferably said shield includes an over shoulder portion. Preferably the over-shoulder portion comprises a material that prevents the transmission of moisture therethrough.
[0008] The over-shoulder portion may include a waterproof material.
[0009] In a preferred embodiment the waterproof material comprises polyurethane film (TPU film).
[0010] The over-shoulder portion may be comprised of a three layer construction wherein the medial layer comprises the waterproof material.
[0011] In a preferred embodiment the opposing outer layers of the three layer construction are made of a moisture absorbent material.
[0012] The moisture absorbent material may comprise a cotton or bamboo fabric material for example. Preferably the absorbent layer comprises a bamboo/cotton blend which may comprise about 70% bamboo and about 30% cotton.
[0013] Preferably the opposing outer layers of the three layer construction are made of readily visible different colors, although the outer layers may also be of the same or similar color.
[0014] Preferably the shield includes a torso portion with sides that attach to opposing ends of the over-shoulder portion to thereby define the armhole.
[0015] The torso portion may include a cut out which cooperates with the over-shoulder portion to define the armhole.
[0016] According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for making a burping shield comprising the steps of:
[0017] a) forming an over-shoulder portion including material that prevents the transmission of moisture therethrough;
[0018] b) forming one or more parts of a torso portion;
[0019] c) joining sides of the one or more parts of the torso portion to ends of the over-shoulder portion to define an armhole therebetween.
[0020] The step a) may include forming an over-shoulder portion comprised of a number of layers of material including outer moisture absorbent layers and an intermediate waterproof layer.
[0021] The step b) preferably includes forming two lateral parts of the torso portion each having a side for joining to the ends of the over-shoulder portion.
[0022] Where the torso portion comprises two or more parts then a further step will preferably be included in the method of joining said two or more parts together to comprise the torso portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:
[0024] FIG. 1 . Illustrates a burping shield according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 2 . Illustrates the burping shield of FIG. 1 being worn.
[0026] FIG. 3 . Illustrates a diagram illustrating steps in a preferred method for the manufacture of the burping cloth of FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 4 . illustrates patterns for cutting portions of the burping cloth out of material for manufacture.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0028] Referring now to FIG. 1 , a burp shield 1 according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an over-shoulder portion 3 having opposing ends 5 and 7 which are stitched to sides 9 and 11 of first and second torso portion panels 13 and 15 . The torso portion panels 13 and 15 are in turn stitched (or otherwise fastened) together medially along stitch line 17 to form a torso portion 19 .
[0029] It will be observed that an edge 16 of the over-shoulder portion 3 , in conjunction with arcuate cutouts 21 and 23 of torso portion panels 13 and 15 define an armhole 25 .
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 2 , there is shown the burping shield 1 being worn by on the shoulder of a carer 27 .
[0031] FIG. 3 illustrates the steps in a preferred method for making the burping shield. In step 1 a three layer over-shoulder portion 3 is formed comprising outer layer moisture absorbent materials. For example micro fibre woven fabric of cotton or bamboo fibre might be used. In the non-limiting embodiment the outer layers 30 , 31 are of contrasting colors, for example green and white as shown in step 1 of FIG. 3 . This is because the burping shield can be reversible and by having contrasting colors on the opposing sides of the shoulder portion a user can keep track of which side has been most recently used and reverse the garment if necessary.
[0032] The intermediate layer 32 of the over-shoulder portion is made of a material that is waterproof and prevents the transmission of water from one side to the other. For example the intermediate layer 32 may be comprised of polyurethane (TPU) film.
[0033] Accordingly, it will be realised that step 1 illustrates the formation of an over-shoulder portion including material, namely the intermediate layer of TPU film, that prevents the transmission of moisture therethrough.
[0034] Step 2 shows the provision of two panels 13 and 15 being parts of the torso portion 19 ( FIG. 1 ). Other numbers of panels might be used or alternatively the torso portion could be formed from a single portion in which case joins 17 A and 17 B would not be present.
[0035] Step 3 shows how the over-shoulder panel 3 and first and second panels 13 and 15 are arranged ready for joining along edges 9 , 5 and 11 , 7 respectively.
[0036] Step 4 indicates how sides 17 A and 17 B of first and second torso panels 13 and 15 are to be brought together and joined to assemble the torso portion.
[0037] FIG. 4 shows patterns for maximising the number of over-shoulder portions and torso panels that may be cut out from sheets of material.
[0038] It will be realised that by providing a burping shield that is adapted to complement a user's shoulder and which includes an armhole for receiving an arm therethrough, the problem of the burping shield sliding about on the user is addressed. Furthermore, since in a preferred embodiment at least the shoulder portion is made of a material which does not allow for the transmission of water therethrough, the problem of the carer's clothes becoming soiled may also be alleviated.
[0039] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features.
[0040] The term “comprises” and its variations, such as “comprising” and “comprised of” is used throughout in an inclusive sense and not to the exclusion of any additional features.
[0041] It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted by those skilled in the art.
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A wearable burping shield has a torso portion and an over-shoulder portion. The over-shoulder portion comprises a layered construction having an outer moisture absorbent layer, and a second waterproof layer. Together the torso portion and over-shoulder portion define an armhole for receiving an arm therethrough so that the shield may be readily worn while holding an infant. n
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of coating dies and, in particular, to a methodology for the design of heated coating dies which are capable of maintaining dimensional flatness of its coating lips at operating temperature under actual operating conditions.
A heated coating die is typically used to coat molten polymer containing materials, such as adhesives and other coatings (collectively “coatings”). These coatings are fed into the coating die, which distributes them across its width. Pressure forces the coating fluid through a feed gap formed in the die. The exiting point of the gap is referred to as the coating lips. In many coating applications, the lip faces form a film on the substrate at the lip faces. This film forming region is referred to as the coating bead. In order for the final coating to be uniform across the width of the coating lips (and thus the coating), the coating lips and substrate need to form an even gap (assuming the distribution within the die is uniform).
Lip face flatness measurements on commercially available heated coating dies indicate that the lip surfaces when heated are far from flat. Though the coating lips may be ground to better than 0.001″ when cold, the state of the die when heated can be bent several thousandths of an inch. This does not lend itself to a robust coating process. Three known methods of managing the bending state are:
(1) Attempt to bend the die in the opposite direction mechanically, typically by using adjustments associated with the die station.
(2) Machining the coating lips flat while the die is heated as part of the fabrication of the die.
(3) Pushing the coating lips and substrate into a soft rubber roller, then use feed gap adjustments to redistribute the coating fluid to counteract the uneven flow resistances across the lip.
Though all these methods are in use, none of them lead to a sufficiently controlled and robust process.
In the first method, the loss of precision in the die is transferred via mechanical forces to another device (i.e., die station), which then loses its precision. Additionally, internal stresses which cause the bending are not eliminated, but rather shifted. Finally, once coating starts, the bending state can change due to interaction of the die's heating system and the flow of coating fluid, making the initial adjustment ineffective.
The second method also develops problems. First, even if the die can be machined while heated, when the die is cold it will be bent in the opposite direction which creates uncertanties in its mounting to the die station. Additionally, once coating starts, the bending state may change leading to the machined surface no longer being flat. Further, there is uncertainty as to how flat a die can be machined while hot.
The third method is highly non-linear and can lead to long unstable start-ups of the production line. It can also lead to defects in the coating, which may not be discovered in a timely manner.
All three of these methods suffer from the difficulty in determining the initial hot gap between the coating lips and substrate. In a common methodology a light is shone through the gap between the lip face and substrate (or back-up roll), and the die is visually adjusted to be parallel. If the evenness of this gap changes significantly at start-up due to the interaction of the heating system and flow of coating fluid leading to a temperature redistribution within the die and thus the bending state changing, another uncertainty is thereby added to the process.
A need therefore exists for a robust, quick start-up coating process, which is stable before and during coating, and in which the bending state is controllable. The present invention provides a solution to meet such need.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a method is provided for designing the die geometry, its heating system and temperature sensors location in such a way that the normal state of the coating lips is flat (whether hot or cold, whether coating or not). Further, in accordance with the present invention exemplary die apparatus implementing such design method is provided. Accordingly, non-precise methods of mechanically adjusting bending and uncertain machining methods become not needed and the confounding of the bending state with other variables affecting coat weight variation is eliminated.
In accordance with the present invention a coating die apparatus is provided which includes:
a die having a rear portion, a width and at least two coating lips at a front portion distal from the rear portion, the at least two coating lips spanning across the width and adapted to provide at least one coating gap between the at least two coating lips and a substrate upon which a fluid layer is applied onto the substrate from between the two coating lips and across the width; and
an integrated heating system coupled to the die to monitor and control temperature in such a way as to minimize temperature gradients both across the width (cross-width) and front to back and top to bottom (cross-section).
The integrated heating system can further include groups of cross-width heaters spaced within the die in back portion to front portion direction and/or front portion to back portion direction, across the width in zones. Each zone has a respective cross-width temperature sensor. Each cross-width temperature sensor is coupled to a respective cross-width temperature control system to regulate heat being applied by the respective cross-width heaters in the respective zone.
The integrated heating system can further include one or more cross-section heaters spaced within the die longitudinally across the width. Each cross-section heater has a respective cross-section temperature sensor. Each cross-section temperature sensor is coupled to a cross-section temperature control system to regulate the heat being applied by the respective cross-section heaters.
In accordance with the present invention, a thermally stable coating die may contain a heating system composed of cartridge heaters and temperature sensors for heating control, and is designed to maintain its dimensional flatness to within specified tolerances in Y-Z and X-Z planes by minimizing temperature gradients across the width in the X-Y plane and/or compensating where gradients are difficult to remove by creating counter-balanced temperature gradients. Flatness of the die may be purposefully altered by unbalancing the heating system in a controlled manner. Heater and temperature sensor placement are optimally determined using finite element modeling and/or measurement and/or other methodology to calculate and/or determine temperatures and/or temperature-distribution and/or the resulting thermal distortions in the die and utilizing an optimization procedure. Heat flux, stress, or strain measurement techniques or sensors, as well as statistical analysis can be utilized.
The heated (or unheated) die to which the present invention can be applied consists normally of 2 to 3 sections. In the case of two sections, a single feed gap is created, producing a single layer coating. In the case of a three section die, two feed gaps are created producing a two layered coating. Those skilled in the art can appreciate that potentially multiple layers could be added.
The geometry of the die, the heater placement and temperature sensor placement are optimized in such a way that upon heating, the intrinsic state of the die results in the lip faces being flat relative to the substrate. This is accomplished by first simplifying the die geometry, removing unneeded material (usually steel) which leads to hot/cold spots. Next, the geometry of the die is designed in such a way that all portions of the die which remain are amenable to being heated and/or insulated from heat loss and temperature monitored. Next, heaters are placed in such a manner as to allow uniform heating of the entire die. Next, temperature sensors are placed in locations which accurately indicate the temperature state of the heater zones which they monitor. All the above may be verified and optimized by calculation using a numerical heat transfer model. The thermal deformation can be estimated by mapping the temperature results onto a numerical structural model. The thermal and structural models are run to account for process variations—fluid flowing through the die, no fluid flowing, etc. Once all the parameters (die geometry, heater placement, temperature sensor placement) are optimized and a design has been developed iteratively, the die is fabricated. Note that in addition to the thermal and structural requirements any changes to die geometry need to occur within a design window which leads to a die which is still functional to its intended purpose (i.e., coating a fluid onto a substrate). After fabrication and verification of flat lip faces when the die is cold, the die is heated and flatness of the lip faces are measured hot. Small changes to temperature setpoints are made to adjust the heating system to bring the die flat. These set point offsets may be verified in the die station, and adjusted if needed. The temperature sensors and control system used which can provide the smallest measurable/controllable increment of temperature results in a correspondingly minimum change in bending state.
This invention can also be applied to normally unheated coating dies by locally heating/cooling to control the bending state. Additionally, those skilled in the art can appreciate that the practice of the present invention can be applied to other die types, i.e., extrusion dies, curtain dies, etc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 a shows in simplified form a commonly known single layer coating operation.
FIG. 1 b depicts various planes associated with the implementation of the present invention.
FIGS. 2 a and 2 b show respectively in simplified form both a single layer and dual layer coating operation.
FIG. 3 shows in block diagram form the design process in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 4 shows in block diagram form the “develop new design concepts” aspect of the design process in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows in block diagram form the “run sensitivity studies” aspect of the design process in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 6 shows a graph of bending magnitudes for different heating configurations.
FIG. 7 shows an exemplative solid model with heaters in place.
FIG. 8 shows an initial thermal mapping cross section of a die.
FIG. 9 shows a subsequent thermal mapping cross section of an improved die in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 10 shows schematically a simplified die apparatus in accordance with the present invention.
FIGS. 11 a – 11 e show in representative X-Y plane cross-section various die apparatus embodiments in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 12 depicts a portion of a die apparatus embodiment in accordance with the present invention in conjunction with the operation of its cross-width heating and control system.
FIG. 13 depicts a portion of a die apparatus embodiment in accordance with the present invention in conjunction with the operation of its cross-section heating and control system.
FIG. 14 shows a further portion of a die apparatus embodiment in accordance with the present invention in conjunction with further attachments affecting overall temperature distribution within the die.
FIGS. 15 a and 15 b show in simplified schematic cross-section view a portion of a die apparatus embodiment in accordance with the present invention in conjunction with still further attachments affecting overall temperature of the die.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1 a , a commonly known coating technique for a single-layer coating is shown in simplified form. Liquid to be coated in a single layer on the substrate is fed past an elongated slot formed in a die (thus, this technique is also sometimes referred to as “slot coating”). The slot is positioned at approximately a right angle to the direction of travel of the substrate. The die is stationary, but the head of the die, having two coating lips which define the opening of the slot, are placed adjacent to the substrate. A substrate may travel around a back-up roll as it passes in front of the coating lips. The slot formed by the coating lips and the substrate have substantially equal widths, such that the entire cross substrate width of the substrate is coated in one pass by the fluid as it flows out of the die and onto the moving substrate. X, Y, Z coordinate system 23 is indicated to help orient the various parts of the die, wherein the X-Z plane is deemed to pass through the slot formed by the coating lips. The Y-Z and X-Y planes are respectively perpendicular thereto per the typical coordinate system orientation.
Referring now to FIG. 1 b , X, Y, Z coordinate system 23 of FIG. 1 b and associated planes formed thereby is now described in more detail. X and Y coordinates form X-Y plane 23 . 1 , Y-Z coordinates for Y-Z plane 23 . 2 . X-Z coordinates for X-Z plane 23 . 3 . Hereinafter, an X-Y plane bending is deemed to be a bending in the X-Y plane from a flatness 23 . 1 . a to a bend 23 . 1 . b ; an Y-Z plane bending is deemed to be a bending in the Y-Z plane from a flatness 23 . 2 . a to a bend 23 . 2 . b ; and a X-Z plane bending is deemed to be a bending in the X-Z plane from a flatness 23 . 3 . a to a bend 23 . 3 . b . The present invention focuses on the X-Z and Y-Z bending modes.
Not all dies need to be compensated. Dies which are long and thin in at least one dimension will have a tendency to bend in the long planes. Defining a die by its width (or Z-dimension distance 10 in FIG. 1 a ) to X-dimension distance 12 in FIG. 1 a ) ratio and/or its width (or Z-dimension distance 10 in FIG. 1 a ) to Y-dimension distance 14 in FIG. 1 a ) ratio will characterize the dimensional tendency for bending to be significant in the X-Z and/or Y-Z plane, respectively. Generally dies with the ratio equal to or greater than 2.5 will be considered for compensation in accordance with the present invention. These dimensions are the typical dimension of the structurally important portions of the die. If it is difficult to state a “typical” dimension, then the average dimension should be utilized. This is a geometric consideration. Squares and cubes (e.g., ratio or ratios=1) do not tend to bend much due to restraining stiffnesses. As thermo-physical properties improve, the optimizing job at any given ratio becomes easier. Improved properties for steady state operation include increasing thermal conductivity (watt per meter per degree-Celsius) and reducing coefficient of thermal expansion (meter per meter per degree-Celsius).
If properly designed and adjusted, the die will distribute the liquid evenly and uniformly out of the exit formed by the coating lips in a thin layer. The present invention does not focus on the internal distribution of the fluid in the die. Typically, the die can be adjusted radially to move toward or away from the substrate (in the X direction), thus determining the gap between the coating lips and the substrate, also referred to as the “coating gap.” For a given coating thickness, the flow parameters of the liquid can be determined, including the flow rate. Once these parameters are determined and the die is “set” in the coating machine, the coating gap would typically be adjusted during operation. However, because of the extremely thin layers being coated, any such adjustments usually inject a certain degree of imprecision into the process. There are also physical limitations on the accuracy of the die itself. For example, it is very difficult to hold extremely small tolerances on the lip geometries of the die, especially over the width of the slot which may vary between a few and a hundred or more inches.
Referring now to both FIGS. 1 a and 2 a , there is illustrated schematically a typical die coating operation. Die 20 is shown positioned adjacent to moving substrate 22 traveling in the Y direction 24 in the area of coating lips 36 a , 36 b . Die 20 is shown simplified without heaters, insulation, or temperature sensors which are typically included with a fully operational die, but are described in more detail hereinafter in accordance with exemplary embodiments of the present invention. Substrate 22 travels around a back-up roll 26 as it passes across the distal end of die 20 . As shown in FIG. 1 , it will be understood that both die 20 and the substrate 22 have substantially equal widths (in the Z direction), such that most of the entire width of the substrate is coated in one pass by the fluid 23 flowing into and out of the die and onto substrate 22 .
Die 20 is modular in that it can be assembled from a number of individual elements and then set in the coater machine (i.e., a die station, not shown) as a mountable device. Each die element may include fluid manifold 19 and a more distal die section 21 . The most distal portion of the die section is referred to as coating lips 29 , described and illustrated in more detail in connection with FIGS. 2 a , 2 b.
Die 20 can be moved radially into or away from the back-up roll 26 in order to adjust coating gap 30 , which is defined as the distance between coating lips 29 and substrate 22 . The elements of die 20 are separated from each other slightly by a slot or feed gap 32 which allows the coating material, i.e., fluid 23 , to flow from fluid manifold 19 through feed gap 32 onto moving substrate 22 .
Referring to FIG. 2 a , there is shown a close-up cross-sectional schematic view taken in an X-Y plane 23 . 1 through a pair of coating lips 36 a , 36 b positioned adjacent to moving substrate 22 to form coating gap 30 . It will be noted with respect to FIG. 1 a that substrate 22 in FIG. 2 a is shown to be flat or horizontal, whereas it actually will exhibit some curvature as it conforms to back-up roll 26 . However, the configuration shown in FIG. 2 a is a good approximation of the fluid mechanics occurring in bead 42 of liquid formed in the coating gap 30 between coating lips 36 a , 36 b and moving substrate 22 .
Coating gap 30 is shown as dimension A in FIG. 2 a . It will be understood, that coating gap 30 can vary along the die width in the z direction in accordance with different lip geometries, lip machining defects, angled or beveled lips, adjustments, misalignment, etc.
Referring to FIG. 2 b , there is shown a close-up cross-sectional view of a multilayer die 21 which may be also utilized in accordance with the present invention. Although similar to die 20 in FIG. 2 a , die 21 includes upstream and downstream die sections 50 a and 50 b , as well as a middle section 50 c separating the two. Formed between these various sections are an upstream feed gap 52 a and a downstream feed gap 52 b . The liquid from upstream feed gap 52 a flows onto the substrate 22 to form a bottom layer 58 , while the liquid from the downstream feed gap 52 b flows onto the bottom layer to form a top layer 56 .
The coating gap between the lip face and the substrate becomes critical in providing a uniform layer onto the substrate. Because of the nature of the material of the die, e.g., steel and its operational temperature state, heating a die above atmosphere temperature, unless compensated, will cause non-uniform distortion of a steel die to occur and the coating gap to become uneven over the die and substrate widths.
Heat distribution during a coating operation utilizing a known geometrical shape die can be thermally modeled. Referring briefly to FIGS. 8 and 9 temperature distributions can be color displayed utilizing specific computer generated thermal modeling techniques, the color display typically spanning from a hot area (e.g., in practice a red or white color, but indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9 by a higher number in the range of 1–12 temperature segments) to a cold area (e.g., in practice a blue color, but indicated in FIGS. 8 and 9 by a lower number in the range of 1–12 temperature segments). These operational temperature gradients can result from the geometry of the die, the material of the die, the location of heaters of a heating system applied to the die and the accuracy/placement of temperature sensors to control such heaters. Because of the resulting differences in temperature, different parts of the die will expand or contract by different amounts, causing die distortions.
Therefore, a key issue addressed by the present invention is how flat and parallel the lip face is to the substrate across width in the X-Z and Y-Z planes during die operation. Typical single layer dies can provide for one of the pair of coating lips to be a fixed lip section and the other one of the pair of coating lips to be a flexible lip section. The flexible lip section can be mechanically adjusted to provide some assistance to help compensate for small magnitudes of feed gap unevenness. Heat distribution of an assembly of such a fixed/flex die will be such that the fixed and flexible lip portions may distort in different directions with respect to the substrate. This may also occur in a fixed/fixed die. Also, when coating starts, the die begins to be heated differently because the fluid begins to interact with the heating system. This can cause a change in bending state.
By simulating heat addition and loss in the correct amounts in the correct places to the thermal modeled die to remove the temperature gradients, the structural model will verify a thermally corrected die prior to die manufacture which provides a good approximation of a die with a uniform coating gap.
Referring to FIG. 3 , a design process flow in accordance with the present invention is established to provide for developing a thermally corrected die which provides such a uniform coating gap. First, a manufacturing plant process need (e.g., for a hot melt die that doesn't bend to distort the coating gap) is established ( 60 ). Next, current dies can be (optionally) analyzed, measuring bending under temperature, and providing computer generated models to explain why the bending occurs ( 62 ). Then, models are used to create a die ( 64 ) that doesn't bend, using the models to show why a die bends by understanding the temperature physics and making compensations therefor to meet process operation objectives (e.g., non-bending die) and parameters (e.g., lips style, size, shape, material). The models provide a basic configuration to start the compensation study process. Next, sensitivity studies are run ( 66 ), taking into consideration environmental conditions, type of insulation needed to control heat loss, adhesive flow and airflow patterns around the die. The sensitivity study develops an operating envelope for the die ( 68 ), which if not acceptable the die configuration gets adjusted ( 70 ) to meet the operating envelope. Once the operating envelope is found acceptable, the details as to die geometry, heater/temperature sensor/insulation types, size and locations are established for the contemplated die ( 72 ). A die is then fabricated ( 74 ) and inspected ( 76 ) hot and cold in accordance with standard drafting and manufacturing processes. If the inspection proves successful the die can be implemented for operation ( 78 ).
Referring to FIG. 4 , the “develop new design concepts” ( 64 ) of FIG. 3 is set forth in further detail. First, current dies can be (optionally) checked and analyzed ( 80 ). Then, if current designs do not meet desired coating gap objectives a new and/or improved heating system design is considered ( 82 ), taking into consideration design requirements and limitations (e.g., die size/shape geometrical window in which the die will operate, material properties) and available technology. This results in a preliminary design ( 84 ). Once the preliminary design is established, a three dimensional model ( 88 ) of the die components (e.g., top half, bottom half, coating lips), which can influence heat transfer in the die and its thermal map (temperature vs. spatial location), is created ( 86 ). From the solid model, a finite element meshing routine is used to create a mesh for the structural model ( 90 ) and a mesh for the heat transfer model ( 92 ). The parts (top, bottom, lips) are joined ( 94 ) and the heat transfer model is run ( 96 ). The temperatures are then mapped onto the solid structural model ( 98 ) to determine the resulting deformation.
Referring now to FIG. 5 , the “run-sensitivity-studies” ( 66 ) of FIG. 3 is set forth in further detail. First, possible environmental conditions and design issues are determined ( 100 ). Then, boundary conditions are set ( 102 ), such as amount airflow around the die, amount of fluid flowing. The boundary conditions sets are then applied to the thermal models ( 104 ). The thermal models are then solved ( 106 ) providing a three-dimensional temperature map of each condition ( 108 ).
The temperature map is then mapped onto a structural model ( 110 ). The structural model is then solved to determine the deformation ( 112 ). The results are then analyzed ( 114 ) to determine if the design is acceptable.
Referring now to FIG. 6 , an example of a die bending magnitude comparison for a progression of different die and die heating thermal zone and geometry configurations (each having heaters and temperature sensors, with internal or external wirecages) is depicted. This illustrative study uses a simple criteria (with or without maximum practical surface insulation) to test the thermal-dimensional stability of the design progression. The outer lines along the FIG. 6 x-axis are reference lines showing the thickness of a typical coating, e.g., +−20 microns. The inner dotted lines along the x-axis are also additional reference lines showing machining tolerance for die cold, e.g., the lip face to be ground flat to be within 8–10 microns. The cross-hatched bars depict the bending of the coating lips in the X-Z plane. The dotted bars depict the bending of the die lip in the Y-Z plane. This data is helpful to determine needed changes in the heating configuration and die geometry, such as possibly needing to add heaters to certain locations in the die, and determining temperature sensor locations.
Referring to FIGS. 7–9 , an exemplative die design involving a fixed top hot melt slot die to minimize bending at the coating lips face in accordance with the present inventive process is set forth. In FIG. 7 there is depicted solid model 200 with heaters in place. The heaters are modeled as rectangular slots to simplify the model. Heaters 202 a – 202 d run longitudinal across the width of the die. Heaters 204 a – 204 r run back to front, the front having the coating lips, partially across the die.
To develop the appropriate heat distribution to meet die design objectives, temperatures in a number of representative cross-sections of the die are examined. Referring now to FIG. 8 , there is depicted a thermal map with temperature legend of a representative cross-section of a fixed top die 210 , having coating lips 212 , front wall 213 , front wall taper 215 , and a pair of front to back heaters 214 a , 214 b . Fluid manifold 216 provides fluid to coating gap 218 . Temperature distributions are depicted as spanning a 50° F. range from thermal areas identified as 12 (maximum heat) to 6 (medium heat) to 1 (minimum heat) and therebetween. As can be seen, the temperature gradient is cool in rear area 220 , hot in the areas near heaters 214 a , 214 b and somewhat medium heat at coating lips 212 . Therefore, with such a die configuration the rear will tend to contract and the front will tend to expand and the die will tend to bend concaved toward the back.
Referring to FIG. 9 , when die 210 of FIG. 8 , for example, has it's geometry adjusted and longitudinal heaters added a thermal map of an improved fixed top die 230 will result. Fixed top die 230 has coating lips 232 , front wall 234 , front wall taper 236 , a pair of front to back heaters 238 a , 238 b , and three longitudinal heaters 240 a , 240 b and 240 c . Fluid manifold 242 provides fluid to coating gap 244 . As in FIG. 8 , thermal gradients are depicted as spanning a 50° F. range from thermal areas identified as 12 (maximum heat) to 6 (medium heat) to 1 (minimum heat) and therebetween. As can be seen the temperature is uniform and the gradient is small throughout most of the die which will help prevent undesirable bending. This is a result of both geometry design changes, i.e., wire cages moved external to the die, die shortened, unneeded material removed, the addition of longitudinal heaters, 240 a , 240 b and 240 c , and with the movement of front to back heaters 238 a , 238 b of die 230 being moved closer to the die exterior than that of front to back heaters 214 a , 214 b of die 210 .
Referring now to FIGS. 10–15 b , exemplary embodiments of die apparatus and their heating system developed in accordance with the present invention is now described in more detail.
The heating system for the die is typically composed of heat sources (electrical resistance heaters, oil, steam, or other types of heating and cooling sources), temperature sensors (such as thermocouples, resistance temperature detectors, thermistors, or other types of temperature sensors), and thermal insulation and isolation materials, electrical interconnection hardware (if electrical heat is used and for sensors signals), fluid distribution devices (if oil, steam or other fluids are used), etc.. The heating system is developed concurrently with the die geometry to gain maximum benefit from both.
As an example, the operating criteria for a Tool Steel die (such as AISI P-20 Tool Steel) and its heating system can include:
(1) To operate in a manner which maintains the X-Z bending flatness of the die lips to less than 0.001″ flatness deviation, preferably less than 0.0005″ deviation. This is as measured with a mechanical or optical gage on a precision granite table.
(2) To operate in such a manner which maintains the Y-Z flatness of the lip faces to less than 0.004″ flatness deviation, preferably to less than 0.002″ deviation. This is as measured with a mechanical or optical gage on a precision granite table.
(3) To not change the magnitude of lip flatness deviation in the X-Z or Y-Z planes more than 0.001″ when coating commences, preferably less than 0.0004″. This is as demonstrated by finite element modeling or other means.
(4) To allow controlled bending of the die at least in the X-Z plane. Bending shall be 0.0005″–0.003″ per 1° F. offset between rear and front of the die (starting from the flat state of point 1 ) in the X-Z plane for the unconstrained die of the approximate configuration described here. This is as measured with a mechanical or optical gage on a precision granite table.
(5) To maintain cross-width temperature deviation in the slot of less than 15° F., preferably less than 8° F., with the adhesive temperature at or near the nominal temperature of the die. This is as determined by finite element modeling, and verified with surface temperature measurements at or near the lip faces.
The operating criteria for a tool steel die in the preceding paragraphs are applicable to a die with a width to X-dimension distance ratio up to 11 or a width to Y-dimension distance ratio up to 14 and a steady state operating temperature of up to 200° C. In all cases, any width to X-dimension distance ratio and/or width to Y-dimension ratio greater than 2.5 and steady state operating temperatures greater than 200° C. are also possible, but the achievable requirements may change. Other die configurations can be designed, but achievable requirements may change. Other materials may be considered, but the achievable requirements may change based upon the thermal and physical properties of the material. Other means of determining flatness may be used, including strain gages, or other stress/strain measurement techniques. All of these changes can be considered within the methodology outlined.
The die heating system heaters described herein are classified as “cross-sectional”, “cross-width”, or both. Cross-sectional heaters are those heaters which have a substantial effect on the X-Z and Y-Z flatness or bending. Cross-width heaters are those heaters which are have a substantial effect on the temperature distribution across the width of the die (Z-direction). Heaters can be both cross-sectional and cross-width. Heater refers to any active heat (or cooling) source. These are collectively referred to as active heat transfer means.
X-Z flatness is the most critical, since it directly translates into the thickness of the coating. Y-Z flatness is less critical as long as the substrate is close to flat relative to the size of the feed gap (i.e., coating on a large diameter roll, i. e. 16″, with a small feed gap, i.e., 0.020″ is an approximately flat surface). Normally, the die is optimized for X-Z plane bending, then checked in the Y-Z plane for acceptability; though the Y-Z plane bending state is explicitly optimized in the design methodology. Cross-width temperature variability is critical to the rheology of the fluid, but with respect to the present invention, it is considered mainly in relation to its interaction with the cross-sectional portion of the heating system.
FIG. 10 shows schematically simplified die 300 with heaters. Die 300 includes fluid inlet 301 which communicates with internal longitudinal fluid trough coupled to fluid inlet 301 in a T-shaped manner (not shown) to allow the fluid to be dispensed across the width of the die. Fluid trough opening 303 at the width extremes are capped/gasketed (not shown) to prevent fluid emerging from the respective width ends of the die.
In order to maintain bending flatness in the X-Z plane, heaters are inserted into cavities in the front end 305 and/or rear end 307 of the die. Heaters that heat the front and rear of the die are deemed front cross-sectional heaters and rear cross-sectional heaters, though in some instances they may also function as cross-width heaters. The two heaters 302 , 304 are front heaters, each being a single heater running longitudinally through the width of the die. These heaters each typically have a single associated temperature sensor for feed back to regulate their power. These heaters could be made cross-width by placing separately controlled zones within them, or by replacing the single heater with multiple small individual heaters grouped into multiple zones, and in either case, adding a temperature sensor and control loop for each zone.
Heater 306 and optional heater 308 are rear cross-sectional heaters. They are analogous to front heaters 302 , 304 and also run longitudinally through the width of the die.
Heater groups 310 , 312 are a plurality of individual heaters grouped into separate cross-width die zones 314 , 316 , 318 , 320 , 322 and may be inserted into cavities into the front and/or rear of the die. In the depicted embodiment of FIG. 10 , heater groups 310 and 312 are inserted into cavities in the rear of the die. Being cross-width heaters, and in this case due to their length and placement, they mainly affect the rear of the die. As such, they can also be considered cross-sectional heaters. A temperature sensor associated with cross-width heaters in a particular cross-width die zone is placed in a location as to be more sensitive to the rear heating than the front heating in order to assure this effect.
In the case of the cross-width heaters for this simplified example, the zoning is such that there are independently controlled zones 314 , 322 for the ends (to minimize end losses), independently controlled zone 318 for the center (to accommodate fluctuating fluid inlet temperatures, and independently controlled main heater zones 316 , 320 (between ends and center). In one embodiment, die top half 324 , while structurally attached, is zoned independent of die bottom half 326 for more cross-sectional (Y-Z) flatness control.
Simplified FIGS. 11 a – 11 e are shown in a representative X-Y plane cross-section to describe the interrelation between cross-sectional and cross-width heaters. In these figures, the front and rear heaters are longitudinal heaters, and the cross-width heaters are appropriately zoned individual heaters, with a single cross-width heater from the respective groups being shown. Typical die rear to front distance is 5–10″. Typical die thickness of top or bottom is 2–4″.
FIG. 11 a illustrates a die which has two front longitudinal heaters 302 , 304 , one rear longitudinal heater 306 , and cross-width heaters 310 , 312 which are also cross-sectional heaters (rear heating). FIG. 11 b shows a non-typical but possible configuration where cross-width heaters 330 , 332 are also front cross-sectional heaters. This is generally not done, but is possible. FIG. 11 c illustrates a situation similar to FIG. 11 a , except cross-width heaters 334 , 336 significantly extend across the back to front direction of the die. In this case, the cross-width heaters usually do not act as cross-section heaters. FIG. 11 d is a die with no specific cross-width heaters, though as mentioned previously, independent zones could be manufactured into the longitudinal heaters.
All the dies illustrated in FIGS. 11 a – 11 d are referred to as fixed top dies, meaning the feed gap is fixed and determined by machining of the die halves. Referring now to FIG. 11 e , the die shown is similar to the die depicted in FIG. 11 a , but with section 338 of metal cut out of the front top half to form a flex top section. Various mechanisms could be put in place to allow the flex top section to be bent locally to modify the feed gap. From a thermal perspective, in FIGS. 11 a – 11 d , there is free heat flow between the front and rear (as well as top and bottom) of the dies. In FIG. 11 e , there is free communication between the front and rear of the bottom half, but not in the top half. The front of the top half is effectively partitioned from the rear of the top half. There is some heat flow, but it is limited by the thickness of steel in flex section 338 . In general, for the exemplary embodiments of FIGS. 11 a and 11 e , the cross-width heaters are rear cross-sectional heaters.
Referring now to FIG. 12 , a portion of zone 316 of die bottom half 326 and representative three heaters 312 a , 312 b , 312 c of the heater group 312 of FIG. 10 , is shown in conjunction with main zone temperature sensor 400 and related heating and control system 402 .
Each zone has a zone temperature sensor associated with the heaters (both cross-width heaters and cross-sectional heaters) in the particular zone. The sensor sends sensed temperature data to a proportional integral derivative (PID) temperature controller which compares the sensed temperature data with a temperature set point. If the comparison shows that the sensed temperature is below the temperature set point, the PID controller will signal the heaters to increase power. If the comparison shows that the sensed temperature is greater than the temperature set point, the PID controller will signal the heaters to decrease power. Accordingly, these zone temperature sensors are used in effect to control the die cross-width temperature. Each zone temperature sensor is located in the die in a centralized proximity to the heaters to be controlled in its zone.
Referring again to FIG. 12 , main zone temperature sensor 400 , which in one embodiment can be a resistance temperature detector (RTD) with sensing tip 410 installed in a tube which is inserted and supported at a convenient orientation within die bottom half 326 through a preformed sensor channel or drilled hole in the die. The sensor is located to meet predetermined temperature criteria. These locations can vary accordingly. For example, in the design methodology, temperature sensor locations (for a tool steel die with width to X-dimension distance ratio and/or width to Y-dimension distance ratio greater than 2.5, operating at least up to 200° C. in room air) could be chosen for each zone which meet the following conditions as determined by finite element modeling:
(1) the sensing tip of all temperature sensors (all zones) are within 1° F., preferably less than 0.2° F. of the nominal die temperature, which is within 10° F., and preferably 2° F. of the entering fluid temperature. Condition (1) is met when fluid is not flowing through the die (for visually setting the coating gap, measuring flatness, etc.). Condition (1) is met while fluid within 2° F., and up to 10° F. of the nominal die temperature is flowing through the die at up to maximum flow rate.
(2) local temperature gradients in the region of the sensing tip, where possible, are less than 5° F. per inch, and preferably less than 1° F. per inch.
The location of heaters and sensors within a specific die geometry are such that these requirements are met while meeting the previously-mentioned requirements (1)–(5), possibly after small temperature offsets are determined by measurement. Sensor 400 reads the die temperature 406 at its location and provides the sensed temperature data to temperature controller 404 which has a predetermined desired zone temperature set point 408 . Temperature controller 404 performs a comparison between the measured die temperature and the set point temperature and sends temperature differential control signal 420 to heater control 422 , such as a relay mechanism which allows current to flow to respective resistive heaters. When the sensed die temperature and set point temperature are the same current flow to the heaters remains constant.
In addition there can be front top, front bottom, rear top and rear bottom temperatures sensors meeting the above-criteria. These sensors are used to control the die cross-section temperature. These sensors would be located in the die in a centralized proximity to the cross-section heaters in the respective front-top, front bottom, rear top and rear bottom longitudinal cross-section heaters.
Referring now to FIG. 13 , as an example of cross-section heaters and their heater control, a portion of the end of die bottom half 326 and a representative three heaters 304 , 306 of FIG. 10 , is shown in conjunction with their respective longitudinal temperature sensors 450 , 452 and related respective heating and control circuitry 454 , 456 . Fluid trough opening 303 is shown exposed in FIG. 13 but would normally be sealed as described above. Each cross-section heater has its own sensor and related heating and control system. For example, front bottom cross-section heater 304 extends across the width of die bottom 326 and has an associated front bottom temperature sensor 450 which is coupled to front bottom heating and control system 460 . Heating and control system 460 includes temperature control 462 and heater control 464 . Similarly, rear bottom cross-section heater 306 extends across the width of bottom die 326 and has an associated rear bottom temperature sensor 452 which is coupled to rear bottom heating and control system 454 . Heating and temperature control system 454 includes temperature control 456 and heater control 458 . Both front bottom heating and control system 460 and rear bottom heating and control system 454 operate in a similar manner to that previously disclosed with regard to heating and control system 402 of FIG. 10 . The sensors 450 and 452 are located in a location determined by finite element modeling to meet the previous criteria, e.g., along the length of the heater in proximity to their respective heaters 304 , 306 , typically 0.5″ from their respective heater, such that their associated set points can provide for controlling the front and back temperatures to be the same.
Each of the sensors, whether sensors for cross-section heaters or cross-width heaters are also located also that cross-talk from other sensed areas is minimized, whether associated with other cross-section heating areas or other cross-width heating zones.
Each of the respective heating and control systems for both the cross-width and the cross-section heaters will then cycle their respective system feedbacks such that all the sensors across the entire die are at the same temperature. Once heater and sensor locations are properly chosen for a given die geometry with all expected attachments and heat losses, and all the die areas are at the same temperature, the die can be deemed flat for the stipulated operating conditions.
Referring now to FIG. 14 , a partial portion of the die shown in FIG. 10 having a top die portion 324 and bottom die portion 326 is shown with further attachments which may affect the overall temperature distribution in the die. Top die portion 324 has affixed to the rear portion thereof wirecage 500 which can collect the various cross-width heater wirings associated with the top die portion. Similarly, bottom die portion 326 has affixed to the rear portion thereof wirecage 502 which can collect the various cross-width heater wirings associated with the bottom die portion. The end of the die includes gasket plate 504 to seal the end of the fluid trough. Top and bottom die cross-sectional and/or cross-width sensor wirings can run longitudinally (such as in a formed die channel) and terminate in respective connector housings 506 , 508 . Mounting blocks, such as block 510 can be coupled to the die and allow the die assembly to mountably sit into a die station housing structure adjacent to the die (not shown).
However, it should be understood that the present top and bottom die combination may be thermally isolated from any such die station housing adjacent to the die. As such, the present inventive method and apparatus is directed to an integrated main heating system for the heated die and is not concerned primarily with the heat loss associated with the die station housing. Preferably, any heating of the fluid to bring it to its proper temperature for application on the substrate is done separately from the heaters of the present invention as much as possible. Needless to say, the heat convected by the heated fluid as it passes through the die from fluid inlet and out through the coating lips will effect the overall die temperature distribution.
Referring now to FIGS. 15 a and 15 b (which is a blow-up of a portion of FIG. 15 a ), there is shown schematically in simplified cross-section, a further embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen, substrate 22 travels in Y direction 24 as back-up roll 26 rotates in direction 25 . Die 300 includes thermal insulators 600 , 602 on the top and bottom surfaces of die 300 and wind guard 604 which deflects in direction 606 wind produced by rotation of back-up roll 26 . The air flow guard protects the front lower portion of the die from localized cooling due to stripping of an air boundary layer from the substrate. Area 608 is depicted in FIG. 15 b . Also seen are wirecages 500 , 502 and mounting block 510 fitting into die station housing 512 . The modeling process in accordance with the present invention takes into account the various features of the die and these attachments thereto which can affect the temperature distribution within the die.
The front cross-section heaters generally provide 20%–60% of the total applied heating power of the die, depending on actual heater placement and sensor locations. In the exemplary configuration, they tend to run 25%–45%. This is based on actual power output of the temperature controllers. Rear heaters (plus any optional small auxiliary heaters) run most of the balance (including cross-width heaters). Front and rear longitudinal heaters generally are located such that their centers are less than 1.5″ from the outside surface closest to them. Cross-width heaters generally start from the rear of the die and extend towards the front 3–6″.
These configurations are the exemplary embodiments since most of the various items attached to the die tend to be attached at the rear, leading to more heat loss variation there. End heaters can be placed such that they heat the entire end.
In the exemplary embodiments, wire wound platinum resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) pre-screened for an accuracy of better than +−1° F., or preferably better than 0.4° F. at a target temperature (i.e., 346° F.) are used. In this case, replacement will not significantly effect the bending state of the die. Also, drift of wire wound platinum RTD's are known to be very small over time. High accuracy PID temperature controllers could include, but not be limited to Syscon RKC SR Mini HG System.
A further exemplary implementation could be as follows:
(1) Operate the front heaters such that they (and thus the slot and manifold) are at nominal temperature. The coating will enter the die at or near this nominal temperature.
(2) In actual measurements of flatness after the die is manufactured, if any offsets to set points for cross-sectional zones in the heating system (due to uncertainties in the finite element modeling which led to heater and sensor locations) are needed to bring the die to within the measured flatness specification, make them at the rear of the die if possible. This is so: (a) the temperatures of the slot and manifold, which are dominated by the front heaters, will stay at the temperature of the adhesive and thus corrections to bending will have minimal effect on the rheology of the fluid; and (b) Since the fluid typically enters at the center of the rear of the die, the heat transfer to a higher or lower temperature will be minimal since the thermal conductivity of materials coated in these dies is typically very low, and the distance from the metal wall to center of the tube is typically significant; conversely in the front of the die, the fluid is spread to a thin film (typically less than 0.060″) with a large heat transfer area, thus heat transfer rates are much higher.
(3) These offsets may be necessary because: (a) the thermal and structural finite element models have uncertainties in them. This can lead to uncertainty in the cross-sectional and/or cross-width temperature distribution. Coupling this with using a single temperature sensor to establish a temperature for a single zone (i.e., the rear zone), can lead to a shift in actual temperature measured at the sensor from what was originally predicted. It has been demonstrated that once the shift is corrected, the die is stable. (b) Attachments to the die, such as metallic wire cages (to house heater and/or sensor wires) can interact with the die and each-other in complex ways, often difficult to model correctly (especially in terms of radiation heat transfer and airflow modification), adding to uncertainty in local temperature distributions near the attachment points. (c) Depending on how the die is machined and stress relieved, direction-preferential stresses may exist which are not easily accounted for by finite element modeling. The offset between the maximum and minimum cross-section heating zone setpoints should not exceed 10° C., and preferably should not exceed 4° C.
(4) Insulate the die as much as possible from attachments and isolate it from any external mounting structure to minimize the existence of local hot or cold spots, which complicate the ability to accurately predict temperature distributions, leading to uncertainties in choosing heater and sensor locations. Also, consider insulating large surfaces to minimize heat loss by convection to air, and reduce radiation heat losses; thus reducing temperature gradients near these surfaces. Where possible, place an insulating layer between die surfaces and any metal attachment. Where the die is mounted to its support structure, use structural insulating materials to isolate the die from heat loss to the mounting structure. Use of insulation on large surfaces can be helpful in minimizing sensitivity to environmental conditions. Use some type of shield to the front bottom (and optionally top) of the die to deflect high velocity air carried by the substrate from cooling the front of the die. FIGS. 15 a and 15 b shows such a shield (wind guard), plus a possible insulating strategy. Overall, minimize the number and magnitude of effects that a given heater zone needs to accommodate (i.e., convection heat loss, attachment heat loss, interaction with fluid, etc.). The more effects, and the larger the magnitude, the greater the possibility of compromise and sensitivity to different operating conditions. Isolate the die from heat loss when mounting it. This means the heating system only has to deal with losses to the atmosphere, and limited losses to attachments.
Those skilled in the art can appreciate that alternative embodiments to those described and shown in the figures can fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, referring back to FIG. 2 b , those skilled in the art can appreciate that the inventive concepts described in conjunction with FIGS. 10–15 b can be applied to the multiple section die in FIG. 2 b . Cross-section heaters, cross-width heaters and their associated sensors can be modeled and located as appropriate for die sections 50 a , 52 a and 52 b of FIG. 2 b.
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A method of designing and the resulting thermally stable heated coating die apparatus, the die apparatus including a die having a die geometry and a heating system with heaters and temperature sensors. The method and resultant apparatus provides minimized temperature gradients, flat die lip faces in a die to roll plane and a flat die in a plane perpendicular to die flat lip faces and parallel to substrate width. The method optimizes simultaneously: die geometry, placement of the heaters, placement of temperature sensors, and shielding from operating conditions, using heat transfer and structural numerical modeling and statistical analysis while considering die functionality characteristics, minimum increment of temperature measurement and control accuracy related to minimum acceptable deviation from flatness, coating die material of construction relative to thermo-structural material properties, and desirable coating die material properties.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a 371 of PCT/US10/44646, filed Aug. 6, 2010, which claimed priority from U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/232,075, filed Aug. 7, 2009.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is drawn to oilfield drilling structures which may be easily moved from one drilling position to another by use of outboard, hinged outriggers. These structures are useful in drilling oil wells in fields where a great many boreholes are required to sustain the production of oil. The invention further provides a drill rig having features which allow it to be transported along roadways from one oilfield drilling location to another.
DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART
There are numerous patents and publication regarding ‘mobile’ oil well drilling rigs that may be transported in a ‘stowed’ mode along public highways and which may also be moved in an ‘erected’ mode when drilling multiple adjacent wells within a particular oil field. One such patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,361, incorporated by reference herein for all it discloses, discussed a wheeled structure to transport a drilling rig with rotatable wheel assemblies which allow the rig to be moved by using a ‘fifth wheel’ arrangement which may be rotated to any angle. These wheels are permanently attached, however, which may consume considerable space and add unnecessary weight.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,375,892 discloses a more flexible ‘dolly type’ structure which also allows a rig to be moved in any desired direction. However, this structure shares many of the same general problems as U.S. Pat. No. 3,754,361, as described above.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,305,237; 4,290,495; 3,807,109; 4,823,953; 4,823,870 and US Publication number 2007/0215359 all show various arrangements for movable drill rigs.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present disclosure is generally directed to mobile drilling rig structures with hinged retractable outriggers. In one illustrative embodiment, a mobile drill rig includes, among other things, a frame structure and a plurality of hinged outriggers that are adapted to be retractable to a substantially vertical position during drilling operation and extendable to a substantially horizontal position during movement of the mobile drill rig. Furthermore, the frame structure is adapted to transfer a weight of the mobile drill rig through the plurality of hinged outriggers to a plurality of wheeled frame dollies during the rig movement.
In another exemplary embodiment, a hinged outrigger is disclosed that is operatively coupled to a mobile drill rig, and at least one servomechanism is operatively coupled to the hinged outrigger. The hinged outrigger is adapted to be retractable to a substantially vertical position during a drilling operation and extendable to a substantially horizontal position during movement of the mobile drill rig. Additionally, the hinged outrigger is further adapted to transfer weight of the mobile drill rig from a frame structure to one or more wheeled frame dollies during the rig movement. Furthermore, the at least one servomechanism includes at least one of a hydraulic servomechanism and a pneumatic servomechanism and is adapted to provide extension and retraction of the hinged outrigger and to facilitate electronic coordination of the rig movement.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a drill rig of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a cut-away top view of wheeled frame dollies arranged to lie within the support columns of the drill rig of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the drill rig of FIG. 1 arranged for transport along a public highway.
FIG. 4 is a top view of a cutaway portion of a structure similar to FIG. 1 , to show wheeled frame dollies mounted outboard of the rig structure and carried on the hingable outriggers of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an end elevation view of the structure and hinged outriggers of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 6 is a top view of a cutaway portion of a structure similar to FIG. 1 , to show wheeled frame dollies adapted to move the rig transversely, supported by the rig structure itself and with retracted hingable outriggers of the present invention.
FIG. 7A is a top view of a cutaway portion of a structure similar to FIG. 1 , showing wheeled frame dollies mounted inboard and supported by the rig structure itself and with retracted hingable outriggers of the present invention.
FIG. 7B is an end elevation view of the structure and retracted hinged outriggers of FIG. 7A .
FIG. 8A is a side elevation view of a drill rig drilling a new borehole along a line of already drilled boreholes.
FIG. 8B is a top view of a cutaway portion of a structure similar to FIG. 8A .
FIG. 9 is an end elevation view of a portion of a drill rig with the retractable hinged outriggers of the present invention carrying the load of the drill rig and transferring it to the wheeled frame dollies.
FIG. 10 is an end elevation view of a portion of a drill rig showing the retractable hinged outriggers in the retracted position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to FIG. 1 , the drill rig 12 of the present invention is a transportable type of drilling rig which allows it not only to be moved short distances such as the several hundred feet from one wellbore to be drilled to the next as illustrated in the configuration shown in FIG. 1 , but which also may be disassembled, packaged and towed (as shown in FIG. 3 ) over public highways from one location to another which may be hundreds of miles apart.
Since a fully assembled drill rig 12 may weigh several hundred tons, moving it for even very short distance may be challenging. The drill rig 12 of the present invention may be placed upon one or more wheeled frame dollies 18 , which are fitted with a number of wheels 14 (as shown in FIG. 1 ) and may be pulled along by a single towing bar 16 . In some cases the wheeled dollies 18 with rotatable wheels 14 are towed to the next well site by each of their individual tow bars 22 , as shown in FIG. 2 .
Alternately, (and preferably) these dollies 18 may have motors built into their wheels 14 which allow them to be self propelled. In this case, each of the wheels 14 of the wheeled dollies 18 may be independently powered and individually and independently turned to the left or right to steer the drill rig 12 as it is being moved. In addition, the dollies 18 may have built-in jacking devices which allow them to be placed under the substructures 24 and elevated to contact and lift the drill rig 12 . The drill rig 12 of the present invention as shown in FIGS. 1-10 is adapted to be carried upon these wheeled frame dollies 18 .
In both ways of moving the rig 12 described above, there is a further option of placing the wheeled dollies 18 either under the drill rig 12 as shown in FIGS. 7A and 7B , or by placing the wheeled dollies 18 on either side of the outside portion of the drill 12 rig, as shown for example in FIGS. 4-6 . In this case a pair of hinged outriggers 26 may be lowered and locked in place to transfer the weight of the rig to the wheeled frame dollies 18 .
As oil fields become more depleted, it often requires many more boreholes to produce commercially amounts of oil. Also, some types of formations do not have good fluid communications. In both of these cases, it is often desirable to drill numerous boreholes in a grid pattern. FIG. 8B illustrates one such configuration for a line of boreholes 28 A, 28 B, 28 C and 28 D.
When this needs to be done, the task of moving the drill rig 12 becomes even more challenging, as it is now required to move both fore and aft, as well as left and right, as it moves from one line to the next. In the prior art drill rigs, the rig had to be rotated 90 degrees to make this turn, as the wellbore of the previously drilled wells may restrict the movement of the rigs—as shown for example in FIGS. 8A and 8B , which are side, and plan views of the drill rig 12 of the present invention drilling another in a series of boreholes 28 A, 28 B, 28 C, 28 D.
Again, because the drill rig 12 of the present invention has the capability of moving both laterally with the wheeled frame dollies 18 , and longitudinally by utilizing the hinged outriggers 26 with the wheeled frame dollies 18 , this formerly daunting task of a combination of lateral and longitudinal movement may be accomplished in far less time with far less risk of damaging the drill rig 12 or the other equipment at the site, as compared with present practice. Furthermore, the hinged outriggers 26 of the present invention may include the use of conventional hydraulic, pneumatic, servo type mechanisms, which could provide for automatic extension/retraction, and allow for electronic coordination of movement. This may be combined with other systems, and allow electronic synchronization with other rig equipment for very complex moving tasks, where multiple devices may be optionally controlled with computerized control systems.
A further advantage of the hinged outriggers is that when the rig 12 is partially dismantled for transport (as shown in FIG. 3 ) the load may be narrower because when stowed, the outriggers may no longer protrude beyond the frame structure of the rig.
Whereas the present invention has been described in particular relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope and spirit of the present invention.
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A mobile drill rig includes a frame structure and a plurality of hinged outriggers that are adapted to be retractable to a substantially vertical position during a drilling operation and extendable to a substantially horizontal position during movement of the mobile drill rig. The frame structure is adapted to transfer a weight of the mobile drill rig through the plurality of hinged outriggers to a plurality of wheeled frame dollies during the rig movement.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to a method for isolating difluoromethane (“HFC-32” or “32”) from a crude mixture containing hydrogen chloride (“HCl”) and an azeotropic mixture of 32 and hydrogen fluoride (“HF”), particularly, as part of a process wherein 32 is being manufactured by reacting methylene chloride (“30”) and HF, such reaction normally being conducted in the gas phase. The reactor effluent from such reactions mostly comprises 32, unreacted 30 and HF, by-product HCl and an intermediate product chlorofluoromethane (“31”). HFC-32 is a known refrigerant and is typically used blended together with other refrigerants, such as pentafluoroethane (“HFC-125”).
[0002] A number of schemes have been proposed for purifying the 32 contained in this reactor effluent, some of which cite a low HF concentration azeotrope with 32 as precluding isolation of 32 by straight distillation. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,707,497, the azeotrope is broken by pressure swing distillation. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,523,015, the azeotrope is broken by phase separation. Both of these methods require a substantial investment and isolation of HF azeotropes. It would be useful to have a scheme for isolation of 32 which does not require isolation of an azeotrope.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0003] A method of isolating 32 from a crude mixture containing HCl and an azeotropic mixture of 32 and HF is provided, which method comprises the steps of (A) distilling said crude mixture in a column with a cofeed of a compound (preferably 30) having a boiling point higher than that of 32 in order to generate a column overhead of HCl and a column bottoms whose bubble point and composition varies with the amount of heat applied to it, (B) removing HF from the column bottoms of step (A) by washing, and (C) distilling the remaining mixture from step (B) to separate 32 from higher boiling compounds. The higher boiling compounds from step (C) are preferably recycled to the column of step (A). As described in more detail below, the “washing” referred to in step (B) encompasses both absorbing into water and neutralizing with aqueous caustic.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0004] It has now been found that the above scheme offers several advantages over previous separation techniques, such as (1) clean, anhydrous HCl is obtained by distillation in step (A); (2) the yield loss of HF associated with the process is limited to that associated with the 32/HF azeotrope despite never isolating the azeotrope; (3) any unreacted HF and 30, along with intermediate 31, in the reactor effluent can be recovered for recycle to the reactor at the beginning of the separation train, prior to step (A), by distillation, thus avoiding contamination by downstream equipment and allowing materials of construction requirements to be relaxed, and (4) distillation control of the HCl column in step (A) is enhanced by allowing the reboiler to operate on bubble point control. If the reboiler contained an azeotrope, the temperature and compositon of the bottoms would be invariant regardless of the heat supplied to the reboiler, making it difficult to control the heat input to the column. Since the HCl column operates under constant pressure, “bubble point” as used herein refers to the temperature at which a chemical mixture starts to boil; it is called a bubble point because the boiling temperature will start to increase immediately as the mixture starts boiling provided it is not azeotropic, so that there is no boiling point in the common sense of the word.
[0005] The pressure of the HCl column is typically in the 100 psig to 500 psig range. At pressures of 210 psig, the overhead temperature would be about −19° C., depending on the amount of any minor impurities. The HCl column bottoms is a mixture whose bubble point depends on the amount and composition of the high boiling cofeed and any recycle from step (C). The principal determinants for a preferred high boiling cofeed (or cofeeds) are that it (or they) be significantly less volatile than 32, chemically inert in the system, thermally stable, and have a low enough boiling point to give a reasonable bubble point at the bottom of the column in step (C). A preferred boiling point range for the cofeed(s) is −30° C. to +70° C. Preferred compounds are chlorocarbons, hydrochlorofluorocarbons or hydrofluorocarbons containing 1 to 4 carbons. Particularly preferred is 30 since it is employed as a feedstock in the process.
[0006] Acid wash step (B) can employ conventional techniques. For example, the stream from step (A) can either be vaporized into a low pressure water absorber/caustic scrubber system or scrubbed by an aqueous base under pressure in a liquid phase mixer/settler system. If scrubbed in a gas phase system, it would first be dried and compressed before feeding a high pressure distillation. If a high pressure liquid system is used, simple drying would suffice before feeding the distillation system. The effluent from the wash system is then fed to the final distillation column of step (C), which is normally operated at a pressure similar to that used for the HCl column.
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A method for isolating 32 from a crude mixture containing HCl and an azeotropic mixture of 32 and HF is provided without the need to isolate any HF azeotrope.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/059,507, filed Jan. 29, 2002, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/176,481 Oct. 21, 1998, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/955,590, filed Oct. 22, 1997, which is incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
[0002] Not applicable
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX
[0003] Not applicable
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] 1. Field of the Invention
[0005] The present invention relates generally to an engine that produces energy through a process known as Cavitation and Associated Bubble Dynamics, and specifically to a method and apparatus for a combustion engine that uses bubbles within a fluid as the combustion chamber and for providing the combustion thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to combustion-type engines that require compression and not spark ignition as part of the combustion process. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to an improved combustion engine that uses a fuel source in the form of a combustible fluid material having been mechanically influenced to provide gas bubbles that are rather small and which bubbles contain a combination of oxygen, water and the burnable fuel matter in vapor form. The term “micro-combustion chamber” as used herein is referring to such small gas bubbles. The bubble combustion process creates an expansion that produces force for driving a pair of rotating members within the chamber. These members have vanes that are so positioned that expansion of the combusting matter contained within the bubbles causes these two particular rotating members to rotate in opposite directions relative to one another, therefore, generating torque that is transmitted to a shaft through a gearing arrangement.
[0006] 2. General Background of the Invention
[0007] Combustion engines are well known devices for powering vehicles, generators and other types of machinery. Some engines require a spark ignition. Some engines such as diesel type engines only require compression for combustion to occur. Combustion diesel engines use one or more reciprocating pistons to elevate the pressure within a corresponding cylinder in order to achieve combustion.
[0008] Among the disadvantages of such engines are inefficiencies caused by heat losses, frictional losses and unharnessed (wasted) work due to the reciprocation of each piston. For example, in a eight cylinder engine, only one cylinder is producing power at any given moment while all eight cylinders are constantly contributing to frictional losses. The reciprocation of each piston also results in unwanted vibration and noise. In addition, due to the relatively low combustion temperatures in such reciprocating piston engines, excessive pollutants such as particulates and carbon monoxide are produced by these engines.
[0009] Furthermore, reciprocating piston engines require refined fuel such as gasoline made from cracking of oil that is performed in refineries and costly to produce. Such engines also require complex fuel injection or carbureation systems, camshafts, electrical systems and cooling systems that can be expensive and difficult to maintain.
[0010] Accordingly, there is a need for more efficient, smoother running and lower emission alternative fuel engines for use in vehicles, generators, and other machinery.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It is an object of the present invention to overcome one or more of the problems described above.
[0012] In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a method for increasing the pressure of a fluid in a combustion engine is provided. The method comprises the steps of: creating a bubble of gaseous material within a fluid; elevating the pressure within the bubble to a level such that the temperature inside the bubble reaches a flash point; and obtaining combustion within the bubble.
[0013] In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a method for generating torque on a rotating shaft is provided. The method comprises the steps of: providing a chamber connected to the shaft for rotation therewith, the chamber having a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet; feeding a fluid into the chamber, the fluid including at least one gaseous bubble; elevating the pressure within the bubble to a level such that the temperature inside the bubble reaches a flash point; and producing combustion within the bubble to elevate the pressure of fluid in the chamber, thereby driving fluid through certain member vanes producing torque and then out through the chamber fluid outlet.
[0014] In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a combustion engine comprises a pump, a fluid reservoir, a drive shaft having a passage therein, and a high pressure chamber fixedly attached to the drive shaft for rotation therewith.
[0015] The high pressure chamber contains a compression drive unit including one or more compression drives blades fixedly attached on the drive shaft, a combustion channel unit rotatably journalled on the drive shaft and containing one or more combustion channels, an impulse drive unit including one or more impulse drives blades rotatable journalled on the drive shaft, and a planetary gear set.
[0016] The planetary gear set includes a ring gear fixedly attached to one of two end plates that are fixedly attached to the drive shaft for rotation therewith, a sun gear fixedly attached to the impulse drive unit for rotation therewith, and one or more planet gears. Each planet gear is rotatable journalled on the combustion channel unit at a location radially intermediate the sun gear and the ring gear and in meshing engagement with the sun gear and the ring gear.
[0017] Therefore, the present invention provides a combustion engine of improved configuration that burns matter contained within small bubbles of a fluid stream, combust these bubbles and produces torque on the shaft.
[0018] The apparatus includes a housing with an interior for containing fluid in a reservoir section. A rotating drive shaft is mounted in the housing and includes a portion that extends inside the housing interior above the fluid reservoir.
[0019] A chamber is mounted on the drive shaft within the housing interior for rotation therewith.
[0020] The chamber includes a power generating system or unit that is positioned within the chamber interior for rotating the drive shaft when fluid flow and bubble combustion take place within the chamber interior. Fluid is provided to the power generating unit via circulation conduit that supplies fluid from the reservoir to the chamber power generating system preferably via a bore that extends longitudinally through the drive shaft and then transversely through a port and into the chamber.
[0021] Within the chamber, the fluid follows a circuitous path through various rotating and non-rotating parts. These parts include at least three rotating members each with vanes thereon, the respective vanes being closely positioned with a small gap therebetween so that when the rotating members are caused to rotate in a given rotational direction, the bubbles are compressed and combustion of the material in the small bubbles occurs and torque is produced.
[0022] A starter is used to preliminarily rotate the shaft and initiate fluid flow. The fluid flow centrifugally causes the respective internal chamber members to rotate. The respective rotating members are so configured and geared, that when they are rotated, they will rotate at different speeds and in relative opposite rotational directions due to the force cause by the fluid flow, however, they will try to rotate in the same direction due to the force cause by the gearing. These conflicting forces configure a fluid flow design that provides a high pressure zone and produces bubble compression. Bubble combustion occurs when two things happen. First, the bubble critical compression produces a sufficiently high temperature in the bubble nucleus to initiate burn. Second, the bubble pressure is lowered. These two steps define one complete combustion cycle. The bubble high pressure and low pressure points occur at the interface between two of the rotating members. The bubble combustion occurs just before the bubble leaves the compression pressure zone. The bubble combustion will apply force in two different fields of direction. This combustion process produces a net expansion force that causes the blades of the two interfacing members to separate and., thereby, causes the two interfacing members proper to rotate in opposite rotational directions.
[0023] A gear mechanism is used to transfer the rotary power from both of the two rotating members to the drive shaft.
[0024] It is to be understood that both the foregoing generally description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory only and are not restrictive of the invention as claimed. Additional features and advances of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the apparatus and method particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof, as well as, the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025] For a further understanding of the nature, objects, and advantages of the present invention, reference should be made to the following detailed description and read in conjunction with the following drawings, wherein like reference numerals denote like elements and wherein:
[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0027] FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 3 is a partially cutaway front elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 4 is a partial top view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the chamber, flinger plate, and drive shaft;
[0030] FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along lines 5 - 5 of FIG. 4 ;
[0031] FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along lines 6 - 6 of FIG. 5 ;
[0032] FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along lines 7 - 7 of FIG. 5 ;
[0033] FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along lines 8 - 8 of FIG. 5 ;
[0034] FIG. 9 is a fragmentary enlarged view of the vane and combustion interface, an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 7 that is encircled in phantom lines;
[0035] FIG. 10 is a partial perspective exploded view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the combustion channels unit and impulse drive unit portions thereof;
[0036] FIG. 11 is a perspective fragmentary view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the compression drive unit;
[0037] FIG. 12 is a perspective exploded partially cutaway view of the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the working parts mounted on the drive shaft;
[0038] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0039] FIG. 14 is another perspective view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0040] FIG. 15 is a partially cut away front elevational view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0041] FIG. 16 is a partial top view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating the chamber, flinger plate, and drive shaft;
[0042] FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along lines 17 - 17 of FIG. 16 ;
[0043] FIG. 18 is a sectional view taken along lines 18 - 18 of FIG. 17 ;
[0044] FIG. 19 is a sectional view taken along lines 19 - 19 of FIG. 17 ;
[0045] FIG. 20 is a sectional view taken along lines 20 - 20 of FIG. 17 ;
[0046] FIG. 21 is a sectional view taken along lines 21 - 21 of FIG. 17 ;
[0047] FIG. 22 is a sectional view taken along lines 22 - 22 of FIG. 17 ;
[0048] FIG. 23 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention showing an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 20 and combustion that takes place at an interface between the torque drive blades and combustion channel blades;
[0049] FIG. 24 is a partial exploded perspective view of the second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0050] FIG. 25 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the alternate embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating fluid flow and combustion at the interface between torque drive blades and combustion channel blades;
[0051] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0052] FIG. 27 is another perspective view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0053] FIG. 28 is a partially cut away front elevation view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0054] FIG. 29 is a schematic view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0055] FIG. 30 is a partial, sectional view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0056] FIG. 31 is a sectional view taken along lines 31 - 31 of FIG. 30 ;
[0057] FIG. 32 is a sectional view taken along lines 32 - 32 of FIG. 30 ;
[0058] FIGS. 33-33A are sectionals view taken along lines 33 - 33 of FIG. 30 , FIG. 33A being a partial enlargement of FIG. 33 ;
[0059] FIG. 34 is an exploded perspective view of the third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0060] FIG. 35 is a sectional view of a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0061] FIG. 36 is a sectional view taken along lines 36 - 36 in FIG. 35 ;
[0062] FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0063] FIG. 38 is another perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0064] FIG. 39 is a partial sectional elevation view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention taken along lines 39 - 39 of FIG. 1 ;
[0065] FIG. 40 is a fragmentary elevation view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0066] FIG. 41 is a sectional view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0067] FIG. 42 is a sectional view taken along lines 42 - 42 of FIG. 41 .
[0068] FIG. 43 is a partial sectional view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0069] FIG. 44 is a fragmentary view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention;
[0070] FIG. 45 is a sectional view taken along lines 45 - 45 of FIG. 41 ;
[0071] FIG. 46 is a sectional view taken along lines 46 - 46 of FIG. 41 ; and
[0072] FIG. 47 is an exploded, partial perspective view of the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0073] FIGS. 1-4 show generally the preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 10 in FIGS. 1, 2 , and 3 . Combustion engine 10 has an enlarged housing 11 with an interior 14 . The housing 11 is comprised of upper and lower sections including a lower reservoir section 12 and an upper cover section 13 .
[0074] Fluid 15 is contained in the lower portion of reservoir section 12 as shown in FIG. 3 , the fluid 15 having a fluid level 16 that is well below chamber 28 and drive shaft 24 . The fluid can be most any combustible fluid including automatic transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, for example. A plurality of feet 17 can be used to anchor housing 11 to a pedestal, mount, concrete base, or like structural support. A pair of sealing mating flanges 18 , 19 can be provided respectively on housing sections 11 , 12 to form a closure and seal that prevents leakage during use.
[0075] A pair of spaced apart transversely extending beams 20 , 21 such as the I-beams shown, can be welded to housing reservoir section 12 providing structural support for supporting drive shaft 24 and its bearings 22 , 23 . The drive shaft 24 is to be driven by a rotating member contained within chamber 28 as will be described more fully hereinafter. For reference purposes, drive shaft 24 has a pair of end portions including starter end portion 25 and fluid inlet end portion 26 . Drive shaft 24 carries chamber 28 and flinger plate 27 .
[0076] In FIG. 4 , the chamber 28 including its cylindrically-shaped wall portion 50 and its circular end walls 51 , 52 is mounted integrally to and rotates with shaft 24 . Similarly, flinger plate 27 is connected integrally to and rotates with shaft 24 . The flinger plate 27 is used to aerate the liquid 15 after it has been transmitted to chamber 28 and exists therefrom through a plurality of jets 90 (see FIG. 5 ). The fluid exits via jets 90 and 15 strikes the flinger plate 27 which is rotating with shaft 24 during use. Plate 27 throws the fluid 15 radially away from plate 27 due to the centrifugal force of plate 27 as it rotates with shaft 24 .
[0077] The circulation of fluid 15 through the apparatus 10 begins at reservoir section 12 wherein a volume of liquid 15 is contained below fluid surface 16 as shown. The complete travel of fluid 15 through the apparatus 10 is completed when fluid exits chamber 28 and strikes flinger plate 27 , being thrown off flinger plate 27 as shown by arrow 61 in FIG. 5 to strike housing 11 and then drain to reservoir section 12 of housing 11 . This exiting of fluid 15 from chamber 28 so that it strikes flinger plate 27 creates very small bubbles in fluid 15 that will be the subject of combustion when that aerated fluid 15 again enters chamber 28 via shaft 24 bore 55 as will be described more fully herein.
[0078] In FIGS. 1-3 , fluid 15 from reservoir section 12 is first pumped with pump 33 to flow outlet line 32 . This is accomplished initially with a starter motor 42 that rotates shaft 24 . The rotating shaft 24 then rotates pump 33 using power take off 36 .
[0079] Fluid is transferred from reservoir section 12 via outlet port 35 to suction line 34 . Fluid flows from suction line 34 to pump 33 and then to flow outlet line 32 . The fluid then flows through control valve 31 to flow inlet line 30 . A bypass line 40 enables a user to divert flow at control valve 31 so that only a desired volume of fluid enters flow inlet line 30 and hollow bore 55 of shaft 24 at rotary coupling 29 . Once fluid 15 is transmitted to bore 55 , it flows into the interior 71 of chamber 28 for use as a source of combustion as will be described more fully hereinafter. Shaft 24 is connected to flow inlet line 30 with a rotary fluid coupling 29 . Power take off 36 can be in the form of a pair of sprockets 37 , 38 connected to pump 33 and drive shaft 24 respectively as shown in FIG. 2 . A chain drive 39 can be used to connect the two sprockets 37 , 38 . Rotation of the drive shaft 24 thus effects a rotation of the pump 33 so that fluid will be pumped from reservoir section 12 of housing 11 via lines 30 , 32 to bore 53 of shaft 24 once starter motor 42 is activated. If fluid 15 is to be bypassed using bypass 40 , it is simply returned to reservoir section 12 via bypass line 40 and port 41 .
[0080] Starter motor 42 can be an electric or combustion engine for example. The motor 42 is mounted upon motor mount 43 . Shaft 24 provides a sheave 44 . Motor drive 42 has a sheave 45 . A sheave 46 is provided on clutch 53 . The sheaves 44 , 45 , 46 are interconnected with drive belt 49 . Clutch 53 also includes a sheave support 47 and a lever 48 that is pivotally attached to mount 43 and movable as shown by arrow 54 in FIG. 1 .
[0081] In order to initiate operation, fluid is pumped using pump 33 and motor 42 from reservoir 15 into bore 55 of shaft 24 and then into transverse port 56 . Fluid 15 is picked up by compression drive blades 76 and is centrifugally thrown around and across to combustion channel blades 83 (see arrows 80 , 81 ). Fluid at arrow 81 strikes combustion channel blades 83 and rotates them clockwise in relation to starter 24 end of drive shaft 24 . Continued fluid flow in the direction of arrow 81 causes fluid 15 to hit vanes 63 of impulse drive unit 60 , rotating unit 60 counter clockwise in relation to the starter end 24 of shaft 24 .
[0082] Fluid then returns along the impulse drive unit 60 to exit channels 101 (see arrow 84 ). Since there are only two channels 101 , some fluid 15 recirculates to blades 76 . Fluid exiting channels 101 enters reservoir 102 and then exits chamber 28 at outlet jets 90 to strike flinger plate 27 . At plate 27 the liquid 15 is thrown by centrifugal force to housing 11 where it drains into reservoir section 12 .
[0083] In order to start the engine 10 , the user cranks the starter motor 42 until drive shaft 24 rotates to a desired RPM. On an actual prototype apparatus 10 , the starter motor 42 is cranked until the drive shaft 24 reaches about 1600 RPM's. At that time, the small air bubbles (containing oxygen and vapor from the fluid 15 ) begin to burn at the combustion site designated as 62 in FIG. 9 so that the shaft 26 is driven. When the matter in these bubbles begins to burn, the bubbles expand. In FIG. 9 , vanes 63 , 83 on two rotary parts 60 , 65 capture this expansion. The vanes 63 , 83 are so positioned and shaped that the rotary parts 60 , 65 rotate in opposite directions. These two rotary parts are the impulse drive unit 60 and the combustion channels unit 65 . These rotary parts 60 and 65 are part of a mechanism contained within chamber 28 .
[0084] The inner workings of chamber 28 are shown more particularly in FIGS. 4-8 . Shaft 24 supports chamber 28 . The chamber 28 end plates 51 , 52 are rigidly fastened to shaft 24 and rotate therewith. In FIG. 5 , the starter end 25 of shaft 24 has an externally threaded portion 66 that accepts lock nut 67 . Lock ring 68 bolts to end plate 52 at bolted connections 69 . Key 70 locks lock ring 68 and thus end plate 52 to shaft 24 . Such a lock ring 68 and lock nut 67 arrangement is used to affix end plate 51 to the fluid inlet end portion 26 of shaft 24 .
[0085] The combination of end plates 51 , 52 and cylindrical canister 50 define an enclosure with an interior 71 to which fluid is transmitted during use for combustion. Fluid that enters shaft bore 55 passes through transverse passageway 56 in the direction of arrow 57 to interior 71 of chamber 28 . Bearing 72 is mounted on shaft 24 in between end plates 51 , 52 . Sleeve 73 is mounted on bearing 72 . Transverse openings through shaft 24 , bearing 72 and sleeve 73 define transverse flow passage 56 .
[0086] Impulse drive unit 60 ( FIGS. 5 and 10 ) is rotatably mounted with respect to shaft 24 , being journalled on shaft 24 at transverse passageway 56 . A plurality of preferably four radially extending flow outlet openings 74 enable flow to continue on a path extending radially away from shaft 24 as shown by arrows 75 in FIG. 5 . The flow the passes through blades or vanes 76 of compression drive unit 77 , a part that is affixed to end plate 51 at bolted connections 78 . Bearings 79 can form a load transfer interface between compression drive unit 77 and sleeve 73 . The fluid 15 passes over vanes 76 of compression drive unit 77 and radially beyond vanes 76 as shown by arrow 80 in FIG. 5 due to centrifugal force as shaft 24 and chamber 28 are rotated (initially by starter motor 42 ). Bearing 96 rotatably mounts compression channels unit 65 to sleeve 59 .
[0087] Fluid 15 travels from compression drive blades 76 across cavity 82 in the direction of arrows 80 , 81 to combustion channel blades 83 of combustion channels unit 65 . Continued fluid flow brings fluid 15 to and through the blades or vanes 63 of impulse drive unit 60 .
[0088] Combustion occurs at the interface of combustion channel blades 83 and the impulse drive blades 63 . These respective blades 63 and 83 are very close together (see FIGS. 7 and 9 ) so that severe turbulence causes rapid compression of these bubbles 79 and combustion of their contents (fluid 15 vapor and oxygen). The combustion of the matter within these bubbles 79 causes rapid expansion. This combination of expansion and the shapes of the blades 63 , 83 drives the impulse drive unit 60 and combustion channel unit in opposite rotary directions (see FIG. 9 ).
[0089] When viewed from the starter end 25 of shaft 24 (see FIGS. 7 and 9 ) the impulse drive unit 60 rotates counter clockwise and the combustion channels unit 65 rotates counter clockwise. A mix of incoming fluid (arrow 76 in FIG. 5 ) and outgoing fluid (arrow 84 in FIG. 5 ) occurs at 85 before fluid 15 exits chamber 28 at fluid outlet jets 90 in plate 51 as shown by arrows 91 .
[0090] Combustion channel unit 65 is bolted to combustion channel inner housing 84 and rotates with it. This assembly of unit 65 and housing 84 are bolted to planet gear mounting plate 85 and rotates therewith. Bolted connection 86 affixes planet gear mounting plate 85 , combustion unit inner housing 84 and combustion channels unit 65 together.
[0091] A plurality (preferably four) planet gears 87 are rotatably mounted ninety degrees (90°)apart to planet gear mounting plate at rotary bushings 95 . Ring gear 89 is bolted at connections 94 to end plate 52 and rotates therewith.
[0092] When viewed from the starter end 25 of shaft 24 , the planet gear mounting plate 85 rotates clockwise (see FIG. 12 ) during combustion as do the combustion channel unit 65 and combustion channel inner housing 84 all bolted together as an assembly. However, because of the planetary gearing 87 , 88 , 89 these parts 65 , 84 , 85 rotate slower than shaft 24 .
[0093] Sun gear 88 is mounted to impulse drive unit 63 with sleeve 59 . Sun gear 88 can connect to sleeve 59 at bolted connections 92 . A splined connection 93 can connect sleeve 59 to impulse drive unit 63 . Thus, combustion at the impulse drive unit blades 63 (see FIG. 9 ) rotates the impulse drive unit 60 counter clockwise (relative to shaft 24 starter end 25 ) and sleeve 59 connects that counter clockwise rotation to sun gear 88 .
[0094] Power to drive shaft 24 is generated as follows. Rotational directions are in relation to the starter end 25 of shaft 24 (see FIG. 12 ). Impulse drive unit 60 and combustion channels unit 65 rotate in opposite rotational directions once the starter motor generates rotation of shaft 24 and initiates fluid flow to a rotational speed of about 1600 rpm. Fluid pumped with pump 33 enters shaft bore 57 and chamber 28 interior via transverse passageway 56 . Fluid 15 flow travels over blades 76 of compression drive unit 77 (see arrows 79 , 80 , 81 ) to the interface between blades 63 and 83 (see FIG. 9 ). Initially, fluid flow generated by pump 33 causes fluid 15 flow in the direction of arrows 81 ( FIGS. 5, 8 , and 9 ) to rotate impulse drive unit 60 in a counter clockwise direction and combustion channels unit 65 in a clockwise direction. Once rotational speed of shaft 24 reaches about 1600 rpm, the material in bubbles 79 in between blades 63 of impulse drive unit 60 and blades 83 of combustion channel unit 65 burns.
[0095] Compression of the bubbles 79 at this interface 62 between blades 63 and 83 causes combustion of the fluid vapor-oxygen mixture inside each bubble 79 much in the same way that compression causes ignition and combustion in diesel type engines without the necessity of a spark. In FIG. 9 , the gap 100 in between blades 63 and 83 is very small, being about 40 mm.
[0096] Fluid 15 return to reservoir section 12 is via flow channels 101 in drive unit 60 and then to annular reservoir 102 that communicates with jets 90 . Reservoir 102 is defined by generally cylindrically shaped receptacle 103 bolted at 104 to end wall 51 . A loose connection is made at 105 in between receptacle 103 and impulse drive unit 60 . Arrows 106 show fluid flow through impulse drive unit 60 flow channels 101 to reservoir 102 .
[0097] If impulse drive unit 60 and sun gear 88 rotate counter clockwise and the planet gears 87 (and the attached planet gear mounting plate 85 , combustion unit inner housing 84 and combustion channels unit 65 ) rotate clockwise, the ring gear 89 and right end plate 52 (mounted rigidly to shaft 24 ) rotate clockwise at a faster rotary rate than impulse drive unit 60 and sun gear 88 due to the planetary gear ( 87 , 88 , 89 ) arrangement. This can be a 3-1 gear ratio.
[0098] The engine 10 of the present invention is very clean, not having an “exhaust” of any appreciable amount. Residue of combustion is simply left behind in the fluid 15 .
[0099] FIGS. 13-25 show a second embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 110 in FIGS. 13, 14 , and 15 . Combustion engine 110 has an enlarged housing 111 with an interior 114 . The housing 111 is comprised of upper and lower sections including a lower reservoir section 112 and an upper cover section 113 .
[0100] Fluid 115 is contained in the lower portion of reservoir section 112 as shown in FIG. 15 , the fluid 115 having a fluid level 116 that is well below chamber 128 and drive shaft 124 . The fluid can be any combustible fluid including automatic transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, vegetable oil, corn oil, or peanut oil, for example. A plurality of feet 117 can be used to anchor housing 111 to a pedestal, mount, concrete base, or like structural support. A pair of sealing mating flanges 118 , 119 can be provided respectively on housing sections 112 , 113 to form a closure and seal that prevents leakage during use.
[0101] A pair of spaced apart transversely extending beams 120 , 121 such as the I-beams shown, can be welded to housing reservoir section 112 providing structural support for supporting drive shaft 124 and its bearings 122 , 123 . The drive shaft 124 is to be driven by a rotating member contained within chamber 128 as will be described more fully hereinafter. For reference purposes, drive shaft 124 has a pair of end portions including starter end portion 125 (right end portion) and fluid inlet end portion 126 (left end portion). Drive shaft 124 carries chamber 128 and flinger plate 127 .
[0102] In FIGS. 15-16 , the chamber 128 including its cylindrically-shaped wall portion 150 and its circular end walls 151 , 152 is mounted integrally to and rotates with shaft 124 . Similarly, flinger plate 127 is connected integrally to and rotates with shaft 124 . The flinger plate 127 is used to aerate the liquid 115 after it has been transmitted to interior 171 of chamber 128 and exits therefrom through a plurality of jets 190 (see FIGS. 15, 16 , 17 ). The fluid 115 exits via jets 190 and strikes the flinger plate 127 which is rotating with shaft 124 during use. Plate 127 throws the fluid 115 radially away from plate 127 due to the centrifugal force of plate 127 as it rotates with shaft 124 .
[0103] The circulation of fluid 115 through the apparatus 110 begins at reservoir section 112 wherein a volume of liquid 115 is contained below fluid surface 116 as shown. The complete travel of fluid 115 through the apparatus 110 is completed when fluid exits chamber 128 and strikes flinger plate 127 , fluid 115 being thrown off flinger plate 127 as shown by arrows 161 in FIG. 17 to strike housing 111 and then drain to reservoir section 112 of housing 111 . This exiting of fluid 115 from chamber 128 so that it strikes flinger plate 127 creates very small bubbles in fluid 115 that will be the subject of combustion when that aerated fluid 115 again enters chamber 128 via shaft 124 bore 155 as will be described more fully herein.
[0104] In FIGS. 13-15 , fluid 115 from reservoir section 112 is first pumped with pump 133 to flow outlet line 132 . This pumping is accomplished initially with a starter motor 142 that rotates shaft 124 . The rotating shaft 124 then rotates pump 133 using power take off 136 .
[0105] Fluid is transferred from reservoir section 112 via outlet port 135 to suction line 134 . Fluid flows from suction line 134 to pump 133 and then to flow outlet line 132 . The fluid 115 then flows through fluid control valve 131 to flow inlet line 130 . A bypass flow line 140 enables a user to divert flow at control valve 131 so that only a desired volume of fluid enters flow inlet line 130 and hollow bore 155 of shaft 124 at swivel or rotary fluid coupling 129 . Once fluid 115 is transmitted to bore 155 , it flows into the interior 171 of chamber 128 for use as a source of combustion.
[0106] Shaft 124 is connected to flow inlet line 130 with rotary fluid coupling 129 . Power take off 136 can be in the form of a pair of sprockets 137 , 138 connected to pump 133 and drive shaft 124 respectively as shown in FIG. 14 . A chain drive 139 can be used to connect the two sprockets 137 , 138 . Rotation of the drive shaft 124 thus effects a rotation of the pump 133 so that fluid will be pumped from reservoir section 112 of housing 111 via lines 130 , 132 to bore 155 of shaft 124 once starter motor 142 is activated. If fluid 115 is to be bypassed using bypass 140 , it is simply returned to reservoir section 112 via bypass line 140 and flow port 141 . In this manner, the quantity of fluid 115 flowing to interior 171 can be controlled.
[0107] The configuration and inner workings of chamber 128 are shown more particularly in FIGS. 15-17 . Shaft 124 supports chamber 128 . The chamber 128 end wall plates 151 , 152 and canister wall 150 are rigidly fastened to shaft 124 and rotate therewith. In FIG. 17 , the starter end 125 of shaft 124 has an external threads 167 that accepts lock nut 168 . Lock ring 169 bolts to end plate 152 at bolted connections 161 . Key 165 locks lock ring 169 and thus end plate 152 to shaft 124 . Such a lock ring 169 and lock nut 168 arrangement is also used to affix end plate 151 to the fluid inlet end portion 126 of shaft 124 .
[0108] Starter motor 142 can be an electric or combustion engine for example. The motor 142 is mounted upon motor mount 143 . Shaft 124 provides a sheave 144 . Motor drive 142 has a sheave 145 . A sheave 146 is provided on clutch 153 . The sheaves 144 , 145 , 146 are interconnected with drive belt 149 . Clutch 153 also includes a sheave support 147 and a lever 148 that is pivotally attached to mount 143 and movable as shown by arrow 154 in FIG. 13 .
[0109] When motor 142 is started and clutch 153 engaged, shaft 124 rotates sprocket 138 and (via chain 139 ) sprocket 137 . The sprocket 137 activates and powers pump 133 to pump fluid 115 from outlet line 134 to line 132 and through line 130 to swivel (e.g. a deublin swivel) fluid coupling 129 mounted on shaft 124 . Fluid 115 enters bore or fluid flow channel 155 to port 156 and then to an accumulation or pre-ignition chamber 172 . Chamber 172 is preferably always filled with fluid 115 .
[0110] In order to initiate operation, fluid is pumped using pump 133 and motor 142 from reservoir 115 into bore 155 of shaft 124 and then into transverse port 156 as shown by arrows 157 . Fluid discharged from port 156 enters annular chamber 160 . Fluid then enters chamber 171 via port 188 .
[0111] Fluid at arrows 180 , 181 strikes compression-impulse drive blades 183 and the fluid rotates with them counterclockwise in relation to starter end 125 of drive shaft 124 . Continued fluid flow in the direction of arrow 181 , 182 causes fluid 115 to hit combustion channel blades 163 and then torque blades 166 . As shown in FIG. 25 fluid 115 carries a large number of small bubbles 179 to blades 183 , 163 , 166 . The compression-impulse drive blades 183 are so angled (i.e. blade pitch), that they act as a pump to pitch up fluid in chamber 172 and drive it into combustion channel blades 163 that are a part of and rotate with combustion channel blades housing 170 (see arrows 180 , 181 , 182 in FIG. 17 ).
[0112] In order to start the engine 110 , the user cranks the starter motor 142 until drive shaft 124 rotates to a desired r.p.m. On an actual prototype apparatus 110 , the starter motor 142 is cranked until the drive shaft 124 reaches about 1500-1600 r.p.m. At that time, the small air bubbles 179 (containing oxygen and vapor from the fluid 115 ) begin to burn at the combustion site, designated as 162 in FIGS. 17 and 23 so that the shaft 124 can be driven.
[0113] When the matter contained in these bubbles 179 begins to burn, the bubbles 179 expand. In FIGS. 17, 23 and 25 , blades or vanes 163 , 166 on two rotary parts capture this expansion. The blades or vanes 163 , 166 are so positioned and so shaped that two rotary parts rotate at different rotational speeds to compress and ignite the bubbles as one vane 163 closely engages another vane. These two rotary parts are the drive sleeve 164 carrying blades 166 and the combustion channels blade housing 170 carrying blades 163 . These rotary parts 164 and 170 are part of the mechanism contained within chamber 28 . The blades 163 and housing 170 are connected to a set of planet gears 174 (i.e. left planet gears) and a ring gear 173 (i.e. right ring gear).
[0114] The concept of the apparatus 110 of the present invention is to provide an internal energy source (i.e. combustion at site 162 in FIGS. 23-25 ) in order to put torque on the main drive shaft 124 so that the engine apparatus 110 continues to run from the generated energy of internal combustion. Because of the gearing provided by the assembly of ring gears 173 , 186 and planet gears 174 , 176 and sun gears 175 , 185 the blades 166 rotate faster than blades 163 . The close spacing between blades 163 , 166 (about 0.030 inches) compresses bubbles 179 at combustion site 162 as each bubble 179 is pinched and compressed in between passing blades 163 , 166 . Ignition is thus a function of compression of each bubble 179 , somewhat analogous to the compressive ignition of a diesel engine.
[0115] The right ring gear 173 and right sun gear 175 on the output side (right side) rotate at a faster speed than the output (right side) planet gear 176 . The right planet gears are connected to right end wall 152 . The wall 152 is attached rigidly to shaft 124 .
[0116] On the left side, planet gear 174 is rotatably mounted to mounting plate 177 with shaft 184 . Plate 177 is rigidly mounted to (e.g. bolted) and rotates with combustion channel blades housing 170 (see FIG. 25 ). Note that the housing 170 thus carries both the left planet gears 184 using plate 177 and the right (output) ring gear 173 using plate 189 . When the left planet gear 184 is driven, the right ring gear 173 is simultaneously driven.
[0117] When the left sun gear 185 is driven, the right sun gear 175 is also driven, because the sun gears 175 , 185 are connected to and rotate with the drive sleeve 164 that rotates independently of main drive shaft 124 . The left ring gear 186 runs at same speed of shaft 124 because it is bolted to thrust wall 206 and thus to chamber 128 at canister wall 150 . Bushing 207 is positioned in between thrust wall 206 and drive sleeve 164 .
[0118] Plant gear (right) 176 and compression-impulse drive blades 183 run at the same rotational speed as drive shaft 124 . If the shaft 124 is rotating at an index speed of 1 r.p.m., the left ring gear 186 and right planet gear 170 also rotate at 1 r.p.m. If the ring gear 186 is rotating at 1 r.p.m., the left planet gear 174 will rotate about the shaft at 33% slower rotational speed i.e. 0.66 r.p.m. The planet gear 174 will rotate several times about its own rotational axis as it rotates 0.66 r.p.m. relative to the rotational axis of the shaft. Stated differently, the planet gear mounting plate 177 carrying left planet gears 174 will rotate 0.66 r.p.m. for each 1.0 r.p.m. of shaft 124 .
[0119] The result of this gearing is that sun gears 175 , 185 connected together with drive sleeve 164 will rotate at about 1.5 r.p.m. for each 1.0 r.p.m. of shaft 124 when planet mounting plate 177 is caused by fluid flow to rotate at about the same speed as shaft 124 .
[0120] Fluid 115 carries small bubbles 179 that will burn at combustion site 162 . The interface at combustion site 162 is a very small dimension of about 0.030 inches of spacing between blades 163 and 166 , that designated spacing indicated by arrow 178 in FIG. 23 .
[0121] Once the starter motor reaches about 1600 r.p.m., a stream of fluid 115 containing bubbles 179 which have been impulsed by blades 183 is introduced at interface 162 (combustion site) to generate combustion. The combustion produces an expansion that rotates blades 166 (and everything connected to blades 166 ) counterclockwise (see arrow 159 in FIG. 17 ) when looking at the starter end 125 of drive shaft 124 . These additional parts that rotate with blades 166 include drive sleeve 164 and sun gears 175 , 185 .
[0122] Combustion channel blades housing 170 is a rotary member that is fastened at bolted connection 205 to plate 189 (see FIGS. 17 and 25 ). Plate 189 is bolted to ring gear 173 at bolted connection 192 as shown in FIG. 17 . The assembly of combustion channel blades housing 170 , the combustion channel blades 163 , plate 189 , and ring gear 173 rotate as a unit. The compression-impulse drive blades 183 are mounted to and rotate with rotary member 191 that is mounted for rotation upon cylindrical sleeve 193 that is also connected for rotation to right planet gear mounting plate 194 . Thrust bearing assembly 195 forms an interface in between the two afore described rotating assemblies. One such assembly includes rotating member 191 , sleeve 193 , and planetary gear mounting plate 194 . The other rotating assembly includes combustion channel blades housing 170 , plate 189 , and ring gear 173 . Each of the planet gears 174 , 176 provides a planet gear shaft 184 that attaches it to an adjacent mounting plate 177 or 194 .
[0123] As fluid 115 reaches the combustion site 162 (see FIGS. 23 and 25 ), the fluid 115 continues movement in the direction of arrows 196 from blades 163 to combustion site 162 . Fluid 115 then flows through and below blades 166 in FIG. 23 . After combustion occurs, the fluid 115 enters annular chamber 197 and port 198 . Flow divider 158 separates chambers 160 , 200 . Some of the fluid flows through port 199 into annular chamber 200 as shown in FIG. 25 . Other flow, as indicated by arrow 201 , returns to chamber 172 . One or more longitudinally extending channels 202 are provided in drive sleeve 164 for channeling fluid from annular chamber 200 into reservoir 187 as shown in FIGS. 17 and 25 . This flow of fluid from torque blades 166 to jets 190 is shown by arrows 203 in FIG. 17 . Fluid exiting reservoir 187 is dispensed by jets 190 against flinger plate 127 as indicated by arrows 204 in FIG. 17 .
[0124] FIGS. 26-34 show a third embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention designated generally by the numeral 210 . Combustion engine 210 includes a housing 211 having a reservoir section 212 and a cover 213 that is removably attached to the reservoir section 212 . The interior 214 of housing 211 is partially filled with fluid 215 , the fluid level being indicated by arrow 216 . Housing 211 can be provided with a plurality of feet 217 .
[0125] In order to perfect a fluid seal between reservoir section 212 and cover 213 , a pair of peripheral mating flanges 218 , 219 are provided. The flange 218 is on the reservoir section 212 . The flange 219 is on the cover section 213 .
[0126] In FIG. 28 , a pair of beams 220 , 221 support bearings 222 , 233 respectively. Bearings 222 , 223 support drive shaft 224 . Drive shaft 224 has a starter end portion 225 and a fluid inlet end portion 226 . In this application, directions of rotations of various parts will be referred to as either clockwise rotation or counterclockwise rotation. These rotations are always in reference to a viewer standing at the starter end portion 225 of shaft 224 and looking at the machine from the starter end portion 225 .
[0127] Flinger plate 227 is attached to shaft 224 and rotates therewith. The flinger plate 227 receives fluid that exits cylindrical cannister 250 via nozzles 280 . As the fluid exits the chamber 228 , it strikes flinger plate 227 and is hurled against the walls of housing 11 because of centrifugal force. Fluid is added to housing 211 at rotary fluid coupling 229 as shown in FIGS. 28 and 29 . In FIG. 29 , a flow chart of the fluid flow is schematically shown. The fluid 215 is first screened and/or filtered at screen filter 240 and then enters one of the flow outlet pipes 232 A or 232 B. Hydraulic pumps 233 A, 233 B pump fluid to flow divider 234 . Valves 231 A, 231 B control the amount of fluid that enters flow lines 230 or 235 . The flow lines 232 B, 235 define a recirculation flow line that simply routes fluids back to the reservoir section 212 . The valve 231 A determines the amount of fluid that is routed via flow line 230 to rotary coupling 229 and then to chamber 228 .
[0128] Hydraulic pumps 233 A, 233 B are preferably hydraulically driven using power takeoff 236 . Power takeoff 236 includes sprockets 237 A, 237 B and chain drive 239 . Vertical support 238 carries flow divider 234 and valves 231 A, 231 B. Flow ports 241 A, 241 B transmit fluid to and from housing 211 . Port 241 A communicates with flow line 232 A. Port 241 B communicates with flow line 232 B.
[0129] In FIGS. 26 and 28 , starter motor 242 is shown contained upon motor mount 243 . A plurality of sheaves 244 , 245 , 246 are connected by belt 249 as shown. Lever 248 is provided for tightening the belt 249 . Sheave support 247 interconnects lever 248 with sheave 246 . A user pulls upon the lever 248 in the direction of arrow 254 in order to tighten the belt 249 and impart energy from starter motor 242 to shaft 224 , rotating the shaft until combustion occurs within chamber 228 .
[0130] Chamber 228 includes an outer enclosure defined by cylindrical cannister wall 250 and circular end walls 251 , 252 . The chamber 228 is connected to shaft 224 and rotates therewith when the clutch 253 comprised of starter motor 242 , sheaves 244 - 246 and belt 249 is engaged. When the shaft 224 is rotated, the power takeoff 236 engages the pumps 233 A, 233 B to begin pumping fluid 215 . The fluid enters shaft flow channel 255 and transverse passageway 256 , fluid flowing in the direction of arrow 257 . In FIG. 30 , the connection between chamber 228 and shaft 224 is shown as including an externally threaded portion 266 of shaft 224 that receives lock nut 267 and lock ring 268 . A bolted connection 269 fastens lock ring 268 to end plate 252 . A similar connection is formed between end plate 251 and shaft 224 next to flinger plate 227 . Chamber 228 and shaft 224 rotate clockwise (viewed from starter motor 242 ) as one fixed assembly. The shaft 242 is set in bearings 222 , 223 ( FIG. 28 ).
[0131] In FIG. 34 , an exploded view of the chamber 228 is shown with the cylindrical cannister wall 250 removed for clarity. FIG. 30 shows the internal parts of chamber 228 .
[0132] In the exploded view of FIG. 34 , and in the sectional view of FIG. 30 , the left end plate 251 and right end plate 252 are shown attached to shaft 224 . Left planet gears 262 are rotatably mounted to left end plate 251 at shafts 281 using fasteners 282 . Right ring gear 263 is fastened (eg. bolted) to right end plate 252 .
[0133] The left ring gear 260 drives the right planet gears 264 . The left sun gear 261 rotates counter clockwise as shown in FIG. 34 . The left end plate 251 rotates clockwise as shown in FIG. 34 with shaft 224 . The left sun gear 261 rotates counter clockwise and is connected to the reaction blades 265 . The left ring gear 260 rotates faster than shaft 224 , and is connected to the pump blades 270 . The pump blades 270 are connected to left ring gear 260 and rotate faster than shaft 224 .
[0134] Reaction blades 265 are connected to left sun gear 261 with sleeve 288 and rotate counter clockwise to shaft 224 . Pump blades wall 292 is mounted to pump blades 270 (see FIG. 30 ). The wall 292 acts as a baffle for fluid flow so that fluid traveling from shaft bore 294 through port 293 travels to pump blades 270 and then follows arrows 296 to the periphery of pump blades 270 , around the periphery of wall 292 to the periphery of turbine blades 273 , in between turbine blades 273 (see FIG. 33A ) to reaction blades 275 . Sleeve 228 has annular space 313 that collects return fluid exiting reaction blades 265 and transmits such effluent fluid to nozzles 280 via reservoir 298 .
[0135] Left sun gear 261 can be integrally connected to reaction blades 265 at sleeve 288 as shown in the sectional view of FIG. 30 . Bearing 287 forms an interface between sleeve 288 and clam shell housing 259 . Turbine 271 is a rotating structure that includes turbine blades 273 and sleeve 283 . Bearing 284 forms a rotary interface between sleeve 283 and clamshell housing 259 . Clamshell 259 can be comprised of left clamshell half 285 and right clamshell half 286 . The halves 285 and 286 are connected together (eg. welded) at their respective peripheries. Right sun gear 289 is fastened (eg. bolted) to right clamshell half 286 using fasteners (eg. bolts) 290 .
[0136] When filled with fluid, the mere rotation of the chamber 228 will cause the pump blades 270 to centrifugally drive the turbine 271 , which is connected to the right planet gears via plate 272 . The right planet gears 264 will in turn drive the right ring gear 263 that is mounted on the right end plate 252 which is connected to the shaft 224 . The aforementioned rotations result when the reaction blades 265 rotate counter clockwise.
[0137] In FIGS. 30 and 31 - 34 , fluid enters bore 294 of shaft 224 and flows to lateral flow port 293 (see FIGS. 30-31 ). Flow then passes from port 293 via channel 295 (see arrows 296 ) in sleeve 288 to pump blades 270 and in between clamshell 259 left half 285 and plate 292 that is fastened to blades 270 .
[0138] Following arrows 296 in FIG. 30 , fluid travels to pump the periphery of blades 270 , then to the periphery of turbine blades 273 and then to reaction blades 265 . As shown in FIG. 34 , turbine blades 273 and reaction blades 265 travel in opposite rotational directions so that micro-bubbles 274 traveling with the fluid are combusted at the interface, such combustion designated by the reference numerals 275 in FIG. 34 .
[0139] By causing the micro bubbles 274 to combust at 275 on the leading edge of the reaction blades 265 (see FIG. 34 ), the fluid will accelerate down the pitch of the reaction blades 265 toward the shaft 224 turning the reaction blades 265 counter clockwise as shown by arrow 277 in FIG. 34 . The fluid then exits reaction blades 265 through ports 314 to annular space 313 to thrust jets 280 going from a high pressure containment to a low pressure zone, striking flinger plate 227 . Hence, the chamber 228 is driven by micro-bubble 274 combustion at 275 and thrust.
[0140] The micro-combustion chamber heat engine 210 needs no outside mechanical grounding. The turbine blades 273 rotate in the direction of arrow 278 and eventually rotate right end plate 252 . The reaction blades 265 rotate in the direction of arrow 277 to rotate pump blades 270 . The centrifugal force produced by the rotation of the chamber 228 causes the fluid to flow over the different blades inside the chamber. The fluid moves the blades 273 and 265 and the blades 273 , 265 move the connected gears (planet and sun).
[0141] By adding a net energy gain through micro-bubble combustion, the apparatus 210 continually energizes the fluid through a continuous stream of bubble 274 burn 275 . In addition, since the bubble 274 is the combustion chamber, engine size can be scaled down to micro technology without compromising power output and without producing any noticeable amount of CO or CO 2 .
[0142] Fluid exiting reaction blades 265 flows through ports 314 to annular space 313 to channel 291 and then to reservoir 298 that is surrounded by reservoir wall 297 and then exits chamber 228 at nozzle jets 280 , striking flinger plate 227 to aerate the fluid and produce micro-bubbles. Additional micro-bubbles form in the fluid when it travels from flinger plate 227 and strikes the canister wall 250 .
[0143] FIGS. 35-36 show a fourth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, wherein the chamber 300 replaces the chamber 228 of the third embodiment 210 . In FIGS. 35-36 , certain parts attached to left end plate 251 are provided that redirect fluid flow exiting chamber 228 . Otherwise, the working parts of chamber 228 are the same as those shown in FIG. 30 . In FIG. 35 , the new parts are those to the left of left sun gear 261 and include generally plate 301 , bearing 302 , rotating member 303 and peripheral member 310 .
[0144] Rotating member 303 is preferably integral with sleeve 288 . Thus, member 303 replaces reservoir wall 297 of the embodiment of FIG. 30 . Jets 280 and reservoir 298 are also eliminated. Planet gears 262 are now ( FIG. 35 ) mounted upon plate 301 at planet gear mounts 299 instead of to end wall 251 . End wall 251 and plate 301 are affixed together using bolted connections 308 .
[0145] Expander plate 303 rotates with sleeve 288 and sun gear 261 . Plate 301 is bolted to end plate 251 (eg. with bolted connections 311 ) and with peripheral member 310 being positioned as shown in FIG. 35 in between end plate 251 and plate 301 . Bearing 302 defines an interface between sleeve 288 and plate 301 .
[0146] During use, fluid flows via ports 304 to channels 302 in expander plate 303 (see FIG. 30 ). Fluid then enters chamber 306 . Because plate 303 rotates in the direction of arrow 313 and member 310 rotates in the direction of arrow 313 , fluid entering chamber 306 builds up back pressure until chambers 306 align with chambers 307 . Once fluid from chamber 306 mixes with chamber 307 , rotational speeds of members 303 , 310 increase. Fluid then exits chamber 297 via channels 308 , tube 309 and nozzles 312 .
[0147] FIGS. 37-47 show generally the fifth embodiment of the apparatus of the present invention, designated generally by the numeral 315 in FIGS. 37, 38 , and 39 . Combustion engine 315 has an enlarged housing 316 with an interior 319 . The housing 316 is comprised of upper and lower sections including a lower reservoir section 317 and an upper cover section 318 .
[0148] Fluid 320 is contained in the lower portion of reservoir section 317 as shown in FIG. 39 , the fluid 320 having a fluid level 321 that is well below chamber 333 and drive shaft 329 . The fluid 320 can be most any combustible fluid including automatic transmission fluid, hydraulic fluid, vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, for example.
[0149] A plurality of feet 322 can be used to anchor housing 316 to a pedestal, mount, concrete base, or like structural support. A pair of sealing mating flanges 323 , 324 can be provided respectively on housing sections 317 , 318 to form a closure and seal that prevents leakage during use.
[0150] A pair of spaced apart transversely extending beams 325 , 326 such as the I-beams shown, can be welded to housing reservoir section 317 providing structural support for supporting drive shaft 329 and its bearings 327 , 328 . The drive shaft 329 is to be driven by a rotating member contained within chamber 333 as will be described more fully hereinafter. For reference purposes, drive shaft 329 has a pair of end portions including starter end portion 330 and fluid inlet end portion 331 .
[0151] In FIGS. 39-40 , the chamber 333 including its cylindrically-shaped wall portion 355 and its circular end wall plates 356 , 357 is mounted integrally to and rotates with shaft 329 . Cylindrically shaped wall portion 355 has a plurality of fluid outlet jets 332 that enable fluid to exit chamber 333 . The fluid 320 that exits chamber 333 via jets 332 strikes the inside surface 366 . The fluid 320 is thrown radially away from wall portion 355 due to the centrifugal force of wall portion 355 as it rotates with shaft 329 .
[0152] The circulation of fluid 320 through the apparatus 315 begins at reservoir section 317 wherein a volume of fluid 320 is contained below fluid level 321 as shown in FIG. 39 . The travel of fluid 320 through the apparatus 315 is completed when fluid 320 exits chamber 333 via jets 332 and is thrown against inner surface 366 of housing 316 and then draining to reservoir section 317 of housing 316 . This exiting of fluid 320 from chamber 333 so that it strikes housing 316 inner surface 366 creates very small bubbles in fluid 320 that will be the subject of combustion when that aerated fluid 320 again enters chamber 333 via shaft 329 flow channel 360 and radial passageway 361 as will be described more fully herein.
[0153] In FIGS. 37-41 , fluid 320 from reservoir section 317 is first pumped with positive displacement rotary fluid pump 338 to flow outlet line 337 . Pumping of fluid 320 is accomplished initially with a starter motor 347 that rotates shaft 329 . The rotating shaft 329 then rotates pump 338 using power take off 341 .
[0154] Fluid 320 is transferred from reservoir section 317 via outlet port 340 to suction line 339 . Fluid 320 flows from suction line 339 to pump 338 and then to flow outlet line 337 . The fluid 320 then flows through control valve 336 to flow inlet line 335 . A bypass line 345 enables a user to divert flow at control valve 336 so that only a desired volume of fluid 320 enters flow inlet line 335 and hollow bore 360 of shaft 329 at rotary coupling 334 . Once fluid 320 is transmitted to bore 360 , it flows via radial passageway 361 into the interior 319 of chamber 333 for use as a source of combustion as will be described more fully hereinafter.
[0155] Shaft 329 can be connected to flow inlet line 335 with a rotary fluid coupling 334 . Power take off 341 can be in the form of a pair of sprockets 342 , 343 connected to pump 338 and drive shaft 329 respectively as shown in FIG. 38 . A chain drive 344 can be used to connect the two sprockets 342 , 343 . Rotation of the drive shaft 329 thus effects a rotation of the pump 338 so that fluid 320 will be pumped from reservoir section 317 of housing 316 via lines 335 , 337 to channel 360 of shaft 329 once starter motor 347 is activated. If fluid 320 is to be bypassed using bypass 345 , it is simply returned to reservoir section 317 via bypass line 345 and port 346 .
[0156] Starter motor 347 can be an electric motor or internal combustion engine for example. The motor 347 is mounted upon motor mount 348 . Shaft 329 provides a sheave 349 . Motor drive 347 has a sheave 350 . A sheave 351 is provided on clutch 358 . The sheaves 349 , 350 , 351 are interconnected with drive belt 354 . Clutch 358 also includes a sheave support 352 and a lever 353 that is pivotally attached to mount 348 and movably as shown by arrow 359 in FIG. 37 .
[0157] To start the engine 315 , the user cranks the starter motor 347 until drive shaft 329 rotates to a desired RPM. On an actual prototype apparatus 315 , the starter motor 347 is cranked until the drive shaft 329 reaches about 1000-1600 RPM's. The starter motor 347 thus initiates operation, by activating pump 338 to pump fluid 320 from reservoir 317 into flow channel 360 of shaft 329 and then into transverse passage way 361 .
[0158] Radial passageway 361 communicates with annular chamber 362 of hub 363 . Hub 363 has a central opening 364 that receives shaft 329 so that hub 363 closely fits shaft 329 , but spins with respect to, shaft 329 . Hub openings 365 are circumferentially spaced, radially extending openings in hub 363 that enable fluid 320 to flow from annular chamber 363 of hub 363 to the annular chamber 373 that is radially positioned away from hub openings 365 and that is sandwiched between clamshell housing 371 and hub 363 .
[0159] Clamshell housing 371 is rotatably mounted to hub 363 using bearings 374 , 375 . Compression drive blades 369 are fixedly attached to clamshell housing 371 . Sun gear 376 attaches to hub 377 . Hub 377 has central opening 378 that is sized and shaped to closely fit shaft 329 . Hub 377 also carries reaction blades 379 . Hub 368 connects planet gears 381 to combustion channel blades 380 . Hub 368 has central opening 382 that is sized and shaped to fit the outer surface 383 of hub 377 .
[0160] In FIGS. 45 and 47 each planet gear 381 attaches to hub 368 with a planet gear shaft 384 . Each planet gear 381 is engaged by sun gear 376 and ring gear 385 . Ring gear 385 is attached to and rotates with chamber 333 . Ring gear 385 can be attached (e.g. bolted) to plate wall 357 .
[0161] Angled thrust tube 370 is mounted on clamshell housing 371 next to combustion site 367 . As shown in FIGS. 41, 42 , 43 , 44 and 47 , the thrust tube 370 is angled so that when combustion occurs in the small bubbles that are carried in fluid 320 at combustion site 367 , expanding fluid exits tube 370 as schematically illustrated by arrow 386 in FIG. 44 , rotating clamshell housing 371 in the direction of arrow 372 in FIG. 42 . Small air bubbles (containing oxygen and vapor from the fluid 320 ) are conveyed to and begin to burn at combustion site 367 in FIG. 41 . When the matter in these bubbles begins to combust, the bubbles expand. In FIG. 41 , a thrust tube (or tubes) 370 capture this expansion. The thrust tube 370 is so positioned and shaped that it rotates clamshell housing 371 in the direction of arrow 372 .
[0162] Using starter motor 347 , shaft 329 is initially rotated in a clockwise direction as indicated by arrow 387 in FIG. 37 . Rotation of shaft 329 also rotates housing 333 and ring gear 385 in the same clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 37 . In the sectional view of FIG. 45 , the rotation of ring gear 385 is indicated by arrow 388 . Arrow 389 shows the direction of rotation for each planet gear 381 .
[0163] Arrow 390 shows the rotation of sun gear 376 . When shaft 329 is driven by starter motor 347 , sun gear 376 drives the reaction blades 379 to rotate in the same direction as sun gear rotation arrow 390 . Combustion channel blades 380 rotate in the same direction as ring gear 385 and in an opposite direction from reaction blades 379 (see FIGS. 42, 43 and 44 ).
[0164] Fluid 320 that flows through bore 360 to radial passageway 361 divides into two flow components, (see arrows 391 , 392 in FIG. 41 ) following the path of least resistance so that some fluid 320 flows to reaction blades 379 and some fluid 320 flows to compression drive blades 369 (see FIGS. 41, 42 ).
[0165] Once the chamber 333 is filled with fluid 320 , the fluid 320 becomes pressurized because pump 338 tries to transmit more fluid 320 into chamber 333 than can be discharged from chamber 333 , and the pressurized fluid 320 begins to push on the blades 379 , 380 . The pitch of the blades 379 , 380 attempt to channel the fluid 320 as it flows between the blades 379 and then 380 (see FIGS. 43, 44 ). The sun gear 376 rotates in the direction of arrow 390 as compared to arrow 388 of ring gear 388 . As fluid 320 leaves compression drive blades 369 , it collides with fluid 320 exiting combustion channel blades 380 . These colliding fluid streams carry very tiny bubbles filled with a combination of vapor of the fuel (fluid 320 )and oxygen. They are compressed sufficiently to cause combustion inside each bubble. The expanding gas produced by combustion of the tiny bubbles in fluid 320 attempts to exit clamshell housing 371 via angled thrust tube 370 , rotating clamshell housing 371 in the same direction as chamber 333 (see arrow 393 in figure 46 ).
[0166] As combustion of small bubbles occurs at combustion site 367 , motor 347 is no longer needed as the sole drive for shaft 329 . Rather, the rotating clamshell housing 371 and its drive blades 369 rotate as the bubble combustion causes expanding gas to exit tube 370 .
[0167] Because of the gearing of FIG. 45 , the combustion channel blades 380 rotate at a slower speed. The faster rotating compression drive blades 369 attempt to pump fluid back across the combustion site 367 in the direction of the combustion channel blades 380 . However, fluid 320 continues to inflow via channel 360 , passageway 361 and annular chamber 362 to blades 379 and 380 . The fluid 320 that is pumped by rotating blades 369 on clamshell housing 371 pumps against blades 380 and rotates them in the same direction as arrow 393 (see FIGS. 41, 42 , and 46 ). Blades 380 are connected to planet gears 381 . As the planet gears move in the direction of arrow 388 , sun gear 376 rotates in the direction of arrow 390 . The ring gear 385 is driven by planet gears 381 to rotate and drive shaft 329 that is attached to ring gear 385 via chamber 333 and wall plate 357 .
[0168] The following table lists the parts numbers and parts descriptions as used herein and in the drawings attached hereto.
PARTS LIST Part Number Description 10 combustion engine 11 housing 12 reservoir section 13 cover 14 interior 15 fluid 16 fluid level 17 feet 18 flange 19 flange 20 beam 21 beam 22 bearing 23 bearing 24 drive shaft 25 starter end portion 26 fluid inlet end portion 27 flinger plate 28 chamber 29 rotary fluid coupling 30 flow inlet line 31 fluid control valve 32 flow outlet line 33 pump 34 suction line 35 flow port 36 power take off 37 sprocket 38 sprocket 39 chain drive 40 bypass flow line 41 flow port 42 starter motor 43 motor mount 44 sheave 45 sheave 46 sheave 47 sheave support 48 lever 49 belt 50 cylindrical canister 51 circular end wall plate 52 circular end wall plate 53 clutch 54 arrow 55 shaft flow channel 56 transverse passageway 57 arrows 58 bushing 59 sleeve 60 impulse drive unit 61 arrow 62 combustion site 63 impulse drive blades 65 combustion channels 66 externally threaded portion 67 lock nut 68 lock ring 69 bolted connection 70 key 71 interior 72 bearing 73 sleeve 74 flow outlet opening 75 arrow 76 blades 77 compression drive unit 78 bolted connection 79 bubbles 80 arrow 81 arrow 82 cavity 83 combustion channel blades 84 combustion channel unit inner housing 85 planet gear mounting plate 86 bolted connection 87 planet gear 88 sun gear 89 ring gear 90 fluid outlet jet 91 arrow 92 bolted connection 93 splined connection 94 bolted connection 95 rotary bushing 96 bearing 100 gap 101 flow channel 102 reservoir 103 receptacle 104 bolted connection 105 connection 106 arrow 110 combustion engine 111 housing 112 reservoir section 113 cover 114 interior 115 fluid 116 fluid level 117 feet 118 flange 119 flange 120 beam 121 beam 122 bearing 123 bearing 124 drive shaft 125 starter end portion 126 fluid inlet end portion 127 flinger plate 128 chamber 129 rotary fluid coupling 130 flow inlet line 131 fluid control valve 132 flow outlet line 133 pump 134 suction line 135 outlet port 136 power take off 137 sprocket 138 sprocket 139 chain drive 140 bypass flowline 141 flow port 142 starter motor 143 motor mount 144 sheave 145 sheave 146 sheave 147 sheave support 148 lever 149 drive belt 150 cylindrical canister wall 151 circular end wall plate 152 circular end wall plate 153 clutch 154 arrow 155 shaft flow bore 156 transverse port 157 arrow 158 flow divider 159 shaft rotation arrow 160 annular chamber 161 bolted connection 162 combustion site 163 combustion channel blade 164 drive sleeve 165 key 166 torque blade 167 external threads 168 lock nut 169 lock ring 170 combustion channel blades housing 171 interior 172 pre-ignition chamber 173 right ring gear 174 left planet gear 175 right sun gear 176 right planet gear 177 planet gear mounting plate 178 arrow 179 bubbles 180 arrow 181 arrow 182 arrow 183 compression-impulse drive blade 184 planet gear shaft 185 left sun gear 186 left ring gear 187 reservoir 188 port 189 plate 190 jets 191 rotary member 192 bolted connection 193 sleeve 194 planetary gear mounting plate 195 thrust bearing assembly 196 arrows 197 chamber 198 port 199 port 200 annular chamber 201 arrow 202 channels 203 arrow 204 arrow 205 bolted connection 206 thrust wall 207 bushing 210 combustion engine 211 housing 212 reservoir section 213 cover 214 interior 215 fluid 216 fluid level 217 feet 218 flange 219 flange 220 beam 221 beam 222 bearing 223 bearing 224 drive shaft 225 starter end portion 226 fluid inlet end portion 227 flinger plate 228 chamber 229 rotary fluid coupling 230 flow inlet line 231A fluid control valve 231B fluid control valve 232A flow outlet pipe 232B flow outlet pipe 233A pump 233B pump 234 flow divider 235 recirculation line 236 power takeoff 237A sprocket 237B sprocket 238 vertical support 239 chain drive 240 screen filter 241A flow port 241B flow port 242 starter motor 243 motor mount 244 sheave 245 sheave 246 sheave 247 sheave support 248 lever 249 belt 250 cylindrical canister wall 251 circular end wall 252 circular end wall 253 clutch 254 arrow 255 shaft flow channel 256 transverse passageway 257 arrow 258 turbine 259 clam shell 260 left ring gear 261 left sun gear 262 planet gear 263 right ring gear 264 right planet gear 265 reaction blade 266 externally threaded portion 267 lock nut 268 lock ring 269 bolted connection 270 pump blade 271 turbine 272 planet gear plate 273 turbine blade 274 micro-bubble 275 combustion of bubble 276 arrow 277 arrow 278 arrow 279 pump blade wall 280 nozzle thrust jet 281 planet gear shaft 282 fastener 283 sleeve 284 bearing 285 left clamshell half 286 right clamshell half 287 bearing 288 sleeve 289 right sun gear 290 fastener 291 flow channel 292 plate 293 flow port 294 bore 295 channel 296 arrow 297 reservoir wall 298 reservoir 299 planet gear mount 300 chamber 301 plate 302 bearing 303 expander plate 304 port 305 channel 306 chamber 307 chamber 308 channel 309 tube 310 peripheral member 311 bolted connection 312 nozzle 313 annular space 314 ports 315 combustion engine 316 housing 317 reservoir section 318 cover 319 interior 320 fluid 321 fluid level 322 feet 323 flange 234 flange 325 beam 326 beam 327 bearing 328 bearing 329 drive shaft 330 starter end portion 331 fluid inlet end portion 332 fluid outlet jet 333 chamber 334 rotary fluid coupling 335 flow inlet line 336 fluid control valve 337 flow outlet line 338 pump 339 suction line 340 outlet port 341 power take off 342 sprocket 343 sprocket 344 chain drive 345 bypass flow line 346 flow port 347 starter motor 348 motor mount 349 sheave 350 sheave 351 sheave 352 sheave support 353 lever 354 belt 355 cylindrical wall 356 circular end wall plate 357 circular end wall plate 358 clutch 359 arrow 360 shaft flow channel 361 radial passageway 362 annular chamber 363 hub 364 central opening 365 opening 366 housing inner surface 367 combustion site 368 hub 369 compression drive blades 370 angled thrust tube 371 clamshell housing 372 arrow 373 annular chamber 374 bearing 375 bearing 376 sun gear 377 hub 378 hub central opening 379 reaction blades 380 combustion channel blades 381 planet gear 382 central opening 383 outer surface 384 planet gear shaft 385 ring gear 386 arrow 387 arrow 388 arrow 389 arrow 390 arrow 391 arrow 392 arrow 393 arrow
[0169] The foregoing embodiments are presented by way of example only; the scope of the present invention is to be limited only by the following claims.
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A combustion engine is provided having a rotating drive shaft and planetary gear sets that are linked to a rotating chamber, keyed to the drive shaft, to turbomachinery within the chamber. Fluid is fed to the chamber through an axial passage in the drive shaft and is compressed by a number of mechanisms, including set of pump blades, turbine and reaction blades initially driven by the drive shaft and its starter motor. Bubbles within the fluid are subjected to high pressures causing combustion to occur within the bubbles. Additional pressure created by the combustion of the bubbles drives the fluid to exert a net torque on the drive shaft through the gearing mechanism, thereby generating power.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to sorting data records having data elements arranged in columns displayed on a computer screen, and more particularly to a user interface and method for visually facilitating sorting columns of data.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Many computer programs, such as spreadsheets, e-mail clients, and other commonly used software applications, present and manage data arranged as a plurality of columns. Each column of data can be sorted alphanumerically. The columns can be sorted in any of a variety of orders, e.g., first column then third column, or second, then first, then fourth column.
[0003] For example, in an email client with three columns labeled “From”, “Subject”, and “Date Received”, records (one record per email received) can be first sorted by “Date Received”, and then by “Subject”. Thus, the first sort is based on the “Date Received”, and then the results of that sort are sorted based on the “Subject” of each email. Consequently, all the emails received on the same date are sorted by “Subject”. Looking up and down the “Subject” column one can see a separate alphanumeric sorting for each date of the “Date Received” column. Also, looking up and down the “Date Received” column, one sees the emails sorted by date, all the emails with the same date being grouped together.
[0004] Conversely, records (one record per email received) can be first sorted by “Subject”, and then by “Date Received”. Thus, the first sort is based on the “Subject”, and then the results of that sort are sorted based on the “Date Received” of each email. Consequently, all the emails having the same “Subject” are sorted by “Date Received”. Looking up and down the “Date Received” column one can see a separate alphanumeric sorting for each subject of the “Subject” column. Also, looking up and down the “Subject” column, one sees the emails sorted by subject, all the emails with the same subject being grouped together.
[0005] Also, there can be more than two sorts; a third sort based on third column (e.g., “Sender”), and a fourth sort based on a fourth column (e.g., “Size”) are also possibly useful. In other applications, fifth and sixth sorts may also be useful.
[0006] Each column can be sorted in ascending alphanumeric order (e.g., A to Z, or 1 to 9), or descending alphanumeric order (e.g., Z to A, or 9 to 1). The sort direction (ascending or descending) is sometimes indicated by a triangle pointing up or down, and possibly may also be indicated by a color change (e.g., red to blue).
[0007] In a typical electronic spreadsheet, such as the electronic spreadsheet Excel™ sold by Microsoft™, there are typically a plurality of columns of data. In Microsoft™ Excel™, using a drop-down menu, a separate sort dialog box is selected that enables a user to select the order in which the columns will be sorted, and the direction in which each column will be sorted (ascending or descending). However, after the order and direction of sorting is selected, the sort is performed, and the sort dialog box provides only a text summary of the sort order and direction, sometimes overlapping with and obscuring the sorted data. A further disadvantage is that opening a separate sort dialog box is cumbersome, and is not intuitive to the user. Another disadvantage is that the sort order and direction of the data can be determined only by reading the data after the sort dialog box is closed.
[0008] In a typical e-mail client program, such as Microsoft™ Outlook Express™, the user interface includes a plurality of columns for data, each column including a column heading, with e-mail data underneath each column heading. The user selects a column by clicking on the heading of the column, and the email data is sorted based on the email data underneath the column heading.
[0009] If the same column heading is clicked again, the direction of the sort is reversed. Thus, the program sorts the data in each column under each column heading in ascending or descending order. A triangular-shaped arrow embedded in the heading points down to indicate descending sort direction, and points up to indicate ascending sort direction.
[0010] Each column can be selected individually. However, when another column is selected, the previously selected column is deselected. Thus, a disadvantage of this program is that there is no way to select multiple columns, and consequently it is not possible to sort a plurality of selected columns in an order determined by a user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] In a general aspect of the invention, a computer user interface is provided for displaying and sorting a plurality of data records, each data record having a plurality of data elements. The computer user interface includes a data display region for displaying the plurality of data records in aligned relationship such that the plurality of data elements of each data record together form a plurality of data columns; and a sort control region having a plurality of sort control bars in aligned relationship with the plurality of data columns, each sort control bar providing sorting of a respective data column in accordance with a sort priority upon selection by a user, and providing a visual indication of the sort priority of a respective data column.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides sorting promptly upon being clicked by a user of the computer interface. In another preferred embodiment, each sort control bar also provides a visual indication of the sort direction of a respective data column. In a further preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including a triangle of a certain size, the size of the triangle indicating the sort priority. In yet another preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority and sort direction by including a triangle of a certain size and a certain orientation, the size of the triangle indicating the sort priority, the orientation of the triangle indicating the sort direction. In an alternate preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including background of a certain color intensity, the intensity of the color indicating the sort priority.
[0013] In an alternate embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including a number of circles, the number of circles indicating the sort priority.
[0014] In a further preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including both a background of a certain color intensity and a triangle of a certain size, the color intensity of the background and the size of the triangle both indicating the sort priority.
[0015] In some preferred embodiments, each sort control bar provides sorting of a respective data column in accordance with a sort priority upon selection by a user, the sort priority being determined by an order in which the plurality of sort control bars is clicked by a user. In some embodiments, the order in which the plurality of sort control bars is clicked by a user results in sorting such that “first clicked, first sorted”. In other embodiments, the order in which the plurality of sort control bars is clicked by a user results in sorting such that “first clicked, last sorted”.
[0016] In preferred embodiments, the sort direction of the respective data column is determined by a number of clicks upon a respective sort control bar. In other preferred embodiments, the sort direction of the respective data column is reversed by clicking on a respective sort control bar. In further preferred embodiments, a number of sorted columns is decreased by a user repeatedly clicking on a selected sort control bar, possibly leaving at least one column unsorted. In yet further preferred embodiments, a number of sorted columns is increased by a user clicking on a previously un-clicked sort control bar.
[0017] In another general aspect of the invention, a computer user interface is provided for displaying and sorting a plurality of data records, each data record having a plurality of data elements. The computer user interface includes a data display region for displaying the plurality of data records in aligned relationship such that the plurality of data elements of each data record together form a plurality of data columns; and a sort control region having a plurality of sort control bars in aligned relationship with the plurality of data columns, each sort control bar providing sorting of a respective data column in accordance with a sort priority upon selection by a user, and providing a visual indication of the sort priority and sort direction of a respective data column, each sort control bar providing sorting promptly upon being clicked by a user of the computer interface.
[0018] In a preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority and sort direction by including a triangle of a certain size and a certain orientation, the size of the triangle indicating the sort priority, the orientation of the triangle indicating the sort direction. In another preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including background of a certain color intensity, the intensity of the color indicating the sort priority. In a further preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides a visual indication of sort priority by including both a background of a certain color intensity and a triangle of a certain size, the color intensity of the background and the size of the triangle both indicating the sort priority. In yet another preferred embodiment, each sort control bar provides sorting of a respective data column in accordance with a sort priority upon selection by a user, the sort priority being determined by an order in which the plurality of sort control bars is clicked by a user.
[0019] The invention elegantly enables a user to sort multiple columns of data by simply clicking near the top or bottom of each column of data so as to establish at least first and second sort keys, as well as sort direction for each sorted column. The sort priority and sort direction for each column is visually indicated near the top or bottom of each column. Thus, no dialog window is needed to establish sort key order, or sort direction—such information is easily readable without using text, instead using geometric shapes and background colors, for example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0020] The invention will be more fully understood by reference to the detailed description, in conjunction with the following figures, wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of email data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns, also showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with three levels of sorting, all in an ascending direction;
[0022] FIG. 2 is a screen shot showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with four levels of sorting in both ascending and descending directions;
[0023] FIG. 3 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of database data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns, also showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with two levels of sorting in both ascending and descending directions;
[0024] FIG. 4 is a screen shot showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with three levels of sorting in the descending direction;
[0025] FIG. 5 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of spreadsheet data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns, also showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with three levels of sorting all in the ascending direction;
[0026] FIG. 6 is a screen shot showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with another three levels of sorting all in the ascending direction;
[0027] FIG. 7 is a screen shot showing a sort control bar of the invention at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with the three levels of sorting shown in FIG. 5 , the first sort done in a descending direction, the remaining sorts done in the ascending direction;
[0028] FIG. 8 is a flow chart illustrating an implementation of a preferred embodiment of the invention;
[0029] FIG. 9 is a flow chart further illustrating the implementation of FIG. 8 ;
[0030] FIG. 10 is a flow chart illustrating Drawing List Control Header (Sort Control Bar);
[0031] FIG. 11 is a flow chart further illustrating the implementation of FIG. 10 ;
[0032] FIG. 12 is a flow chart illustrating List Control Header item drawing;
[0033] FIG. 13 is a flow chart further illustrating the implementation of FIG. 12 ; and
[0034] FIG. 14 is a flow chart illustrating Set Sort Key List.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0035] FIG. 1 shows a screen shot 10 of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of email data records 12 , each data record having a plurality of data elements 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 . The data elements of a data record all move together as a unit when a data records is moved during sorting within a set of data records. In FIG. 1 , the data records 12 are spatially arranged such that the data elements 14 , 16 , 18 , 20 of each data record align so as to form a plurality of columns of data elements. At the top of each column is a sort control bar 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 of the invention at the top of each column. Each sort control bar 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 is clickable, and depending on how a user clicks the sort control bars, sorting will be performed. Sort control bars can also reside at the bottom of each column in other embodiments.
[0036] For example, to perform sorting as shown in FIG. 1 , in a preferred embodiment of the invention, the sort control bar 26 of the third column labeled “Date” is first clicked once. This has the effect of first sorting the records by the third element 18 only. Note that the there is a largest triangle 30 in the third sort control bar 26 , and that this largest triangle 30 is pointing up. If this largest triangle 30 of the sort control bar 26 is clicked a second time, the sort direction will change from ascending to descending, and all the records will be sorted accordingly in response to the click of the user's pointing device, such as a mouse. Clicking a third time will again reverse sort direction, the records being resorted, and in some preferred embodiments, will also deselect the most recently selected column, such as a second or third selected column, if one exists. The user may click again on the deselected column to select it again, if desired.
[0037] When the sort direction changes, this is indicated by changing the direction of the triangle so as to point down. In some preferred embodiments, the background color of the sort control bar 26 can also change, for example from yellow to blue, or from blue to red.
[0038] Also, when the sort control bars first appear to the user, prior to clicking, they will not include any triangle, as shown in sort control bar 28 , for example. The user is free to resort the records, or not. The user may choose to sort only on one data element, and so may click only one sort control bar situated over the column of the data element to be sorted. Also, the user may want to sort based on two data elements, in which case, the user clicks on a first sort control bar 26 , and then a second control bar 24 . Since each sort control bar 26 and 24 has been clicked only once in this case, their sort directions will be ascending by default. Further, the user may want to sort on three data elements, all in ascending direction. In this case, the user clicks sort control bars 26 , 24 , and 22 , in that sequence. This situation is shown in FIG. 1 , for example. Note that after clicking three sort control bars, there are three triangles of different sizes, the size of each triangle indicating the respective sort priority of the nearest column of data elements.
[0039] The order of clicking of the sort control bars 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 is important because it determines the “sort priority”, also called the “sort order”. The sorting of the records is a hierarchical (or “nested”) sort because the first sort is based on a first chosen data element of each record, which may create subsets of data records having an identical first-chosen data element. These subsets may then each be sorted by a second-chosen data element. These chosen data elements are sometimes also called the “first sort key” (or the “primary sort key”), and the “second sort key” (or the “secondary sort key”).
[0040] In the present embodiment, the sort priority is determined directly by the order in which the user clicks the sort control bars over the columns, i.e., the first sort control bar clicked indicates the first sort key, the second sort control bar clicked indicates the second sort key, etc. However, other embodiments exist wherein the first sort control bar clicked is the last sort key, the second control bar clicked is the second-to-last sort key, etc. Thus, the last sort control bar clicked would become the primary sort key.
[0041] With reference again to FIG. 1 , the sort priority (or sort order) is graphically indicated above each column of data elements. FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of how sort priority can be indicated, i.e., by using triangles of different sizes. Other ways of graphically indicating sort priority are also contemplated, such as using various numbers of triangles of the same size, or using multiple nested triangles, the more nested triangles within each sort control bar, the more primary the sort key.
[0042] Alternatively, sort priority can be visually indicated using one or more dots or bullets within each sort control bar. Of course, text could be used to indicate the “FIRST”, “SECOND”, and “THIRD” sort keys, for example. Another version could be a number within a circle, the number indicating the sort priority, such as “1”, “2”, and “3”, each within a circle within a sort control bar. The basic idea is that sort priority is indicated visually and/or graphically in a way that is spatially associated with each column.
[0043] Sort direction is also graphically indicated. The triangles shown in FIG. 1 indicate sort priority as well as sort direction. An upward pointing triangle indicates an ascending sort direction, for example. Alternatively, sort priority can be indicated with a number within a circle, and next to the circle can be an arrow pointing up or down, the circle and the arrow being within the same sort control bar over (or under) the respective sorted column.
[0044] Sort direction can also be graphically or visually indicated using color. Color can be used in conjunction with or instead of other ways of indicating sort priority. For example, the background of each sort control bar can be color-tinted, great intensity of the color-tint representing higher sort priority. Also, the color can change when the sort direction changes from ascending to descending, such as changing from blue to red. In other embodiments, the entire column background can be colored according to the sort priority and/or sort direction. For example, the color of the sort control bar, and/or the color of the background of the sort control bar, and/or the color of the background of each entire column can bear a color that indicates sort priority and/or sort direction.
[0045] Moreover, any other visual and/or graphical way of representing sort priority and/or sort direction in close conjunction with each column of data records can be used in accordance with the invention.
[0046] In FIG. 1 , the primary sort key is the third data element, as indicated by the largest triangle being within the sort control bar that is over the column of third data elements. Once all the data records have been sorted by the primary sort key, it may be observed that there are subsets of records having the same third data element. Thus, each subset of data records having the same third data element can be further sorted based on a second sort key, such as the second data element of each record in FIG. 1 .
[0047] For example, in FIG. 1 , the subset of records 37 all have the same date and time 38 , but have different comments: “Forget the project.” or “I don't understand this at all.” Clicking on the sort control bar 24 of the “Comment” column then sorts each subset of data records having identical first data elements in ascending order within each subset.
[0048] Note also that included within the subset of records 37 are two sub-subsets 40 and 42 , each having identical second data elements. Clicking on the sort control bar 22 of the “Email” column then sorts each sub-subset 40 and 42 of data records having identical second data elements in ascending order within each sub-subset 40 and 42 .
[0049] For this particular data set shown in FIG. 1 , there is no further sorting possible, since there are no more subsets of records with identical first data elements, since all the first data elements of the collection of data records of FIG. 1 are unique. However, FIG. 1 shows that further hierarchical sorting is possible for other data sets, since sort control bars 22 and 28 are available for further nested sorting. The method of the invention can be extended to any number of sort control bars, but typically no more than four or five sort control bars will be useful.
[0050] To reduce the number of sort keys, thereby creating more sort control bars without any triangle, such as the sort control bar 28 , the sort control bar of the primary sort key can be repeatedly toggled. Each two clicks will remove the lowest priority sort key until all the sort control bars do not have any triangles present and/or color, for example. To add sort keys, the user simply clicks on sort control bars without triangles in the order desired. Sorting actually occurs each time a sort control bar is clicked.
[0051] FIG. 2 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing the plurality of email data records of FIG. 1 , arranged such that the data elements of each data record form a plurality of columns. FIG. 2 again shows four sort control bars 22 , 24 , 26 , 28 at the top of each column clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with four levels of sorting in both ascending and descending directions. In this case, the second sort control bar 24 has been clicked first, then the third sort control bar 26 was clicked, then the fourth sort control bar 28 was clicked twice so as to make it represent the third sort key, sorting in a descending direction, and then the first sort control bar 22 was clicked twice so as to sort in a descending direction. Note that the descending direction is visually indicated by reversing the direction of the triangle, regardless of the size of the triangle. In other embodiments, the color of the background of the sort control bar can change from yellow to blue, or from blue to red, for example.
[0052] Notice that the data records are first sorted according to the second elements of each record in an alphabetically ascending direction. Thus, the second element is the first sort key. After the first sort, there are six subsets that are formed, each subset of records having the same second data element, such as five data records, each having “Example . . . ” as the second data element.
[0053] The third sort control bar 36 is clicked second, which sorts each of the six subsets according to the date in ascending numeric order. Identical date and times all occur in the same place, so the third sort control bar 28 does not have any effect. Further, the fourth sort control bar 22 has no effect since all the first data elements are mutually distinct.
[0054] FIG. 3 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of database data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns of data elements. At the top of each column are sort control bars 44 , 46 , 48 , and 50 , in this example bearing the labels “Report”, “Name”, “Date”, and “File Type”, respectively. The second data record has the first sort priority since the second sort control bar 46 was clicked first. Since the second sort control bar 46 was clicked only once, the sort direction is ascending.
[0055] Notice that since the third sort control bar 48 has been clicked second, and has been clicked twice, as visually indicated by a triangle that points downward (in other preferred embodiments, the background color of the sort control bar changes color) each sub-set of records having an identical second element, such as the subset 52 having the name “Charles”, is sorted in descending numerical direction. Thus, FIG. 3 shows two active sort control bars 46 and 48 of the invention, each at the top of a respective column, clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with two levels of sorting. The first sort is on “Name” in the ascending direction, and the second sort within each subset having the same name is on “Date” in a descending direction. The records with the same Name and Date are not sorted any further.
[0056] FIG. 4 is a screen shot showing the plurality of database data records of FIG. 3 , arranged so as to form a plurality of columns. At the top of each column is a sort control bar of the invention, each sort control bar clicked twice so as to sort each of the first, second and third columns of data elements in a descending direction. Thus, each sort control bar includes a downward pointing triangle. In other preferred embodiments, the background of each of the active sort control bars is a color different from the color of a sort control bar clicked so as to sort in an ascending direction. Here, the third column is sorted first, then records with the same Date are sorted according to Name, and then records with the same Date and Name are sorted according to “Report”. This is a hierarchical or nested sort, the sort having three levels. The File Type is the same for each record, and is therefore not useful for sorting.
[0057] FIG. 5 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing a plurality of spreadsheet data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns of data elements. A sort control bar of the invention is located at the top of each column, the sort control bar being clicked by a user so as to sort the columns with three levels of sorting, the first, second, and third levels of sorting being all in the ascending direction. Notice that it is easy to first sort by “Position”, then sort all records having the same position, e.g., “Engineer”, being sorted by “Location”. One can then easily see which Engineers are at each location. The “Date” is irrelevant to this sort.
[0058] Alternatively, FIG. 6 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing the same plurality of spreadsheet data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns. However, the first sort is done on the second data element, labeled by “Location”, and then the second sort of all data records having the same “Location” is done using “Date”. This is clear by looking at the size of the triangles, if any, in each of the sort control bars 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 . The largest triangle is in the sort control bar 64 , and so the associated second data element was sorted first. The second largest triangle is in the sort control bar 68 , and so the associated fourth data element, i.e., “Date”, was sorted second. Consequently, records of the same location are sorted in ascending direction (triangle is pointing up) according to Date. The third largest (i.e., the smallest) triangle is in the sort control bar 62 , and so the associated first data element, i.e., “Name” was sorted third. As a result, records having the same Location and Date are sorted alphabetically by Name, in ascending order since the triangle is pointing up. In this sort, the third data element of “Position” was not relevant, and so the third sort control bar was not clicked.
[0059] Alternatively, FIG. 7 is a screen shot of an embodiment of the present invention showing the same plurality of spreadsheet data records arranged so as to form a plurality of columns. However, the first sort is done on the third data element, labeled by “Position”, and then the second sort of all data records having the same “Position” is done using “Location”. This is clear by looking at the size of the triangles, if any, in each of the sort control bars 62 , 64 , 66 , 68 . The largest triangle is in the sort control bar 66 , and so the associated third data element was sorted first, here in descending sort direction. The second largest triangle is in the sort control bar 64 , and so the associated second data element, i.e., “Location”, was sorted second, here in ascending sort order. Consequently, records of the same Position are sorted in ascending direction (triangle is pointing up) according to Location.
[0060] The third largest (i.e., the smallest) triangle is in the sort control bar 62 , and so the associated first data element, i.e., “Name” was sorted third. As a result, records having the same Position and Location are sorted alphabetically by Name, in ascending order since the triangle is pointing up. In this sort, the fourth data element of “Date” was not relevant, and so the Fourth sort control bar was not clicked. FIG. 7 shows an example of the data records being sorted with the three levels of sorting, the first sort done in a descending direction, as indicated by a downward-pointing triangle (and in some preferred embodiments, also a background color that is different from the background color of the columns sorted in an ascending direction), the remaining sorts done in the ascending direction.
[0061] With reference to FIG. 8 , a top-level flow chart illustrating an implementation of a preferred embodiment of the invention is presented. After the program begins 800 , a dialog box is initialized, list column and data being inserted 802 . Next, the OnPaint loop begins, wherein OnPaint is called 804 . FIG. 10 details the steps of drawing the list control column headers (also called “sort control bars” above). When a list control column header (sort control bar) is clicked by a user 806 , the sort key column list is set 808 , as detailed in FIG. 14 . Next, a timer is set to allow the user to select more columns to sort by clicking on more sort control bars 810 .
[0062] Referring to FIG. 9 , if the timer has not reached a preset interval time 812 , program control goes back to step 804 . Else, if the timer has reached a preset interval time 812 , then list control redraw stops 900 , sorting data is prepared 902 , the data is sorted 904 , and then list control redraw is begun 906 . If the user wants to exit the program 908 , the user ends the program 910 . Else, program control goes back to step 804 of FIG. 8 .
[0063] With reference to FIG. 10 , to draw a list column control header (sort control bar), the program begins 1000 , and then gets a list item count 1002 . Next, the program gets and sets header background/text color and font 1004 . Then, the program begins to draw a list item 1006 . If a list item is not finished 1008 being drawn, then initialize item property structure 1010 . As shown in FIG. 11 , if a list item is finished being drawn 1008 , then draw an edge right of the last item 1106 and end 1108 .
[0064] After initializing the item property structure 1010 , the program determines whether the item owner is draw item 1012 . If yes, then draw item 1014 using the steps set forth in FIG. 12 . If no, then draw item with normal MFC routine 1016 , and go to step 1100 of FIG. 11 .
[0065] After step 1014 , if the item is already clicked 1018 , then invert item background color 1020 , and then go to step 1100 of FIG. 11 . If the item is not already clicked 1018 , then just go to step 1100 of FIG. 11 .
[0066] Referring to FIG. 11 , if the next item is not the last item 1100 , then draw a separating bar 1102 , and then move to the next item 1104 , returning back to step 1008 . If the next item is the last item 1100 , then just move to the next item 1104 , returning back to step 1008 . At 1008 , if there are no more items to be drawn, then draw an edge to the right of the last item 1106 , and then end 1108 .
[0067] With reference to FIG. 12 , regarding List Control Header item drawing, after the program begins 1200 , the program gets the sort key list count 1202 . To do so, the sort key list is enumerated 1204 ; the program checks whether an item is in the list 1204 . If a sort key is not found, return to step 1204 , and if a sort key is found, stop enumerating 1208 . Next, the program tries to find a sort key 1210 , and if one is found, the position of the found sort key is switched in the sort key list 1212 . Then, the program gets the first, second, third, and fourth priority sort column background colors 1214 , 1216 , 1218 , 1220 , and then gets the sort icon size as first, second, third and fourth priority sort columns 1222 , 1224 , 1226 , 1228 . Then, the item background color is set 1230 , and the program moves on to step 1300 in FIG. 13 . If no sort key is found, at step 1210 , the program moves directly to step 1300 in FIG. 13 .
[0068] At step 1300 , the program determines whether the item displays a bitmap 1300 . If it does, the program gets the bitmap 1302 , and proceeds to step 1304 , whereupon the program performs the operation switch item align justify 1304 . For each of Left justify, Center justify, and Right justify, Draw item image and item text 1306 , 1310 , 1314 are performed, and then if the item is in the sort list, the sort icon is drawn 1308 , 1312 , 1316 , and then the routine ends 1318 .
[0069] As required at step 808 of FIG. 8 , FIG. 14 illustrates setting the sort key list starting at 1400 . The program gets the sort key list count 1402 . To do so, the sort key list is enumerated 1404 ; the program checks whether an item is in the list 1404 . If a sort key is not found, return to step 1404 , and if a sort key is found, stop enumerating 1408 . Next, the program tries to find a sort key 1410 , and if one is found, the program gets the sort direction 1412 . If it's the first sort key 1414 , then reverse the sort direction 1416 , and add 1 to the same key click times count 1418 . If this sort key was not clicked more than the maximum number of clicks 1420 , then end 1440 . If the sort key was clicked more than the maximum number of clicks, then remove other sort keys in the sort key list 1422 , and then reset key click times to 1 1424 .
[0070] After finding a sort key 1410 , and getting the sort direction 1412 , if the sort key found is not a first sort key 1414 , then move as first sort key in sort key list 1426 , set key click times to 1 1428 , and then end 1440 .
[0071] If a sort key is not found 1410 , then insert the item as first sort key in sort key list 1430 , set key click times to 1 1432 , get sort key list count 1434 , and ask whether the sort key count is greater than the max sort key count 1436 . If it is, then remove the last sort key from the sort key list 1438 , and then end 1440 . If it's not, then just end 1440 .
[0072] Other modifications and implementations will occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the above description is not intended to limit the invention except as indicated in the following claims.
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A user interface is provided for sorting a plurality of data records. The user interface includes a data display region for displaying the plurality of data records as a plurality of data columns. Also, a sort control region includes a plurality of sort control bars aligned with the plurality of data columns, each sort control bar providing sorting of a data column in accordance with a sort priority selected by a user, and providing a visual indication of the sort priority and direction of a respective data column. The invention elegantly enables a user to sort multiple columns of data by simply clicking near the top or bottom of each column to establish at least first and second sort keys, as well as a sort direction for each sorted column. The sort priority and sort direction for each column is visually indicated near the top or bottom of each column.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a substrate of glass, ceramics, plastic, or metal, etc., having a treatment surface, i.e., a water repellent coating or film being formed on an undercoating layer or film thereof, and a treatment method therefor.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Conventionally, a substrate comprising for example glass or the like, on the surface of which a water repellent coating, layer or film is formed, has been already known, in for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 4-20781 (1992), Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-86353 (1993), Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-161844 (1993), Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 2-311332 (1990) and Japanese Patent No. 2,525,536.
[0005] In Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 4-20781 (1992), it is disclosed that on the surface of the substrate there is formed a coating layer or film from a silane compound excluding polyfluoro radical or synthetic resin, and further thereon is formed a water repellent and oil repellent multi-layer coating or film comprising a silane compound including polyfluoro radical.
[0006] Further, in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-86353 (1993), there is disclosed a method by which a thin film of siloxan radical is formed on the surface of glass, ceramics, plastic, or metal, etc., by use of a compound including chlorosilil radical, such as SiCl 4 , in molecular form thereof, and further thereon is formed a chemical absorption unimolecular accumulation layer or film (a water repellent film or coating).
[0007] Also in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-161844 (1993), there is described a method in which, having formed a unimolecular film of siloxan radical or an absorption film of polysiloxan previously, the chemical absorption unimolecular accumulation film (a water repellent film or coating) is formed on the surface of a substrate by a further chemical absorption processing conducted in an atmosphere including a surface-active agent of chlorosilane radical.
[0008] Moreover, Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 2-311332 (1990) describes a water repellent glass obtained through sililating the surface of glass substrate by a silil compound, such as fluorinated alkylsilane, the surface of which is formed from a metal oxide, such as SiO 2 .
[0009] Furthermore, Japanese Patent No. 2,525,536 discloses that an undercoating film or layer of silica is applied on the glass substrate before treating the surface thereof by the fluorine compound, in the same manner as described in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 2-311332 (1990), and further that weather resistance of the water repellent film is improved by including olefin telomer in the fluorine compound.
[0010] With the substrate which can be obtained by the method disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. Hei 4-20781 (1992), since the density of the undercoating layer is low, the undercoating layer must be more than 100 nm in thickness thereof and also the temperature for baking must be higher than 400° C.
[0011] In the method disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-86353 (1993), since the absorbent for the reaction with water treatment in air is unstable, it is necessary to maintain the humidity in the atmosphere low, thereby control of the environment being difficult. Further, there are problems, in that it takes 2-3 hours for the treatment, and the nonaqueous solvent is expensive.
[0012] For implementation of the method which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 5-161844 (1993), equipment for controlling the atmosphere must be large-scaled, and it takes time to form a perfect absorption film.
[0013] With the substrate which is obtained by the method disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 2-311332 (1990), since baking at 500° C. for instance is necessitated for obtaining the high density metal oxide layer when forming the metal oxide film through a sol-gel method, also large-scaled equipment for baking the substrate at high temperature is necessary, thus raising the production cost. Further, having tried this method, the roughness of the metal oxide film thereby obtained is relatively high, resulting that it is difficult for water drops present on the surface of the water repellent glass to roll freely thereon.
[0014] Furthermore, with the substrate which is obtained by the method disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2,525,536, though being superior with respect to weather resistance, such a result is only obtained through double-checking thereof that the durability of the water repellent film in a friction test is adequate, and it is also difficult for water drops present on the surface of the water repellent glass to roll freely thereon since the roughness of the surface of the silica undercoating layer or coating is relatively high.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] For resolving the drawbacks in the conventional art mentioned above, according to the present invention, there is provided a substrate having a treatment surface, characterized in that, on a surface of a substrate of glass, ceramics, plastics or metal, an undercoating film layer is formed by drying a liquid for undercoating treatment which is obtained by dissolving and reacting a materiel having chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein within an alcohol group solvent, so that on said undercoating film layer there is formed a water repellent or oil repellent layer, wherein a surface roughness (Ra) of said surface layer is equal to or less than 0.5 nm.
[0016] Further, the surface roughness (Ra) of the surface layer is preferably to be as small as possible. However, for example, the surface roughness (Ra) of a fire polished surface of float glass (i.e., upper surface of the float glass floating on molten tin) is about 0.2 nm, and the roughness (Ra) of a glass surface obtained through precise grinding is about 0.1 nm. Therefore, the substantially lowest threshold value of surface roughness (Ra) of the glass surface which can be obtained is about 0.1-0.2 nm.
[0017] As mentioned above, the undercoating film or layer formed from the undercoating treatment liquid, which is obtained by dissolving and reacting the materiel having chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein, has high smoothness, and therefore, the surface layer formed on the undercoating film or layer also comes to have high smoothness (Ra≦0.5 nm), reflecting the smoothness of the undercoating layer, thereby obtaining a superior water repellent property, i.e., a high contact angle and a low critical inclination angel.
[0018] Here, it is possible to remove defects in appearance by keeping the surface of the substrate clean when forming the undercoating layer or film on it, and it is also possible to increase adhesive strength between the substrate surface and the undercoating film by activating the surface of the substrate. For example, even in a case where the glass substrate comprises an oxide, it is possible to form an active surface by grinding the surface to within 0.5 nm≦Ra≦3.0 nm using a grinding agent.
[0019] However, in the case where the roughness (Ra) of the substrate surface exceeds 3.0 nm, it is difficult to make the roughness (Ra) of the surface layer (the water repellent layer) less than 0.5 nm even if effecting the undercoating treatment thereon. Therefore, it is preferable that the roughness (Ra) of the substrate surface be equal to or less than 3.0 nm. Moreover, when the substrate is made of glass plate, transparency of the substrate can be maintained when the roughness (Ra) is within a range of 0.5 nm≦Ra≦3.0 nm.
[0020] Further, in the case where hydrophilic radical is poor in the surface of the substrate, it is preferable to conduct the surface treatment after treatment for hydrophilizing the surface, i.e., by treating the surface with plasma containing oxygen or treating under a corona discharge atmosphere, or alternatively, by irradiating ultraviolet light of a wavelength in the vicinity of from 200 to 300 nm onto the substrate surface in an atmosphere containing oxygen.
[0021] Further, according to the present invention, it is appropriate to restrict the concentration of the materiel having chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein within the liquid for the undercoating treatment, this being equal to or greater than 0.01 wt % and equal to or less than 3.0 wt %.
[0022] As an example of a materiel having chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein, there can be listed SiCl 4 , SiHCl 3 or SiH 2 Cl 2 , etc., and it is possible to select a single or a plurality of materials from among these as the material. In particular, since it contains the most Cl radicals, SiCl 4 is preferable. The chlorosilil radical is very high in reactivity thereof, and it forms a minute or dense undercoating film through a self-condensation reaction or by reaction with the substrate surface. However, it can contain a material in which a part of a hydrogen radical is replaced by methyl radical or ethyl radical.
[0023] Further, as the alcohol group solvent, for example, methanol, ethanol, 1-propanol, and 2-propanol are desirable. The material containing chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein and the alcohol group solvent, as is shown by equation (1) below, react to form alkoxide by removing hydrogen chloride:
(—Si—Cl)+(ROH)→(—Si—OR)+(HCl) (1)
[0024] Further, the material containing chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein and the alcohol group solvent react as shown by equation (2) below:
(—Si—Cl)+(ROH)→(—Si—OH)+(RCl) (2)
[0025] In the alcohol solvent, a part of (—Si—OR) reacts as shown by equation (3) below with an acidic catalyst which is formed as shown by equation (1), and forms (—Si—OH).
(—Si—OR)+(H 2 O)→(—Si—OH)+(ROH) (3)
[0026] In addition, (—Si—OH) which is produced as shown by the above equations (2) and (3) reacts as shown by equation (4) below, and forms siloxane bonding:
(—Si—Cl)+(—Si—OH)→(—Si—O—Si—)+(HCl) (4)
[0027] It is considered that, by means of the above-mentioned siloxane bonding, the bonding between the substrate and the undercoating film, or between the undercoating film and the surface film such as the water repellent film is strengthened. Namely, in the case where a compound including the siloxane bonding is simply used as the liquid for the undercoating treatment as disclosed in the conventional arts, though the siloxane bonding exists within the undercoating film, the siloxane bonding joining between the substrate and the undercoating film, or between the undercoating film and the water repellent film, are not so influential.
[0028] According to the present invention, by treating with a liquid for performing an undercoating treatment which is obtained by reacting the materiel having chiorosilil radical in molecular form in the alcohol group solvent within thirty (30) minutes after mixing thereof, an undercoating film being superior in smoothness can be formed, and since a part of the chlorosilil radical takes part in the siloxane bonding, good bonding between the substrate and the water repellent film can be obtained by the siloxane bonding.
[0029] Here, it is preferable that the concentration of the materiel having chiorosilil radical in molecular form therein contained in the undercoating treatment liquid, though depending on the method of coating, be equal to or greater than 0.01 wt % and equal to or less than 3.0 wt %. If it is lower than that, no effect by adding the material can be obtained, and if higher than that, the effect of adding the material is not improved. For example, in particular, in the case of coating by using, for example, a curtain flow coating method, judging from the appearance during the coating, it is preferable that the concentration be equal to or greater than 0.03 wt % and equal to or less than 1.0 wt %.
[0030] The method for coating the undercoating treatment liquid should not be limited in particular. However, other methods can be listed, such as: a dip coating method, a curtain flow coating method, a spin coating method, a bar coating method, a roll coating method, a hand coating method, a brush painting method, a spray coating method, etc.
[0031] Further, as the surface treatment, for instance, a water repellent treatment and an oil repellent treatment can be listed. Though the liquid agents for the water and oil repellent treatments should not be limited in particular, a treating method by using water repellent or oil repellent agents containing silane compound, siloxane compound or silicon compound therein is preferable.
[0032] As the silane compound, there can be listed water repellent agents containing:
[0033] CF 3 (CF 2 ) 7 (CH 2 ) 2 Si (OCH 3 ) 3 ,
[0034] CF 3 (CF 2 ) 6 (CH 2 ) 2 Si(OCH 3 ) 3 ,
[0035] CF 3 (CF 2 ) 7 (CH 2 ) 2 SiCl 3 ,
[0036] CF 3 (CF 2 ) 6 (CH 2 ) 2 SiCl 3 , and the like.
[0037] These repellent agents can be used, depending on necessity, by being hydrolyzed using a catalyst such as acid or hydrochloric acid. Further, an agent, containing the siloxane compound which can be obtained through hydrolysis or condensation of the silane compound, can be used too.
[0038] As the silicon compound there can be used polydimethylsiloxane of straight chain or chain form, or silanol metamorphism, hydrogen metamorphism, halogen metamorphism thereof, etc.
[0039] For the method for the water repellent or oil repellent treatment, in the same manner as the undercoating treatment, though it should not be limited in particular, methods such as the hand coating method, the brush painting method, etc., can be applied thereto.
[0040] Further, as the surface treatment according to the present invention, a hydrophilic treatment or an antifogging treatment can be applied, in addition to the water repellent or oil repellent treatment.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0041] Hereinafter, detailed explanation of the embodiments according to the present invention will be given.
[0042] (Embodiment 1)
[0043] By adding 0.01 g of chlorosilane (SiCl 4 , produced by Shinnetsu Silicon Co.) to 100 g of ethanol (produced by Nakaraitesuku Co.) and mixing thereof, a liquid for the undercoating treatment is obtained. The obtained liquid for the undercoating treatment was coated on a glass plate (300×300 mm) which was ground and cleaned, under a humidity of 40% and at room temperature, and was then dried for about one minute, thereby obtaining the undercoating film.
[0044] Then, by dissolving 1.3 g of CF3(CF 2 ) 7 (CH 2 ) 2 Si(OCH 3 ) 3 (heptadecafluorodesiltrimethoxisilane, produced by Toshiba Silicon Co.) into 40.6 g of ethanol and mixing them for an hour, and thereafter by adding 0.808 g of ion-exchanged water and 0.1 N of hydrochloric acid and mixing them for a further one hour, an agent a for the water repellent treatment was obtained.
[0045] Thereafter, 0.3 ml of agent a for the water repellent treatment was put onto a cotton applicator and it was coated onto the glass substrate with a film formed by the undercoating treatment, and thereafter any agent for water repellent treatment which was excessively coated is removed by wiping with a fresh cotton applicator soaked in ethanol, thereby obtaining a water repellent glass substrate.
[0046] The contacting angle with water drops of 2 mg in size was measured as a static contact angle by using a contact goniometer (CA-DT, produced by Kyowa Kaimen Kagaku Co.).
[0047] As a weather resistance test, ultraviolet light was irradiated there onto by using Super UV tester (W-13, produced by Iwasaki Denki Co.), under the conditions of an ultraviolet light strength of 76±2 mW/cm 2 , irradiating for 20 hours with a darkness cycle of 4 hours, and by showering the substrate with ion-exchanged water for 30 seconds every hour.
[0048] Further, as an abrasion test, a sand-rubber eraser (product by Lion Co., No. 502) was rubbed on the water repellent glass reciprocally 100 times at a load of 50 g per 15×7 sq. mm.
[0049] Moreover, as a measure for indicating the water repellency, the critical inclination angle was measured. For measuring the performance of rolling a water drop on the surface of the water repellent glass (contact angle=100-110°), a water drop of diameter 5 mm (it comes to be approximately semicircular in shape if the contact angle is 100-110°) was disposed on the surface of the water repellent glass which is horizontally positioned. Then, the water repellent glass plate was inclined gradually, and the inclination angle (the critical inclination angle) when the water drop disposed on the surface of the water repellent glass begins rolling was recorded. The smaller the critical inclination angle, the better in dynamic repellent property. For instance, this applies to rain drops landing on the front windshield glass of a moving automobile which must be easily splashed or scattered away so that they do not interrupt the view of the driver.
[0050] However, as the smoothness of the obtained water repellent glass, the surface roughness (Ra), is calculated by measuring the surface contour with an atomic force microscope (AFM) (SPI3700, produced by Seiko Instruments Inc.) by a cyclic contact mode.
[0051] As shown in TABLE 1, an initial contact angle was 108°, an initial critical inclination angle 13°, and the contact angle after the weather resistance test of 400 hours was 88°, and that after the abrasion test is 84°, serving as a measure of the durability thereof.
COMPARISON 1
[0052] A water repellent glass substrate was obtained in the same manner as in embodiment No. 1, except that 0.005 g (0.005 wt %) of chlorosilane was added in the preparation of the liquid for the undercoating treatment.
[0053] As shown in TABLE 1, though an initial contact angle of 107° is indicated, the initial inclination angle is large, at 18°, and the contact angle after the weather resistance test came down to 71°, thereby indicating that the durability is reduced.
EXAMPLES 2 to 4 AND COMPARISON 2
[0054] Water repellent glass substrates were obtained in the same manner as in embodiment No. 1, except that 0.5 g, 1.0 g, 3.0 g and 5.0 g (0.5 wt %, 1.0 wt %, 3.0 wt % and 5.0 wt % in concentration) of chlorosilane were added to the respective preparations of the liquid for the undercoating treatment.
[0055] When the concentration of chlorosilane is high, the thickness of the undercoating becomes thick, and as a result of this, the interference of light is gradually strengthened. When it exceeds 5 wt % in concentration thereof, a remarkable increase in color reflection can be distinguished. When the concentration of chlorosilane rises further so as to increase the thickness of the undercoating layer, a baking process is additionally required.
EXAMPLE 5
[0056] In a 1 liter glass reactor having a thermometer, a mixer and a cooler, 10.0 g of polydimethylsiloxane containing hydrolysis radical, which is expressed by the chemical equation shown below, was reacted with 1.0 g of CF 3 (CF 2 ) 7 (CH 2 ) 2 Si(OCH 3 ) 3 (heptadecafluorodesiltrimethoxisilane, produced by Toshiba Silicon Co.) together with 360 g of t-buthanol and 0.1 N of hydrochloric acid in a co-hydrolysis reaction for 5 hours at a temperature of 80° C., and further 160 wt % of n-hexane was added and mixed for 10 hours at room temperature.
[0057] [Chemical Equation 1]
[0058] Further, by adding 10.0 g of organopolysiloxane which is expressed by the chemical equation shown below and 5.0 g of methasulfonic acid into the mix and mixing them for 10 minutes, an agent b for the water repellent treatment was obtained.
[0059] [Chemical Equation 2]
[0060] By coating the agent for water repellent treatment on the undercoated glass substrate which is produced at a 0.5 wt % concentration of SiCl 4 , in the same manner as in embodiment 1, a water repellent glass substrate is obtained.
[0061] Also with this repellent glass substrate, as shown in the TABLE 1, superior results can be obtained in the initial contact angle and the durability (i.e., the weather resistance test and the abrasion test).
COMPARISONS 3 AND 4
[0062] After the undercoating treatment using tetrachlorotinstan or tetrachloro as the agent for the undercoating treatment in place of chlorosilane, the water repellent glass substrate was produced by using the above-mentioned agent b for water repellent treatment thereof.
[0063] Though they show 106° for the initial contact angle, however, the initial critical inclination angles thereof became large, such as 18° and 19°, and the contact angles after the weather resistance test were reduced to 65° and 64°, respectively.
COMPARISON 5
[0064] The water repellent glass substrate was produced in the same manner as in embodiment 1 except that as the solvent for the undercoating treatment liquid, chloroform was used in place of ethanol.
[0065] Though TABLE 1 shows a large contact angle at 107°, however, the initial critical inclination angle is large, such as 20°, and the contact angle after the weather resistance test was reduced to 63° and the contact angle after the abrasion test was also reduced to 67°.
COMPARISON 6
[0066] Comparison 6 was performed for double-checking embodiment 6 which is disclosed in the specification of Japanese Patent No. 2,525,536.
[0067] Namely, the water repellent glass substrate was obtained in the same manner as in embodiment 1 except that as the solvent for the undercoating treatment liquid perfluorocarbon solution (FC-77, produced by 3M Co.) was used in place of ethanol.
[0068] The results show a high value for the surface roughness (Ra) at 7.0 nm, and also a high value for the initial critical inclination angle at 25°. Also, though it shows the initial contact angle at 107°, the contact angle thereof after the abrasion test was reduced to 65°.
COMPARISON 7
[0069] Comparison 7 was performed for double-checking embodiment 3 which is disclosed in Japanese Laid-open Patent No. Hei 2-311332 (1990) cited above as the prior art.
[0070] Namely, dissolving and mixing 31 g of tetraethylsilicate (produced by Colcoat Co.) into 380 g of ethanol while adding 6.5 g of water and 1.6 g of 1N hydrochloric acid, and waiting for 24 hours at a temperature of 20°, the liquid for the undercoating treatment was prepared.
[0071] This liquid for the undercoating treatment was painted by the flow coating method in the same manner as in embodiment 1 and was dried in about a minute. After the undercoating treatment, a layer of silicon oxide was formed through a heating process by heating the substrate for an hour. Thereafter, the water repellent glass substrate was obtained by using the above-mentioned agent a for the water repellent treatment, in the same manner as in embodiment 1.
[0072] The surface roughness (Ra) shows a high value at 0.6 nm, and the initial critical inclination angle is also high, at 22°. The contact angle was 107°, however, it went down to 67° after the abrasion test.
COMPARISON 8
[0073] The water repellent glass substrate was obtained in the same manner as in embodiment 1 except that the heating process of the undercoating film is not conducted.
[0074] The surface roughness (Ra) shows a high value at 0.7 nm, and the initial critical inclination angle was also high at 23°. The contact angle is 108°, however, it went down to 45° after the abrasion test.
[0075] Completing the results of the embodiments and comparisons mentioned heretofore, they are arranged and shown in TABLE 1.
TABLE 1 Ingredients for Under- Contact Angle coating Agent for Surface Initial (°) after Contact Angle Treatment Water Rough- Initial Critical Weather (°) after (Concentration Repellent ness Contact Inclination Resistance Abrasion Test wt %) Treatment Appearance Ra (nm) Angle (°) Angle (°) Test (400 H) (100 times) Embodiment 1 SiCl 4 /0.01 agent a OK 0.4 108 13 82 84 Comparison 1 SiCl 4 /0.005 agent a OK 0.9 107 18 71 65 Embodiment 2 SiCl 4 /0.5 agent a OK 0.2 107 12 86 82 Embodiment 3 SiCl 4 /1.0 agent a OK 0.3 108 12 87 87 Embodiment 2 SiCl 4 /3.0 agent a OK 0.2 109 13 86 87 Comparison 2 SiCl 4 /5.0 agent a remarkable 0.3 107 12 87 84 reflection color Embodiment 5 SiCl 4 /0.5 agent b OK 0.2 108 12 88 86 Comparison 3 SiCl 4 /1.0 agent b OK 0.7 106 18 65 80 Comparison 4 SiCl 4 /1.0 agent b OK 0.6 106 19 64 83 Comparison 5 SiCl 4 /1.0*1 agent a OK 0.8 107 20 63 67 Comparison 6 SiCl 4 /1.0*2 agent a OK 7.0 107 25 60 65 Comparison 7 TEOS/0.4 agent a OK 0.7 107 22 54 67 Comparison 8 TEOS/0.4 agent a OK 0.7 108 23 50 45
[0076] As is fully explained in the above, in accordance with the substrate and the treating method of the present invention, since a highly reactive compound including chiorosilil radical in molecular form thereof is used as the liquid for the undercoating treatment, there is no necessity for conducting the baking at high temperature after forming the undercoating film layer. As a result, no large-scaled equipment is necessitated, and the production cost can be reduced.
[0077] Further, since it is sufficient for the agent for the undercoating treatment to be painted without using a liquid phase absorption or gaseous phase absorption method, the time for the treating can be shortened, and by using a low-cost alcohol solvent, the liquid for the undercoating treatment can painted uniformly and thinly.
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For obtaining a substrate on the surface of which a water repellent film is firmly bonded through an undercoating film, and which shows a low critical inclination angle, superior durability, and high density, a water repellent and/or oil repellent film layer is formed by using a liquid for undercoating treatment. The liquid for undercoating treatment is obtained by dissolving and reacting a materiel having chlorosilil radical in molecular form therein and is dissolved into an alcohol group solvent, so that a surface roughness (Ra) of less than 0.5 nm is obtained, thereby achieving high durability and a low critical inclination angle.
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BACKGROUND
This invention relates to an integrated circuit carrier and testing fixture. More particularly, this invention relates to an improved carrier which permits the integrated circuit or semiconductor chip to be inspected and tested both electrically and environmentally with a minimum of direct handling while protecting the chip against damage.
Typically, a plurality of identical semiconductor chips are formed on a wafer where they can be subjected to limited tests. After these tests, the chips, which are typically about a sixteenth of an inch square, are separated and then each chip is mounted in an integrated circuit package. The package, in turn, can be mounted in a carrier, such as shown in Barnes U.S. Pat. No. 3,409,861, and then tested and inspected by conventional methods set forth in that patent.
In many applications it is desirable to reduce the size of the electronic equipment. It also is important to reduce the weight of electronic equipment as well as other devices used in satellites and the like. One technique is to not mount the semiconductor chip in an IC package, but to mount it directly to a hybrid circuit. However, due to the inordinately small size of the semiconductor chip it is not possible to perform a number of tests on it.
Attempts have been made to develop a carrier and holding fixture for the uncased semiconductor chip that would allow the semi-conductor chip to be subjected to electrical and environmental testing as well as a short period of actual operation, commonly referred to as "burn-in". See U.S. Pat. No. 3,823,350. One problem is the beam leads on the semiconductor chip, being made up of gold deposited over platinum, tend to weld themselves to the gold plated copper leads on the carrier. Another problem is that the prior carriers, since they contain a plastic cover that springs against a semiconductor chip to hold the chip in position, cannot be used at elevated temperature within the desirable range because the plastic loses its resiliency at the higher temperature which can allow the chip to move, thus subjecting the semiconductor chip to possible damage and possible loss of electrical contact to the chip.
Still another problem inherent in the prior art carriers is that the non-uniformity of size of the various pieces due to manufacturing tolerances allows the beam leads on the chip to contact more than one conductor, or no conductors, whereby the chip can be damaged when power is applied. Specifically, in the prior art carriers, the printed circuit board or other device supporting the conductive traces must be lined up with the base of the carrier. In turn, the cover, which determines the position of the semiconductor chip, also must be lined up with the base of the carrier. Since the beam leads from the carrier are only approximately 5 mils (0.005 inches) wide and the beam leads are spaced apart by approximately 5 mils, any misalignment of the chip carrier base with the printed circuit board or the cover can cause the chip to not make a proper connection with the copper traces and the application of current could destroy the chip.
Yet another problem is that the chip can be easily damaged when it is being loaded or unloaded from the carrier. The beam leads of the semiconductor chip are so small and delicate that they can be damaged by the slightest sliding of them across the supporting printed circuit board. Thus, any sliding movement of the cover along the printed circuit should be avoided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention comprises a microelectronic circuit chip carrier having a base that may include an orifice extending through the base and a substrate including electrical conductors mounted on the base, the substrate including a rectangular aperture which is aligned with the orifice of the base. A semiconductor chip is located and supported by the rectangular aperture. A transparent cover is retained over the chip by a resilient metallic clip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an enlarged perspective view of a semiconductor beam lead chip;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view in perspective of the preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged elevated view of one embodiment of the carrier substrate; and
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the carrier illustrated in FIG. 2 showing the semiconductor chip positioned in the carrier.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings, the same reference numbers are used throughout the several views to designate the same or similar components. Referring first to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded perspective view of a typical carrier for protecting a beam lead chip against damage during handling and testing. The carrier includes a base member 2, a circuit board 4, a cover 6, and a resilient clip 8. The beam lead chip, as will be explained fully below, is placed on the circuit board 4 and the cover 6 is placed over the chip and is held in a non-movable position by resilient clip 8. The base 2 may also contain a plurality of protruding walls 10, ports 12, recesses 14, and the like which may be used to lock the base in automatic carrying equipment, testing equipment or the like, as well as to facilitate stacking and to safeguard or prevent incorrect alignment in the test set up.
Base 2 may also include a generally centrally located open-ended orifice or passageway 16 extending therethrough. A rectangular aperture 18 in circuit board 4 is aligned with orifice 16, and as will be explained below, it is shaped and sized to receive and hold the beam lead chip in the desired position. A plurality of electrically conductive leads or paths 20 on circuit board 4 extend to a location adjacent to rectangular orifice 18 and are arranged to correspond with the beam leads on the chips to be carried and tested
The number and arrangement of the leads 20 will be dependent upon the number and orientation of the beam leads on the beam lead chip that is to be transported or tested by the carrier device. Leads 20 may be fabricated on circuit board 4 by methods well known in the art.
FIG. 1 illustrates a typical beam lead chip 22 which may comprise a body 24 and a plurality of outwardly extending or protruding beam leads 26. The body 24 is rectangular in shape and includes tapered sides 28.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the base 2 and the circuit board 4. As shown, the electrically conductive leads 20 may have a narrow portion 30 adjacent to the aperture 18 and a wider or thicker portion 32 removed therefrom to facilitate making electrical contact to leads 20 for testing the beam lead chip.
FIG. 4 illustrates an assembly of the beam lead chip 22 mounted in the chip carrier. This cross-section illustrates how the circuit board 4 cooperates with the tapered sides 28 of the beam lead chip 22 to maintain alignment and electrical contact between the beam leads of the chip and the electrical leads 20 formed on the circuit board. The beam lead chip 22 is inverted and inserted into rectangular aperture 18 of circuit board 4. Rectangular aperture 18 is sized so that the beam lead chip 22 snugly fits in the aperture.
The dimensions of the beam lead chip 22 and the beam leads 26 may vary but typical dimensions are about 0.070 inch square for the body of the beam lead chip and about 0.005 inch wide by about 0.005 inch long for the beam leads 26.
Although a carrier having an orifice in the base has been illustrated and described, one skilled in the art will know that variations are possible within the purview of this invention. The carrier can be constructed with a vacuum orifice only in the center of the cover 6; with a vacuum orifice only in the base 2; with vacuum orifices in both the cover and the base; or with no vacuum orifices in either the cover or the base. The choice is dependent on the loading and unloading system to be employed to insert and remove the semiconductor chip from the carrier.
Although a carrier having a separate substrate is illustrated and described, one skilled in the art will know that a carrier can be constructed wherein the substrate and base are fabricated as one piece.
One loading technique for placing the beam lead chips in the carrier is to dispose the chips on a glass plate after they have been cut out of a wafer, as is well known in the prior art. A first vacuum probe (not shown), which is mounted on a swivelable arm, may be positioned over the inverted beam lead chip 22. Using the vacuum probe as a lifting device, the beam lead chip 22 is picked up and positioned over the rectangular aperture 18 of circuit board 4. Another vacuum probe (not shown) may be positioned under the base 2 in alignment with orifice 16 and rectangular aperture 18 to hold semiconductor chip 22 in position and to help in aligning the chip with the rectangular aperture while the first vacuum probe is removed. Cover 6 is then placed over the inverted beam lead chip 22. While cover 16 is held against movement to minimize damage to the chip, resilient clip 8 is installed with the corregated leg under the base 2 and the J-shaped leg in intimate contact with cover 6. The resiliency of resilient clip 8 urges cover 6 in intimate contact with chip 22 to keep it from moving relative to circuit board 4. This also urges beam leads 26 into intimate contact with electrically conductive leads or paths 20 to facilitate complete testing of the chip without removing it from the carrier.
There are a number of other loading systems which may be used to insert the beam lead chip into the carrier. For example, the chips can be mounted on cover 6 and held there by wax while the cover and chip, as a unit, are inverted and assembled in the carrier. Another technique is to hold the chip to the cover 6 by applying vacuum to a hole in the cover while the cover and the chip, as a unit, are inverted and assembled in the carrier.
The carrier device, once loaded, may be safely transported without damage to the chip. This permits a "burn-in" test and all other electrical tests which are highly desirable to this type of semiconductor device. The chip does not have to be removed from the carrier for any purpose prior to mounting the chip in a hybrid circuit, or the like.
To unload the chip 22 from the carrier, the resilient clip 8 is removed by spreading the legs of the clip while retaining the base 2, circuit board 4, chip 22 and the cover 6 in a fixed position. The cover 6 can then be removed. If desirable, a vacuum probe (not shown) may be positioned at orifice 16 to assure retention of the chip 22 while cover 6 is being removed. A swivelable vacuum probe (not shown) may then be positioned over the chip to transport the chip to its desired position on a hybrid circuit or the like.
There are a number of other unloading systems which may be used to remove chips from the carrier. For example, the carrier may be inverted and the chip held on the glass cover 6 by a vacuum probe (not shown) through the hole in the cover, while the carrier base 2 and circuit board 4 are removed. One technique for unloading the chip from the carrier by this method is shown in co-pending patent application Ser. No. 592,126 filed June 30, 1975 by T. R. Sherwood, assigned to the same Assignee.
It may be seen that there has been described herein a novel and improved beam lead chip carrier device. While the description herein is presently considered to be preferred, it is contemplated that further modifications and improvements within the purview of those skilled in the art may be made herein. The following claims are intended to cover all variations and modifications as fall within the true spirt and scope of the invention.
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An improved carrier for semiconductor chips is described. The carrier includes a base, a substrate including electrical conductors and a rectangular aperture for receiving the semiconductor chip mounted on the base. A transparent cover is installed over the chip and is retained there by a resilient metallic clip.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed, in general, to an apparatus for introducing a selectable variety of scents into the heating/air conditioning duct of a motor vehicle or habitable structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to inventions for introducing a pre-selectable scent into the air within a motor vehicle or habitable structure by accumulating fragrance from blocks of compressed fiber soaked in a a scented oil based liquid positioned within a perforated housing and forcing the scented air through a connecting hose into the duct of the motor vehicle or habitable structure's heating air-conditioning system by means of a electric fan within the perforated housing unit.
The use of various apparatus to introduce scent into the air is well known in the prior art. Various types of air freshening or deodorizing devices have been utilized for inducing air flow past a product which may be vaporized, either by evaporation or sublimation, in order to distribute the vaporized product throughout the surrounding environment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,704,832 to Borrell discloses an air-conditioning vent cover with an attached propellor device for introducing fragrance into the air of a room. U.S. Pat. No. 5,698,166 to Vick discloses a device for scenting air by affixing an air-permeable substrate with a solid fragrant residue on the substrate to the air filter of an air-conditioning system. U.S. Pat. No. 5,567,361 to Harper discloses a fragrance enhancer with an external power supply that accumulates fragrance and forces it through vent holes in the device by means of air driven by a fan. U.S. Pat. No. 5,498,397 to Horng discloses a battery operated system for introducing the aroma of spices directly into the surrounding air. U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,885 to Zlotnick et. al. discloses a device for releasing fragrance into the surrounding air. U.S. Pat. No. 4,968,456 to Muderlak et. al. discloses a fan driven air freshener for insertion into the cigarette lighter of a motor vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,347 to Dawn discloses a device for introducing scent directly into the air of room within which the device is positioned. U.S. Pat. No. 4,743,406 to Steiner et. al. discloses a battery powered self contained air freshener. U.S. Pat. 4,603,030 to McCarthy discloses a system for directing at least two different scents toward at least one and not more than five persons.
The prior art discloses a wide variety of fan driven air fresheners. The prior art attempts to overcome several disadvantage of air fresheners. One disadvantage, as pointed out by Homg is that commercially available air fresheners commonly use a container to carry a liquid chemical or solid spices, permitting the smell of the liquid chemical or solid spices to be released into the air for freshening the room, motor vehicle, etc. When a liquid chemical is used for releasing a smell for freshening the air, it will be splashed over the surrounding areas when the container is shaken heavily. Therefore, a need exists for a device that will not allow liquid or solid scent material to be spilled or splashed into the room or area in which the device is to be used.
An examination of the prior shows that none of the devices is truly automatic. In other words, timers and on-off switches have been provided but none of the prior art devices introduces scent into the air of the motor vehicle or habitable structure at the same time as air is forced through the air-conditioning system into the passenger compartment of the motor vehicle or into the rooms of the habitable structure with vents for the air conditioning system. Therefore, a need exists for a device that can will introduce scent automatically at the same time that air is being introduced into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or into the room of a habitable structure by the existing air conditioning system.
All of the prior art is specific for the one area in which scent is to be introduced. The device must be positioned in the room or space where the device is to function. Thus based on the prior art a device is necessary for each room or the device must be moved from room to room. An additional disadvantage is that the device is visible in the room. Therefore, a need exists for a device that can introduce scent directly into the air conditioning duct of a motor vehicle or habitable dwelling so that the device will not be visible and it will not be necessary to install a separate device in each room or area into which a freshening scent is to be introduced.
Finally, a need exists for a device that can automatically provide a scent into the air of a motor vehicle or habitable structure without the need for frequent replenishment of the scent producing material.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an automatic air scenting system that introduces a variety of pre-selectable scents into the heating/air-conditioning duct of a motor vehicle or habitable structure comprising a perforated housing, an electric fan for drawing air through the perforated housing, a container of compressed fiber blocks soaked in a scented oil based liquid positioned within the perforated housing, and a hose connecting the housing to the duct of the heating/air conditioning system whereby the fan forces the accumulated scent through the hose into the duct. Automatic functioning is obtained by connecting the fan power lines to the on/off switch and thermostat wiring of the heating/air-conditioning system.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The apparatus of the invention is further described and explained in relation to the following figures of the drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a view of the assembled apparatus with a cutaway view into the interior.
FIG. 2 is an exploded view of a partially assembled apparatus.
FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the discussion of the figures, the same numbers will be used to refer to the same or similar components throughout. According to the present invention, FIG. 1 depicts a view of the assembled apparatus for introducing a plurality of scents into the duct of the heating/air conditioning system of a vehicle or habitable structure which consists of four main elements, a housing element 10, a canister element 80, a connecting element 100 and an external power supply 120. Air is forced through housing element 10 to carry scent from canister element 80 into the air passage or duct of the existing air conditioning system. In the preferred embodiment the power supply 120 will be the existing power supply which powers the existing air conditioning system; however, appropriate standard batteries may be adapted for independent use. Power supply 120 is controlled by an existing on/off switch and existing thermostat.
FIG. 2 shows housing element 10 opened into its two main components, container 20 and lid 40 to reveal canister element 80 which consists of cage 82 and blocks 90. Canister element 80 is the scent producing part of the apparatus. In the preferred embodiment Blocks 90 are commercially available blocks of compressed vegetable fiber such as are available from the California Scent company, 3034 South Orange Avenue, Santa Ana, Calif. 92707 under the trade name "California Spill Proof Organic Air Freshener." The compressed vegetable fiber blocks may contain some scent when obtained from the manufacturer; however, for use in the disclosed invention the blocks are further soaked in mineral oil to which any desired commercially available scent has been added because the soaking in the scented oil based liquid prolongs the life of the blocks in emitting scent. Blocks 90 may also be made from compressed cardboard where the cardboard has been shredded or ground into particles, mixed with an adhesive and pressed into blocks. Preferably the shredded cardboard would be compressed until not capable of further compression and the material becomes substantially non-compressible. Blocks 90 can also be made from joint expansion board such as Georgia Pacific 1/2" by 4" by 5' boards, Part No. 101584, where the boards can be cut into blocks and the inner fibrous material is capable of absorbing the scented oil based liquid. The blocks made from joint expansion board are capable of further compression and while suitable, will not emit scent as long as the vegetable fiber blocks which are substantially non-compressible. Blocks 90 can also be made from any suitable fibrous material with a porosity capable of absorbing a scent bearing oil based liquid such as mineral oil and the most desirable would be those that can be made to be substantially non-compressible. Blocks 90 are approximately 1 inch high, 1 inch wide and 2 inches long; however, blocks 90 can be made in any size. The preferred embodiment is the 1 inch by 1 inch by 2 inch size because that size is best for absorbing the scent bearing oil based liquid. Blocks 90 are soaked in an oil based liquid either by placing them in a receptacle holding the oil based liquid or blocks 90 are placed within canister 80 and canister 80 with blocks 90 stacked inside is placed into a receptacle holding the oil based liquid. A standard five gallon can is the easiest receptacle to use when soaking blocks 90 in the oil based liquid. In the preferred embodiment, the oil based liquid is mineral oil and any desired commercially available scent is added to the mineral oil to produce the scented oil based liquid. Blocks 90 should be soaked for approximately one hour. When the blocks 90 have become saturated or fully impregnated, they are placed in cage 82, or if soaked while in cage 82, cage 82 containing blocks 90 is lifted and placed inside container 20. Blocks 90 are packed tightly inside cage 82. Packing blocks 90 tightly slows the evaporation of the scented oil based liquid. One canister of properly soaked blocks 90 stacked within cage 82 can effectively emit scent for approximately four months. The recommended interval for re-soaking the blocks in scent bearing oil based liquid is 60 days. However, an optional procedure allows extending the time the blocks can be used without removing them for re-soaking. A plastic squeeze bottle with a nozzle is filled with the scent bearing oil based liquid and the nozzle is placed into one of air holes 42 and the scent bearing oil based liquid is squeezed from the bottle and allowed to drop onto blocks 90 inside container 20.
Cage 82 has floor 88 and plurality of walls 84. Floor 88 and walls 84 can be made from wire mesh 86 or a combination of wire mesh 86 and sheet metal 85. Cage 82 as shown is made by folding sheet metal 85 over wire mesh 86 to stiffen walls 84 and floor 88. Walls 84 and floor 88 are fixedly engaged to each other by soldering or rivets. Additionally floor 88 and walls 84 can be made of molded plastic wherein floor 88 and walls 84 are perforated with a plurality of holes allowing the passage of oil based liquid through canister cage 82. When the properly soaked blocks 90 are stacked within cage 82, canister element 80 is complete and ready for installation within container 20.
FIG. 3, shows the apparatus in a complete exploded view. Each item shall be discussed from top to bottom. Lid 40 contains a plurality of air holes 42, a plurality of fan mounting holes 48, and a plurality of lid mounting holes 49. Lid 40 has lid first side 44 and lid second side 46. Lid second side 46 has an optional annular edge 45. Lid 40 is made from strong hard plastic. Gasket 50 slides over annular edge 45 of lid second side 46. If lid 40 does not have annular edge 45, then gasket 50 is placed on lid second side 46 and lid mounting holes 49 are lined up with gasket mounting holes 52. Fan 60 is attached to lid second side 46 by means of second fasteners 14 placed in fan mounting holes 48 to engage mounting holes 61 in casing 68 of fan 60.
Fan 60 comprises a plurality of blades 62, motor 64 and casing 68 for blades 62 and motor 64. Motor 64 is electrically energizable and contained within casing 68 and connected to power supply 120 by wires 70. Blades 62 are connected to motor 64 such that operation of motor 64 creates air flow into housing element 10 through air holes 42 over and around canister element 80 and through connecting element 100 into the existing duct 130. There can be any number of blades 62 radiating from hub 63 connected to motor 64.
Wires 70 are connected to motor 64 by any standard means such as soldering, screws or contact clips. In the preferred embodiment for automotive installation, fan 60 is a Radio Shack, 12 V DC Brushless Fan, Cat. No. 273-243B .16A 1.9W. In the preferred embodiment for installation in habitable structure, fan 60 is a 120 V AC 60 Hz 22 W No. E89061 Radio Shack cooling fan Cat. 273-241C.
Canister element 80 is described above in the description of FIG. 2.
Container 20 is made from the same strong hard material as lid 40. The preferred embodiment utilizes plastic that is rigid and impact resistant. In the preferred embodiment, container 20 is injection molded in one piece. However, container 20 can also be assembled from several pieces. Container 20 comprises base 28 with rectangular planar first side 22, rectangular planar second side 24 and a plurality of rectangular planar third sides 26. First side 22 is a rectangular planar wall containing aperture 23 for receiving connector 100, second side 24 is a rectangular planar wall containing aperture 25 for receiving electrical wires 70. Third side 26 is a rectangular planar wall without any apertures. First side 22, second side 24 and a plurality of third sides 26 are fixedly connected to each other and to base 28 to form container 20. First side 22, second side 24 and third sides 26 extend upward perpendicular to base 28 to define an enclosed interior space. First side 22, second side 24 and third side 26 each have a top end and a bottom end where the bottom ends are fixedly engaged to base 28. The top ends of first side 22, second side 24 and third sides 26 define the opening of container 20 and together comprise edge 30. First side 22, second side 24, third sides 26 and base 28 can be made from molded plastic and therefore joined without any seams. If container 20 is made from metal then the sides and the base can be connected by welding. Evaporation of the scent bearing oil based liquid from blocks 90 is not appreciably affected by air holes 42; however, if the sides of container 20 are not sealed either by being formed through injection molding if plastic or by welding if made of metal, the period of time in between soaking blocks 90 will be reduced to a much shorter period of time such as 2-3 days.
Before attaching lid 40 to container 20, wires 70 are passed through aperture 25 of second side 24 of container element 20 and blocks 90 are placed within canister 80 and canister 80 is positioned upright on base 28 of container 20. Lid 40 is then positioned above container 20 and pressed down onto container so that annular edge 45 and gasket 50 engage edge 30 of container 20. First fasteners 12 are then inserted into receiving holes 49 to removably engage lid 40 to container 20. In the preferred embodiment first fasteners 12 are screws. Gasket 50 insures that there is a good seal between lid 40 and container 20. The only access for air into housing element 10 is through the plurality of holes 42.
Connecting element 100 consists of connector fitting 110 and hose 104. Connector fitting 110 has connector fitting first end 112, connector fitting second end 114 and connector fitting middle section 116. Connector fitting first end 112 is threaded so that it mates with aperture 23 in container first side 22. Connector fitting second end 114 has a friction fitting for receiving first end 102 of hose 100. Second end 104 of hose 100 is slidingly engaged with connector fitting second end 114 of another connector 110 and connector fitting first end 112 is engaged with aperture 122 in duct 130 Installation of connecting element 100 requires making aperture 122 in duct 130 by drilling, cutting or auguring. Hose 104 is approximately 1 to 2 feet in length. Hose 104 can be as long as 10 feet. However, after 10 feet the effectiveness of fan 60 in driving the air bearing the scent from housing element 10 through hose 104 and into ductwork 130 is diminished. Hose 104 is made of plastic or polyurethane and has an outside diameter of approximately 1/2" and an inside diameter of 6/16" to 1/4." Any commercially available plastic or polyurethane hose of approximately 1/2" diameter is suitable. Aperture 122 is approximately 1/2 inch in diameter and is adapted for receiving connector fitting first end 112. An optional procedure is to place a washer and nut on the threads of connector fitting first end 112 on the inside of duct 130 so that connector fitting 110 will not come loose from duct 130.
Wires 70 are connected to power supply 120 having an on/off switch and a thermostat of the heating air/conditioning system so that when the switch or thermostat is turned on power is sent to fan 62, air is drawn into housing element 10 where scent is accumulating and the air and scent are forced through hose 104 into duct 130 of the existing heating/air conditioning system. Alternatively, wires 70 are connected to a switch on a wall connected to the existing heating/air conditioning system or to the main heating/air conditioning thermostat.
Housing element 10 is mounted in the motor vehicle or habitable structure by means of brackets 29 fixedly engaged to the base of the container element. Brackets 29 contain holes for receiving third fasteners 16 which connect housing element 10 to the motor vehicle or habitable structure.
The above described invention meets the needs previously identified because canister element 80 is completely contained with housing element 10, housing element 10 does not allow scented liquids or solids to be splashed into the room or area to be freshened. Because housing element 10 is directly linked to power supply 120 the apparatus is truly automatic in that it forces scented air into duct 130 every time the existing fan driven air conditioning system is turned on either manually or by the thermostat. Finally, because housing element 10 is directly connected to duct 130 by connecting element 100 only one apparatus is necessary in order to freshen all of the room of a habitable structure.
The invention further discloses the method of introducing an air freshening scent into the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle or into the rooms of a habitable structure comprising the steps of selecting an oil based liquid with the desired scent; placing the selected oil based liquid in a vessel; placing blocks of compressed cardboard into the container containing the scent bearing oil based liquid; soaking the blocks in the container of scent bearing oil based liquid until the blocks are saturated or fully impregnated; removing the blocks and placing them in a cage; placing the cage inside a perforated housing unit containing an electrically energizable fan; connecting the fan to the power supply of the heating air conditioning system; connecting the perforated housing unit to the heating air conditioning system by means of a hose and connectors.
Those skilled in the art should appreciate that the conception and the specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. Those skilled in the art should also realize that such equivalent constructions do not depart for the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. Other alternatives and modifications of the invention will likewise become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art upon reading the present disclosure, and it is intended that the scope of the invention disclosed herein be limited only by the broadest interpretation of the appended claims to which the inventor is legally entitled.
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An automatic air scenting system that introduces a variety of pre-selectable scents into the heating/air-conditioning duct of a motor vehicle or habitable structure comprising a perforated housing, an electric fan for drawing air through the perforated housing, a container of compressed fiber blocks soaked in a scented oil based liquid positioned within the perforated housing, and a hose connecting the housing to the duct of the heating/air conditioning system whereby the fan forces the accumulated scent through the hose into the duct. Automatic functioning is obtained by connecting the fan power lines to the on/off switch and thermostat wiring of the heating/air-conditioning system.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/DE00/02306, filed Jul. 12, 2000, which designated the United States.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention:
[0003] The invention concerns the field of optical data transmission technology, and relates to a configuration for coupling optoelectronic elements, each having an optically active zone, to individually allocated optical waveguide sections. The optical waveguide sections are contained in a coupling element and optical coupling paths run between the optical waveguide sections and the optically active zones.
[0004] In the context of the invention, an optoelectronic element should be taken to be a transmitter or a receiver. When driven electrically, an optoelectronic element configured as a transmitter converts the electrical signals into optical signals, which are emitted in the form of light signals. When optical signals are applied to it, an optoelectronic element configured as a receiver converts them into corresponding electrical signals that can be taken from the output. The region of an optoelectronic element where the aforementioned signal conversions take place will also be referred to below as the optically active zone.
[0005] Further, an optical waveguide is understood as being any device for the guided delivery of an optical signal over a substantial distance in space, in particular preassembled optical waveguides and other “wave guides”.
[0006] The region within which the optical signals travel between the optically active zone and the input or output position of an optical waveguide section, which is individually allocated just to the zone, while freely propagating through air and/or another medium that is optically transparent in the wavelength range used and/or through imaging optical elements, will be referred to below as the optical coupling path.
[0007] German Patent DE 197 05 042 C1 discloses a coupling configuration of the type described in the introduction, in which e.g. twelve parallel optical waveguide sections (fibers) are disposed between two high-accuracy bores for alignment pins and are coupled to optoelectronic elements that are individually allocated to them. A support contains structured recesses, into which the optical waveguide sections are fitted, and reflecting surfaces for deflecting light.
[0008] PCT Patent Application PCT/DE99/01959 describes a multiple optical jack (ferrule). The ferrule has a jacket casing with two holding regions for holding optical waveguide sections. The holding regions are disposed above one another as viewed in the insertion direction. In order to connect two jacket casings, guide bores for guide pins may be provided extending in the insertion direction.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,030 discloses a system for coupling a plurality of optical waveguide sections, which are guided in a plurality of planes, to semiconductor chips. U.S. Pat. No. 5,230,030 does not provide any further details about the respective allocation of the optical waveguide to the semiconductor chips.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a configuration for coupling optoelectronic elements and fiber arrays which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the prior art devices of this general type, in which a large number of optical waveguide sections are coupled in a narrow space to individually allocated optoelectronic elements.
[0011] With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a coupling configuration. The coupling configuration contains optoelectronic elements having optically active zones, a coupling element, and optical waveguide sections for coupling to each of the optoelectronic elements. The optical waveguide sections are disposed in the coupling element, and the optical waveguide sections are disposed in at least two planes including a first plane and a second plane. The optical waveguide sections of different ones of the two planes are offset in relation to one another. Optical coupling paths run between the optical waveguide sections and the optically active zones. At least some of the optical coupling paths allocated to the optical waveguide sections of the first plane pass through intermediate spaces that exist between the optical waveguide sections of the second plane.
[0012] The object is achieved according to the invention, in the case of a configuration of the type mentioned in the introduction, by the fact that the optical waveguide sections are disposed in at least two planes so that at least some of the coupling paths allocated to the optical waveguide sections of one plane pass through intermediate spaces that exist between optical waveguide sections of the other plane.
[0013] By disposing the optical waveguide sections in a plurality of planes, it is possible to couple a large number of optical waveguide sections with optoelectronic elements allocated individually to them, without interference, with lower loss and without extending the coupling configuration. It is therefore possible to continue using geometries that have become established on the market (e.g. the distances of the positioning devices). The spacing (separation) of the optical waveguide sections in the individual planes allows the coupling paths, which are allocated to the optical waveguide sections of one plane, to run through intermediate spaces between the optical waveguide sections of the other plane. In this way, it is possible to couple a large number of optical waveguide sections with optoelectronic elements allocated individually to them, with a simple and compact configuration.
[0014] One embodiment of the configuration, which is particularly advantageous in terms of manufacturing technology, is distinguished by the fact that the optical waveguide sections lying in a common plane are spaced apart from one another at a constant separation, and the optical waveguide sections of different planes are offset in relation to one another.
[0015] With a view to a simple and compact configuration of the coupling paths between the optical waveguide sections and the optoelectronic elements, a further advantageous configuration of the configuration according to the invention proposes that the coupling-side end surfaces of the optical waveguide sections be ground at an angle and polished and, for example, carry a reflective coating.
[0016] With a view to particularly accurate and reliable fixing of the optical waveguide sections in the coupling element, in a preferred refinement of the invention, the coupling element contains a precision part and two slide members, which fix the optical waveguide sections in the precision part.
[0017] In addition to this, the optical waveguide sections and the slide members may be adhesively bonded in their intended position.
[0018] A further embodiment of the configuration according to the invention, which is favorable in terms of construction and saves on material, proposes that a part of the precision part protrude beyond the optoelectronic elements in the manner of a collar support.
[0019] Particularly low-loss coupling is possible, according to a further embodiment of the invention, if the coupling element has material recesses in the vicinity of the optical coupling paths.
[0020] In terms of manufacturing technology, it is particularly preferable and cost-effective to use a coupling element that is formed of a plastic and is made by precision injection molding.
[0021] A further advantageous embodiment is characterized in that the optoelectronic elements are fitted on at least one support, and the optically active zones of the optoelectronic elements are disposed in at least two rows.
[0022] With a view to simple attachment of the electrical drive system to the optoelectronic elements, the support may have electrical contacts and interconnections with the optoelectronic elements. In addition to this, the coupling element and the support may be mounted on a common casing circuit board.
[0023] Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0024] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a configuration for coupling optoelectronic elements and fiber arrays, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.
[0025] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] [0026]FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, perspective view of a configuration with optical waveguide sections fixed in a coupling element and optoelectronic elements that are fitted on a support according to the invention;
[0027] [0027]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the coupling element shown in FIG. 1 from a first side;
[0028] [0028]FIG. 3 is an enlarged rear-elevational view of an excerpt shown in FIG. 2;
[0029] [0029]FIG. 4 is sectional view taken along the line IV-IV shown in FIG. 1; and
[0030] [0030]FIG. 5 is sectional view taken along the line V-V shown in FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0031] Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a configuration containing a coupling element 1 , in which optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b are contained, and a support 3 on which optoelectronic elements 4 a, 4 b are fitted. The optoelectronic elements 4 a, 4 b are fitted to the support 3 in the form of transmission and/or reception arrays.
[0032] The coupling element 1 is formed of a precision part 5 and two slide members 6 a, 6 b and has a first side 7 , which cannot be seen in FIG. 1 (e.g. facing a connection jack which is not shown), with a first end surface 8 . A second side 9 with a second end surface 10 lies opposite the first side 7 and faces the optoelectronic elements 4 a, 4 b. In the precision part 5 , the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b run in two parallel planes 11 a, 11 b (see FIG. 3). The precision part 5 , together with the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b fixed therein and the inserted slide members 6 a, 6 b, is ground and polished on the first end surface 8 at a right angle to the planes 11 a, 11 b of the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b. On the second side 9 of the precision part 5 , a part 12 in which the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b are contained projects from the second end surface 10 in the manner of a collar support and protrudes beyond optically active zones 13 a, 13 b of the optoelectronic elements 4 a, 4 b. The two slide members 6 a, 6 b may also project over the second end surface 10 , in order to give the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b the requisite support with a view to subsequent processing (e.g. polishing), and hence protect them from damage. The part 12 has a surface 14 that is inclined by 45° in relation to the planes 11 a, 11 b of the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b. The surface 14 , together with the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b, is ground and polished. The surface is subsequently metallized. The coupling-side metallized end surfaces of the individual optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b hence act as mirrors 14 a, 14 b for a 90° beam deflection, so that the light signals travel downward from the mirrors 14 a, 14 b onto the optically active zones 13 a, 13 b of the optoelectronic elements (receivers), or from the optically active zones 13 a, 13 b of the optoelectronic elements (transmitters) to the mirrors 14 a, 14 b.
[0033] Optical coupling paths 15 a, 15 b (see also FIGS. 4 and 5), along which light signals travel, hence run between the optically active zones 13 a, 13 b and the mirrors 14 a, 14 b.
[0034] The support 3 and the coupling element 1 may be located on a non-illustrated housing circuit board, and may be the core piece of a transmission or reception module, or of a transmission and reception module (transceiver).
[0035] Holding regions 17 a, 17 b (see also FIG. 2) are formed on an upper side 16 a and a lower side 16 b of the precision part 5 . In the precision part 5 , guide bores 18 , 19 are respectively provided in a region on the left and on the right of the holding regions, which bores may extend through the entire precision part 5 and emerge on the first and second end surfaces of the precision part 5 . Guide pins, not shown in this view, which protrude from the precision part 5 over the first and second end surfaces, and via which coupling with another element may be carried out very accurately, are provided in the guide bores 18 , 19 . Advantageously, all the high-precision contours are made only in the precision part 5 .
[0036] [0036]FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the first side 7 of the coupling element.
[0037] Each of the holding regions 17 a, 17 b is bounded by two side surfaces 21 a, 22 a and 21 b, 22 b, respectively, and one base surface 23 a, 23 b and has, respectively on the upper side 16 a or lower side 16 b, an opening 24 a and 24 b, respectively. The side surfaces 21 a, 21 b, 22 a, 22 b serve to guide the slide members 6 a, 6 b. The distance between the side surfaces increases continuously, starting at the opening and continuing in the direction of the base surfaces 23 a, 23 b. The holding regions 17 a, 17 b therefore have a trapezoidal cross section.
[0038] Correspondingly, the slide members 6 a, 6 b also have a trapezoidal cross section. Side surfaces 25 a, 26 a and 25 b, 26 b, respectively, likewise assist the guidance. In the inserted state, surfaces 27 a, 27 b of the slide members 6 A, 6 B end flush with the upper side 16 a and the lower side 16 b, respectively, of the precision part. Wider surfaces 28 a, 28 b of the slide members 6 a, 6 b lie at a short distance from the base surfaces 23 a, 23 b of the holding regions 17 a, 17 b. The trapezoidal or dovetailed shape of the holding regions prevents the slide members 6 a, 6 b from falling out in the inserted state.
[0039] The centers of the guide bores 18 , 19 on the left and right of the holding regions lie on a plane that runs centrally between the planes 11 a, 11 b of the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b. For coding purposes, the guide bores 18 , 19 may also be disposed offset in order to ensure that only their matching counterparts can be inserted.
[0040] [0040]FIG. 3 shows an enlarged excerpt of the coupling element 1 , in which the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b are fixed.
[0041] The base surfaces 23 a, 23 b of the holding regions of the precision part 5 contain grooves 29 a, 29 b, which run from the first end surface 8 to the surface 14 and in which the optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b are placed. The optical waveguide sections 2 a, 2 b are therefore disposed in the two planes 11 a, 11 b in the precision part 5 of the coupling element 1 , each optical waveguide section 2 a being fastened uniquely in its position by threefold bracing on two side surfaces of the grooves 29 a and the nearby wider surface 28 a of the slide member 6 a. In addition to this, the optical waveguide sections and/or the slide members may be fastened in their intended position by a special adhesive.
[0042] The optical waveguide sections 2 a lying in a common plane 11 a are spaced apart from one another at a constant separation T. The optical waveguide sections 2 b, 2 a of different planes are offset in relation to one another by half the separation T (T/2).
[0043] [0043]FIGS. 4 and 5 show sectional representations of the configuration according to FIG. 1 along the lines IV-IV and V-V shown in FIG. 1. The line IV-IV runs along the lengthwise axis of an optical waveguide section 2 a, which is contained in the upper plane 11 a, and the line V-V runs along the lengthwise axis of an optical waveguide section 2 b, which is contained in the lower optical waveguide section plane 11 b. The precision part 5 has, in particular in the part 12 , material recesses 30 in the vicinity of the coupling paths 15 a between the optical waveguide sections of the planes 11 b.
[0044] The purpose of the material recesses 30 is to permit light signals to pass, with the least possible loss, from the optically active zone 13 a of an optoelectronic element 4 a (transmitter), through the cladding of the optical waveguide sections of the upper element 11 a, to the mirror 14 a. At the mirror 14 a, the light signals are deflected through 90° and subsequently travel via the optical waveguide section 2 a in the direction of the first end surface 8 . Conversely, light signals which, coming from the first end surface 8 , are guided in the optical waveguide section 2 a become deflected through 90° at the mirror 14 a. The light signals would then emerge from the cladding of the optical waveguide sections 2 a of the upper plane 11 a, and would propagate freely through the material recesses 30 and hence travel without interference as far as the optically active zone 13 a of the allocated optoelectronic element 4 a (receiver). The region through which the optical coupling paths 15 a, 15 b run may also be filled with an optically transparent medium.
[0045] The light signals that emerge from the claddings of the optical waveguide sections 2 b of the lower plane 11 b travel while propagating freely to the optoelectronic elements 4 b (receivers) allocated to the zones 13 b. In the opposite direction, light signals that emerge from the zones 13 b of optoelectronic elements 4 b (transmitters), would travel while propagating freely as far as the cladding of the optical waveguide sections 2 b. From there, the light signals would enter the optical waveguide sections, be deflected through 90° at the mirror 14 b and be guided as far as the first end surface 8 .
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A coupling configuration is described which contains optoelectronic elements having optically active zones, a coupling element, and optical waveguide sections for coupling to each of the optoelectronic elements. The optical waveguide sections is disposed in the coupling element, the optical waveguide sections are disposed in at least two planes including a first plane and a second plane. The optical waveguide sections of different ones of the two planes are offset in relation to one another. Optical coupling paths run between the optical waveguide sections and the optically active zones. At least some of the optical coupling paths allocated to the optical waveguide sections of the first plane pass through intermediate spaces that exist between the optical waveguide sections of the second plane.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] This disclosure generally relates to mobile devices.
BACKGROUND
[0002] There is a need for an innovative solution to validate transmission of information from a mobile device and/or reception of information at the mobile device.
SUMMARY
[0003] In some embodiments, a device is provided for approving application-based transactions. The device comprises a first communication interface, the first communication interface comprising a wireless interface (e.g., Bluetooth interface such as a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface); a second communication interface; and a processor configured to: receive a first request from a user of the device, the first request being associated with an application; conduct, over the first communication interface, a first transaction, the first transaction comprising reception of first information over the first communication interface, and send, over the second communication interface, a second request associated with the application. The first request or the second request is approved based on: determining a location associated with conducting the first transaction or sending the second request, and determining the location is an approved location associated with the application.
[0004] In some embodiments, the device is further configured to prompt a user of the device to execute the application in response to determining the device is with a threshold distance of a beacon with which the first transaction is conducted. In some embodiments, the beacon may be a Bluetooth interface such as BLE terminal.
[0005] In some embodiments, the second communication interface comprises a Wi-Fi or cellular interface.
[0006] In some embodiments, the device is comprised in or part of a motor vehicle.
[0007] In some embodiments, the second request comprises at least one of a purchase request, the first request, or the first information.
[0008] In some embodiments, the location is determined based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the device.
[0009] In some embodiments, the device comprises a mobile device or a non-mobile device.
[0010] In some embodiments, the second request is approved further based on determining a period of validity associated with the first information has not expired.
[0011] In some embodiments, the second request is approved further based on: determining an authority associated with the application; and determining the user is located in an approved jurisdiction associated with the authority for the application.
[0012] In some embodiments, the location is determined based on input received at the device.
[0013] In some embodiments, the second communication interface is associated with longer range communication compared to the first communication interface.
[0014] In some embodiments, the location is determined by at least one of the device or by a second device that receives the second request from the device.
[0015] In some embodiments, a method is provided for processing application-based transactions. The method comprises receiving information associated with an application-based transaction conducted, via a Bluetooth interface such as a BLE interface, between a user device and an application-based terminal, wherein the application-based transaction is associated with a request for executing an application; determining a location of the user device associated with the application; determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the application; and processing the application-based transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the application. The application-based transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information associated with the application-based transaction is received on a second communication interface.
[0016] In some embodiments, the user device comprises an application-based application.
[0017] In some embodiments, the application comprises a lottery application.
[0018] In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining a period of validity associated with the information has not expired, and processing the application-based request based on determining the period of validity associated with the information has not expired.
[0019] In some embodiments, the method further comprises processing the application-based transaction based on: determining a merchant associated with the location of the user device or the application-based terminal; cross-referencing a list of approved merchants associated with the location of the user device or the application- based terminal; and determining the merchant is present on the list of approved merchants.
[0020] In some embodiments, the application-based terminal comprises either an electronic application-based terminal or a non-electronic application executing terminal.
[0021] In some embodiments, another device is provided for processing application-based transactions. The device is configured to receive information associated with an application-based transaction conducted, via a Bluetooth interface such as a BLE interface, between a user device and an application-based terminal, wherein the application-based transaction is associated with a request for executing an application using the user device; and process the application-based transaction based on determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the application, wherein the location of the user device is determined either by the device or the user device. The application-based transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information is received on a second communication interface.
[0022] In some embodiments, the second communication interface is associated with longer-range communication compared to the first communication interface.
[0023] In some embodiments, the application-based transaction comprises an application-requesting transaction or an application-purchasing transaction.
[0024] In some embodiments, a device is provided for processing application-based transactions. The device comprises a first communication interface; a second communication interface; and a processor configured to: receive a first request from a user of the device, the first request being associated with an application; conduct, over the first communication interface, a first transaction, the first transaction comprising transmission or reception of first information over the first communication interface, and send, over the second communication interface, a second request associated with the application. The first request or the second request is processed based on: determining a location associated with conducting the first transaction or sending the second request, and determining the location is an approved location associated with the application.
[0025] In some embodiments, the first communication interface comprises at least one of a Bluetooth interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, a code-based interface, or a Wi-Fi interface.
[0026] In some embodiments, the second communication interface comprises a Wi-Fi or cellular interface.
[0027] In some embodiments, the first communication interface and the second communication interface are the same communication interface.
[0028] In some embodiments, the second request comprises at least one of a purchase request, the first request, or the first information.
[0029] In some embodiments, the location is determined based on global positioning system (GPS) coordinates of the device.
[0030] In some embodiments, the device comprises a mobile device or a non-mobile device.
[0031] In some embodiments, the second request is approved further based on determining a period of validity associated with the first information has not expired.
[0032] In some embodiments, the second request is approved further based on: determining an authority associated with the application; and determining the user is located in an approved jurisdiction associated with the authority for the application.
[0033] In some embodiments, the second communication interface is associated with longer range communication compared to the first communication interface.
[0034] In some embodiments, the location is determined by at least one of the device or by a second device that receives the second request from the device.
[0035] In some embodiments, a method is provided for processing application-based transactions. The method comprises receiving information associated with an application-based transaction conducted between a user device and an application-based terminal, wherein the application-based transaction is associated with a request for executing an application; determining a location of the user device associated with the application; determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the application; and processing the application-based transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the application. The application-based transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information associated with the application-based transaction is received on a second communication interface.
[0036] In some embodiments, the first communication interface comprises at least one of a Bluetooth interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, or a code-based interface.
[0037] In some embodiments, the application comprises a lottery application.
[0038] In some embodiments, the method further comprises determining a period of validity associated with the information has not expired, and processing the application-based request based on determining the period of validity associated with the information has not expired.
[0039] In some embodiments, the method further comprises processing the application-based transaction based on: determining a merchant associated with the location of the user device or the application-based terminal; cross-referencing a list of approved merchants associated with the location of the user device or the application-based terminal; and determining the merchant is present on the list of approved merchants.
[0040] In some embodiments, the application-based terminal comprises either an electronic application-based terminal or a non-electronic application executing terminal.
[0041] In some embodiments, a device is provided for processing application-based transactions. The device is configured to: receive information associated with an application-based transaction conducted between a user device and an application-based terminal, wherein the application-based transaction is associated with a request for executing an application using the user device; and process the application-based transaction based on determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the application, wherein the location of the user device is determined either by the device or the user device. The application-based transaction is conducted on a first communication interface, and the information is received on a second communication interface.
[0042] In some embodiments, the first communication interface comprises at least one of a Bluetooth interface, a near-field communication (NFC) interface, or a code-based interface.
[0043] In some embodiments, the application-based transaction comprises an application-requesting transaction or an application-purchasing transaction.
[0044] In some embodiments, a non-transitory computer readable medium may be encoded thereon with a program or code that when executed by a processor of a user device, causes the processor to perform the various methods described herein.
[0045] These and other advantages of the present disclosure will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0046] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a system environment.
[0047] FIG. 2 is a flow diagram illustrating a method for processing application-based transactions.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0048] Referring now to FIG. 1 , in some embodiments, the device 121 (either a mobile device or a non-mobile device) comprises a first communication interface for communicating with a game-playing terminal 1034 . In some embodiments, the game-playing terminal 1034 may be at a gas station. For example, the game-playing terminal 1034 may be integrated into a gas pump or be near a gas pump. Additionally or alternatively, the game-playing terminal 1034 may be located in a store in the gas station. Additionally or alternatively, the game-playing terminal 1034 may be a point-of-sale device, a kiosk, an ATM machine, a coupon terminal, an arcade game-playing machine, a vending machine, etc. In some embodiments, the device 121 may comprise or be comprised in a motor vehicle. The first communication interface comprises a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) interface. The game-playing terminal 1034 may be either an electronic or non-electronic terminal and may transmit a code to the device 121 over the first communication interface. Codes from the game-playing terminal 1034 may be transmitted continuously or during certain periods of time (e.g., when activated). A code transmitted from the game-playing terminal 1034 may be a unique identifier for the game-playing terminal 1034 . The reception of the code by the device 121 and/or the transmission of the code by the game-playing terminal 1034 may be referred as a transaction conducted between the device 121 and the game-playing terminal. Once the code is received by the device 121 , the device 121 sends a request to at least one of the gaming facilitator 125 or the financial system 129 . The request may be sent via a second communication interface (e.g., a Wi-Fi or cellular interface). The second communication interface may be associated with longer range communication compared to the first communication interface. The request may be processed based on the location of the device 121 associated with conducting the transaction or sending the request being an approved location associated with the game. The request may be processed by at least one of the device 121 , the game-playing terminal 1034 , the gaming facilitator 125 , or the financial system 129 . The location may be determined by the device 121 , by the game-playing terminal 1034 , by the gaming facilitator 125 , or the financial system 129 . In some embodiments, the location of the device 121 may be determined using GPS coordinates of the device 121 . Multi-factor authentication may be used to determine the location of the device 121 . For example, the location of the game-playing terminal 1034 (e.g., the identity of the game-playing terminal 1034 ) may be used along with the GPS coordinates of the device 121 to determine the location of the device 121 .
[0049] In some embodiments, the device 121 receives a request from a user of the device. The request may be a game-playing request or a game-purchasing request. Either request may be associated with a mobile game-playing application. In some embodiments, the mobile game-playing application is initiated on the device 121 upon detecting the presence of the game-playing terminal 1034 within the proximity of the device 121 (e.g., upon detecting a code received at the device 121 from the game-playing terminal 1034 ). In some embodiments, the device 121 may be configured to prompt a user to play a game on the mobile device in response to determining the device 121 is within a threshold distance (e.g., radius) of the game-playing terminal 1034 . In some embodiments, the request transmitted via the second communication interface may comprise at least one of the request received from the user of the device or the code received from the game-playing terminal 1034 . In some embodiments, the request is processed (e.g., approved) based on determining a period of validity associated with the code received from the device 121 has not expired. In some embodiments, the request is further processed (e.g., further approved) based on determining a gaming authority associated with the game, and determining the user is located in an approved jurisdiction associated with the gaming authority for the game.
[0050] Referring now to FIG. 2 , FIG. 2 presents a method for processing application-based transactions. In some embodiments, an application-based transaction may be a game-playing transaction. In some embodiments, an application may be a game. At block 210 , the method comprises receiving (e.g., on a second communication interface) information (e.g., from a user device) associated with an application-based transaction conducted via a first communication interface such as a BLE interface, between a user device and an application-based terminal. In some embodiments, a BLE interface may refer to any form or type of Bluetooth technology. A BLE interface is not limited to any particular minimum or maximum communication range. A BLE interface is also not limited to any particular minimum or maximum energy. In some embodiments, the wireless interface may be replaced with a wired interface. In some embodiments, both the first communication interface and the second communication interface may be the same communication interface such that the information is received via the same communication interface on which the application-based transaction is conducted. The application-based transaction is associated with a request for executing an application. At block 220 , the method comprises determining a location of the user device associated with the application. In some embodiments, the location of the user device is determined by at least one of the user device, the application-based terminal, or the device that receives (e.g., from the user device) information associated with the application-based transaction. At block 230 , the method comprises determining the user device is located in an approved location associated with the application. This determination may be made by the user device or by the device that receives the information associated with the application-based transaction. At block 240 , the method comprises processing (e.g., approving) the application-based transaction based on determining the user device is located in the approved location associated with the application. In some embodiments, processing the application-based transaction is based on determining an identity of the merchant or application-based terminal associated with the location of the user device or the application-based terminal. Once the identity of the merchant or application-based terminal is determined, the application-based transaction is approved based on determining the identified merchant or application-based terminal is on a list of approved merchants or application-based terminals. In some embodiments, the application-based terminal (or the merchant) may be identified by accessing a correlation matrix and looking up a corresponding merchant (or application-based terminal).
[0051] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/757,512, filed Feb. 1, 2013, published as US 2013/0196733, titled “Systems and Methods for Integrated Game Play Through the Use of Proximity-Based Communication on Smart Phones and Hand Held Devices,” for all purposes.
[0052] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. Application No. 61/593,762, filed Feb. 1, 2012, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATED GAME PLAY AND SALES OF STATE SPONSORED LOTTERY PRODUCTS THROUGH THE USE OF NEAR FIELD COMMUNICATION ON SMART PHONES AND HAND HELD DEVICES,” for all purposes.
[0053] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/018,276, filed Sep. 4, 2013, published as US 2014/0066194, titled “Systems and Methods for Integrated Game Play Through the Use of Barcodes on Smart Phones and Hand Held Devices,” for all purposes.
[0054] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. Application No. 61/696,533, filed Sep. 4, 2012, titled “SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR INTEGRATED GAME PLAY THROUGH THE USE OF BARCODES ON SMART PHONES AND HAND HELD DEVICES,” for all purposes.
[0055] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/958,715, filed Dec. 3, 2015, titled “PROCESSING OF A MOBILE DEVICE GAME-PLAYING TRANSACTION BASED ON THE MOBILE DEVICE LOCATION,” for all purposes.
[0056] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/958,720, filed Dec. 3, 2015, titled “PROCESSING OF A MOBILE DEVICE GAME-PLAYING TRANSACTION CONDUCTED BETWEEN THE MOBILE DEVICE AND A BLUETOOTH TERMINAL,” for all purposes.
[0057] The present application incorporates-by-reference the entirety of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/842,709, filed Mar. 15, 2013, published as US 2014/0274314, titled “Systems and Methods for Integrated Game Play at Payment-Enabled Terminals,” for all purposes.
[0058] While various embodiments in accordance with the disclosed principles have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and are not limiting. Thus, the breadth and scope of the invention(s) should not be limited by any of the above-described exemplary embodiments, but should be defined only in accordance with the claims and their equivalents issuing from this disclosure. Furthermore, the above advantages and features are provided in described embodiments, but shall not limit the application of such issued claims to processes and structures accomplishing any or all of the above advantages.
[0059] Additionally, the section headings herein are provided for consistency with the suggestions under 37 C.F.R. 1.77 or otherwise to provide organizational cues. These headings shall not limit or characterize the invention(s) set out in any claims that may issue from this disclosure. Specifically and by way of example, although the headings refer to a “Technical Field,” such claims should not be limited by the language chosen under this heading to describe the so-called technical field. Further, a description of a technology in the “Background” is not to be construed as an admission that technology is prior art to any invention(s) in this disclosure. Neither is the “Summary” to be considered as a characterization of the invention(s) set forth in issued claims. Furthermore, any reference in this disclosure to “invention” in the singular should not be used to argue that there is only a single point of novelty in this disclosure. Multiple inventions may be set forth according to the limitations of the multiple claims issuing from this disclosure, and such claims accordingly define the invention(s), and their equivalents, that are protected thereby. In all instances, the scope of such claims shall be considered on their own merits in light of this disclosure, but should not be constrained by the headings herein.
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An exemplary device is a device is for validating a short-range mobile device transaction using a long-range mobile device transaction. The device comprises a first communication interface; a second communication interface; and a processor configured to: receive a first request from the device, the first request being associated with an application; conduct, over the first communication interface, a first transaction, the first transaction comprising transmission or reception of first information over the first communication interface, and send, over the second communication interface, a second request associated with the application, the second request being based on the first transaction. The second request is processed based on: determining a location associated with conducting the first transaction or sending the second request, and determining the location is an approved location associated with the application.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a processing apparatus for an image pickup element.
2. Related Background Art
A conventional method for driving an area type solid image pickup element is achieved in the manner illustrated in FIG. 6 . An area image pickup element 101 is supplied with horizontal transfer pulses from a timing generator 909 and vertical transfer pulses via a vertical driver 105 . An image picked-up signal is read out from the area image pickup element 101 and then supplied to an analog front end 103 . The analog front end 103 sequentially performs correlated double sampling, gain adjustment and A/D conversion and supplies the processed result to a digital signal processor (DSP) 905 . The digital signal processor 905 generates an image signal constituted of a luminance signal and color difference signals, from the supplied digital signals, and outputs the generated signal to an external via a terminal 107 . The digital signal processor 905 operates in response to a clock generated by the timing generator 909 , and generates HD/VD pulses of NTSC or PAL to return them to the timing generator 909 . The timing generator 909 establishes frame synchronization by generating various read pulses for the area image pickup element 101 in accordance with the HD/VD pulses.
A conventional timing generator is designed only for each area image pickup element 101 and therefore is not compatible with other types of area image pickup elements. The timing generator is also required to be designed so as to handle not only a moving image taking mode but also a still image taking mode and a monitoring mode, in case that the image pickup element has the latter two modes in addition to the moving image taking mode. If there is any change in combination of image taking modes, it is necessary to redesign a timing generator, resulting in a high cost.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to provide a processing apparatus capable of flexibly changing the driving timings for an image pickup element.
In order to attain this object, according to an embodiment of the present invention, a processing apparatus comprises a drive pulse generator circuit for generating a drive pulse to be supplied to an image pickup element and a wave form data supply circuit for supplying wave form setting data for generating the drive pulse to the drive pulse generator circuit at each horizontal line, wherein the wave form setting data includes a wave form setting data to be set at each horizontal line and wave form setting data sharing a setting area.
Other objects and features 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 diagram illustrating an example of a driving method and system to which the present invention is applied.
FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the details of a timing generator unit 111 .
FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating how a wave form generator circuit 225 generates a wave form.
FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating CMD data.
FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the structure of circuits for generating a wave form, the circuits being built in a DSP 109 .
FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the structure of a conventional processing apparatus.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 is a diagram which best shows the features of this invention. In FIG. 1 , reference numeral 100 denotes an optical lens. An area image pickup element 101 is supplied, as will be later detailed, with horizontal transfer pulses H 1 and H 2 and a reset gate pulse RG from a timing generator unit 111 and with vertical transfer pulses V 1 , V 2 , V 3 and V 4 from the timing generator unit 111 via a vertical driver 105 . A signal picked up by the area image pickup element 101 are supplied to an analog front end 103 to be subjected to correlated double sampling (CDS), gain adjustment (AGC) and A/D conversion, in a manner similar to conventional techniques. This digitalized image signal is supplied to a digital signal processor (DSP) 109 . Similar to a conventional manner, DSP 109 generates an image signal constituted of a luminance signal and color difference signals and outputs it to an external via a terminal 107 . The DSP 109 shares a roll of generating various wave forms together with the timing generator unit 111 .
The details of the timing generator unit 111 are shown in FIG. 2 . Reference numeral 201 denotes an input terminal at which a command (hereinafter abbreviated to CMD) supplied from the DSP 109 is received. Reference numeral 203 denotes an input terminal at which a horizontal timing signal (hereinafter abbreviated to HD) supplied from the DSP 109 is received. Reference numerals 205 and 226 denote a wave form generation block. Reference numeral 207 denotes a horizontal counter, reference numeral 209 denotes a decoder for decoding an output of the horizontal counter 207 , reference numeral 221 denotes a decoder for decoding the highest level area of a CMD input, and reference numeral 222 denotes AND circuits. The wave form generation block 205 is constituted of registers 211 and 213 and a wave form generation circuit 215 . Similarly, the wave form generation block 226 is constituted of registers 223 and 224 and a wave form generation circuit 225 . The wave form generation block 205 generates the wave form of a vertical transfer pulse VX 1 . Similar blocks having the same internal structure as that of the block 226 are also provided for generating the wave forms of remaining four-phase vertical transfer pulses VX 2 , VX 3 and VX 4 , sensor gate pulses SG 1 and SG 3 to be applied to the vertical transfer pulse, a PBLK pulse designating a pre-blanking portion (a mask-timing portion for blocking the horizontal transfer pulse near in the area where the vertical transfer pulse is generated), an OB pulse designating an optical black portion and a DM pulse designating a dummy pixel. These signal wave forms differ greatly depending upon an operation mode such as blanking and normal transferring. The wave form setting data is required as CMD at each horizontal period.
The wave form generation block 226 generates the wave form of the horizontal transfer pulse H 1 . Similar blocks having the same internal structure as that of the wave form generation block 226 are also provided for generating the wave forms of a remaining two-phase horizontal transfer pulse H 2 , correlated double sampling pulses SHP and SHD, a reset gate pulse RG for supplying a reference voltage of the image pickup element 101 , and an ADCLK to be used for A/D conversion at the analog front end AFE 103 . Since the internal structure of each of these blocks is the same as that of the wave form generation block 226 , the description thereof is omitted. These signal wave forms are maintained constant irrespective of the operation mode such as blanking and normal transferring.
FIG. 4 is a diagram showing CMD data which is output starting at the trailing edge of the HD signal. Wave form setting data 401 to 409 are sequentially supplied in the order shown in FIG. 4 . Reference numeral 401 denotes an area where flags 411 to 416 to be described later are selectively output at each horizontal synchronization. Reference numerals 402 to 410 denote data fields where signals XV 1 , XV 2 , XV 3 , XV 4 , SG 1 , SG 3 , PBLK, OB and DM are set respectively. The decoder 209 decodes the data in the data fields 401 to 409 . Reference numerals 411 to 416 denote the flags “0” to “5” which are set to the upper (left) area and indicate the types of wave forms to be set. The flags “0” to “5” are used for H 1 , H 2 , SHP, SHD, RG and ADCLK, respectively. The decoder 221 decodes this upper area.
Referring to FIG. 4 , the horizontal counter 207 is reset at the trailing edge of the HD signal input to the terminal 203 , and counts up in response to each clock DCLK. The value of the horizontal counter are supplied to the decoder 209 , wave form generation block 205 and AND circuits 222 .
As to the area 401 , the decoder 209 outputs DECO having a value “1” to the AND circuits 222 to release the masking of DECA to DECB. For example, when the flag 411 is set to the area 401 , the decoder 221 outputs DECA so that the CMD data (H 1 _set) is written in the register 223 via the AND circuit 222 . In response to the next HD trailing edge, the value in the register 223 is written in the register 224 to make the wave form generation circuit 225 generate the H 1 waveform.
The operation of generating each wave form is illustrated in FIG. 3 . Reference numeral 302 denotes a trailing edge of the horizontal blanking signal. In response to this trailing edge, the wave form generation circuit 225 outputs an initial value. In the present embodiment, “1” is set to the initial value. Reference numeral 305 denotes a change point 1 upon which the contents of CMD[A] are reflected, and the wave form is inverted at this point 1 . Similarly, reference numeral 306 denotes a change point 2 upon which the contents of CMD[A] are reflected, and the wave form is inverted again at this point 2 . By repeating such an operation a plurality of times, a necessary wave form can be generated. If the number of change points is set to 0 or a greater value, a wave form not changing during the horizontal period can obviously be generated. Two change points per one horizontal period are sufficient for the mask pulse of the sensor gate pulse or horizontal transfer pulse.
The wave form generation circuit 225 is supplied with the count value from the horizontal counter 207 and with the initial value of a waveform to be described later and several change points (in this case, the change point 1 and change point 2 ) from the register 224 . When the count value of the horizontal counter 207 takes “0”, the wave form generation circuit 225 outputs the initial value. When the values of the change point 1 and horizontal counter become equal, the wave form generation circuit 225 inverts its output value. Similarly, when the values of the change point 2 and horizontal counter become equal, the wave form generation circuit 225 inverts its output value again. In this case, since the output is assumed to be a binary value, the same value is output when the level is inverted by even times.
For the vertical pulse VX 1 , i.e., for the area 402 , the decoder 209 outputs DEC 1 having a value “1” to the wave form generation block 205 . Similar to the wave form generation block 226 , the wave form generation block 205 writes the CMD data in the register 211 and writes it in the register 213 in response to the trailing edge of HD to make the wave form generation circuit 215 generate the waveform of VX 1 . The change points are prepared as many as necessary because the wave forms of vertical pulses (VX 1 , VX 2 , VX 3 and VX 4 ) and the like are complicated.
FIG. 5 shows the structure of wave form generating circuits built in DSP 109 . Reference numeral 501 denotes an input terminal to which the clock DCLK is input, reference numeral 503 denotes a vertical counter, reference numeral 505 denotes a horizontal counter, reference numeral 509 denotes a switch, reference numeral 511 denotes a command output terminal, reference numeral 513 denotes an HD output terminal, reference numeral 515 denotes an address generation unit, reference numeral 517 denotes a microcomputer bus, reference numerals 519 , 521 and 531 denote memories, reference numeral 532 denotes a switch and reference numeral 533 denotes a CPU. The vertical counter 503 and horizontal counter 505 are used for generating timings at which a two-dimensional image is read out from the area image pickup element 101 . The count values of these two counters are supplied to the address generation unit 515 . In accordance with the count values of the vertical and horizontal counters, the address generation unit 515 generates addresses and supplies them to the memories 519 , 521 and 531 . An output of the vertical counter 503 is inverted at each frame and applied to the switch 509 to alternately switch among the memories 519 and 521 . The switch 509 is connected to one input terminal of the switch 532 , and the other input terminal of the switch 532 is connected to an output terminal of the memory 531 . In accordance with the count value of the horizontal counter 505 , an output of the memory 531 is selected for the area 401 ( FIG. 4 ) and the output of the switch 509 is selected for the other areas. In this manner, the CMD data is output to the CMD output terminal 511 .
The horizontal counter 405 also generates the HD signal and outputs it to the terminal 513 .
As shown in FIG. 3 , at the terminals 511 and 513 , CMD is output at the trailing edge of the horizontal blanking signal, and this output operation is terminated after the necessary number of CMDs is output. By terminating CMD near in the horizontal blanking period, it is possible to suppress minimally CMD data from leaking into an output of the area image pickup element to become noise sources.
With this arrangement described above, data of wave form data to be generated in the next frame is written in advance in one of the memories 519 and 521 presently not selected by the switch 509 . At the next frame, the switch 509 is turned to the side of the thus-written wave form data. Data may be written in the memory 531 during the initial sequence such as a power-on or in each image pickup mode.
In the manner described above, the initial value for each of all wave forms to be generated during the horizontal period and the wave form data for predetermined number of change points for each waveform are read out and supplied to the wave form generation block 205 via the output terminal 511 and input terminal 201 .
As described so far, the wave form data to be generated is loaded in the register 211 during the previous horizontal period. The memories of large scale is provided on the side of DSP 109 which is driven at a low voltage in a later process of the operation sequence, and only the horizontal counter is provided on the side of the timing generator unit 111 for generating drive pulses of the area image pickup element. It is therefore possible to flexibly deal with change of the area image pickup element, resulting in a reduction in development cost of a DSP and a timing generator unit.
Data for the next frame is written in the memories 519 , 521 and 531 , and during the next horizontal period, the next wave form data is written in advance in the timing generator unit 111 via DSP 109 . With this arrangement, a versatile timing generator can be configured irrespective of the type of an area image pickup element. Even if a moving image pickup mode, a still image pickup mode and a monitor mode are all used, any one of these modes can be realized easily only by sequentially changing data to be written in the memories 519 , 521 and 531 .
For a versatile timing generator, a large amount of setting data is required in order to flexibly deal with a change in mode or timing, and it may happen in the worst case that the data may not be written within the horizontal blanking but may require the effective image area to be written, so that the image quality is degraded. According to the invention, however, wave form setting data which changes in the unit of line and data which does not change in the unit of line are used separately. The latter data shares the area of wave form setting values, so that it is possible to reduce the number of wave form setting data to be transferred in the unit of horizontal synchronization (line), thereby achieving to send necessary wave form setting values within a short horizontal blanking period. The invention is particularly effective for a versatile timing generator which requires to send a large number of wave form setting values.
Many widely different embodiments of the present invention may be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. It should be understood that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described in the specification, except as defined in the appended claims.
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A processing apparatus having a drive pulse generator circuit for generating a drive pulse to be supplied to an image pickup element, and a wave form data supply circuit for supplying wave form setting data for generating the drive pulse to the drive pulse generator circuit at each horizontal line, wherein the wave form setting data includes a wave form setting data to be set at each horizontal line and wave form setting data sharing a setting area.
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BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a clock generator, and more specifically, to a self-calibrating clock generator that can automatically measure the delay of an internal delay cell.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Clock generators are used in a wide range of electronic devices such as computers and communication equipment, which have specific timing requirements. Often times, delay cells are used to produce delayed versions of an original clock. Please refer to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a clock generator 10 according to the prior art. A clock signal CLK is fed into the clock generator 10 , which contains a plurality of delay cells 12 cascaded together in series. The clock signal CLK is fed from an external source, and has a reliable and consistent frequency. Each delay cell 12 has an input and an output, and can delay an inputted signal by a specific amount of time. Delayed clock signals, Delayed_CLK 1 to Delayed_CLKn, are generated from the series of delay cells 12 , with one delayed clock being taken from the output of each delayed cell.
By producing the series of delayed clocks, the clock generator 10 can produce different frequency clocks by using logic to combine the clock signal CLK with one of the delayed clock signals. For instance, suppose that Delayed_CLK 3 is delayed by exactly half of a period of clock signal CLK. A clock with twice the frequency of clock signal CLK can be generated by producing a new clock signal which is formed by using an AND gate to produce CLK AND Delayed_CLK 3 . Use of clock generators to perform this function is well known in the art, and for brevity, will not be further explained.
Unfortunately, delay cells 12 in the prior art clock generator 10 do not have a consistent delay time. Variations in manufacturing processes and variations in operating temperature can change the delay time that delay cells 12 provide. Designers of the clock generator 10 usually take the design of the delay cells 12 from a cell library that has common circuit modules already pre-built. Assuming worst-case variations in manufacturing processes and operating temperature, the actual delay time of the delay cells 12 can vary threefold. For example, it is possible for a minimum delay time of a delay cell 12 to be 0.61 ns and for the maximum delay time to be 1.84 ns. Clearly, this inconsistency in the delay time of delay cells 12 limits the ability of the clock generator 10 to generate accurate output clock signals.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is therefore a primary objective of the claimed invention to provide a self-calibrating clock generator with a clock analyzer for generating process and temperature independent clock signals in order to solve the above-mentioned problems.
According to the claimed invention, a clock analyzer includes an input port for receiving a reference clock signal from an external source, a plurality of functionally identical delay cells for delaying the reference clock signal and generating a plurality of delayed clock signals, each delayed clock signal being delayed by a unique number of delay cells, and at least one comparator for comparing the reference clock signal to the plurality of delayed clock signals and choosing a selected clock signal from the plurality of delayed clock signals that at least partially overlaps the reference clock signal.
It is an advantage of the claimed invention that the clock analyzer is able to calculate the exact delay time of each delay cell. Using this delay time, the clock generator is able to accurately generate process and temperature independent clock signals.
These and other objectives of the claimed invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, which is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a clock generator according to the prior art.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a self-calibrating clock generator according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the clock shaping circuit of the clock generator.
FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating clock shaping results.
FIG. 5 is a detailed diagram of the delay chain and the comparators.
FIG. 6 is a detailed diagram of the comparator.
FIG. 7A is a timing diagram illustrating generation of a selection signal corresponding to a delayed reference clock that overlaps the original reference clock.
FIG. 7B is a timing diagram illustrating generation of a selection signal corresponding to a delayed reference clock that does not overlap the original reference clock.
FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating comparison of the reference clock to delayed clocks.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Please refer to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a self-calibrating clock generator 20 according to the present invention. The clock generator 20 includes a delay chain 22 with a plurality of delay cells, a clock shaping circuit 24 , a plurality of comparators 26 , and a logic circuit 28 . A master clock signal Master_CLK with a predetermined period is inputted to the clock generator 20 from an external source. The Master_CLK signal is a high-precision signal, which guarantees the quality of clock signals that the clock generator 20 can generate. The Master_CLK signal is then reshaped by the clock shaping circuit 24 , which produces a Reference_CLK signal. The Reference_CLK and Master_CLK signals each have the same period, but have different duty cycles as a result of the clock shaping circuit 24 .
In order to calibrate the clock generator 20 , the Reference_CLK is then inputted into the delay chain 22 for producing a plurality of delayed signals DEL[ 0 ] to DEL[n−1 ]. Each delayed signal is delayed by a different amount, which produces many delayed versions of the Reference_CLK. Then, each delayed signal is then fed into a corresponding comparator 26 for comparing the delayed signal with the Reference_CLK signal. These comparators 26 output selection signals SEL[ 0 ] to SEL[n−1], which indicate whether waveform pulses of the corresponding delayed signal overlap waveform pulses of the Reference_CLK signal. Finally, these selection signals are fed into a logic circuit 28 for computing the delay time of delay cells in the delay chain 22 . Once the delay time has been calculated, generated clock signals Output_CLK 1 to Output_CLKm are outputted from the clock generator 20 . The clock generator 20 will be described in further detail in the following figures.
Please refer to FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 . FIG. 3 is a detailed diagram of the clock shaping circuit 24 of the clock generator 20 . FIG. 4 is a timing diagram illustrating clock shaping results. The clock shaping circuit 24 has a flip-flop 34 , at least one delay cell 30 (four are shown in this example) and an XOR gate 32 . The flip-flop 34 has an input port D, an output node Q and an output node Q″. The output node Q″ is directly connected to the input node D so that a feedback loop is established with the flip-flop 34 . The Master_CLK signal is fed into the flip-flop 34 for inputting a value located at input node D to the flip-flop 34 . For example, suppose that initial values on the nodes of the flip-flop 34 are “0” at nodes D and Q″, and “1” at node Q. Also, assume that all flip-flop transitions shown in the description of the present invention are active on the rising edge of an input clock.
When a rising edge of Master_CLK enters the flip-flop 34 , the value on output node Q becomes “1”. This value travels along two paths: through the four delay cells 30 to the XOR gate 32 , and directly to the XOR gate 32 . Since one of these paths has four delay cells 30 in it, the value “1” will have a delayed arrival at the XOR gate 32 . Thus, for a period of time equaling delay of four delay cells 30 , the XOR gate 32 will have unequal values as input. The result of this is a “1” value on the Reference_CLK outputted from the XOR gate 32 that lasts for a four-delay time period. After this four-delay time period, the XOR gate 32 has equal input values, and the Reference_CLK will have a “0” value for the remainder of the clock period. Thus, the Reference_CLK is simply a reshaped version of the Master_CLK, with exactly the same frequency. As shown in FIG. 4, the Master_CLK has a high duty cycle, but the Reference_CLK has a much lower duty cycle with a “1” value lasting for a four-delay time period. In fact, by using the clock shaping circuit 24 , it does not matter what the duty cycle of the Master_CLK is. As shown below, with use of the clock shaping circuit 24 , the clock generator 20 can more easily determine the exact delay time of a delay cell 30 .
Please refer to FIG. 5 . FIG. 5 is a detailed diagram of the delay chain 22 and the comparators 26 . The delay chain 22 contains a large number of delay cells 30 , which are used to delay the Reference_CLK by different delay amounts. The structure of FIG. 5 is used only as an example. In practice, the number delay cells 30 used can vary according to specifications used in the design of the clock generator 20 . In this example, the Reference_CLK is delayed by 44 delay cells 30 before reaching a first comparator 26 . The Reference_CLK that is delayed by a 44-delay time period then travels through the first comparator 26 , and the selection signal SEL[ 0 ] is generated. For generating additional selection signals, each subsequent selection signal is delayed by another four delay cells 30 . Therefore, the Reference_CLK delayed by a 48-delay time period produces SEL[ 1 ], the Reference_CLK delayed by a 52-delay time period produces SEL[ 2 ], and so forth. The purpose of the comparators 26 is to compare delayed versions of the Reference_CLK with the actual Reference_CLK. That is, the comparators determine if a delayed first period of the Reference_CLK overlaps a second period of the Reference_CLK. If so, the corresponding selection signal is identified, and the number of delay cells 30 connected to the comparator 26 which produced the selection signal is calculated. As shown in FIG. 2, the logic circuit 28 can then calculate the delay time of each delay cell 30 by dividing the period of the Reference_CLK by the number of delay cells 30 connected to the identified comparator 26 .
Please refer to FIG. 6, FIG. 7A, and FIG. 7 B. FIG. 6 is a detailed diagram of the comparator 26 . FIG. 7A is a timing diagram illustrating generation of a selection signal corresponding to a delayed Reference_CLK that overlaps the original Reference_CLK. FIG. 7B is a timing diagram illustrating generation of a selection signal corresponding to a delayed Reference_CLK that does not overlap the Reference_CLK. As an example, these three figures will use delayed signal DEL[n−1] and selection signal SEL[n−1] for illustration purposes. In the comparator 26 , both the delayed signal DEL[n−1] and the Reference_CLK are fed into an AND gate 40 . This means that only when the two signals overlap will the AND gate 40 output a “1” value. The comparator 26 also includes first, second, and third flip-flops 42 , 44 , 48 , and an XOR gate 46 . The first flip-flop 42 has an output node Q 1 ″ directly connected to an input node D 1 . This causes the output Q 1 to toggle between “1” and “0” with each pulse of the Reference_CLK. The output node Q 1 is connected directly to the XOR gate 46 and also to an input node D 2 of the second flip-flop 44 . Thus, an output Q 2 of the second flip-flop 44 is exactly the opposite of Q 1 .
Since Q 1 and Q 2 are both fed into the XOR gate 46 , the output of the XOR gate 46 will always be 1 when DEL[n−1] overlaps the Reference_CLK. The output of the XOR gate 46 is fed into the third flip-flop 48 at input node D 3 , and output Q 3 of the third flip-flop 48 is labeled as SEL[n-1]. Consequently, as shown in FIG. 7A, SEL[n−1] will have a constant value of “1” when DEL[n−1] overlaps the Reference_CLK. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 7B, SEL[n−1] will have a constant value of “0” when DEL[n−1] does not overlap the Reference_CLK.
Please refer to FIG. 8 . FIG. 8 is a timing diagram illustrating comparison of the Reference_CLK to delayed clocks. Five delayed signals DEL[ 0 ], DEL[ 1 ], DEL[ 2 ], DEL[ 3 ], and DEL[ 4 ] are shown with respect to the original Reference_CLK. FIG. 8 is used only as an example, and numbers are chosen for ease of explanation. In FIG. 8, a second and a third pulse of Reference_CLK are shown. For the sake of the following discussion, a pulse will refer to the binary “1” part of a clock period. A first pulse of the Reference_CLK is not shown because the first pulse cannot be compared with the delayed signals in real time. In order to properly calibrate the clock generator 20 , comparators 26 determine which delayed signal has a pulse that overlaps a pulse of the Reference_CLK. The second pulse of Reference_CLK begins at time t0 and ends at time t1. Likewise, a third pulse of the Reference_CLK begins at time t2 and ends at time t3. Either the second, the third, or any subsequent pulse of the Reference_CLK can be used for comparison with the delayed signals. However, for this example, only the second pulse will be used.
As shown in FIG. 8, delayed signal DEL[ 0 ] does not overlap the second pulse of the Reference_CLK since it ends before time t0. However, delayed signal DEL[ 1 ] overlaps the second pulse of the Reference_CLK since it ends between times t0 and t1. Likewise, delayed signal DEL[ 2 ] also overlaps the second pulse of the Reference_CLK since it begins between times t0 and t1. Neither delayed signal DEL[ 3 ] nor DEL[ 4 ] overlap the second pulse of the Reference_CLK, and are not used in calibration. In summary, both delayed signal DEL[ 1 ] and DEL[ 2 ] overlap the second pulse of the Reference_CLK, and either one could be used to aid in calibration. Corresponding selection signals SEL[ 1 ] and SEL[ 2 ] would both have a constant value of “1”. For simplicity, however, only delayed signal DEL[ 1 ] will be used in the following explanation of the calibration process.
The next step in the calibration process is to calculate the exact delay time of each delay cell 30 . This can be done by dividing the period of the Reference_CLK by the number of delay cells that the delay signal DEL[ 1 ] was delayed by. For example, suppose that the delay signal DEL[ 1 ] was delayed by 48 delay cells 30 . Also, suppose that the Reference_CLK has a frequency of 12.288 MHz, or a period of 81.38 ns. Then, the delay time of each delay cell 30 is computed to be 81.38 ns/48=1.69 ns. With this information in hand, the clock generator 20 can accurately generate additional clock signals by computing exactly how many delay cells 30 are necessary to produce a desired delay time.
Compared to the prior art, the clock generator 20 of the present invention is able to calculate the delay time of each delay cell 30 in the delay chain 22 . Because the delay time can vary due to changes in manufacturing processes and temperature, knowing the exact delay time for each delay cell 30 is essential when generating outputted clock signals. The present invention clock generator 20 is self-calibrating, and can calibrate as often as desired. For instance, the clock generator could be programmed to calibrate every 10 minutes, or whenever a temperature change larger than a threshold value is detected. Therefore, the clock generator 20 can work in all environments.
Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. For example, although the preferred embodiment of the present invention utilizes a plurality of comparators to simultaneously check a plurality of delayed clock signals, it is fully possible to construct an alternative embodiment that uses a single comparator that compares the reference clock signal to a selected delayed clock signal that comes from a selecting unit. The selector would select one of the plurality of delayed clock signals, and feed this selected delayed clock signal to the comparator. When the comparator generates an output affirming that the selected delayed clock signal overlaps the reference clock signal, the delayed clock signal that is selected by the selector is noted by the logic circuit and timing determination proceeds accordingly. Otherwise, the selector is instructed to select another delayed clock signal from the plurality of delayed clock signals, and feed this newly selected clock signal into the comparator. Proceeding in such a serial fashion, all of the delayed clock signals can be tested until one (or more) is found that overlaps the reference clock signal. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
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A clock analyzer includes an input port for receiving a reference clock signal from an external source, a plurality of functionally identical delay cells for delaying the reference clock signal and generating a plurality of delayed clock signals, each delayed clock signal being delayed by a unique number of delay cells, and at least one comparator for comparing the reference clock signal to the plurality of delayed clock signals and choosing a selected clock signal from the plurality of delayed clock signals that at least partially overlaps the reference clock signal.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the preparation of polymer materials and a method of making those materials. Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to coated fabrics, extruded wire cables, pipes, blow-molded articles, etc.
There are a variety of procedures currently used to produce textiles coated with polymer based materials. Among these are spread coating, melt calendaring, and extrusion. Spread coating is particularly applicable to vinyl plastisol systems.
There are problems with materials made by spread coating of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastisol. They include difficulties stemming from the fact that these systems contain a liquid and that these systems are based on PVC. A system that contains a liquid plasticizer is subject to plasticizer loss from exudation, evaporation, or extraction. Such loss can reduce the physical properties of the coated fabric and result in a brittle material that is prone to cracking. The loss can also produce problems because of the presence of the escaped plasticizer. An example of this is the buildup of plasticizer on the interior surfaces of automobile windows in cars that are exposed to higher than ambient temperature. The presence of PVC in fabric systems can be detrimental. For example the hydrochloric acid generated by PVC in a fire can be detrimental. PVC containing materials are therefore excluded from certain applications.
The present invention allows for a coating material that can be applied in a manner similar to PVC spread coatings. The resulting fabric system, after curing, has no liquid component that could migrate or be extracted. It is also free of halogens and would not produce hydrochloric acid upon combustion. In addition, these new polymer products of the present invention would have enhanced physical and chemical properties relative to a PVC plastisol based system. Such improvements would include any combination of low temperature flexibility, weatherability, tensile properties (such as tensile strength at break, percent elongation at break, and tensile yield strength as measured in accordance with ASTM test method D638), abrasion resistance, and compression set (as measured by ASTM test method 395B).
Another important advantage of the system of the present invention is that with only modest modifications it can be run on a PVC plastisol coating line. This permits manufacturers of coated fabrics to use this new technology in their current production lines without major equipment modifications. The modest modifications needed would be in the area of preparing the casting fluid and in the temperature of the spread coating step.
Melt calendering is conventionally used in the application of polymeric coatings to fabrics. The current invention provides significant advantages over conventional polymeric coatings in that process both in terms of processing advantages and in enhanced product properties. The viscosity of the coating material is a major factor in the speed at which fabric can be coated in a melt calendering operation. By providing lower viscosities of the coating material, the present invention can be used to increase the rate of fabric coating and thus reduce the manufacturing cost. The viscosity of the coating material also has an effect on the forces that tend to push the calendering rolls apart. This action tends to produce differences in the thickness of the coating delivered to the fabric substrate. Coating produced at the center of the roll tends to be thicker than the coating at the edge of the roll. Lowering the viscosity of the coating fluid will reduce this difference and thus lead to a fabric with a more uniform coating.
The lowering of viscosity can also be used to increase the physical properties of the final coated fabric. Very high molecular weight polyolefins have physical properties, such as strength, which make them desirable as fabric coatings. In conventional melt processing their viscosity would be too high to allow fabric coating, without resorting to temperatures which would degrade the polymer and the fabric. Such a very high molecular weight polyolefin can be formulated into a coating fluid with an acceptable viscosity using this invention.
The resulting cured system would have enhanced physical properties, in part due to the elevated molecular weight of the base polymer, and in part due to the benefit obtained from the chemical bonding and polymerization of the liquid components during curing. These improvements in the base properties of the base polyolefin would include any combination of improved impact strength, stronger bonding to the fabric, improved printability and paintability, and better abrasion resistance.
Extrusion coating is a common technique used to apply a polymeric material to a fabric substrate. This process typically involves the generation of a high temperature melt that is forced through a die at a high shear rate. The dies needed to coat wider sheets, such as two meters in width, require the polymer melt to undergo high temperature and a high shear rate. This requires high pressure and expensive equipment. This process can also lead to polymer degradation.
The present invention greatly reduces the temperature, pressure and shear rate requirements needed to practice extrusion coating. This has the benefit of allowing the use of less expensive equipment and reduces the possibility of degradation of the polymeric system due to exposure to excessive temperature or shear rate. As in the calendering case, the physical properties of the resulting polymer coated fabric can be enhanced through the use of higher molecular weight polymers than would be possible to use in the conventional process.
The resulting cured system would have enhanced physical properties, in part due to the elevated molecular weight of the base polymer, and in part due to the benefit obtained from the chemical bonding and polymerization of the liquid components into a superior cross-linked network during curing.
EP AO 605 831, dated Jul. 13, 1994 to Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co. discloses the use of a copolymer of ethylene derived from using metallocene catalyst for food wrap stretched films, with specific thicknesses and properties.
WO A 94 09060, dated Apr. 28,1994 to Dow Chemical Co. discloses the use of metallocene catalyst derived linear ethylene polymers as a film for packaging purposes, with specific additives and properties.
WO A 96 04419, dated Feb. 15,1996 to Forbo-Nairn Ltd. discloses the use of single-site catalyzed polyalkene resin with various additives for the production of sheet materials for rigid floor coverings. It has now been discovered that metallocene catalyzed polyolefins in combination with a different liquid monomer components can be formulated with additives into superior flexible coated fabric products.
WO A 96 11231, dated Apr. 18, 1996 to Henkel discloses a mixture of polymers and unsaturated carboxylic acids, alcohols with plasticizers which are not dissolved in the polymer phase below the film forming temperature. Whereas the current polymer/monomer (P/M ) invention is devoid of a plasticizer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Recently, new synthetic methods have been developed for preparing polyvinyl chloride (PVC) substitute products in various different product applications because consumers and regulators have considered that the use of PVC in certain applications is undesirable, particularly if these products may be subjected to combustion, forming chlorine derivatives or exposure to food where the leachability of plasticizer, may cause toxicity.
In accordance with the present invention, the polymer/monomer allows for a coating system that can be applied in a manner similar to PVC spread or plastisol coatings and is substitutable in existing spread coating, melt calendaring or extrusion processing equipment, yet produces a resulting fabric system, after curing, that has no liquid component that can migrate or be extracted and is also free of halogens that would produce hydrochloric acid upon combustion. In addition the polymer/monomer system of the present invention can be reformulated and tailored to provide enhanced physical and chemical properties relative to a PVC plastisol systems such that the resulting fabric has improved flexibility, light stability, weatherability and durability (scuff resistance ) compared with existing products.
Also in accordance with this invention, the formulation and the properties targeted for the polymer/monomer system are substantially different from previously disclosed art (WO 96/04419) in that they are not rigid, rather they are designed to be highly flexible, suitable for impregnation so as to provide superior wetting capability with superior adhesion to fabrics and substrates that are coated, then cured.
The present invention is achieved by performing steps of the present invention under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure to adventitious air (oxygen).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a knife-over-roll coater.
FIG. 2 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a knife-over-belt coater.
FIG. 3 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a direct roll coater.
FIG. 4 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a nip fed reverse roll coater.
FIG. 5 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a rod coater.
FIG. 6 shows the process of manufacture of a cured coated fabric using a knife-over-roll reverse roll coating process.
FIG. 7 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a melt calendering coater.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other objects and many attendant features of this invention will become readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a knife-over-roll coater. The uncoated fabric 1 is fed over a backing roll 2, at the top of this roll the P/M fluid 3, is applied onto the fabric. The distance between the knife 4, and the fabric determines the thickness of the coating that is delivered to the fabric as it moves under this knife to produce the coated fabric 5 that is removed from the roll.
FIG. 2 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a knife-over-belt coater. The uncoated fabric 7, moves onto an endless belt 8, that connects a driven support role 9, and a free support roll 10. As the fabric moves across the top of this belt the P/M fluid 11, is applied to it just prior to a knife 12. The height of the knife above the fabric determines the thickness of the coating that is applied to the fabric as it moves under the knife. The coated fabric 13, is then removed from the belt as the belt moves down over the end roller.
FIG. 3 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a direct roll coater. The uncoated fabric 15, moves into the nip of two rolls, an upper roll 16, and a lower coating roll 17. The lower roll projects into a container 18, that holds the P/M fluid 19. Roll 17 picks up an amount of this fluid and transports it to the nip area where the fabric is passing between the two rolls. The distance between the two rolls determines the amount of P/M fluid that is coated onto the lower surface of the fabric. The coated fabric 20 moves away from the nip of the rolls on the opposite side of the coater.
FIG. 4 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a nip fed reverse roll coater. The uncoated fabric 17, moves between a backing roll 18, and a casting roll 19. The P/M fluid 20, is applied to the casting roll between two doctor blades 21. The fluid is metered onto the casting roll by traveling between the casting roll and a metering roll 22. The gap between these two rolls controls the amount of the P/M fluid that moves forward on the casting roll to contact the fabric at the nip between the casting roll and the backing roll. At that point a coating of the P/M fluid is transferred to the top surface of the fabric. A pan 23, collects any excess P/M fluid that might fall from the casting roll after it passes through the nip with the backing roll. The coated fabric 24, is drawn away from this nip between the backing roll and the casting roll.
FIG. 5 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a rod coater. The uncoated fabric 27, passes from the unwind roll 40, through the web guide sensor 42, around the s-wrap rolls 45, and around the back-up roll 38. At the backup-roll the fabric comes in contact with the P/M fluid 41, at a coating puddle 35. This coating puddle is formed by an edge dam 29, a coating pan 30, and the fabric. The P/M fluid is moved by a pump 43, to the coating puddle through a control valve 44, and the supply line to the pan 33. The fabric with run back from the metering rod 10, moves from the coating puddle to coating rod 32. The coating rod is held against the fabric by the rod support rod 31. The coated fabric 28, moves from coating rod over an adjustable roller 37, and into the curing over 39.
FIG. 6 shows the process of manufacture of a cured coated fabric using a knife-over-roll reverse roll coating process. The uncoated fabric 50, moves from the unwind drum 49, through an accumulator 51, to a backing roll 52. At the nip between the backing roll and the casting roll 53, the P/M fluid is transferred from the casting roll to the fabric. The P/M fluid 54, is metered onto the casting roll by passing under the knife 55. The gap between the knife and the casting roll determines the thickness of the coating. The P/M fluid is prepared in a continuous mixer 56, and transferred to the casting roll. The uncured coated fabric 57, moves from the coating operation to a curing oven 58. The coating cures in a free radical polymerization while passing through this oven. From the oven the fabric passes over cooling rolls 59, through an accumulator 60, and then the cured coated fabric 61, is wound upon the re-wind roll 62.
FIG. 7 shows the process of applying the P/M fluid to a fabric using a melt calendering coater. The P/M fluid 65, is introduced into a three roll calendering stack 66. The amount of P/M fluid that is carried forward on the mill rolls is determined by the gap at the nip between the first two rolls. Uncoated fabric 67 is introduced into the calendering roles between the second and third rolls. At the nip between these rolls the P/M fluid coats the fabric. The coated fabric 68 is the removed from the bottom of the third roll.
For superior results, the application and curing should be carried out under a blanket atmosphere of an inert gas (including but not limited to nitrogen, argon, helium, etc.) without exposure of the support (if any e.g., fabric) or P/M fluid (melt) to adventitious air (oxygen). In particular, the curing ovens shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 should be inert gas ovens with forced circulation.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Polymer/Monomer (P/M) Fluid Preparation
This invention includes several different processing steps that result in the effective preparation of a superior coated fabric. Such coated fabrics being suitable for such uses in upholstery, convertible tops, truck covers, outdoor furniture, tarpaulins, ground cloths, roofing, conveyor belts, gaskets, wallcovering, curtains, book coverings, clothing, awnings, signs, tents, luggage, shoes, and the like. The exact details of the these steps are tailored for the general nature of the application process. These application processes include spread coating, melt calendering, extrusion, and other ways know to one skilled in the art.
The basic components involved in the preparation of the fluid are: preformed polymers, polymerizable liquids, initiators, and optionally a wide range of additives such as fillers, fibers, blowing agents, fire retardants, processing aids, impact modifiers, dyes, pigments, and the like.
The use of an initiator is needed for this invention when thermal or photochemical curing is desired.
The curing process involves the free radical polymerization of the liquid. Initiators are not essential if high energy radiation, such as electron beams, gamma rays or other forms of high energy radiation are used to cause the curing to occur. A particularly useful procedure for the preparation of this fluid is to add the initiator after all other components have been combined and thoroughly mixed, most desirably under inert conditions. Adding the initiator in a liquid form to the polymer/monomer fluid and obtaining a uniform mixture by a low shear process, that does not produce "hot spots", is particularly advantageous. Such an approach reduces the risk of initiating the curing reaction too early in the process. If curing by a thermal process is desired, it is necessary to keep the temperature of the polymer/monomer/initiation fluid at least 20 degrees Celsius (C) below the curing temperature and desirable to keep this difference at 50 or more degrees C.
The preparation of the P/M fluid can be carried out in several ways including batch and continuous processes. The essential elements involve bringing the ingredients together in a closed system in an environment where heat and mixing can be applied in an atmosphere of inert gas (e.g., nitrogen). We have surprisingly found in the present invention that the presence of air (oxygen) has a strongly detrimental effect on the P/M polymerization process so that it is advantageous to exclude air as much as possible, especially from the initial stages of the process.
When initiating free radicals are formed (e.g., from thermal decomposition of peroxide), these free radicals add to residual olefinic bonds in the polyolefin to give polymer chain radicals with the radical site initially localised on a terminus of the site of the reactive double bond in the polymer chain. (Metallocene polyolefins have olefinic double bonds in exceptionally reactive and available mobile terminal positions). Abstraction of hydrogen from saturated carbon at positions on the polymer chain can similarly result in polymer chain free radical formation.
In the present invention, when oxygen is excluded, these polymer chain radicals participate in carbon--carbon bond formation in an array of polymerization, grafting and cross-linking processes to form superior cross-linked networks involving both other polyolefin chains and reactive functional groups in the polymerizable liquid.
There is an equilibrium concentration of polymer chain radicals. The actual concentration of these radicals reflects the balance of the processes leading to radical formation and of the processes leading to radical consumption. The position of this equilibrium is therefore affected by the concentration of molecular oxygen present and by the relative mobilities (diffusion), inherent reactivities and concentration of the available reactive monomers. When molecular oxygen is present in significant concentrations, oxygen can diffuse rapidly throughout the melt and react efficiently with polymer free radicals as they are formed, resulting in fewer polymer radical sites participating in the desired constructive new carbon--carbon bond forming processes.
Where the added monomers are relatively unreactive, the sensitivity to the presence of oxygen is high. Where the added monomers are exceptionally reactive, sensitivity to the presence of oxygen is lower. Clearly the concentration of oxygen should ideally be as low as possible. The present invention considers mostly physical methods for the removal or dilution of oxygen, e.g., by vacuum, by working under an inert gas atmosphere.
The extent of the enhancement of physical properties reflects the efficiency with which air (oxygen) has been excluded, especially during the initial stages of the process.
It is known that molecular oxygen, particularly in the presence of a transition metal catalyst can oxidize organic materials in efficient reactions (Reference: "Oxidations in Organic Chemistry", M. Hudlicky, ACS Monograph 186, page 4 and references cited). It is noted that judicious application of such chemical reactions could be used to consume molecular oxygen and thus lower its concentration.
A batch process could involve the use of one of the many types of commercial mechanical mixers used in the plastic or rubber industry, for example a Brabender internal mixer (C W Brabender Instruments Inc., South Hakensack, N.J.). The polymer, monomer, and optional ingredients could be charged to the enclosed mixing chamber, under nitrogen or other inert atmosphere, the mixture heated and mixed with the two spiral-shaped rotors, and when a uniform fluid has been produced, this can be removed through the bottom discharge port. An initiator could be added ideally under inert atmosphere and mixed into the P/M fluid just before discharge from the Brabender.
For superior results, the ingredients could be subjected to one or more cycles of vacuum degassing followed by equilibration under an inert gas atmosphere, prior to storage under a positive pressure of inert gas. Ideally transfer of the degassed materials to the mixing chamber (which is itself under a blanket of inert gas) takes place without exposure of any of the materials to adventitious oxygen.
The P/M fluid can be made in a continuous manner using a variety of devices such as an extruder or a continuous mixer, ideally under inert atmosphere. In an extruder, such as a twin screw Welding Engineers (Welding Engineers Inc., Blue Bell, Pa.), the polymer and solid additives would be added at the feed throat at the initial section of the extruder, ideally under inert atmosphere. The monomer and liquid additives could be added at one, or more, liquid addition ports in subsequent barrel sections ideally under inert atmosphere. This would produce a uniform P/M fluid at the discharge end of this device. The initiator could be added at the very end of the extrusion operation.
Ideally all of these materials, additives, etc. would have been thoroughly degassed (for instance as described above) and added under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of any of the ingredients or melt to adventitious air (oxygen). A well-mixed initiator in P/M fluid could be obtained by injection of the liquid initiator into the P/M fluid stream just before an in line motionless mixer, for example, a Komax in-line mixer unit (Komax Systems, Inc., Wilmington, Calif.) ideally under inert atmosphere.
In continuous mixers, such as the range produced by Farrel (Farrel Corp., Ansonia, Conn.), good P/M fluids can also be produced. This system resembles a Brabender, but has the ability of taking a continuous feed of solid and liquid ingredients and producing a continuous stream of fluid from its discharge port.
Again, ideally all of these materials, additives, initiators, etc. would have been thoroughly degassed (for instance as described above) and added under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of any of the ingredients or melt to adventitious air (oxygen). The chamber and the internal volumes of the mixer would be under inert gas atmosphere.
The P/M fluid has three major components and many possible optional components. The major components are: preformed polymer component(s), liquid monomer component(s) and optionally an initiator component. Each of these components can be a single compound or a mixture of two or more compounds. Based upon the content of the three major components, the weight percent of the polymer components is between about 40% and 95%, preferably between 50% and 80%; the weight percent of the monomer component(s) is between about 5% and 60%, preferably between 20% and 50%; and the weight percent of the initiator component (if used) is between about 0.01% and 10%, preferably between 0.1% and 5%.
The range of polymers and elastomers that can be used in accordance with the present invention includes but is not limited to polyolefin polymers, copolymers, and terpolymers prepared by any known polymerization technique--such as free radical, Ziegler-Natta, single-site catalyzed (metallocene) etc. Moreover with such polymers all of the possible polymer isometric structures can be utilized--such as straight chain, branched, stereoregular, etc. The hydrocarbon polymer chains may also be substituted in known manner, e.g., by the use of monomers containing substituents such as, but not limited to, for instance: aromatic (e.g., mononuclear, multinuclear, homonuclear, heteronuclear, heterocyclic), aliphatic (e.g. branched, linear), cyclic (bridged, unbridged), olefin, diene, triene, ester, silane, nitrile, ketone, carboxylic acid, amide, halogen and other chemical groups, functional monomers or by post-polymerization functionalization. Copolymers of ethylene and vinyl acetate monomers or polymers (such as Enathene, an ethylene/butyl acrylate copolymer from Quantum Chemical, Cincinnati, Ohio) would be examples of such materials.
Polymers prepared by extruder reaction grafting of monomers, such as maleic anhydride, to non-functional polyolefins would also be examples of polymers which could be utilized in the present invention. Polymer systems prepared by reactive combination or alloy formation of polyalkenes with other polymers, such as elastomers or rubbers, (for example: by the dynamic vulcanization process that is used to prepare "Santoprene", "Geolast", Trefsin", Dytron", Vyram", "VistaFlex" (Advanced Elastomer Systems, Akron, Ohio) and the like) are also examples of polymers that can be utilized in the present invention.
The liquid monomer compounds that can be used in accordance with the present invention are those that are fully miscible with the main polymer component(s).
In principle liquid monomers containing substituents such as, but not limited to, for instance: aromatic (e.g., mononuclear, multinuclear, homonuclear, heteronuclear, heterocyclic), alphatic (e.g., branched, linear), cyclic (bridged, unbridged), olefin, diene, triene, ester, nitrile, ketone, carboxylic acid, amide, halogen and other chemical groups could be used, provided they are fully miscible with the polymer components. They need not, and would normally not, be solvents for any of the optional components such as inorganic fillers, impact modifiers, pigments, fire retardants, etc.
From the above discussion of mechanism, it is clear that if the polymeric carbon radicals lose their radical character for instance by abstraction of hydrogen from a proton source (e.g. from a phenol group in a thermal stabilizer or from a hydroxyl group present as a monomer substituent), the radical site is no longer able to participate directly in new carbon--carbon bond propagating processes. It is therefore crucial to avoid using polymers, monomers, fillers, and additives, etc. which can serve as sources of hydrogen to "kill" propagating radical sites.
Compounds that can make up the initiator component are those that produce free radicals in response to certain external conditions. These include both thermal and photochemical initiators. Thermal initiators are compounds that generate free radicals at elevated temperatures.
Many classes of free radical generators can be used, but materials in the peroxide, ketone peroxide, peroxydicarbonate, peroxyester, hydroperoxide, and peroxyketal families are of particular use. The characteristic needed in these compounds is that they do not generate free radicals, i.e., remain essentially dormant, and during the initial mixing, compounding, but do decompose to produce free radicals at an appropriate rate to initiate a polymerization of the monomer when the temperature is increased. For example, a material such as t-butyl perbenzoate has a half life of over 1000 hours at 100 degrees Centigrade, while having a half life of less than 2 minutes at 160 degrees Centigrade. In a P/M system containing such an initiator, it would be possible to process the system into the finished product form (i.e, shape or configuration) at 100 degrees Centigrade and then cure the system by a brief exposure at 160 degrees Centigrade.
Photochemical initiators are compounds that interact with radiation, such as ultra violet (UV) light to produce free radicals. Examples of such types of materials include benzildimethyl ketal, benzophenone, alpha hydroxy ketone, ethyl 4-(dimethylamino)benzoate, and isopropylthioxanthone. When such photochemical initiators are incorporated into a P/M fluid, the resulting "green" coated fabric can be cured by exposure to UV radiation.
When free radical generation is accomplished, (for instance by thermal decomposition of peroxide or through the use of photochemical initiators or by exposure to electron beam or by exposure to gamma radiation, etc.), it is generally highly desirable to work in a closed system under an inert gas atmosphere (e.g. nitrogen) in an environment where effective precautions are taken to prevent significant contact with atmospheric air (oxygen) in order that the resulting cured system has optimally enhanced physical properties. The presence of air (oxygen) has a strongly detrimental effect on P/M polymerization processes so that it is advantageous to remove and exclude air as much as possible, both from the starting materials, additives, initiators, etc., from the processing equipment including the feeders, etc.
Materials that promote cross-linking are an important optional ingredient for the P/M system. In most applications, cross-linking will enhance the desired properties of the polymer coated fabric. This class of additive will therefore be used in most application areas. Cross-linking of the polymer formed from the liquid monomer can be promoted by including polyfunctional monomers. Such materials contain two or more reactive functional groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical polymerization.
General formulas for some useful cross-linkable materials include, but are not limited to:
a. Organometallic systems R 1 R' 1 MX 1 Y 1 , where X and Y are alkyl or aryl residues containing alkyl or aryl residues containing chemical structures such as, but not limited to, olefinic, vinylic, acetylenic, diene, groups and/or chemical functional groups containing elements such as, but not limited to, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen, such as, for example, (but not limited to), ester, nitrile, ketone, peroxide, and disulphide groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; M is Ti, Zr, Si or Sn; and R and R' are organic or inorganic residues that are relatively unreactive, X may be chemically identical to Y. R may be chemically identical to R'.
b. Organometallic systems R 1 MX 1 Y 1 Z 1 , where X, Y and Z are alkyl or aryl residues containing alkyl or aryl residues containing chemical structures such as, but not limited to, olefinic, vinylic, acetylenic, diene, groups and/or chemical functional groups containing elements such as, but not limited to, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen, such as, for example, (but not limited to), ester, nitrile, ketone, peroxide, disulphide groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; M is Ti, Zr, Si or Sn; and R is an organic inorganic residue that is relatively unreactive. X, Y and Z may be chemically identical.
c. Organometallic systems MX 1 Y 1 Z 1 Z', where X, Y, Z' and Z are alkyl or aryl residues containing chemical structures such as, but not limited to, olefinic, vinylic, acetylenic, diene, groups and/or chemical functional groups containing elements such as, but not limited to, sulphur, oxygen and nitrogen, such as, for example, (but not limited to), ester, nitrile, ketone, peroxide, and disulphide groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; M is Ti, Zr, Si or Sn and R is an organic residue that is relatively unreactive; X, Y, Z and Z' may be chemically identical.
d. Organic systems MX 1 Y, where X and Y are alkyl or aryl residues containing functional groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; and M is formally a hydrocarbon residue (substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic, homonuclear or heterocyclic, mononuclear or multinuclear). X may be chemically identical to Y.
e. Organic systems MX 1 Y 1 Z 1 , where X, Y and Z are alkyl or aryl residues containing functional groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; and M is formally a hydrocarbon residue (substitute or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic, homonuclear or heterocyclic, mononuclear or multinuclear). Y, Y and Z may be chemically identical.
f. Organic systems MX 1 Y 1 Z 1 Z', where X, Y, Z and Z' are alkyl or aryl residues containing functional groups that can be grafted onto a polymer or incorporated into a growing polymer chain in a free radical process; and M is formally a hydrocarbon residue (substituted or unsubstituted, aliphatic or aromatic, homonuclear or heterocyclic, mononuclear or multinuclear). X, Y, Z and Z' may be chemically identical.
Examples of such materials include, but are not limited to dibutyltindiacrylate, tetraallyltin, diallyldiphenylsilane, 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, hexaalkoxymethylmelamine derivatives, triallylcyanurate, butylated-glycolurilformaldehyde, tetraethylene glycol dimethacrylate, trimethylolpropane triacrylate, dipentaerythritol pentacrylate, and divinyl benzene. Additional radical generators can be included that will promote cross-linking of the pre-existing polyolefin system and include but are not limited to include but are not limited to: peroxides, disulphides, azides, halogens and initiators such as benzildimethyl ketal which act as free radicals on exposure to sources of electromagnetic radiation such as UV.
It is of course essential that the cross-linking additives participate in constructive cross-linking bond forming processes during the reaction with polymer radicals. The cross-linking additive should therefore not have readily available protons that are easily abstracted by the polymer radical.
The two phases may be chemically bonded together through the use of several techniques. These techniques include the use of a high radical concentration to cause grafting of one phase to the other. Some of this will occur during the cross-linking of the polyolefin phase. A very useful technique is to use polyolefins that have been made using single-site catalysts. Such polyolefins have a terminal double bond that can participate in the free radical polymerization with the monomer.
When a metallocene catalyzed polyolefin is used in the P/M technology, a number of the preformed polyolefin chains will be incorporated into the growing polymer being formed from the liquid monomer.
Many optional ingredients can be added to the P/M system to tailor the coated fabric material to specific applications. These additives can be polymeric or non-polymeric and organic or inorganic. These types of materials include the full range of inorganic fillers (for example particles under 500 microns, preferably under 50 microns, of: gypsum, barite, calcium carbonate, clay, talk, quartz, silica, carbon black, glass beads--both solid and hollow, and the like), reinforcements (for example glass fibers, polymeric fibers, carbon fibers, wollastonite, asbestos, mica, and the like), fire retardants (for example: alumina trihydrate, zinc borate, ammonium polyphosphate, magnesium orthophosphate, magnesium hydroxide, antimony oxide, chlorinated paraffin, decabromodiphenly oxide, and the like), thermal stabilizers (for example thiobisphenols, alkylidene-bisphenols, di(3-t-butyl-4-hydroxy-5-ethylphenyl)-dicyclopentadiene, hydroxybenzyl compounds, thioethers, phosphites, phosphonites, zinc dibutyldithiocarbamate, and the like), photo stabilizers (for example: benzophones, benzotriazoles, salicylates, cyanocinnamates, benzoates, oxanilides, sterically hindered amines, and the like), dyes (for example: azo dye, anthraquinone derivatives, fluorescent bexzopyran dye, and the like), pigments (for example: nickel titanium yellow, iron oxide, chromoxide, phthalocyanine, tetrachlorothioindigo, monoazo benzimidazolone, and the like), and the like.
The polymeric additives would include impact modifiers (for example spherical elastomer particles of acrylic rubbers, butadiene rubbers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, metallocene catalyzed polyolefin elastomers, and the like), processing aids (for example: plasticizers, lubricants, and the like), compatibilizers (for example block copolymers of the two polymers involved, graft polymers that incorporate types of polymers known to be compatible with the phases involved in the mixture, and the like), texturing aids (for example cross-linked polymer spheres in the 0.5 to 20 micron size range, and the like) and the like.
Gas inclusions in the form of either open or closed cell foam can also be part of the P/M system. This can be achieved both through the use of a chemical blowing agent (for example: azodicarbonamide, 5-phenyl tetrazole, p-toluene sulfonyl semicarbazide, p-toluene sulfonyl hydrazide, and the like) or through the mechanical incorporation of an inert gas, into the system.
From the above discussion of mechanism, it is clear that if the polymer carbon radicals lose their radical character for instance by abstraction of hydrogen from a proton source (e.g. from a hydroxyl group on the surface of a particle of filler), the radical site is no longer able to participate directly in new carbon--carbon bond propagating processes. It is therefore crucial to avoid using polymers, monomers, fillers, and additives etc. which can serve as sources of hydrogen to "kill" propagating radical sites.
The amount of optional ingredients, relative to the content of the three major components (polyolefin, monomer, and initiator) can range from 0.01 parts per hundred (PPH) to 900 PPH, preferably between 0.1 and 800 PPH.
P/M Fluid Application to Fabric
The application of the P/M fluid to fabric by a fluid spreading process, using the same type of equipment and techniques that are used to coat fabric with a PVC plastisol, is an effective way to use this invention to coat fabrics. The coating procedure can include knife-over roll--as shown in FIG. 1, knife-over-belt--as shown in FIG. 2, direct roll--as shown in FIG. 3, reverse role--as shown in FIG. 4, rod coater--as shown in FIG. 5, and the like.
In these processes fabric is metered from an unwind roll, through a coating station, and on to a take-up roll. The curing of the green P/M coated fabric can be done between the spreading station and the take-up roll, or it can be done in a subsequent operation. The curing can be carried out as a thermal process, a photo process (for example: with UV radiation or the like), or as a polymerization initiated by any one of several forms of high energy radiation (for example: gamma rays, electron beam, or the like).
For superior results, the application AND curing should be carried out under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of the support (if any) or P/M fluid (melt) to adventitious air (oxygen). In particular, the curing ovens shown in FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 should be inert gas ovens with forced circulation.
To prepare P/M fluid, the ingredients are brought together in a closed system in an environment where heat and mixing can be applied and where effective precautions are taken to prevent significant contact with the atmospheric air (oxygen).
The P/M fluid for such a coating process can be prepared in batch (for example in a Banbury mixer (Farrel Corporation, Ansonia, Conn.)) or continuously (for example: in a Farrel continuous mixer (Farrel Corporation, Ansonia, Conn.)) and pumped to the spreading station.
For superior results, the ingredients could be thoroughly degassed (for instance by 1 or more cycles of vacuum degassing followed by equilibration under an inert gas atmosphere, prior to storage under a positive pressure of inert gas) and added under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of any of the ingredients or melt to adventitious air (oxygen).
If a thermal polymerization is used to cure the P/M fluid, then a thermal initiator will be added and thoroughly mixed into the fluid under inert atmosphere before coating.
The temperature of the fluid in the mixer, the lines from the mixer to the coating station, and at the coating station needs to be maintained at a temperature high enough (for example between 70 degrees Centigrade and 150 degrees Centigrade, preferably between 90 degrees Centigrade and 120 degrees Centigrade) to keep the fluid at a spreadable viscosity (for example: between 50 and 1000 poise, preferably between 75 and 300 poise).
After application to the fabric, the coating fluid can be cured immediately, or allowed to cool to room temperature and cured at some future time most desirably under inert atmosphere. The P/M coated fabric in the "green" state has adequate strength and integrity to be handled, using conventional fabric processing equipment. A manufacturing process to produce a cured coated fabric using a knife-over-roll coating process, fed P/M fluid from a Farrel continuous mixer, and an in-line thermal cure is shown in FIG. 6.
For superior results, the blending, mixing compounding, coating, and curing should all be carried out under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of any of the ingredients or melt to adventitious air (oxygen).
The application of the P/M fluid to fabric by a melt calendering type operation can also be used in accordance with the present invention to produce coated fabrics. This application process can be carried out ideally under inert gas atmosphere in any of the procedures currently used to melt calender coat fabrics with polymers (plastics and rubbers). Such an application of P/M fluid to a fabric using a calender coater is shown in FIG. 7.
There are significant process advantages to using P/M technology to coat fabric, relative to the use of conventional polymer melt systems. With polyolefins, for example, the pressure and temperatures needed for the P/M fluid (which is approximately 100% solids after curing) are much lower than the pressures and temperatures needed to apply the same polyolefin in a melt process. There are many practical benefits due to this reduction of the viscosity of the coating material. These include the rate of production, reduced polymer degradation, reduced energy consumption, improved adhesion of the polymer to the fabric, and the uniformity of the thickness of the coating.
In many melt calendering operations for the coating of polymers onto fabrics, the rate of production is limited by the polymer melt viscosity. The high shear produced by rapid calendering of a high viscosity melt can produce a poor quality surface and high levels of internal strain within the coated system. Such internal strain can produce a non-uniformity in thickness coating and a tendency of the fabric to curl or pucker. In the traditional melt calendering application of polymers to fabric, the melt viscosity can be reduced by several techniques. These include increasing the melt temperature, lowering the molecular weight of the polymer, or adding a liquid plasticizer. All of these techniques reduce the quality of the product.
Increasing the temperature can lead to degradation of both the polymer and of the fabric substrate. Lowering the molecular weight produces adverse effects in the physical properties of the polymer. These include reduced strength, abrasion resistance, and weatherability. The use of a liquid plasticizer produces a final product that can be defective due to migration or extraction of the liquid.
The present invention allows for the fluid viscosity and temperature to be tailored to the specific needs of the process through control of the amount and nature of the polymerizable liquid that is added. This additive becomes a polymeric solid after the curing stage, which provides a distinctive quality advantage. The presence of this new polymer enhances the physical characteristics of the coated fabric, rather than reducing them as is the case with a conventional liquid plasticizer. The present invention allows for the preparation at higher rates of a coated fabric with enhanced properties, when the same polyolefin is used in both the conventional melt calendering and the P/M fluid calendering processes.
The application of the P/M fluid to a fabric by a melt extrusion application process is another way to use the present invention to produce coated fabrics. This application can be carried out in any of the several procedures currently used by those skilled in the art to extrusion coat fabrics with polymers (plastics and rubbers).
For superior results, the blending, mixing, compounding, coating and curing should all be carried out under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of any of the ingredients or melt to adventitious air (oxygen).
There are significant process advantages to using P/M technology to extrusion coat fabric, relative to the use of conventional melt extrusion technologies. With polyolefins, for example, the pressure and temperatures need for the P/M fluid are lower than the pressures and temperatures needed to apply the same [polyolefin in a melt extrusion process. Temperature reduction of from 30 to 100 degrees Centigrade are possible and pressure reductions of from 100 to 5000 pounds per square inch (psi) are possible. Such reduction in both temperature and pressure make it easier and less expensive to produce a uniformly coated sample with good surface quality using the P/M extrusion process. Reduced cost is obtained both through faster production rates and through the use of less costly equipment (for example equipment that does not need as high a pressure rating as equipment needed for conventional melt extrusion fabric coating).
P/M Fluid Curing
After the P/M fluid is applied to the fabric substrate, a curing step is needed to develop the superior physical and chemical properties of this technology.
For superior results, the application and curing should be carried out under a blanket atmosphere of inert gas without exposure of the support (if any) or P/M fluid (melt) to adventitious air (oxygen).
This curing step involves the free radical polymerization of the liquid monomer. This process can also involve both a cross-linking of the forming polymer system and a copolymerization or graft polymerization that involves the preformed olefinic polymer.
Polyolefins with terminal double bonds, such as found in polyolefins made using single-site catalyst systems, are particularly suited for copolymerization with the polymerizing liquid polymer.
Various types of cross-linking monomers, for example acrylate esters of polyfunctional alcohols, can be incorporated into the system to increase the cross-link density. Such an increase in cross-link density will result in enhance physical properties such as toughness, abrasion resistance, and resistance to compression or tensile set.
The free radical polymerization process can be initiated in many ways. These include the use of thermal initiators (for example: 2,2'-azobis(isobutyronitrile), 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di-(t-butylperoxy)hexane, di-t-butyl peroxide, dibenzoyl peroxide, and the like), the use of photochemical initiators (for example: benzildimethyl ketal, alpha hydroxy ketone, isopropylthioxanthone, benzophenone, and the like), and the use of energetic radiation, such a gamma rays. All three of these initiation techniques are practiced commercially.
Note that when free radical generation is accomplished, (for instance by thermal decomposition of peroxide or through the use of photochemical initiators or by exposure to electron beam or by exposure to gamma radiation, etc.), it is generally highly desirable to work in a closed system under an inert gas atmosphere (e.g., nitrogen) in an environment where effective precautions are taken to prevent significant contact with the atmospheric air (oxygen) in order that the resulting cured system has optimally enhanced physical properties. We have found that the pressure of air (oxygen) has a strongly detrimental effect on P/M polymerization processes so that it is advantageous to remove and exclude air as much as possible, both from the starting materials, additives, initiators, etc. and from the processing equipment including the feeders, etc. during blending mixing, compounding, application and coating.
In the thermal process, the coated fabric needs to be exposed to an elevated temperature for a period of time. The temperature needs to be high enough to cause the homolysis of the thermal initiator at a rate sufficient to generate a large flux of radicals. The time involved needs to be long enough to polymerize substantially all of the monomer. The exact times and temperatures needed can be tailored by careful selection of the initiator(s). It has been possible to achieve essentially complete polymerization of P/M system with polymer/monomer ratios from 95/5 to 40/60 (weight/weight) at 175 degrees Centigrade in 8 minutes. These are normal conditions used for curing PVC plastisol coated fabrics. As such fabrics made with the P/M technology can be cured in the same equipment under inert gas atmosphere at the same conditions used for PVC plastisol coated fabrics. Both higher and lower temperatures are practical (for example: from 120 degrees Centigrade to 210 degrees Centigrade, preferably from 150 degrees Centigrade to 190 degrees Centigrade), as are shorter and longer curing times (for example: from 1 minute to 60 minutes, preferably from 2 minutes to 20 minutes).
In the photo-induced free radical polymerization of the P/M system, the coated fabric in the "green" state is exposed to UV irradiation (for example: by irradiation with light in the 250 to 350 nanometer wavelength range) under inert gas atmosphere. The P/M coating in such a case must contain a photo-initiator (for example: benzildimethyl ketal). The photo curing can be done either in a continuous or batch operation, under inert gas atmosphere.
In a continuous process the fabric travels at a controlled rate through an exposure chamber under inert gas atmosphere where UV irradiation is provided over a moving belt. Alternatively a fabric sample could be placed in a stationary fashion under a UV lamp. The phase morphology of the resulting system is determined in part by the mobility of the P/M fluid at the time of the polymerization. Since such mobility is strongly affected by the temperature of the system, the resulting polymer morphology would expected to be different for a sample polymerized at over 130 degrees Centigrade for a thermal polymerization compared to a photo-polymerization carried out a below 50 degrees Centigrade. To control the morphology of the resulting sample it is possible to conduct a photo polymerization at elevated temperatures (for example: between 30 degrees Centigrade and 180 degrees Centigrade).
In high energy radiation curing, the "green" P/M coated fabric is exposed to radiation (for example: to radiation from a 60Co source, or from an electron beam, and the like) under inert gas atmosphere. In such a case no initiator needs to be added to the P/M system. Such curing can be done in continuous or batch fashion. It can also be done at a range of temperatures (for example: between 30 degrees Centigrade and 180 degrees Centigrade) to control the morphology of the resulting system.
As discussed in detail above, some of the polyalkene resins utilizable in the present invention include metallocene polypropylene, copolymers and terpolymers of ethylene made with single-site catalysts, copolymers and terpolymers of propylene made with single-site catalysts, blends of metallocene catalyzed polyolefins and their copolymers and terpolymers with other polymeric systems including corss-linked rubbers dispersed within or with the metallocene polyolefins, and blends of metallocene polyolefins with metallocene elastomers.
The composition of the phase A fluid may contain about 30 weight % to about 80 weight % polyalkene resin, while the phase B fluid may contain about 70 weight % to about 20 weight % of the second polymeric phase.
As also discussed herein, the second polymeric phase may be 90/10 (weight/weight) blend of lauryl methacrylate, trimethyolpropane triacrylate, blends of from 99 to 60 weight % of a monofunctional monomer and from 1 to 40% of a polyfunctional monomer, the monofunctional monomers including acrylate and methacrylate esters of alkyl alcohols that contain 8 or more carbon atoms, vinyl esters of alkyl acids that contain 8 or more carbon atoms, alpha olefins with 10 or more carbon atoms, the polyfunctional monomer being any material with two or more polymerizable functional groups that can polymerize with the monofunctional monomers.
EXAMPLE 1
A P/M fluid composed of 25% Exxon Exact 3017 metallocene polyethylene (Exxon Chemical Co., Houston, Tex.), 20% Sartomer SR 324 stearyl methacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.), 5% MP 8282 pentaerythritol tetraacrylate (Monomer-Polymer & Dajac, Feasterville, Pa.), 45% Martinal aluminum trihydrate (Lonza Inc., Newark, N.J.) and 5% Amgard MC ammonium polyphosphate (Albright and Wilson, Glen Allen, Va.) was prepared in a Welding Engineers (Welding Engineers Inc., Blue Bell, Pa.) 0.8 inch screw diameter twin screw extruder. All percentages cited are by weight. The solid components were added at the feed port with two feeders under a blanket of inert gas. One feeder delivered the Exact 3017 at 25 grams/minute and the other delivered a 9/1 blend of the aluminum trihydride/ammonium polyphosphate at 50 grams/minute. A 4/1 mix of stearyl methacrylate/pentaerythritol tetraacrylate was added under a blanket of inert gas by a piston pump at 25 grams/minute to a liquid injection port about half way down the extruder barrel. The extruder barrel temperatures were set at 150 degrees Centigrade up to the injection port and at 100 degrees Centigrade beyond that point. A screw speed of 200 revolutions per minute (RPM) was used. The fluid exited the extruder and went directly into a gear pump. From that pump it went through a Koch in-line mixing unit (Koch Engineering Company, Wichita, Kans.). Just before the in-line mixer, a stream of Lupersol 130 2,5-dimethyl-2,5-di(t-butylperoxy)-hexyne-3 (Atochem, Buffalo, N.Y.) was added with a piston pump at 1.5 grams/minute. Just after the in-line mixer the P/M fluid was spread by a die arrangement into the fluid reservoir in a "knife over roll" fabric coating station under nitrogen blanket. The temperature of the P/M fluid was controlled at 100 degrees Centigrade from the time it left the extrude through the time it was spread onto the fabric. At the knife coater, a nylon fabric was feed through the system at 1 meter per minute. The width of the coating was 0.5 meters. From the coating station the "green" coated fabric passed into an inert gas oven with forced circulation. In passing through this oven to a take up roll, the fabric was exposed to a temperature of 175 Centigrade for 8 minutes. The fabric was fully cured as it left the oven. The resulting polymer coated nylon fabric had excellent bonding between the fabric and polymer. This fire resistant coated fabric is suitable for fabrication into such items as tents or awnings.
EXAMPLE 2
Using the procedures described in Example 1, a P/M fluid composed of 60% SM 2350 Affinity metallocene catalyzed polyolefin (Dow Plastics, Midland, Mich.), 35% Sartomer SR 335 lauryl acrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.) and 5% Sartomer SR 351 trimethylolpropane triacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.) was prepared. To this fluid was added 3 parts per hundred Trigonox C-t-butyl-peroxybenzoate (Akzo Nobel, Chicago, Ill.) based on the initial fluid weight.
The resulting material was spread coated onto a nylon fabric and subsequently oven cured at 170 degrees Centigrade for 15 minutes under nitrogen. The cured polymer coated fabric sample has a hard and clear surface with good adhesion between the fabric and the polymer.
EXAMPLE 3
A 250 gram sample of a P/M fluid composed of 162.5 grams of Exxon Exact 5008 metallocene catalyzed polyethylene (Exxon Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.), 30 grams of Sartomer SR 313 lauryl methacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.), and 12.5 grams MP 7956 trimethylol propane trimethacrylate (Monomer-Polymer & Dajac, Feasterville, Pa.) was prepared in a large laboratory Brabender internal mixer (C W Brabender Instruments Inc., South Hackensack, N.J.) under a blanket of nitrogen. The temperature of the mixing bowl was initially at 125 C but then reduced to 100 C when the polymer and monomers were added. After the fluid temperature reached 100 C and the fluid had taken on a uniform appearance, 2.0 grams of degassed Trigonox 101 2,5-(t-butylperoxy)-2,5-dimethyl hexane (Akzo Nobel, Chicago, Ill.) were added under nitrogen and allowed to mix into the fluid. The resulting catalyzed fluid was removed from the mixer and placed in a steel beaker heated to 100 degrees Centigrade under nitrogen. This material was then placed onto a 3 roll lab calendering mill with a sample of 5 inch wide cotton fabric going through. The mill gaps were set so as to produce a 0.5 mm coating of the "green" P/M polymer system on the fabric. From the resulting roll of "green" coated fabric a 12 inch length was cut. This sample was placed in an inert gas oven with forced circulation with a temperature of 160 degrees Centigrade. When the sample was removed after 20 minutes it was fully cured and had excellent adhesion to the fabric.
EXAMPLE 4
A P/M fluid composed of 76% Exxon Exact 4049 metallocene polyethylene (Exxon Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.), 20.3% Sartomer SR 313 Lauryl Methacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.), 2.5% Sartomer SR 351 Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate was compounded under nitrogen blanket in a Banbury at a temperature of approximately 130° F. for 15 minutes. Approximately 2 minutes before the end of the 15 minute period 1.15% of Trigonox 101 2,5-Dimethyl-2,5-di-(t-butylperoxy) hexane (Akzo Nobel Chemicals, Inc., Chicago, Ill.) was added under nitrogen. The resulting fluid was removed from the Banbury, formed into a sheet and cured at 275° F. for 15 minutes under nitrogen.
Measurement of the tensile properties gave the following data:
(1)M-PE (Exact 4049)
__________________________________________________________________________ TensileEXACT LMA + Strength Ultimate Tear Hardness4049 TMPTA Trigonox psi Elongation Strength (Shore D)__________________________________________________________________________Example 4 100 30 phr 1.5 phr 3040 730% 250 22(undernitrogen)Example 4 100 35 phr 12 phr 1460 622 214 22(under air)(Reference) 100 0 0 1900 948% 233 20Exact 4049(undernitrogen)__________________________________________________________________________
Clearly the tensile strength of the above product is enhanced relative to the basic physical properties of the "pure" metallocene polyethylene (3040 psi versus 1900 psi).
As indicated by the data in the above table, when the preparation of the above EXAMPLE 4 material is carried out in air, without the precaution of working in an inert atmosphere not only are the physical properties not improved, but they actually decrease and are degraded relative to the parent polyolefin (1460 psi versus 1900 psi).
EXAMPLE 4A
A P/M fluid composed of 82% Exxon ACHIEVE 3825 metallocene catalyzed isotactic polypropylene (Exxon Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.), 14.6% Sartomer SR 313 Lauryl Methacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.), 1.8% Sartomer SR 351 Trimethylolpropane Trimethacrylate was compounded under nitrogen blanket in a Banbury at a temperature of approximately 240 F for 15 minutes, Approximately 2 minutes before the end of the 15 minute period 1.2% of t-butylhydroperoxide (Akzo Nobel Chemicals, Inc., Chicago, Ill.) was added under nitrogen. The resulting fluid was removed from the Banbury, formed into sheet and cured at 375 F for 15 minutes under nitrogen.
Measurement of the tensile properties gave the following data:
__________________________________________________________________________ Tensile Tear ACHIEVE LMA + Strength Ultimate Strength Hardness 3825 TMPTA Peroxide psi Elongation psi (Shore D)__________________________________________________________________________Example 4A 100 20 phr 1.5 phr 4760 10% 830 74(under nitrogen)Example 4A 100 35 phr 12 phr 2010 3% ND 61(under air)(Reference) 100 0 1.5 phr 2900 ND 980 72(under nitrogen)__________________________________________________________________________
Clearly, again, the tensile strength of the above product is enhanced, when the preparation is carried out with the precaution of working in an inert atmosphere instead of in air (first and second examples in the above table.)
Comparison of the physical properties of the first and third examples in the above table, clearly demonstrate the benefit of P/M technology of the present invention. In particular, the tensile strength increased by 64% (4760 v. 2900 psi).
EXAMPLE 5
A P/M fluid composed of 60% Exxon Exceed 357C32 polypropylene (Exxon Chemical Company, Houston, Tex.), 30% Ageflex FM246 lauryl methacrylate (CPS Chemical Company, Old Bridge, N.J.), and 10% Sartomer SR 268 tetraethylene glycol diacrylate (Sartomer Company, Exton, Pa.) was prepared using the extruder procedure described in Example 1, under nitrogen. This fluid left the extruder, passed through an in-line mixer, and then was coated onto a moving role of polyester fabric using a melt die under nitrogen blanket. A stream of 2 parts per hundred of Trigonox B di-t-butyl peroxide (Akzo Nobel, Chicago, Ill.), based on the fluid, was added to the fluid just before the in-line mixer. The resulting green coated fabric was collected on a roll. In a subsequent step, this roll of coated fabric was feed through a continuous belt inert gas (nitrogen) oven with forced circulation. The oven was at 185 degrees Centigrade and the fabric had a residence time of 7 minutes. The resulting cured coated fabric had excellent adhesion between the polymer and the fabric. It also had good abrasion resistance.
EXAMPLE 6
A P/M fluid composed of 65% Santoprene 201-87 thermoplastic rubber (Advanced Elastomer Systems, Akron, Ohio), 25% Ageflex FM246 lauryl methacrylate (CPS Chemical Company, Old Bridge, N.J.), and 10% Sartomer SR 268 tetraethylene glycol diacrylate (Sartomor Company, Exton, Pa.) was prepared under nitrogen using the extruder procedure described herein. This fluid left the extruder, passed through an in-line mixer, and then was coated onto a moving role of polyester fabric using a melt die under nitrogen blanket. A stream of 1.5 parts per hundred of Trigonox B di-t-butyl peroxide (Akzo Nobel, Chicago, Ill.), based on the fluid, was added to the fluid just before the in-line mixer. The resulting green coated fabric was collected on a roll. In a subsequent step, this roll of coated fabric was feed through a continuous belt inert gas (nitrogen) oven with forced circulation. The oven was at 180 degrees Centigrade and the fabric had a residence time of 9 minutes. The resulting cured coated fabric had excellent adhesion between the polymer and the fabric. It also had good abrasion resistance.
Further examples of the present invention include one-step P/M, which includes but is not limited to extruded wire and cable, extruded pipe and blow-molded articles. One-step P/M is the formation of the P/M melt mixture followed by melt processing and the curing, all carried out in one continuous or batch process without cooling and isolation of the P/M mixture in the uncured or "green" state.
It is also part of the present invention to utilize a two-step P/M, examples of which include but are not limited to:
(a) forming uncured sheets of the P/M mixture, followed by subsequent remelting, vacuum thermoforming and curing (for instance to produce an automobile dashboard);
(a) forming uncured pellets of the P/M mixture, followed by injection molding and curing.
The two-step P/M includes forming the P/M melt mixture, cooling and isolating in the uncured stated, followed by subsequent heating, remelting, processing and curing in a separate operation.
Without further elaboration the foregoing will so fully illustrate our invention that others may, by applying current or future knowledge, adapt the same for use under various conditions of service.
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The present invention relates to a polymer/monomer (P/M) formulated system and method of making products from that system. The products have superior properties to and are substitutable for polyvinyl chloride (PVC) based products, as well as a variety of other polymeric coating systems. The present invention also relates to a process for the preparation of these P/M based coated substrates where the process takes place in a substantially inert atmosphere.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of PCT International Application PCT/EP02/12468 filed on Nov. 8, 2002, which claims the benefit of German Application DE 101 56 403.1, filed Nov. 13, 2001. The disclosure of the above applications is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY
[0002] The present invention relates to a fastening system for fastening a member to a structural metal part, in particular for fastening a member to sheet metal, such as the sheet metal of the body of a motor vehicle, with a threaded metal stud that is fastened to the structural part in short-time arc welding, and a lock nut that is screwed onto the stud and by which the member is fastened to the structural part. Such a fastening system is known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,986 A. The fastening system is frequently used in the automobile industry. It is used there chiefly to fasten elements of the interior fittings to the vehicle body.
[0003] The threaded stud is welded onto a metal sheet of the body in so-called short-time arc welding. Short-time arc welding is also known as stud welding. There a metal stud (threaded stud) is placed on the sheet metal of the body. A pilot current is then turned on and the metal stud is again slightly lifted off from the sheet metal of the body. At the same time, an arc is drawn. Then a welding current is turned on, so that the facing surfaces of metal stud and body sheet metal are fused. The metal stud is then again lowered onto the sheet metal of the body, so that the melts combine. The welding current is turned off and the whole fused mass solidifies.
[0004] A system for stud welding is disclosed in for example the brochure “Neue TUCKER Technologie. Bolzenschweissen mit System!” [New Tucker Technology. Stud Welding with System!], Emhard Tucker, September 1999. A lock nut is then screwed onto the stud, thus projecting from the sheet metal of the body. The nut acts to fix the member to the sheet metal. As a rule, the lock nut is made of synthetic material. The stud may be a coarse-pitch threaded stud or a fine-pitch threaded stud. A matching thread is provided on the lock nut. In the case of a coarse-pitch thread, it is alternatively possible that only one hole is provided on the lock nut. The coarse-pitch thread then cuts a corresponding counter-thread into the hole. Steel studs are welded onto conventional sheet steel. Aluminum studs are welded onto aluminum sheets or other aluminum carriers, recently also frequently used.
[0005] Stud welding is a high-tech process. Frequently, hundreds of such studs are used per vehicle. Individual welding operations are frequently performed by a robot. The total welding time may lie in the range of milliseconds per welding operation in this context. Like any other process, the stud welding process is also subject to failures. Uncovering these is the aim and object of routine quality control. In quality control, the studs are tested for strength. A torque or tension wrench is used for this purpose. Quality controls by torque or tension wrench occasionally find fractures in the stud and fractures of the sheet metal of the body in the region of the welded joint. The reasons for the failures may lie in faulty welded joints, but also in faulty lock nuts. In addition, it may also be that the torque or tension wrench was incorrectly adjusted. Fractures of threaded studs on the one hand and of metal body sheet on the other occur in undefined fashion. It is hard to establish what the reason for the failure was. In addition, reworking of the fractured sheet metal of a car body requires a considerably greater expenditure than reworking in the case of a fractured stud. In a fracture of the stud, a new stud can be welded at the same spot, without the strength of the sheet metal suffering.
[0006] The threaded stud known from U.S. Pat. No. 5,579,986 A mentioned at the beginning has between two threaded sections a weakened area that serves to remove an upper threaded section while a lower threaded section remains on the stud. It is also known, from DE 38 02 798 A1, to provide a stud with a predetermined breaking point wherein the strength of the predetermined breaking point is adapted to the metal sheets to be joined, and excessive deformation of the metal sheets is avoided. The predetermined breaking point is always used for removing the undesired shaft of the stud. Lastly, the document DE 100 04 720 C1 describes a device and a method for testing the attachment point of an externally threaded stud for torsional strength. In order to test the weld point for torsional strength, a driving member is chucked in a rotary driver by the clamping stud and the driver is set to a specified torque. Then a threaded part is screwed onto the external thread of the weld stud being tested. If its weld point does not withstand the specified torque, it separates.
[0007] Against this background, the problem underlying the invention is to indicate an improved fastening system of generic type, which in particular requires little reworking. This object is accomplished in the fastening system mentioned at the beginning in that the strength of the welded joint between the structural part and the threaded stud and the strength of the stud itself are adapted to one another so that, upon application of a torque that exceeds that torque which is applied per specification when the lock nut is screwed onto the threaded stud, it is ensured that the stud fractures before the structural part fractures.
[0008] According to another aspect, the above object is accomplished by the fastening system mentioned at the beginning in that the strength of the welded joint between the structural part and the threaded stud and the strength of the thread of the stud itself are adapted to one another so that, upon application of a torque that exceeds that torque which is applied per specification when the lock nut is screwed onto the threaded stud, it is ensured that the thread of the stud is damaged before the structural part fractures. This ensures that whenever too high a torque is applied to a threaded stud having a “good” welded joint, in every case the stud fractures or its thread is damaged, and not the structural part. In this way, reworking costs due to incorrectly adjusted torque or tension wrenches are reduced. Even when an incorrect (too strong a) lock nut is used, it is ensured that damage of the structural part is largely ruled out when the welded joint between the stud and the part is “good.”
[0009] In this connection, a “fracture” is intended to mean any damage to an element (lock nut, stud, structural part) in which a torque applied to the respective element can no longer be transmitted to a following element of the fastening chain. A fracture of the structural part generally is intended to signify that the part is structurally damaged, and in particular, that it pulls out in the region of the welded joint. In this way, the object is fully accomplished.
[0010] It is of special advantage when the threaded stud is weakened at one spot and when the weakening is designed so that the stud fractures at the point of weakening before the structural part fractures in the region of the welded joint between the structural part and the stud. This embodiment has the advantage that strengthening of the structural part (sheet metal of the body of the vehicle) is unnecessary to ensure that, upon application of an excessively high torque, the stud will fracture before the part fractures. There weakening may be effected in many ways, for example, by the selection of material, by the construction of the stud, etc. The case in which the thread of the stud becomes unusable, i.e., is no longer able to transmit torque, should also be understood as a fracture. Alternatively, by a fracture it is to be understood that the threaded stud as a whole breaks off against its foot, substantially without damaging the welded joint structurally.
[0011] It is of special advantage when the stud has a weakening recess, in particular a peripheral groove. Such a weakening recess makes it possible to ensure, in structurally simple fashion, that according to the invention first the stud fractures before the structural part fractures when an excessive torque is applied. The weakening recess may be produced by for example machining. A useful example embodiment of such a weakening recess is disclosed in GB 2 153 948 A, the disclosure of which is incorporated in the present application by reference.
[0012] According to another preferred embodiment, the threaded stud has a flange section that is arranged in the neighborhood of the welded joint and against which the member is screwed by the lock nut or against which the lock nut itself is screwed. This measure likewise contributes to the fact that, when too high a torque is applied, the stud in every case fractures in the region of the welded joint before the structural part fractures. This ensure that the tensile forces occurring when the lock nut is screwed on bear on the stud and not on the part. It is therefore possible to concentrate the weakening of the stud in such a way that weakening takes place with regard to the torque or the torsional force that is applied by the lock nut to the stud. At the same time, it is especially preferred when the weakened spot is arranged in the neighborhood of the flange section. In this way, weakening can be produced relatively easily in the region of the transition between flange section and the actual threaded section (shaft section). In the simplest case, weakening is already produced in that a relatively sharp-edged transition is provided from the actual threaded section to the flange section.
[0013] According to an additional preferred embodiment, the stud is a coarse-pitch threaded stud whose external thread, when the lock nut is screwed on, cuts a thread into its hole. According to an alternative embodiment, the threaded stud has a fine-pitch thread such as a metric thread and the lock nut has a corresponding internal thread. In addition, it is preferable when the strength of the threaded stud and the strength of the lock nut are adapted to one another in such a way that, upon application of a torque to the lock nut that exceeds that torque which per specification is applied when the lock nut is screwed onto the threaded stud, it is ensured that the lock nut is structurally damaged before the stud is structurally damaged. As a rule, the lock nut is made of synthetic material and is an element that is comparatively inexpensive to produce. In this respect, it is of special advantage when, upon application of too high a torque, in every case the nut breaks before the stud breaks or its function is adversely affected in any way.
[0014] On the whole, in this way a closed process chain is obtained in which the predetermined breaking moment of the lock nut is smaller than the pre-determined breaking moment of the threaded stud, which in turn is smaller than the predetermined breaking moment of the structural part and/or of the welded joint between the structural part and the stud. It goes without saying that the features mentioned above and to be explained below are usable not only in the combination indicated in each instance, but are also usable in other combinations or standing alone, without exceeding the scope of the present invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Examples of the invention are represented in the drawing and are described in detail in the following description. Shown in
[0016] FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a first embodiment of a fastening system according to the invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 , a detailed view of a modified embodiment of a fastening system, in section;
[0018] FIG. 3 , a sectional representation of an additional embodiment of a fastening system according to the invention; and
[0019] FIG. 4 , a diagram with a qualitative representation of a variety of relevant torques of the fastening system of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] In FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of a fastening system of the present invention is labeled generally 10 . The fastening system 10 acts to fasten a member 12 , in the case represented a part of synthetic material traversed by an aperture 13 , to a structural part 14 , in the present case the sheet metal 14 of a car body. The fastening system 10 includes a threaded stud 16 , which is welded onto the sheet metal 16 [sic; should be: 14 ] of the car body in the stud welding process. In addition, the fastening system 10 contains a lock nut 18 made of synthetic material, which is capable of being screwed onto the stud 16 . The stud 16 contains a flange section 20 . In the present case, a flange section is intended to mean a section with a fairly great diameter that is at least twice as great as the shaft section of the stud. The threaded stud 16 is welded in the stud welding process by the underside of its flange section 20 onto an upper side of the car body sheet metal 14 . The welded joint 22 is shown schematically in FIG. 1 . On the opposing side of the flange section 20 there is provided a shaft section 24 , on which is formed a coarse-pitch thread 26 .
[0021] In the region of the transition between the coarse-pitch thread 26 and the flange section 20 , the threaded stud 16 in addition has a weakened section 28 , which in the present case is formed by a peripheral groove 30 . The peripheral groove 30 represents a predetermined breaking point of the stud, as will be explained below in detail. The lock nut 18 has a hole 32 and the diameter of the hole 32 is adapted to the diameter of the shaft section 24 . The coarse-pitch thread 26 is designed as a self-cutting thread and therefore an internal thread is cut into the hole 32 when the lock nut 18 is screwed onto the stud 16 . As can be seen in FIG. 1 , the aperture 13 of the member 12 is slipped onto the threaded stud 16 . Then the lock nut 18 is screwed on, so that the member 12 is held between the upper side of the flange section 20 and the lower side of the lock nut 18 . In FIG. 1 , it is indicated schematically how a torque M applied to the lock nut 18 is converted in the region of the thread 26 into an axial force A, which produces a tensile force on the stud 16 , and into a tangential force T, which in turn exerts a corresponding moment on the threaded stud 16 .
[0022] A modification 10 ′ of the fastening system 10 is shown in FIG. 2 . In the fastening system 10 , the threaded stud 16 ′ is designed with a flange section 20 ′, which lies between a shaft section 24 ′ and a welded section 34 . When a threaded stud 16 ′ is welded onto the sheet metal of a car body 14 , a welded joint 22 ′ is produced between the welded section 34 and the sheet metal 14 . Therefore, a space 36 remains between the upper side of the sheet metal 14 and the underside of the flange section 20 ′. The diameter of the welded section 34 is selected greater than the diameter of the shaft section 24 ′. On the whole, therefore, a welded joint 22 ′ can be obtained with a strength that is greater than that strength which is obtainable when the diameter of the welded section 34 is equal to the—specified—diameter of the shaft section 24 ′. Owing to the space 36 , back ventilation is obtained, so that corrosion problems are avoided. Otherwise, the fastening system 10 ′ does not differ from the fastening system 10 , so that reference is made to the description of the latter.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows an additional embodiment of a fastening system 40 .
[0024] The fastening system 40 acts to fasten a member 42 in the form of a metal tube to a structural part 44 , such as the sheet metal of a car body.
[0025] The fastening system 40 has a threaded stud 46 , which is welded by a stud-welding process to the sheet metal 44 of a car body. In addition, the fastening system 40 includes a lock nut 48 in the form of a clip of synthetic material. The threaded stud 46 has a flange section 50 , which corresponds to the flange section 20 ′ of the fastening system 10 ′ of FIG. 2 . A welded joint between the threaded stud 46 and the sheet metal 14 of a car body is shown at 52 . A shaft section 54 of the stud 46 is provided with a metric thread 56 .
[0026] The threaded stud 46 is weakened in the region of the transition between the shaft section 54 and the flange section 50 , as is shown schematically at 58 . In the fastening system 40 , weakening is effected only in that the diameter of the shaft section 54 is distinctly smaller than the diameter of the flange section 50 and a welded section lying under the latter and not described in detail. In addition, the transition between the shaft section 54 and the flange section 50 is designed as a sharp-edged corner. The lock nut 48 has a hole 60 , which is provided with an internal metric thread 62 . Therefore, the lock nut 48 (the clip of synthetic material) can be screwed onto the threaded stud 46 . In the present case, the clip of synthetic material is screwed onto the threaded stud 46 until an underside of the clip 48 strikes an upper side of the flange section 50 . The member 42 , in the form of a metal tube, is fixed exclusively to the clip 48 of synthetic material. In the embodiment shown, a recess 64 is provided for the accommodation of the metal tube 42 . In addition, the clip 48 of synthetic material has a flexibly seated locking strap 66 , which is designed for the purpose of closing off the recess 64 and so accommodating the metal tube 42 form-lockingly in the clip 48 .
[0027] It is understood that in all three embodiments of FIGS. 1 to 3 , the threaded studs 16 , 46 and the sheet metal 14 , 44 of a car body may in each instance consist of steel or a steel alloy or of aluminum or an aluminum alloy. It is also understood that the lock nuts 18 , 48 may be made of a material other than synthetic material, provided that the strength requirements explained below with reference to FIG. 4 are met. The member 12 may alternatively be a metal element. Correspondingly, the member 42 may alternatively be an element of synthetic material. In all three embodiments, the strengths of the separate elements are adapted to one another, as is shown schematically in FIG. 4 .
[0028] A torque M, which in the representation of FIG. 1 is applied to the lock nut 18 in order to fasten the member 12 to the sheet metal of a car body, is plotted on the abscissa in FIG. 4 . In order to obtain proper fastening of the member 12 , the lock nut 18 is screwed on with a given rated torque M N , which in FIG. 4 is represented qualitatively as greater than zero. The rated torque M N is assigned a tolerance region T N , within which the rated torque M N typically applied by a torque wrench or tension wrench varies. Upon application of the rated torque M N , assuming failure-free parts and a failure-free welded joint 22 , proper fastening of the member 14 is obtained. A predetermined breaking moment of the lock nut 18 is additionally shown at M M in FIG. 4 . The predetermined breaking moment M M is qualitatively higher than the rated torque M N . The predetermined breaking moment M M is assigned a tolerance region T M , within which the lock nut 18 fractures or its thread is destroyed. At the same time, care should be taken to see that the tolerance regions T M and T N do not intersect, but preferably adjoin one another. FIG. 4 additionally shows a predetermined breaking moment M G of the threaded stud 16 . The predetermined breaking moment M G is qualitatively higher than the predetermined breaking moment M M of the lock nut 18 . The pre-determined breaking moment M G is assigned a tolerance region that does not intersect with the tolerance region T M of the lock nut 18 , but directly adjoins it.
[0029] Lastly, a predetermined breaking moment of the welded joint 22 is shown at M S in FIG. 4 . The predetermined breaking moment M S is distinctly greater than the predetermined breaking moment M G of the stud 16 . The predetermined breaking moment M S of the welded joint 22 is likewise assigned a tolerance region T S . The tolerance region T S of the predetermined breaking moment M S of the welded joint 22 does not intersect with the tolerance region T G but, rather, lies at a considerable distance apart from it. It is therefore ensured that the maximum predetermined breaking moment M G still capable of being borne by a threaded stud (the upper limit of the tolerance region T G ) is distinctly smaller than the minimum predetermined breaking moment M S , at which the welded joint 22 could fracture. For purposes of simple representation, only one fracture of the welded joint 22 has been mentioned regarding FIG. 4 . However, it is understood that this is intended to mean a fracture of the welded joint and/or of the sheet metal of a car body.
[0030] This “closed process and fastening chain” of rated torque and pre-determined breaking moments ensures that, in every operating condition, the element whose replacement results in the lowest costs is always the one that fractures. If, when the lock nut 18 is screwed onto the member 12 , too high a torque M (greater than the upper limit of the tolerance region T N ) is inadvertently applied, the nut fractures or its thread strips in every case, since the pre-determined breaking moment M M of the nut is distinctly smaller than the predetermined breaking moment M G of the threaded stud 16 , and because of the fact that the tolerance regions T M and T G do not intersect. If, in the representation of FIG. 1 , an incorrect lock nut 18 (a lock nut with too high a strength) has inadvertently been selected, the distinct distance apart of the tolerance regions T G and T M in every case ensures that first the stud 16 fractures (usually at its predetermined breaking point 30 or by destruction of its thread), and therefore no damage to the welded joint 22 or to the sheet metal 14 of the car body occurs. For all sources of error that may occur in the fastening system 10 , it is therefore ensured that the welded joint 22 and the sheet metal 14 of the car body are not unnecessarily damaged.
[0031] In quality control of the threaded stud before the lock nut 18 is screwed on, a test moment that is equal to the predetermined breaking moment M M of the specified lock nut 18 is usually applied to the stud. A fiberglass-reinforced test nut is usually used for this purpose. If, in this testing, too high a torque is inadvertently applied, the distance between the tolerance regions T G and T S ensures that in every case the stud 16 fractures and the welded joint 22 and the sheet metal 14 of the car body are not damaged. The above description of the various moments and the closed process chain is correspondingly applicable to the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 3 . In the case of the embodiment of FIG. 3 , the clip 48 of synthetic material represents the lock nut. It is understood that the thread match between the studs 16 , 46 and the lock nuts 18 , 48 should be selected so that, in case of destruction of the thread of the lock nuts 18 , 48 , unscrewing should nevertheless be possible, so as to prevent unnecessarily high torques from being applied to the studs 16 , 46 upon unscrewing. Because of the closed process chain, the lock nut 18 , 48 (which usually is made of synthetic material) is the “weakest link.” The next weakest link is the fastening stud 16 . The welded joint 22 or 52 has the greatest strength.
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A fastening system is providing, the fastening system has a weld stud welded to a sheet metal surface at a weldment portion to form a weld joint. The system additionally has a fracturable nut coupled to the weld stud. The fracturable nut and stud construction is configured to fail under torsional load prior to the failure of the sheet metal or the weld joint.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] Embodiments of the present invention relate to an LWC paper product and a method of producing the same.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] In the field of producing paper products, one ongoing goal is to improve the quality of a paper product, especially LWC paper, and the economy of producing the same.
[0005] Paper is required to have a certain surface quality for ensuring a desired gloss and print quality, a low transparency and a sufficient stiffness and tear resistance. Additionally, since paper is produced in large quantities in a paper mill, the efficient use of raw material is important. However, these demands are somewhat contradictory to each other. Paper can be provided with a sufficient gloss by calendering the paper by compressing it in a nip, often moistened and heated in a certain manner. The surface fibers and coating of paper are preferably pressed smooth by this compression, yet without compacting the middle layer of paper. The compaction of a middle layer undermines the stiffness of paper and reduces tear resistance. At the same time, the transparency of paper increases. This compaction of a middle layer is often referred to as a loss of bulk. In this case, bulk is understood as being the inverse value of density and a loss thereof is thus equal to a densifying compaction of paper or board.
[0006] Since the process of making paper is highly raw material intensive, even a minor saving in raw material provides a major advantage over competitors. In this respect, a saving of just one percent can be considered a major competitive edge and the investment restitution time is short. Saving raw material is also desirable for environmental reasons. By virtue of a paper grade of lower weight, the beneficial multiplicative effects of the paper of this invention cover the product's entire life span, the reduced consumption of raw material resulting in a lighter product which ultimately creates savings also in shipping operations and in the way of a reduced amount of waste. The improved bulk and opacity do not cause the consumer any practical adversities.
[0007] A machine calender is often used together with other calenders, the machine calender referring to a hard calender with no elasticity in its rolls. The use of a machine calender as the sole surface treatment method is not advisable. A soft calender refers to a soft-nip calender, wherein the calender roll has a surface which is elastic, the surface having possibly a hardness in the same order as the surface hardness of wood, yet being elastic.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The above and other needs are met by the present invention which, in one embodiment, provides a method of making a paper product having a flat printing surface, a high gloss and stiffness in the printing paper with a lesser-than-before consumption of material, and avoiding bottlenecks as well as improving runnability in the production process. Generally, the pretreatment of a paper surface prior to a coating process is performed with a machine calender and the finishing treatment with a supercalender. The function of a machine calender is to provide the web with a uniform thickness profile. After machine calendering, paper is coated and final calendering is usually performed with a supercalender. The coating method is typically blade coating or film coating.
[0009] The quality values of thus produced offset LWC printing paper are within the following range:
Bulk 0.90-1.1 cm 3 /g PPS-s10 roughness 0.8-1.6 μm Gloss 50-70%
[0010] According to the invention, printing paper is treated with a long-nip calender after a coating process in order to upgrade the paper qualities over what is known before and, in addition, the production runnability is improved and the production method is not subject to a speed restraint the same way as a supercalender. A long-nip calender suitable for making paper of the invention has been described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,164,198 also assigned to the assignee of the present invention.
[0011] More particularly, a calender suitable for the surface treatment of paper includes a fixed support element, around which is a tubular jacket. A heated counter element is disposed on the other side of the tubular jacket from the support element, such that a web passes through between said counter element and the tubular jacket. The fixed support element is provided with load elements, pressing the jacket against the heated counter element and thereby enabling a calendering process between the jacket and the counter element. The jacket has its opposite ends secured to end walls mounted rotatably relative to the support element, the rotary motion of the end walls being delivered by a separate drive motor, which is independent of a motion of the fiber web in order to avoid overheating of the jacket.
[0012] A method of the invention for conditioning the surface of coated or uncoated paper with a surface conditioning device comprises feeding a fiber web through a long nip established by a roll and a counter-roll, the former being in the form of a tubular-shaped flexible jacket. Across the extent of the nip the jacket deflects or bends and thereby presses into contact with the counter-roll over a long stretch. The paper treated with the method is lighter than currently available paper grades, while stiffness and surface properties are equal to those of currently available papers.
[0013] The solution enables a running speed substantially higher than what is accomplished with a supercalender. In addition, the runnability is better, which also contributes to improved quality and reduces waste.
[0014] Web speed in the calender may be higher than 600 m/min, preferably higher than 800 m/min, and still more preferably 1000 m/min, and even as high as about 4000 m/min. Thus, the calender neither restricts the speed of a paper machine nor is there a need for several calenders in parallel. The above-mentioned heated roll has a temperature of 150-350° C., preferably higher than 170° C., most preferably about 200-250° C. Linear pressure in the nip is within the range of 100-500 kN/m, preferably less than 400 kN/m, most preferably about 320-380 kN/m. Maximum pressure in the nip is 3-15 MPa, preferably less than 13 MPa, most preferably about 8-12 MPa.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)
[0015] Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a long-nip calender, provided with an extended nip between a shoe calender and a counter-roll;
[0017] FIG. 1A is a partial enlargement of FIG. 1 ;
[0018] FIG. 2A is a partial sectional view of the device shown in FIG. 1 , along the roll axis and depicting a drive mechanism; and
[0019] FIG. 2B shows the operation of press shoes in a longitudinal section.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] The present inventions now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
[0021] In FIG. 1 , a paper 80 travels through an extended and heated nip 1 . The nip 1 is established by an enclosed shoe roll 10 present under the web 80 . Above the web 80 is a heatable counter-roll 22 . The enclosed shoe roll comprises a flexible jacket 12 impervious to liquid. The jacket consists for example of fiber-reinforced polyurethane. A stationary fixed support element 14 carries at least one load shoe 18 . Between the load shoe 18 and the support element is an actuator 20 , such as a hydraulic cylinder, for urging the concave load shoe 18 and thereby also the flexible jacket 12 against the counter-roll 22 . Thus, the jacket 12 is forced out of its normal unloaded position 11 in a direction away from the center of the enclosed shoe roll. The jacket 12 is fastened at both ends thereof to end walls 24 , 26 , thus creating a sealed compartment 13 (see FIG. 2 ). As also shown in FIG. 1 , at least one detector device 99 is mounted in communication with the web 80 for detecting web breaks. The detector device 99 is connected to a control device 98 for controlling the operation of a calendering process depending on whether the web is broken or not.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 1 , the heatable counter-roll 22 is accompanied by a disengagement mechanism, comprising a lever 95 pivotable by a hydraulic cylinder assembly 94 and provided with a pivot point 96 for pivoting the lever thereon. The disengagement mechanism presses the counter-roll 22 to an engagement with the nip 1 and disengages it from the nip 1 . Between the load shoe 18 and the jacket 12 is supplied pressurized oil, which develops a hydrostatic pressure throughout the nip and presses the jacket to an engagement with the counter-roll 22 over the entire extent of the nip 1 . At the same time, the oil protects the jacket from being damaged by lumps and a temperature rise.
[0023] In FIG. 2A , it is shown that the end walls 24 , 26 are rotatably mounted on stub shafts 16 , 17 of the support element 14 (The end walls are preferably not integral but divided into a static part and a rotating part, as shown in FIG. 2B ). On one end of the stub shaft, a cylindrical shaft 32 is arranged rotatably via bearings 34 . A support column 36 is arranged to the cylindrical shaft via self-aligning bearings 38 , which allow spherical movement to allow the deformation/bending of the support element 14 in response to a heavy load. One of the end walls 24 is fixedly attached to the cylindrical shaft. A drive transmission 40 , in the present embodiment a cog wheel, is fixedly attached to the cylindrical shaft outside the end wall. The cog wheel is connected to a transmission 42 and in turn a drive 44 . A cog wheel 46 is fixedly attached to the cylindrical shaft inside the end wall. A drive shaft 48 is arranged inside the jacket and parallel to the support element 14 . The drive shaft 48 is supported by bearings 50 arranged in bearing houses 52 attached to the support element. At each end of the drive shaft, cog wheels 54 are arranged. Preferably these cog wheels have a prolonged toothed portion to allow axial movement of the intermeshing cog wheel which is attached to the end wall. A further cog wheel 56 is fixedly attached to the second end wall 26 inside the jacket. Both cog wheels inside the jacket mesh with the corresponding cog wheel on the drive shaft. The second end wall 26 is rotatably arranged on the second stub shaft 17 . The second stub shaft is in turn fixedly attached to a second support column 58 .
[0024] The operation proceeds as follows. During normal operation, the driven heated roll 22 is in interaction with the fiber web and the flexible jacket 12 by a desired pressure being exerted by the load shoe 18 , thereby causing a friction based drive of both the fiber web and the flexible jacket. Accordingly, during normal operation, the forces exerted in the nip provide for rotation of the enclosed shoe roll.
[0025] Only in specific occasions, it will normally be desirable to operate the independent drive of the enclosed shoe roll 10 , for example when starting up the calender. If the calender should be started without first speeding up the flexible jacket 12 , this would inevitably cause damage to the flexible jacket due to overheating. Furthermore, it would also be deteriorating for the fiber web, since at the moment of start it would develop exceptional tension forces in the fiber web. Accordingly, the independent drive arrangement of the enclosed shoe roll is to be used for instance at the start-up of the calendering surface. At the start, the nip gap is not closed, but the roll 22 has been moved out of contact with the nip 1 . Before moving the heated counter-roll 22 into the nip, the drive arrangement 44 of the enclosed shoe roll 10 is activated to accelerate the first end wall 24 via transmissions. The rotation of the end wall causes the inner first cog wheel 46 to rotate, and subsequently the drive shaft 48 . The drive shaft transmits the rotation to the second end wall 26 via the second inner cog wheel 56 . The both end walls are thus accelerated and rotate at the same speed until a desired peripheral speed is obtained, which is normally equal to the speed of the fiber web. The nip is closed by activating the hydraulic piston 94 to pivot the lever 95 and thereby moving the counter-roll 22 into the nip and subsequently the load shoe 18 is urged against the heated roll 22 by its actuators 20 . Once the calender functions in the desired manner, the drive arrangement of the enclosed shoe roll can be deactivated and the press roll driven in a conventional manner by friction within the nip 1 .
[0026] In FIG. 2B there is shown an alternative embodiment of the drive arrangement for an enclosed shoe roll. This embodiment uses friction for the transmission of rotational forces.
[0027] FIG. 2B also shows a design of arranging the support element and the end walls. The end walls are divided into inner parts 24 A, 26 A connected non-rotatably to the support element 14 , a rotational part 24 B, 26 B, and a bearing assembly 24 C, 26 C therebetween. The support element 14 is at each end thereof arranged with self-aligning bearings 23 , 25 to allow a deflection of the support element 14 .
[0028] In the figure there is shown a drive 44 having a shaft 19 B. On the shaft 19 B is mounted a disc 19 having a rubber layer at its peripheral end 19 A. The outer ends of the flexible jacket 12 are fixedly attached between an annular ring 15 , acting as a replaceable force transmitting device, and the periphery of each end wall. The ring 15 is fixedly attached to the end wall. On the inside of the rotational part 24 B, 26 B of each end wall there is fixedly attached a cog wheel 46 , 56 . The drive arrangement 44 , 19 is movable in and out of contact with the force transmitting device 15 . When it is desired to accelerate the enclosed shoe roll 10 , the drive arrangement is moved such that the rubber layer 19 A comes into frictional engagement with the force transmitting device 15 . The cog wheel 46 and the drive shaft 48 transmit the rotation of the end wall 24 to the other end wall 26 by the cog wheels 54 , 55 and 56 , which at the same time function as a synchronizing device. Hence, both end walls 24 , 26 are operated as described in reference to FIG. 2A . FIG. 2B further illustrates in a schematic view one functional embodiment of the load shoe 18 . Generally, the load shoe 18 is not disposed diametrically relative to the drive shaft, but perpendicularly as in FIG. 2A .
[0029] Tests conducted by the assignee indicated that, in test batches manufactured by a long-nip calender as described above, the batches of paper could be provided with a ratio of bulk and smoothness better than in currently available grades of paper. Thus, according to measurements, the goals of the invention are achieved.
[0030] Shoe calenders can be driven at high speeds and, furthermore, by the application of an elevated temperature, e.g. about 250° C., and by taking into account a long dwell time in the calendering zone, the resulting gloss finish will be equal to what is achieved in a slower solution using a supercalender. In addition, the paper is provided with improved bulk. In addition to aspects contributing directly to the quality of paper, the results include savings of production space in a mill, the elimination of a production limiting supercalender, and the provision of a more manageable, more easily controlled system.
[0031] In view of producing paper of the invention, there is used a non-contact coating process prior to glazing final calendering. Suitable coating methods include, for example, curtain or spray coating.
[0032] The quality values of thus produced paper in pilot conditions were as follows:
Bulk 1.15-1.3 cm 3 /g PPS-s10 roughness 1.0-1.5 μm Gloss 40-50%
[0033] Compared with prior known grades, the obtained paper is higher in bulk and smooth and, in addition, the production method has a production capacity which is higher that what is achieved by a single supercalender. The method provides saving in paper manufacture and improves economy. Especially, the increase of capacity is possible with the same paper machine by on-line calendering. When compared to using several supercalenders, more space can be saved in the case of a new mill or the operation of an old mill can be rationalized. The provision of higher bulk represents a direct saving in terms of the amount of material and energy needed for production and, likewise, lighter printing paper saves energy over its service life and ultimately produces less waste to be handled.
[0034] Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
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A method of forming a coated printing paper product is provided. A printing paper product is first coated in a non-contact coating process. The printing paper product is then final calendered with a surface conditioning device. The coated printing paper product is formed for offset printing with a bulk of between about 1.15 m 3 /kg and about 1.3 m 3 /kg, and with the top side of the coated printing paper product having a PPS-s10 roughness of between about 0.7 μm and about 1.5 μm and a Hunter gloss of between about 30% and about 80%.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/643,562, filed on Jan. 12, 2005.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present method and apparatus relates generally to positioning systems for wireless user equipment, and more specifically to an almanac that contains the base station database for all or select set of base stations of a specific type.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Location determination systems allow wireless devices to find their geographic location or be located by remote entities by using satellites (e.g., GLONASS, GPS, Galileo, EGNOS, Globalstar, IRIDIUM) and/or base stations (e.g., cellular telephone base station, a wireless local area network, a wireless wide area network, satellite phone, satellite Internet, or any other device that can be uniquely recognized and communicate with the wireless device). These stations may be coupled to a base station almanac processor by way of a wide area network (WAN), but may also or alternatively use a local area network (LAN). The base station almanac processor accesses a base station database to tailor or customize an almanac according to the estimated location of the wireless device.
[0004] The wireless device can communicate with any number of devices to provide location information. The wireless device may be, for example, a cellular telephone that may have any number or combination of communication modes (e.g., GSM, CDMA, TDMA, WCDMA, OFDM, GPRS, EV-DO, WiFi, Bluetooth, WiMAX, 802.xx, UWB, satellite, etc.) to transfer voice and/or data with cellular, satellite, wireless data, and/or mesh networks by way of their base stations. The wireless device could also be a tracking device, a child or parolee monitor, navigational device, wireless pager, wireless computer, PDA, asset tag, etc.
SUMMARY
[0005] The method and apparatus disclosed herein provides an almanac that may contain the base station database for all or select set of base stations of a specific type (e.g., CDMA or WiFi or Bluetooth base stations).
DESCRIPTION
[0006] With the proliferation of multi-mode devices, the base station almanac for one particular mode of operation is not sufficient. If a target device can operate in more than one mode (e.g., CDMA and WiFi) for radio-location and communication purposes the device needs to know the almanac for both types of the base stations to operate properly. One feature of interest is the ability to seamlessly roam between the base stations of the same type or be handed over to a base station of a different type.
[0007] Either a centralized or a localized database can be maintained for the base stations of the supported and relevant modes of communication (for example, may not be interested in the OMEGA base stations).
[0008] The supported communication modes for each wireless device can be stored in a device capability database that includes information to help in determining an uncertainty factor for each location or distance measurement made by a particular wireless device operating in any number of communication modes.
[0009] The almanac processor may be separate from the base stations, but each base station or a group of base stations could have a base station almanac processor and/or databases in other embodiments. Alternatively, the almanac processor can be integrated into the wireless device. The base station and/or device capability databases could also be in the wireless device and updated periodically.
[0010] In some embodiments, the base station database may be centrally located, in others the base station database may be distributed regionally or in portions relevant to each base station or a group of base stations as a local almanac. For example, a first base station, may store a portion of the base station database for its footprint and all adjacent base station footprints in a first local almanac. In another example, the first almanac may not be geographically organized but contain the base stations which are part of a particular service provider network. As the centrally-located base station database is updated, those changes are propagated to the various local almanacs that might use the new information.
[0011] A target device having access to the relevant base station almanac will be able to determine the location information given the knowledge of the communication mode and the identification of the base station or a group of base stations in the communication with the target device. The location determination can be performed either by the target device or with the target-device assistance. In the target device-assisted mode, the device provides the information sufficient for the location determination by the external entity.
[0012] To further improve the search of the base station almanacs for the appropriate information, the data can be organized utilizing the hierarchical coverage scheme. For a particular region, for example, the Bay Area, or area identified by SID/NID, the number of CDMA and GSM switches can be listed. Under each switch a number of GSM and CDMA base station controllers can be listed. For each base station controller a number of base stations are provided, for each base station a number of sectors (typically from 1 to 6). For each sector, the base station almanac can contain the number of know WiFi base stations (access points) located within the coverage of the particular sector. The same can be done for other local area base stations such as Bluetooth, UWB, ZigBee, RFID, etc. This classification can be extended to show cross references whereby some of the local area base stations can be within the signal coverage of the other local are base stations providing further granularity to the location information. For example, a number of Bluetooth base stations can be within coverage of a particular WiFi access point.
[0013] Each “computer”, “base station”, “base station controller”, “server”, or other network infrastructure, “wireless device”, “mobile station”, or “user equipment”, referred to herein includes the necessary “computer-readable” media to perform the functions described herein, or is in communication with the necessary computer-readable media. The term “computer-readable medium” refers to any medium that participates in providing instructions to a processor for execution. The singular “medium” is defined herein to include the plural “media”.
[0014] “Computer readable media” may take many forms, including but not limited to, “non-volatile media”, “volatile media”, and “transmission media”. “Non-volatile media” includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks such as used for a storage medium. “Volatile media” includes dynamic memory. Common forms of “computer-readable media” include floppy disks, flexible disks, hard disks, magnetic tape, other magnetic mediums, CD-ROM or other optical medium, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH EPROM, and other memory chips or cartridges, a carrier wave, or any medium from which a computer or processor, as those terms are known to those skilled in the art, can read. Databases, data, and/or records can be recorded or stored on computer readable media. The term “data” as used herein refers to information.
[0015] It will be understood as used herein that a processor or microprocessor can, but need not necessarily include, one or more microprocessors, embedded processors, controllers, application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), digital signal processors (DSPs), and the like. The terms processor and microprocessor are intended to describe hardware implementing the functions described rather than specific hardware. As used herein the term “memory” refers to any type of long term, short term, or other memory associated with the computer or other described device, and is not to be limited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of media upon which memory is stored.
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A database provides base station almanac information pertaining to more than one network mode of communication. A wireless device accesses this database through a centralized server or network, or via the base station, base station controller or the like, with which it is currently communicating.
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