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This is a division of application Ser. No. 456,311 filed Jan. 6, 1983 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,769; which is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 402,279, filed July 27, 1982, now abandoned.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a novel pharmaceutical composition having effective combined diuretic and antihypertensive properties while also being capable of resisting or reversing hypokalemia. More specifically, this invention provides a novel pharmaceutical composition containing hydrochlorothiazide (6-chloro-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,2,4-benzothiadiazide-7-sulfonamide-1,1-dioxide) and triamterene (2,4,7-triamino-6-phenylpteridine), and exhibiting enhanced bioavailability of both ingredients. Also an improved novel method for using and administering a diuretic and antihypertensive combination medication with prevention or elimination of hypokalemic side effects is provided. This invention further provides a novel method for generally making pharmaceutical compositions composed of two or more active ingredients which differ significantly from each other in their relative hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic characteristics and/or physiological fluid solubilities.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
The preparation of pharmaceutical compositions having two or more active ingredients has been and is a common requirement in medicine. Frequently, ingredients may be simply combined without difficulties pertaining to stability or bioavailability. In other instances, the respective active ingredients have the capability of interacting with each other, introducing stability problems even in solid preparations, which then require special preparatory measures. In other instances, care must be taken to ensure that the bioavailability of the active ingredients in combination pharmaceutical preparations is not adversely affected by each other by the various pharmaceutically acceptable but inert components which typically must be included in the composition when formulated into tablet or capsule form.
The present invention is concerned with pharmaceutical preparations having at least two active ingredients, at least one of which is sparingly soluble in aqueous physiological fluids, and which also significantly differ from each other in their respective hydrophilicities or hydrophilities. In such compositions, the active ingredient must typically be made available in very finely divided form to provide maximum surface areas in order to aid the dissolution thereof in the physiological fluids. However, when one of the ingredients has hydrophobic characteristics, it appears that the fine particles of that ingredient will tend to cover the surface of the finely divided particles of a second, relatively hydrophilic ingredient, and thus significantly depress the ability of the latter ingredient to enter into solution in the body fluid.
Indeed, it is sometimes the case that the relatively hydrophobic ingredient must be used in a relatively greater weight amount than the relatively hydrophilic ingredient, and thus statistically the hydrophilic particles will very significantly tend to be coated or covered by the greater number of fine hydrophobic particles, in a kind of small agglomerate particle formed during tableting or granulation procedures employed for making up a individual dose formulation, particularly in either tablet or capsule form. The result is that the bioavailability of the hydrophilic material is adversely affected, depressed, and the formulations exhibit erratic behavior in terms of the amount of medication actually received by the patient. This can cause grave difficulties in the treatment of serious illnesses. At times, also, the hydrophobic material itself in such compositions is also only erratically bioavailable.
In any event, in such compositions the pharmacological goals are to make each of the ingredients maximally bioavailable, at the lowest administered dose level possible, and preferably in a single tablet or capsule (rather than multiple tablets or capsules). Further, the formulation should also be such that the bioavailability level of the ingredients should be desirably uniform, i.e. with a relatively low coefficient of variation when multiple patient responses are statistically analyzed.
A case in point illustrating these problems and, relating to one embodiment for the practice of this invention, is the antihypertensive medication combination of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene.
Hydrochlorothiazide is a known single entity pharmaceutical for administration to human patients in order to provide diuretic and antihypertensive medication and treatment. In addition to producing beneficial effects on hypertension, the diuretic action serves to relieve edema caused by renal, cardiac, hepatic ineffectiveness or other causes.
However, one of the problems which arises when thus administering single-entity hydrochlorothiazide is that this medication also tends to cause a loss of potassium from the patient, which may be excessive, and which may thereby create an undesired hypokalemic condition. Among the undesired results of hypokalemia in the patient are muscle weakness, general fatigue and an exaggeration of the cardiac responses to various drugs which may also be administered to the patient. While potassium supplements have been prescribed, this may cause further adverse side effects such as gastro-intestinal tract lesions, forming a site for possible ulceration and possible perforation, etc.
It has also been known to administer hydrochlorothiazide in combination with the administration of triamterene. The latter compound has the capability of resisting hypokalemia by retarding the discharge of potassium from the patient's body. Description of such prior activities are found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,081,230; "Maintenance of Potassium Balance During Diuretic Therapy" by Kohvakka et al. 205 Acta Med Scand, Vol. 205, pages 319-324 (1979) and "The Influence of Dosage Form on the Activity of a Diuretic Agent", by Tannenbaum et al., Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Volume 9, No. 5, pp. 598-604 (1968). Typically such prior art unit dosage forms have been prepared with an intimate mixing together of all of the various, finely divided, components.
However, one of the problems which has continued to exist with such combinations as previously provided in the art is that the combined compositions have been only erratically and incompletely absorbed in patients, and have provided only relatively low bioavailability of the components, which has in turn obscured or increased the apparent amount of triamterene required by a patient.
Another problem which has been encountered has been the risk of loss of effective control of hypertension or edema when a patient under treatment with an optionally bioavailable single entity hydrochlorothiazide is subsequently transferred to a triamterene-hydrochlorothiazide combination to attempt to control hypokalemia. A previously acceptable and effective dose level of hydrochlorothiazide may now be relatively inadequate due to depressed bioavailability. Moreover, there has not been experienced effective control or reversal of hypokalemia. While it might be thought that such difficulties could be surmounted by administering liquid suspensions, or separate solid dose levels of the active ingredients in separate tablets or capsules, such approaches are in general undesired because, inter alia, of problems of patients compliance in taking the proper prescribed medication level at all times.
Thus, while the properties and medicinal benefits of hydrochlorothiazide have long been known, as well as those of triamterene, as well as the expected benefits to arise from administering a combination of the two together, there has remained a need for a pharmaceutical composition combining these two materials in such a manner that each ingredient is optimally bioavailable with enhanced safety and pharmaceutical effectiveness. Specifically there has remained a need for a single, solid-form dosage unit composition containing both hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, with combined diuretic and antihypertensive properties, while also exhibiting a bioavailability of the active ingredients at least about comparable to that of the single dosage hydrochlorothiazide and/or triamterene and which will also resist or reverse hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemia while using the minimum relative amount of triamterene.
GENERAL SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides, in a presently preferred embodiment, a pharmaceutical composition containing both hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, particularly in solid dosage form, with the characteristics and properties of optimal bioavailabilty, with more uniform absorption of both ingredients, which permits optimal effective diuretic and antihypertensive activity while resisting or reversing hypokalemia at minimized dose levels of triamterene.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a safe and effective pharmaceutical composition combining hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene and which is adapted to serve as an antihypertensive and diuretic agent while resisting or reversing undesired hypokalemic side effects.
An additional object of this invention is to provide a method for manufacturing pharmaceutical compositions, and the resulting compositions, having at least two active ingredients, at least one of which is sparingly soluble in physiological fluids, and of significantly different hydrophobic and/or hydrophilic characteristics, wherein the resulting composition exhibits enhanced bioavailability of the medication and of increased uniformity of behavior in physiological absorption.
A further specific object of the present invention is to provide a method of manufacturing such a pharmaceutical composition, composed of hydrochlorotriazide and triamterene, the resultant pharmaceutical, and its method of use, being such that the active ingredients of the composition will be uniformly absorbed and provide high bioavailability which is comparable to that provided by a single-entity hydrochlorothiazide medication or single entity triamterene.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a composition and associated method which will permit resistance to or reversal of hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemia while employing a minimum amount of triamterene in combination therewith.
In general, the prime specific objective of the invention is to provide a composition employing a minimum dosage of triamterene, while producing effective bioavailabiltiy and avoiding or reducing or reversing hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemia. In general, hypokalemia may be considered to exist at a serium potassium level of about equal to or less than 3.5 mEg/L.
These and other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, hydrochlorothiazide (6-chloro 3, 4-dihydro-2H-1, 2, 4-benzothiadiazine-7-sulfonamide 1, 1-dioxide) is combined with triamterene (2, 4, 7-triamino-6-phenylpteridine), and non-toxic pharmaceutically acceptable carriers or other materials to produce the desired pharmaceutical action.
A preferred embodiment for the method of manufacturing the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention involves the steps of providing respective quantities of triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide at a weight ratio of triamterene to hydrochlorothiazide of about 1.75 to 1.25:1. These ingredients are separately admixed with certain additional carrier materials which contribute to their enhanced bioavailability. The separate mixtures, after granulation, are then combined. The pharmaceutical composition which results is preferably provided in solid dosage form, particularly as a tablet, or alternatively as a capsule.
The quantity of triamterene, on a weight basis, should be in the range of about 1.75 to 1.25 times the quantity of hydrochlorothiazide and advantageously and most preferably about 1.5:1. As used hereinafter the expression "triamterene weight base" shall refer to the ratio of the amount on a weight basis of another component to the amount of triamterene.
The triamterene ingredient itself, in finely divided milled form, preferably such that at least about 95% pass through a 200 mesh screen, may be made up in a first mixture containing about 25 to 75 percent (on a triamterene weight basis) of a wicking agent, such as powdered cellulose, N.F., (C 6 H 10 O 5 ) n and preferably about 35 to 55 percent. A suitable wicking agent is that sold under the trade designation "REXCEL" by E. Mendell Co., (now named SOLKA--FLOC BW-100) or that sold under the trade designation "EX-CEL" by Sitco Chemical. Such a wicking agent should be effective to induct water to within the subsequently formed granules (see below) to swell and otherwise aid in the fragmentation of the same when exposed to aqueous physiological fluid. It is preferred that this material have a longitudinal dimension greater than would pass through a screen of about 200 mesh, in order to enhance its wicking action in the composition.
Also added to this mixture is about 20 to 240 percent (on a triamterene weight basis) percent and preferably about 150 to 190 percent of a finely-divided binder-disintegrant, such as microcrystalline cellulose, N.F. (C 6 H 10 O 5 ) n . A suitable binder-disintegrant is that sold under the trade designation "AVICEL PH-102" by FMC Corporation. A suitable wetting agent such as sodium lauryl sulfate [dodecyl sodium sulfate [CH 3 (CH 2 ) 10 CH 2 OSO 3 Na] may also be added in quantities of about 2 to 10 percent on a triamterene weight basis and preferably about 4 to 7 percent. A suitable material is that sold under the trade designation "Maprofix" (Onyx Chemical Co.).
Other additional non-toxic pharmaceutically-acceptable but inactive carrier materials may also be present and all of these components are admixed together to create a first mixture. Among the additional components which may be included in such first mixture as pharmaceutically inactive materials, all in finely-divided form, may be a disintegrant such as croscarmellose sodium, N.F., (a cross linked sodium carboxymethyl cellulose material), in quantities of about 6 to 22 percent on a triamterene weight basis and preferably about 10 to 18 percent. Suitable materials are those sold under the trade designations "Ac-Di-Sol" (FMC Corporation) and "CLD" (Buckeye Cellulose Corp.).
Also added to this first mixture is a dosage lubricant, such as magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate, prepared by providing ninety-four parts, on a weight basis, of the former and six parts of the latter, preferably initially wet-mixed and then dried and milled, in quantities of about 3 to 12 percent on a triamterene weight basis and preferably about 6 to 10 percent. (This mixture may, for instance, consist of 94 parts magnesium stearate, N.F. (Octadecanoic acid magnesium salt mg (C 18 H 35 O 2 ) 2 and 6 parts of sodium lauryl sulfate, N.F. (dodecyl sodium sulfate, [(CH 3 (CH 2 ) 10 CH 2 OSO 3 Na]). A suitable lubricant of this type is that which has been marketed under the trade designation "Stear-O-Wet M". Additionally, a suitable flow enhancer, such as colloidal silicon dioxide, N.F., may be provided in quantities of about 1 to 5 percent on a triamterene weight basis and preferably about 2.5 to 4 percent. Suitable materials are those sold under the trade designations "Cab-O-Sil", (Cabot Corporation) and "Aerosil", (Degussa, Inc.).
As now used hereinafter the expression "hydrochlorothiazide weight basis" shall refer to the ratio of the amount on a weight basis of another ingredient to the amount of hydrochlorothiazide.
A second mixture is made up by mixing finely divided hydrochlorothiazide, preferably such that at least 95% passes through a 100 mesh screen, with about 120 to 240 percent (on hydrochlorothiazide weight basis) of a suitble binder-disintegrant such as the microcrystalline cellulose, N.F. (described above) and preferably about 160 to 200 percent; plus about 4 to 16 percent on a hydrochlorothiazide weight basis of a disintegrant, such as the croscarmellose sodium, N.F. (described above) and preferably about 10 to 12 percent; plus flow enhancer, such as colloidal silicon dioxide, N.F. (SiO 2 ) in quantities of about 0.5 to 4 percent on a hydrochlorothiazide weight basis and preferably about 1 to 3 percent; plus a lubricant such as magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) in quantities of about 0.5 to 4 percent on a hydrochlorothiazide weight basis and preferably about 1 to 3 percent. Suitable flow enhancers include those sold under the trade designations "Cab-O-Sil" (Cabot Corporation) and "Aerosil", (Degussa).
Each of these two separately prepared mixtures of the respective active ingredients and carrier materials is thoroughly mixed and further milled if desired to optimum particle size for effective pharmaceutical use.
Each of these two mixtures is next separately compacted or compressed for the purpose of making granules of each mixture. The separate compaction steps form compressed material composites of the respective mixtures, for instance in large disk or sheet form such that the individual active ingredient particles are now in intimate physical, substantially homogeneous, admixture with the above mentioned additive material particles.
Next, the compacted materials are separately subjected to a comminuting operation to divide the same into a granulated form, whereby the respective granules of each mixture will be composed of the respective active ingredient and the above-mentioned various additives. The granules thus-formed from the compactions should have adequate structural integrity to continue to exist as finite entities in the following operations.
In a preferred form of the practice of the present invention, in separate processing of each of the two mixtures they are preferably passed through a Fitzmill, No. 00 screen, and after they have been separately compacted, they are comminuted to form respective granules of the separate mixtures with the granulated materials being passed through a Fitzmill No. 2 screen for capsules or a Fitzmill No. 2A for tablets. Other equipment of comparable function may of course be used for these purposes.
The thus-formed granules should have a size range from not more than 5% being larger than 2 mm to not more than 20% being smaller than 0.075 mm, preferably with not more than 5% having a dimension exceeding 1.5 mm, especially when a capsule is to be made.
Thereafter the thus-formed granules of the first and second mixtures are blended together to create a third, now combined, mixture. In a preferred form of the practice of this invention, a further quantity of lubricant, such as a mixture (preferably made up wet, dried and milled) of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (e.g. 94/6 weight ratio) is admixed in the third mixture. This may be about 0.2 to 1.0 percent of the total blended weight of the two mixtures and preferably about 0.4 to 0.7 percent. When the combined composition is ultimately formulated in capsules suitable stabilizers, surfactants and antimicrobial agents may be present. If instead a tablet is to be made, a coloring agent may be added, such as D&C yellow #10 aluminum lake in suitable coloring amount, as desired.
The combined granulated and blended mixture composition then produced by the above-described method may now be formulated into unit dosage form, e.g. as a tablet or as a capsule.
In a preferred form of the practice of the invention, the ultimate unit dosage form of the combined mixture may include hydrochlorothiazide in quantities of about 25 milligrams to 100 milligrams and desirably such that the combined weight of the active pharmaceutical ingredients, i.e., hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, will be about 62.5 milligrams to 250 milligrams total. For example, at a weight ratio of 1.5:1, the unit dosage breakdown of triamterene to hydrochlorothiazide might be 37.5/25 mg, 75/50 mg. or 150/100 mg. It has been found that a very effective weight ratio is 75/50. In general, it will be desirable to limit the amount of the total patient consumption of triamterene per day to no more than about 150 milligrams and of hydrochlorothiazide per day to no more than about 100 milligrams. (As used herein, the term "patient" shall refer to members of the animal kingdom, including human beings.)
One of the key features of the present invention which contributes to the high bioavailability centers around the ability of said resulting unit dosage forms of this combined composition to disintegrate rapidly in the presence of physiological fluids into pre-formed separate granules, and subsequently the ability of the respective individual granules to break up rapidly in such fluids into their much smaller particulate components. This is accomplished by specific control of relative particle sizes, the blending of hydrophobic and hydrophilic materials, only after they have been separately granulated, and in a preferred embodiment, the use of wicking materials, particularly with the hydrophobic component.
In general, with two exceptions, in the preferred practice of the invention most of the starting materials incorporated into the first and second mixtures will have a particle size of about 95% passing through a 200 mesh screen. In order to provide effective wicking action (to cause moisture to penetrate to the dosage unit interior), the wicking agent should having a longitudinal dimension greater than would pass through a 200 mesh screen. The (relatively hydrophilic) hydrochlorothiazide particles should also pass 95% through a 200 mesh screen, but passing about 95% through a 100 mesh screen is also acceptable. The particle size of the ingredients and carriers in the separately formed mixtures should be substantially smaller than the size of the subsequently formed granules by at least one or more orders of magnitude.
Of the active ingredients, hydrochlorothiazide, is relatively hydrophilic, while triamterene is relatively hydrophobic. As described above, it is believed that one of the problems encountered with the prior art materials and compositions has been the rather uniform presence of fine particles of triamterene on the surface of the solid dosage form (and also of agglomerates therein), thus creating a hydrophobic barrier to passage of moisture therethrough. This phenomenon evidently occurred because of the blending together of the two active ingredients, and the other conventional tableting or encapsuling additives, all in finely divided form without preliminary separate composition and granulation thereof. Moisture thus fails or is inhibited from coming in contact with the hydrochlorothiazide. This has resulted in a failure of the dosage form to disintegrate rapidly and, as a result, such compositions exhibit limited and erratic bioavailability.
By contrast, in the present invention, the separate initial granulation of the active ingredients with other materials prior to admixture and blending of the active ingredients together serves to separate the hydrophobic and hydrophilic particulate materials from each other thereby also avoiding such surface effect, and thus also facilitating disintegration of the solid dosage form into preformed granules, which are themselves also able to disintegrate rapidly to disperse the fine particles of the active ingredients. This effect is further enhanced by the increased exposed surface area of the respective ground granulated particles, which in turn increases the rate of solution.
As shown below, the dissolution and bioavailability of the triamterene ingredient is also enhanced when present in the granular form of this invention.
It will also be appreciated that this method forms separate granules which are themselves essentially homogenous, with each other, of the respective components, but that in the final composition, a heterogeneity is present in that the different granules are now blended together. Further, different formulating additives may be employed with the different active ingredients, as desired, to enhance the ultimate dissolution thereof while avoiding incompability problems.
By "granularly-heterogenous" there is meant herein the existence of individually distinct granules, one set of such granules containing the triamterene component and the other set of granules containing the hydrochlorothiazide. The term is thus inapposite with respect to a composition in which the respective granules were initially formed containing both the triamterene and the hydrochlorothiazide. The term "granularly heterogenous" continues to be apposite to the invention even when the initial individual granules, after being blended together, may be again compressed, compacted, or slugged, together to form composite larger granules for tableting, encapsulating, or the like.
A second stage of increasing bioavailability involves physiological fragmenting the separate pre-formed granules into their still smaller components. By using a wicking agent, moisture is drawn into, and swells, the interior of such granules. Also, the disintegrants and the surfactant contribute to such desired fragmentation.
It will be appreciated that one of the advantageous aspects of this embodiment of the present invention is the ability to achieve resistance to or even reversal of hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemia through the action of the triamterene, as a result of the high bioavailability levels for this material being achieved by the use of finely-divided particle sizes of the active ingredients combined with independent mixing of each active ingredient with the above-described pharmaceutical carrier materials to create the separate granules. The hydrophobic triamterene granules are preferably provided with a wicking agent to assist with fragmentation of such granules. The hydrophilic hydrochlorothiazide granules, whether in a tablet or capsule form of the present invention also readily absorb water or other body fluids and facilitate prompt fragmentation of the solid dosage form into granules. The granules preferably assisted by disintegrants, a wetting agent and a wicking agent in the triameterene granules, are then broken up.
The following examples and data will further illustrate the method and a composition of the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
To prepare 50 kilograms of the pharmaceutical composition of the present invention, at a ratio of triamterene to hydrochlorothiazide of 1.5:1 on a weight basis, the following procedure is employed.
The first mixture is made up to contain about 9.38 kilograms of triamterene, U.S.P., 4.75 kilograms of a wicking agent 15.6 kilograms of a binder-disintegrant, 1.25 kilograms of a disintegrant, 500 grams of a wetting agent or surfactant such as sodium lauryl sulfate, 750 grams magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) and 250 grams of a flow enhancer.
The disintegrant, magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) and flow enhancer components are thoroughly pre-mixed. This pre-mix is then passed through a 30 mesh screen. The triamterene, binder-disintegrant and wicking agent components are passed through a screen. All of the ingredients are then placed in a five cubic foot V-blender and blended for about 15 minutes. The mixed material is then passes through a Fitzmill No. 00 screen, high speed, impact forward, and the thus-milled mixture is subsequently slugged or compacted to create granules of the first mixture. The slugging or compacting may either form hard discs of about 1/2" diameter or sheets of about 1/8" thickness, etc., achieved by using about 2 to 4 tons per square inch of pressure. This compressed material is then passed through a Fitzmill No. 2A screen, medium speed, knives forward to form comminuted granules. In the event it is desired to make a capsule, a Fitzmill No. 2 screen may be substituted in this final step of preparing the granulated first mixture.
The second mixture is made by mixing together about 6.25 kilograms of finely-divided hydrochlorothiazide, U.S.P., 10.00 kilograms of a binder-disintegrant, 625 grams of a disintegrant, 125 grams of a flow enhancer and 125 grams of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6). If a tablet is to be made, about 125 grams of a coloring agent may be added. The disintegrant, magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate and flow enhancer (along with any coloring agent used) may be pre-mixed and first passed through a 30 mesh screen. The hydrochlorothiazide and binder-disintegrant may previously be passed through an 18 or 30 mesh screen to remove any lumps. The subsequent mixing, milling, granulating procedure employed may be identical to that employed with the first mixture.
The comminuted granulated mixtures thus made separately by the above-described parallel granulation of each separate mixture may be next separately milled to an approximate granular size range of from about not more than about 5% being greater than 2 mm in length (the maximum dimension) to not more than about 20% being smaller than 0.075 mm in length.
Next, magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate, in a quantity of 250 grams, and mixed at a ratio of 94:6 on a weight basis, is passed through a 30 mesh screen. The two groups of first and second granules composed of the separate first and second mixtures are next admixed and blended together with the magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate in a five cubic foot V-blender for about 15 minutes.
When a tablet is desired, this final blend may then be compressed on a conventional tablet press.
In producing a capsule solid-dosage form, the mixed and blended material may be introduced into each capsule by appropriate, automated equipment. If a capsule is to be produced the coloring agent may be eliminated and the upper limit of granule size, may be such that not more than 5% exceeds 1.5 mm in length.
Desirably, a unit-dosage form may be a 0.4 gram tablet, as made by the above method. This tablet would contain from the first mixture about 75 milligrams of triamterene, U.S.P., 38 milligrams of wicking agent, 125 milligrams of a binder-disintegrant, 10 milligrams of a disintegrant, 4 milligrams of a wetting agent or surfactant such as sodium lauryl sulfate, U.S.P., 6 milligrams of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) and 2 milligrams of a flow enhancer; and will further contain, from the second mixture, 50 milligrams of hydrochlorothiazide, U.S.P., 80 milligrams of a binder-disintegrant, 5 milligrams of a disintegrant, 1 milligram of a flow enhancer, 1 milligram of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) and 1 milligram of a coloring agent. In addition, 2 milligrams of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) will be present, as introduced in the final blending operation.
A preferred tablet formulation, consisting of 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 75 mg triamterene in the tablet, made up according to the foregoing procedure, uses the following materials in the indicated amounts.
______________________________________Component Amount Mg per Tablet______________________________________First MixtureTriamterene 9.38 Kg 75Avicel, PH-102 15.6 Kg 125Rexcel 4.75 Kg 38Ac-Di-Sol 1.25 Kg 10Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 750 g 6Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, 500 g 4N.F.Cab-O-Sil, M-5 250 g 2Second MixtureHydrochlorothiazide 6.25 Kg 50Avicel, PH-102 10.0 Kg 80Ac-Di-Sol 625 g 5Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 125 g 1Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)Cab-O-Sil, M-5 125 g 1D & C Yellow #10 Lake 125 g 1HT (17-20%)______________________________________
After the separate granules were prepared, 250 g of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) were added and the final mixture thoroughly blended and then formed into tablets (or capsules) by customary methods.
EXAMPLE 1-A
A second tablet formulation, containing 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 100 mg triamterene in the tablet, was made up according to the foregoing procedure, using the following materials in the indicated amounts.
______________________________________Component Amount Mg per Tablet______________________________________First MixtureTriamterene 10.0 Kg 100Avicel, PH-102 18.5 Kg 185Rexcel 5.00 Kg 50Ac-Di-Sol 1.60 Kg 16Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 800 g 8Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, 500 g 5N.F.Cab-O-Sil, M-5 400 g 4Second MixtureHydrochlorothiazide 5.00 Kg 50Avicel, PH-102 10.0 Kg 100Ac-Di-Sol 600 g 6Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 100 g 1Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)Cab-O-Sil, M-5 100 g 1D & C Yellow #10 100 g 1Lake HT (17-20%)______________________________________
After the separate granules were prepared, 300 g of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) were added and the same blended and then formed into tablets or capsules as above.
EXAMPLE 1-B
A capsule formulation, containing 25 mg hydrochlorothiazide and 50 mg triamterene in the capsule, was made up according to the foregoing procedure, using the following materials in the indicated amounts.
______________________________________Component Amount Mg per Capsule______________________________________First MixtureTriamterene 10.0 Kg 50Rexcel 4.00 Kg 20Avicel, Ph-102 2.40 Kg 12Ac-Di-Sol 600 g 3Sodium Lauryl Sulfate, 600 g 3N.F.Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 300 g 1.5Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)Cab-O-Sil, M-5 100 g 0.5Second MixtureHydrochlorothiazide 5.00 Kg 25Avicel, PH-102 8.00 Kg 40Ac-Di-Sol 600 g 3Cab-O-Sil, M-5 100 g 0.5Magnesium Stearate/Sodium 100 g 0.5Lauryl Sulfate (94/6)______________________________________
After the separate granules were prepared, 200 g of magnesium stearate/sodium lauryl sulfate (94/6) were added to the same and blended, and then formed into No. 4 capsules by conventional methods.
EXAMPLE 2
In order to determine the bioavailability of the composition of the present invention as compared with a prior, currently-marketed, composition formed of an intimate admixture of hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene, and with a suspension which latter serves as an optimally bioavailable reference standard, the following tests were performed.
An aqueous suspension containing 100 mg of triamterene and 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide was administered to six healthy volunteers. At a different time these participants were given a single tablet (containing 75 mg of triamterene and 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide) formed according to this invention. Other participants were given two prior art presently-marketed capsules (containing a combined total of 100 mg triamterene/50 mg hydrochlorothiazide; the only previously FDA-approved triamterene/hydrochlorothiazide combination formulation). Following each dosing, urine was collected and the amounts of drug recovered were quantified. A summary of the triamterene urinary recover results (in mg recovered in urine during a 72 hour period after dosing) is presented in Table I.
TABLE I______________________________________TRIAMTERENE BIOAVAILABILITY* SUSPEN- PRESENTPARTIC- SION** PRIOR ART** INVENTION***IPANT (100/50) (50/25 CAPSULE) (75/50 TABLET)______________________________________1 61.2 28.3 45.52 50.6 28.5 49.43 42.2 18.6 39.54 55.9 20.8 36.25 64.5 21.5 36.96 49.9 23.2 34.7Mean 54.1 23.5 40.4Std. Dev. 8.2 4.1 5.8C.V. 15.1 17.0 14.0% Dose 54.1 23.5 53.9______________________________________ *Represents total triamterene plus hydroxy triamterene sulfate ester. (Th conjugate results from triamterene being metabolized in the liver.) **Total Dose = 100 mg triamterene; 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide. ***Total Dose = 75 mg triamterene; 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide.
These tests resulted in a mean triamterene bioavailability of 53.9% of the dose administered for the compound of this invention, comparable to the value of 54.1% for the suspension, as contrasted with a means of only 23.5% for the prior art capsule.
Later a second test was performed, again with the first group of six healthy volunteer participants, using the prior art capsules and capsules formulated according to the present invention (Example 1-B). The resulting data, similarly measured is presented in Table I-A (along with certain data from Table I for convenient comparison).
TABLE IA______________________________________TRIAMTERENE BIOAVAILABILITY PRESENT INVEN- PRESENTPAR- SUS- PRIOR ART TION INVENTIONTIC- PEN- (50/25 (50/25 (75/50IPANT SION* CAPSULE)* CAPSULE)* TABLET)**______________________________________1 61.2 16.3 45.5 45.52 50.6 26.8 44.9 49.43 42.2 20.1 34.4 39.54 55.9 45.9 33.1 36.25 64.5 20.4 31.6 36.96 49.9 23.4 40.1 34.7Mean 54.1 25.5 38.3 40.4Std Dev 8.2 10.6 6.1 5.8C.V. 15.1 41.0 16.0 14.0Mean % 54.1 25.5 38.3 53.9Dose______________________________________ *Dose Administered: 100 mg Triamterene/50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide **Dose Administered: 75 mg Triamterene/50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide
A similar summary of the hydrochlorothiazide urinary recovery results (in mg recovered in urine during a 72 hour period after dosing) corresponding respectively to Tables I and I-A, is presented in Tables II and II-A.
TABLE II______________________________________HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE BIOAVAILABILITY SUSPEN- PRIOR PRESENTPARTIC- SION* ART* (50/25 INVENTIONIPANT (100/50) CAPSULE) (75/50 TABLET)**______________________________________1 31.5 24.2 29.52 29.7 15.8 26.93 24.6 25.6 31.74 26.4 21.6 24.95 33.1 11.3 31.16 32.8 15.8 38.4Mean 29.7 19.1 30.4Std. Dev. 3.5 5.6 4.7C.V. 11.8 29.0 15.0Mean % Dose 59.4 38.0 60.8______________________________________ *Total Dose = 100 mg Triamterene; 50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide. **Total Dose = 75 mg Triamterene; 50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide.
The mean % hydrochlorothiazide bioavailability in Table II was 60.8% for the present (tablet) composition which is close to the 59.4% value of the suspension, as contrasted with only 38.0% for the prior art.
In Table II-A the mean availability of hydrochlorothiazide was only 30.8% of the dose administered with the prior art capsule, whereas the present capsule had a mean bioavailability of 51.6%, and for the present tablet of 60.8%.
TABLE II-A______________________________________HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDE BIOAVAILABILITY PRESENT PRESENT INVEN- INVEN-PAR- SUS- PRIOR ART* TION* TION**TIC- PEN- (50/25 (50/25 (75/50IPANT SION* CAPSULE) CAPSULE) TABLET)______________________________________1 31.5 10.3 28.6 29.52 29.7 11.4 28.5 26.93 24.6 14.3 24.5 31.74 26.4 23.3 16.3 24.95 33.1 17.8 32.5 31.16 32.8 15.2 24.4 38.4Mean 29.7 15.4 25.8 30.4Std. Dev. 3.5 4.7 5.6 4.7C.V. 11.8 31.0 22.0 15.0% Dose 59.4 30.8 51.6 60.8______________________________________ *Dose Administered: 100 mg Triamterene/50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide **Dose Administered: 75 mg Triamterene/50 mg Hydrochlorothiazide
Thus a significantly higher percentage of both active ingredients was available from the composition made according to this invention than from the prior art product.
In still another test the same first set of six volunteer participants (see Example 2 above) were treated with a tablet made using the technique according to this invention (Example 1-A, above) but containing 100 mg triamterene and 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide. The results, measured in the same manner as in Tables I, IA, II and II-A, are shown in Table III.
TABLE III______________________________________TRIAMTERENE PLUS HYDROCHLOROTHIAZIDETABLETS (100 mg/50 mg) HYDROCHLORO-PARTICIPANT # TRIAMTERENE THIAZIDE______________________________________1 53.6 30.22 65.5 36.63 42.5 31.24 32.3 31.75 53.5 26.96 40.8 30.1Mean 48.0 31.1Std Dev 11.8 3.2C.V. 24.6 10.3% Dose 48.0 62.2______________________________________
These results indicate a mean level of bioavailability and absorption for triamterene for this tablet (48 mg from 100 mg) exceeding by some 25% what has been thought to be the limit in absorptive capacity of the gastrointestinal tract of about a mean of 39% from an administration of 100 mg, as reported in independent tests with differently formulated compositions; see Tannenbaum et al, Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Vol. 5, No. 9, pp. 598-604 (1968).
Further this example illustrates the effectiveness of the present invention in a tablet with a ratio of triamterene:hydrochlorothiazide of 2:1 (as also with the capsules in Tables I-A and II-A); however, for clinical reasons a ratio in the range of 1.75 to 1.25:1 is more advantageously used.
It will also be seen from the foregoing tables that compositions formulated according to the present invention exhibit a high level of uniformity of response as evidenced by this relative low coefficient of variation (C.V.) figures (comparable to those shown by administering the same ingredients in suspension form). Moreover, an adequate triamterene (and hydrochlorothiazide) level is made available by administering a single (e.g. 75/50) tablet, without need to resort to a multiple tablet prescription, and with the total administered relative amount of triamterene being less than has been employed in the past.
EXAMPLE 3
Other tests were performed to determine the triamterene dose response characteristics in hypertensive individuals who had become hypokalemic (serum K+2.9-3.5 mEq/L) under treatment with hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg/day. In an effort to determine the minimum amount of triamterene needed to reverse the hypokalemia precipitated by hydrochlorothiazide, each subject was continued on hydrochlorothiazide, 50 mg/day administered in a separate tablet, and was also given one of the following daily dosages of triamterene, administered in suspension form throughout the testing period: 0 mg, 25 mg, 50 mg, 75 mg, and 100 mg. The average serum potassium reading in mEq/L are shown in Table IV, with each grouping of readings representing a given dosage level.
TABLE IV______________________________________ Mean Serum K.sup.+ Mean Serum K.sup.+Dose (mg) before Triamterene* after Triamterene**______________________________________100 3.58 3.58100 3.22 3.77100 3.42 3.76100 3.30 3.90100 3.15 3.78100 3.47 3.55100 3.48 3.83100 3.53 3.90100 3.21 4.0375 3.57 3.7375 3.57 4.0375 3.47 4.1775 3.28 3.2575 3.53 3.4875 3.50 4.0075 3.58 4.2875 3.25 3.7275 3.10 3.5075 3.10 3.7350 3.15 3.2650 3.13 3.2750 3.63 3.6750 3.50 4.4350 3.48 3.7350 3.43 3.8950 3.57 3.7550 3.53 3.7850 3.58 4.1550 3.63 3.8725 3.36 3.7325 3.60 3.7125 3.56 3.4025 3.25 3.1525 3.61 3.5625 3.15 3.3625 3.50 3.3325 3.36 3.5125 3.60 3.710 (placebo) 3.43 3.400 3.67 3.750 3.48 3.220 3.38 3.480 3.32 3.370 3.23 3.220 3.58 3.43______________________________________ *Represents an average of 6 baseline measurements taken over two weeks. *Represents an average of 6 measurements taken over two weeks.
These data confirm the effectiveness of optimally bioavailable triamterene for reversing hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemia. The effectiveness was particularly large in the upper ranges of the doses tested. At a dosage level of about 75 mg triamterene (with 50 mg hydrochlorothiazide), a near maximal response is seen.
By comparison of these results with the data shown in Table I and I-A, it will be seen that the presently-marketed prior art composition fails to provide an adequate bioavailability of triamterene for the correction or reversal of a hypokalemic condition, in contrast to the levels provided by the compositions of the present invention.
EXAMPLE 4
To further confirm the enhanced, optimal, bioavailability of the respective active ingredients of the compositions provided by this invention, tablets were formulated according to this invention containing 75 mg of triamterene and 50 mg of hydrochlorothiazide. Dissolution rate studies were then performed on these tablets using USP Paddle Method in 900 ml. of artificial gastric fluid without enzymes, pH 1.2, at 37° C. and at 50 RPM. This test is described under Dissolution, Method II of the 4th Supplement, United States Pharmacopeia XIX, National Formulary XIV, page 194, released Jan. 31, 1978; such dissolution results have been utilized by the Food and Drug Administration for triamterene-hydrochlorothiazide combination products (V. P. Shah, F. K. Prasad, J. Lin, G. Knapp, and B. E. Cabana, Biopharmaceutics Laboratory, in a recent paper delivered at the National Meeting of the American Pharmaceutical Association, Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, Nov. 14-18, 1982). The results of this test after 30 minutes and 60 minutes are reported in Table V. For comparison, dissolution results obtained with the prior art presently marketed (50/25) capsule are also included in Table V. It will be noted that both the triamterene dissolution and the hydrochlorothiazide dissolution rates are very high for the product made by the present invention.
TABLE V______________________________________DISSOLUTION DATA* (%)Present Invention Prior Art(Tablet) (Capsule)Hydrochloro- Triam- Hydrochloro- Triam-thiazide terene thiazide terene______________________________________30 min 83.1 80.1 82.7 89.0 6.9 7.1 5.5 5.6 84.3 79.1 87.0 79.7 3.9 7.2 3.9 5.4 100.7 89.9 90.9 89.5 4.1 9.0 4.0 8.2 98.1 91.7 88.9 86.4 4.1 8.1 4.1 6.5 100.6 78.8 93.1 87.7 3.7 7.7 4.2 6.0 99.2 88.3 90.5 88.2 4.2 7.6 3.7 5.7Mean 89.5 87.8 6.1 5.3Std. Dev. 8.5 3.6 2.0 1.2C.V. 9.5 4.1 32.8 25.060 min 86.0 87.1 86.9 96.3 15.3 14.0 12.0 10.3 90.7 87.3 92.1 87.3 13.0 14.8 10.1 10.9 103.9 97.0 94.9 95.9 12.7 17.3 10.5 11.8 100.5 96.4 92.4 91.3 13.4 16.0 12.2 16.0 105.7 85.6 98.6 96.3 14.1 14.9 13.1 12.3 100.4 91.6 91.4 92.7 13.3 15.1 12.5 10.2Mean 94.3. 93.0 14.5 11.8Std. Dev. 7.2 3.6 1.3 1.7C.V. 7.6 3.9 9.0 14.4______________________________________ *USP XX Method II 50 rpm 900 ml pH 1.2 Gastric Fluid (p.1N HCl) Without Enzymes
Thus, even though the problem of formulating hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene together in a solid unit dosage form of enhanced bio-effectiveness has been recognized and is of longstanding, the advance and contribution provided by the present invention has escaped discovery by skilled workers in the field prior to the present invention.
It will be appreciated, therefore, that the present invention provides a unique method for manufacturing a non-toxic pharmaceutical combination composition which provides effective diuretic and antihypertensive properties while resisting or reversing undesired hydrochlorothiazide-induced hypokalemic action and minimizing the amount of triamterene which must be employed. All of this is accomplished while producing bioavailability substantially equal to or even better than single entity dosage of hydrochlorothiazide, or of triamterene.
In administering such an embodiment of the present invention, a patient will typically be given the composition in daily dosages such that the total triamterene consumed per day need not be greater than the desired ceiling of about 150 milligrams per day. Daily dosages of triamterene will generally be about 37 to 150 milligrams.
While the foregoing examples have illustrated the practice of the invention with the preferred hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene ingredients, it will be understood that the same procedures may be followed with alternative ingredients. Thus, in place of triamterene, there may be used 2,4,7-triamino-6-p-fluorophenylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-p-trifluoromethylphenylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-p-ethoxyphenylpteridine, 7-dimethylamino-2,4-bismethylamino-6-phenylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-α-thienylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-o-methylphenylpteridine, 4,7-diamino-2-dimethylamino-6-phenylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-m-methoxy-phenylpteridine, 2,4,7-triamino-6-o-methylphenylpteridine. Metabolic products of triamterene and such other pteridine may also be employed, such as the hydroxy triamterene sulforic acid ester. It will be understood that as used herein the phrase "a triamterene-active pteridine ingredient" refers to one or more of such components.
Further, in place of hydrochlorothiazide, there may instead be used chlorotriazide, benxydroflumethiazide, trichloromethiazide, hydroflumethiazide, flumethiazide, methchlothiazide, chlorthalidone, or benzthiazide. It will be understood that as used herein the phrase "a hydrochlorothiazide-active benzothiadiazide ingredient" refers to one or more of these compounds.
More broadly, this invention also provides a general technique for the formulation of solid medicinal compositions containing at least two pharmaceutically active ingredients, at least one of which is relatively hydrophobic with respect to the other(s), wherein the bioavailability of each of the active ingredients, when in the combination, is enhanced. That is, combinations of active ingredients other than as specifically mentioned above may also be employed, utilizing the same basic procedures, this invention having particular utility where one of such ingredients is relatively hydrophobic with respect to the other, but where a high level of bioavailability is desired for both. In general, in such compositions, the appropriate weight ratio of such pharmaceutically active ingredients will be chosen for maximal effectiveness of the respective active ingredients by straight-forward clinical and laboratory tests, e.g. as described above, or other appropriate tests as will be selected by those skilled in the art.
Whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described above for purposes of illustration, it will accordingly be evident to those skilled in the art that numerous variations of the details may be made without departing from the invention as defined in the following claims.
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A novel combination pharmaceutical composition is described, together with a method for making the same, wherein the pharmaceutically active ingredients are separately milled and then formed into separate granules, and only thereafter blended together to form the combination composition. The method for achieving this novel combination composition is also described. In particular, a novel combination composition of triamterene and hydrochlorothiazide having improved bioavialability and novel effectiveness to prevent or eliminate hypokalemic side effects is also described.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of my pending application Ser. No. 906,048 filed May 15, 1978, now abandoned.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the glass industry today the most common glass container manufacturing machine is the Hartford type "I.S." machine. It is estimated that in the United States alone, there are over six thousand "I.S." sections in daily operation. This machine is described in Ingle U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,843,160 and 1,911,119.
A basic "I.S." eight-section machine today costs several hundred thousand dollars. An important advantage of the present invention is that it is applicable to the existing production facilities of the industry.
In the original disclosure of the I.S. machine, the machine was intended to make glass containers by the well-known "blow and blow" process. Subsequently, Rowe U.S. Pat. No. 2,289,046 disclosed the "62" process which could be applied to the basic machine to enable it to make containers by the "press and blow" process which is the preferred method of manufacturing wide mouth ware or jars. This development enabled the glass industry to use one machine for all types of ware instead of having a "narrow neck" machine like the Owens or Lynch machines for making bottles and a "wide-mouth" machine like the Miller machine for making jars.
The present invention relates primarily to the manufacture of glass containers on the I.S. machine by the well-known "blow and blow" process although there are some instances where it can also be used to advantage in the manufacture of glass containers in the I.S. machine using the "press and blow" process. Although minor variations to the process exist in the industry, the following discussion describes generally the steps which are most common. A gob of molten glass is delivered into an inverted blank mold at the bottom of which is situated a neck ring and a plunger. The gob is blown down into the cavity with compressed air to insure the complete filling of the neck ring. The plunger is then receded, a baffle plate closes the top end of the blank cavity, and compressed air is applied through the orifice created by the withdrawal of the plunger, thereby expanding the glass into intimate contact with the interior surfaces of the blank mold and baffle plate. The glass-to-mold contact is continued long enough to create an "enamel" skin on the outer surface of the resulting glass parison.
The baffle plate is then removed and the blank mold is slightly disengaged from the parison so that the parison is held in a vertical position supported only by the neck ring. At this time, the parison starts to "reheat" which refers to the flow of heat from the interior glass to the outer surfaces of the parison and to the heat reflected from the interior surface of the blank mold to the outer surface of the parison. The step of reheating the parison plays an important role in improving the strength of the final glass bottle. Following this, the neck ring and parison are transferred and inverted to the blow mold position. The blow mold closes around the parison as the neck ring releases its hold, and the parison becomes supported at the top of the blow mold by a finish ring or bead located just below the finish of the parison. The parison, of course, continues to reheat during its transfer to and positioning in the blow mold until the time it is expanded into contact with the interior wall of the blow mold.
After its suspension in the blow mold, compressed air and/or vacuum are applied, at the proper time, to expand the parison to the interior contours of the blow mold. The cooling contact between the blown glass bottle and the blow mold is maintained until the bottle assumes a sufficient degree of rigidity to be capable of standing on its own. Then the blow mold is opened and the glass bottle is removed therefrom and transferred to a cooling plate or conveyor.
As glass bottles have been designed for lighter weights and thinner walls, the length of time required to blow and cool the bottle in the blow mold has decreased significantly. Therefore, in order to maintain the blank side time in the proper relation to the blow side time, it has been necessary to reduce the time available for reheating the parison.
In the ideal production of thin-walled containers, the interval for reheating prior to blowing must exceed a predetermined minimum period of time in order to insure equalization of temperatures in all zones of the parison and to thus achieve uniform viscosity prior to final expansion. Reheating of the parison walls proceeds from the interior zone toward the exterior and, therefore, this step cannot be speeded up appreciably by auxiliary equipment. It also requires more time on containers where the parison has been formed by the "blow and blow" process than as those where the parison has been formed by the "press and blow" process because, in the former there is no plunger contact to cool the interior wall of the parison as there is in the latter process.
Many inventors, recognizing the importance of the "reheat" have proposed means to increase it. These include Wadman U.S. Pat. No. 2,084,285, Wadman U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,876, Becker U.S. Pat. No. 3,622,304, Foster U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,016 and Zappia U.S. Pat. No. 4,058,388. Because none of these disclosures is applicable to the basic "I.S." machine they have not met with commercial acceptance.
It is important to keep the proper relationship between the blank side time and the blow side time to maintain a proper amount of reheating for the parison. In an attempt to improve the reheating time for the parisons additional blow molds have been provided so that the parisons can have additional reheat time without slowing down the parison forming or bottle forming process. The additional blow molds have been added to the bottle forming machine in usually one of two ways in the prior art. An additional set of blow molds can be added to one side of the parison forming equipment so that the parisons can alternately be supplied to each set of horizontally separated blow molds. (U.S. Pat. No. 3,216,813 is one example of this type of prior art system). The additional blow molds add a great deal of width to the bottle forming machine and require an additional parison transfer mechanism to service the additional blow molds. Such a mechanism requires a complete revamping of the forming stations and cannot be used with the standard I.S. machine.
The other prior art solution is to place two sets of blow molds on a horizontally reciprocating mechanism that alternately moves a blow mold set into position to receive parisons (U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,876 is one example of this type of prior art system). Once the first set of blow molds receives parisons the molds are horizontally translated and the second set of blow molds moves into position to receive parisons. The arrangement allows the parisons to have adequate reheat time while the parisons are being transferred to the blow molds and before the parisons are blown or expanded in the blow molds. However, the horizontal movement of the blow molds can cause the parisons to deform or move in the blow molds. Any such movement of the molten glass can produce non-uniformities in the parison that create non-uniformities in the finished blown bottle. Also the parison can deform to an extent, during the horizontal movement, to cause the parisons to contact the surface of the blow molds. Once the parisons contact the surface of the molds heat transfer occurs between the portion of the parison and the mold. The transfer disrupts the reheating of the parison in the area where the parison is in contact with the mold and creates a non-uniform reheating of the parison. The non-uniform reheating of the parison can create weak spots or defects in the finished bottle. The transfer of the parisons from the parison forming molds to the blow molds can also cause the parisons to deform or become off center. The subsequent horizontal movement of the blow molds will tend to magnify any such defects in the parisons and result in unsatisfactory bottles. Accordingly, the prior art solutions to the reheat problems have proven to be inadequate and not adaptable to present machines.
A substantial advantage of the present invention is that it is designed to be used with the Hartford type I.S. bottle forming machines. The Hartford type I.S. machine forming section has a width of under two (2) feet and bottle production facilities are designed to take maximum advantage of this width. The vertically reciprocating blow molds of the present invention can be added to the Hartford type I.S. machine without increasing the width of the bottle forming station of the machine. Thus, the present invention can be used to increase production rate in a bottle forming facility by adding the invention to standard bottle forming machinery.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to and provides a novel modification to the known bottle forming process whereby reheat time is maintained for thinner and lighter bottles, and production speed is increased. The reheat time itself is maintained or increased by eliminating some or all of the reheat part of the cycle from the blank mold section and placing it in the blow mold section. Sufficient time for reheating and blowing at higher production rates is made available by using a plurality of blow molds for each blank mold. With this arrangement, one set of parisons may be reheated and blown in one set of blow molds while, at a second set of blow molds, blowing of a set of bottles is completed, the bottles are removed and a new set of parisons is delivered. The plurality of blow molds reciprocate along a substantially vertical path and into and out of a position where the parisons are alternately received by the pairs of blow molds. The vertical path falls within the plane of transfer of the parison from the blank mold to the blow molds. The parisons are held in the blow molds for a sufficient period of time to achieve reheating prior to blowing the parisons into bottles. Reheating the parisons in the blow molds can improve the glass distribution because of the gravitational centering of the parisons with respect to the blow molds. This may be necessary if the parisons have been forced off-center by the action of the parison transferring mechanism.
Although the invention is described as having two sets of blow molds it should be noted a greater number of sets of blow molds could be used in this invention. The additional blow mold sets would be positioned so that they reciprocate along the vertical path with the other blow mold sets. In this fashion any number of blow molds could be utilized to obtain the desired amount of reheat time. However, for the sake of explanation, the invention will be described as having two sets of blow molds.
It is therefore, an object of the invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing lightweight glass bottles whereby a substantially increased reheat time is available for promoting the strength of the bottle.
It is further an object of this invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing lightweight glass bottles whereby the production speed and efficiency is increased.
It is still further an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for manufacturing glass bottles whereby the uniformity of glass distribution is improved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1-5 are overall schematic views of a portion of a glass bottle manufacturing machine illustrating the steps of a preferred method of the present invention; and
FIG. 1a is a front and partial sectional view of the reciprocating blow mold apparatus in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is an improvement in the method of manufacturing narrow neck glass bottles by the well-known "blow and blow" process. However, it will be apparent to the artisan that the method may also be used with the "press and blow" process with some utility. For detailed descriptions of typical apparatus and procedures used in the "blow and blow" process, reference may be had to the following U.S. Pat. Nos.: 1,911,119; 2,289,046; 2,290,798; 2,309,378; 2,355,036 and 2,702,444. Of course, most of the machinery used with other methods, such as "press and blow" are also useful with the present invention and references may be had to such machinery as typically shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,289,046 and 3,024,571. For purposes of understanding the present invention, reference will be made to the simplified illustrations in FIGS. 1-5, and 1a.
FIGS. 1-5 depict only that portions of the glass container manufacturing apparatus which is most directly concerned with the method of the present invention, i.e., a parison-forming unit 10, a transfer mechanism 11, and a reciprocating blow mold apparatus 12. FIG. 1a is a front view of the blow mold apparatus 12 as shown in FIG. 1. The apparatus is intended to replace the standard comparable forming station of existing I.S. machines.
For purposes of illustration, FIG. 1 portrays the point during manufacture at which the parisons 15 have already been formed and are ready for transfer. The actual methods and the I.S. machines used for forming the parison 15 in the blow and blow process are well-known in the art and do not constitute a critical part of the present invention. Generally, such parisons 15 are formed by delivering glass charges or gobs to an inverted split blank mold 16 having multiple cavities 16a, and which comprises two mold halves pivotally movable into and out of a parison forming position about a stationary pivot pin 17. The blank mold 16 lies superjacent to a split neck ring 18 supported by a neck ring holder 19, both of which are detachably affixed to a support arm 20 for invert transferring the formed parisons 15 to the blow mold apparatus 12. Immediately below the neck ring 18, and in alignment therewith, is mounted a vertically disposed, generally cylindrical housing 25 which contains the operating mechanism for counter-blowing the glass charges into a pair of parisons 15. In operation, after the glass charges have been delivered to the blank mold 16, the mold 16 is closed at the top with baffles (not shown), and settle blown, by means of compressed air directed into the mold 16 through the baffles, to assure complete molding of the finish threads in the neck ring 18 and to compact the charge. During the time the parisons are settle blown, a neck pin or plunger (not shown) is situated within each neck ring 18, but is subsequently retracted to form a small cavity within the compacted glass charge. Compressed air is counter-blown into the cavity to expand the charge against the molding surfaces of the blank mold 16 and baffles to form the parisons 15. After formation of the parisons 15, the baffles are removed and the parisons are ready to be transferred to the blow mold apparatus, as shown in FIG. 1. Additional information on the formation of the parisons can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,876 and the patents cited therein.
The two halves of the blank mold 16 are then pivoted open and the support arm 20 invert transfers the formed parisons 15, neck ring 18, and neck ring holder 19, to the blow mold apparatus 12, as depicted in FIG. 2. A known transfer mechanism 11 which is suitable for use with the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,024,571. Basically, it comprises a pinion 30 and an engaging vertically disposed pinion rack 31, both mounted upon a stationary base or section box 32, and operated by means of a piston and cylinder assembly 33. Compressed air through one inlet 34 of the cylinder 35, pushes the piston 36 and piston rod 37 upward, thereby driving the engaged pinion 30 about its fulcrum shaft 38 and invert transferring the support arm 20 and parisons 15 to the blow mold apparatus 12. In order to return the support arm 20 to the blank side, the air in the cylinder 35 is bled, and additional air is fed through the inlet 34a to the reverse side 46 of the cylinder 35.
In the present invention, the formed parisons 15 are delivered alternately to one of two blow mold stations, 50 and 51, of the blow mold apparatus 12. In FIG. 2 the parisons 15 are being delivered to the upper blow mold station 50.
The mold stations, 50 and 51, include, in the form shown, in FIGS. 1 and 1a, two multiple cavity cooperating mold sections 52, 52a detachably supported respectively by mold holder arms 53, 53a and which are openable and closeable translationly by means of respective piston/cylinder assemblies 54, 54a. Each of the piston/cylinder assemblies 54, 54a, includes two cylinder mechanisms 55, 55a and 56, 56a, each of which operate one of the two cooperating mold sections 52, 52a. For purposes of illustration, one of each of the mechanisms at each blow mold station, 50 and 51, is shown in sectional view in FIG. 1a.
Each cylinder mechanism, 55, 55a and 56, 56a includes a respective cylinder 60, a piston 61, a piston rod 62, and two air inlets 63 and 63a for the upper cylinder assembly 55, and 63b, 63c for the lower cylinder assembly 55a. The piston rods 62 are connected to the respective mold holder arms 53, 53a. In each of these sections compressed air is introduced, through the inlet 63 or 63a, into the cylinder 60 and pushes the piston 61 and piston rod 62 outward, thereby opening the mold sections 52, as illustrated by the upper blow mold station 50 in FIG. 1a. When compressed air is applied through the other inlet 63a or 63b, and the air on the opposite side of the piston 61a is allowed to evacuate, the piston rod 62 or 62a is forced back into the associated cylinder 60a, thereby closing the mold sections 52 or 52a, as shown by the lower blow mold station 51 in FIG. 1a. Movement of the piston rods causes the mold holders arms 53, 53a to move to open and close the mold sections. The mold holder arms and mold sections are caused to move along a plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the bottles formed in the mold sections. Thus, the mold sections move translationly away from and towards one another during the opening and closing of the mold sections. This expedient, combined with the vacuum force holding the mold closed, greatly reduces the complexity of the mold operating mechanism.
Each of the pair of stations, 50 and 51 is supported upon a respective plate 64, 64a which is affixed to laterally spaced sliding bars 65, 65a and finally aligned to the stationary base 32 by means of a respective bracket 66 66a. Bearings 67 affixed to the brackets assure horizontal alignment. The sliding bars 65, 65a and thus the stations 50 and 51, are reciprocated up and down by means of a piston/cylinder assembly 70, for a purpose to be explained below. The piston/cylinder assembly 70 includes a cylinder 71, piston 72, piston rod 73, air inlets 74 and 74a, and a drive plate member 75. Compressed air admitted into the cylinder 71 through the air inlet 74 pushes the piston 72 and rod 73 upward, thereby resulting in the drive member 75 raising the stations, 50 and 51. Compressed air admitted to the other side of the piston 72 through the air inlet 74a pushes the piston 72 downward, thereby lowering the blow mold stations, 50 and 51.
The timing of opening and closing the blow mold sections 52 is controlled to coincide with the removal of the finished bottles 80 and delivery of the formed parisons 15, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Removal of the finished bottles 80 is accomplished by means of a conventional takeout jaw assembly 81. The takeout jaw assembly 81 includes pairs of takeout jaws 82 supported by a takeout arm 83 which is pivotally mounted on a bracket 84 (FIG. 2). Thus, finished bottles 80 are removed from the blow mold sections 51 and 52 and delivered to a dead-plate 85 where they are subsequently transferred to a hot end treatment station (not shown) and an annealing lehr (not shown).
Expansion of the parisons 15 is preferably performed by applying a vacuum through slits or apertures (not shown) within the mold sections 51 and 52. The vacuum lines may comprise flexible hoses 90 connected to the hollow interior of each of the sliding bars 65. The vacuum within the sliding bars is utilized to expand the parisons 15 in a known manner. The valve controlling the vacuum to the mold is located as close to the mold as possible as is known in the art. Vacuum expansion is preferred in order to promote uniformity in glass distribution and to assist in holding the mold sections 52 together. However, blow expansion would also be suitable. Additional information on expanding the parisons into bottles can be found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,911,119.
After the finished bottles 80 are removed from the mold sections 52 of the upper blow mold station 50 and the formed parisons 15 are delivered thereto, the piston/cylinder assembly 33 of the transfer mechanism 11 is actuated to return the neck rings 18 to the parison-forming unit 10. The piston/cylinder assembly 70 is then actuated to raise the stations, 50 and 51. This is shown in FIG. 3. When the lower blow mold station 51 reaches the takeout position, the blow mold sections 52 are opened by action of the piston/cylinder assembly 54, the finished bottles 80 are removed by the take-out mechanism 81 and the new parisons 15 are positioned in the mold sections 52, as shown in FIG. 5. The mold sections 52 are immediately closed by the action of the piston/cylinder assembly 54 and then the piston/cylinder assembly 70 is actuated to lower the blow mold stations, 50 and 51, to the position shown in FIG. 1 and the process is repeated. Thus, one parison forming unit 10 is used to supply parisons to mold stations. The mold stations are reciprocated in a substantially vertical plane to a takeout position where the finished bottles are removed and another set of parisons supplied to the mold station. The mold stations are then reciprocated until the other mold station is in the takeout position and the process is repeated for that mold station.
The expansion of the parisons 15 in the upper mold station 50 can start at any time after delivery of the parisons, even while the station 50 is in motion. The reheating of the parisons continues to take place during the transfer from the parison forming unit and while the parisons are in the mold stations prior to blowing. Reheating will occur in the mold stations as long as the parisons are not in contact with the walls of the mold. A portion of the reheat time in the mold stations will occur when the mold stations are in motion. However, since the mold stations move in a vertical direction the parisons are not caused to deform or shift off center in the mold stations. In fact, the reheating in the mold stations will serve to redistribute any hot glass in the parison that has shifted off center due to the forces generated in transferring the parison forming unit to the mold stations.
The amount of reheating time available is dependent on the length of time between the point at which the parisons are removed from the contact with the blank mold and the point at which the parisons are fully expanded in the mold. By utilizing two blow mold stations the parisons can remain in the molds for a longer period of time for reheating without causing the bottle production operation to slow down. The reciprocating cycle of the mold stations, the opening and closing of the molds, the blowing of the parison into a bottle and the reheat time alotted in a particular bottle can all be controlled to achieve the best possible results.
A timing drum 95 is usually used to control the transfer of the parison, the reciprocation of the mold stations, the opening and closing of the molds, the blowing of the parisons into bottles and the removal of the bottles from the mold stations. An example of suitable timing drum arrangement is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,084,285 and 2,151,876 although it should be noted that almost any mechanical or electrical control device can be used to control the bottle forming process. The timing drum or other control device used are standard components in this industry and as such are not part of applicant's invention. The control of the above functions by the timing drum provides considerable flexibility in selecting the amount of reheat time and consequently blow time for the bottles that are manufactured. This flexibility is necessary to allow the machines to manufacture bottles of different designs at maximum production speed for each design.
For example the timing drum 95 may be set up to offset the different effects of gravity on the parisons within the two sets of blow molds. When the sets of blow molds 50 moves up from the receiving station the parisons therein will tend to elongate while in the set of blow molds 51 that move down from the receiving station the parisons will tend to be compressed.
It should be apparent that, while a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above in detail, other embodiments or modifications thereto will be obvious to persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
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An apparatus for manufacturing glass bottles is disclosed which includes consecutively delivering gobs of molten glass into a blank mold, forming each gob into a parison, transferring the parisons alternately into at least two sets of blow molds, allowing said parisons to reheat, and expanding the parisons in the blow molds. The sets of blow molds recipricate along a substantially vertical path. A first position where the parisons are alternately received by the blow molds and blown containers removed is located on the vertical path. The parisons are expanded and cooled in the blow molds by blowing them out or by applying a vacuum, or a combination of those means at a second position on the vertical path. The apparatus is an improvement to forming sections of the well known Hartford type I.S. machine.
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[0001] The present invention relates to a door/doorway system adapted to significantly reduce or eliminate the occurrence of sentinel events in medical facilities. Specifically, the invention is directed to a door having a particular construction that enables patient privacy but that still reduces or eliminates the physical means for a patient to hang him/herself.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Numerous medical facilities are directed full or part time to patients at risk for committing suicide, specifically, by hanging. These suicides, referred to in the industry as sentinel events, often occur in the bathroom of the medical facility were a patient is able to have some privacy. Showerheads, curtain rods, bathroom hooks, and other bathroom hardware have all been converted to break-away devices or other tools to enable a patient to harm themselves or possibly commit suicide. A typical public bathroom may have stall partition walls. These stall partitions themselves pose a threat even if not dismantled. A further significant cause or facilitator of sentinel events is bathroom doors.
[0003] Public use bathrooms typically include bathrooms stalls. These stalls include partitions that use bars for rigidity. But even if partitions are removed and replaced with solid walls, or in any bathroom having a door, the doors themselves can be used as a platform or location for holding a belt or a piece of clothing. Inherently, every bathroom on a unit cannot be watched at the same time without enormous staff resources. Therefore, bathrooms, and specifically bathroom doors, provide an area of opportunity for a sentinel event for patients at risk for suicide. To date, the problems of sentinel events in bathrooms are typically addressed by removing all stall hardware and doors. While this reduces opportunities for sentinel events, it likewise eliminates all privacy that a patient may have.
SUMMARY
[0004] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the foregoing drawbacks and address the problems described above. The bathroom door described herein has been engineered so that any attempt to use it as a hanging platform will fail. Nothing can hang off the door or be wedged between the door and the doorway without sliding off or falling, because all foreseeable hanging points are removed.
[0005] In one example, a sentinel event reduction door comprises a trapezoidally-shaped panel comprising four sides. A continuous hinge is connected to the panel along substantially the full length of a first side thereof. The first side defines a substantially straight line. A second side of the panel adjacent the first side defines a substantially straight line, wherein the angle defined by the intersection of the first and second sides of the panel is an acute angle, and a third side of the panel, substantially parallel to and on the opposite angle. A third side of the panel, substantially parallel to and on the opposite side of panel from the first side, comprises a pliable material attached thereto.
[0006] In another alternative, a sentinel event reduction system comprises a door frame defining a door way, and a door hung on the door frame. The door comprises a trapezoidally-shaped panel comprising four sides. A continuous hinge is connected to the panel along substantially the full length of a first side thereof, the first side defining a substantially straight line. A top side of the panel is adjacent the first side, the top side defining a substantially straight line. The angle defined by the intersection of the first and top sides of the panel is an acute angle. The door way has a length and width that are larger than the greatest length and width defined by the door panel, and further wherein openings are defined by the top of the door and the door frame and by the bottom of the door and the door frame.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sentinel event reduction system in which the door is shown in an open position.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a sentinel event reduction system showing the door in the closed position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0009] In general terms, a sentinel event reduction system is described herein. The system includes a uniquely-engineered door that is hung in a door frame for use particularly in facilities where there are at risk patients who may hurt themselves or attempt suicide. The door is hung in any conventional door frame. The door has an angled top and a continuous hinge. Further, in at least some examples, a pliable material is attached to the opposite side of the door from the hinge side of the door. The door is dimensioned so that there are substantial openings above and below the door between the door and the door frame.
[0010] Turning now to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the sentinel event reduction system 10 is shown with a door 20 mounted onto one side of a door frame 15 . The complete doorway is defined by the door frame 15 and the floor 17 . The door 20 is trapezoidally-shaped. A first side of the door 25 is adjacent to and hanging on the door frame 15 . The first side 25 includes a continuous hinge 26 that attaches the door 20 onto the door frame 15 . This first side 25 of the door 20 is substantially straight to enable the operation of a conventional hinge along substantially the entire length of the first side.
[0011] A second or top side 30 of the door 20 is adjacent the first side 25 . An acute angle 31 is formed by the intersection of the first side 25 and top side 30 of the door 20 . The size of the acute angle 31 is, in one example, between about 45° and 65°. In one example, the acute angle is about 55°. Functionally, it is important that this acute angle 31 create such a slope on the top side 30 of the door 20 as to not allow anything to hang from it without sliding off. The door 20 is made of one or more panel components, and it may be made of any available materials such as metal, wood or plastic, or composites thereof. The functionality of the acute angle 31 may be enhanced with a door material having a low coefficient of friction such as Formica, metal or other smooth polymer material. Also, this top side 30 may be beveled or rounded (as shown in FIG. 1 ) to enhance the functionality of making it difficult to hang anything on it. The top side 30 is shown in the figures as being substantially straight. Prominent curves along the top side 30 may create flat portions or sections (at least substantially parallel with the floor) that could form a hanging point. Realistically, the top 30 of the door 20 may include some minimal curvature as long as it is sloped across the width of the door so that there is no creation of a hanging point, and the term “substantially straight line” to describe the top side includes slight curvatures.
[0012] The third side 35 of the door 20 is opposite the first side 25 . The third side 35 is generally parallel to the first side 25 to fit into a conventional, rectangular doorway. The width of the door 20 is less than the width of the doorway so that nothing may be jammed by a patient between the door frame 15 and the third side 35 to form a hanging point. In one example there is at least about a three inch gap between the door frame 15 and the third side 35 . To enhance the privacy for a patient or user, it is possible to attach a pliable material 36 along the length of the third side 35 . This pliable material 36 creates privacy along that gap between the third side 35 and the door frame 15 . However, the pliable material 36 is soft enough that a patient cannot use it as a wedge for creating a hanging point. The pliable 36 material may be a rubber gasket, as shown, or it may be brush material or anything pliable and soft.
[0013] The fourth side 38 of the door 20 is the bottom of the door and is shown as perpendicular to the first and third sides, 25 and 35 respectively, and is generally parallel to floor 17 . The fourth side 38 is shown as a straight line. This fourth side 38 may be any line that does not facilitate the opportunity for a sentinel event or otherwise formation of a hanging point. Like the tope side 30 , the fourth side 38 may be beveled or rounded to enhance the functionality of making it difficult to look anything on it.
[0014] There is no hardware shown in the sentinel event reduction system 10 other than the continuous hinge 26 and the screws 37 that attach the gasket 36 to the third side 35 . The use of a door handle presents an opportunity for creating a hanging point. If any additional hardware is desired then it must not create any opportunity for formation of a hanging point.
[0015] As shown, the doorway defined by the door frame 15 and floor 17 is a conventional rectangular shape. Alternatively, there could be a rounded top or other angled components that make up the doorway. Functionally, it is important that the doorway defined by the door frame 15 and floor 17 is wider and higher than a door as discussed herein. When door 20 is mounted in the door way, openings 40 and 45 are defined below and above the door. These openings 40 and 45 prevent a patient from stuffing a belt, sheet, clothing, shoestring, etc. above or below the door in order to create a hanging point. The top opening 45 is, in one example, at least about 12 inches in height across the entire width of the doorway. As shown, the top opening 45 has a narrowest point where the first side 25 of the door 20 is mounted onto the frame 15 . This height is at least about twelve inches, and obviously the height of the opening 45 increases when moving across the width of the door 20 . The bottom opening 40 is at least about six inches in height across its width as shown in the figures.
[0016] The door and system described herein can be part of an overall sentinel event plan that may be instituted. In order to reduce the opportunities for a sentinel event, the door described herein may be installed in place of other conventional door constructions. At the same time, rather than removing a door all together, the door described herein preserves the privacy and dignity of a patient when using a bathroom.
[0017] While the invention has been described with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it will be understood that numerous variations, modifications and additional embodiments are possible, and all such variations, modifications, and embodiments are to be regarded as being within the spirit and scope of the invention.
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A sentinel event reduction door comprises a trapezoidally-shaped panel comprising four sides. A continuous hinge is connected to the panel along substantially the full length of a first side thereof. A second side of the panel is adjacent to the first side, wherein the angle defined by the intersection of the first and second sides of the panel is an acute angle. A third side of the panel, the side opposite the side of the panel from the first side, may comprise a pliable material attached thereto.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a liquid ejecting apparatus and a method for maintaining and recovering ejection performance of the apparatus and, more particularly, to an ink-jet printing apparatus which performs printing by ejecting liquid droplets (ink droplets) onto a printing medium, and a method for recovering ejection performance of the apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Conventionally, a liquid ejecting apparatus such as an ink-jet printer is widely researched and developed, and has became popular as a consumer equipment.
[0003] In ink-jet printers, for example, the viscosity of ink increases upon evaporation of a solvent of ink from orifices (nozzles), and the ejection performance may deteriorate. In order to prevent this, many inkjet printers are equipped with recovering means including pressurizing or suction means for forcibly discharging ink from the nozzle.
[0004] In recent years, a demand for higher recording speed is increased. In order to meet the demand, the number of nozzles and ink-jet printheads which are supplied the same kind of ink tend to increase.
[0005] However, if the number of nozzles or ink-jet printheads which are supplied the same kind of ink is increased, and the recover means is constructed to discharge ink from all the nozzles, there must be problems that the amount of ink consumed in recover processing increases, and hence the running cost increases.
[0006] To solve this problem, the nozzles may be divide into a several groups and recover processing may be performed in groups having nozzles for which ink discharge should be performed.
[0007] However, there must be a case that the number of groups which need recover processing is different every time the recover processing is performed, and hence the number of groups for performing the recover processing at the same time is different whenever the recover processing is performed, and a case that the number of groups for performing the recover processing at the same time is the same but the number of nozzles in the groups is different, and hence the number of nozzles for performing the recover processing at the same time is different whenever the recover processing is performed. In such a case, if the recover processing is always performed in the same way, an amount of ink discharged from one nozzle may be different whenever the recover processing is performed, since the same kind of ink is reserved in the same ink reservoir means. This causes a problem that ink may not be discharged from each nozzles in the amount required for recover processing, or an excessive amount of ink is discharged from nozzles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid ejecting apparatus which can recover ejection performance of each of liquid ejection openings by discharging a necessary amount of liquid from each ejection openings, and can reduce the amount of liquid consumed by the recover processing, if the number of ejection openings for performing the recover processing at the same time varies.
[0009] It is another object of the present invention to provide a method for maintaining and recovering ejection performance of a liquid ejecting apparatus which can recover ejection performance of each of liquid ejection openings by discharging a necessary amount of liquid from each ejection openings, and can reduce the amount of liquid consumed by the recover processing, if the number of ejection openings for performing the recover processing at the same time varies.
[0010] According to the present invention, the above object is attained by a liquid ejecting apparatus comprising:
[0011] a plurality of liquid ejection openings to which liquid reserved in the same liquid reservoir means is supplied;
[0012] ejection performance maintaining and recovering means for forcibly discharging the liquid from liquid ejection openings selected from the plurality of liquid ejection openings; and
[0013] control means for controlling the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means in accordance with number of selected liquid ejection openings so as to substantially equalize an amount of ink discharged from each of the liquid ejection openings, regardless of the number of selected liquid ejection openings.
[0014] According to the present invention, another object is attained by a method for maintaining and recovering ejection performance of an apparatus having
[0015] a plurality of liquid ejection openings to which liquid reserved in the same liquid reservoir means is supplied, said method comprising the steps of:
[0016] ejection performance maintaining and recovering step for performing ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation which forcibly discharges the liquid from liquid ejection openings selected from the plurality of liquid ejection openings; and
[0017] control step for controlling the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation in accordance with number of selected liquid ejection openings so as to substantially equalize an amount of ink discharged from each of the liquid ejection openings, regardless of the number of selected liquid ejection openings.
[0018] That is, in the present invention, in an apparatus having a plurality of liquid ejection openings to which liquid reserved in the same liquid reservoir means is supplied, ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation which forcibly discharges the liquid from liquid ejection openings selected from the plurality of liquid ejection openings is performed, and the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation is controlled in accordance with number of selected liquid ejection openings so as to substantially equalize an amount of ink discharged from each of the liquid ejection openings during the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation, regardless of the number of selected liquid ejection openings.
[0019] According to the above arrangement, in the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation performed for a plurality of liquid ejection openings to which liquid reserved in the same liquid reservoir means is supplied, even if the number of liquid ejection openings for which the maintaining and recovering operation is to be simultaneously executed increases, a necessary amount of liquid required for maintaining and recovering the ejection performance can be discharged from each liquid ejection openings. And even if the number of liquid ejection openings for which the maintaining and recovering operation is to be simultaneously executed decreases, the amount of liquid consumed in the maintaining and recovering operation is reduced, since the liquid is discharged no more than the necessary amount required for maintaining and recovering the ejection performance.
[0020] Therefore, the number of liquid ejection openings for which recovering operation is to be simultaneously executed changes, the original performance of the liquid ejecting apparatus can be maintained by discharging liquid in an amount large enough to recover the ejection performance from each liquid ejection openings. In addition, the running cost of the liquid ejecting apparatus can be reduced by decreasing the amount of liquid consumed for the maintaining and recovering operation.
[0021] Note that the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means may have an arrangement which includes a negative pressure generating means and forcibly discharges liquid from the selected liquid ejection openings with the negative pressure generated by the negative pressure generating means or an arrangement which includes a pressure generating means and forcibly discharges liquid from the selected liquid ejection openings with the pressure generated by the pressure generating means.
[0022] If the plurality of liquid ejection openings are divided into a plurality of liquid ejection opening groups each having a same number of liquid ejection openings, the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means is preferably configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from liquid ejection openings belonging to liquid ejection opening groups selected from the plurality of liquid ejection opening groups, and the control means is preferably configured to control the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means in accordance with number of selected liquid ejection opening groups so as to substantially equalize an amount of ink discharged from each of the liquid ejection openings by the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation.
[0023] If the plurality of liquid ejection opening groups each having a same number of liquid ejection openings are provided on respective liquid ejecting heads, the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means is preferably configured to forcibly discharge the liquid from liquid ejection openings belonging to liquid ejecting heads selected from the plurality of liquid ejecting heads, and the control means is preferably configured to control the ejection performance maintaining and recovering means in accordance with number of selected liquid ejecting heads so as to substantially equalize an amount of ink discharged from each of the liquid ejection openings by the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation.
[0024] It is preferable that the apparatus further comprise a detection means for detecting a liquid ejection opening that requires the ejection performance maintaining and recovering operation.
[0025] Other features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the figures thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing the outer appearance of an ink-jet printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] [0028]FIG. 2 is a view showing the arrangement of the main part of an ink-jet printer according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] [0029]FIGS. 3A to 3 C are explanatory views for recover processing in the third embodiment of the present invention;
[0030] [0030]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing a structure of the control circuit of the ink-jet printer in FIG. 1; and
[0031] [0031]FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing recover processing in the first embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0032] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail in accordance with the accompanying drawings.
[0033] In this specification, “print” is not only to form significant information such as characters and graphics but also to form, e.g., images, figures, and patterns on printing media in a broad sense, regardless of whether the information formed is significant or insignificant or whether the information formed is visualized so that a human can visually perceive it, or to process printing media.
[0034] “Printing media” are any media capable of receiving ink, such as cloth, plastic films, metal plates, glass, ceramics, wood, and leather, as well as paper sheets used in common printing apparatuses.
[0035] Furthermore, “ink” (to be also referred to as a “liquid” hereinafter) should be broadly interpreted like the definition of “print” described above. That is, ink is a liquid which is applied onto a printing medium and thereby can be used to form images, figures, and patterns, to process the printing medium, or to process ink (e.g., to solidify or insolubilize a colorant in ink applied to a printing medium).
[0036] [First Embodiment]
[0037] [0037]FIG. 1 is a partially sectional perspective view showing the schematic arrangement of an ink-jet printer according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0038] Referring to FIG. 1, a printing medium (also referred to as a medium hereinafter) M is fed in the direction indicated by an arrow F by a platen roller 2 , which rotates in the direction indicated by an arrow R as a sub-scanning motor 1 is driven, and convey rollers (not shown).
[0039] Guide shafts 3 a and 3 b are disposed parallel in a direction perpendicular to the convey direction of this medium (sub-scanning direction). Printheads 5 a and 5 b mounted on a carriage 4 are reciprocally scanned in the direction indicated by an arrow S in FIG. 1 (main scanning direction) as a main-scanning motor 6 is driven.
[0040] The medium M is intermittently fed by the sub-scanning motor 1 . While the medium M is stopped, the printheads 5 a and 5 b are reciprocally scanned in the main scanning direction and eject ink droplets corresponding to a recording signal during this scanning operation, thereby recording is performed.
[0041] Each of the printheads 5 a and 5 b has 256 nozzles arranged at 600-dpi intervals in the sub-scanning direction. Electrothermal transducers for locally heating ink to effect film boiling and ejecting the ink with the resultant pressure are arranged in ink channels communicating with the nozzles.
[0042] The respective ink channels communicate with common liquid chambers respectively formed in the printheads 5 a and 5 b . Ink reserved in a single ink cartridge 7 is supplied into these common liquid chambers.
[0043] With the two printheads 5 a and 5 b for ejecting the same ink, the main scanning speed can be doubled. This makes it possible to greatly increase the printing speed.
[0044] Referring to FIG. 1, reference numerals 8 a and 8 b denote caps connected, through tubes, to suction pumps (not shown) for discharging ink from the nozzles of the printheads 5 a and 5 b by suction. By independently or simultaneously driving the suction pumps, ink can be independently or simultaneously sucked and discharged from the nozzles of the printheads 5 a and 5 b.
[0045] An arrangement of a control section for executing printing control on the above apparatus will be described next.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the arrangement of the control circuit of the ink-jet printer in FIG. 1. Referring to FIG. 4 showing the control circuit, reference numeral 1700 denotes an interface for inputting a print signal; 1701 , an MPU; 1702 , a ROM storing a control program executed by the MPU 1701 ; 1703 , a DRAM for storing various data (e.g., the above print signal and print data supplied to the printheads); and 1704 , a gate array (G.A.) for controlling the supply of print data to the printheads 5 a and 5 b and also controlling data transfer among the interface 1700 , MPU 1701 , and DRAM 1703 . The main-scanning motor 6 serves to scan the printheads 5 a and 5 b . The sub-scanning motor 1 serves to convey media. Reference numeral 1705 denotes a head driver for driving the printheads; and 1706 and 1707 , motor drivers for driving the sub-scanning motor 1 and main-scanning motor 6 , respectively.
[0047] The operation of the above control section will be described below. When a print signal is inputted to the interface 1700 , the print signal is converted into print data for printing between the gate array 1704 and the MPU 1701 . The motor drivers 1706 and 1707 are then driven, and the printheads are driven in accordance with the print data sent to the head driver 1705 , thereby performing printing.
[0048] In this case, the control program executed by the MPU 1701 is stored in the ROM 1702 . However, the printer may additionally have an erasable/writable storage medium such as an EEPROM so as to allow the host computer connected to the ink-jet printer to change the control program.
[0049] Next, a sequence of recover processing in this embodiment will be described below.
[0050] The ink-jet printer of this embodiment has dot counters for counting the numbers of dots printed by the printheads 5 a and 5 b . When the number of dots printed by each of the printheads 5 a and 5 b reaches a predetermined number (specifically, 3×10 8 dots in this embodiment), recover processing is performed for the corresponding printhead after printing (one page).
[0051] In this recover processing, a control section performs the following control operation to suck/discharge ink and small bubbles separated from dissolved gas in ink upon ink ejecting operation from the nozzles of the printhead. The control section moves the printheads 5 a and 5 b mounted on the carriage 4 to positions (to be referred to as home positions hereinafter) to oppose the suction caps 8 a and 8 b by driving the main scanning motor 6 . The suction caps 8 a and 8 b are brought into contact with the printheads 5 a and 5 b by a cap attaching/detaching mechanism (not shown). Sucking operation is then performed by the suction pumps (not shown).
[0052] This sucking operation prevents the small bubbles from growing into large bubbles and degrading the ink ejection performance.
[0053] When the sucked/discharged ink is guided into a waste ink tank (not shown) and the sucking operation is complete, the dot counter is reset.
[0054] Note that since the numbers of dots printed by the printheads 5 a and 5 b differ from each other depending on the dot arrangement of an image to be printed, the above recover processing is independently performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b in some cases and simultaneously performed in other cases.
[0055] The present inventors have confirmed that if the same settings are provided for the suction pumps regardless of independent or simultaneous sucking operation, since ink reserved in the same ink cartridge 7 is supplied to both of the printheads 5 a and 5 b , the suction abilities of the respective nozzles vary, and the suction amount becomes excessively small or large.
[0056] More specifically, it was confirmed that the suction amount in simultaneous sucking operation was smaller than that in independent sucking operation by about 20%.
[0057] In consideration of this result, in the ink-jet printer of this embodiment, to substantially equalize the suction amounts between recover processing independently performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b and recover processing simultaneously performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b , in the sequence of the recover processing, the driving speed of the suction pumps in the case where sucking operation is simultaneously performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b is set to be higher than that in the case where sucking operation is independently performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b by 20%.
[0058] Recover processing in this embodiment will be described again with reference to the flow chart of FIG. 5.
[0059] When the value of one of the dot counters for the printhead reaches a predetermined value, recover processing is started upon completion of printing on a printing medium.
[0060] First of all, the two dot counters are checked (step S 51 ) to determine a specific printhead for which recover processing is required and also determine whether to perform recover processing for one or both of the printheads (step S 52 ).
[0061] If it is determined that recover processing is performed for only one printhead, the driving speed of the corresponding suction pump is not changed from a predefined value. If it is determined that recover processing is performed for the two printheads, the driving speed of the suction pumps are increased from the predefined value by 20% (step S 53 ).
[0062] The printhead is then moved to a position to oppose the suction cap (step S 54 ), and the suction pump is driven at the set driving speed to execute suction recover processing for the respective nozzles of the printhead (step S 55 ).
[0063] The dot counter corresponding to the printhead having undergone the recover processing is reset, and the driving speed of the suction pump is reset to the predefined value (step S 56 ). With the above operation, the recover processing in this embodiment is completed.
[0064] As described above, according to this embodiment, a suction ability high enough to remove generated small bubbles can be ensured not only in the case where recover processing is independently performed for the printheads 5 a and 5 b but also in the case where recover processing is simultaneously performed for them. In addition, the amount of ink consumed in sucking operation can be reduced.
[0065] [Second Embodiment]
[0066] The first embodiment described above has exemplified the arrangement using the suction means as means for discharging ink from the respective nozzles. In this embodiment, as a means for discharging ink, a pressurizing means is used. Only the difference between the first and second embodiments will be described below, and a description of similar portions will be omitted.
[0067] [0067]FIG. 2 is a view showing ink supply routes to the respective printheads in this embodiment.
[0068] Referring to FIG. 2, reference numerals 50 a and 50 b denote printheads, each having 256 nozzles, ink channels, and electrothermal transducers, and a common liquid chamber as in the first embodiment.
[0069] Referring to FIG. 2, reference numeral 21 denotes an ink tank. When ink is discharged and consumed from the printheads 50 a and 50 b for printing, the ink reserved in the ink tank 21 is supplied using the capillary phenomenon along the route indicated by an arrow C in FIG. 2, which is constituted by an ink tube 22 , tube pump 23 , and ink tube 24 , and the route indicated by an arrow D in FIG. 2, which is formed by an ink tube 27 , so as to be supplied to the printheads 50 a and 50 b via a point J in FIG. 2, valves 26 a and 26 b , and ink tubes 25 a and 25 b.
[0070] Reference numeral 20 denotes a cap that comes into contact with the ejection surfaces of the printheads in recover processing, and has an ink absorbing member 28 inside; and 30 , a waste ink tank for receiving and storing ink discharged from the printheads by recover processing. This tank is connected to the cap 20 via a tube 29 .
[0071] In a normal state except when recover processing to be described below is performed, the tube pump 23 does not operate and is controlled by a control section to allow ink to pass.
[0072] In the normal state, the valves 26 a and 26 b are not closed, and hence ink can pass through the ink tubes 25 a and 25 b.
[0073] Recover processing in this embodiment will be described next.
[0074] The ink-jet printer of this embodiment includes dot counters for counting the numbers of dots printed by the printheads 50 a and 50 b as in the first embodiment. When the number of dots printed by each of the printheads 50 a and 50 b reaches a predetermined number (specifically, 3×10 8 dots in this embodiment as well), recover processing is performed to pressurize/discharge ink and small bubbles separated from dissolved gas in ink upon ink ejecting operation from the nozzles of the corresponding printhead after printing (one page).
[0075] When the recover processing is started, as a carriage 4 (see FIG. 1) moves, the printheads 50 a and 50 b move to the home positions to oppose the cap 20 . A cap attaching/detaching mechanism (not shown) then brings the cap 20 , which has an ink absorbing member 28 inside and is connected to the waste ink tank 30 via the tube 29 , into contact with the printheads 50 a and 50 b . In this state, the tube pump 23 is driven.
[0076] When the tube pump 23 is driven, pressurized ink circulates as indicated by an arrow E in FIG. 2. In this embodiment, by controlling the closing and opening of the valves 26 a and 26 b , ink and small bubbles separated from dissolved gas in ink upon ink discharging operation can be selectively pressurized/discharged from the nozzles of the printhead 50 a and/or the printhead 50 b for which recover processing is required.
[0077] The pressurized/discharged ink is absorbed by the ink absorbing member 28 first and then guided to the waste ink tank 30 via the tube 29 by gravitation.
[0078] For example, the closing and opening of the valves 26 a and 26 b may be controlled such that the valves 26 a and 26 b are opened and closed, respectively, if recover processing is required only for the printhead 50 a , and the valves 26 a and 26 b are closed and opened, respectively, if recover processing is required only for the printhead 50 b . In addition, if recover processing is required for both the printheads, the two valves may be opened.
[0079] As in the first embodiment, it was confirmed that when the same operation were set for the tube pump 23 regardless of whether ink was pressured/discharged from one printhead or discharged from the two printheads, the pressurizing force applied to one printhead varied, and the amount of ink discharged became excessively small or large.
[0080] In this embodiment, if the same operation is set for the tube pump 23 regardless of whether ink was pressured/discharged from one printhead or discharged from the two printheads, the amount of ink discharged from one printhead when the two printheads were simultaneously pressurized become smaller than that when one printhead is pressurized by about 20%.
[0081] In this embodiment, therefore, the driving time during which the tube pump 23 is driven to simultaneously pressurize the printheads 50 a and 50 b is set to be longer by 20% than the driving time during which the tube pump 23 is driven to independently pressurize the printheads 50 a and 50 b.
[0082] In a flow chart for recover processing in this embodiment, therefore, “suction pump”, “driving speed” and “suction operation” in the flow chart of FIG. 5 described in association with the first embodiment are respectively replaced with “tube pump”, “driving time” and “pressure operation”.
[0083] As described above, according to this embodiment, in the arrangement using the pressuring means as a means for discharging ink, as in the first embodiment, an ability high enough to remove a generated small bubbles can be ensured not only in the case where recover processing is independently performed for the two printheads but also in the case where recover processing is simultaneously performed for them. In addition, the amount of ink consumed by the recover processing can be reduced.
[0084] [Third Embodiment]
[0085] Each of the first and second embodiments described above has exemplified the case where recover processing is performed in units of printheads in the arrangement having two printheads. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to an ink-jet printer having one printhead.
[0086] In this embodiment, an example for executing recover processing in units of nozzle arrays in an ink-jet printer having a single printhead including two nozzle arrays will be described. Only the difference between the third and first embodiments will be described below, and a description of similar portions will be omitted.
[0087] [0087]FIGS. 3A to 3 C are schematic views for explaining recover processing in this embodiment, showing a state where a printhead 500 is viewed from the convey direction of a medium M (sub-scanning direction).
[0088] In the printhead 500 , 256 nozzles are arranged in a line at 300-dpi intervals in the sub-scanning direction at each of positions A and B 1 mm apart from each other. Note that nozzle arrays A and B are arranged in a staggered pattern, and the printhead 500 has a total of 512 nozzles arranged at 600-dpi intervals in the sub-scanning direction.
[0089] Ink channels communicate with the respective nozzles, and electrothermal transducers are arranged in the respective ink channels. The respective ink channels communicate with a common liquid chamber, into which ink is supplied from an ink cartridge (not shown).
[0090] Referring to FIGS. 3A to 3 C, reference numeral 300 denotes a suction cap having an internal space 301 which communicates with a suction pump 31 via a tube 32 . The ink sucked by the suction pump 31 is guided and stored in a waste ink tank 34 via the tube 32 , the suction pump 31 , and a tube 33 .
[0091] The suction cap 300 is reciprocally moved in the direction indicated by an arrow G in FIGS. 3A to 3 C by a cap attaching/detaching mechanism (not shown) and controlled by a control section to be stopped in a state where a nozzle surface 501 of the printhead 500 is brought into contact with or separated from a head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 .
[0092] Recover processing in this embodiment will be briefly described next.
[0093] The ink-jet printer of this embodiment uses, as a method of detecting a nozzle whose ejection performance has deteriorated, a method of printing a test pattern and allowing a user to visually check the print result to detect a nozzle whose ejection performance has deteriorated. In addition, such a test pattern is designed to allow the user not only to detect the presence/absence of a nozzle having undergone a deterioration in ejection performance by visually checking the pattern but also to detect which one of the nozzle arrays A and B in FIG. 3A the nozzle having undergone the deterioration in ejection performance is located in.
[0094] This printer also has a recover processing instructing means by which the user can give an instruction to perform recover processing upon detecting a nozzle having undergone a deterioration in ejection performance. This recover processing instructing means is configured to allow the user to select one of the following three processes: recover processing (to be referred to as recover processing for only A hereafter) for only nozzles located in the nozzle array A in FIG. 3A; recover processing (to be referred to as recover processing for only B hereinafter) for only nozzles located in the nozzle array B; and recover processing (to be referred to as recover processing for A and B hereinafter) for all the nozzles.
[0095] [0095]FIG. 3A shows a state where recover processing is performed for the nozzles of the two nozzle arrays A and B, i.e., all the nozzles. FIG. 3B shows a state where recover processing is performed for only the nozzle array A. FIG. 3C shows a state where recover processing is performed for only the nozzle array B.
[0096] If, for example, recover processing for only the nozzle array A is designated, a carriage 4 (see FIG. 1) on which the printhead 500 is mounted moves to the position shown in FIG. 3B. Thereafter, the head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 is brought into contact with the nozzle surface 501 of the printhead 500 by the cap attaching/detaching mechanism (not shown).
[0097] When the head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 is brought into contact with the nozzle surface 501 of the printhead 500 , the suction pump 31 is started to suck/discharge ink and a factor that has caused a deterioration in ink ejection performance (e.g., bubbles in ink channels and dust adhering to the nozzle surface 501 ) from the respective nozzles of the nozzle array A of the printhead 500 . At this time, the respective nozzles of the nozzle array B shown in FIG. 3B are covered with the head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 , and hence no ink is sucked/discharged. That is, ink is sucked/discharged from only the nozzles of the nozzle array A.
[0098] This arrangement and control can prevent unnecessary ink discharge from the nozzles of the nozzle array B in which no nozzle having undergone a deterioration in ejection performance is present.
[0099] Similarly, when recover processing for only the nozzle array B is designated, the carriage 4 moves to the position shown in FIG. 3C, and the head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 is brought into contact with the nozzle surface 501 of the printhead 500 . Thereafter, the suction pump 31 is started to suck and discharge ink from the respective nozzles of the nozzle array B in FIG. 3C in the same manner as described above.
[0100] When recover processing for the two nozzle arrays is designated, the carriage 4 moves to the position shown in FIG. 3A, and the head contact surface 302 of the suction cap 300 is brought into contact with the nozzle surface 501 of the printhead 500 . The suction pump 31 is then started to suck and discharge ink and factors that have caused a deterioration in ink ejection performance from all the nozzles arranged on the printhead 500 .
[0101] In this embodiment as well, it was confirmed that if the same operation is set for the suction pump 31 regardless of whether recover processing was required for one or two nozzle arrays, i.e., recover processing for only A or B or A and B was selected, since the ink reserved in the same ink cartridge is supplied to both of the nozzle arrays A and B, different suction capabilities for respective nozzles were caused, and the suction amount became excessively small or large.
[0102] In the arrangement of this embodiment as well, it was confirmed that the suction amount in recover processing for the two nozzle arrays is smaller than that in recover processing for only the nozzle array A or B by about 20%.
[0103] In this embodiment, therefore, to substantially equalize the suction amounts from the respective nozzles between the above cases, the suction time in recover processing for the two nozzle arrays is set to be longer than that in recover processing for only the nozzle array A or B by 20%.
[0104] As described above, according to this embodiment, in the arrangement having the two nozzle arrays, an ability high enough to eliminate factors that have caused a deterioration in ink ejection performance can be ensured not only in the case where recover processing is independently performed for the two nozzle arrays but also in the case where recover processing is simultaneously performed for them. In addition, the amount of ink consumed for recovering operation can be reduced.
[0105] This embodiment has exemplified the arrangement using the ejection performance deteriorating nozzle detection means for allowing the user to visually check a printed test pattern. However, the present invention is not limited to the ejection performance deteriorating nozzle detection means of this scheme. The present invention may use a scheme of automatically detecting such a nozzle on a printed test pattern by using an optical system or the like in the apparatus or a scheme of automatically detecting an ink ejection state itself by using an optical system or the like.
[0106] In this case, the printer may be configured/controlled to automatically perform recover processing in accordance with the data detected by a detection means.
[0107] [Other Embodiment]
[0108] Note that in the above first to third embodiments, examples for applying the present invention to an ink-jet printer of a serial scanning type in which the printheads mounted on the carriage are reciprocally scanned onto the medium being transferred intermittently, however, the present invention can be applied to an ink-jet printer of a full-line type in which nozzles are arranged along the width direction of the medium, and only the medium is transferred while printing.
[0109] In addition, as to the ink-jet printhead, not only the printhead described in the above embodiments in which ink is ejected by a pressure due to film boiling caused by local heating, but the printhead of the other type, for example, a printhead using a piezoelectric element, can be employed with the present invention.
[0110] Further, in the above embodiments, an example of an ink-jet printer using one kind of ink for printing is described, the printer according to the present invention may use a plural kinds of ink.
[0111] In this case, it is not necessary to apply the present invention to all nozzles to which any of the plural kinds of ink is supplied. The advantages of the present invention may be effected satisfactory even if the present invention is applied at least to nozzles to which one of the plural kinds of ink is supplied.
[0112] Moreover, in the above embodiments, the number of the printheads to which the same kinds of ink is supplied is equal to or less than two, the present invention is not limited to these types, and the number of the printheads to which the same kinds of ink is supplied may be three or more.
[0113] Further, in the above embodiments, an example of recover processing performed to nozzles belonging to respective or both of two groups in which all of nozzles to which the same kind of ink is supplied are divided into the two groups is described, the number of divided groups is not limited to two and may be three or more. In this case, if the number of divided groups is three or more, the present invention is more effective.
[0114] Moreover, in the above embodiments, the number of nozzles belonging to each of the divided groups are the same, it is not necessary to set the number of nozzles in the divided groups to the same number, and may be different with each other.
[0115] Further, in the above embodiments, an example of recover processing in which driving speed of a suction pump, driving time of a tube pump, and suction time of a suction pump are controlled is described, the present invention is not limited to the example, and may have another construction, for example, a construction including a plurality kinds of pumps being operated by switching.
[0116] Moreover, the suction time in the present invention may include a time period between time the pump being stopped and time the suction cap being separated from the liquid ejection surface, in addition to the pump driving time.
[0117] In the above embodiments, droplets ejected from the printhead are ink droplets, and a liquid stored in the ink tank is ink. However, the liquid to be stored in the ink tank is not limited to ink. For example, a treatment solution to be ejected onto a printing medium so as to improve the fixing property or water resistance of a printed image or its image quality may be stored in the ink tank.
[0118] Each of the embodiments described above has exemplified a printer, which comprises means (e.g., an electrothermal transducer, laser beam generator, and the like) for generating heat energy as energy utilized upon execution of ink ejection, and causes a change in state of an ink by the heat energy, among the ink-jet printers. According to this ink-jet printer and printing method, a high-density, high-precision printing operation can be attained.
[0119] As the typical arrangement and principle of the ink-jet printing system, one practiced by use of the basic principle disclosed in, for example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,723,129 and 4,740,796 is preferable. The above system is applicable to either one of so-called an on-demand type and a continuous type. Particularly, in the case of the on-demand type, the system is effective because, by applying at least one driving signal, which corresponds to printing information and gives a rapid temperature rise exceeding nucleate boiling, to each of electrothermal transducers arranged in correspondence with a sheet or liquid channels holding a liquid (ink), heat energy is generated by the electrothermal transducer to effect film boiling on the heat acting surface of the printhead, and consequently, a bubble can be formed in the liquid (ink) in one-to-one correspondence with the driving signal. By ejecting the liquid (ink) through a ejection opening by growth and shrinkage of the bubble, at least one droplet is formed. If the driving signal is applied as a pulse signal, the growth and shrinkage of the bubble can be attained instantly and adequately to achieve ejection of the liquid (ink) with the particularly high response characteristics.
[0120] As the pulse driving signal, signals disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,463,359 and 4,345,262 are suitable. Note that further excellent printing can be performed by using the conditions described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,124 of the invention which relates to the temperature rise rate of the heat acting surface.
[0121] As an arrangement of the printhead, in addition to the arrangement as a combination of ejection nozzles, liquid channels, and electrothermal transducers (linear liquid channels or right angle liquid channels) as disclosed in the above specifications, the arrangement using U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,558,333 and 4,459,600, which disclose the arrangement having a heat acting portion arranged in a flexed region is also included in the present invention. In addition, the present invention can be effectively applied to an arrangement based on Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-123670 which discloses the arrangement using a slot common to a plurality of electrothermal transducers as a ejection portion of the electrothermal transducers, or Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 59-138461 which discloses the arrangement having an opening for absorbing a pressure wave of heat energy in correspondence with a ejection portion. Furthermore, as a full line type printhead having a length corresponding to the width of a maximum printing medium which can be printed by the printer, either the arrangement which satisfies the full-line length by combining a plurality of printheads as disclosed in the above specification or the arrangement as a single printhead obtained by forming printheads integrally can be used.
[0122] In addition, not only an exchangeable chip type printhead, as described in the above embodiment, which can be electrically connected to the apparatus main unit and can receive an ink from the apparatus main unit upon being mounted on the apparatus main unit but also a cartridge type printhead in which an ink tank is integrally arranged on the printhead itself can be applicable to the present invention.
[0123] It is preferable to add recovery means for the printhead, preliminary auxiliary means, and the like provided as an arrangement of the printer of the present invention since the printing operation can be further stabilized. Examples of such means include, for the printhead, capping means, cleaning means, pressurization or suction means, and preliminary heating means using electrothermal transducers, another heating element, or a combination thereof. It is also effective for stable printing to provide a preliminary ejection mode which performs ejecting independently of printing.
[0124] Furthermore, as a printing mode of the printer, not only a printing mode using only a primary color such as black or the like, but also at least one of a multi-color mode using a plurality of different colors or a full-color mode achieved by color mixing can be implemented in the printer either by using an integrated printhead or by combining a plurality of printheads.
[0125] Moreover, in each of the above-mentioned embodiments of the present invention, it is assumed that the ink is a liquid. Alternatively, the present invention may employ an ink which is solid at room temperature or less and softens or liquefies at room temperature, or an ink which liquefies upon application of a use printing signal, since it is a general practice to perform temperature control of the ink itself within a range from 30° C. to 70° C. in the ink-jet system, so that the ink viscosity can fall within a stable ejection range.
[0126] In addition, in order to prevent a temperature rise caused by heat energy by positively utilizing it as energy for causing a change in state of the ink from a solid state to a liquid state, or to prevent evaporation of the ink, an ink which is solid in a non-use state and liquefies upon heating may be used. In any case, an ink which liquefies upon application of heat energy according to a printing signal and is ejected in a liquid state, an ink which begins to solidify when it reaches a printing medium, or the like, is applicable to the present invention. In this case, an ink may be situated opposite electrothermal transducers while being held in a liquid or solid state in recess portions of a porous sheet or through holes, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 54-56847 or 60-71260. In the present invention, the above-mentioned film boiling system is most effective for the above-mentioned inks.
[0127] The present invention can be applied to a system constituted by a plurality of devices (e.g., host computer, interface, reader, printer) or to an apparatus comprising a single device (e.g., copying machine, facsimile machine).
[0128] Further, the object of the present invention can also be achieved by providing a storage medium storing program codes for performing the aforesaid processes to a computer system or apparatus (e.g., a personal computer), reading the program codes, by a CPU or MPU of the computer system or apparatus, from the storage medium, then executing the program.
[0129] In this case, the program codes read from the storage medium realize the functions according to the embodiments, and the storage medium storing the program codes constitutes the invention.
[0130] Further, the storage medium, such as a floppy disk, a hard disk, an optical disk, a magneto-optical disk, CD-ROM, CD-R, a magnetic tape, a non-volatile type memory card, and ROM can be used for providing the program codes.
[0131] Furthermore, besides aforesaid functions according to the above embodiments are realized by executing the program codes which are read by a computer, the present invention includes a case where an OS (operating system) or the like working on the computer performs a part or entire processes in accordance with designations of the program codes and realizes functions according to the above embodiments.
[0132] Furthermore, the present invention also includes a case where, after the program codes read from the storage medium are written in a function expansion card which is inserted into the computer or in a memory provided in a function expansion unit which is connected to the computer, CPU or the like contained in the function expansion card or unit performs a part or entire process in accordance with designations of the program codes and realizes functions of the above embodiments.
[0133] If the present invention is realized as a storage medium, program codes corresponding to the above mentioned flowcharts (FIG. 5) are to be stored in the storage medium.
[0134] As many apparently widely different embodiments of the present invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments thereof except as defined in the appended claims.
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In the ejection performance maintaining and recovering processing performed to a plurality of liquid ejection openings to which liquid reserved in the same liquid reservoir is supplied, even if the number of liquid ejection openings for which the maintaining and recovering processing is to be simultaneously performed changes, the ejection performance is maintained and recovered by discharging a proper amount of liquid from each of the liquid ejection openings, and the amount of liquid consumed in the ejection performance maintaining and recovering processing is reduced. An amount of liquid discharged from each of liquid ejection openings is substantially equalized, regardless of the number of liquid ejection openings to be processed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 116,540 filed on Jan. 29, 1980, now abandoned.
This invention relates to the processing of semiconductor materials and, more particularly, to a process for reactive ion etching.
III-V semiconductors and their derivative ternary and quaternary compounds are of interest for the fabrication of both high speed switching devices and optoelectronic elements such as lasers and detectors. The necessity for efficient light coupling, confinement and/or transmission puts stringent requirements on the resolution of the pattern transfer technique and on the edge smoothness of the structures formed. Integration of these devices into compact circuits combining high speed electrical and optical processing requires the development of a fabrication technology comparable to that used for silicon integrated circuits.
Preferential chemical etching has been widely used to provide the requisite smooth walls, but patterning III-V compounds in this way requires the precise orientation of the crystalline substrates and thus limits device design possibilities. Gratings selectively etched into GaAs have shown slight sidewall modulation attributed in part to misalignment between the grating direction as defined by the mask, and the cleavage planes, see, for example, an article entitled "Selectively Etched Diffraction Gratings in GaAs", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 25, No. 4, Aug. 15, 1974, pp. 208-210 by K. Comerford and P. Tory. Variation in the depths of preferentially etched channel waveguides according to the initial stripe width in the defining mask has been reported in an article entitled "Optical Waveguides Fabricated by Preferential Etching", Applied Optics, Vol. 14, No. 5, May 1975, pp. 1200-1206 by W. T. Tsang, C. C. Tseng, and S. Wang.
Optical gratings have also been produced by ionbeam milling substrates through photoresist masks. Limitations of this technique are possible faceting of the substrate, redeposition of sputtered material (hence alteration of etched profiles) and enhancement of lattice defects, see Tsang et al referred to hereinabove and an article entitled "Profile Control by Reactive Ion Sputter Etching" J. Vac. Sci. Technol., 15 (2), March/April 1978, pp. 319-326 by H. W. Lehmann and R. Widmer.
Reactive ion etching has been used to transfer high resolution sub-micron patterns into Si, SiO 2 , and Si 3 N 4 substrates. One example of this is the patterning of square wave gratings 250 A deep with 3200 A periodicity into SiO 2 see, for example, an article entitled "Alignment of Liquid Crystals Using Submicrometer Periodicity Gratings", Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 32, No. 10, May 15, 1978, pp. 597-598 by D. C. Flanders, D. C. Shaver and H. I. Smith. The utility of this technique for the fabrication of component devices for integrated optics is manifest, however, efforts to reactively ion etch III-V compounds have thus far met with limited success, see, for example, an article entitled "A Survey of Plasma-Etching Processes", Solid State Technology, 19 (5), May 1976, pp. 31-36, by R. L. Bersin.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
We have developed a process for using reactive ion etching to pattern GaAs, InP, GaAlAs and their derivative compounds, including oxides of GaAs. Because reactive ion etching is a high resolution pattern-transfer technique it should be of great utility in the fabrication of optical gratings for use in (e.g.) couplers, DFB lasers, Bragg reflectors, waveguides and laser structures.
The successful etching of GaAlAs, GaAs and InP also encompasses ternary and quaternary compounds of these materials and thus makes a wide range of integrated optics structures amenable to this technique. Moreover, the anisotropy of the etching obviates constraints placed on the device design by the crystalline substrate orientation.
The successful application of the reactive ion etching technique to the III-V compounds and their oxides requires the use of an appropriate etch gas. The product compounds of that gas with the substrate material should be sufficiently volatile that they neither impede the etch rate, nor reduce the fidelity of the pattern transfer. We have found that a gas mixture of CCl 2 F 2 (commonly sold under the trademark name FREON 12) alone or in combination with gases chosen from, argon (Ar), oxygen (O 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) will cleanly and effectively etch GaAs and InP, ternary and quaternary compounds of these materials, GaAlAs and the oxides of GaAs. The best ranges of relative flow rates of Ar, CCl 2 F 2 , O 2 and N 2 were: Ar (0-83%), CCl 2 F 2 (8-100%), O 2 (0-50%), and N 2 (0-60%).
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
A complete understanding of the present invention may be gained from a consideration of the detailed description presented hereinabove in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1-2 show pictures of applications of the process to etch an InP <100> sample;
FIG. 3 shows a picture of an application of the process to etch GaAs <100>;
FIG. 4 shows an enlargement of a section of FIG. 3 contained within the white rectangle; and
FIG. 5 shows a picture of an application of the process to etch InGaAsP/InP.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The following describes, in accordance with the present invention, a process for reactive ion etching of GaAs, InP and their derivative ternary and quartenary compounds, GaAlAs and the oxides of GaAs.
The etch gas used is CCl 2 F 2 alone or in combination with gases chosen from argon (Ar), oxygen (O 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ). The ranges of relative flow rates of Ar, CCl 2 F 2 , O 2 and N 2 which cover the process are: Ar (0-83%), CCl 2 F 2 (8-100%), O 2 (0-50%), and N 2 (0-60%).
We have found that CCl 2 F 2 supplies the chemically reactive etching species in the gas mixture. The addition of oxygen promotes the rate of etching, probably by reacting with unsaturated halocarbons to prevent their recombination with the active etching species. Generally, increasing the O 2 content increases the etch rate, provided that the percentage of CCl 2 F 2 is not overly diluted. The addition of argon appears to contribute in an active way to the etching process; use of the same amount of He, rather than Ar, all other parameters being equal, results in a reduced etch rate. However, the etch rate does not appear to be a strong function of the percentage of Ar in the gas mixture. Keeping the ratio of CCl 2 F 2 /O 2 constant and changing only the relative abundance of that ratio to Ar, we have observed an increase in etch rate with increasing CCl 2 F 2 , for the ratio of CCl 2 F 2 /Ar=0.1 to CCl 2 F 2 /Ar=1.
This reactive ion etching process has been developed using two conventional diode sputtering systems with pyrex chambers. The first (MRC) is a MRC Corp. model SEM 8620 and the second (CV) is a Cooke Vacuum Corp. model C 71-3. Both systems have a conventional oil diffusion pump and a liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) cold trap. In addition, the CV has an optically dense water cooled baffle, which baffle was used for all of the runs on that station.
In both systems, the plasma was generated by a 13.56 MHz rf generator connected to two parallel, water-cooled electrodes 5" in diameter. The rf matching network on the sputtering system was tuned to supply most of the power to the electrode on which the samples to be etched were placed. For MRC, some small amount of power (25 percent or less as measured by the developed dc voltages on the electrodes) was also applied to the other electrode because of the limitations of the matching network. In both systems, the electrode on which the samples were etched was covered with a silicon wafer, which wafer was coupled with high thermal conductivity to the water-cooled electrode; the other electrode was fused quartz.
The flow of the reactive gasses through the sputtering systems was controlled using both pressure and flow-ratio servo systems. A MKS model 170 capacitance manometer was used to monitor the pressure. The signal from this manometer was used by a Vacuum General Corp. model 77-1 pressure controller to adjust the flow of a first gas through a model PV-10 valve. (This may be designated as the main gas). The flow of two other gasses could be controlled by a Vacuum General Corp. model 77-4 flow/ratio controller. The system provided that either the flow of a secondary gas or the ratio of its flow to the main gas flow could be held constant. The flow rate of all the gasses was monitored using Tyland Corp. model FM 360 thermal mass flowmeters. A main and a secondary gas were measured using 100 standard cubic centimeter per minute (sccm) full scale meters and a tertiary gas was monitored using either a 10 sccm or 100 sccm full scale meter. In both stations, the gasses were mixed in an external manifold before entering the station. For CV, the manifold was heated to reduce adsorption of gasses on the walls. For certain etch runs the LN 2 trap was utilized. Because of differential cryopumping of the plasma constituents the chemical composition of the plasma is dependent upon whether or not the LN 2 trap is used. In particular, CCl 2 F 2 is pumped much faster than O 2 or Ar when the trap is cold. This results in a smaller relative proportion of the latter constituents for a given flow ratio when the trap is cold.
Substrates were patterned by lift-off techniques: the metal masks used were usually 500 A of Ni-Cr atop 50 A of Cr (the Cr was used to promote the film adhesion to the substrate). Other masking materials may be chosen and we have also used Mg, Al and Cr as masks. Masking material may be designated as being either "erodible", i.e., able to be chemically etched by the reactive gas, or "nonerodible". The latter materials will be physically sputtered by the reactive ions; the sputtered material may subsequently redeposit onto the substrate surface, thus acting as a widely distributed, highly porous mask. There are some general trends which have been observed which will dictate the choice of masking material. Mg is a nonerodible mask and is useful for very deep etching in both InP and GaAs. The surface roughness of the etched regions due to redeposition of sputtered mask can be quite severe and limits the usefulness of the substrate. In addition, the poor adhesion and large grain size of Mg films make the fabrication of high resolution masks difficult. Both Cr and Ni-Cr appear to be good masks in that roughness due to redeposition of sputtered mask material is minimal. In addition, Ni-Cr films have grain sizes well below 1000 A, allowing the production of high resolution masks. The difficulty with these materials is that the evaporated films have considerable strain and thick films (necessary to etch more than about 2μ deep) are difficult to form. Films deposited by another technique (such as multi-layer evaporation or plating) would be necessary for deep etches. Another disadvantage of these materials could be in the need to remove them for subsequent processing. It would be necessary to develop appropriate chemical or plasma etches compatible with the particular process of interest. Another possible solution is to deposit a separation layer before depositing the mask. The separation layer could be removed using an appropriate etch or solvent which would not attack the substrate.
In the variation of etch parameters, we were particularly observant of the following: absolute substrate etch rate; differential etch rate of the substrate material with respect to the masking material; the morphology of the substrate floor; and the slope of the etched walls with respect to the plane of the substrate.
In using the process in accordance with the present invention, particular combinations of etch pressure, rf power, and gas composition may be chosen to optimize a particular feature, often at the expense of other features. For example, etching at high power densities can yield rapid etch rates and nearly vertical walls in the substrate; however, the floor of the substrate may be irregular because of either (1) random masking by redeposited materials during the etch process, or (2) the actual presence of redeposited material on the surface. However, it may be most important to obtain a deep, highly vertical etch of the sample, with the irregularity of the floor being tolerable. Similarly, it might be desirable for certain applications that the floor of the substrate be smooth, while the etch depth need not be large.
We have etched at forward powers ranging from 25 to 200 W, usually operating at 70 or 100 W. Total etch gas pressures ranging from 1μ to 40μ have been used. We note several general trends of the etch results as a function of pressure. Because of physical sputtering and possible enhanced chemical effects, the etching rate of the masking material increases with decreasing pressure in the range from 1μ to 40μ. Since the etch rate of InP decreases at the higher pressures under the conditions which have been studied, and GaAs appears to have the opposite behavior, the choice of the optimum pressure will depend upon the choice of sample. The verticality of the etched walls also depends upon the etching pressure. In all the conditions studied to date, the etched profile shows a "negative undercut", that is the profile slopes away from the masked region rather than going beneath the mask, as is usual in wet chemical etching. In InP, the verticality of these walls is best at low pressure (less than 10μ ) while in GaAs it is good over a wide pressure range as high as 20μ. Depending upon gas composition and purity of the sample, the etched surface may show an extreme columnar morphology. Though these needle-like columns can be removed by postprocessing with chemical and mechanical techniques, their formation will limit the usefulness of etching in this regime.
EXAMPLE 1
An InP <100> sample, patterned with a metallic mask composed of 50 A Cr, 1050 A Ni-Cr, was placed on a Si plate of the rf-powered electrode in CV. The liquid nitrogen trap was filled. After the chamber was pumped down to <1μ chamber pressure, oxygen was flowed through the system at a rate of 30 sccm to a pressure of 13μ. Approximately 25 W was applied for 2 minutes to clean the substrate of any organic scum present. The oxygen was then pumped out and a gaseous mixture having equal flow rates of Ar, CCl 2 F 2 and O 2 was introduced. Total system pressure was 5μ and the total flow-rate was approximately 14 sccm. The applied power was 70 W and the powered electrode was self-biassed at 500 V. The other electrode was self-biased at 150 volts. The total etch time of 17 minutes was the time required to just etch through the Ni-Cr mask, as determined by the clearing of a glass slide patterned with the same amount of Ni-Cr as used to mask the InP, and etched simultaneously with it. The picture is shown in FIG. 1. In FIG. 1 the long horizontal white line corresponds to 1μ. The total etch depth is approximately 2μ, yielding an etch rate of approximately 0.12μ/minute. The walls are inclined at an angle of approximately 70 degrees with respect to the plane of the substrate floor.
EXAMPLE 2
InP <100>, GaAs <100>, and InGaAsP/InP were patterned with Cr masks 450 A thick. The substrates were placed on the powered electrode of the MRC station, as was a glass slide coated with 450 A of Cr. CCl 2 F 2 was flowed through the chamber at 7 sccm, yielding a pressure of 1μ. The LN 2 trap was cooled. Total gas pressure was 5μ. The remaining 4μ of gas was composed of Ar/10% O 2 with an Ar flow rate of 40 sccm and an O 2 flow rate of 4 sccm. 75 W of forward power was applied with a bias voltage of 800 V on the sample electrode and 300 V on the other electrode. The total etch time was 6.5 minutes (the time required for the film on the glass slide to clear), resulting in etch depths of InP, GaAs and the quaternary of 0.83, 0.52 and 0.62μ. FIGS. 2 and 3 show pictures of the results of the etch process as applied to InP and GaAs. FIG. 4 is an enlargement of the section of FIG. 3 enclosed by the white rectangle. FIG. 5 shows a picture of the results of the etch process as applied to InGaAsP/InP.
EXAMPLE 3
A multilayer sample having a total thickness of 3.7 μm, grown using MBE atop a GaAs substrate, and comprising alternating layers of GaAs, 195 angstroms thick, and Ga 0 .7 Al 0 .3 As, 210 angstroms thick was etched in CCl 2 F 2 alone at 5 microns of pressure for 13 minutes in the CV using the LN 2 trap. The sample was masked with Ni-Cr. A similar sample was etched in CCl 2 F 2 and 20 percent (relative flow) N 2 at 5 microns of pressure for 10 minutes. Although the second process gave less degradation of the Ni-Cr mask than the first process, both samples showed clean etches with etch rates comparable to GaAs alone. We have also etched similar multilayer samples with CCl 2 F 2 and 60 percent (relative flow) Ar at 3 microns for 15 minutes. The presence of Ar seemed more crisply to define the profile edge of the etched sample and "break up" the globules which nucleate on the mask area. Lastly, a similar sample was etched in CCl 2 F 2 , O 2 and Ar with relative flow rates of 1:1:1. Thus we have used these chemical constituents to etch GaAs as well as GaAlAs.
EXAMPLE 4
As sample containing the oxides of GaAs was etched with CCl 2 F 2 alone at a pressure of 4.7 μm and 30 W on the sample electrode for 10 minutes in the CV with the LN 2 trap. The same was etched at the same rate as GaAs.
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The successful application of the reactive ion etching technique to the III-V compounds requires the use of the appropriate etch gas. We have found that a gas mixture comprised of either CCl 2 F 2 alone or in combination with one or more of the gasses: argon (Ar), oxygen (O 2 ) and nitrogen (N 2 ) will cleanly and effectively etch GaAs and InP and their ternary and quaternary alloys as well as AlGaAs and the oxides of GaAs. The effective ranges of relative flow rates of Ar, CCl 2 F 2 and oxygen are: Ar (0-83%), CCl 2 F 2 (8-100%), O 2 (0-50%), and N 2 (0-60%).
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention concerns a device and method for limiting of the width of coating in coating of paper or board, wherein the coating agent is spread onto the moving base by means of a coating device provided with a grooved coating bar.
The device comprises a revolving coating bar, which rests against the moving base to be coated and extends across the machine width. A substantial portion of the revolving coating bar is provided with grooves. The coating bar is fitted to spread and to smooth the coating agent onto the base to be coated. The coating agent is introduced into the coating device in the direction of running of the base to be coated, before the coating bar.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
At present, in the coating of paper and board, two alternative methods and devices are commonly used, i.e. a blade coater or a bar coater. The present invention is expressly related to bar coaters, which have proved excellent especially in the surface-sizing technique. A bar coater is employed in coating and surface-sizing for spreading and smoothing the coating agent onto the surface of a paper or board web, to which the coating agent is introduced by means of a spreading roll.
In film size presses, the coating agent may also be introduced directly onto the faces of the rolls in the size press, from which, in the roll nip, it adheres to the web that passes through the nip. Coating bars currently in use ar usually made of steel. Coating bars are frequently provided with chromium plating to increase their service life. Bars with fully smooth faces are not used. Rather the bar face is provided with grooves, or steel wire may be wound onto the bar to form a solution similar to grooves on the bar face.
When the coating agent is applied by means of such a grooved coating bar, e.g., onto the rolls in the size press, the areas of the roll ends placed outside the web must be scraped clear by mean of lateral doctors. Otherwise the coating agent that remains in the end areas of the rolls causes considerable splashing in the roll nip.
The scraping of these lateral areas of the rolls has proved very difficult.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a method and a device which overcomes the drawbacks of prior art coating bars and through which an improved coating result is achieved as compared with prior art.
In view of this objective and others, the present invention is directed in part to a method where the coating agent is spread substantially over the width of the web only, and any coating agent extending substantially beyond the web width is scraped off the base to be coated with the aid of smooth end areas fitted at both ends of the coating bar.
The device in accordance with the present invention relates to a coating bar wherein the grooves have been formed substantially across the web width, and the end areas of the coating bar that extend substantially beyond the web width have been formed smooth.
An important advantage of the invention over the prior art is that pursuant to the invention, it is possible to omit the lateral doctors completely, because they are unnecessary. In the method and device in accordance with the invention, the scraping of the lateral areas is carried out by means of the coating bar itself, the scraping already taking place at the stage of application of the coating. In the case of a size press, the area beyond the web width on the smooth bar portion is so small that the size passes through the nip without splashing. Further advantages and characteristics of the invention are set forth in the following detailed description of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following, the invention will be described in detail with reference to the Figures in the accompanying drawings. The Figures of the accompanying drawings represent preferred embodiments of the invention, but should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention.
FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a film size press in which the method and the device in accordance with the invention are applied.
FIG. 2 is a plan view of a simplified illustration of one coating device in the film size press, shown on a larger scale.
FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional side view of a bar coater which is employed for coating taking place directly onto the web surface.
FIG. 4 is a simplified illustration of FIG. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrow A.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1, the size press is denoted generally with the reference numeral 1. The film size press 1 comprises size press rolls 2 and 3. The first roll 2 and the second roll 3 form a nip N between them, the paper or board web W being passed through the nip. In the film size press 1, a first size film F1 is metered onto the face 4 of the first roll 2 by means of a first coating device 10 and, in a corresponding way, a second size film F2 is metered onto the face 5 of the second roll 3 by means of a second coating device 20. In the roll nip N, the size films F1 and F2 are transferred onto the paper or board web W running through the nip. In FIG. 1, the coated web is denoted with the reference W'.
In the film size press 1 shown in FIG. 1, the coating devices 10 and 20, by whose means the size films F1 and F2 are spread onto the faces 4 and 5 of the rolls 2 and 3 in the size press, are bar coaters, which are equal in size to one another, as is shown in FIG. 1. The coating devices 10 and 20 are of the so-called short-dwell type, in which the coating agent is introduced into a pressurized coating-agent chamber 16, 26 placed before the coating bar 11, 21. Besides being defined by the coating bar 11, 21, the chamber is also defined by the roll face 4, 5, the front wall 14, 24 of the coating-agent chamber, as well as by possible lateral seals, if any (not shown). The coating bar 11, 21 is fitted in a cradle 12, 22, which is made of a suitable material, e.g. polyurethane. The cradle supports the coating bar 11, 21 over its entire length. The coating bar 11, 21 is provided with a drive gear (not shown) which rotates the coating bar 11, 21 in directions opposite to the directions of rotation of the rolls 2, 3. The holders of the cradles of the coating bars in FIG. 1 are denoted with the reference numerals 13 and 23, and the holders of the front wall with the reference numerals 15 and 25.
In the invention, the coating bar used is a grooved bar 21, which is shown in more detail in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2, the grooved bar 21 is not provided with grooves extending from end to end, but the end areas a at both ends of the bar remain smooth. The ratio of the grooved portion f and the smooth end areas a on the coating bar 21 has been chosen so that the grooves f have been formed onto the bar 21 to be of a width substantially equal to the width of the web. The outer diameter D of the bar 21 at the smooth end areas a is substantially equal to the outer diameter d of the grooved portion on the bar 21. Owing to this arrangement, on said smooth end areas a of the outer bar, any size extending beyond the width of the web is spread onto face 5 of the roll 3 in the end areas b of the roll so that the size layer is so thin that it passes through the roll nip N. In such a case, substantially no splashing occurs in the roll nip N.
In FIGS. 3 and 4, a second embodiment of the invention is shown, which is applied to spreading of the coating agent directly onto the surface of the paper or board web W. In FIG. 3, the coating device is denoted generally with the reference numeral 50. As is shown in FIG. 3, the coating bar 53 is fitted against the paper or board web W that runs on the face of a backup roll 54. The coating device 50 is a coating device of so-called short-dwell type, in which the coating agent is introduced into a coating-agent chamber 51, which is placed in the direction of running of the web W and before the coating bar 53. In addition to the coating bar 53, the chamber is also defined by the web W, by the front wall 52 of the coating-agent chamber, and by lateral seals (not shown). The coating-agent chamber 51 is pressurized in the conventional way, and out of the chamber 51, overflow of the coating agent is provided through the gap 55 between the front wall of the coating-agent chamber and the web W. The coating bar 53 is fitted in a cradle 58 of a suitable material, e.g., polyurethane, said cradle supporting the coating bar 53 over its entire length. The coating bar 53 is provided with a drive gear (not known), by whose means the coating bar 53 is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction of running of the web W. The cradle 58 of the coating bar 53 is fitted on a support 56 and both the cradle 58 and the support 56 are together attached to the holder 59 fitted on the frame of the coating device 50. Moreover, on the support 56, underneath the cradle 58, a loading hose 57 is provided, by whose means the coating bar 53 can be loaded in the desired way against the web W. In FIGS. 3 and 4, the coated web is denoted with the reference W'.
As is shown in FIG. 4 the coating bar 53 is a grooved bar similar to that shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Thus, the bar 53 is provided with grooves across its entire length, but the end areas a of the bar have been allowed to remain smooth so that the grooved portion f of the bar 53 extends substantially across the web width only, or, as is shown in FIG. 4, is slightly narrower than the web width so that dry lateral areas c remain in the web W' which is coated otherwise. Also, in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the diameter D of the smooth end areas a of the bar 53 is substantially equal to the outer diameter d of the grooved portion of the bar.
The invention has been described by way of example with reference to the Figures in the accompanying drawing. The invention is, however, not confined to the exemplifying embodiments shown in the Figures alone, but many variations are possible within the scope of the inventive idea defined in the following patent claims.
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The invention concerns a device and method for limiting of the width of coating in coating of paper or board. The coating agent is spread onto a moving base to be coated by means of a coating device provided with a grooved coating bar. The coating agent is spread substantially only over the width of the web and any coating agent extending substantially beyond the web width is scraped off the base to be coated with the aid of smooth end areas fitted at both ends of the coating bar. The invention is also related to a device for carrying out the method.
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The present invention relates generally to the pumping of fluids from subsurface deposits and, more particularly, to a system for achieving higher rates of delivery from relatively deeper oil wells, i.e., wells having deposits below 1,000 feet from the surface.
BACKGROUND ART
The present invention is preferably directed to the production of oil from subsurface deposits, primarily below 1,000 feet. Unlike systems used for the recovery of less viscous fluids, water by way of example, the recovery of oil is required to be accomplished from relatively deeper deposits, using significantly smaller diameter casing.
By way of example, water pumping systems, by virtue of the use of casing diameter of 12 inches and greater, are able to make practical use of higher RPM pumps, which are, by nature, larger in diameter. Moreover, because of the relatively shallow nature of such wells, such pumps are easily driven from a source of power located at the surface. This is because the drive shaft for transmitting motive power to a high revolution pump is coincidently shorter, and the amount of bearing support required is within practical limits. Clearly, the longer the drive shaft, the more bearing support required, with a commensurate increase in construction and maintenance costs.
Yet another distinguishable difference between oil and water wells is the inevitable presence of natural gas in an oil deposit, which is not found in water deposits. Oil wells accommodate gasses by using a conduit within the casing to relieve pressure and harvest the gasses. Remembering that oil well casings are typically less in diameter, the use of agricultural and other water recovery systems which are 12 inches and more, would be extremely difficult to adapt to oil production.
Mechanical lifting of oil from subsurface deposits is a common, indeed necessary, means of producing the world's hydrocarbon energy needs. The apparatus for accomplishing this needed task falls predominantly into five strategies or categories: rod pumping, gas lift, hydraulic pumping, electric submersible pumping,and progressive cavity pumping. Each type has its strong and weak points.
Rod pumping, the most common type of artificial lifting apparatus, consists of a piston type pump located downhole where it is submersed in the deposit in the well. The technique is to actuate the pump with a reciprocating rod string extending from the downhole pump to a pumping unit at the surface. This type of system is reliable, easily serviced, and satisfactory for most wells. However, rod pumping is not particularly well suited to deep, gassy, or abrasive fluid applications, i.e., where sand, salts and like particulate is found in the deposit, and has limited rate and depth capability due to the tensional strength limitations of the rod string.
Yet another problem with such systems becomes evident if a rod string breaks, and such is not uncommon. The cost in both time and effort to fish out the pump from the bottom of the well repair or replace the string, and return the pump to the appropriate depth, is high, yet borne regularly by those in the business, because there is no other way. The deeper the well, of course, the longer the string, and the greater the load on the string as it is reciprocated to operate the pump. Not surprisingly, the rate of failure of such strings is significantly higher.
Another fluid recovery system in wide use is referred to generally as a gas lift system and consists of injecting high pressure gas into a fluid filled tubing at depth, to lighten the fluid column, and cause the fluid to flow to the surface. Gas lift systems work well in moderate rate, moderate depth applications. It is insensitive to gassy or abrasive fluids, because the equipment is mechanically simple and inexpensive, and the systems are very reliable. Gas lift requires a source of gas, is energy inefficient, expensive to run and operate because of the compression requirements, and a poor option in low rate applications.
The currently preferred option for production of deep, low to moderate rate wells is referred to simply as hydraulic pumping. A typical system consists of a downhole piston pump which is connected to a downhole piston motor. The motor is actuated by high pressure hydraulic fluid injected down a string of tubing to the downhole pump-motor assembly. The reciprocating movement of the motor actuates the pump, which lifts the fluid in the deposit to the surface.
The tradeoff with hydraulic pumping is that hydraulic pumps are expensive to install and operate, and do not handle abrasive or gassy fluids well. They require high pressure hydraulic pumps at the surface, hydraulic fluid (usually crude oil) storage and treating facilities, and at least two strings of tubing.
Hydraulic jet pumps employ identical surface equipment and tubing requirements used in hydraulic pump systems such as described above, but replace the piston pump/motor assembly with a venturi-type jet assembly that uses Bernoulli's principle to "suck" the produced fluid into the stream of hydraulic fluid passing through the jet. The mix of hydraulic and produced fluid crude then flows up to the surface. Hydraulic jet pumps handle gassy fluids well, but are limited in the effective draw down they can generate and are energy inefficient.
A more recent approach to producing subsurface deposits has become available with the commercial exploitation of the progressive cavity pump.
Progressive cavity pumping (PCP) consists of a Moyno type pump downhole, which is actuated by a rod string that is rotated by a motor at the surface. PCPs are particularly well suited for delivering viscous, abrasive fluids. The surface and bottom hole equipment is simple and reliable, and energy efficiency is good. Progressive cavity pumps handle gas satisfactorily, but the system has depth and rate limitations and will mechanically fail if the volume of fluid entering the pump is less than what the pump can lift, and the well "pumps off".
The foregoing is intended to provide a pictorial view of a variety of production systems that have been, and continue to be, in use throughout oil producing countries.
By way of example, for high to very high rate applications, i.e., in excess of 1,000 barrels per day, there currently is only one generally accepted option for most field applications, and that is the electric submersible pumping (ESP). The ESP system consists of a multi-stage, downhole, centrifugal pump directly driven by a downhole electric motor.
Electric power for the motor is transmitted from the surface to the motor via an armored cable strapped to the tubing. ESPs offer a very wide range of rates and pumping depths, require a minimum of surface equipment (if a central electrical power source is available), and are reasonably energy efficient. They do not handle gassy or abrasive fluids well, and are rather inflexible with regard to varying rate capability of an installed unit. If power is not available at the well site, an electric generator driven by a gas or diesel engine is required.
ESPs, on the other hand, are typically expensive to purchase, service and operate, and with crude prices constantly in a state of flux, any system that can be cost effective is going to be of great value. The principal reason for the high cost of operating an ESP is the submersible electric motor. Because the motor must operate in a hot, saline water environment at high speeds and voltages, they are exotic and, hence, expensive to purchase and overhaul. ESPs are also very susceptible to power interruptions, have strict power interruptions, have a strict temperature limitation, and are the weak point of an otherwise excellent high volume lift system.
If a well environment is sandy, or contains abrasive or corrosive salts, friction at the pump is materially increased, with a commensurate increase in the load on the pump. If there are gas deposits in the area of the well, and it is not uncommon in deep wells, pumps, and particularly positive displacement pumps which are in common use, become highly inefficient, and proportionately more expensive to use.
The Geared Centrifugal Pumping system combines the high lift capacity of the ESP with the drive simplicity of the progressive cavity pumping system. Basically, the system consists of an electric motor and speed reducer at the surface, which turns a rod string connected to a speed increasing transmission/submersible downhole pump assembly (see generally FIG. 1). The speed reducer is needed at the surface because there is a limit to how fast a rod string can be turned stably. Experience with progressive cavity pumps has shown that rod string speeds of 500 RPM are about as fast as can be maintained reliably. The transmission increases the input rotational speed of the rod string from about 500 RPM to the 3,000 to 3,500 RPM needed to operate the submersible pump, which is attached to the bottom, output end of the transmission (see FIG. 1). Production enters the centrifugal pump inlet, flows up through the stages of the pump, flows around the transmission, and into the tubing, and up to the surface.
The GCP is similar in concept to the common agricultural submersible pumps, which are also driven by a surface motor turning a shaft that extends down to the multi-stage centrifugal pump downhole. In the agricultural application, there is no downhole transmission, as the motor, shaft and pump all turn at the some speed, about 1,600 RPM. They are able to turn the assembly this fast because the shaft is run inside a tubing string with stabilizing bearings run at 10 foot intervals, an impractical configuration for the much deeper oil wells.
An agriculture pump, running at only 1,600 RPM, is able to generate sufficient head per stage to lift water several hundred feet by virtue of the large diameter of the pump, made possible by the large diameter of the water wells (the head, or pressure each stage generates is proportional to the diameter of the pump rotor). Since oil wells typically have inside diameters in the 6 inch to 8 inch range, and oil wells are usually much deeper than water wells, ESPs typically run in the 3,000 to 3,500 RPM range to generate sufficient head per stage to keep the number of stages down to a manageable number (the head per stage is proportional also to the square of the rotational speed). Even at these high rpms, ESPs frequently will have 200+ stages to allow the lifting of fluid from several thousand feet.
The following patents represent some efforts to find a reliable, high capacity, deep well pumping system. The most common approach is still to use a downhole positive displacement pump driven by the rod string which is rotated or reciprocated by a surface power source.
Ortiz U.S. Pat. No. 3,891,031 is specifically directed to deep wells and a seal in the well casing which would permit the casing to become a part of the delivery system.
Justice U.S. Pat. No. 4,291,588 suggests a system for stripper wells, having bore diameters of about 4 inches. This specific patent addresses a step down transmission disposed between an electric motor and a positive displacement pump. It is presumed that other divisionals of the parent application address the system as a whole.
Garrison U.S. Pat. No. 4,108,023 addresses a step down transmission for use in a drill rig wherein drilling mud is capable of bypassing the transmission to lubricate the bit without invading the system itself.
Weber U.S. Pat. No. 5,209,294 is illustrative of a progressive cavity pump. Such pumps, however, operate at speeds from 300 to 1200 rpm, and their delivery rate is not optimum for deep well applications. A similar pump is shown in Cameron U.S. Pat. No. 5,275,238, although the essence of the patent is directed to objectives other than the pump per se.
It is also recognized that there are some higher speed applications in the agricultural field, that is in the neighborhood of 1200 to 1600 rpms, and typically driving a turbine pump. Unlike the present invention, however, these systems require that the drive shaft to the pump be encased, and bearings provided between the casing and the drive shaft to prevent the drive shaft from destruction during operation.
As will become apparent from a reading of the following description of the preferred embodiment of the present invention, none of the prior art efforts adequately address the practical problems long suffered by producers with respect to high rate deep wells. Despite the advantages of the above-noted devices, there remains a continuing need to improve on a deep well fluid recovery system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one embodiment of the invention, a fluid recovery system comprises a high capacity pump, a rotary power unit, and a transmission assembly coupling the rotary power unit and the high capacity pump. The transmission assembly further comprises a step up transmission coupled to the high capacity pump. The transmission assembly further comprises a step up transmission coupled to the high capacity pump. The transmission assembly further comprises a rod string, wherein the rod string is coupled at one end to the rotary power unit and at the other end to the step up transmission without offset.
Specific embodiments includes the following. The fluid recovery system described above uses a centrifugal pump as the high capacity pump. The step up transmission comprises a gear, a pinion mated with the gear, the gear and pinion together comprising a gear set. Alternatively, the step up transmission comprises a planetary gear set. The fluid recovery system further comprises a tubular member, the rod string being encased within the tubular member, and bearings interposed between the rod string and the tubular member provide bearing support for the rod string.
In another embodiment of the invention, a fluid recovery system for use in producing fluid from a relatively deep, subsurface deposit comprises a high capacity pump configured and dimensioned for immersion within the deposit, a source of motive power disposed on the surface for producing rotary motion, and a power transmission assembly interconnecting the power source and the high capacity pump. The power transmission assembly further includes a step up transmission coupled to the pump and a rod string interconnecting the power source and the step up transmission without offset for delivering rotary motion to the step up transmission.
Specific embodiments include the following. The fluid recovery system comprises a well casing extending generally from the surface above the deposit and into the deposit, wherein the step up transmission and the high capacity pump are disposed within the casing. The well casing has an inside diameter of less than about 12 inches. The fluid recovery system further comprises a transmission casing wherein the step up transmission comprises a gear, a pinion mated with the gear, the gear and pinion together comprising a gear set. The gear set is bearing mounted in the transmission casing which is disposed within the well casing between the pump and the power source. The transmission casing and pump are connected. Alternatively, the fluid recovery system further comprises a transmission casing wherein the step up transmission planetary gear set is bearing mounted in the transmission casing which is disposed within the well casing between the pump and the power source. The transmission casing and the pump are connected. The fluid recovery system further comprises a tubular member, the rod string is encased within the tubular member, and bearings disposed between the rod string and the tubular member provide bearing support for the rod string. The high capacity pump comprises a centrifugal pump which operates in excess of about 3,000 rpm. The fluid deposit is at a depth greater than about 1,000 feet and step up transmission has a step up ratio of at least about 1:3.
In yet another embodiment, a fluid recovery system for use in producing oil from a relatively deep, subsurface deposit comprises a high capacity pump configured and dimensioned for immersion within the oil deposit, a well casing extending from the surface and into the oil deposit, a source of motive power disposed on the surface for producing rotary motion, a power transmission assembly interconnecting the power source and the high capacity pump within the well casing. The power transmission assembly further includes a step up transmission having at least one gear, a rod string interconnecting the power source and the step up transmission wherein the rod string is coupled to the at least one gear of the step up transmission without offset for delivering rotary motion to the step up transmission. The step up transmission is connected to the pump so as to deliver a relatively higher speed rotary power to the pump.
In another embodiment still, a method for recovering fluid from a subsurface deposit comprises providing a high capacity pump, providing a rotary power unit, and transmitting rotary power from the rotary power unit to the high capacity pump through a transmission assembly coupling the rotary power unit and the high capacity pump. The transmission assembly comprises a step up transmission coupled to the high capacity pump. The transmission assembly further comprises a rod string, the rod string coupled at one end to the rotary power unit and coupled at the other end to the step up transmission without offset.
The present invention addresses problems such as production efficiency, inherently more difficult in deeper oil wells, by an innovative pumping system that permits the use of high production pumps, such as multi-stage centrifugal pumps, in a deep oil well environment, without the drawbacks of the systems currently in use.
Accordingly, a mechanism has been devised for the use of a novel gear arrangement for driving a centrifugal pump, sometimes referred to herein simply as a Geared Centrifugal Pump (GCP) system. As disclosed in detail hereinafter, a GCP system is an artificial fluid lift system, having as a principal objective the ability to replicate the advantages of the ESP without the cost and operational problems of the submersible motor.
It is a further objective of the present invention to provide deep well producers with a pumping system that will optimize their production without a material increase in the cost thereof.
Another objective of the present invention is to provide a pumping system that will permit the use of high speed centrifugal pumps in a deep well environment without the attendant high costs otherwise associated with the operation of submersible downhole electric motors.
Still another objective of the present invention is to effect pump operation without the need of supporting the rod string in special bearings, while maintaining a high degree of reliability in the entire system.
Another, and still further objective of the present invention, is to provide deep well producers with an efficient delivery system which is both high volume and low maintenance, thereby making such wells more economical and coincidently more productive.
The foregoing, as well as other objects, benefits and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, when read in conjunction with the drawings described below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a deep well, partially sectioned and fragmented, to illustrate the pumping system of the present invention in a typical environment.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation of an exemplary drive assembly disposed in the well head, for rotating a rod string.
FIG. 3 illustrates one of several step up transmissions capable of being used in the system of the present invention.
FIG. 3' is an exposed side elevational view of preferred alternative embodiment of a step up transmission system according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the area inscribed by 4--4 of FIG. 3, illustrating certain features of the system.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the area inscribed by 5--5 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of a portion of the transmission of FIG. 3, taken along section 6--6 of FIG. 3.
FIG. 7, is a pictorial representation of what the cross section of FIG. 6 would look like if a planetary gear set were used in place of the gear and pinion arrangement of FIG. 6.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
In the description which follows, any reference to either direction or orientation is intended primarily and solely for purposes of illustration and is not intended in any way as a limitation on the scope of the present invention. Also, the particular embodiments described herein, although being preferred, are not to be construed limiting of the present invention. Furthermore, like parts or structure in the various drawings hereto are identified by like numerals for ease of reference.
With reference now to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, a deep well, high capacity pumping system, constructed in accordance with the present invention, is illustrated at 10, in a typical deep well environment.
The system 10 is made up of several elements, including a high capacity centrifugal pump 12. The pump 12 is, in accordance with the invention, a multi stage pump, chosen because of its capacity to deliver relatively high volumes of liquid under significant head pressures, which are commonly experienced in a deep well environment.
The advantage in using a multi stage centrifugal pump, or any comparable configuration, is that it is a high capacity delivery device. In order, however, to deliver the capacity of which the device is capable, such pumps currently available require an operating speed of up to 3,500 revolutions per minute, whereas surface power units such as the one illustrated at 14, are able to operate efficiently at about 500 rpm.
In order to deliver the kind of driving force necessary to efficiently operate the pump, it has been the industry approach to place a high speed electric motor downhole, either contiguous with, or in close proximity with the pump, and run electric power to the motor from a source located on the surface.
Such a construction has an inordinately high initial cost, and a commensurately high maintenance cost, neither of which are compatible with market volatility, and both of which compromise the benefits otherwise derived from the use of high capacity pumps.
The tradeoffs in systems such as the electric submersible pump (ESP) type systems previously referenced, has accentuated the need for exploration into ways to employ high capacity pumps in deep wells. Enter the present invention, which involves the use of a relatively low cost, low maintenance surface drive unit 14, of well known construction and readily available, disposed at the well head H. The surface drive unit 14, which may employ any suitable energy source, depending on availability, engages, to rotate a rod string 21, which extends down the well casing 23 where it ultimately connects to one of the gears which comprise a transmission 25 for the purposes of driving the pump 12.
As illustrated, the rod string is encased in a tubular member 24, for reasons that will become more clear as this discussion proceeds.
However, other problems are created when an attempt is made to drive the pump at the required speeds from the surface of the well. Specifically, the torque on the rod string 21, which is typically made up of a series of sections of either solid rod, or pipe fastened to one another, such as by welding, or other well known means, causes the application of destructive forces which can quickly debilitate such a string when operated at speeds greater than about 1,000 rpm.
The elements of a rod string are not, in the usual case, dynamically balanced and when rotated at relatively high speeds will inevitably tend to vibrate. Within a well casing, the amplitude of such vibration could easily be such as to cause portions of the casing to be contacted by portions of the rod string, reeking havoc on both. Moreover, the twisting movement on the rod string is amplified by its length, and a torsional fracture is to be anticipated.
The present invention resolves this dilemma by providing the transmission 25, disposed between the drive unit 14 and the pump 12. The transmission 25 is preferably disposed in close proximity to the pump 12, and may even be connected to its case in order that the rod string 21 is minimally effected by the rotation imparted to it by the drive unit 14. The transmission 25 provides a step up in rotational speed of 1:3 or greater.
With particular reference to FIG. 2, in order, therefore, that damage to the rod string can be avoided or minimized, the drive unit 14, as illustrated, employs an electric motor, which may turn at any sufficient speed to deliver the force necessary to rotate the rod string. The drive unit 14 reduces the motor RPM (typically 1,600 rpm) to a speed at which the rod string can be rotated stably, about 500 rpm.
As illustrated, a portion of the rod string protrudes upwardly through and above the stuffing box 32, at 34. A pulley 36 is affixed to the end of the rod string 34, and belts 38 interconnect the electric motor 30, which also has a pulley 40, mounted to its drive shaft 43. While a gear drive might serve the purpose, by use of belts, a certain dampening effect is achieved which will extend the life of the system.
The pulleys 36 and 40 are sized to effect a speed reduction, and this is accomplished by making the effective diameter of the pulley 36 larger than that of the pulley 40.
In this way a reduction, in this example 2.5 to 1, is effected in order that the rod string can be driven at a safe speed, such as 500 rpms.
In order to obtain maximum efficiency from the pump submersed in the well, the transmission 25 must increase the speed of the rod string to the transmission several fold. To accomplish this, as illustrated in FIGS. 3, 4, 5 and 6, a step up transmission 25' is employed, exemplary of which is the gear and pinion type transmission depicted in FIG. 3.
The step up transmission 25' comprises a casing 45, which attaches to, and is held in place in the well by tube 24. The casing thus serves as a reaction member against which the operative elements within the casing, may react. More specifically, the transmission 25' employs a series of pinion and gear sets 47. The gear G is driven through one or more constant velocity joints 49, of well known construction, in order to assure smooth and uniform transfer of power from the rod string 21. The integrity of the system is further enhanced by the use of a safety coupling 52, disposed in the rod string just above the transmission, and a bearing 54 just below the safety coupling. This arrangement ensures proper alignment with the transmission, and inhibits the effects of imbalance in the rod string which might contribute to vibration.
While a gear and pinion arrangement is illustrated, it will be appreciated that a planetary system as exemplified in FIG. 7 is well within the purview of the invention, and such a system might, indeed, obviate the need for CV joints 49. In such a case, a sun gear S is engaged by a series of planet gears PG and by a ring gear R. In keeping with the underlying premise of the present invention, the ring gear is fixed and the planetary gear set will be driving and the sun gear set driven in order to get the increase in RPMs necessary to achieve optimum output by the pump.
Referring to FIG. 3', which details the input drive shaft arrangement, the fluid recovery system 10' depicted therein includes two universal joints--and a short drive shaft 60. This arrangement aligns the rod string 21, which provides the rotational power from the surface prime mover, to the offset input drive shaft 60 of the first stage of the spur gear transmission. The central axis of the tubing 24 is generally aligned with the axis of the G gear as shown in FIG. 3' and with the central axis of the step up transmission 25' and pump 12. Without this drive shaft/universal joint arrangement, the rod string 21 which rotates in the center of the tubing 24, would have to bend on entry into the transmission casing 45 to drive the offset input into the step up transmission 25' as shown in FIG. 3. This bending of the rod string 21 would result in the misalignment of the axes of rotation of the rod string 21 and the input drive shaft 60. Such misalignment could result in premature seal and bearing wear, as well as fatigue of the bending portion of the rod string 21.
A preferred alternative is shown in FIG. 3'. The alignment of the axis of the tubing 24 is no longer collinear with the axis of the transmission 25' and the pump 12, but instead is offset, such that it aligns with the axis of the input drive shaft 60 of the first stage of the transmission. This arrangement allows for generally linear alignment of the rod string 21 and input drive shaft 60, and eliminates the need for the drive shaft/universal joints connecting the rod string 21 with the transmission input. This is believed to result in both a stronger and a potentially more reliable configuration than the arrangement shown in FIG. 3.
While the present invention has been described and illustrated herein with respect to the preferred embodiments hereof, it should be apparent that various modifications, adaptations and variations may be made utilizing the teachings of the present disclosure and are intended to be within the scope of the present invention without departing therefrom.
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A fluid recovery system for producing subsurface oil and water deposits comprises a high capacity pump such as a high capacity centrifugal pump that is immersed within the deposit, a well casing that extends into the deposit from the surface, a source of rotatory motion power, and a power transmission system that connects the power source and the pump in the well casing. The power transmission system includes a step up transmission and a rod string which interconnects the power source and the step up transmission to deliver rotary motion to the step up transmission. The pump is connected to the step up transmission for delivery of higher speed rotary power to the pump. A method of operating the fluid recovery system is also disclosed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] This invention relates to a paper bulking promoter with which the sheets of paper obtained from a pulp feedstock can be bulky without impairing paper strength.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] Recently, there is a desire for high-quality paper, e.g., paper excellent in printability and voluminousness. Since the printability and voluminousness of paper are closely related to the bulkiness thereof, various attempts have been made to improve bulkiness. Examples of such attempts include a method in which a crosslinked pulp is used (JP-A 4-185792, etc.) and a method in which a mixture of pulp with synthetic fibers is used as a feedstock for papermaking (JP-A 3-269199, etc.). Examples thereof further include a method in which spaces among pulp fibers are filled with a filler such as an inorganic (JP-A 3-124895, etc.) and a method in which spaces are formed (JP-A 5-230798, etc.). On the other hand, with respect to mechanical improvements, there is a report on an improvement in calendering, which comprises conducting calendering under milder conditions (JP-A 4-370298).
[0005] However, the use of a crosslinked pulp, synthetic fibers, etc. makes pulp recycling impossible, while the technique of merely filling pulp fiber spaces with a filler and the technique of forming spaces result in a considerable decrease in paper strength. Furthermore, the improvement in mechanical treatment produces only a limited effect and no satisfactory product has been obtained so far.
[0006] Also known is a method in which a bulking promoter is added during papermaking to impart bulkiness to the paper. Although fatty acid polyamide polyamines for use as such bulking promoters are on the market, use of these compounds results in a decrease in paper strength and no satisfactory performance has been obtained therewith.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The inventors have made intensive investigations in view of the problems described above. As a result, they have found that by incorporating at least one compound selected among specific cationic compounds, amine compounds, acid salts of amine compounds, amphoteric compounds, amide compounds, quaternary ammonium salts, and imidazoline derivatives optionally together with at least one specific nonionic surfactant into a pulp feedstock, e.g., a pulp slurry, in the papermakinq step, the sheet made from the feedstock can have improved bulkiness without detriment to paper strength. This invention has thus been achieved.
[0008] Namely, this invention provides a process for producing a bulky paper, comprising the step of making paper from pulp in the presence of a bulking promoter comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a cationic compound, an amine compound, an acid salt of an amine compound, an amphoteric compound, an amide compound, a quaternary ammonium salt, and an imidazoline derivative.
[0009] The term “paper bulking promoter” used herein means an agent with which a sheet of paper obtained from a pulp feedstock can have a larger thickness (can be bulkier) than that having the same basis weight obtained from the same amount of a pulp feedstock.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0010] Examples of the cationic compounds for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 1 ) and (b 1 ):
[0011] wherein R 11 and R 12 are the same as or different from each other, and an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 8 to 24 carbon atoms; R 13 , R 14 and R 15 are the same as or different from each other, and an alkyl or hydroxyalkyl group having 1 to 8 carbon atoms, benzyl or —(AO)n 11 —Z 11 , wherein AO is an oxyalkylene unit having 2 or 3 carbon atoms, Z 11 is a hydrogen atom or an acyl group and n 11 is an integer of 1 to 50; R 16 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 8 to 36 carbon atoms; and X − is an anionic ion.
[0012] In the formula (a 1 ), R 11 and R 12 , which are the same or different, each preferably is an alkyl or alkenyl group having 10 to 22 carbon atoms. R 13 and R 14 , which are the same or different, each preferably is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. Examples of X − , which is an anionic ion, include hydroxy, halide, and monoalkyl (C1-C3) sulfate ions and anions derived from inorganic or organic acids. X − is preferably a halide ion, especially Cl − .
[0013] In the formula (b 1 ), R 13 , R 14 , and R 15 , which are the same or different, each is preferably an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms or a benzyl group. R 16 is preferably an alkyl group having 10 to 22 carbon atoms. Examples of the anionic ion X − are the same as those in the formula (a 1 ). X − is preferably a halide ion, especially Cl − .
[0014] In the present invention, the cationic compounds may include quaternary ammonium salts.
[0015] Hereinafter X may be an anionic ion as an anionic ion.
[0016] Examples of the amine compounds and the acid salts of amine compounds for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 2 ) to (f 2 ):
[0017] wherein R 21 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 8 to 36 carbon atoms; R 22 and R 23 are the same as or different from each other, and a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 24 carbon atoms; R 24 and R 25 are the same as or different from each other, and a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; HB represents an inorganic acid or an organic acid; AO is an oxyalkylene unit having 2 or 3 carbon atoms; l 21 and m 21 are 0 or a positive integer, and the sum in total of l 21 , and m 21 is in an integer ranging from 1 to 300; and n 21 is a number of 1 to 4.
[0018] In the formulae (a 2 ) to (f 2 ), R 21 is preferably an alkyl group having 10 to 22 carbon atoms. R 22 and R 23 , which are the same or different, each preferably is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms. In HB in the acid salts of amine compounds, B is preferably a halogen or a carboxylate having 2 to 5 carbon atoms, especially preferably a carboxylate having 2 or 3 carbon atoms. Preferred amine compounds and preferred acid salts of amine compounds are the compounds represented by the formulae (a 2 ) and (b 2 ), respectively.
[0019] The acid salt represented by the formula (b 2 ) may be signified by the following formula (b 21 ):
[0020] wherein R 21 , R 22 and R 23 are same as above-mentioned; H is hydrogen atom; and B represents a base.
[0021] That is, the acid salt may be an ionized compound.
[0022] Examples of the amphoteric compounds for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 3 ) to (j 3 ):
[0023] wherein R 31 , R 32 and R 33 are the same as or different from each other, and an alkyl group having 1 to 24 carbon atoms or an alkenyl group having 2 to 24 carbon atoms; R 34 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 8 to 36 carbon atoms; M is a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal atom, a half a mole of an alkaline earth metal atom or an ammonium group; Y 31 is R 35 NHCH 2 CH 2 —, wherein R 35 is an alkyl group having 1 to 36 carbon atoms, or an alkenyl or a hydroxy alkyl group having 2 to 36 carbon atoms; Y 32 is a hydrogen atom or R 35 NHCH 2 CH 2 —, R 35 being defined above; Z 31 is —CH 2 COOM, M being defined above; and Z 32 is a hydrogen atom or —CH 2 COOM, M being defined above.
[0024] In the formulae (a 3 ) to (j 3 ), R 31 , R 32 , and R 33 , which are the same or different, each preferably is an alkyl group having 1 to 22 carbon atoms. Especially preferably, R 31 is an alkyl group having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, and R 32 and R 33 each is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms. R 34 is preferably an alkyl group having 10 to 22 carbon atoms. Preferred amphoteric compounds are those represented by the formulae (a 3 ) and (b 3 ).
[0025] Examples of the other amine compounds and the other acid salts of an amine compound for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 4 ) to (d 4 ):
[0026] wherein R 41 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl having 8 to 35 carbon atoms; R 43 and R 44 are same as or different from each other, an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbons atoms; R 46 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R 45 is an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R 42 is a hydrogen atom or R 47 , wherein R 47 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbons atoms; Y 41 is a hydrogen or —COR 44 ; and Z 41 is —CH 2 CH 2 O(AO)n 41 —OCOR 47 , wherein A is a liner or branched alkylene unit having 2 to 3 carbon atoms, or —CH 2 CH(OH)—CH 2 OCOR 47 and n 41 is an average added-number ranging 1 to 20.
[0027] Examples of the amide compounds for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 5 ) and (b 5 ):
[0028] wherein R 51 and R 54 are same as or different from each other, an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbon atoms; R 52 and R 53 are same as or different from each other, a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and Y 51 and Y 52 are same as or different from each other, and a hydrogen atom, R 52 CO—, R 54 CO—, —(AO)n 51 —COR 55 , wherein A is a liner or branched alkylene unit having 2 to 3 carbon atoms n 51 is an average added-number ranging 1 to 20, and R 55 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbon atoms, or —(AO)n 51 —H, wherein A and n 51 are defined above.
[0029] Examples of the cationic compounds for use in this invention include quaternary ammonium salts represented by the following formulae (a 6 ) and (b 6 ):
[0030] wherein R 61 and R 63 are same as or different from each other, an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbons atoms; R 65 is a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; R 62 and R 64 are same as or different from each other, an alkyl group having 1 to 3 carbon atoms; and X − is an anionic ion.
[0031] Examples of the imidazoline derivative for use in this invention include compounds represented by the following formulae (a 7 ):
[0032] wherein R 71 is an alkyl, alkenyl or β-hydroxyalkyl group having 7 to 35 carbons atoms.
[0033] The paper bulking promoter of this invention preferably further contains at least one specific nonionic surfactant. By the use of at least one of compounds represented by the above formulae (a 1 ) and (b 1 ), (a 2 ) to (e 2 ), (a 3 ) to (h 3 ), (a 4 ) to (d 4 ), (a 5 ) and (b 5 ), (a 6 ) and (b 6 ), and (a 7 ); and at least one specific nonionic surfactant in combination, the effect of this invention can be improved. Examples of the nonionic surfactant for use in this invention include the following (A) to (C).
[0034] (A): a compound represented by the following formula (A)
R 81 O (EO) m 81 (PO) n 81 H (A)
[0035] wherein R 81 is a C6 to C22 straight or branched alkyl or alkenyl group or an alkylaryl group having a C4 to C20 alkyl group; E is an ethylene unit; P is a propylene unit; m 81 and n 81 are an average number of added moles, m 81 is a number in the range of 0 to 20 and n 81 is a number in the range of 0 to 50; and the addition form of EO and PO may be any of block and random and the addition order of EO and PO may be not limited.
[0036] The compounds represented by the formula (A) are ones each obtained by causing a higher alcohol, an alkylphenol, or the like in which the alkyl has 6 to 22 carbon atoms to add an alkylene oxide such as ethylene oxide (EO) or propylene oxide (PO). In this invention is used the compound in which the average number of moles of ethylene oxide added is in the range of 0≦m 81 ≦20. The range of the average number of moles added, m 81 , is preferably 0≦m 81 ≦10, more preferably 0≦m 81 ≦5. If m 81 exceeds 20, the effect of imparting bulkiness to paper is lessened. Further, the compound used is one in which the average number of moles of propylene oxide (PO) added, n 81 , is in the range of 0≦n 81 ≦50, preferably 0≦n 81 ≦20. When n 81 exceeds 50, such a compound is economically disadvantageous although the decrease in performance is little.
[0037] R 81 in the formula (A) is preferably a linear or branched, alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 18 carbon atoms. If R 81 in the formula (A) is an alkyl or alkenyl group in which the number of carbon atoms is outside the range of from 6 to 22 or if R 81 is an alkylaryl group in which the number of carbon atoms of the alkyl group is outside the range of from 4 to 20, then the compound is less effective in imparting bulkiness to paper.
[0038] Examples of E and P in the formula (A), which each represents a linear or branched alkylene group having 2 or 3 carbon atoms, include ethylene and propylene. When the group (EO) m 81 (PO) n 81 in the formula (A) is composed of a combination of polyoxyethylene and polyoxypropylene, the C 2 H 4 O and C 3 H 6 O units may have any of random and block arrangements (, or the addition form of EO and PO may be any of block and random). In this case, the polyoxypropylene (C 3 H 6 O) group(s) account for preferably at least 50 mol %, especially preferably at least 70 mol %, of all groups added on the average. The alkylene oxide group bonded to R may begin with any of EO and PO (, or the addition order of EO and PO may be not limited).
[0039] (B): Compounds represented by the following formula (B)
R 81 COO (EO) m 81 (PO) n 81 R b (B)
[0040] wherein R 81 , E, P, m 81 and n 81 are the same as those of the formula (A) ; and R b is H, an alkyl, an alkenyl or an alkylaryl group.
[0041] Preferred examples of R 81 , E, P, m 81 , and n 81 in the formula (B) are the same as those in the formula (A). Examples of the alkyl and alkenyl groups represented by R b in the formula (B) include those having 1 to 4 carbon atoms, while examples of the alkylaryl group represented by R b include alkylphenyl groups in each of which the alkyl has 1 to 4 carbon atoms.
[0042] (C): a nonionic surfactant selected from the followings (1) to (3):
[0043] (1) an oil-fat type nonionic surfactant (i.e. a ninionic surfactant based on fat),
[0044] (2) a sugar-alcohol type nonionic surfactant (i.e. a nonionic surfactant based on sugar alcohol) and
[0045] (3) a sugar-type nonionic surfactant (1.e. a nonionic surfactant based on sugar).
[0046] (1) Nonionic Surfactants Based on Fat
[0047] Examples of the nonionic surfactants based on a fat (1) include ones obtained by mixing an alcohol having 1 to 14 hydroxy groups with a fat such as those given in, e.g., JP-A 4-352891 or with a product of the reaction of the fat with glycerol and causing the mixture to add an alkylene oxide (AO) Preferred is one obtained by causing a mixture of a fat and a polyhydric alcohol to add an AO. The AO is ethylene oxide (EO) and/or propylene oxide (PO). In the case of using both EO and PO, the EO/PO polymer may have any of random and block arrangements. The average number of moles of EO added is preferably 0 to 200, more preferably 10 to 100, while that of PO added is preferably 0 to 150, more preferably 2 to 100.
[0048] Examples of the fat usable for this type of nonionic surfactant include land animal fats, marine animal fats, hardened or semihardened oils obtained therefrom, and recovery oils obtained during the purification of these fats. Preferred examples thereof include coconut oil, beef tallow, fish oils, linseed oil, rapeseed oil, and castor oil. In the case where any of these fats is reacted beforehand with glycerol, the fat/glycerol ratio is preferably from 1/0.05 to 1/1.
[0049] Examples of monohydric alcohols among the alcohols having 1 to 14 hydroxy groups usable for this type of nonionic surfactant include linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated alcohols having 1 to 24 carbon atoms and cyclic alcohols. Preferred are linear or branched, saturated alcohols having 4 to 12 carbon atoms. Examples of dihydric alcohols include α,ω-glycols having 2 to 32 carbon atoms, 1,2-diols, symmetric α-glycols, and cyclic 1,2-diols. Preferred are α,ω-glycols having 2 to 6 carbon atoms. Examples of trihydric and higher alcohols include those having 3 to 24 carbon atoms, such as glycerol, diglycerol, sorbitol, and stachyose. Especially preferred alcohols are di- to hexahydric alcohols having 2 to 6 carbon atoms.
[0050] (2) Nonionic Surfactants Based on Sugar Alcohol
[0051] Examples of the nonionic surfactants based on a sugar alcohol (2) include sugar alcohol/AO adducts, fatty acid esters of sugar alcohol/AO addicts, and fatty acid esters of sugar alcohols. The sugar alcohol as a component of a nonionic surfactant based on a polyhydric alcohol is an alcohol obtained from a monosaccharide having 3 to 6 carbon atoms through reduction of the aldehyde or ketone group. Examples thereof include glycerol, erythritol, arabitol, sorbitol, and mannitol. Especially preferred are those having 6 carbon atoms. The fatty acid as a component of the fatty acid ester in a sugar alcohol/AO adduct may be any of saturated and unsaturated fatty acids each having 1 to 24, preferably 12 to 18, carbon atoms. Preferred is oleic acid. With respect to the degree of esterification of the sugar alcohol, the number of OH groups which have undergone esterification may be any of from zero to all of the OH groups. However, the degree of esterification is preferably 1 to 3. The kinds of AO and the average number of moles of AO added are the same as in (1).
[0052] (3) Nonionic Surfactants Based on Sugar
[0053] Examples of the nonionic surfactants based on a sugar (3) include sugar/AO adducts, fatty acid esters of sugar/AO adducts, and sugar/fatty acid esters. The sugar may be a polysaccharide such as sucrose, besides any of the monosaccharides mentioned above with regard to the sugar alcohol. Preferred are glucose and sucrose. The kinds of AO and the average number of moles of AO added are the same as in (1) . Especially preferred of the nonionic surfactants based on a sugar (3) are sugar/AO adducts, in particular, glucose/PO adducts in which the average number of moles of PO added is 1 to 10.
[0054] When at least one compound (i) selected among cationic compounds, amine compounds, acid salts of amine compounds, amphoteric compounds, amide compounds, quaternary ammonium salts, and imidazoline derivatives is used in combination with at least one nonionic surfactant (ii) such as the compounds (A) to (C) described above, the proportion of the compound (i) to the nonionic surfactant (ii) is from 100/0 to 1/99, preferably from 100/0 to 10/90 by weight.
[0055] The compounds (i) and (ii) maybe added either as a mixture of both or separately.
[0056] The bulking promoter of this invention is applicable to a variety of ordinary pulp feedstocks ranging from virgin pulps such as mechanical pulps and chemical pulps to pulps prepared (deinked) from various waste papers. The point where the bulking promoter of this invention is added is not particularly limited as long as it is within the papermaking process steps. In a factory, for example, the bulking promoter is desirably added at a point where it can be evenly blended with a pulp feedstock, such as, the refiner, machine chest, or headbox. After the bulking promoter of this invention is added to a pulp feedstock, the resultant mixture is subjected as it is to sheet forming. The bulking promoter remains in the paper. The paper bulking promoter of this invention is added in an amount of 0.01 to 10 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 5 wt. %, based on the pulp.
[0057] The pulp sheet obtained by using the paper bulking promoter of this invention has a bulk density (the measurement method is shown in the Examples given later) lower by desirably at least 5%, preferably at least 7% than the product not containing the paper bulking promoter and has a tearing strength as measured according to JIS P 8116 of desirably at least 90%, preferably at least 95% of that of the product.
EXAMPLES
[0058] This invention will be explained below in more detail by reference to Examples, but the invention should not be construed as being limited thereto. In the Examples, all parts and percents are based on weight unless otherwise indicated.
[0059] When the unit number of an (AO) group is, defined by an integer, the compound is one of a mixture of reaction products. When it is defined by an average value, the compound is a mixture of reaction products.
Examples 1 to 42 and Comparative Example 1
[0060] [Pulp Feedstocks]
[0061] The deinked pulp and virgin pulp shown below were used as pulp feedstocks.
[0062] <Deinked Pulp>
[0063] A deinked pulp was obtained in the following manner. To feedstock waste papers collected in the city (newspaper/leaflet=70/30%) were added warm water, 1% (based on the feedstock) of sodium hydroxide, 3% (based on the feedstock) of sodium silicate, 3% (based on the feedstock) of a 30% aqueous hydrogen peroxide solution, and 0.3% (based on the feedstock) of EO/PO block adduct of beef tallow/glycerol (1:1), as a deinking agent, in which the amounts of EO and PO were respectively 70 and 10 (average number of moles added). The feedstock was disintegrated and then subjected to flotation. The resultant slurry was washed with water and regulated to a concentration of 1% to prepare a deinked pulp (DIP) slurry. This DIP had a freeness of 220 ml.
[0064] <Virgin Pulp>
[0065] A virgin pulp was prepared by disintegrating and beating an LBKP (bleached hardwood pulp) with a beater at room temperature to give a 1% LBKP slurry. This LBKP had a freeness of 420 ml.
[0066] [Bulking Promoters]
[0067] The cationic compounds, amine compounds, acids salts of amine compounds, and amphoteric compounds shown in Tables 1 to 5 were used optionally together with the nonionic surfactants shown in Table 6 in the combinations shown in Tables 7 and 8, which will be given later.
TABLE 1 Compound Structure in the formula (a1) No. R 11 R 12 R 13 R 14 X − Cationic Compound A-1 C18 C18 C1 C1 Cl − A-2 C12 C14 C1 C1 Cl − a-1 C2 C2 C1 C1 Cl − a-2 C4 C4 C1 C1 Br −
[0068] [0068] TABLE 2 Compound Structure in the formula (b1) No. R 13 R 14 R 15 R 16 X − Cationic Compound B-1 C1 C1 C1 C12 Cl − B-2 C1 C1 C1 C16 Br − B-3 C1 C1 C1 C18 Cl − B-4 benzyl C1 C1 C12 Cl − b-1 C1 C1 C1 C2 Cl − b-2 C1 C1 C1 C4 Br −
[0069] [0069] TABLE 3 Compound Structure in the formula (a2) or (b 2 ) No. R 21 R 22 R 23 HB Amine compound and acid salt of amine compound C-1 C12 H H — C-2 C18 H H — C-3 C16/C18 = C16/C18 = H — 3/7 3/7 C-4 C18 C1 C1 — c-1 C4 H H — c-2 C6 H H — c-3 C2 C2 H — c-4 C4 C1 C1 — C-5 C16/C18 = H H CH 3 COOH 3/7 c-5 C4 H H CH 3 COOH
[0070] [0070] TABLE 4 Structure in the Compound formula (a 3 ) No. R 31 R 32 R 33 Amphoteric compound D-1 C12 C1 C1 d-1 C4 C1 C1
[0071] [0071] TABLE 5 Structure in the formula Compound (b 3 ) No. R 31 R 32 R 33 Amphoteric compound D-2 C12 C1 C1 D-3 C18 C1 C1 d-2 C6 C1 C1
[0072] [0072] TABLE 6 (1)/(2)/(3) Nonionic surfactant Weight No. (1) (2) (3) ratio 1 C12 alcohol 100/0/0 2 C12/C14 alcohol = 5/5 100/0/0 PO = 5 3 Beef tallow/fatty acid, 100/0/0 PO = 5 4 Methyl laurate, 100/0/0 EO2/PO3 block 5 Coconut 100/0/0 oil/glycerol = 1/1, EO2/PO10 block 6 Sorbitan monooleate, 100/0/0 EO20 7 Dobanol23 EO2/PO4 Sorbitan 75/25/0 random monooleate, EO10 8 C12 alcohol Sorbitan Hardened 80/15/5 monooleate, EO15 castor oil, EO25 9 C18 alcohol, PO = 10 100/0/0 10 Castor oil/fatty acid, 100/0/0 EO5/PO15 random 11 C12/C14/C18 C12 alcohol EO = 5 Fish oil/ 75/15/10 alcohol = 6/2/2, PO = 10 sorbitol = 1/1, PO = 15 12 Beef tallow/glycerol = 100/0/0 1/0.3 EO10/PO10 block 13 Sorbitan monolaurate, 100/0/0 EO15 14 C12/C14/C18 lauric acid EO5, 90/10/0 alcohol = 60/30/10, PO25 PO20 15 C12/C14 alcohol = 70/30 100/0/0 16 Lauric acid/stearic 100/0/0 acid = 50/50, PO = 18 17 Dobanol23, PO = 2 lauric acid/myristic Sorbitan 70/15/15 acid/palmitic acid = trioleate EO6 70/20/10. EO10, PO20
[0073] (Note) In the table, Cn means an alkyl group having n carbon atoms. In Table 6, each fat/polyhydric alcohol ratio is by mole, and the other ratios are by weight. EO and PO mean ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, respectively, and the numbers following these are the average numbers of moles added. “Dobanol 23” is an alcohol manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical.
[0074] [Papermaking Method]
[0075] Each of the above 1% pulp slurries was weighed out in such an amount as to result in a sheet of paper having a basis weight of 60 g/m 2 . The pH thereof was adjusted to 4.5 with aluminum sulfate. Subsequently, various bulking promoters shown in Tables 7 and 8 were added in an amount of 3% based on the pulp. Each resultant mixture was formed into a sheet with a rectangular TAPPI paper machine using an 80-mesh wire. The sheet obtained was pressed with a press at 3.5 kg/cm 2 for 2 minutes and dried with a drum dryer at 105° C. for 1 minute. After each dried sheet was held under the conditions of 20° C. and a humidity of 65% for 1 day to regulate its moisture content, it was evaluated for bulk density as a measure of paper bulkiness and for tearing strength as a measure of paper strength performance. The results obtained are shown in Tables 7 and 8. Ten found values were averaged.
[0076] <Evaluation Item and Method>
[0077] Bulkiness (bulk density)
[0078] The basis weight (g/m 2 ) and thickness (mm) of each sheet having a regulated moisture content were measured, and its bulk density (g/cm 3 ) was determined as a calculated value.
[0079] Equation for calculation:
Bulkiness (Bulk Density)=(basis weight)/(thickness)×0.001
[0080] The smaller the absolute value of bulk density, the higher the bulkiness. A difference of 0.02 in bulk density is sufficiently recognized as a significant difference.
[0081] Paper strength (tearing strength)
[0082] Each sheet having a regulated moisture content was examined according to JIS P 8116 (Testing Method for Tearing Strength of Paper and Paperboard).
[0083] Equation for calculation:
Tearing strength= A/S ×16
[0084] Tearing strength: (gf)
[0085] A: Reading
[0086] S: Number of torn sheets
[0087] The larger the absolute value of tearing strength, the higher the paper strength. A difference of 20 gf in tearing strength is sufficiently recognized as a significant difference.
TABLE 7 Cationic compound, amine compound, acid Nonionic Deinked salt of amine surfactant pulp LBKP compound, of used in Bulk Tearing Bulk Tearing amphoteric combination (i)/(ii) density strength density strength Example compound (i) (ii) weight ratio (g/cm 3 ) (gf) (g/cm 3 ) (gf) 1 B-1 none — 0.330 420 0.377 480 2 B-2 ↑ — 0.328 420 0.376 480 3 B-3 ↑ — 0.325 415 0.374 475 4 B-4 ↑ — 0.330 415 0.378 480 5 A-1 ↑ — 0.325 420 0.375 475 6 A-2 ↑ — 0.330 420 0.377 480 7 C-1 ↑ — 0.342 430 0.385 485 8 C-2 ↑ — 0.340 430 0.383 485 9 C-3 ↑ — 0.338 425 0.383 480 10 C-4 ↑ — 0.335 420 0.379 480 11 C-5 ↑ — 0.332 420 0.377 480 12 D-1 ↑ — 0.331 415 0.377 475 13 D-2 ↑ — 0.331 415 0.377 475 14 D-3 ↑ — 0.328 420 0.375 475 15 B-1 1 20/80 0.313 410 0.349 470 16 B-3 2 30/70 0.308 400 0.342 460 17 B-3 3 50/50 0.309 405 0.344 455 18 B-3 4 85/15 0.312 410 0.346 460 19 B-3 5 90/10 0.314 410 0.349 465 20 A-1 6 85/15 0.309 400 0.345 460 21 B-4 7 30/70 0.310 405 0.345 455 22 B-3 8 20/80 0.308 400 0.341 460 23 C-2 9 65/35 0.324 410 0.360 470 24 C-3 10 80/20 0.323 415 0.358 470 25 C-4 11 10/90 0.317 415 0.355 465 26 C-5 12 70/30 0.321 410 0.357 465 27 C-5 13 55/45 0.322 415 0.357 470 28 C-5 14 20/80 0.319 415 0.356 465 29 D-1 15 15/85 0.314 410 0.348 460 30 D-3 16 80/20 0.312 405 0.345 460 31 D-3 17 35/65 0.308 400 0.342 455
[0088] [0088] TABLE 8 Cationic compound, amine compound, acid salt of amine compound, or Nonionic Deinked pulp LBKP amphoteric surfactant used in Bulk density Tearing strength Bulk density Tearing strength Example compound (i) combination (ii) (g/cm 3 ) (gf) (g/cm 3 ) (gf) 32 b-1 none 0.366 440 0.405 495 33 b-2 ↑ 0.365 440 0.402 485 34 a-1 ↑ 0.365 435 0.404 490 35 a-2 ↑ 0.366 430 0.405 490 36 c-1 ↑ 0.367 435 0.404 495 37 c-2 ↑ 0.368 430 0.407 490 38 c-3 ↑ 0.365 425 0.404 490 39 c-4 ↑ 0.365 435 0.403 485 40 c-5 ↑ 0.366 430 0.405 490 41 d-1 ↑ 0.364 440 0404 495 42 d-2 ↑ 0.363 430 0.406 490 Control (no bulking 0.375 430 0.414 490 promoter) Comparative example 1 0.330 280 0.379 345
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This invention is to provide a paper bulking promoter with which a highly bulky sheet can be obtained without impairing paper strength. Namely, this invention provides a process for producing a bulky paper, comprising the step of making paper from pulp in the presence of a bulking promoter comprising a cationic compound.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of household electrical appliances, e.g., washers, dryers, refrigerators, air conditioners, and the like, and is particularly directed toward providing a means for establishing a support post for a grommet that is normally used in supporting a vibratable platform upon which is mounted the air compressor or motor and the like of such appliances.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, grommets used for this purpose have been supported by incorporating a shoulder bolt or screw, i.e., like that shown in FIG. 7 of the drawings. A common problem in the manufacturing of many designs of shoulder bolts is well known in any industry. In other words, the industry recognizes that shoulder bolts cannot readily be constructed in which the thread structure is uniform all the way up to the shoulder. Moreover, many such designs of shoulder bolts inherently have a condition of thread under size adjacent to the shoulder, or the threads are not rolled up to the shoulder. This thread characteristic causes considerable aggravation when depending upon the shoulder bolt to support a grommet which is used in the manner herein described.
It should be pointed out that in certain uses, this problem can readily be overcome by simply shimming the undersize or partial thread area by incorporating a washer or the like. However, this additional cost nullifies the justification for the expensive one piece shoulder bolt. Thus the undersize or partial thread structure is not relied upon for providing support to the bolt and/or shoulder. On the other hand, a serious problem is encountered when these prior type shoulder bolts (or screws) which have self-threading screws and wherein they are adapted to readily engage relatively thin sheet metal structure. This problem simlply stated is: that the poorly formed threads adjacent the shoulder often cause a spinout. In other words, the larger well-formed thread portion of the bolt first establishes a large diameter pattern in the sheet metal for the threads to engage, but when the shoulder bottoms or the threads adjacent the shoulder engage the sheet metal, the undersize or partial thread structure adjacent the shoulder is brought into play. However, these undersize threads cannot properly grip the sheet metal structure. Thus the bolt becomes ineffective. It is well known to those skilled in the art that this problem is very costly since considerable man hours are lost in the assembly process. Additionally, the sheet metal base pan or plate structure oftentimes must be discarded since the thread structure formed in the sheet metal has been stripped thus rendering it useless.
Therefore, it may readily be seen that thread structure immediately adjacent the shoulder of a shoulder bolt is critical to proper seating of the shoulder upon the sheet metal base pan or plate, i.e., undersize or poorly formed threads in this area cause spinout of the bolt and prohibit tightening the shoulder down onto the base pan or plate.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed towards overcoming the problems and disadvantages pertaining to utilizing a typical shoulder bolt for supporting a grommet. An object of this invention is to provide a simple sleeve which may be made from zinc die cast or similar metals, or synthetic resin which when applied to a bolt or screw with pressure can act as a mount point or support for a rubber or synthetic grommet which in turn can support an air compressor or motor power units in various appliances, e.g., washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioners and the like.
Moreover, the problem of undersized or poorly formed threads alluded to above is solved by constructing a bolt body that would be manufactured by using traditional thread rolling equipment, resulting in full body threads, well formed, particularly, in the center of the bolt length. There would be positive presence of threads on the bolt. Using the full threaded bolt would require the above mentioned metal sleeve to be applied over the bolt to achieve the required shoulder location for the rubber grommet. A fully threaded bolt and sleeve sub-assembly would assure positive thread presence, where bolt and sleeve base or terminus meet the sheet metal base pan or plate, thus assuring positive seating and no spinout of the bolt due to undersized threads in this area.
The sleeve abuts or stands upon the base pan or plate which usually is formed from any suitable sheet metal material. The sleeve is drawn tight by the self-tapping screw which threads into an aperture provided in the base plate. The screw/bolt and sleeve sub-assembly, having been pre-pressure fit assembled, is inserted through the grommet (which usually is pre-assembled into a mount support bracket or platform) and the screw-sleeve sub-assembly is then driven or screwed into the aperture provided in the base pan, causing the sleeve to bottom onto the base pan and effect a rigid, secure support post for the grommet to become affixed thereto.
This concept for assembly for grommet support structure is considerably less expensive than using solid shoulder bolts like that shown in FIG. 7. Moreover, it provides more positive thread engagement in the base plate, thus substantially eliminating any need for rejecting base pans or plates when assembling appliances of the nature herein disclosed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view depicting the concept of the present invention in a typical environment, i.e., an air compressor is shown fixedly attached to a vibratable load bracket or platform having four vibration dampener grommets anchoring the platform to a base pan with the attachment means of the present invention establishing a secure support post for each of the grommets to readily become affixed thereto.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken as on the line II--II of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is a side view of a typical self-tapping screw.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the spacer sleeve member of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken as on the line V--V of FIG. 4.
FIG. 6 is a side view of the sub-assembly of the present invention of which comprises the structure depicted in FIGS. 3 and 4.
FIG. 7 is a side view of a typical solid shoulder bolt of the prior art and which depicts the condition of thread under size or threads not rolled up to the shoulder, thus resulting in partial threads adjacent the shoulder.
FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of an alternate means of securing with a nut and bolt in place of a self tapping screw.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The attachment means 11 of the present invention is intended for use in combination with a vibration dampener grommet, as at 13, normally used in various appliances, e.g., washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air conditioners and the like which usually incorporate an air compressor and/or electric powered motor diagrammatically depicted in FIG. 1 and characterized there by the numeral 15. More specifically, the air compressor 15 is usually mounted on a vibratable load bracket, as at 17, wherein a plurality of the vibration dampener grommets 13 are used in anchoring the brackets 17 to a rigid mount base, as at 19, which may alternately be referred to as simply a plate or base pan. Therefore, the attachment means 11 of the present invention is for establishing a secure support post, as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings by the numeral 21, about which the grommet 13 readily becomes removable affixed.
Particular attention is now directed towards FIG. 7 of the drawings wherein a typical solid shoulder bolt or self tapping shoulder screw 23 is shown. It is well known to those skilled in the art that shoulder bolts or shoulder screws invariably have poorly formed threads, as at 25, immediately adjacent the shoulder, as at 27. In other words, this condition of thread undersized 25 or threads not rolled up to the shoulder 27 is a common problem with many such designs on previous shoulder bolts 23.
On the other hand, due to various reasons, e.g., the underside of the mount base 19 not being readily accessible, etc., it is not desirable to use nuts in securing the should bolts 23. This does not preclude that if accessability were feasiable in design that nuts could not be used in conjunction with the device of FIG. 2 by use of a standard bolt 33' and nut 34 (as shown in FIG. 8) as opposed to a self tapping screw/bolt means 33. In other words, the more accepted practice in the industry heretofore has been to use shoulder bolts/screws 23, as shown in FIG. 7, which are self-tapping. Therefore, this arrangement necessitates that the poorly formed threads be totally depended upon since they are the only threads which ultimately engage the mount base 19. Therefore, threads at the shoulder 27 are critical to seating of the shoulder 27 onto the sheet metal mount base 19. The reasons that these threads are so significant is that undersize or partial threads adjacent the shoulder 27 cause spinout and prohibit tightening of the shoulder bolt 23 down onto the sheet metal mount base 19. In other words, the problem cannot simply be overcome by incorporating washers as is the case when using nuts for properly holding the bolt structure. Thus, there is a need for a shoulder bolt that has substantially perfect threads adjacent to or right up to the shoulder 27.
The above mentioned problem of undersized or poorly formed threads is overcome by the attachment means 11 of the present invention. The attachment means 11 includes a spacer sleeve member, as at 29 in FIGS. 2 and 4 through 6 of the drawings which, as it will be seen, establishes the secure support post 21 alluded to above. The spacer sleeve member 29 is received in a hole, as at 31, which is normally provided in the grommet 13. The attachment means 11 also includes a bolt/screw means, as at 33 in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 of the drawings, which extends through the spacer sleeve member 29 substantially as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings. Of course, the rigid mount base 19 is provided with an aperture, as at 35, for properly receiving the bolt/screw means 33. The spacer sleeve member 29 is disposed above the rigid mount base 19 and the grommet 13 and the sleeve member 29 are captured by the bolt/screw means 33. Of course, the sleeve 29 has a bore 36 which is aligned with the aperture 35, although the sleeve rests upon the base 19. Means 33 is then usually threaded through the base plate 19, as shown in FIG. 2.
It should be mentioned at this point that the bolt/screw means is intended to include: (1) bolt structure as shown in FIG. 8, which depends upon the incorporation of a nut 34 or (2) self-tapping screw structure depicted in FIGS. 2, 3 and 6 which properly establishes female threads about the aperture 35 as it captures the grommet 13 and the sleeve member 29. Therefore, the aperture 35' as shown in FIG. 8, of course, allows the bolt 33' shown therein to pass freely therethrough. On the other hand, if the self-tapping bolt/screw means 33 as shown in FIG. 2 were to be used, the aperture 35 would be small enough to enable the self-tapping threads 39 (FIG. 3) to form or cut female threads (not shown) about the aperture 35 in a manner well known to those skilled in the art.
The spacer sleeve member 29 includes a right cylinder-like main body portion, as at 41, having a lowermost terminus, as at 43, for contiguously abutting upon the rigid mount base 19. The spacer sleeve member 29 also includes an uppermost flange portion, as at 45, which is intended to be sandwiched between the grommet 13 and the normal head structure, as at 47, of the bolt/screw means 33. Thus, the grommet 13 and the sleeve member 29 are captured by the bolt/screw means 33 substantially as shown in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
The attachment means 11 preferably includes means generally indicated at 49 in FIG. 5 for enabling the bolt/screw means 33 to be somewhat permanently joined with the spacer sleeve member 29 so as to establish a sub-assembly 51 as depicted in FIG. 6 of the drawing and which is not likely to inadvertently become separated during the handling and shipping process thereof which may occur prior to the ultimate mating of the sub-assembly 51 with the grommet 13.
The means 49 alluded to above for enabling the bolt/screw means 33 and the spacer sleeve member 29 to be somewhat permanently joined one with the other includes providing at least a portion, as at 53, of an inner wall 55 defined by the bore 36 of the sleeve member 29 with a compatibly sized diameter dimension, with respect to the outer diameter of the bolt/screw means 33. Moreover, the diameter of the inner wall 55 and the threads 39 are such that a degree of pressure must be exerted in order to pass bolt/screw means 33 through the sleeve member 29. Thus, inadvertent withdrawal of the bolt/screw means 33 from the sleeve member 29 prior to the ultimate mating of the sub-assembly 51 with the grommet 13 is unlikely.
More specifically, the reduced diameter portion 53 alluded to above preferably is formed so as to establish as least one annular rib means 57 protruding inwardly from the inner wall 55 for circumferentially engaging the bolt/screw means 33. The annular rib means 57 is formed so as to have an inner diameter dimension which is compatibly sized with respect to the diameter of the thread portion 39 of the bolt/screw means 33 whereby a certain degree of force is required to pass the bolt/screw means 33 through the spacer sleeve member 29. Thus, the reduced diameter portion 53 and/or the annular rib means 57 preclude inadvertent withdrawal of the bolt/screw means 33 from the sleeve member 29 prior to the ultimate mating thereof with the grommet 13.
Particular attention is now directed to FIGS. 6 and 7 for the purpose of comparing the difference between the prior art solid shoulder bolt 23 and the sub-assembly 51. The improved thread structure, as at 59, of the sub-assembly 51 is truly remarkable. This improved thread structure 59 is, of course, possible since the thread structure 59 was not formed, i.e., in the manufacturing process of the bolt/screw means 33, up close to an existing shoulder, but rather was formed at the middle of the bolt/screw means 33, or as at 59 in in FIG. 3. Therefore, substantially perfect threads 59 can now be depended upon for engagement with the aperture 35. Moreover, the bolt/screw means 33 does not spin out as it is having the proper torque applied thereto. Thus, the aggravation of spinout and the stripped apertures 35 are now obviated. In addition, the cost of replacing the damaged rigid mount base 19 is precluded.
The sub-assembly 51 is intended to be built up at a point of manufacture which is remote from the point of manufacture for the appliance or the like that incorporates the motor 15. Therefore, the sub-assembly 51 may be handled point to point in like manner as the shoulder bolt 23 with absolute assurance that the sub-assembly 51 does not become dismembered.
It should also be pointed out that the bolt/screw means 33 as shown in FIG. 3 and the sleeve member 29 as shown in FIG. 5 are not necessarily compatibly scaled in accordance with the above disclosure, i.e., the mating relationship thereof is not intended to be depicted in proper scale.
The spacer sleeve member 29 may be formed from a relatively soft metallic substance, e.g., zinc die cast or similar materials, in a manner well known to those skilled in the art and as shown in cross-section in FIG. 2 of the drawings.
On the other hand, the spacer sleeve member 29 may optionally be formed from a synthetic resin substance in a manner well known to those skilled in the art and as shown in cross-section in FIG. 5 of the drawings.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the sub-assembly 51 is superior to the solid shoulder bolt 23 in many ways, for example:
(1) The threads 59 are substantially perfect while the threads 25 are totally unsatisfactory.
(2) The cost of manufacturing the sub-assembly 51 is much less than for the solid shoulder bolt 23.
(3) The cost of the sub-assembly 51 can be even further reduced by constructing the sleeve member 29 from a synthetic resin substance.
While the present invention has been described and illustrated with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it is not intended to be so limited since changes and modifications may be made therein which are within the full intended scope of the invention.
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A sub-assembly comprising a bolt/screw member and a spacer sleeve member which jointly resemble a shoulder bolt/screw. The sub-assembly is particularly beneficial to act as a mount point or support for a rubber or synthetic grommet which in turn can support air compressor or motor power units used in various appliances, e.g., washers, dryers, refrigerators, and air-conditioners.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/961,532 titled Teledata Space and Docking Station with Modular and Integrated Display filed on Sep. 24, 2001 the contents of this patent application are incorporated herein.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates generally to managing multi-media communications, and more particularly to a multi-media communication subscriber station that is equipped with a power management circuit that enables the multi-media communication subscriber station to operate on battery power when a line power source (either commercial power or powered network) is unavailable or insufficient to provide operating power during periods or peak power usage.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In today's fast paced business world, it is common for a person to rely on a combination of communication devices, such as: desk top telephones, mobile telephones, cellular telephones, fax machines, pagers, and the like, as well as enhanced communication services, such as: voice mail, e-mail, text messaging and the like to accommodate their communication needs.
[0004] In an office environment desk top telephone service is typically provided by a private telephone communication system. A contemporary private telephone communication system consists of a switching network, a plurality of desk top telephones, and a voice mail server. Each desk top telephone is coupled to the switching network by an extension line that consists of twisted pair conductors that are terminated by a telephone jack in the office. Communication between the desk top telephone and the switching network over each extension line utilizes either proprietary digital signaling or plain old telephone service (POTS) signaling. The switching network is further coupled to the public switched telephone network (PSTN) using trunk lines that are connected to a central office switch that is typically managed by the local telephone service provider. The switching network controls calls between extensions and between an extension and a remote destination via a trunk line coupled to the PSTN. The switching network also routes calls to the voice mail server when an extension remains unanswered, is busy, or is otherwise programmed to route calls to voice mail.
[0005] A problem associated with such private telephone communication systems is that each desk top telephone operates from power supplied by the switching network. With all of the additional features offered on contemporary desk top telephones, the power supplied by the network may not be sufficient for operation during periods of peak power consumption. As a result, some more advanced desk top telephone devices rely on a local power source. A problem occurs when local power is interrupted or fails. Although the private telephone communication system may have battery backed power, the telephone devices connected to the private telephone communication system that operate on local power may fail. Further, the transformer units required for converting typical high voltage AC power e.g. 100V to 240V) to low voltage DC power (12V) for operating a microprocessor based device may not have additional battery backup.
[0006] What is needed is a multi-media communication device that is equipped with a alternative power source such as battery power for operation when the line voltage to the communication device fails or is insufficient for peak power consumption.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present multi-media communication subscriber station having battery power comprises a subscriber station that communicates with a communication system that is equipped with a controller that interfaces with one or more communication medium service providers. The controller translates multi-media communications received from a multi-media service provider into the protocols required for use by the subscriber stations as well as any conventional telephone stations that may be coupled to the controller. The controller further records dynamic information relating each subscriber device to the subscriber station that is serving the subscriber device for communication and control signaling. This enables the controller to receive communication signaling for a subscriber device and translate and route communication signaling to the subscriber station serving the subscriber device. The communication and control signaling between the controller and the subscriber stations may be over a powered network (such as powered Ethernet) with the subscriber stations being powered by an internal battery to supplement power provided by the network during peak power consumption operation. And, power provided by the network may charge the internal battery during periods in which the subscriber station is dormant. The multi-media communication subscriber station is also equipped with a power management controller to manage the draw of power from the battery and the charging of the battery.
[0008] The architecture of the subscriber station is modular. Multiple functional elements can be interconnected with backbone communication circuitry to form an integrated communication platform. Modular docking interfaces may be used to couple the subscriber station to portable subscriber devices and to enable integrated and coordinated communication through multiple communication medium service providers. This coordinated and integrated system architecture enables the subscriber station to merge the functionality and internal data of the various portable subscriber devices into the subscriber station, to direct the functionality and data of the subscriber station to a selected one of the portable subscriber devices, and to provide the subscriber with a simple subscriber interface.
[0009] For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further aspects thereof, reference is made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, and its scope will be pointed out in the appended clams.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 is a block diagram view of a modular multi-media communication management system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] [0011]FIG. 2 is a perspective exploded view of a modular subscriber station in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] [0012]FIG. 3 is a block diagram of a subscriber station in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] [0013]FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a multi-media communication management system controller in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0014] [0014]FIG. 5 illustrates in flow diagram form the operation of the present subscriber station having battery backup power;
[0015] [0015]FIGS. 6A & 6B illustrate table diagrams representing exemplary states of operation of a subscriber station accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0016] FIGS. 7 illustrate table diagrams representing exemplary states of operation of a subscriber station accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and
[0017] FIGS. 8 A- 8 D illustrate table diagrams representing an exemplary state of operation of a communication management system in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0018] It should be appreciated that many of the elements discussed in this specification may be implemented in hardware circuit(s), a processor executing software code, or a combination of a hardware circuit and a processor executing code. As such, the term circuit as used throughout this specification is intended to encompass a hardware circuit (whether discrete elements or an integrated circuit block), a processor executing code, or a combination of a hardware circuit and a processor executing code, or other combinations of the above known to those skilled in the art.
Subscriber Station
[0019] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary architecture of the multi-media communication management system 10 of the present invention is shown. The multi-media communication management system 10 includes a control unit 12 that is coupled with a plurality of local communication devices 20 over a wireless local area network 22 consisting of a plurality of wireless interface nodes 22 A, 22 B (or by a wired network connection 23 to the backbone wired network of the wireless local area network 22 ). The local communication devices 20 may include: subscriber stations 24 (subscriber stations 24 ), wireless dialog handsets 26 , traditional telephone handsets 28 , traditional fax machines 30 (both coupled through subscriber station 24 ), traditional computer systems 32 , network printers 46 , and various network appliances 34 .
[0020] Each subscriber station 24 may serve one of a plurality of subscriber devices 50 that may include a subscriber data assistant 86 and a wide area network telephone 88 . Because each subscriber device 50 may be of a different size and shape than other subscriber devices, a docking interface 58 sized to the particular subscriber device 50 may be used to couple the subscriber device to the subscriber station 24 .
[0021] In operation, the control unit 12 integrates and manages multi-media communication among the local communication devices 20 and between each local communication device 20 and a remote service provider (not shown) over the service provider's multi-media communication medium 18 . More specifically, the control unit 12 translates received multi-media communication signals from the multi-media communication medium 18 (or a source local device 20 ) to the protocols required for use by the destination local communication device 20 (or the multi-media communication medium 18 ).
[0022] The control unit 12 includes a multi-media communication service provider bay 14 which operatively couples one of a plurality of communication medium modules 16 a - 16 d to the control unit 12 . Each communication medium module 16 a - 16 d is configured to interface with a service provider's multi-media communication medium 18 a - 18 d. For purposes of illustration, communication module 16 A may be a cable modem module for communicating over coaxial cable 36 with a multi-media communication service provider such as a local cable company, communication module 16 b may be a wide area network radio for communication over a wireless spectrum channel 38 with a wide area wireless multi-media communication service provider such as an analog or digital cellular/PCS telephone service provider, communication module 16 c may be a customer service unit (CSU) for communication over a T 1 line 40 with a multi-media communication provider such as a local telephone service provider, and communication module 16 d may be an optical modem for communication over a fiber channel 44 with a fiber optic multi-media communication service provider. It should be appreciated that the examples of communication modules 16 a - 16 d are for illustrative purposes only and it is recognized that multi-media communication services may be provided by other service providers utilizing other communication technologies such as satellite RF or other. For purposes of this invention, a communication module 16 includes circuitry for interfacing between the control unit 12 and a selected multi-media communication service provider. The control unit 12 further comprises a circuit switched provider bay 25 which operatively couples one or more public switched telephone network (PSTN) channels 42 .
[0023] Referring to FIG. 2, the subscriber station 24 includes a platform unit 52 that operatively couples to the control unit 12 via either a wireless communication link between a platform unit network circuit 96 and the wireless network 22 or a direct network connection 23 between the platform unit 52 and the backbone network of the wireless network 22 .
[0024] A plurality of functional modules 54 , 56 , and 60 may be coupled to the platform unit 52 to form an integrated multi-media communication platform. The platform unit 52 includes a subscriber interface docking platform 64 for coupling and optionally supporting one of a plurality of modular subscriber interface units 60 to the platform unit 52 . The modular subscriber interface unit 60 a may include a plurality of buttons 68 in an arrangement similar to a typical telephone key pad to provide for subscriber input in a manner similar to that of a traditional telephone handset. The modular subscriber interface 60 B may include a liquid crystal touch panel display 72 to provide for subscriber input through virtual buttons visible thereon.
[0025] The platform unit 52 further includes a first function specific docking platform 74 a and a second function specific docking platform 74 b, each of which couples to a plurality of function specific modules, such as function specific modules 54 and 56 . The first function specific docking platform 74 a is a shallow platform for coupling to function specific modules, such as function specific module 54 , that primarily comprise function specific buttons or other circuits that may be placed within a thin module. The second function specific docking platform 74 b is a larger platform for coupling to function specific modules, such as function specific module 56 , with more complex internal circuits requiring the additional size. In the exemplary embodiment, the function specific module 54 may include subscriber interface buttons configured for enhancing dialog communication through the subscriber station 24 such as an audio message control 76 for single button access to audio message files and dialog management controls 85 for single button control of enhanced dialog management functions. The function specific module 56 may include circuits configured for enhancing data communication through the subscriber station 24 such as an electronic message control 78 for single button access to subscriber electronic messages, a print control 80 for single button initiation of the printing of a subscriber electronic message file, and a data networking port 84 .
[0026] The platform unit 52 further includes a docking bay 62 into which a modular docking interface 58 may be secured and operatively coupled to the platform unit 52 . The modular docking interface 58 supports one of a plurality of modular subscriber devices 50 within a subscriber device interface bay 66 and provides for operatively coupling the modular subscriber device 50 to the platform unit 52 . The modular docking interface further includes a plurality of control buttons 92 for single button selection of functions indicated on a display 90 on the subscriber device 50 . Exemplary configurations for the modular subscriber device 50 include a subscriber data assistant 86 , a subscriber wide area network communication device 88 , and the wireless LAN dialog handset 26 , each of which is discussed in more detail herein. While operatively coupled to the platform unit 52 , the subscriber device 50 becomes an integral part of the subscriber interface of the subscriber station 24 . A liquid crystal display 90 on the subscriber device 50 may function to display multi-media communication management information under control of the platform unit 52 and the control unit 12 . Further, programmable subscriber controls 92 positioned adjacent to the subscriber device 50 may be configured to activate platform unit 52 and control unit 12 functions in accordance with the contents of the display 90 adjacent to the controls 92 .
[0027] The platform unit 52 may further include one or more of the following elements: a handset 98 similar to a traditional telephone handset to provide a subscriber voice interface, a speaker 100 and a microphone 102 to provide a hands-free subscriber voice interface, a modular battery pack 70 (which fits within a battery pack bay that is not shown) for supplementing operating power provided by the network connection 23 or line power 34 (or for operating power when the subscriber station 24 is uncoupled from such input power), an on/off hook control button (or switch), and a help control button 105 , a WAN control button 104 , and a directory control button 107 , for single button selection of certain functions such as a help function, a wide area network communication function, display of a contact directory respectively.
Subscriber Station Functional Diagram
[0028] [0028]FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the subscriber station 24 . The platform unit 52 includes a controller 112 operating a packet voice application, a CSS application, and applicable drivers for a plurality of peripheral controllers. The controller 112 is coupled to a local bus 116 that interconnects the application controller 112 with each of the plurality of peripheral controllers that include a wireless module 94 , a power management controller 120 , a communication controller 122 , a network switch controller 124 , a key switch controller 126 , a touch panel controller 128 , a plain old telephone service (POTS) converter 146 , a voice communication system 130 , and at least one of a wireless module 94 and a powered network interface circuit 95 .
[0029] The wireless module 94 or the powered network interface circuit 95 operatively couple the platform unit 52 with the control unit 12 over the wireless LAN 22 and the wired LAN connection 23 (both of FIG. 1). The power management controller 120 selectively receives input power from the battery pack 70 , the powered network connection 23 , and external line power 134 . The power management controller 120 includes appropriate circuits for converting the input power voltage, from each of such three sources, to appropriate operating power required by each component of the subscriber station 24 . Additionally, the power management controller 120 includes appropriate circuits for charging the battery pack 70 when the platform unit 52 is coupled to the network connection 23 or the line power 134 and receiving power in excess of that required for operating the subscriber station 24 (which may include operating and/or charging the modular docking interface 58 and the modular subscriber device 50 when coupled to the platform unit 52 ).
[0030] The communication controller 122 operatively couples the modular docking interface 58 and the modular subscriber device 50 to the controller 112 such that the platform 52 can exchange data with the modular subscriber device 50 . In the exemplary embodiment, the communication controller is a serial communication controller that enables the serial exchange of data with a compatible serial communication controller within the modular subscriber device 50 over a physical medium. Exemplary physical mediums include hardwired contacts, an infrared transmission, and RF transmission, however other physical mediums are envisioned and the selection of a physical medium is not critical to this invention.
[0031] The network switch controller 124 provides a network data port circuit which enables the controller 112 to communicate with another network computing circuit over a network interface. The network switch controller 124 is coupled to a bus port 135 within the function specific docking platform 74 b for coupling to a mating port 148 on the function specific module 56 .
[0032] The key switch (e.g. button) controller 126 is coupled to: a connector 136 a which in turn is coupled to a mating connector on the modular subscriber interface unit 60 a (FIG. 2) for interconnecting the buttons 68 to the key switch controller 126 ; a connector 136 b which in turn is coupled to a mating connector 142 on the function specific module 54 for interconnecting the buttons 76 and 85 to the key switch controller 126 ; the bus port 135 which in turn is coupled to a mating port 148 on the function specific module 56 for interconnecting the buttons 78 and 80 to the key switch controller 126 ; and the help control button 105 , the WAN control button 104 , the directory button 107 , and the on/off hook button (or switch) 109 . In the exemplary embodiment, the key switch controller 126 may drive row and column signals to the various buttons and, upon detecting a short between a row and a column (e.g. button activation) reports the button activation to the controller 112 over the bus 116 .
[0033] The touch panel controller 128 is coupled to a connector 144 which in turn is coupled to a mating connector on the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b (FIG. 2) for interconnecting the touch panel 72 to the touch panel controller 128 . In the exemplary embodiment, the touch panel controller 128 may include a separate display control circuit compatible with the resolution and color depth of the display of touch panel 72 and a separate touch panel control circuit for detecting subscriber contact with the touch panel 72 . The touch panel controller 128 is also connected to a wireless link interface 148 that communicates via a wireless link, such as infrared or a short range radio frequency, with the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b to enable the subscriber to use the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b as a portable hand held control unit. The touch panel controller 128 activates the wireless link interface 148 when the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b is not connected to the connector 144 to ensure that the subscriber has uninterrupted control of the subscriber station 24 .
[0034] The voice system 130 generates analog audio signals for driving the speaker 100 (or the speaker in the handset 98 of FIG. 2) and detects input form the microphone 102 (or the microphone in the handset 98 ) under the control the packet voice application 113 operated by the controller 112 .
[0035] The POTS converter circuit 146 provides a standard POTS port signal (e.g. tip and ring) for operation of a traditional telephone or a traditional fax machine coupled to a POTS port 82 on the function specific module 56 . In operation the POTS converter 146 circuit interfaces between the POTS signal and the application controller 112 .
Control Unit
[0036] [0036]FIG. 4 shows a block diagram of the control unit 12 in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. As discussed previously, the control unit 12 includes a multi-media communication service provider bay 14 which operatively couples one of a plurality of communication medium modules 16 to the control unit 12 for providing an interface to a service provider's multi-media communication medium. The control unit 12 further includes a local area network management system 214 , a voice converter circuit 218 , a voice server 226 , a packet voice gateway 232 , a session control server 230 , messaging client 228 , a subscriber contact directory database 234 , and a network power supply 231 .
[0037] The local area network management system 214 manages the communication of data between the control unit 12 and each of the local communication devices 20 (FIG. 1). The local area network management system 214 may include a network address server 220 for assigning a network address (from a block of available network addresses) to each local communication device 20 upon the local communication device subscribing to the wireless network 22 and requesting a network address. The local area network management system 214 may also include a proxy server 222 for communicating with remote devices via the service provider multi-media communication medium 18 on behalf of each of the local communication devices 20 . A port control circuit 216 may interconnect the local area network management system 214 to each of the wireless network 22 , the packet voice gateway 232 , the session control server 230 , and the messaging client 228 over standard network port connections. The messaging client 228 provides for authenticating a subscriber to a remote messaging server (not shown) coupled to the service provider multi-media communication medium 18 and copying a plurality of subscriber messages from such messaging server.
[0038] The session control server 230 operates the protocols for sending multi-media content messages and control messages to each local communication device 20 over the wireless local area network 22 . In the exemplary embodiment, the communications between the session control server 230 and each local communication device occurs using tagged messages. The tag for each message identifies the content of the message to the recipient local communication device 20 .
[0039] The packet voice gateway 232 provides real time voice communications between multiple local communication devices 20 and provide real time voice communications between a local communication device 20 and a remote voice communication device over either the multi-media communication service provider medium 16 or the circuit switched channel 42 .
[0040] The voice converter 218 functions to convert audio signals compatible with the circuit switched channel 42 to packet voice signals compatible with the voice server 226 and the packet voice gateway 232 and, in reverse, functions to convert packet voice signals to audio signals compatible with the circuit switched channel 42 . Further, the voice converter 218 functions to convert a coded extension number (e.g. DID signal) that may be included within audio session signaling through the PSTN interface 25 to a digital format compatible with the packet voice gateway 232 .
[0041] The voice mail functionality is provided by a voice server module 226 . The voice server module 226 generates audio prompts for providing a voice interface to accept an audio message from the originating device for the subscriber, store the message as a digital file, and send the digital file to the remote messaging server associated with the subscriber.
[0042] In the exemplary embodiment, the packet voice gateway 232 provides a voice mail origination communication signal to the voice server module 226 and, upon the voice server module 226 responding to the voice mail origination communication signal, the packet voice gateway 232 establishes a communication session channel with the originating device, establishes a communication session channel with the voice server module 226 , and relays audio data between the two for the duration needed for accepting the audio message.
[0043] The subscriber contact directory database 234 includes a contact directory for each of a plurality of subscribers. Within each contact directory are a plurality of contact files that include basic information associated with the contact, such as company name, telephone number, e-mail address, mailing address, fax number and other relevant information. The contact directory provides destination information which may be used by the packet voice gateway 232 and the session control server 230 for establishing communication channels from a subscriber station 24 to a selected contact.
[0044] The voice converter 218 functions to convert audio signals compatible with the circuit switched channel 42 to packet voice signals compatible with the voice server 226 and the packet voice gateway 232 and, in reverse, functions to convert packet voice signals to audio signals compatible with the circuit switched channel 42 . Further, the voice converter 218 functions to convert a coded extension number (e.g. DID signal) that may be included within audio session signaling through the PSTN interface 25 to a digital format compatible with the packet voice gateway 232 .
[0045] The power supply 231 receives local line power and generates appropriate power for provision to each subscriber station 24 over the network backbone 22 and each network connection 23 . In the exemplary embodiment the network 22 may be a Powered Ethernet network and the power supply 231 provides power with parameters in accordance with the applicable Powered Ethernet Specification. However, other powered networks are included within the scope of this invention.
[0046] Each of the local area network management system 214 , the packet voice gateway 232 , the voice converter 218 , the voice server 226 , the session control server 230 , and the messaging client 228 operate as an integrated system under the control of the session control server 230 .
Power Management
[0047] This functionality can be implemented in a number of ways, with the present description representing one of the possible implementations. There are various combinations of hardware and software elements that operate in a coordinated manner to provide the subscriber with the speed dialing functionality.
[0048] Referring to the block diagram of FIG. 3, local communication device 20 platform unit 52 includes an application controller 112 that is coupled to the local bus 116 that interconnects the application controller 112 with each of the plurality of peripheral controllers including a power management controller 120 . The platform unit 52 also includes a modular battery pack 70 for operating power when the local communication device 20 is uncoupled from a line voltage. The power management controller 120 selectively receives input power from the battery pack 70 or external line power 134 . The power management controller 120 includes appropriate circuits for converting the input power voltage to appropriate operating power required by each component of the local communication device 20 . Additionally, the power management controller 120 includes appropriate circuits for charging the battery pack 70 when the platform unit 52 is coupled to the line power 134 . Power management controller 120 also generates appropriate power for operating and/or charging the modular docking interface 58 and the modular subscriber device 50 when coupled to the platform unit 52 .
[0049] Operationally, the power management controller 120 includes appropriate circuitry and application software to continuously monitor the input power (from the network connection 23 and/or line power 134 ) as well as operating power of the subscriber station 24 in step 502 . When the input power falls below required operating power, the power management controller 120 provides supplemental operating power by drawing power from the battery pack 70 in step 503 . The power management controller 120 may also provide notice to the application controller 112 in step 504 of the fact that operating power is exceeding input power. In response, the application controller 112 may gradually discontinue non essential functions.
[0050] In another embodiment, when the input power falls below required operating power and the charge stored within battery pack 70 falls below a predetermined threshold, then the power management controller may provide notice to the application controller 112 such that the application controller 112 may discontinue non essential functions.
[0051] Non-essential functions may include such functional modules as modular docking interface 58 which couples a plurality of modular subscriber devices 50 to the platform 52 . Modular subscriber devices 50 may include devices that have an internal battery for operation. Such modular subscriber devices 50 may continue to be used by the subscriber independently via the wireless interface node 22 A and 22 B. Other nonessential functions may include functional modules that require excessive operational power such as touch panel 72 . Application controller 112 may shut down the touch panel controller 128 and the touch panel 72 . Similarly, other predetermined functional modules may be disconnected. Essential functional modules such as the wireless module 94 , the network interface circuit 95 , the voice system 130 , network switch controller 124 , and others may continue operation. The application controller 112 may monitor and record usage of the functional modules and in response to line voltage loss, disconnect non-essential functional modules in a predetermined order based on the usage of each of the non-essential functional modules.
[0052] In step 509 power management controller 120 continues to monitor the input power and the operating power required. When the input power exceeds required operating power, the power management controller 120 begins transferring input power to charging circuitry to charge the battery pack 70 .
[0053] In certain events, the subscriber may intentionally disconnect the subscriber station 24 from the line power 134 and from the wired network connection 23 to move the subscriber station 24 to an alternative location. When the wired network connection 23 is disconnected, the subscriber station 24 utilized the network circuit 96 for communication with the control unit 12 over the wireless network 22 . While without connection to (and drawing power from) the powered local area network connection 23 (or line power 134 ), battery pack 70 provides operational power for the subscriber station 24 .
Session Control Server
[0054] Referring to FIG. 4 in conjunction with the tables of FIGS. 8 a - 8 d, exemplary operation of the session management server 230 providing multi-media communication management in accordance with the present invention is shown.
[0055] The session control server 230 operates as a multi-tasking event driven state machine. A separate state machine is operated by the session control server 230 for each of the local communication devices 20 (FIG. 1). During operation of each state machine, the session control server 230 receives event signals from each of the voice server 218 , the messaging client 228 , the packet switched voice gateway 232 , the multimedia communication service provider medium 18 , and the particular local communication device 20 for which the state machine is operated. Each state machine includes multiple processing states and within each processing state there are a plurality of events that may be detected by the session control server 230 . Each event has a processing state dependent processing sequence that is processed by the session control server 230 .
[0056] [0056]FIGS. 8 a through 8 d represent tables showing exemplary operational states of the session control server 230 . Referring to the tables of FIGS. 8 a through 8 d in conjunction with the block diagram of FIG. 4, operation of the session control server 230 for providing exemplary multi-media communication management in accordance with the present invention is shown.
[0057] The table of FIG. 8 a represents a start up state. In the start up state, the session control server 230 is waiting for an open session request from a new subscriber station 24 on a predetermined port. When a subscriber station 24 has just operatively coupled to the local area network 22 , obtained a network address from the network address server 220 , and is ready to operate, the management client 115 (FIG. 4) sends an open session request to a predetermined network address (matching that of the session control server 230 ) on the predetermined port. Event 300 represents receipt of an open session request from the subscriber station 24 . In response to event 300 , the session control server 230 performs various steps to initiate management control of multi-media communications of the subscriber station 24 that include: establishing a session in response to the open session request; sending control messages to the subscriber station 24 that, when executed by the management client 115 , providing for the subscriber station 24 to detect its subscriber interface configuration (e.g. whether the subscriber station 24 includes a display screen and what capabilities such as vide capabilities and graphic resolution capabilities the display screen may have) and to report its subscriber interface configuration back to the session control server 230 ; obtaining the subscriber interface configuration; providing main menu display content messages and main menu layout control messages to the subscriber station 24 that are compatible with the particular display (if any) that is included in the subscriber interface reported by the subscriber station 24 ; and transitioning to a main menu state as represented by FIG. 8 b.
[0058] When in the main menu state, the session control server 230 is waiting for one of a plurality of events to occur that may include an event 302 that represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating subscriber selection of a menu choice from the main menu, event 304 that represents receipt of a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber station 24 has begun a voice session between the subscriber station 24 and the packet voice gateway 232 , event 308 that represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that a subscriber device 50 has been operatively coupled to, and is ready to be served by, the subscriber station 24 , and event 310 that represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber has activated a help control (for example, pressing the help button 106 ).
[0059] In response to event 302 , the session control server 230 executes steps associated with the selected menu choice, and may transition to a state corresponding to the selected menu choice. For example, if one of the menu choices were to obtain stock quotes for a predetermined portfolio, obtain local weather, or obtain any other information from a predetermined Internet URL, the session control server would, in response to event 302 (e.g. the message from the subscriber station 24 indicating the menu selection) establish a TCP/IP connection with the predetermined URL, obtain the information, provide the information in the form of content messages to the subscriber station 24 , and provide control messages to the subscriber station 24 to output the content information through the audio interface or through a display screen if the subscriber station 24 is configured with a subscriber interface that includes a display screen (as determined in steps performed following event 300 of FIG. 8 a ).
[0060] In response to event 304 , the session control server 230 may query the packet voice gateway 232 to obtain information regarding the voice session such as telephone number (and name or person or company associated with the telephone number) of the other device that is participating in the session through the packet voice gateway 232 , send content messages to the subscriber station 24 that includes the information regarding the voice session, and send control messages to the subscriber station 24 to output the content information on the display screen if the subscriber station 24 is configures with a subscriber interface that includes a display screen.
[0061] In response to event 308 indicating that a subscriber device 50 has been coupled to the subscriber station 24 , the session control server 230 performs steps required to begin supporting the subscriber device 50 through the subscriber station 24 . Those steps may include: sending content and control messages to the subscriber station 24 that represent a script for extracting identification information from the subscriber device 50 and represent an instruction to execute the scripts, obtaining messages from the subscriber station 24 that include information about the subscriber device (such as subscriber device ID and display resolution and video capabilities) that was provided by the subscriber device in response to the subscriber station 24 executing the script, providing content messages with subscriber device main menu content and control messages for displaying the subscriber device main menu content on the subscriber device 50 display screen in accordance with the display resolution and video capabilities; and transitioning to the subscriber device main menu state as represented by FIG. 8C.
[0062] In response to event 310 that represents subscriber activation of a help control such as the help button 106 while in the main menu state, the session control server 230 selects help files 233 (FIG. 2) from the database 231 that include help content (e.g. column) content that is related to the operating state of the subscriber station 24 and is in a format (e.g. row) that corresponds to the subscriber interface of the subscriber station 24 as determined during steps associated with event 300 of FIG. 8 A.
[0063] More specifically (with respect to selecting help content), the session control server 233 selects the help file 233 that is matched to the most recent message received from the subscriber station 24 (except for the message indicating subscriber activation of the help control). For example, if the most recent message received from the subscriber station 24 (prior to help control activation) was a menu selection, the session control server selects the help file 233 associated with such menu selection and, if the most recent message received from the subscriber station 24 was an indication that a voice session has begun, the session control server selects the help file 233 associated with the beginning of a voice session while in the main menu state.
[0064] More specifically (with respect to selecting a format, the session control server utilizes the subscriber interface configuration information provided during execution of steps related to event 300 (initial logon) to determine whether the subscriber station 24 is configured for an audio interface only, an audio interface with still image capabilities on a display screen, or an audio interface with full motion video display capabilities. The session control server then selects a file 233 that includes the content and that is either audio only, still image graphics with synchronized audio that references and explains the still image graphics, or full motion video with synchronized audio that references and explains the video images to match the subscriber interface capabilities of the subscriber station 24 .
[0065] Following selection of the help file 233 , the session control server 230 will provide help content messages to the subscriber station 24 and provide subscriber interface output control messages to the subscriber station 24 to instruct the subscriber station 24 to output the help content messages through the combination of the voice interface and the still image display or video display interface as applicable.
[0066] It should be appreciated that a portion of the help file 233 may include content that represents a menu of related help files. As such, after output of the help file 233 through the subscriber interface, the subscriber may select a related help file from such menu. In which case, the session control server 230 would select the related help file 233 that corresponds to the subscriber selection and execute the other steps associated with event 310 . However, if another event 310 is received indicating that the subscriber has activated the help control a second time without an intervening selection or during a during a predetermined time period following the first activation of the help control, the session control server 230 will send control messages to the subscriber station 24 instructing the subscriber station 24 to establish an audio session with the help station 25 though the packet voice gateway 232 such that the subscriber may speak with the operator of the help station 25 .
[0067] The subscriber device main menu state of FIG. 8C, is similar to the main menu state of FIG. 8B except that because the subscriber station 24 is serving a subscriber device when in the subscriber device main menu state, additional functions may be available to the subscriber as menu choices. For example, a menu choice to access email messages or voice mail messages from mail boxes associated with the subscriber device may be included. When in the subscriber device main menu state, the session control server 230 is waiting for one of the events associate with the subscriber device main menu state that include event 302 , which like the main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating subscriber selection of a menu choice, event 304 , which like the main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber station 24 has begun a voice session between the subscriber station 24 and the packet voice gateway 232 , event 310 , which like the main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber has activated a help control (for example, pressing the help button 106 ), and event 326 that represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber device 50 has been decoupled from the subscriber station 24 is no longer served by the subscriber station 24 .
[0068] Events 302 , 304 , and 310 are the same as in the main menu state and the response of the session control server 230 will be the same as discussed above with respect to FIG. 8B and are not repeated for sake of brevity. However, because of the additional functions available when the subscriber station 24 is serving a subscriber device, event 302 , which represents a message indicating subscriber selection of menu choice may include subscriber selection of a choice to obtain messages (such as by activation of the menu choice on a touch panel of the subscriber device 50 or by activation of an email button 78 as shown in FIG. 3) and may include subscriber selection of a choice to obtain voice messages (such as by activation of the menu choice on a touch panel of the subscriber device 50 or by activation of a voice mail button 76 as shown in FIG. 3).
[0069] In response to these events, the session control server 230 obtains messages associated with the subscriber device 50 from a remote messaging server coupled to the service provider medium, sorts the messages in accordance with the message type selection, provide messages representing message list display content and message list display layout control in accordance with the parameters of the graphic display 90 on the subscriber device 50 , and then transitions to a message list state (FIG. 8D). In response to event 326 the control unit transitions to the main menu state (FIG. 8B).
[0070] When in the message list state of FIG. 8D, the list of messages is displayed on the subscriber device 50 and the session control server 230 is waiting for one of the events associated with the message list state. The events include event 304 , which like the main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber station 24 has begun a voice session between the subscriber station 24 and the packet voice gateway 232 , event 310 , which like the main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber has activated a help control (for example, pressing the help button 106 ), and event 326 , which like the subscriber device main menu state, represents a message from the subscriber station 24 indicating that the subscriber device 50 has been decoupled from the subscriber station 24 is no longer served by the subscriber station 24 . The events further include event 334 that represents a message indicating that the subscriber has activated a control to obtain a voice message from the list, event 336 that represents a message indicating that the subscriber has activated a control to display a message from the list, and event 338 representing a message indicating that the subscriber has activated a control to print a message from the list.
[0071] Events 304 , 310 , and 326 are the same as in the main menu state or the subscriber device main menu state and the response of the session control server 230 will be the same as discussed above. Therefore the discussion will not be repeated for sake of brevity.
[0072] In response to event 334 the session control server 230 sends the contents of the selected audio message to the subscriber station 24 and sends control messages to instruct the subscriber station 24 to output the audio content through the voice interface 130 (FIG. 4). In response to event 336 the session control server 230 provides messages representing the message display content and the message display layout control that are compatible with parameters of the graphic display 90 on the subscriber device 50 . In response to event 338 , the session control server 230 formats the selected message into a printer compatible file and sends the print file to a printer coupled to the network 22 .
CSS Application
[0073] In the exemplary embodiment, the subscriber station (CSS) application 115 is an event driven state machine. Within each processing state various events that are generated by one of the peripheral circuits may be detected by the CSS application 115 and, upon detecting an event, a certain string of processing steps that correspond to the particular event will be performed by the CSS application 115 .
[0074] Referring to the tables of FIGS. 7A and 7B in conjunction with the block diagram of FIG. 3, exemplary operational states of the CSS application 115 are shown. The start up state 346 represents the state of operation of the subscriber station 24 immediately after establishing a network connection with the control unit 12 via the network 22 . Upon establishing a connection, event 366 , the CSS application 115 initiates a session request to the session control server 230 on a predetermined port. Event 368 represents confirmation of the session from the session control server 230 and receipt of the logon script from the session control server 230 . In response to event 368 , the subscriber device processes the script which may include detecting the interface configuration of the subscriber station 24 , providing the interface configuration to the session control server 230 , and transitioning to the base state 344 .
[0075] The base state 334 represents the CSS application 115 waiting for an event signal from one of the peripheral devices which may include event 354 that represents subscriber activation of touch panel 72 on the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b, event 356 that represents subscriber activation of one of the control buttons 911 - 918 on the modular subscriber interface unit 60 b, event 358 that represents receipt of display content and display layout control messages from the control unit 12 , event 360 that represents receipt of a message comprising a processing script from the control unit 12 , event 362 that represents a wide area network telephone signal through a wide area network subscriber device 88 (FIG. 1), event 364 that represents detecting a subscriber device 50 being coupled to the subscriber station 24 , event 350 that represents receipt of a message from the control unit 12 directed to the subscriber device 50 , and event 352 that represents receipt of a message from the subscriber device 50 directed to the control unit 12 .
[0076] In response to event 356 , the CSS application 115 provides a message indicating the touch panel activation event to the session control server 230 . In response to event 358 , the CSS application 115 provides a message indicating activation of the particular control button 911 - 918 to both the packet voice application 113 and the session control server 230 . In response to event 358 , the CSS application 115 either updates the display 72 (or 72 A) on the modular subscriber interface unit 60 B (both of FIG. 2) via the touch panel controller 128 or provides the messages representing the display content and the display layout control to the subscriber device 50 via the communication controller 122 for the subscriber device 50 to update its own display. In response to event 360 , the subscriber device 50 processes the script as provided including interfacing with any of the peripheral devices as required by the script. For example, the extraction control script received from the session control server 230 may require interrogating the subscriber device 50 for identity information and providing a message representing such identification information to the session control server 230 . In response to event 362 , the subscriber device 50 may enter a wide area network communication state wherein it relays a digital representation of voice signals between the dialog system 130 and a wide area network subscriber device 88 such that a voice conversation may take through the wide area network. In response to event 364 , the subscriber station 24 may send a message indicating that a subscriber device 50 is being initialized by the subscriber station 24 (which corresponds to event 308 of FIG. 8 b ) and then returns to the base state 344 . In response to event 350 , the CSS application 115 provides the messages to the subscriber device 50 via the communication controller 122 . In response to event 352 , the CSS application 115 provides the messages to the session control server 230 via the network.
Packet Voice Application
[0077] The packet voice application 113 also operates as an event driven state machine. Again, each state includes a plurality of events that may occur when operating in the state and a sequence of steps that the packet voice application processes in response to the event. Referring to the tables of FIGS. 6A and 6B in conjunction with the block diagram of FIG. 3, exemplary operational states of the packet voice application 113 are shown.
[0078] The stand by state 280 represents the packet voice application in an inactive mode waiting for an event that may include event 388 which represents receipt of an audio session set up signal from the packet voice gateway 232 , event 390 that represents receipt of a message from the CSS application 115 that represents activation of the on/off hook button (or switch) 109 , and event 392 that represents receipt of a message from the CSS application 115 instructing the packet voice application 113 to set up an audio session with a specified destination.
[0079] In response to event 388 , the packet voice application 113 transitions to a call signaling state 382 and reports the transition to the CSS application 115 . In response to event 390 , the packet voice application 113 transitions to an off hook state 384 and reports the transition to the CSS application 115 . In response to event 392 , the packet voice application 113 sends applicable call signaling messages to the packet voice gateway 232 to set up the audio session channel with the voice gateway 232 and provides for the voice gateway 232 to set up an appropriate audio session channel with the destination. The packet voice application 113 then transitions to the call signaling state 382 , and report the transition to the CSS application 115 .
[0080] When in the call signaling state 382 , the packet voice application 113 is providing a ring signal to the subscriber station 24 as either a ring signal to notify the subscriber of an incoming audio session or to notify the subscriber that an audio session set up signal has been sent to the packet voice gateway 232 and a destination device is “ringing” waiting for a remote party to effectively answer the call. During the ringing state 382 the packet voice application 113 may detect events such as event 394 that represents receipt of a message that represents activation of the on/off hook button 109 (FIG. 2), event 396 that represents termination of call signaling by the packet voice gateway 232 , event 398 that represents receipt of a ready for audio session signal from the packet voice gateway 232 if the packet voice application 113 is ringing to notify the subscriber that a remote device is ringing.
[0081] In response to either event 394 (and event 396 if the subscriber station 24 is currently off hook), the packet voice application 113 will return to the standby state 380 and report the state transition to the CSS application 115 . In response to event 398 (and event 396 if the subscriber station 24 is current on hook) the packet voice application will transition to an audio session state 386 and report he transition to the CSS application 115 .
[0082] When in the off hook state 384 , the packet voice application 113 may be generating a dial tone through the voice system 130 as a prompt for the subscriber to use the keypad to enter a telephone number. During the off hook state 384 , the packet voice application 113 may accept events such as event 400 that represents receipt of a message that represents key pad activation, event 402 that represents validation of a number sequence as a complete telephone number that can be used to set up an audio session, and event 404 that represents receipt of a message that represents activation of the on/off hook button 109 (FIG. 2).
[0083] In response event 400 the packet voice application 113 generates a DTMF tone through the voice system 130 to provide the subscriber with audio feedback and store the numeral as part of the sequence for validation. In response to event 402 , the packet voice application 113 initiates call signaling to the packet voice gateway 232 utilizing the validated number as the destination, transitions to the call signaling state 382 , and reports the transition to the CSS application 115 . In response to event 404 , the packet voice application 113 transitions to the standby state 380 and reports the transition to the CSS application 115 .
[0084] When in the audio session state 386 the packet voice application 113 is relaying messages representing a real time audio dialog between the voice system 130 and the packet voice gateway 232 . When in the audio session state 386 , the packet voice application 113 may accept events such as event 406 that represents termination of the audio session by the packet voice gateway 232 , event 408 that represents receipt of a message that represents subscriber activation of a keypad numeral, and event 410 that represents receipt of a message that represents activation of the on/off hook button 109 (FIG. 2).
[0085] In response to event 406 , the packet voice application 113 returns to the off hook state and reports the transition to the CSS application. In response to event 408 , the packet voice application 113 generates a DTMF tone in the audio session signals to the packet voice gateway 232 . In response to event 410 , the packet voice application 113 returns to the stand by state 380 and reports the state transition to the CSS application 115 .
SUMMARY
[0086] It should be appreciated that the systems and methods of the present invention provide for the communication and control of multi-media messages by a central control unit and a plurality of subscriber stations operating under the control of the control unit. This coordinated and integrated system architecture enables the subscriber station to merge the functionality and internal data of various portable subscriber devices into the subscriber station, to direct the functionality and data of the subscriber station to a selected one of the portable subscriber devices, and to provide the subscriber with a simple subscriber interface.
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The present multi-media communication subscriber station has battery-powered backup. A power management controller monitors the line voltage and when the line voltage falls below a predetermined voltage level, the power management controller transfers operation power from line voltage to battery. When the multi-media communication subscriber station is operating on backup battery power, non-essential functional modules may be disabled. The power management controller continues to monitor the line voltage and when line voltage resumes, operation power is transferred back to line voltage.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a method, system, and program for restoring data in cache.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Computing systems often include one or more host computers (“hosts”) for processing data and running application programs, direct access storage devices (DASDs) for storing data, and a storage controller for controlling the transfer of data between the hosts and the DASD. Storage controllers, also referred to as control units or storage directors, manage access to a storage space comprised of numerous hard disk drives connected in a loop architecture, otherwise referred to as a Direct Access Storage Device (DASD). Hosts may communicate Input/Output (I/O) requests to the storage space through the storage controller.
[0005] To maintain availability in the event of a failure, many storage controllers known in the prior art provide redundant hardware clusters. Each hardware cluster comprises a processor complex, cache, non-volatile storage (NVS), such as a battery backed-up Random Access Memory (RAM), and separate power supply to provide connection paths to the attached storage. The NVS in one cluster would backup write data from the cache in the other cluster so that if one cluster fails, the write data in the cache of the failed cluster is stored in the NVS of the surviving cluster. After one cluster fails, all Input/Output (I/O) requests would be directed toward the surviving cluster. When both clusters are available, each cluster may be assigned to handle I/O requests for specific logical storage devices configured within the physical storage devices.
[0006] In the event of a failure of one of the clusters, a failover will occur to have the surviving cluster handle all I/O requests previously handled by the failed cluster so that access to the storage system managed by the storage controller remains available. As part of the failover process, the surviving cluster remains online and all the cached data for the failed cluster, i.e., the write data to the logical devices assigned to the failed cluster that was backed up in the NVS of the surviving cluster, is copied (also known as restored) from the NVS in the surviving cluster to the cache of the surviving cluster. Thus, after failover, the cache and NVS in the surviving cluster buffer writes that were previously directed to the failed cluster. During this restore/failover process, host I/O requests directed to logical devices previously assigned to the failed cluster are delayed until all writes to such logical devices in the NVS in the surviving cluster are restored/copied to the cache in the surviving cluster.
[0007] This restore process can take thirty seconds or more. Such a delay is often deemed unacceptable for storage controllers used in critical data environments where high availability is demanded. For instance, the systems used by large banks or financial institutions cannot tolerate delayed access to data for periods of several seconds, let alone thirty seconds or more.
[0008] For these reasons, there is a need in the art for improved techniques for handling data recovery in a manner that minimizes the time during which I/O requests to the storage are delayed.
SUMMARY OF THE DESCRIBED IMPLEMENTATIONS
[0009] Provided are a method, system, and program for maintaining data in a first cache and second cache, wherein a backup cache maintains a backup copy of data in the first cache, and wherein the first cache is used to cache a first set of data in a storage system and the second cache is used to cache a second set of data in the storage system. An unavailable state of the first cache is detected. In response to detecting the unavailable state, requests to the first set of data are blocked and at least one space in the second cache is allocated for data in the backup cache. Requests to the first set of data are allowed to proceed after the at least one space is allocated in the second cache and before the data in the backup cache is copied to the at least one allocated space in the second cache. The data from the backup cache is copied to the allocated at least one space in the second cache after the requests to the first set of data are allowed to proceed.
[0010] In further implementations, the data copied from the backup cache to the allocated at least one space in the second cache may comprise data that was stored in the first cache when the first cache failed.
[0011] Still further, a request for data for which space is allocated in the second cache may be received after requests to the first set of data are allowed to proceed. A determination is then made as to whether the requested data is in the allocated space in the second cache, wherein the data is copied from the backup cache to the allocated space in the second cache when the data is determined to not be in the allocated space.
[0012] In yet further implementations, after allowing requests to the first set of data to proceed, a determination is made of allocated spaces in the second cache that do not have the data for which the space is allocated, wherein the data is copied from the backup cache to the determined allocated spaces in the second cache.
[0013] Described implementations provide techniques for restoring data from a backup cache to a cache in a manner that minimizes the time during which requests for data are not allowed to proceed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] Referring now to the drawings in which like reference numbers represent corresponding parts throughout:
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 illustrates a computing environment in which aspects of the invention are implemented;
[0016] [0016]FIG. 2 illustrates an architecture of a cache utilized with implementations of the invention; and
[0017] [0017]FIG. 3 illustrates information in a cache directory in accordance with implementations of the invention;
[0018] FIGS. 4 - 7 illustrate logic to restore data in a cache as a result of a failover in accordance with implementations of the invention; and
[0019] [0019]FIG. 8 illustrates an architecture of computing components in the network environment, such as the hosts and storage controller, and any other computing devices.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0020] In the following description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and which illustrate several embodiments of the present invention. It is understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and operational changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0021] [0021]FIG. 1 illustrates a computing architecture in which aspects of the invention are implemented. One or more hosts 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n are in data communication with a storage system 4 , such as a DASD or any other storage system known in the art, via a storage controller 6 . The host 2 may be any computing device known in the art, such as a server, mainframe, workstation, personal computer, hand held computer, laptop, telephony device, network appliance, etc. The storage controller 6 and host system(s) 2 communicate via a network 8 , which may comprise a Storage Area Network (SAN), Local Area Network (LAN), Intranet, the Internet, Wide Area Network (WAN), etc. The storage system 4 may be comprised of hard disk drives, tape cartridge libraries, optical disks, or any suitable non-volatile storage medium known in the art. The storage system 4 may be arranged as an array of storage devices, such as a Just a Bunch of Disks (JBOD), DASD, Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) array, virtualization device, etc. The storage controller 6 may comprise any storage controller or server known in the art, such as the IBM Enterprise Storage Server (ESS) or any other storage controller known in the art.** In certain implementations, the storage space in the storage controller 4 is configured as a plurality of logical devices (LD) 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n.
[0022] The storage controller 6 includes two separate clusters 20 a , 20 b of hardware components to provide redundancy for improved availability. Each cluster 20 a , 20 b may be maintained on a separate power boundary, and includes a processor complex 22 a , 22 b , a cache 24 a , 24 b , and a non-volatile storage unit (NVS) 26 a , 26 b . The NVS 26 a , 26 b may comprise a battery backed-up RAM or any other type of non-volatile or volatile backup cache used to backup data in cache. The hosts 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n would submit application I/O requests directed to a target logical device (LD) 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n , including write data, to the cluster 20 a , 20 b to which the target logical device (LD) 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n is assigned. The NVS 26 a , 26 b in one cluster 20 a , 20 b is used to backup write data in the cache 24 b , 24 a in the other cluster 20 b , 20 a , e.g., NVS 26 a backs up write data in cache 24 b.
[0023] [0023]FIG. 2 illustrates further details of the components of the caches 24 a , 24 b . The caches 24 a , 24 b are comprised of a cache manager 30 , which may comprise hardware or software logic, that manages cache operations and a cache directory 32 that includes information on each track or data unit in the cache memory 34 . In certain implementations, the cache directory 32 includes an entry for each track maintained in the cache memory 34 . FIG. 3 illustrates the information maintained in each entry 50 in the cache directory 32 . Each cache directory entry 50 includes the cache memory location 52 in which the track is stored, the target track identifier (ID) 54 , and a restore flag 56 . The track ID 52 would identify the track and may include the location of the track in the physical storage device in the storage 4 , e.g., cylinder, head, drive, etc. The cache directory entries 50 may include additional information known in the art, such as destage and stage flags, indicating whether to destage or stage the track between the cache and storage.
[0024] In describing the logic of FIGS. 4 - 7 , cluster 20 a will be described as the failed cluster and cluster 20 b as the surviving cluster. Notwithstanding, the failover logic described in FIGS. 4 - 7 is capable of being executed by both processor complexes 22 a , 22 b in both clusters 20 a , 20 b in the storage controller 6 so that failover can occur to both the clusters 20 a , 20 b in the event the other cluster 20 b , 20 a fails.
[0025] [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates logic executed by the processor complexes 22 a , 22 b in the surviving cluster 20 a , 20 b during a failover to initiate (at block 100 ) a cache restore process. Upon initiating failover in the event of a failure of cluster 20 a , the surviving processor complex 22 b in the surviving cluster 20 b blocks host 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n I/O requests directed to logical devices 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n assigned to the failed cluster 20 a . Access may be blocked by returning failure to the I/O requests or queuing the I/O request to delay processing until the restore operation completes. The surviving processor complex 22 b then scans (at block 104 ) the surviving NVS 26 b to determine the tracks in the surviving NVS 26 b , which includes tracks stored in the failed cache 20 a when the cluster 20 a failed. As mentioned, the surviving NVS 26 b would maintain a backup copy of the data that was in the failed cache 24 a . For each determined track, the surviving processor complex 22 b then calls (at block 106 ) the cache manager 30 for the surviving cache 24 b in the surviving cluster 20 b to allocate an entry in the cache memory 34 for the determined track. With this call, the cache manager 30 creates an entry in the cache directory 32 for the determined track without actually copying the track over from the surviving NVS 26 b to the surviving cache 24 b . The surviving processor complex 22 b then ends the restore and allows (at block 108 ) the hosts 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n to issue I/O requests to the logical devices (LDs) 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n previously assigned to the failed cluster 20 a , where such logical devices 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n are now reassigned to the surviving cluster 20 b.
[0026] With the logic of FIG. 4, hosts 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n are permitted access to the logical device 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n previously assigned to the failed cluster 20 a immediately after space in the surviving cache 24 b is allocated for the tracks in the surviving NVS 26 b , which stores the tracks that were in the failed cache 24 a when the failure occurred. This cache allocation process takes substantially less time than the substantially longer time needed to copy/restore tracks from the failed cache 24 b in the surviving NVS 26 b to the surviving cache 24 b . In fact, the restore process described herein can take one second or less. In this way, the hosts 2 a , 2 b . . . 2 n are allowed access to the logical devices 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n previously assigned to the failed cache 24 a relatively quickly, and without having to wait for the tracks to be copied from the surviving NVS 26 b to the surviving cache 24 b . Further, after failover, the surviving cache 24 b and NVS 26 b are used to buffer writes for all the logical devices 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n previously handled by both clusters 20 a , 20 b.
[0027] After the space is allocated in the surviving cache for the tracks to restore at block 108 and host I/O requests directed to the logical devices 10 a , 10 b . . . 10 n previously assigned to the failed cluster 20 a are allowed to proceed, the surviving processor complex 22 b then performs a loop at blocks 110 through 116 for each entry, i.e., track, in the cache directory 32 . If the restore flag 56 (FIG. 3) for entry i is set to “on”, then the surviving processor complex 22 b calls (at block 114 ) the cache manager 30 for the surviving cache 24 b to restore the track at entry i in the surviving cache memory 34 from the surviving NVS 26 b . If the restore flag 56 is not “on” or after calling the cache manager 30 at block 114 , control proceeds (at block 116 ) to consider the next entry in the cache directory 32 . In this way, a background operation is performed to restore the tracks from the surviving NVS to the surviving cache during normal I/O operations. At the completion of the logic at blocks 110 - 116 , all the tracks from the surviving NVS have been copied back into the surviving cache. In certain implementations, the background restore task executed at blocks 110 - 116 may be performed at a low task priority to minimize interference with higher priority requests to the recovered cache, such as host I/O requests.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 5 illustrates logic implemented in the cache manager 30 of the surviving cache 24 b to allocate space in the surviving cache 24 b for a requested track upon receiving (at block 150 ) a call from the surviving processor complex 20 b to allocate a track in the surviving cache 24 b at block 106 in FIG. 4. In response to the call, the cache manager 30 scans (at block 152 ) the cache directory 32 to find an entry for an available location in the surviving cache memory 34 to allocate to the requested track. After locating an available entry in the cache directory 32 , the cache manager 30 of the surviving cache 24 b would add (at block 154 ) the track ID 54 (FIG. 3) of the requested track to the located cache entry 50 . The restore flag 56 for the located entry would also be set to “on”, indicating that the requested track is not in cache but that space in the surviving cache 24 b is allocated for the requested track for use when the track is restored from the surviving NVS 26 b.
[0029] [0029]FIG. 6 illustrates logic implemented in the cache manager 30 to restore a track in response to call from the surviving processor complex 22 b at block 112 in FIG. 4. Upon receiving (at block 170 ) the call to restore a requested track, the cache manager 30 of the surviving cache 24 b determines (at block 172 ) the entry in the cache directory 32 allocated to the requested track to restore. The cache manager 30 then causes (at block 174 ) the copying of the requested track from the surviving NVS 26 b to the location in the surviving cache memory 34 indicated at the cache location 52 in the determined entry 50 . The restore flag 56 is then set (at block 176 ) to “off” indicating that the requested track, which was previously stored in the failed cache 24 a , is now restored into the allocated location in the surviving cache 24 b.
[0030] [0030]FIG. 7 illustrates logic implemented in the cache manager 30 for the surviving cache 24 b to process requests for tracks in the cache memory 34 . In response to receiving (at block 200 ) a request for a track in the surviving cache 24 b , the cache manager 30 determines (at block 202 ) the entry 50 (FIG. 3) for the requested track in the cache directory 32 . If (at block 204 ) the restore flag 56 for the determined entry is not “on”, indicating that the track is in the cache memory 34 and does not need to be restored from the surviving NVS 26 b , then the cache manager 30 provides (at block 206 ) the I/O request access to the track in cache 24 b to read or update. However, if the restore flag 56 is “on”, then the cache manger 30 causes (at block 208 ) the copying of the requested track in the surviving NVS 26 b to the cache location 52 in the surviving cache 24 b indicated in the determined entry 50 . The restore flag 56 in the determined entry 50 is then set (at block 210 ) “off” indicating that the track has been restored. After restoring the track from the surviving NVS 26 b to the surviving cache 24 b , control proceeds to block 206 to provide the I/O request access to the requested track. In this way, a track is restored in cache either through the background recovery process at blocks 108 through in FIG. 4 or restored in response to a host request for access to a track allocated in cache but not yet restored according to the logic of FIG. 7.
[0031] With the described implementations, the tracks in the surviving NVS do not need to be restored to the surviving cache before hosts are allowed access to the logical devices previously assigned to the failed cluster. Instead, I/O requests are only delayed for a minimal period of time, e.g., less than second, while space is allocated in the surviving cache for tracks in the surviving NVS, which at the time of failure includes those tracks that were stored in the failed cache. The described implementations provide a failover cache restore process that ensures that hosts have access to the most recent data through the cache and at the same time avoids the cost of lengthy cache restore operations that are unacceptable for certain users that require high availability for critical data.
Additional Implementation Details
[0032] The described techniques for restoring data in cache may be implemented as a method, apparatus or article of manufacture using standard programming and/or engineering techniques to produce software, firmware, hardware, or any combination thereof. The term “article of manufacture” as used herein refers to code or logic implemented in hardware logic (e.g., an integrated circuit chip, Programmable Gate Array (PGA), Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC), etc.) or a computer readable medium, such as magnetic storage medium (e.g., hard disk drives, floppy disks, tape, etc.), optical storage (CD-ROMs, optical disks, etc.), volatile and non-volatile memory devices (e.g., EEPROMs, ROMs, PROMs, RAMs, DRAMs, SRAMs, firmware, programmable logic, etc.). Code in the computer readable medium is accessed and executed by a processor complex. The code in which preferred embodiments are implemented may further be accessible through a transmission media or from a file server over a network. In such cases, the article of manufacture in which the code is implemented may comprise a transmission media, such as a network transmission line, wireless transmission media, signals propagating through space, radio waves, infrared signals, etc. Thus, the “article of manufacture” may comprise the medium in which the code is embodied. Additionally, the “article of manufacture” may comprise a combination of hardware and software components in which the code is embodied, processed, and executed. Of course, those skilled in the art will recognize that many modifications may be made to this configuration without departing from the scope of the present invention, and that the article of manufacture may comprise any information bearing medium known in the art.
[0033] In the described implementations, certain operations were described as performed by the processor complexes 22 a , 22 b and cache manager 32 . In alternative implementations, certain operations described as performed by the processor complexes may be performed by the cache manager and vice versa.
[0034] The described implementations for cache restore were described for use with systems deployed in a critical data environment where high availability is paramount. However, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the cache recovery operations described herein may apply to storage systems used for non-critical data where high availability is not absolutely necessary.
[0035] In the described implementations, the restore process was described as occurring in the context of a cluster failure and subsequent failover. In alternative implementations, the described restore process may be used for events other than a failover. For instance, if the administrator wants to take one cluster offline for repair or for any other reason, then the described restore process may be used to quickly transfer all I/O requests to one cluster that will remain online. Still further, the failure that causes the failover may comprise a failure of the entire cluster or a part of the cluster, such as any one of the processor complex, cache or storage unit.
[0036] In the described implementations, dual clusters were provided and cache data was recovered from a backup NVS in another cluster. In alternative implementations, the storage system may have only one cluster and the cache data may be restored from that single NVS in the single cluster. In still further implementations, there may be more than two clusters as shown and cache data may be restored from an NVS in the same cluster as the cache or in any of the other clusters. Further, the NVS may comprise any non-volatile storage that is used to backup data in the cache, such as write data.
[0037] The illustrated logic of FIGS. 4 - 7 show certain events occurring in a certain order. In alternative implementations, certain operations may be performed in a different order, modified or removed. Morever, steps may be added to the above described logic and still conform to the described implementations. Further, operations described herein may occur sequentially or certain operations may be processed in parallel. Yet further, operations may be performed by a single processing unit or by distributed processing units.
[0038] The variable n is used to denote any integer variable for certain of the described elements and may indicate a same or different integer value when used in different instances.
[0039] [0039]FIG. 8 illustrates one implementation of a computer architecture 300 of the network components, such as the hosts and storage controller shown in FIG. 1. The architecture 300 may include a processor 302 (e.g., a microprocessor), a memory 304 (e.g., a volatile memory device), and storage 306 (e.g., a non-volatile storage, such as magnetic disk drives, optical disk drives, a tape drive, etc.). The storage 306 may comprise an internal storage device or an attached or network accessible storage. Programs in the storage 306 are loaded into the memory 304 and executed by the processor 302 in a manner known in the art. The architecture further includes a network card 308 to enable communication with a network. An input device 310 is used to provide user input to the processor 302 , and may include a keyboard, mouse, pen-stylus, microphone, touch sensitive display screen, or any other activation or input mechanism known in the art. An output device 312 is capable of rendering information transmitted from the processor 302 , or other component, such as a display monitor, printer, storage, etc.
[0040] The foregoing description of various implementations of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. The above specification, examples and data provide a complete description of the manufacture and use of the composition of the invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.
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Provided are a method, system, and program for maintaining data in a first cache and second cache, wherein a backup cache maintains a backup copy of data in the first cache, and wherein the first cache is used to cache a first set of data in a storage system and the second cache is used to cache a second set of data in the storage system. An unavailable state of the first cache is detected. In response to detecting the unavailable state, requests to the first set of data are blocked and at least one space in the second cache is allocated for data in the backup cache. Requests to the first set of data are allowed to proceed after the at least one space is allocated in the second cache and before the data in the backup cache is copied to the at least one allocated space in the second cache. The data from the backup cache is copied to the allocated at least one space in the second cache after the requests to the first set of data are allowed to proceed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to position sensing in the Z-axis direction. More particularly, the present invention relates to an optical sensor capable of continuously monitoring the Z-axis position of a tool such as a pick-up tool with or without a component mounted on the tool.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Heretofore, optical micrometers have been employed to measure or gauge dimensions or parts without physically touching the part being measured. Optical sensors have also been employed to sense the size and relative position of a component after being picked up by a pick-up tool from a supply point or feeder station.
Even though the tip of the pick-up tool or the lower extremity of a component mounted on a pick-up tool is determinable by employing prior art optical sensors, the same sensor has not heretofore been employed to sense the Z-axis position of a pick-up tool as it is engaging a substrate or a component at the time of pick-up or at the time of engagement of the component with a substrate when it is being mounted or bonding onto a carrier.
Z-axis position of the top of a component, the Z-axis position of the top surfaces of the workpiece and the reference and/or datum points on a pick and place machine are not presently available without employing test instrument sensing devices.
Heretofore, pick and place machines and die attach machines (die bonders) have been provided with separate systems for sensing touch down of the tool. One type system monitors the electrical characteristics of the Z-servo drive system and/or electrical characteristics of the ultrasonic transducer and determines when a change in electrical characteristics occur that are indicative of a touchdown position. Such systems are often a part of wire bonder monitoring systems. Die bonders and pick and place machines usually employ a dedicated sensor or sensors for determining the Z-position of the bottom of a component and/or the Z-position of the substrate. Such systems may employ a plurality of sensors, none of which are fixed on or carried with the transport structure supporting the pick-up tool.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide in a pick and place machine or a die bonder, and other types of machines using pick-up tools, a simple and accurate optical sensor capable of determining the Z-position of reference surfaces on the machine, and/or the touch down position of the components carried by the pick-up tool.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an optically sensed encoder mounted on a bonding tool holder capable of accurately sensing the Z-axis position of the encoder and the bonding tool at the point of touch down position with or without a component on the tool.
It is a another principal object of the present invention to provide a highly accurate Z-axis positioning system capable of sensing the Z-axis position of every reference point on a pick and place or bonding machine for purposes of factory setup and/or calibration and recalibration in the field.
It is a another principal object of the present invention to provide an improvement or modification to existing prior art component position sensing systems to enable the existing system hardware to perform sensing of a touch down position and/or Z-position of the tool and/or component prior to placement or bonding.
It is a general object of the present invention to provide a Z-axis touch down sensing system capable of speeding up and/or enhancing component placement and/or bonding.
It is a general object of the present invention to measure the amount of squeeze out of epoxy during placement of a component being bonded to a substrate.
According to these and other objects of the present invention there is provided a pick and place and/or similar machine having a tool mounted on a resilient member which is effectively compressed when the tool engages an object. A fixed end of the resilient member is coupled to a Z-axis drive motor having a motor encoder for sensing movement of the Z-axis drive. An additional optical encoder is coupled to the tool which engages the object and is monitored during the movement of the fixed end of the resilient member by the Z-axis drive. When the optical encoder ceases to move in synchronism with the drive motor encoder, the tool has encountered resistance and has started to compress the resilient member indicative that the Z-axis touch down position has occurred. This Z-axis position can then be used for calibrating reference points and/or to enhance placement operations of components or to enhance bonding operations.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a basic prior art optical sensor or micrometer which employs a narrow beam of light and a shadow effect principal mode of operation;
FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of a improved prior art optical sensor which employs a broad beam of light cast on a component whose image is projected by a telecentric lens system onto a precision linear sensor such as a CCD linear array;
FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the telecentric lens component positioning system shown in prior art FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the present invention encoder mounted between a tool holder and a pick-up tool and is shown located in the light or image path provided by the FIG. 1 to 3 type component positioning systems;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view in detailed section of the present invention pick-up tool holder;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged side view in detail of a replaceable pick-up tool tip for mounting on the end of the tool holder shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged schematic side view of a replaceable gang bonding tool tip for mounting on the tool holder shown in FIG. 5 and used for tab bonding; and
FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the functional elements of the present invention system.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Refer now to FIG. 1 showing a prior art optical sensor 10 which employs a shadow effect. There is shown an uncollimated light source 11 which projects a fan of light onto a collimating lens 12 which produces parallel rays or collimated light 13. The light is projected onto a component 14 which blocks the collimated light in the area shown as the shadow S and projects the remaining light rays onto a detector array 15. Shadow systems of this type are well known and have become increasing accurate when used in the environment of an optical micrometer.
Refer now to FIG. 2 showing a schematic plan view of an improved prior art optical sensor 16 which employs a broad beam of light L which is collimated by a lens 17 and projected onto a component 18 for purposes of illumination. In this embodiment the field of collimated light 19 is not as crucial as in the system shown in FIG. 1. The field of light 19 being cast upon the component 18 produces unblocked light which passes through a positive objective lens 21. The positive objective lens focuses through an aperture 22 onto a positive relay lens 23 to produce a projected image 24 which is projected onto a linear array sensing element 25. The advantage of the telecentric system shown in FIG. 2 is that the component 18 is in focus regardless of its position in the field of light 19 and the refocused image 24 is not diverging but remains the same size after passing through the positive relay lens 23. This prior art system is known to be much more accurate than the shadow effect system shown in FIG. 1.
Refer now to FIG. 3 showing a schematic side view of the telecentric lens system shown in FIG. 2. The light source 26 is shown having an optional diffuser 27 which produces the band of light L that passes through the aforementioned collimating lens 17 which casts a field of collimated light on the aforementioned component 18. The field of light 19 floods the component 18 and the leads 28 depending therefrom. The component 18 is shown being held by a pick-up tool 29 on the end of a movable tool holder 31. The positive objective lens 21 is shown receiving reflected light from the object 18 through a 90° prism 32. The positive objective lens 21 focuses the image through the aforementioned aperture 22 and its path is reversed 180° as it passes through the 180° roof prism 33. The image from the aperture 22 is projected onto a positive relay lens 23 which produces a refocused image 24 that is projected onto the linear array sensing element 25. The linear array sensing element 25 is shown mounted on a printed circuit board 34 having a connector cable 35 which connects to a computer controller and the encoders and motors as will be explained hereinafter.
Refer now to FIG. 4 showing a schematic side view of the present invention system 36 which includes an encoder 37 and a pick-up tool 29 shown holding a component 18 for mounting on a substrate. When the component 18 is not present, the pick-up tool or bonding tool 29 can be used as a probe for determining the height of Z-dimension of the surface 38 whether it is part of a machine or a substrate. It will be understood that the light source 26 projects the field of light L through the collimating lens 17 onto the conical encoder 37 to form a back light which produces an image whose width at the center line of the image can be determined by the aforementioned linear array sensing element 25 employing the identical system shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Stated differently, FIG. 4 is a schematic drawing illustrating a modified pick-up tool and holder 31 of the type which may be employed in the position sensing system shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for accurately determining the Z-axis position of the bottom of the component 18 or the tip of the pick-up tool 29.
Refer now to FIG. 5 showing an enlarged side view in detail of the present invention tool holder 31 on which a conical encoder 37 is preferably mounted. Tool holder 31 comprises a fixed end 39 which may be threaded for connection to the Z-drive motor (not shown). A bellows 42 is connected at its upper end to the fixed end 39 and its connected at its upper end to the fixed end 39 and is connected at its lower end to the compliant end 41 of the tool holder 31. Mounted on the upper end of the compliant end 41 is a conical encoder 37 which also covers part of the closed guide slots 45. It is not strategically important that the position of the conical encoder 37 be mounted accurately in the Z-axis because the optical sensor shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 is capable of measuring relative movement in terms of measuring relative movement in terms of width W as seen across the section of the cone to an accuracy of approximately 10 microns and is synchronized to the encoder. It will be understood that the accuracy of the Z-direction can be improved by changing the cone angle. The bellows 42 is preferably mounted under compression by an amount determined by the location of the hole in the stabilizing tube 43 for the guide pin 44. Thus, different types of tools including tab bonding tools, gang bonding tools, Z-probes as well as pick-up tools may be employed on the identical tool holder 31. One of the features of the present invention is that the tool holder 31 may be employed for experimental purposes in establishing tab bonding forces for high speed tab bonding machines. The manner in which replaceable tools are mounted on and stripped off of the compliant end 41 are well known and do not require additional explanation. In the preferred embodiment shown, the fixed end 39 of the tool holder 31 is provided with threads which screw into the Z-shaft or Z-rod of the Z-drive motor or Z-actuator of whatever type machine is used with the tool holder 31.
Refer now to FIG. 6 showing an enlarged side view and detail of a replaceable pick-up tool of the type which is mounted on the tool holder 31 shown in FIG. 5. The upper cylindrical portion of the tool 29 is shown having an inside diameter I.D. which fits over the 0 rings 48 and engages a tapered seat 51 onto the seat 46 shown in FIG. 5. The outside diameter O.D. is small enough to fit under the downward depending flange of the conical encoder 37. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the tip of the compliant end 41 does not bottom out in the pick-up tool 29. When the sensor 36 shown in FIG. 4 is positioned opposite the bottom of the tool 29, it can observe the profile shown by the arrow P. Each of the profiles of each of the tools 29 are unique, thus the sensor 36 is capable of recognizing the tool that has been picked up. The recess below the upper cylindrical portion of the tool 29 permits a stripper fork to be inserted to pull the tool 29 loose automatically. The tool may be picked up from a bin automatically as is well known in the art.
Refer now to FIG. 7 showing an enlarged schematic side view of a replaceable gang bonding tool tip of the type that is used for Tape Automated Bonding (TAB) bonding. The gang bonding tool 52 has an upper cylindrical body with a tapered seat 51 and has a lower body with a profile P which is unique to the particular gang bonding tool. Gang bonding tools have a bonding face 54 and may be manufactured as a single bar, a pair of bars or four bars as shown on the tool 52. Further, it is possible to provide only a single point TAB bonding tool which may be used for either manufacturing or setting up pressures for bonding forces and/or bonding times. For TAB bonding purposes there is shown an ultrasonic vibrator 53 attached to the upper body of the bonding tool 52 and has inductively coupled power or a lead 53A attached to a power source (not shown). Tools of this type may be used for outer lead or inner lead TAB bonding, for gang bonding of beam leads and the tool may be used for flip-chip bonding when adapted to firmly hold the flip-chip. Such flip-chip devices may be provided with balls or extensions which have hemispherical shapes that can be bonded to gold or ultrasonically attached to other conductive medals. In addition, it is possible to force the balls or electrodes on a flip-chip device into a adhesive compliant tape which when compressed under the balls becomes conductive. Such tapes are used for mounting different types of devices to glass. Thus, the tool can be adapted for bonding drivers onto conductive patterns provided on the outer perimeter of active matrix panels.
Refer now to FIG. 8 showing a block diagram of the functional mechanical and electrical elements of the preferred embodiment system. The processor controller 55 is shown electrically connected to the Z-position touch down sensor 56 of the type shown in FIG. 4 and also electrically connected to the Z-drive encoder 58. The processor controller 55 may be the systems controller but preferably is a dedicated processor controller which is capable of also driving the Z-drive motor 57. The Z-drive motor 57 is mechanically coupled to the Z-drive encoder 58 and to a tool holder shaft 61. The tool holder shaft provides the connection for the fixed end 39 of the tool 31 which is connected to the bellows portion 42 which is in turn connected to the compliant end 41. The compliant end 41 is shown in block 63 as being coupled to a tool tip 64 for pick-up, bonding or probing. Mechanically coupled to the tool 31 at the compliant end 41 is the conical encoder 37 as explained hereinbefore with reference to FIG. 5.
In a preferred mode of operation, a component 18 may be picked up from a feeder station and transferred to the sensor shown in FIG. 4. Employing the sensor shown in FIGS. 2-4 the X, Y and Theta position as well as the bottom of the component in the Z-direction may be then determined. A machine, such as a Quad Systems pick and place machine, may then transfer the component to a workpiece or substrate whose mounting positions for the different components have been predetermined. Correction for X, Y and Theta errors that occurred on pick-up are corrected on the fly before tool 29 places (or inserts) the component on a PC board or substrate. Z-position of the bottom most extension of the component may be used as a point to slow down the velocity shortly before the time of touch down. The Z-position of the conical encoder 37 is synchronized with the Z-drive encoder 58, thus, when the Z-position of the encoders 58 and 37 cease to move in step, the point of touch down is recorded by the process controller 55.
The Z-drive 57 may now be overstroked to apply a predetermined force since the bellows 42 is responsive to Hooks law and is linearly programmable into processor 55. In another mode of operation a TAB lead pattern may be positioned over a mounted device on a substrate. A multipoint or single point tool 52 may be mounted on end 41 of tool 31. Z-position of the substrate and the TAB lead finger pattern are known. After detection of touch down of the tool on top of the lead being bonded, a predetermined force and ultrasonic energy may be applied to complete the bond(s). The same mode of operation is applicable when bonding outer leads to a substrate. In this event, it is more difficult to use multipoint and/or gang bonding tools.
When bonding a die to a lead frame, the die may be connected by a utectic bonding layer or by a conductive epoxy. In either event, the knowledge of the Z-position of the die at the point of touch down will increase the speed of bonding and will enable the accurate application of bonding forces as well as monitoring with the squeeze out of epoxy by knowing the Z-position of the bottom of the die.
When bonding flip chip semiconductor devices with hemispherical shaped electrodes, the new tool has flexibility in assuring finish bonds. The tool and/or the substrate may be heated. The Z-position of the device upon touch down and subsequent Z-position and the application of a known bond force are indicative of the plastic state of the balls and are also indicative of the completion of a proper bonding operation.
It will now be apparent that a large number of different tools may be placed on the compliant end of 41 of tool holder 31 to enable detection of a touch down position of the tool as well as the monitoring of the force being applied after touch down.
It is also a feature of the present invention to employ a probe tip 29 on end 41 for use in measuring the Z-position of the Z-drive motor encoder 58 at the point of touch down on any reference plane of the machine on which the tool 31 is employed. Thus, the Z-position of the pick-up station, Z-position of the substrate or substrate carriers may be rapidly checked for purposes of calibration during manufacturing of a bonding or placement machine as well as recalibration in the field after repairs or modification.
The following six examples will explain the varied uses of the present invention tool. Further examples will be obvious using the different steps in the different examples in different combinations.
EXAMPLE I
A. Start vertical dissent of the pick-up tool
B. Read the Z-encoder
C. Move the Z-drive and the read Z-encoder
D. Did Z-encoder 37 equal the Z-drive movement
E. If yes, then continue C and D until F
F. If no, read Z-encoder 58 as the touch down position
G. Calculate the Z-axis position of the structure encountered
EXAMPLE II
A. Read encoder 37 while the chip 10 is in the sensor 26
B. Lower the pick tool
C. Sense the end engagement
D. Raise the tool to effect disengagement
E. Simultaneously read the encoders at the point of disengagement
F. Calculate touch down Z-axis position
EXAMPLE III
A. Record the Z-position of the end of the pick-up tool in space with the sensor 26
B. Pickup a component
C. Record the Z-position of the bottom of the component in space
D. Calculate the thickness of the component
E. Optional-calculate the width and length of the component
F. Determine if the component is usable
G. Place the component
EXAMPLE IV
A. Record the Z position of the end of the pick-up tool in space
B. Record the Z-position of the end of the pick-up tool when touch down on a reference point occurs
C. Calculate the Z-position of other reference points using the pick-up tool at touch down
EXAMPLE V
A. Establish the Z-position end of the pick-up tool in space
B. Record the Z-position of the end of the pick-up tool when touched down on at least two points on a workpiece
C. Record the horizontal distance between the points
D. Calculate the planarity of the workpiece
EXAMPLE VI
A. Establish the Z-position of the end of the pick-up tool in space
B. Establish the Z-position of the placement target on the workpiece
C. Establish the thickness of the component to be place on the workpiece
D. Place the component at reduced speed and/or continue Z-movement to squeeze out epoxy to a predetermined thickness
Having explained several exemplary embodiments and examples, it will be understood that the novel pick-up/bonding tool is capable of determining touch down position on the fly and then applying a predetermined force with or without ultrasonic energy. Thus, the tool has numerous applications with numerous types of machines for placement and bonding.
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A method and apparatus is provided for determining the touch down position of a tool or probe used in bonding and placement machines. The tool holder is coupled to a Z-drive motor and comprises a fixed end coupled to a resilient member. The tool holder has a compliant end connected to the other end of the resilient member. An optical encoder is coupled to the compliant end of the tool holder. Processor means are provided for incrementally driving the Z-drive motor and observing the increments of movement of the compliant end of the tool holder with an optical sensor. When the compliant end of the tool holder no longer moves in step with the encoder of the Z-drive, the tip of the tool or probe has encountered resistance and started compression of the resilient member which connects the fixed end and the compliant end of the tool holder. The Z-axis position of the encoder and the Z-drive motor at the time of resistance is indicative of the touch down position. After touch down, the resilient member may be compressed by further movement of the Z-drive motor to apply a known and predetermined bonding or placement force.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to solenoid operated flow control valves and more particularly to multi-stage, solenoid actuated flow control valves having a pressure relief function.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Multi-stage flow control valves are usually employed in fluid systems operating at high fluid pressures. To operate a simple on/off flow valve in a high pressure environment would require a rather massive operating mechanism. For this reason, valves have been devised which operate in stages so that small operating forces can be used to control high pressure flow. In these types of valves, pressures in a first stage is released by an operating member, and the depletion of pressure in this stage, reduces a biasing force on a second stage primary valve member to effect its opening, thereby allowing fluid flow through the valve between an inlet and an outlet.
The first or pilot stage of the valve is typically operated by a solenoid. The primary valve member or piston, forming the second stage, is urged towards the open position by the fluid pressure at the inlet and urged towards a closed position, that is, a position interrupting flow between the inlet and the outlet, by a piston closure spring. Generally, a poppet in the pilot stage controls the application of biasing fluid pressure to the primary piston. When the poppet is seated, fluid pressure is applied to an effective pressure area on the piston and produces a force which balances the force applied to the inlet side of the piston by the incoming fluid pressure and thus, the closure spring will move and maintain the piston in its closed position. When the poppet opens, the balancing fluid pressure is released into the outlet, enabling the inlet fluid pressure to overcome the spring force, causing the piston to move to its open position and allow communication between the inlet and outlet of the valve.
Generally, an armature is disposed within the valve body adjacent the poppet, so that solenoid-induced movement in the armature causes attendant movement in the poppet towards and away from its associated seat. In a normally open type valve, the energization of the solenoid seats the poppet to effect closure of the primary piston and interrupt flow between the inlet and the outlet. De-energizing the solenoid allows the poppet to unseat and exhaust the biasing pressure holding the primary piston in its closed position thereby allowing fluid flow between the inlet and the outlet.
More sophisticated versions of multi-stage flow control valves include a pressure relief function which often takes the form of a spring biased poppet. In this type of valve, a solenoid operated armature effects movement in a spring biased poppet, towards and away from its associated seat. In the normally open configuration of this type of valve, the spring biased poppet, which although driven to its closed position by the solenoid, can be opened by a predetermined pressure at the inlet of the valve.
This type of valve is very useful in high pressure hydraulic systems where it can serve two purposes. First, it can be used to dump hydraulic pressure by appropriate actuation of the solenoid. Secondly, it can operate as a regulating valve and maintain a relatively constant system pressure determined by the biasing force on the poppet.
Typically, a normally open pressure relief valve, includes an armature disposed within the valve body adjacent a poppet biasing spring. Energizing the solenoid causes attendant movement in the armature which drives or compresses the biasing spring against the poppet, causing it to engage its valve seat. When the fluid pressure on the poppet exceeds the forces applied to it by the armature and biasing spring, the poppet is forced open and fluid pressure is exhausted through the valve seat. As long as the solenoid remains energized, the poppet will re-engage its valve seat once the excessive fluid pressure has been exhausted.
Certain problems and shortcomings have been recognized in prior art solenoid operated pressure relief valves. Many prior art valves employ a poppet return spring between the poppet and its associated seat which urges the poppet away from the seat to provide a positive opening force. This spring force is normally much less than the poppet biasing force applied to the poppet whenever the solenoid is energized. Nevertheless, the actual poppet biasing closure force is then reduced by the oppositely acting poppet return spring. These competing spring forces often made precise valve adjustments impossible. Secondly, because the armature compresses the poppet biasing spring to effect poppet closure, the pressure relief setting is partially affected by the extent of armature movement. Thirdly, in many of the prior art valves, partial valve disassembly was necessary to adjust the poppet biasing spring.
The problems present in the prior suggested valves were recognized and an attempt was made to construct a valve free of the identified shortcomings. The valve included a poppet valve assembly comprising a sleeve slidably supported within the valve body, which carried: a poppet, a poppet biasing spring and a biasing spring adjustment nut. Unlike the prior suggested valves, the armature effected movement in the poppet valve assembly and did not act directly against the poppet biasing spring. This configuration allowed precise control of the biasing force on the poppet and made its operation substantially independent of the poppet return spring and the extent of armature movement. In this valve, the armature moved the entire poppet assembly to effect poppet closure. This arrangement isolated the poppet biasing spring so that it was not affected by the forces of either the armature or the poppet assembly return spring.
This valve also included an external adjusting stem which was coupled to the biasing spring adjusting nut so that adjustments could be made to the poppet biasing spring without requiring valve disassembly.
Although this valve was partially successful in solving the problems of the prior art valves certain problems still remained. It was found, that frequently the movement in the poppet carrier was inhibited by the external adjustment coupling resulting in valve instability or inoperativeness. It was also found, that unauthorized access to the interior of the valve could be easily accomplished and it was desirable to have a more tamperproof valve. Finally, a provision for manually actuating the valve in the absence of electrical power was deemed desirable to facilitate checking and installation of the valve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved normally open solenoid actuated flow control valve having a pressure relief function. The pressure relief setting is externally adjustable and does not necessitate valve disassembly. The valve also includes a provision for manually actuating the valve even in the absence of electrical power.
In a preferred embodiment, the valve is a two stage valve and includes a valve body defining an inlet and an outlet and a primary piston slidably supported within the body for controlling the communication between the inlet and outlet. The primary piston, which is part of the second stage, is urged towards an open position (the position communicating the inlet with the outlet) by the inlet fluid pressure impinging on the inlet side of the piston. Preferably, a piston closure spring in cooperation with biasing fluid pressure urges and maintains the piston in a closed position. The biasing fluid pressure is preferably inlet pressure applied to an opposed effective pressure area on the piston which generates a force that opposes and balances the force exerted on the inlet side of the piston by the fluid pressure at the inlet. A poppet valve assembly within the valve body, forms a part of the first or pilot stage of the valve and controls the application of the inlet fluid pressure to the opposed effective pressure area on the primary piston. When the fluid developed forces on the piston are balanced, the piston closure spring becomes effective to move and maintain the piston in its closed position, interrupting flow between the inlet and the outlet.
The poppet valve assembly includes a sleeve supporting a poppet valve on one end and threadedly receiving an adjustment screw near its other end. A range spring is captured between the poppet and the adjustment screw, and applies a force to the poppet valve which is a function of the axial position of the adjustment screw in the sleeve.
The poppet valve assembly is slidably disposed within the valve body and is axially movable to effect poppet movement towards and away from an associated poppet seat. When the poppet is seated, inlet fluid pressure is directed to an effective pressure area on the piston to balance the force exerted by the incoming fluid pressure on the inlet side of the piston. When the poppet assembly moves and unseats the poppet, the biasing fluid pressure acting on the primary piston is discharged into the outlet thereby enabling the fluid pressure on the inlet side of the piston to overcome the piston closure spring force and cause the primary piston to open and establish communication between the inlet and the outlet.
In accordance with a feature of the invention, the adjusting screw threadedly received by the poppet assembly includes an axially extending shaft having a perpendicularly disposed pin on one end. An adjusting stem extends through and is rotatably held at one end of the valve body and includes a slot for engaging the perpendicularly disposed pin. The engagement between the slot and pin prevents relative rotation between the two elements while allowing relative axial displacement between the shaft and the adjusting stem. Rotation of the stem then effects rotation in the adjustment screw causing axial displacement of the adjustment screw within the sleeve.
An armature of the solenoid is disposed immediately adjacent the poppet valve assembly. A solenoid coil of conventional construction surrounds a portion of the valve body and is located concentric with the armature. Energizing the solenoid causes movement in the armature and in the poppet valve assembly towards the valve seat. When the poppet is seated, inlet pressure is applied and maintained on the effective pressure area of the piston, thus balancing the piston opening force applied by the fluid at the inlet. The piston is moved to and maintained in its closed position by the closure spring. De-energizing the solenoid allows the poppet valve assembly to move away from the valve seat and exhaust the balancing inlet pressure acting on the primary piston, allowing the piston to open.
The present construction provides an adjustable solenoid operated pressure relief valve in which biasing forces on the poppet are isolated from the armature and poppet return springs. More importantly, the poppet closure force is adjustable from outside the valve by an arrangement which does not effect or degrade valve operability.
According to another feature of the invention, the adjusting stem which extends through the end of the valve body can be displaced axially by the application of force to its exposed end. It is located within the body immediately adjacent the solenoid armature so that axial movement in the stem causes abutting engagement with the armature and moves it in a direction towards the poppet valve assembly. Axial movement of the stem will then effect movement in the poppet carrier and effect closure of the poppet.
This feature allows the solenoid valve to be actuated or tested even in the absence of electrical power. Because the movement in the stem acts against the armature, which in turn moves the entire poppet assembly into engagement with the poppet seat, the application of force to the stem does not affect the pressure relief setting. Thus, a complete valve checkout can be accomplished without requiring that the valve be connected to a power source.
Further features and a fuller understanding of the present invention will be obtained by reading the following detailed description made in connection with the appended drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a two-stage, normally open, solenoid control valve constructed in accordance with the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the adjustment stem for the control valve as seen from the plane indicated by the line 2--2 of FIG. 1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates the overall construction of a solenoid actuated control valve constructed in accordance with the present invention. The control valve comprises a valve body 10, a solenoid coil assembly 12 and a primary piston assembly 14.
The valve body 10 is preferably made up of three interfitting sections as indicated in FIG. 1 by the reference characters 16, 17 and 18. The three sections 16, 17, and 18 are sized to provide an interference fit at junctures 19 and 20 and are furnace brazed to maintain assembly. The body section 17 is preferably constructed of a nonmagnetic material such as stainless steel, whereas, sections 16 and 18 are preferably constructed of carbon steel so that spaced magnetic poles are established when the solenoid 12 is energized.
When assembled, the three sections 16, 17 and 18 define an elongate tubular portion of the valve body about which the solenoid assembly 12 is coaxially mounted. The section 16 includes external threads 21 for receiving a locknut 22 which fixes the solenoid assembly 12 between itself and a radial, stepped face 24 of the valve body section 18. The tubular portion further defines a multi-step through bore 23.
The valve body section 18 includes a multi-stepped end bore 26, an externally threaded portion 28 and an annular groove 30 for carrying a sealing O-ring 32. A plurality of skewed radial passages 34 that open into a small diameter portion of the bore 26, are circumferentially spaced immediately adjacent the threaded portion 28 of the valve body section 18.
The body section 18 mounts the second stage of primary piston assembly 14 which is of conventional construction. The assembly 14 includes a sleeve 36 telescoped within the bore 26 of the section 18. A radial end wall of the sleeve 36 abuts a shoulder formed in the bore 26, as indicated by the reference character 38, to positively locate the assembly 14 within the section 18. A wire ring 40 carried by an internal groove 42 concurrently engages a step 44 of the sleeve 36 and thus locks the assembly 14 within the bore 26.
The sleeve 36 includes spaced radial passages or ports 46 and a through-bore 47. The right end of the bore 47 as viewed in FIG. 1 forms an inlet 47a to the control valve. Sealing O-rings 48, 50 are carried by respective annular grooves 52, 54. The bore 47 of the sleeve 36 slidable supports an internal piston 56 which blocks fluid flow between the inlet 47a and the radial passages 46 when the piston is in its rightmost position, illustrated in FIG. 1. The piston includes a radially extending shoulder 58 engageable with an internal shoulder 60 on the sleeve and establishes the rightmost position of the piston 56 within the sleeve 36. A spring 62 biases the piston 56 towards its rightmost position as viewed in FIG. 1.
The piston 56 includes a plurality of fluid pressure balancing grooves 63, spaced axially along the external surface of the piston 56. A relatively small diameter orifice 64 communicates fluid pressure from the inlet 47a to the spring biased side of the piston 56.
In use, the control valve shown in FIG. 1 is intended to be mounted within a housing 70 by means of the externally threaded portion 28. When mounted within the housing, the O-ring 32 sealingly engages an internal cylindrical surface of the housing 70 (not shown) and the end opening 47a of the bore 47 defines the inlet to the valve. The radial passages 46 in the sleeve 36 and the offset radial passages 34 in the body section 18 of the valve communicate with a common passage 72 and form an outlet 72a. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that the leftward movement of the piston 56 will uncover the radial passages 46 and thus the inlet 47a will be communicated with the outlet 72a.
The position of the piston 56 within the sleeve 36 is a function of the pressure differential across the orifice 64. As seen in FIG. 1, inlet fluid pressure applied to the piston surfaces 56a on the right side of the piston 56, will urge the piston 56 towards the left. Conversely, fluid pressure communicated to the spring side of the piston by the orifice 64 will act on the piston surfaces 56b and urge the piston 56 towards the right. The closure spring 62 also urges the piston 56 to the right. As long as substantially equal pressures are applied to the opposed effective pressure areas defined by the surfaces 56a, 56b, the piston will remain in the flow interrupting position illustrated in FIG. 1. If the fluid pressure applied to the surface 56b is depleted or diminished, the fluid pressure at the inlet 47a will overcome the spring force of the spring 62 and will cause the piston 56 to move to the left and expose the radial ports 46.
The movement in the piston assembly 56 is controlled by the position of a poppet assembly 80 in the first or pilot stage of the valve. The assembly 80 includes a poppet valve 81 engageable with an associated poppet seat 82. The seat 82 is carried by an insert 84 threaded into the body section 18. The insert 84 abuts a radial face of an elongate tubular insert 100, indicated by the reference character 86 and carries an O-ring 88 that sealingly engages the internal wall of the stepped bore 26. The insert 84 includes a plurality of skewed axial passages 90 and a necked portion which defines a chamber 92 that communicates the passages 90 with the skewed radial passages 34.
An orifice plate 93 having an orifice 93a is positioned immediately adjacent the insert 84 and restricts the rate of fluid flow into a hex-shaped bore 94, formed on one end of the insert. The piston biasing spring 62 maintains the orifice plate 93 in its illustrated position. A relatively small diameter end bore 96 is located at the opposite end of the insert 84, its end opening defining the poppet seat 82. The bores 94, 96 are communicated with each other by an intermediate cylindrical bore 98 that tapers into the small diameter bore 96. Fluid exhausted through the end bore 96, when the poppet 81 is unseated, is communicated to the outlet 72a by the serial passages 90, 92, 34, and 72.
The poppet assembly 80 is slidably and also preferably rotatably supported within the elongate tubular insert 100 which is loosely fitted into the internal bore 23 defined by the body sections 16, 17 and 18. The poppet seat insert 84 clamps a shoulder formed in the insert 100 against an internal shoulder formed in the body section 18, as indicated by the reference character 104, thereby locking the position of the insert 100. The insert 100 includes a stepped bore 102 that communicates with the passages 90.
The bore 102 of the insert 100 allows the poppet assembly 80 to freely move towards and away from the poppet seat 82. The poppet assembly 80 comprises a sleeve 110, a poppet sub-assembly 112 that mounts the poppet valve 81, a threaded adjustment screw 114, and a range spring 116 captured between the poppet sub-assembly 112 and the adjustment screw 114. The sleeve 110 includes an internal bore 118 having a threaded portion for threadedly receiving the adjustment screw 114 and includes an internal shoulder 119 against which a radial extending flange 120 of the poppet subassembly 112 abuts to establish the right most position of the poppet valve 81 as viewed in FIG. 1. A plurality of radially directed ports 122 exhausts fluid pressure from behind the poppet sub-assembly 112 into an enlarged diameter portion of the insert bore 102 that communicates with the passages 90. The adjustment screw 114 includes a fluid venting passage having an axial portion 123a communicating with the interior of the poppet assembly sleeve 110, and a radial portion 123b communicating with the bore 23. A return spring 124 biases the poppet assembly 80 away from the poppet seat 82.
An armature 130 is slidably supported within the valve bore 23 immediately adjacent the insert 100 and hence the poppet assembly 80. Energization of the solenoid assembly 12 induces movement in the armature 130 which in turn engages the end of the sleeve 110 and moves the poppet assembly 80 to the right until a radial face 132 of the sleeve 110 abuts the seat insert 84. This movement in the poppet assembly causes the poppet 81 to engage the poppet seat 82 preventing fluid flow out of the bore 96. The sleeve 110 in cooperation with the insert 84 serves as a stop to limit the rightward movement of the armature 130, as viewed in FIG. 1. The positive armature abutment formed by the sleeve 110 when abutting the insert 84, provides a fixed air gap and thus defines the limits of travel of the armature, independent of adjustments to the range spring 116.
In accordance with the invention, the biasing force on the poppet sub-assembly (112) exerted by the spring 116 is adjustable from outside the control valve. The adjusting screw 114 includes an axially extending shaft 114a engageable with an adjusting stem 142. The adjustment stem 142 is mounted for rotation in the valve body 10, in axial alignment with the armature 130 and the poppet assembly 80, the armature 130 being intermediate the stem 142 and the poppet assembly 80. Referring to both FIGS. 1 and 2, the adjusting stem 142 is held within the control valve bore 23 by an internal shoulder 144 against which an external shoulder of the adjusting stem 142 abuts. The adjusting stem 142 carries an O-ring 148 that sealing engages the bore 23 to prevent fluid leakage out of the valve body. A threaded portion 152 of the adjusting stem extends outside the valve and threadedly receives a locknut 154 which when tightened, prevents relative movement between the adjusting stem 142 and the valve bore 23, in both the axial and radial directions. The threaded portion 152 preferably includes a hex-shaped bore 155 for receiving an adjusting implement.
The stem 142 includes a blind bore 156 and a diametral slot 158 for engaging a pin 160 extending diametrically from the shaft 114a. The engagement between the slot 158 and the pin 160 allows the shaft 114a to move axially with respect to the stem 142 but prevents relative rotation between the two elements. Thus it can be seen that rotation of the adjustment stem 142 effects rotation and attendant axial displacement of the adjusting screw 114 within the sleeve 110. After an adjustment has been made, the locknut 154 is tightened to prevent rotation of the adjusting stem 142. It should be noted that rotation of the stem 142 does not cause axial movement in the stem itself, but only in the adjusting screw 114.
In the preferred embodiment, the poppet assembly 80 is rotatably supported by the insert 100. To make a range spring adjustment, the control valve must be activated so that the poppet sleeve 110 is clamped between the armature 130 and the seat insert 84. The resulting frictional engagement between these components resists the rotation of the sleeve 110 within the insert 100. In order to further inhibit rotation during a range spring adjustment, the sleeve 110 is preferably constructed of a magnetically permeable material so that the energization of the solenoid will magnetically lock the poppet assembly 80 to the insert 100. Thus, in the preferred embodiment, the solenoid coil 12 must be energized to adjust the spring force on the poppet. Although this construction is preferred, a non-rotational engagement, i.e. splines, keyway, or the like, between the poppet assembly 80 and the insert 100 is also contemplated in this invention.
A radial end wall 162 of the stem 142 acts as a stop for the armature 130 and establishes the deenergized position of the armature when the stem 142 is fixed by the locknut 154. With the locknut 154 removed, the adjusting stem 142 is axially displaceable in the internal bore 23. This construction provides an outstanding feature of the invention, for it allows the control valve to be mechanically acuated even though the solenoid is not energized. As seen in FIG. 1, displacing the adjusting stem 142 to the right will cause movement in the armature 130 which in turn will displace the poppet assembly 80 to the right, causing the poppet 81 to contact its associated seat 82, preventing fluid flow out of the bore 96. This construction then, allows the control valve to be activated either remotely by energization of the solenoid 12 to cause rightward movement in the armature 130, or manually by directly applying an axial force to the adjusting stem 142 to cause movement in the armature 130.
The operation of the control valve is as follows: Pressurized fluid entering the inlet 47a impinges on the piston surface 56a and urges the piston 56 towards the left, as viewed in FIG. 1. The orifice 64 in the piston 56 communicates the pressure at the inlet to the spring side of the piston. With the control valve deenergized, the poppet assembly 80 assumes the position shown in FIG. 1 and thus any pressurized fluid communicated to the spring side of the piston 56 will flow through the orifice 93a into the bores 94, 96, 98 and eventually be exhausted into the outlet 72a by way of the passages 90, 92 and 34. The depletion of pressurized fluid on the spring side of the piston 56 will cause a fluid pressure imbalance across the orifice 64. The inlet fluid pressure will then overcome the spring force of the spring 62 and move the piston 56 towards the left, exposing the ports 46.
When the coil assembly 12 is energized or alternately, when the stem 142 is manually displaced to the right (as seen in FIG. 1), the armature 130 will drive the poppet assembly 80 towards the right and cause the poppet 81 to contact its associated seat 82 and prevent fluid flow out of the bore 96. The inlet fluid pressure communicated to the spring side of the piston by the orifice 64 will apply a piston closure force to the surfaces 56b which in combination with the spring force applied by the spring 62 will move the piston 56 to the right and interrupt fluid flow between the inlet 47a and the radial passages 46.
The fluid pressure forces applied to the spring side of the piston are communicated to the poppet 81 by the orifice 93a and the bores 94, 96 and 98. As discussed earlier, when the control valve is energized, the poppet assembly 80 is driven to its right most position by the armature 130 causing the poppet 81 to engage the poppet seat 82. The engagement between the poppet 81 and the seat 82 is maintained by the range spring 116, the spring force being adjustable by the adjustment screw 114. As long as the fluid forces transmitted through the orifice 93a to the poppet 81, do not exceed the poppet closure force exerted by the spring 116, the poppet will remain seated. If the inlet fluid pressure however, exceeds a predetermined value (determined by the setting of the range spring 116), the poppet 81 will unseat and fluid will be discharged from the end bore 96 into the outlet 72a (by way of the passages 90, 92 and 34). If the fluid discharged through the bore 96 is sufficient to reduce the inlet pressure below the predetermined value, the poppet 81 will reclose and seal off communication between the spring side of the piston and the outlet 72a. Should the inlet pressure again exceed the predetermined value, the poppet 81 will again reopen and discharge fluid from the spring side of the piston. As long as the fluid discharged through the end bore 96 reduces the inlet fluid pressure below the pre-determined level, the primary piston 56 will remain in its right most position. In effect, the poppet 81 will modulate the fluid flow through the seat 82 to maintain system pressure below the pre-set limit. The maximum flow rate that can be sustained before the primary piston will open is primarily determined by the size of the orifices 93a and 64.
If the pre-set pressure level is greatly exceeded, the fluid discharged through the end bore 96 will be insufficient to reduce the inlet fluid pressure and thus a substantial pressure differential will be established across the orifice 64 and result in primary piston movement towards the left. The excessive inlet fluid pressure will then be dumped directly into the valve outlet 72a through the radial passages 46. Once the inlet fluid pressure has been reduced below the pre-determined level, the poppet 81 will reengage its seat 82 thereby allowing fluid pressure on the spring side of the piston to develop a balancing force on the surfaces 56b, enabling the spring 62 to effect piston movement to the right to interrupt fluid flow between the inlet 47a and the radial passages 46.
Although the invention has been described to a certain degree of particularity, it should be understood by those skilled in the art and various changes and modifications can be made to it without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as described and herein after claimed.
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A normally open, two stage solenoid actuated flow control valve having a pressure relief function, in which a poppet assembly comprising a spring biased poppet, a range spring and a spring adjusting screw, controls the communication of balancing fluid pressure to a primary valve member. The adjustment screw includes an axial extending shaft engageable with an externally extending adjustment stem; rotation of the stem effects concurrent rotation and axial displacement of the adjusting screw within the poppet sleeve. An armature is disposed in axial alignment with and intermediate the stem and the poppet assemby so that the poppet assembly can be driven to engagement with its associated seat by the actuation of the solenoid or by the direct axial displacement of the adjustment stem.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a system of sewage treatment and transport in which the sewage undergoes initial treatment at or near its point of generation to condition it for transport through a collection system to a central treatment plant where, after the completion of treatment, the innocuous liquid remaining is discharged into a stream, lagoon, or other body of water, or may be utilized for irrigation or such other purposes where the use of recycled water is permitted.
The term "sewage" as used herein is defined as the liquid waste containing both dissolved and suspended solids resulting from the discharge of toilets, baths, sinks, laundry tubs, and other fixtures in residential building or commercial establishments. Although the quantities of dissolved and suspended solids are relatively small, they contain substantial amounts of organic material which are putrescible and which may give off foul and corrosive gases if not treated promptly. For this reason, sanitary sewerage systems have customarily been designed to provide a gravity flow of the sewage from the point of entering the system to its final discharge.
Such systems are normally designed to provide velocities of at least 2 feet per second to ensure the prompt arrival of the sewage at the treatment plant or disposal site. Large amounts of water are also required to carry the solids at the velocity through the gravity system.
In hilly terrain sufficient natural differences in elevation normally exist to effectively permit the gravity flow of sewage. However, where sufficient natural differences in elevation do not exist, sewage is collected in sumps or wet wells at pump stations at one or more low points in the system, from which it must be pumped through force mains toward the treatment plant or outfall point.
Gravity sewers are constructed of relatively large diameter pipes so as to accommodate peak flows and so as to avoid being obstructed by the passage of solids contained in the sewage which are frequently stranded in the pipe system during periods of low flow, and are subsequently recaptured during later periods of high flow.
Where sewers are constructed to serve a sparsely settled area or one where there is little natural slope to permit adequate gravity flow, sewage remains for long periods in the collection system with the result that it becomes septic and solids accumulate to cause stoppages within the system. Under such conditions the operation of the system becomes difficult and expensive as foul and corrosive gases cause severe corrosion within the collection system and odor nuisances at and in the vicinity of pumping stations or treatment plants, and severe objections by residents in the neighborhood, which with the forthcoming programs for water and energy conservation will become more severe.
An inherent fault with the gravity collection of sewage is the leakage of water from outside of the sewer pipe into the system through the numerous joints between the individual pipes and fittings. Such infiltration will vary with the type of sewer construction and the relative location of the sewer to the groundwater table. In extreme cases infiltration can severely restrict the capacity of the sewer for receiving sewage. Although moderate quantities of infiltration will improve the flow in an underutilized sewerage system, capacity for its treatment must be provided at the treatment plant with the corresponding increase in the cost of system operation. Cost of treatment of groundwater infiltration often reaches fifty percent of the entire plant operation.
The requirement that a gravity sewer system maintain a continually downward gradient throughout its length can result in high system costs as deeper trenches and hard and expensive excavation is encountered in the lower reaches of a system. This may become even more critical with water saving devices at the home.
The typical gravity sewer must be constructed initially providing for its ultimate capacity so that a heavy financial burden is placed on a growing community in the early years of its existence, when funds for the payment of capital expenses are difficult to obtain and often limit the ability of a community to provide such a needed service. Furthermore, the construction of the ultimate required capacity results in the underutilization of the system and causes an undue financial burden on everyone involved. This is especially true now that government grants for sewer construction are being limited to present needs and are based on a coast effective analysis.
Although the sewage treatment plant makes up a substantial part of the overall cost of providing a complete sewerage system, it has generally been possible to construct it in stages paralleling the growth of the area served by the system so as not to be an undue financial burden.
Current trends toward seeking a cleaner environment have resulted in the need for more extensive and sophisticated methods of waste water treatment.
Methods developed to meet these requirements are progressively more expensive to construct and operate, require greater technology and are more labor intensive, with the result that the cost of sewage treatment assumes a far greater financial burden on the system users as the demands for improved treatment continue.
The increase in cost to provide advanced wastewater treatment and the need to provide for large diameter pipes in the conventional collection system quickly place the cost of providing proper sewerage facilities beyond the economic means of small and growing communities.
Since public health considerations require that all citizens be provided with a safe water supply free from enteric organisms, the extension of sewerage systems to serve all dwellings in small and growing communities becomes imperative and means to accomplish it must be provided.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a sanitary sewerage system for serving a small or growing community which can be constructed and operated at a minimum cost and at the same time produce a highly purified effluent meeting the highest standards that can be safely discharged into a receiving body without danger to health or to the environment.
Another object of this invention is to provide as a part of the sewerage system a treatment plant that does not require a high degree of technology for its proper operation while permitting a minimum amount of attendance for its operation and maintenance and at a minimum energy cost compared to that provided by a gravity collection and treatment system.
Since one of the prime concerns in a sewerage system serving a limited number of dwellings is the lack of flow to prevent solids in the sewage from causing stoppages within the system, a further object of the present invention is the preconditioning of the sewage by the removal of inorganic solids normally contained in it and by the stabilization of the organic matter remaining into a soluble form prior to its entering the collection system.
A still further object of this invention is to conduct the previously conditioned sewage from its point of entry into the system through a completely closed system to the point of final treatment without manholes, open wet wells, or other structures along the route which can disseminate odors into the surrounding areas.
To accomplish the several aforementioned objectives, a technique has been developed in accordance with the invention of dividing the sewage treatment system into two separate and distinct parts and interspersing the collection system between them. The first part of the disposal system -- the anoxic or nonoxidizing stage, comprises a dual compartment covered tank(s) usually buried at a convenient location to receive sewage by gravity from one or more residences or commercial buildings in the vicinity. The receiving compartment of the tank is proportioned to provide a retention period of about 72 hours for the sewage entering it to allow time for settleable matter (principally inorganic) in the sewage to separate from the remaining liquid and be retained in this compartment. Anoxic conditions are maintained here to promote the growth of anaerobic bacteria which act upon the organic matter contained in the settleable solids converting it largely to odorless gases or to a soluble condition. These gases are either vented back through the incoming sewer or are dissolved in the remaining liquid to be discharged with it. The small amount of residue remaining is largely inorganic and can remain in the tank for long periods without interfering with its operation.
The second compartment of the tank is separated from the first by a dividing wall which is provided with a series of ports near the bottom to admit liquid from the first compartment. This compartment is filled practically to its top with a coarse filter media or fixed filter media of a type selected to provide a large surface area to which the anaerobic organisms can adhere and come into intimate contact with the liquid discharged from the first compartment as it flows upwardly and toward the outlet of the tank. The prolonged and intimate contact provided in this compartment for the liquid discharged from the first compartment permits a long solid retention time within it and a long residence time for the anaerobic organisms to remove a considerable portion of the dissolved organic matter from the liquid, thus stabilizing the liquid discharged from the tank so that it can be transported or stored with little concern for the time required.
The treated discharge from the aforementioned tank is collected in a covered sump into which it flows by gravity from the anoxic treatment unit(s). When the liquid level reaches a predetermined height in the sump, it is admitted into a vacuum collection system through a control and flow valve system as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,736, to John W. Greenleaf, Jr., dated Dec. 21, 1976. The stabilized and partially treated sewage moves successively through the collection system as additional slugs of liquid and air are admitted through the control valve. Neither the time required in the collection system for the liquid to reach the vacuum receiving unit, nor the velocity within the pipe system is of importance to its successful operation since settleable solids have been previously removed and the liquid has been stabilized prior to entering the system.
The collection system is a vacuum tight system constructed of relatively small diameter plastic pipe laid in a shallow trench with only sufficient regard to grade to avoid conditions where the vacuum in the system is insufficient to cause flow. The pipe system can be proportioned to serve a single or multiple anoxic treatment unit for delivering the stabilized liquid to the vacuum receiving unit which in turn can be proportioned to receive the flow from a single or multiple pipe collection system. The details of each system will vary with the number, size, and location of the units to be served and the extent, topography, and climatic conditions of the site.
Vacuum within the receiving unit is maintained by a motor operated vacuum pump which is controlled by a vacuum switch adjustable to maintain the vacuum within a predetermined level. The collection system connects to the vacuum receiving unit at a point above the maximum liquid level to allow air and liquid in the collection system to separate easily upon entering the tank. Liquid thus separated is removed from the tank through a connection at the bottom by a motor driven pump which is controlled by float switches located within the tank so as to maintain the liquid level in the tank within prescribed levels. The pump discharges through a force main to the oxidation stage of treatment in the second part of the plant.
The pump discharge to the second stage of treatment will be in intermittent slugs, the frequency and number of which will depend directly on sewage flow into the system without the equalizing effects afforded in a conventional system through the use of oversize pipes, gravity flow, wet wells, etc. Also, this discharge has been anaerobically stabilized and must be neutralized by mixing with an oxygen rich liquid so as to prevent the formation and dissemination of foul odors from open tanks in the plant which could otherwise cause complaints from neighbors.
To provide neutralization of the anaerobically stabilized pump discharge, oxygen charged liquid and activated sludge is pumped from the filter influent chamber at a constant rate and mixed with the pump discharge in the inlet to a neutralization unit which is baffled and contains a fixed filter media to ensure mixing of the liquids and to provide sufficient solids retention time to complete the reaction between them. The recirculation rate is set to assure the neutralization of the anaerobically stabilized pump discharge.
To provide for the equalization of flow, an equalization unit is provided. To accomplish the equalization of flow, this unit discharges through a constant head orifice-controlled device which prevents the discharge into the oxidation unit at above a predetermined maximum rate thus providing for excess flows to be stored in the equalization tank unit until needed to make up any deficiency in the incoming flow required to meet the predetermined discharge. Air or gas is bubbled through a manifold in the bottom of the tank at a sufficient rate to ensure mixing and to prevent the settlement of the activated slude floc in the unit. The recirculation rate assures a minimum flow through the oxidation unit when there is no flow from the collection system.
Taking the recirculation from the filter inlet chamber under the filters automatically returns any activated sludge that may have escaped the oxidation and activated sludge tank for further treatment, while at the same time preventing the build-up of solids in the filter inlet chamber. The return of these solids so that they may again pass through the oxidation chamber assures that all the organic matter will be converted to carbon dioxide with little or no residue remaining in the system which would require removal.
Following the neutralization and equalization units, the mixed flow enters the oxidation unit at a relatively uniform rate. Compressed air is supplied to the tank through a perforated or porous manifold generally located in the bottom of the tank so as to induce mixing and circulation of the tank contents. Aerobic organisms of the activated sludge type are maintained in the oxidation unit which in the presence of air consume the organic matter remaining in the sewage by converting it to carbon dioxide a soluble gas which is discharged with the liquid from the plant. The rate of aeration, the retention time, and recirculation rate may each be varied to obtain the optimum treatment within the unit. The oxidation unit is designed for continuous operation with a constant flow device regulating the inflow rate and a weir provided so that the discharge along the entire side of the tank can equal the rate of inflow. Because of the constant agitation within the oxidation unit, activated sludge particles will be discharged with the liquid from the oxidation unit which must be recaptured and returned to the process for further treatment and oxidation.
To recapture these particles and any suspended solids that may remain, an upflow filter unit has been provided. This unit comprises two filter units constructed within a single tank and separated by a division wall that reaches to a height just above the level of the filter media above which the tank becomes a single compartment extending above both filters to its discharge level. This upper compartment is proportioned so as to provide the time needed to effect sterilization of the plant effluent with a hypochlorite solution of a type commonly used for this purpose. The hypochlorite solution is fed at a constant rate to the compartment from a storage tank and through a constant head device. With the constant flow from the oxidation tank to and through the filter a predetermined and constant rate of chlorination will result. The discharge from this compartment will meet the highest standards of the art for the treatment of domestic sewage even considering the requirements for tertiary treatment.
Flow from the oxidation unit enters either or both compartments under the filter units and flows upwardly through them before entering the common compartment above-described. Each filter unit is constructed of progressively finer material from bottom to top, beginning with a material that can be supported on a grate and progressing in succeeding layers to a fine classification of filter media. This type of filter permits the capturing of solids throughout a greater part of its depth with the result that as solids are captured the capacity of the filter to pass liquid is progressively reduced and the rate of flow through the unit is reduced to where the filter no longer can carry the required flow. When a predetermined minimum flow has been reached, the filter unit is taken out of service by closing the inlet valve and opening a drain valve on the underside of the filter. This causes the direction of flow within the filter to reverse and chlorinated effluent is drawn down through the filter to flush out any accumulation of solids in the body of the filter. Flushing may be continued as long as necessary using the other filter as the source of supply of flushing water. Compressed air can also be introduced into the compartment under the filter at an appropriate time to cause an additional scrubbing action to aid in loosening solids accumulations within the filter.
Following the flushing, the filter can be returned to service until conditions require that the process be repeated. Ordinarily, a schedule is developed for filter backwashing which becomes a normal part of the operation and maintenance schedule.
A single or possibly dual compressor unit provides all the air required for plant operation, and a single or possibly dual pump unit provides the recirculation needed for plant operation. Thus, it will be seen that this invention provides the highest possible degree of treatment of domestic sewage while utilizing the simplest of mechanical equipment and technology.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic assembly view of the various elements of the present system arranged to show their sequence of operation and relation to each other;
FIG. 2 is a sectional perspective view of a typical anoxic treatment unit of the FIG. 1 system, with the cover removed from the first compartment for showing the relative operating level maintained within it;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view, in part section, of a neutralization, equalization and oxidation unit of the FIG. 1 system, and the relationship between them; and
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a dual upflow filter unit, made part of the assembly of FIG. 1, with a portion of the exterior wall cut away to show the interior construction of the unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Turning now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a plurality of anoxic tanks, generally designated 10, are shown in FIG. 1 and are each of the same general construction as shown in FIG. 2. Each tank is so disposed as to receive sewage by gravity from one or more residential or commercial sources through an inlet 11 provided on each tank. As sewage enters the tank inlet, a similar quantity of anoxically treated liquid is discharged from the tank from which it flows by gravity through a piped connection 12 and enters a sump, generally designated 13 in FIG. 1, associated with each tank. Each sump comprises a watertight receptacle with a closed cover into which depends a small diameter pipe with a drop leg extending nearly to the bottom. An inverted bell is attached to the drop leg at a predetermined height and is connected through tubing to a control valve located outside the sump. The control valve and a flow valve to which it is operably connected are located in a separate covered vault 14, in reasonable proximity to its sump 13. The flow valve is connected to a vacuum collection system 15 and to the pipe depending into sump 13 in a manner such as to remain closed except when required to open by operation of the control valve. In the closed position the flow valve prevents flow from sump 13 to vacuum system 15. When the liquid level in sump 13 rises to a predetermined level, the increased pressure within the inverted bell is transmitted to the control valve which in turn causes the flow valve to open and remain open until the sump is emptied. The flow and control valve system described above are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,998,736, issued Dec. 21, 1976 to John W. Greenleaf, Jr., the entire disclosure of which being specifically incorporated herein by reference.
Vacuum collection system 15 can be extended to serve a number of anoxic treatment units 10 through sumps 13 and flow and control valves 14 located in a widely dispersed area such as are common in small communities, resort developments, rural areas, and the like.
Anoxically treated liquid and slugs of air move through the collection system each time a flow valve is operated until they enter a vacuum receiving unit 16 at a point above the normal liquid level where the air is separated from the liquid and discharged from the system through a vacuum pump 17. Vacuum pump 17 is controlled by a vacuum switch to maintain the vacuum needed to assure the flow through the collection system and to remove accumulated air and gas from the receiving unit. Float switches within vacuum receiving unit 16 start a pump 18 at a predetermined level and shut off the pump when unit 16 has been emptied.
Pump 18 discharges into a force main 19 which delivers the liquid to the second stage of the sewage treatment system. It is to be noted in FIG. 1 that multiple vacuum receiving tanks 16 with discharge pumps 18 may discharge into force main 19 thus permitting the system to be extended either as the area served increases or the development reaches the capacity of the initial installation, thus permitting the collection system to grow with the need and with the capability of the user to pay for the service required.
Vacuum receiving tank 16 with its vacuum pump 17 and discharge pump 18 with their respective vacuum and float switches are of a design commonly used in the art and represent nothing novel except that they provide for the movement of the treated liquid through the collection system from the anoxic unit to the second stage of treatment through force main 19.
Force main 19 (FIG. 3) joins with a discharge pipe 21 from a pump 22 which is connected to suction pipes 23, 24 and 25 (FIG. 4) to withdraw liquid from the underside of filters 26 and 27 together with the accumulated activated sludge. Chambers 20 and 20a under filters 26 and 27 are supplied with oxidized liquid and excess activated sludge through pipes 28, 29 and 31 which in turn receive the discharge from an oxidation tank 32. Pump 22 thus returns to discharge pipe 21 oxidized liquid and accumulated activated sludge which mixes with the anoxically treated liquid in force main 19 prior to entering a neutralization tank 33. The flows from force main 19 and discharge pipe 21 are intimately mixed in tank 33 in which they are retained for a sufficient period of time to complete the oxidation of the anoxic liquid contained in main 19, thus eliminating any odors that might otherwise be caused on the release of dissolved gases in the anoxic liquid when it is exposed in open tanks.
Tank 33 discharges into an equalization tank 34 which is proportioned to receive the several periods of peak flows daily from force main 19 which are characteristic of this type of system and which, unless equalized, could have an adverse affect on the secondary treatment process. It is also proportioned to receive the recirculation flow around the oxidation unit required both for the neutralization of the anoxic inflow and for the complete oxidation of the organic matter remaining in the discharge from the oxidation tank 32. Thus recirculation through tanks 33 and 34 provides a constant minimum discharge from tank 34 into oxidation tank 32 to which is added at a predetermined constant rate the flow from the collection system as established by a constant flow chamber 35.
Oxidation tank 32 is of a known type using compressed air for both mixing the tank contents and for supplying the microorganisms with oxygen for the production of what is commonly called "activated sludge." Air is supplied by a motor driven compressor 30 through a perforated pipe or porous tubes 40 located in the tank so as to cause circulation of the tank contents and the intimate contact of the air bubbles with the entire tank contents. A weir 50 is provided to permit a uniform rate of discharge along the entire length of the tank.
A filter unit, generally designated 36 (FIG. 4), receives the mixture of oxidized liquid and activated sludge discharged from oxidation unit 32 through pipe 28 which in turn supplies the two compartments 20 and 20a under filter units 26 and 27 through subfeeder pipes 29 and 31. The liquid in the discharge from the oxidation tank easily flows upwardly through the filter media of units 26 and 27 while the activated sludge and any other particles are retained in compartments 20 and 20a under the filter or are entrapped in the media and do not pass through the filter. A hypochlorite solution from a hypochlorite storage tank 37 is added to the clear liquid emanating from the filter units into a chamber 49, at a predetermined rate proportional to the rate of flow through the filters. The capacity of chamber 49 above the filters allows a sufficient period of time for the hypochlorite solution to sterilize the filter effluent to remove any remaining bacteria or virus. The finally purified and sterilized effluent is discharged from a pipe 38 to enter a lagoon stream or to be recirculated as the case may be. Activated sludge retained in compartments 20 and 20a under the filters is returned through pipes 23, 24 and 25 together with oxidized liquid to pump 22 where it reenters the process. Excess activated sludge and inert materials remaining from the process are flushed from the system through valved blowdown pipes 58 and 59 during the backwash of the filters.
Referring now in more detail to the components comprising the present treatment system, reference is made to FIG. 2 showing an anoxic tank 10 representative of the tanks shown in FIG. 1. The tank is a rectangular watertight structure with sides and bottom having dimensions proportioned to provide a retention period based on the average anticipated design flow sufficient to remove all setteable solids from the incoming sewage and to convert the liquid in the tank to a stable anoxic condition. A partition 39 separates the tank into a settling compartment 41 and a stabilization compartment 42. A series of ports 43 are located near the bottom of partition 39 to ensure that flow from compartment 41 enters compartment 42 near the bottom so as to flow upwardly through filter media 44 in compartment 42. A precast cover 45, shown over only compartment 42, also extends to cover compartment 41. Sewage enters tank 10 through inlet 11 which is located near the top of the tank and at a point just above liquid level 46 so as to permit air or gases to be vented back through the sewerage system. Sewage solids settle to the bottom of compartment 41 where they undergo anaerobic decomposition and are largely converted to a gas either to be vented through inlet 11 or dissolved in the liquid. The remaining liquid then passes through ports 43 and upwardly through media 44. Anaerobic organisms which adhere to the surface of media 44 provide prolonged contact with the liquid converting it into a stable condition after which it is discharged through pipe 12 to enter sump 13 previously described with reference to FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of units 32, 33, 34 and 35, shown in FIG. 1, to better show the interrelationship between these units both physically and functionally. Tank 33 is a closed tank having baffles and fixed bed media (not shown) to facilitate mixing of the anoxic and oxygen containing liquids from force main 19 and pump discharge pipe 21. Each of the other units is an open-topped tank constructed of reinforced concrete. Tank 34 is provided with a sloping hopper bottom 47 leading to its outlet to tank 35. A perforated pipe manifold 48 is located on hopper bottom 47 through which air from compressor 30 is bubbled to prevent the settling of activated sludge particles during the time when they are stored in the tank. Discharge from tank 34 is through a float valve 51 in tank unit 35 which maintains the maximum liquid level constant during periods of maximum discharge. Discharge from tank 35 through an outlet (not shown) is controlled by a gate valve 52 which can be adjusted to provide optimum operating conditions in tank 32.
Gate valve 52 is situated so as to discharge above the normal operating level in tank 32 and at the same time so as to drain the contents of tank 35. Float valve 51, controlling the inlet into tank 35 and the water level within it, must be located so as to provide sufficient depth in tank 35 to permit operation of gate valve 52. Float valve 51 must, at the same time, be located so as to drain tank 34. In other words, tanks 35 and 34 must each be successively higher than tank 32. FIG. 3 shows tank 34 supported on one side by the top of tank 32 and tank 35 depending from the common wall of tanks 34 and 32. The other side of tank 34 is shown supported by columns extending to the level of the floor of tank 32. The space thus provided under tank 34 provides an ideal location for the compressor 30 and pump 22 installation needed for plant operation which can be enclosed as necessary for security or aesthetic reasons.
FIG. 4 is an enlarged cutaway perspective view of dual upflow filter unit 36 and hypochlorite storage tank 37. The discharge from tank 32 is conveyed to filter unit 36 through pipe 28, shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, and enters compartments 20 and 20a through valved inlet pipes 29 and 31. Compartments 20 and 20a are separated from one another by a division wall 55 between filters 26 and 27, and are separated from filters 26 and 27 by gratings 56 and 57 which support the filter media above these compartments and allow liquid to flow upwardly therethrough. Compartments 20 and 20a are each connected to suction pipe 23 via valved connections 24 and 25 which selectively permit the return of activated sludge and liquid from either or both compartments
A valved branch 58 on pipeline 24 is provided through which filter 26 can be backwashed, and a valved branch 59 is provided on pipeline 25 through which filter 27 can be backwashed when this operation becomes necessary due to any clogging of the filter media in the units. The filtered liquid above filters 26 and 27 fills chamber 29 to the level of overflow pipe 38. When the flow to filter unit 36 exceeds the return flow to units 33 and 34 by reason of inflow from the collection system, the excess flow passes upwardly through the filter and is discharged through overflow pipe 38 at a constant rate determined by valve 52 on tank 35. The liquid level in the upper compartment of filter unit 36 must rise to cause discharge through overflow pipe 38.
A hypochlorite feed pipe 61 extends downwardly to perforated branches 62 and 63 situated immediately above the filters 26 and 27. A float valve 64 is placed in feed pipe 61 and is arranged so as to permit flow through pipe 61 only when liquid is being discharged through overflow pipe 38. A valve 65 in feed line 61 controls the quantity of hypochlorite solution permitted to flow through pipe 61 from a constant head tank 66 which assures a uniform rate of flow at outlets 62 and 63. A float valve 67 on the outlet from hypochlorite storage tank 37 ensures a constant rate of feed into tank 66, thus permitting the sterilization of the plant effluent at a constant predetermined rate.
From the foregoing it can be seen that the sewage treatment system of the invention includes a series of anoxic units at the source of sewage production which effect the removal of solids contained in the sewage thereby resulting in the production of an anaerobically treated effluent. This treatment, while resulting in a substantial degree of purification, nevertheless does not generally meet the standards now required for waste water treatment. The treatment during the anoxic first stage of the process results in the conversion of certain of the solid organic carbonaceous materials to a liquid form which is discharged with the effluents. After being transported through the collection system this anaerobically treated liquid enters a central or second stage treatment unit where additional treatment is provided.
One of the contaminants contained in sewage of domestic origin is ammonia resulting from the inclusion of urine and other ammonia containing waste from the life process. It is readily soluble in water and is one of the elements to be removed in the treatment process. In the presence of dissolved oxygen, as in the case of activated sludge, ammonia is converted first to nitrites then to nitrates which remain in the effluent of the normal activated sludge process.
It has been found that the nitrates contained in the treated sewage effluent is a nutrient that causes eutrophication of streams and lakes. The advanced waste treatment now being required calls for the removal of such nutrients. One of the common ways of accomplishing this is to feed the chemical methanol to the liquid and then, after a reaction takes place, to pass it through a filter before discharge of the effluent. The methanol provides a carbonaceous material to react with the nitrates in the treated sewage, thereby permitting its removal.
In the present invention, carbonaceous material contained in this effluent from the anoxic units is mixed in tank 33 with the return liquid from chambers 20 and 20a located beneath the filters in tank 36. This liquid contains both dissolved oxygen and nitrates along with the return activated sludge. The carbonaceous and nitrogenous materials react in tank 33 to remove the nitrates from the system, while the dissolved oxygen acts upon the gases contained in the anoxic effluent to remove any odors which other wise would continue into the second stage of the process. Fixed bed media within this tank provide the surface area for the denitryfying organisms to attach and remain in the tank.
Tank 33 discharges into equalization tank 34 in which the discharge is agitated by air bubbles to prevent the settling of activated sludge particles during the time the discharge is stored in this tank.
Liquid then enters oxidation tank 32 via tank 35. Such liquid contains a considerable amount of organic matter which, together with the oxygen from the aeration process, will promote the growth of aerobic microorganisms within the tank, which consume the organic matter. These organisms, called activated sludge, remain in suspension in the oxidation tank and are discharged with the liquid over the outlet weir through pipe 28 to chamber 20 and 20a under the filters or filter unit 36. The activated sludge is a light and flocculent material which remains suspended in the liquid and is easily transported by it. The purpose of the filter units is to separate the treated liquid from the activated sludge. Thus, as the treated liquid flows upwardly through the filters, the activated sludge remains in chamber 20 and 20a where it is concentrated and must be removed by recirculation back to the plant inlet at tank 33.
Effluent sterilization takes place in chamber 49 of filter unit 36 and, because of the nature of filters 26 and 27, contains only clarified effluent which, after chlorination, is ready for discharge. The plant is intended to operate continuously. During periods of no flow from the collection system, recirculation pump 22 will operate continuously at a constant rate taking oxidation tank 32 discharge from compartments 20 and 20a with its accumulated axtivated sludge and returning it through tanks 33 and 34 to oxidation tank 32. During periods of inflow from the collection system, flows in excess of a predetermined amount will be stored in tank 34 and fed at a constant rate to oxidation tank 32 through tank 35 as controlled by means of flow valve 51 and control valve 52. The discharge from tank 32 will be at a constant rate equal to the inflow. During such periods, flow in excess of the recirculation rate will flow upwardly through the filters to chamber 49 above and will be discharged through outlet 38. Such flow will be at a constant rate, depending upon the adjustment of control valve 52 from tank 35. Thus, with float valve 64 in chlorination chamber 49 arranged to open only when there is a discharge from the system and the rate of hypochlorite feed controlled through constant head tank 66 and valve 65, a proportionate automatic chlorination system is achieved.
Obviously, many modifications and variations of the invention are made possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
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A sewage treatment system is divided into two stages with a collection system dispersed therebetween. The first stage includes anoxic treatment units producing an anaerobic effluent which is moved through the vacuum tight collection system to the second stage of treatment including an oxidation unit producing an aerobic effluent containing nitrates, dissolved oxygen and activated sludge. The two liquids are mixed in a chamber and are subjected to treatment before discharge for producing a highly treated effluent from which a major part of the nutrients have been removed.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention comprises a dryer of the electrical type and, more particularly, a dryer in combination with an iron.
The present invention was developed primarily to meet the needs of the person who travels for business or pleasure. Due to the ease of modern hair styling techniques and the perceived need to always present a neat appearance, many people utilize a dryer, such as a blow dryer, for drying and styling their hair. Thus, when a person is traveling, it becomes desirable and even necessary that such a dryer be taken along for use in a hotel, motel, or other accommodation. Likewise, a traveler concerned with the appearance of his or her clothing often finds it desirable or necessary to bring along an iron for the purpose of smoothing out wrinkles or otherwise touching up the appearance of garments.
In order to assist the traveler, hair dryers, particularly blow dryers, have been made portable and have been miniaturized. Similarly, irons have also been miniaturized and have been made collapsible or foldable for convenient storage and transport. Although such appliances are widely used, there is still a need for an appliance which combines the features of a dual voltage blow dryer and an iron into a single, lightweight package which takes up no more space than a popular travel hair dryer.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly stated, the present invention provides a combination dryer and iron product comprising a housing having air inlet means and air outlet means. Blower means are provided within the housing for creating an air flow through the housing by drawing air into the housing through the air inlet means and exhausting air from the housing through the air outlet means. Heater means are provided in the housing for heating the air flowing through the housing. A permanenet, non-removable iron assembly which includes a sole plate forms a portion of a wall of the housing. The sole plate has an exposed generally flat ironing surface. For utilization as an iron, the sole plate is disposed in the path of the heated air exhausted from the housing through the air outlet means. A diverter means within the housing is movable between a first, dryer position in which substantially all of the heated air flowing through the housing and exhausted through the air outlet means is diverted from contact with the sole plate, and a second, iron position in which a substantial portion of the heated air flowing through the housing and exhausted through the air outlet means is diverted into contact with at least a portion of the sole plate for impingement heating of the sole plate. Means are provided for retaining the diverter means in either the first position or the second position. In a preferred embodiment, the air outlet means comprises first and second air outlet openings with the sole plate disposed in the path of heated air exhausted through the second outlet opening, substantially all of the heated air is exhausted through the first outlet opening when the diverter is in the first position and substantially all of the heated air being exhausted through the second air outlet opening when the diverter means is in the second position.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description, will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings an embodiment which is presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangement and instrumentality shown. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view taken from the air inlet end of a combination dryer and iron apparatus with the handle in an extended position in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a top perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 taken from the first air outlet end with the iron assembly extended and the handle in the retracted position;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged left side elevation view, partially broken away, of the apparatus of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3, but with the iron assembly in the extended position;
FIG. 5 is a sectional view of a portion of the apparatus taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 6--6 of FIG. 7;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged partial end elevation view of the apparatus taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 9--9 of FIG. 6; and
FIG. 10 is a partial sectional view of the apparatus taken along line 10--10 of FIG. 9.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, wherein the same numerals indicate like elements throughout, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a combination dryer and iron apparatus generally designated 10. The apparatus 10 is comprised of a generally closed housing 12 and a foldable handle 14 secured to the housing in a manner which will hereinafter be described.
In the present embodiment, the housing 12 is generally in the shape of a parallelepiped, including generally rectangular left and right side surfaces 16 and 18, respectively, and end surfaces 20 and 22. The top surface 24 of the housing 12 is generally flat proximate the right and left sides 16 and 18, but for reasons which will hereinafter become apparent, is generally curved in the area between the two sides 16 and 18. One housing end 20 serves as the inlet end and includes air inlet means, in the present embodiment a generally circular air inlet opening 26 which includes a suitable screen or grate 28 to prevent small objects from being drawn into the housing 12.
Air outlet means are provided for exhausting air from the housing 12. In the present embodiment, the air outlet means comprises a first generally circular air outlet opening 30 extending through the other housing end 22. The first air outlet opening includes a generally circular grate 32 for preventing objects from entering the housing 12. The air outlet means also comprises a second air outlet opening 34 (best seen in FIG. 4) which will hereinafter be described in greater detail.
Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 9, the apparatus 10 further includes blower means for creating an air flow through the housing 12 by drawing air into the housing through the air inlet opening 26 and for exhausting air from the housing through the air outlet means, in the present embodiment air outlet openings 30 or 34. In the present embodiment, the blower means comprises a small generally cylindrically shaped electrically powered motor shown in phantom as 36. The motor 36 is a sub-horsepower motor capable of operating at different rotational speeds and is typical of the type of motor commonly employed in prior art blow dryers. Motors of this type are commercially available from a variety of motor manufacturers. Complete details of the structure and operation of the motor 36 may be obtained from the motor manufacturers and are not believed to be necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention. Suffice it to say that the application of electrical power to the motor 36 results in the rotation of the motor output shaft 38 at a predetermined rotational speed which may be controlled and varied in a manner well known in the art.
The motor output shaft 38 is drivingly connected to a rotatable impeller means 40 located proximate the air inlet opening 26. The impeller means includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially extending impeller or fan blades 42. The fan blades 42 are oriented so that the rotation of the impeller 40 causes air to be drawn into the housing 12 through the air inlet opening 26. Of course, as air is drawn into the housing 12 through the air inlet opening 26 a similar flow of air is forced out of the housing 12 or exhausted from the first and second air outlet openings 30 and 34 as described in greater detail below. The rotational speed of the impeller 40 as determined by the rotational speed of the motor output shaft 38 determines the flow rate of the air flowing through the housing 12.
Heater means within the housing 12 are employed for heating the air flowing through the housing. In the present embodiment, the heater means comprises an electrical resistance heating device formed of a generally continuous wire which is wound around the exterior of the motor 36 to form a heating coil 44. The heating coil 44 may be comprised of Nichrome wire or any other suitable electrical resistance substance which operates to convert electrical energy into heat energy. In the present embodiment, the heating coil 44 is maintained at a predetermined distance from the motor 36 by a plurality of insulator members 46 which extend radially outwardly at circumferentially spaced intervals around the motor 36. The insulator members 46 are formed of mica or any other suitable heat insulation material having sufficient strength to support and maintain the heating coil 44 at a predetermined distance from the motor 36. The circumferential spacing of the insulator members 46 (see FIG. 9) is sufficient to permit the air flowing through the housing 12 to be heated as it flows by and around the heating coil 44. The temperature of the heating coil 44 and thus the temperature of the air flowing through the housing may be controlled and varied in a manner well known in the art. Additional insulation (not shown) may be provided between the heating coil 44 and the housing 12 to protect the portion of the housing proximate the heating coil from overheating.
The motor 36, impeller 40 and heating coil 44 are surrounded by a generally cylindrical member 47 supported by a plate 100 projecting into the housing sides 16 and 18 through apertures 102 and 104 respectfully
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the handle 14 is rotatably secured to the right side 18 of the housing proximate the air inlet end 20. FIG. 1 shows the handle 14 in the unfolded or extended position whereby a person wishing to use the apparatus 10 as a dryer can conveniently grasp the handle 14 to direct the heated air flow exhausted through the first air outlet opening 30 toward the person's hair, or an article being dried. Similarly, FIG. 2 shows the handle 14 in the folded or unextended position in which the overall space taken up by the apparatus 10 is minimized for convenient storare and transport.
As best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10, in the present embodiment, the handle 14 is secured to the housing 12 by a screw member 48 which interconnects one end of the handle 14 to an outwardly extending hinge portion 50 of the housing 12. Connecting the handle 14 to the housing 12 in this manner permits the handle 14 to be folded closely against the housing right side surface 18 to provide a compact configuration for storage and travel.
The handle 14 includes control means for controlling the speed of the blower means or motor 36 and for controlling the temperature of the heater means or heating coil 44. In the present embodiment, the control means comprises a single, multiple position slide-type switch 52 and associated electrical circuitry shown generally in phantom as 54. The electrical circuitry 54 also operates to permit the apparatus 10 to selectively operate with different types of power, for example, 110 V, 220 V, etc. An electrical power cord 56 extending from the other end of the handle 14 conducts electricity to the switch 52 and the electrical circuitry 54. Suitable cable or wire means 58 (FIG. 9) are provided for conducting electrical current from the circuitry 54 to the motor 36 and to the heating coil 44.
In the present embodiment, the switch 52 and the electrical circuitry 54 are typical fo those which are employed in prior art dryers. A detailed description of the structure and operation of the electrical circuitry 54 and of the multiple position slide switch 52 is not believed to be necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention. Suffice it to say that by moving the switch 52 to differing positions, the circuitry 54 operates to vary the current flow through the heating coil 44 to operate the heating coil at varying temperatures.
Likewise, movement of the switch 52 causes the electrical circuitry 54 to operate the motor 36 at varying speeds to vary the flow of the air passing through the housing 12. The switch 52 may comprise a pair of individual switches (not shown), one such switch for controlling the temperature of the heating coil to control the temperature of the heated air, and the other switch controlling the speed of rotation of the motor output shaft 38 to control the flow rate of the air passing through the housing 12. For example, each such switch (not shown) may operate in either a "high", "medium" and "low" position, as well as an "off" position for maximum operational flexibility. The "high" position may result in 1200 watts of drying power, while the other settings may result in less drying power, such as 1,000 watts, 800 watts, etc. Likewise, the motor rotation speed may be varied in accordance with the desired function, for example, a relatively high speed for rapid drying of wet hair or other articles and a relatively low speed for drying delicate articles or for styling hair.
For the most part, the structure which has thus far been described is substantially the same as that of a typical portable, hand-held blower-type hair dryer which is commercially available in a variety of styles and sizes from numerous manufacturers. What makes the present apparatus different is that in addition to having the ability to operate as a standard blow dryer as described above, the apparatus 10 may also operate as an iron. To accomplish the latter result, the apparatus 10 further includes an iron assembly 60 located at least partially within the housing 12. The iron assembly 60 includes a sole plate 62 forming a portion of the lower wall of the housing 12 and having an exposed generally flat ironing surface 64. The iron assembly 60 further includes mounting members, in the present embodiment generally flat side panels 66 and 68. One lateral end of each of the mounting members or side panels 66 and 68 is secured to the sole plate 62. the mounting members or side panels 66 and 68 are movably secured to the housing 12 to permit the iron assembly 60 to move between a first or storage position as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6 in which the iron assembly 60 is contained within the housing 12 and a second or operating position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 in which at least the sole plate 62 and portions of the side panels 66 and 68 extend outside of the housing 12.
In the present embodiment, the side panels 66 and 68 each include two generally arcuate slots 70 and 72 extending therethrough. The iron assembly 60 is movably secured to housing 12 by two pairs of pin members 74 and 76 which extend through the arcuate slots 70 and 72. In the present embodiment, each of the pin members 74 and 76 is generally cylindrical and extends inwardly from the housing sidewalls 16 and 18 and through slots 70 and 72 of the side panels 66 and 68. The iron assembly 60 can be moved to the operating position as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4 by pulling the iron assembly 60 outwardly (downwardly when viewing FIGS. 3 and 4) to slide the arcuate slots 70 and 72 with respect to the pin members 74 and 76. As the iron assembly 60 moves out of the housing 12 the curvature of the slots 70 and 72 causes the iron assembly to also move toward the air inlet end 20 (toward the right when viewing FIGS. 3 and 4) to the position shown in FIG. 4. Similarly, the iron assembly 60 can be moved to the storage position as shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6 by pushing the iron assembly inwardly (upwardly when viewing FIGS. 3 and 4) to slide the arcuate slots 70 and 72 with respect to the pin members 74 and 76. Of course, as the iron assembly 60 moves into the housing 12, it also moved toward the first air outlet end 22 (toward the left when viewing FIGS. 3 and 4) to the position shown in FIG. 3.
A diverter means, in the present embodiment a generally flat diverter member 78 is employed for controlling the direction of the air flow through the housing 12. As best seen in FIGS. 4 and 7, one end (left end when viewing FIG. 4) of the diverter member 78 is pivotally secured to each of the iron assembly side panels 66 and 68. In the present embodiment, the diverter member 78 is pivotally secured to the side panels 66 and 68 by a pair of pin members 80 which extend outwardly from the diverter plate 78 and into suitably sized openings 82 extending through the side panels 66 and 68.
Pin members 74, after extending through arcuate slots 70 extend into suitably sized openings 84 in the diverter member 78. By pivotally securing the diverter member 78 in this manner, the diverter member 78 moves with the iron assembly 60. When the iron assembly moves to the storage position, as shown in FIG. 3, the diverter member 78 pivots downwardly, to a position generally parallel with the sole plate 62. When the iron assembly 60 moves to the operating position as shown in FIG. 4, the diverter member 78 pivots upwardly to a position generally perpendicular to the sole plate 62. As will hereinafter become apparent, the position of the diverter member 78 determines whether the apparatus operates as a dryer or an iron to permit safe operation when either function is being performed.
The housing 12 further includes stop means for engaging the diverter member 78 when the diverter member is in the second or operating position as shown in FIG. 4. In the present embodiment, the stop means comprises a shoulder member 85 (see FIG. 6) extending generally inwardly from at least the curved portion of the housing top 24. The diverter member 78 abuts against the shoulder member 85 when the diverter member is moved into the operating position. Of course, the distal end of the diverter member 78 is suitabley formed to complement and correspond to the curvature of the housing top 24.
Means are also provided for securing or locking the iron assembly 60 into either the first or second positions. In the present emobdiment, the locking means comprises a pair of generally arcuate grooves 86 or 88 extending through one of the iron assembly side panels 66. A pin member 90 is movably secured to the housing 12 and is adapted for engaging one of the arcuate grooves 86 or 88, depending upon the position of the iron assembly 60 with respect to the housing 12. Biasing means are provided for movably biasing the pin member 90 into engagement with one of the arcuate grooves 86 and 88. In the present embodiment, the biasing means comprises an irregularly shaped member 92 having the pin member 90 secured at one end and being secured to the housing 12 at the other end. Actuator means, in the present embodiment a generally cylindrical button portion 94 of the biasing member 92, extends through a suitably sized opening 96 in the housing 12.
As can be seen from FIG. 3, the iron assembly 60 can be secured in the first or storage position with the pin member 90 engaging groove 88. To move the iron assembly 60 to the second or operating position as shown in FIG. 4, the button portion 94 is momentarily depressed relative to the housing 12, thereby moving the pin member 90 out of engagement with groove 88 to release the side panel 66. The iron assembly 60 may then be pulled out of the housing 12 by moving the side panel arcuate slots 70 and 72 with respect to the pin member 74 and 76. Movement of the iron assembly 60 outwardly results in a corresponding inward or upward pivotal movement of the diverter member 78 as previously described. When the iron assembly 60 and the diverter member 78 reach the second or operating position as shown in FIG. 4, the pin member 90 is biased into engagement with groove 86 to lock the iron assembly 60 in the operating position. Movement of the iron assembly 60 back into the storage position within the housing 12 is accomplished in a similar manner by momentarily depressing the button portion 94 to release the pin member from groove 86 and pushing the iron assembly 60 upwardly until the pin member 90 again engages groove 88.
When the iron assembly 60 is in the operating position, as shown in FIG. 4, the diverter member 78 blocks or diverts substantially all of the heated air from passing out of the housing 12 through the first air outlet opening 30. Instead, the heated air is diverted out of the second air outlet opening 34 which if formed by the sole plate 62 and the iron assembly side panels 66 and 68. As the heated air passes out of the second air outlet opening 34, it impinges upon the diverter member 78, the iron assembly side panels 66 and 68 and the sole plate 62 for impingement heating thereof. Although the diverter member 78 of the present embodiment is generally flat, it could be curved to enhance air flow efficiency and to improve heat transfer.
In the present embodiment, the diverter member 78, the iron assembly side panels 66 and 68 and the sole plate 62 are fabricated of a lightweight material which provides maximum heat absorption. An example of such a material is an aluminum or zinc alloy. In addition, the interior surfaces of each of these components may be painted black to further promote the absorption of heat from the heated air flow passing through the housing and out of the second air outlet opening 34. Since the sole plate 62 extends beyond the housing, the heat absorbed by the diverter member 78 and the side panels 66 and 68 tends to move towards the sole plate 62.
The apparatus 10 can be conveniently utilized for the ironing of fabrics and other materials just like any other iron. The temperature of the sole plate 62 can be controlled by controlling the speed of the motor 36 to control the air flow rate through the housing 12. Further control of the temperature of the sole plate 62 can be obtained by controlling the temperature of the heating coil 44 in conjunction with the air flow rate. In this manner, the sole plate temperature may be adjusted for the particular fabric being ironed. For example, a higher sole plate temperature could be utilized when ironing an all cotton fabric, whereas a lower sole plate temperature could be utilized when ironing a more delicate fabric such as rayon or some other synthetic fabric.
As previously indicated, the handle 14 is foldable between an extended position as shown in FIG. 1 and a folded or unextended position as shown in FIG. 2. It should be appreciated that the handle 14 may be placed in either of the two positions, or in any position therebetween when the apparatus 10 is operated either as a dryer or an iron. For example, when the apparatus 10 is being operated as an iron, it may be convenient for people with larger-sized hands to have the handle 14 in the folded position, as shown in FIG. 2, to provide a wider gripping area. Conversely, people with smaller-sized hands may wish to iron with the handle 14 in the extended position, as shown in FIG. 1, to provide a smaller gripping area comprising only the housing 12.
From the foregoing description, it can be seen that the present invention comprises a combination dryer and iron apparatus which is portable, compact, and easily transportable. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that changes may be made to the above-described embodiment of the invention without departing from the broad inventive concepts thereof. For example, the iron assembly 60 could be permanently secured in an extended or partially extended position (not shown). It is understood, therefore, that this invention is not limited to the particular embodiment disclosed, but it is intended to cover any modifications which are within the scope and spirit of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
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A combination hair-dryer and garment ironing apparatus includes a housing having an air inlet and a pair of air outlets. A blower and electric heater in the housing create a flow of heated air through the housing. A permanent, non-removable iron assembly is provided on the housing and includes a sole plate disposed in the path of the heated air flow through the housing. The sole plate forms a portion of a wall of the housing and has an exposed generally flat ironing surface. A heated air diverter member within the housing is selectively movable between a first dryer position in which substantially all of the heated air flowing through the housing is diverted from contact with the sole plate and is exhausted through one of the outlets and a second iron position in which a substantial portion of the heated air flow is diverted into contact with at least a portion of the sole plate for impingement heating of the sole plate to an ironing temperature and is exhausted from the other air outlet. The diverter member is retained in either the first or second position. The housing includes a foldable handle having an extended position for use during drying and a folded position for ironing.
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BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a defect detection method, and more particularly, to a method of detecting defects on the backside of a semiconductor sample.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] In the semiconductor fabricating process, some small particles and defects are unavoidable. As the size of devices shrinks and the integration of circuits increases gradually, those small particles or defects have an even greater effect on the properties of the integrated circuits. In order to improve the reliability of semiconductor devices, a plurality of tests and failure analyses are performed continuously to find the root cause of the defects or particles. Then, process parameters can be tuned correspondingly to reduce a presence of defects or particles so as to improve the yield and reliability of the semiconductor fabricating process.
[0005] Please refer to FIG. 1 . FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a method of defect detection 10 according to the prior art. As shown in FIG. 1 , a sampling 12 is first performed to select a semiconductor wafer as a sample for following defect detection and analysis in advance. Next, a defect inspection 14 is performed. Normally, a proper defect inspection machine is utilized to scan in a large scale to detect all defects on the semiconductor wafer. Since there are too many defects on a semiconductor wafer, a manual defect review with the SEM cannot be directly performed for all defects in practice. Hence, a manual defect classification 16 is typically performed before the defect review 18 . After separating the defects into different defect types, some defects are sampled for the defect review 18 . Next, a defect root cause analysis 20 may be performed in advance according to the result of the defect review 18 to attempt to reduce the defect generation.
[0006] In the prior art technology, the biggest problem lies in the determination of defects from the samples. Typically, there may be thousands of defects found in the defect inspection 14 . However, engineers are only able to pick a portion of the defects, such as 50 to 100 , to perform the defect review 18 and the following defect analysis. In general, the determination of the killer defects, which often have a large impact on the yield of fabrication processes, is totally dependent upon the personal experience of the engineers and most of the time, the engineers are only able to randomly pick up some samples for the defect review 18 . Thus, in most cases, since the samples in the defect review 18 are picked up randomly, it is obvious that only a few effective samples are valid and most parts of the defect review 18 are meaningless and ultimately, this leads to a huge waste of time and effort, and a great reduction in the accuracy of the following defect analysis.
[0007] In addition to most defects that are located on the surface of the semiconductor wafer, which can be analyzed by a front side approach to perform a failure analysis, some defects strongly related to fabrication processes are located on the bottom layer or backside of the wafer and normally, defects that are hidden within the wafer are the most difficult to detect, especially for chips with multi-layer metal wires. Hence, a backside approach referred to as the layout navigation system has been recently introduced to perform a much more accurate failure analysis for determining the location of the defect. Nevertheless, circuit layout diagrams needed for the layout navigation system are highly confidential materials for most companies and are difficult to obtain. Consequently, the difficulty of obtaining the circuit layout diagrams often increases fabrication time and cost, and influences the reliability, electrical performance, yield, and overall production when the fabs are performing defect analysis. Therefore, there has been a strong demand for developing a defect detection method for solving the above-mentioned problems.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0008] It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a defect detection method to improve the time and cost of utilizing the conventional layout navigation system for performing defect detection on the backside of the semiconductor sample.
[0009] According to the present invention, a defect detection method includes the following steps: providing a semiconductor sample, wherein the semiconductor sample comprises at least one defect; utilizing a failure analysis for detecting at least one suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; utilizing a physical energy for forming a plurality of reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; and utilizing the reference marks for determining the relative location of the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample.
[0010] According to the present invention, another defect detection method is disclosed, in which the method includes: providing a semiconductor sample, wherein the semiconductor sample comprises at least one defect; utilizing a failure analysis for detecting at least one suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; utilizing a first physical energy for forming a plurality of first reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; and utilizing a second physical energy and the first reference marks to form a plurality of second reference marks on the front side of the semiconductor sample for determining the relative location of the defect.
[0011] According to the present invention, another defect detection method is disclosed, in which the method includes: providing a semiconductor sample, wherein the semiconductor sample comprises at least one defect; utilizing a failure analysis for detecting at least one suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; utilizing a physical energy for forming a plurality of reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; and utilizing abnormal voltage contrast results and the reference marks for determining the relative location of the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample.
[0012] In contrast to the conventional defect detection method, the present invention utilizes a first utilizes a failure analysis to determine the location of a suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample and after locating a physical energy damage signal, utilizes a non-contact physical energy to form a plurality of destructive reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample for marking the location of the defect, thereby greatly improving the difficulty, cost, and time of utilizing the conventional layout navigation system for performing defect detection on the backside of the semiconductor sample.
[0013] These and other objectives of the present invention will no doubt become obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art after reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment that is illustrated in the various figures and drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a defect detection method according to the prior art.
[0015] FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the means of examining a defect on the backside of the semiconductor sample.
[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing the upward view of the front side of the semiconductor sample according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 4 through FIG. 6 are perspective diagrams showing the means of examining the defect on both backside and front side of a semiconductor sample.
[0018] FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing the means of examining the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample according to another embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] Please refer to FIG. 2 . FIG. 2 is a perspective diagram showing the means of examining a defect on the backside of a semiconductor sample 100 . As shown in FIG. 2 , a semiconductor sample 100 is first provided, in which the semiconductor sample 100 can be a semiconductor wafer, die, or chip according to different stage of the fabrication process. Preferably, a semiconductor wafer is utilized as an example in the present invention. The semiconductor sample 100 includes a front side 102 and a backside 104 , and at least a defect 106 or a suspected spot. The defect 106 or the suspected spot can be detected by utilizing a failure analysis technique, such as a hot spot analysis, IR OBIRCH analysis, or emission analysis to track a suspected signal produced on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 and finally locate the location of a suspected area.
[0020] In an example of utilizing a photo-emission microscope to perform an OBIRCH analysis, a laser is first provided to scan the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 . During the scanning process, a portion of the laser energy is converted to heat energy and if any defect or hole is present on the semiconductor sample 100 , the heat transfer of the area around the defect will become different than other areas of the same sample, thereby causing partial temperature transformation and forming abnormal signals. Additionally, a constant voltage can be utilized to connect to two ends of the semiconductor sample 100 and by relating the variation of the electrical current provided by the constant voltage with the pixel intensity of the image formed and relating the location of the pixel with the location scanned by the laser beam during an electrical current variation, the location of the defect can be determined. Consequently, the present invention is able to determine the location of the defect within a circuit and effectively examine problems such as short circuit or electrical leakage.
[0021] Next, a non-contact physical energy is utilized to form a plurality of destructive reference marks 122 around the suspected area on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 . In other words, by utilizing the failure analysis such as the hot spot analysis, IR OBIRCH analysis, and emission analysis to first determine the location of the suspected area on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 and locating a physical energy damage signal, a laser emission device 120 is then utilized to form a plurality of reference marks 122 around the defect 106 on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 for determining the location of the defect 106 .
[0022] Preferably, the reference marks 122 formed around the defect 106 on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 are observed from the front side 102 of the semiconductor sample 100 . Please refer to FIG. 3 . FIG. 3 is a perspective diagram showing the upward view of the front side 102 of the semiconductor sample 100 according to the first embodiment of the present invention. In general, the thickness of a semiconductor wafer is roughly between 9000 angstroms (Å) to 14000 angstroms and in order to accurately determine the location of the reference marks 122 on the front side 102 of the semiconductor sample 100 , users are able to adjust the strength of the laser beam source for forming a plurality of destructive reference marks 122 on the backside 104 of the semiconductor sample 100 and then observe the reference marks 122 from the front side 102 of the semiconductor sample 100 .
[0023] Next, an optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), or focused ion beam (FIB) microscope is utilized to examine the front side 102 of the semiconductor sample 100 . According to different circumstances, a physical (such as a plasma etching process) or chemical (such as solutions) approach is utilized to perform a delayer process for determining the location and cause of the defect 106 .
[0024] According to another embodiment of the present invention, a non-contact physical energy can also be utilized to form a plurality of destructive reference marks on both the front and back sides of a semiconductor sample for determining the location of the defect. Please refer to FIG. 4 through FIG. 6 . FIG. 4 through FIG. 6 are perspective diagrams showing the means of examining the defect on both the backside and front side of the semiconductor sample 200 .
[0025] Similar to the first embodiment, a semiconductor sample 200 is provided, in which the semiconductor sample 200 includes a front side 202 , a backside 204 , and at least one defect 206 or a suspected spot. Next, a failure analysis, such as a hot spot analysis, IR OBIRCH analysis, or emission analysis is utilized to determine the location of the suspected area on the backside 204 of the semiconductor sample 200 and after locating the physical energy damage signal, a laser emission device 220 is utilized to form a plurality of reference marks 222 around the defect 206 on the backside 204 for marking the location of the defect 206 , as shown in FIG. 5 . Next, the laser emission device 220 is utilized again for forming a plurality of reference marks 224 on the front side 202 of the semiconductor sample 200 . Preferably, this procedure can be performed repeatedly until the reference marks 224 on the front side 202 approach the reference marks 222 on the backside 222 and the reference marks 222 and 224 finally overlap each other, as shown in FIG. 6 .
[0026] Next, an optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), or focused ion beam (FIB) microscope is utilized to examine the front side 202 of the semiconductor sample 200 and according to different circumstances, and a physical or chemical delayer process is then utilized for determining the location and cause of the defect 206 .
[0027] Additionally, the present invention also utilizes a constant voltage to connect to a semiconductor sample and determine the location of the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample by observing the electrical current change generated by the voltage. Please refer to FIG. 7 . FIG. 7 is a perspective diagram showing the means of examining the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample. First, a semiconductor sample 300 is provided, in which the semiconductor sample 300 includes a front side 302 , a backside (not shown), and at least one defect 306 or a suspected spot. Next, a failure analysis technique, such as a hot spot analysis, IR OBIRCH analysis, or emission analysis is utilized to determine the location of the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample 300 , and after locating the physical energy damage signal relating to the suspected area, a laser emission device (not shown) is utilized to form a plurality of reference marks 322 around the defect 306 on the backside of the semiconductor sample 300 .
[0028] Next, a constant voltage is provided to form a plurality of electrical currents for connecting to two ends of the semiconductor sample 300 , in which one end of the semiconductor sample 300 is connected to a voltage source V CC whereas the other end is connected to ground. When the laser emission device is utilized, a portion of the laser energy will be transformed into heat energy and if a defect is present on the semiconductor sample, the heat transfer around the defect will be different from other areas without the defect, thereby causing partial temperature change and forming a plurality of destructive reference marks. Hence after the destructive reference marks are formed, the constant voltage can be utilized to connect to the semiconductor sample 300 , and by obtaining abnormal voltage contrast results of the area in proximity to the defect 306 , the location of the defect 306 can be determined from the front side 302 of the semiconductor sample 300 .
[0029] In contrast to the conventional method of detecting defects within a semiconductor sample, the present invention first utilizes a failure analysis to determine the location of a suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample and after locating a physical energy damage signal, a non-contact physical energy is utilized to form a plurality of destructive reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample for marking the location of the defect. Next, approaches including laser markings or measuring abnormal voltage contrast results can be utilized to form a plurality of corresponding reference marks on the front side of the semiconductor sample or to emphasize the location of the defect. Finally, an optical microscope, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, or focused ion beam microscope is utilized in coordination with physical or chemical delayer processes to examine the front side of the semiconductor sample and analyze the location and cause of the defect. As a result, the present invention is able to greatly reduce the difficulty, cost, and time of utilizing the conventional layout navigation system for performing defect detection on the backside of the semiconductor sample.
[0030] Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device and method may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the metes and bounds of the appended claims.
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A defect detection method is disclosed, in which the method includes: providing a semiconductor sample, wherein the semiconductor sample comprises at least one defect; utilizing a failure analysis for detecting at least one suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; utilizing a physical energy for forming a plurality of reference marks around the suspected area on the backside of the semiconductor sample; and utilizing the reference marks for determining the relative location of the defect on the front side of the semiconductor sample.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority in U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/170,090 filed Jun. 2, 2015, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates generally to a foundation pier system, and more specifically to a concentrically loaded pier system with pier cap and lifting assembly subsystems and methods of use thereof.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] When constructing buildings or other large structures, movement of that structure due to soil movement and compression is a common concern. It is common to offset these issues with piers, piles, and other foundation elements constructed beneath the structure which penetrate deeper into the earth. Typically a borehole is drilled into the ground, and then concrete and reinforcing (e.g. steel rebar) are placed into the bore. These foundation elements help to compensate for poor surface soil conditions and large structural design loads.
[0006] Typical existing pier and piles include several variations, each having its own issues. The helical pier suffers from uneven loading and requires that the footing of the structure be compromised. Concrete shoring pads do not penetrate the earth deep enough for many structures and therefore suffer from shifting soil. Concrete pilings suffer a similar fate. Drilled concrete piers are located at a fixed depth at all times, and this depth may be incorrect. Offset steel piers again require that the footing of the structure be compromised when installed, and suffers from uneven loading.
[0007] The angle of the shaft on a prior-art drilled concrete pier is not completely vertical, which compromises durability. Drilled concrete piers are drilled to a fixed depth, which very often is not the correct depth. Drilled concrete piers are friction piers meaning they rely on the soil to create friction and press against them to hold them in place. Soil shrinks and expands depending on weather conditions, which will cause them to fail. Drilled concrete piers require a long project time. To start the holes will be drilled, and then the concrete is poured. Next the concrete needs to dry for a week or longer in order to cure and raise the structure. The drilled concrete piers typically require large excavating equipment which is invasive to the homeowner's property.
[0008] The prior-art concrete piling pier is made of only concrete and susceptible to cracking and weathering over time. Concrete piling piers are friction piers which rely on the soil to hold them in place. There is a huge design flaw with this system. When the soil gets wet or dry it will expand and contract causing it to lose friction. This means it will eventually fail. This is a common problem with these piers because they rely on the soil which is always changing. The concrete piling pier's shims are not contained, which means that even slight movements in the soil can cause the shims to misalign and cause settlement. The shims on concrete piling piers are often intentionally broken on the job site with a hammer so that they fit correctly. This creates an uneven surface that allows for very little contact between the shim and concrete block, decreasing the strength of the pier.
[0009] The prior-art offset steel piers have hollow steel tubing and only use steel in their construction. The offset steel pier is installed on the side of the footing rather than underneath, therefore structural loads do not transfer directly onto the pier. This makes the spot directly under the bracket vulnerable to breaking under pressure. The offset steel pier has a steel bracket with up to a four inch offset which makes them vulnerable to buckling directly beneath the bracket. The majority of foundation repair companies that use the offset steel pier need to use large excavating equipment to install their piers. This requires more money which translates to an increase in their pier pricing. It also increases the chance of damaging a property.
[0010] Other prior art systems attempt to improve upon the basic structural pier or pile. These include staged piers having lifting assemblies including jacks mounted directly below the structure. The lifting platform using the jacks can be a problem when the jacks are not properly utilized, resulting in an unstable structure while the pier is being constructed beneath the lifting platform.
[0011] What is needed is a foundation pier system including a pier cap subsystem for providing superior stability for the building structure.
[0012] Heretofore there has not been available foundation pier system and method of use thereof with the advantages and features of the present invention.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention generally provides a concentrically loaded foundation pier system which includes several concentrically stacked steel pipes filled with concrete. The entire pier is installed centrally beneath the footing of the structure. Shims are placed between the top-most pier element and a pier cap which prevents shifting when the soil expands and contracts. The final structure is end-loaded and pressed to the bedrock or other load-bearing strata.
[0014] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to a single shape or size, and could be larger or smaller than indicated in the following example. A preferred embodiment of the present invention is installed by first digging a 3′×3′ hole to access the bottom of a footing or beam of a structure. This may be achieved from inside or outside of the structure. Approximately 28 inches of working room below the structure is required for this example. A hydraulic pump is used to install the various components. The concentrical pier segments are driven into the ground one at a time until bedrock, load-bearing strata, or an installed base is reached. The lifting platform is temporarily attached to the driven pier in order to start the lifting process. The jacks of the lifting platform are set against the structure and act to lift the structure. Once the structure has been lifted an appropriate amount, the pier cap and shims are installed onto the end of the pier. The lifting platform may then be removed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments of the present invention illustrating various objects and features thereof
[0016] FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention showing a lifting platform engaging a pier column and a structure.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention without the lifting platform.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a three-dimensional isometric view of a pier cap element of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a side elevational view thereof.
[0021] FIG. 6 is a front elevational view thereof.
[0022] FIG. 7 is a bottom plan view thereof.
[0023] FIG. 8 is a three-dimensional isometric view thereof showing the pier cap from below, a portion of the pier cap being removed and demonstrating how the pier cap encapsulates the pier column.
[0024] FIG. 9 is a three-dimensional isometric view of a steel and concrete segment adapter for connecting an embodiment of the present invention to an all-concrete segment.
[0025] FIG. 10 is a sectional view thereof taken about the line of FIG. 9 .
[0026] FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the element of FIG. 9 encompassed in the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-8 .
[0027] FIG. 12 is an exploded three-dimensional isometric view of a lifting platform assembly element of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 13 is a three-dimensional isometric view thereof, showing the lifting platform assembled.
[0029] FIG. 14 is a side elevational view thereof, showing the lifting platform in a disassembled state.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0030] I. Introduction and Environment
[0031] As required, detailed aspects of the present invention are disclosed herein, however, it is to be understood that the disclosed aspects 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 how to variously employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed structure.
[0032] Certain terminology will be used in the following description for convenience in reference only and will not be limiting. For example, up, down, front, back, right and left refer to the invention as orientated in the view being referred to. The words, “inwardly” and “outwardly” refer to directions toward and away from, respectively, the geometric center of the aspect being described and designated parts thereof. Forwardly and rearwardly are generally in reference to the direction of travel, if appropriate. Said terminology will include the words specifically mentioned, derivatives thereof and words of similar meaning.
[0033] II. Preferred Foundation Pier System 2
[0034] Referring to the figures, FIG. 1 shows a complete foundation pier system 2 , including generally a concentrically aligned pier column 4 , a pier cap 6 , and a lifting platform 8 mounting a pair of jacks 9 for lifting the structure 10 when the cap 6 is being installed. The lifting platform is configured to be removed after installation of the cap 6 . The pier column 4 reaches bedrock 12 or suitably solid earth far below the structure 10 in a preferred embodiment to provide structural stability.
[0035] FIGS. 2 and 3 shows how the pier cap 6 is installed to the top-most pier 18 , which rests upon a number of concentrically stacked pier segments 14 , each pier including a tapered top portion 16 for engaging with the base of the next pier in the column. The pier cap 6 is constructed from a top plate 24 , a front plate 20 , back plate 22 , the front and back plates joined with bolts 26 secured by nuts 28 . The concentrically stacked pier segments 14 and the top-most pier 18 are formed from steel pipe filled with high-strength concrete. A preferred embodiment may use 0.217 steel pipe. The concentrically loaded structure allows loads to be transferred vertically along a single axis which alleviates any fail points. The front plate 20 is loose, and can be released from the back plate 22 by removing the nuts 28 from the carriage bolts 26 .
[0036] The pier segments 14 generally include the top-most pier 18 which interfaces with the cap 6 , the primary segments 14 as identified in the figures, and a base pier segment which does not have a concave bottom portion, but is instead filled for maximum structural support. The base pier segment is the first of the primary segments 14 put into the ground.
[0037] FIGS. 4-8 show the pier cap in more detail, including the receiver space 30 within the finished cap 6 which receives the top-most pier 18 . A shim 32 is installed over the top-most pier 18 which prevents shifting of the foundation system 2 when the earth and soil around the system settles or shifts. A second shim 33 may be placed if needed. Additional shims could also be used to fit the space. The shims 32 , 33 are contained within the cap 6 and provide a relatively tight seal around the top-most pier 18 .
[0038] FIGS. 9-10 show an adapter subsystem 34 which receives the concentrically stacked pier column 4 and interfaces it with an existing concrete friction pier 60 made of concrete pier segments 60 supported by a rebar alignment retention pin 41 as shown in FIG. 11 . As shown in FIG. 11 , the adapter base 36 is aligned with the other structure of concrete pier segments 60 for the concentrically stacked pier column 4 to remain substantially vertically oriented, thereby functioning at a designed level.
[0039] The adapter base 36 includes a receiver 38 for receiving the base of the bottom-most pier in the pier column 4 , similar to the tapered top portions 16 of the pier segments 14 .
[0040] FIGS. 12-14 show the lifting platform 8 which is primarily constructed from a front platform plate 42 and a rear platform plate 44 connected together via several mounting bolts 46 threaded into receivers 54 and washers 56 spaced between the front platform plate 42 and the rear platform plate 44 as shown in FIG. 14 . The front 42 and rear 44 platform plates include corresponding alignment joint inserts 48 and alignment joint recesses 50 to ensure the two plates are aligned properly. A pier recess 52 is formed between the front 42 and rear 44 platform plates, such that the lifting platform 8 can be installed around one of the concentrically stacked pier segments 14 . As shown in FIG. 1 , jacks 9 are placed atop the lifting platform 8 once the platform is installed, and the jacks can be used to raise the structure 10 such that the pier cap 6 can be installed as shown in FIG. 8 .
[0041] III. Method of Installation of Foundation Pier System 2
[0042] In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is installed underneath of a structure 10 to provide structural support. The process is begun by digging approximately a 3′×3′ hole to access the bottom of the footing/beam. This may be achieved from inside or outside of the structure. 28 inches of working room below the footing/beam is required. These present invention is not limited to these dimensions, as larger or smaller scaled versions of the present invention may require more or less space.
[0043] The pier 4 segments 14 are installed into the earth using a hydraulic pump. The pier segments 14 are interlocked via the top-portions 16 of each pier interlocking with the base of the next pier above it. This allows the concentric load to be transferred from concrete to concrete along the pier structure 4 . The pier segments 14 are driven into the ground one at a time. This process is repeated until bedrock, load-bearing strata, or the friction adapter subsystem 34 are reached. Because the segments are driven directly underneath the footing of the structure 10 , the foundation is not jeopardized or damaged due to bolting to or cutting into the footing.
[0044] The lifting platform assembly 8 is temporarily attached to the pier structure 4 to lift the structure 10 via the jacks 9 or other methods. For example, a manifold lifting system may also be used. Once the structure 10 has been lifted, the pier cap 6 is placed over the top-most pier 18 , along with the shim(s) 32 , 33 . The shims are contained within the pier cap to prevent future shifting of the foundation pier system 2 . The finished pier is then installed, the lifting platform assembly 8 and jacks 9 are removed, and the structure is suitably supported.
[0045] It is to be understood that while certain embodiments and/or aspects of the invention have been shown and described, the invention is not limited thereto and encompasses various other embodiments and aspects.
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A concentrically loaded foundation pier system which includes several concentrically stacked steel pipes filled with concrete. The entire pier is installed centrally beneath the footing of the structure. Shims are placed between the top-most pier element and a pier cap which prevents shifting when the soil expands and contracts. The final structure is end-loaded and pressed to the bedrock or other load-bearing strata.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector terminal material used for a press-fit connector, a connector terminal, a method for producing a connector terminal, and a method for producing a substrate with a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIGS. 6 are illustrations showing one example of a state before a terminal of a conventional press-fit connector is press-fitted to a substrate. FIG. 6A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side. FIG. 6B is a side view. Void arrow marks shown in FIG. 6 show the mounting direction of each part at the time of press fitting. Conventionally, a so-called press-fit connector is widely used as a connector which can be simply connected by press-fitting a terminal to a substrate without soldering. For instance, a method of press-fitting the terminal shown in FIGS. 6 is known. In this method, the flange part 512 b of each terminal 512 is pushed by the pressed surface 521 of the connector fixture 520 with a plurality of terminals 512 having flange parts extending from the housing 511 of the press-fit connector 510 interposed in comb-teeth lined in the lateral direction (the right and left direction of FIG. 6A of the connector fixture 520 . An elastic part 512 a swelled in a needle shape at the vicinity of the end part of each terminal 512 is press-fitted into penetrating hole 532 formed in the substrate body 531 of the printed circuit board 530 (This method is similarly adopted for a so-called pin connector which solders each terminal to the substrate (for instance, pin connectors described in JP-A-6-224597 or JP-A-10-41026). Numeral 550 shown in FIG. 6 designates a substrate fixture with which the printed circuit board 530 is brought into contact from the back thereof at the time of press-fitting, and the end of each terminal 512 is entered into a bottomed hole 552 formed in the fixture body 551 , and the end of each terminal 512 is protected. The comb-teeth of the connector fixture 520 are composed by a deep groove 523 , and a shallow groove 524 . The deep groove 523 has an inducing part 523 b which induces the terminal 512 and has a slope surface, and a guide part 523 a which guides the terminal 512 induced to the pressed surface 521 and has a parallel surface. The shallow groove 524 has also a similar guide part 524 a , and a similar inducing part 524 b.
FIG. 7 is a view showing a state before and after bending a terminal according to a prior art, wherein 7 A is a partial perspective view showing a state before bending a terminal, 7 B is a partial perspective view showing a state after the bending, and 7 C is a plan view of FIG. 7B . Also, FIG. 8 is a view describing conditions in bending a terminal according to a prior art, and FIG. 9 is a view describing conditions in pressure-fitting a terminal into a substrate according to a prior art.
It is common that respective terminals 512 are molded so that, after a material is punched out by a press, and a flat plate-shaped connector terminal material 512 ′ having a terminal width W as shown in FIG. 7A is molded, the material is inserted into a through hole 513 of a housing 511 of a connector 510 supported on a supporting base 50 as shown in FIG. 8 , the material is bent in a right-angled direction at a prescribed bending radius R by pressing the tip end side thereof by a presser 570 as shown in the same drawing. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 7B and 7C , it has been known that the terminal width W′ of the above-described bent part 512 c is made wider than the terminal width W of the other parts, that is, flat parts which are not bent, (that is, W′.W).
In a conventional connector fixture 520 , the distance between the comb-teeth is usually widely set according to the extending terminal width W′. However, in this case, since the clearance between the body portion of the terminal 512 and the inner side surface of the guide portion 523 a is increased, an accurately vertical posture of the terminal 512 cannot be maintained as shown in FIG. 9A when pressure-fitting the terminal 512 into the penetrating hole 532 of the substrate 530 , and as shown in FIG. 9B , the terminal 512 will be turned and moved centering around the portion 512 c bent by the pressure-fitting part 512 a of the terminal 512 between wide comb teeth. And, in the worst case, there is a problem in that it is difficult to press-fit the terminal to the penetrating hole 532 of the substrate 530 , and the yield of the product decreases.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a connector terminal material which can easily set a connector fixture and improve the yield of the product. It is another object of the invention to provide a connector terminal, a method for producing a connector terminal and a method for producing a substrate with a connector.
According to one aspect of the invention, a connector terminal material which extends in one direction including: an intermediate part including a specified part which is bent to form a connector terminal; a notched part provided at both end portions of the intermediate part in a width direction of the connector terminal which is orthogonal to a direction along which the bending is performed, wherein
the specified part is formed by the notched part of the connector terminal is made narrower in width than a portion adjacent to the specified part.
According to another aspect of the invention, the width of the specified part is set roughly to the same width as that of parts adjacent to the specified part when the specified part is bent to the final angle.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing a connector terminal material, including: molding a connector terminal material; and forming a connector terminal which is bent at the specified part by bending the connector terminal material at the specified part.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the method for producing a connector terminal material further comprising: molding a plate material shaped so that, by punching out a metal plate, a plurality of the connector terminal materials are juxtaposed in the terminal width direction and the respective specified parts of the respective connector terminal materials are connected to each other by means of a carrier portion extending along the terminal width direction; and
dividing the connector terminal materials from each other and simultaneously forming a notched part on the specified parts of the connector terminal materials thus divided, by punching out the carrier portion in the plate material and portions corresponding to the notched part at both sides of the carrier portion.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing a substrate with a connector, including:
producing a connector terminal material, which has a flange part the inner side of the tip end thereof is swelled in the terminal width direction; forming a connector terminal by bending the connector terminal material at the specified part with the connector terminal material implanted in a connector housing fixed on a substrate; and inserting the connector terminal into a grooved part of a fixture having a grooved part which is narrower than the flange part of the connector terminal and wider than the other parts thereof and fitting the tip end of the connector terminal into a hole part of the substrate while pressing the flange part at the edge of an open end of the grooved part of the fixture.
According to another aspect of the invention, the method of producing the substrate with a connector terminal, further including: molding a plate material shaped so that, by punching out a metal plate, a plurality of the connector terminal materials are juxtaposed in the terminal width direction and the respective specified parts of the respective connector terminal materials are connected to each other by means of a carrier portion extending along the terminal width direction; and dividing the connector terminal materials from each other and simultaneously forming a notched part on the specified parts of the connector terminal materials thus divided, by punching out the carrier portion in the plate material and portions corresponding to the notched part at both sides of the carrier portion.
According to the structure, since the connector terminal materials can be divided from each other and notched parts are formed at specified parts of the connector terminal materials thus divided, by which the connector terminal materials are made narrower, by only the step of punching the carrier parts and the portions corresponding to the notched parts at both sides of the corresponding carrier parts after a plate material in which a plurality of connector terminal materials are linked like a chain in the terminal width direction via the carrier parts, it is possible to mass-produce connector terminal materials with a few steps at high efficiency.
According to another aspect of the invention, a connector terminal including: an intermediate part bent in the lengthwise direction; a swelling part is formed, which swells in the terminal width direction orthogonal to the bending direction, at the bending part; a flange part shaped so as to swell in the terminal width direction is formed at an inner portion of the terminal tip end part so that it becomes wider than the swelling part; and a widened part which is narrower than the flange part and wider than the other parts is formed at at least one portion in an area between the flange part and the swelling part.
According to another aspect of the invention, in the connector terminal, the widened part includes a widened part formed at a position close to the flange part.
According to another aspect of the invention, a method for producing a substrate with a connector, including:
inserting a connector terminal into a grooved part of a fixture having the grooved part which is wider than the widened part of the connector terminal and narrower than the flange part of the corresponding connector terminal; and fitting the tip end of the connector terminal into a hole part of a substrate while pressing the flange part at the edge part of an open end of the grooved part of the fixture.
According to another aspect of the invention, if the connector terminal is inserted into a grooved part of a fixture having the grooved part which is wider than the widened part of the connector terminal and narrower than the flange part of the corresponding connector terminal, and the tip end of the connector terminal is fitted into a hole part of a substrate while pressing the flange part at the edge part of an open end of the grooved part of the fixture, the connector terminals can be supported at least two points, which are the swelling part and the widened part thereof, when being guided by the grooved part of the fixture, wherein a stabilized posture can be secured. At this time, the contacting force between the connector terminal and the grooved part decreases, and at the same time, the tip end of the connector terminal hardly turns and moves with respect to the substrate. Resultantly, production of substrates with a connector can be achieved, by which fitting of the connector terminal into the substrate can be facilitated and yield of the products can be improved.
Therefore, it is further preferable that the widened part and swelling part will have roughly the same width.
In addition, if the above-described widened part includes a widened part formed at a position in the vicinity of the flange part in the connector terminal, the span between the above-described two points is increased, and a further stabilized guiding posture can be brought about.
As a result, it is easy to engage the connector terminal into the substrate. The producing method of the substrate with a connector realized to improve the yield of a product.
The connector terminals can be supported at least two points, which are the swelling part formed by bending and the widened part thereof, when being guided by the grooved part of the fixture, wherein a stabilized posture can be secured in the press-fit connector. By using the press-fit connector, the producing method of the substrate with a connector can improve the yield of a product.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side showing a state before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 1 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 1B is a side view showing a state before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 1 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 2A is a plan view showing a shape example of a plate material to be punched out to mold a connector terminal plate;
FIG. 2B is a plan view showing a punching process with respect to the plate material;
FIG. 2C is a partial perspective view before bending the terminal;
FIG. 2D is a partial perspective view after the bending is finished;
FIG. 2E is a plan view showing the terminal shown in FIG. 2D ;
FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a state of setting the terminal of Embodiment 1 to a fixture;
FIG. 4A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 2 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 4B is a side view before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 2 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a state of setting the terminal of Embodiment 2 to a fixture;
FIG. 6A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side before a terminal of a conventional press-fit connector is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 6B is a side view before a terminal of a conventional press-fit connector is press-fitted to a substrate;
FIG. 7A is a partial perspective view showing a state before bending the conventional terminal;
FIG. 7B is a partial perspective view showing a state after bending the conventional terminal;
FIG. 7C is a plan view of FIG. 7B ;
FIG. 8 is an illustration showing a state of bending a
FIGS. 9A and 9B illustrations showing a state of setting the conventional terminal to a fixture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is an illustration showing a state before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 1 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate. FIG. 1A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side. FIG. 1B is a side view.
FIG. 2 is a view showing a state before and after bending a terminal according to Embodiment 1, wherein 2 A is a plan view showing a shape example of a plate material to be punched out to mold a connector terminal plate, 2 B is a plan view showing a punching process with respect to the plate material, 2 C is a partial perspective view showing a state before bending the terminal, 2 D is a partial perspective view showing a state after the bending is finished, and 2 E is a plan view showing the terminal shown in FIG. 2D .
FIG. 3 is an illustration showing a state of setting the terminal of Embodiment 1 to a fixture. Void arrow marks shown in FIG. 1A , 1 B show the mounting direction of each part at the time of press-fitting.
In FIG. 1A and FIG. 1B , numeral 10 designates a press-fit connector as one example of a connector, and numeral 20 designates a connector fixture for terminal press-fitting of the press-fit connector 10 . Numeral 30 designates a printed circuit board as a substrate, and numeral 50 designates a substrate fixture.
As shown FIG. 1 , the press-fit connector 10 is provided with a synthetic resin housing 11 in which the entire shape is substantially rectangular parallelepiped, and pin-shaped metal terminals 12 (corresponding to a connector terminal) extending in parallel from the housing 11 . In FIG. 1 , each terminal 12 is projected out from the housing 11 in a horizontal direction, and is bent upwardly and perpendicularly such that each terminal 12 is formed in an L-shape in a side view. Three terminals are arranged in the vertical direction (in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1A , and in the right and left direction of FIG. 1B in a plan view, and ten terminals are arranged in the lateral direction (in the right and left direction of FIG. 1A , and in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 1B ) such that the terminals 12 do not mutually interfere. The shape and number of each terminal 12 are different according to the type and size of the press-fit connector 10 .
An elastic part 12 a swelled in a needle shape is formed at the vicinity of the end part of each terminal 12 such that each terminal 12 can be elastically press-fitted to each penetrating hole 32 (corresponding to a hole part) of the printed circuit board 30 . A flange part 12 b is formed at the intermediate part of the terminal 12 , and the flange part 12 b overhung from the terminal body in the right and left direction terminal width direction) is hooked on a pressed surface 21 as the edge part of the open end of the groove part of the connector fixture 20 .
The connector fixture 20 supports each terminal 12 at the time of press-fitting. The connector fixture 20 is provided with a metal fixture body 22 in which the shape is substantially rectangular parallelepiped, deep grooves 23 as a groove part carved in the fixture body 22 so as to be lined in the lateral direction, and shallow grooves 24 carved so as to be lined in the vertical direction. Therefore, the fixture body 22 is made into a deep comb-teeth shape in a front view, and is made into a shallow comb-teeth shape in a side view.
Herein, the deep groove 23 inductively guides each terminal 12 , and positions the flange part 12 b in the lateral direction (the terminal's width direction). The shallow groove 24 inductively guides each terminal 12 , and positions the flange part 12 b in the vertical direction (a terminal thickness direction).
Therefore, the deep groove 23 and the shallow groove 24 have inducing parts 23 b and 24 b having slope surfaces formed to taper upwardly in FIG. 1 , and guide parts 23 a and 24 a having parallel surfaces. When the connector 10 is descended, and the terminal 12 is inserted into the connector fixture 20 , each terminal 12 is smoothly guided along the inducing parts 23 b and 24 b and the guide parts 23 a and 24 a . Thereby, the flange part 12 b is accurately lined up in both vertical and horizontal directions on the pressed surface 21 .
Particularly, the guide surface 23 a of the deep groove 23 has a groove width which is narrower than that of the flange part 12 b and is wider than that of the other part including the bending part 12 c so as to smoothly guide the terminal body under the flange part 12 b for a relatively long distance.
The printed circuit board 30 has a thin plate-like substrate body 31 , and penetrating holes 32 for penetrating the substrate body 31 at positions corresponding to the terminals 12 .
The substrate fixture 50 is intended to press the printed circuit board 30 at the time of press-fitting, and has a thick plate-like fixture body 51 . The fixture body 51 has bottomed holes 52 for inserting the respective terminals 12 penetrating holes 32 of the printed circuit board 30 and protecting the terminals.
Hereinafter, a description is given of a method for producing the press-fit connector 10 and a substrate with the same connector 10 .
First, a connector terminal material 12 ′ as shown in FIG. 2C is molded. The connector terminal material 12 ′ extends in one direction and is to form a terminal 12 in which an intermediate part (specified) is bent by bending the intermediate part. However, the connector terminal material 12 ′ is featured in that the above-described intermediate part has a smaller width than the width W of the portion adjacent to the specified part by being provided with a notched part 12 formed at both end parts of the terminal width direction orthogonal to the direction along which the above-described bending is carried out. When producing the connector terminal plate 12 ′, for example, a flat plate may be molded, which has, a notched part 12 d at both end sides of the terminal body of a fixed width W by punching a metal plate, which is a material by means of a press.
The following is preferable as its detailed molding method.
First, a plate material 14 shaped as shown in FIG. 2A is molded by punching a metal plate which is a material. The plate material 14 is shaped so that a plurality of the above-described connector terminal plates 12 ′ are disposed in the terminal width direction and the above-described intermediate parts of the respective connector terminal material 12 ′ are linked with each other by carrier parts 14 c extending in the above-described terminal width direction. That is, in the plate material 14 , a plurality of connector terminal materials 12 ′ are connected to each other via the carrier parts 14 c in the terminal width direction. The positions of the respective carrier parts 14 c are established at intermediate parts of the respective connector terminal materials 12 ′, that is at the positions where specified parts in which a bending process is intended to be performed, are linked with each other.
Next, the carrier parts 14 c of the plate material 14 and portions corresponding to the above-described notched parts 12 d at both sides of the carrier parts 14 c are punched by a punch P as shown in FIG. 2B . By the punching process, it is possible to separate or divide the connector terminal materials 12 ′, which have been linked with each other. Simultaneously, the above-described notched parts 12 d may be formed at specified parts of the connector terminal materials 12 thus divided, and the corresponding specified parts may be made narrower. For example, if a punch P whose section is circular as shown in the drawing is used, it is possible to simultaneously form arcuately notched parts 12 d at one side end part of one connector terminal plate 12 ′ of the connector terminal plates 12 ′ which are divided from each other, and at one side end part of the other connector terminal plates 12 ′ adjacent thereto, respectively.
After the connector terminal material 12 ′ is formed, for instance, in the same manner as in FIG. 8 , the intermediate position at which the notched parts 12 d are formed is bent in a predetermined radius R in a right-angled direction with the connector terminal material 12 ′ inserted into the housing 11 . As shown in FIG. 2C , FIG. 2D , and FIG. 2E , the bent part (bending part) 12 c has the almost same width as that of a non-bending part, that is a portion except for the bent part, and the swelling of the bending part 12 c of each terminal 12 at the time of bending is suppressed.
Strictly speaking, since the swelling amount changes to a degree according to processing conditions (spring back amount or the like), the bending part may swell slightly after the bending process, and oppositely, the concave part may remain slightly. However, the slight swelling or the existence of the concave part can be disregarded compared with the case in which the concave part is not formed at all as in the conventional example.
Each terminal 12 is brought into contact with the pressed surface 21 and is supported by inserting each terminal 12 into the deep groove 23 and shallow groove 24 of the connector fixture 20 from the root side of the terminal body having the bending part 12 c of each terminal 12 of the press-fit connector 10 in the height direction of the housing 11 in the supporting state, the main body of the terminal is inserted into each deep groove 23 of the connector fixture 20 , the flange portion 12 b is inserted into the shallow groove 24 , and the back end of the inserted flange portion 12 b is abut with a press-fit surface 21 , that is a bottom face of the shallow groove 24 which is positioned at an edge portion of the open terminal of the deep groove 23 .
Then, each terminal 12 is press-fitted to the printed circuit board 30 by pressing the substrate fixture 50 (then, the pressed surface 21 of the connector fixture 20 presses the back portion of the flange portion of each terminal 12 from backward)with the printed circuit board 30 with which the substrate fixture 50 is brought into contact from the back thereof and each terminal 12 supported by the connector fixture 20 of the press-fit connector opposed to each other.
Thus, as shown in FIG. 3 , when each terminal 12 is guided by the deep groove 23 of the connector fixture 20 in the press-fit connector 10 of Embodiment 1, each terminal 12 is supported in almost even force across the full length thereof, and thereby the guide posture is stabilized.
In that case, the contact force between each terminal 12 and inside surface of the guide surface 23 a of the deep groove 23 decreases, and the end of each terminal 12 is hardly turned and moved to penetrating hole 32 of the printed circuit board 20 . As a result, it is easy to press-fit each terminal 12 to the penetrating hole 32 of the printed circuit board 20 , and the yield of a product of a substrate with a connector is improved in the producing method of the connector.
Since an intermediate portion of each terminal 12 of the press-fit connector 10 has a narrow width by previously forming the notched portions 12 d , in first embodiment, the swelling of the bending part 12 c which is formed by bending the intermediate portion of each terminal 12 is almost lost in each terminal 12 of the press-fit connector 10 . Thus, the groove width of the deep groove 23 of the connecter fixture 20 can be much narrower, so that a further miniaturization of the press-fit connector 10 can be achieved.
(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 4 is an illustration showing a state before a terminal of a press-fit connector of Embodiment 2 of the invention is press-fitted to a substrate. FIG. 4A is a front view including a section along a terminal array of a front side. FIG. 4B is a sideview. FIG. 5 is an illustration showing a state of setting the terminal of Embodiment 2 to a fixture. Hereinafter, an explanation of elements which are common to Embodiment 1 is omitted.
As shown in FIG. 4 , the bent part (bending part) 12 c of the terminal body of the terminal 12 of Embodiment 2 swells in the specified direction crossing at right angles of the bending direction by bending the intermediate part in the longitudinal direction.
As shown in FIG. 5 , the bent portion 12 forms the swelling portion by swelling in a direction of the terminal width crossing the at right angles bending direction.
A flange part 12 b swelling in the above-described terminal width direction is formed at this side (inner side) of the tip end part of the terminal 12 so that the flange part becomes wider than the above-described swelling part. Also, a widened part 12 e in which both side parts thereof in the terminal width direction protrude outwardly is formed at at least one point (point in the vicinity of the above-described flange part 12 b in the illustrated example) in an area between the flange part 12 b and the above-described swelling part, and the widened part 12 e is narrower than the above-described flange part 12 b and is made wider than the other portions including the bending part 12 c . It is further preferable that the width of the widened part 12 e is roughly the same as the width of the above-described swelling part.
Although the widened part 12 e is shaped so that the flange part 12 b is turned upside down, it is not limited to this shape. However, with respect to the terminal body, the upside is made properly arcuate (not illustrated), and an inclined portion is provided at the underside thereof, whereby stress concentration is suppressed as much as possible.
The widened part 12 e is prepared at the position in the vicinity of the flange part 12 b in the illustrated example and is formed at a position right therebelow. However, the forming position thereof may be optionally set in an area from the flange part 12 b to the bending part 12 c . Also, the widened parts 12 e may be provided by a plurality. However, if the widened part 12 e positioned in the vicinity of the above-described flange part 12 b is included as the widened part 12 e , the span between the supporting points can be secured to be large when the terminal 12 is inserted into the deep groove 23 of the connector fixture 20 and the terminal body is supported on the guide surface 23 a of the deep groove 23 . As a result, it is advantageous that a further stabilized guiding posture can be secured.
Hereinafter, a press-fit connector 10 and a method for producing a substrate with a connector using the press-fit connector 10 of Embodiment 2 will be described.
First, a connector terminal material which extends in one direction, and of which the intermediate position (specified position) is bent to form a terminal 12 is formed. As shown in FIG. 7A , in this embodiment, the flange portion 12 b and the widened part 12 e are formed, but basically, as well as connector terminal material 51 , the flat connector terminal material is formed with a predetermined width W with respect to a longitudinal direction.
After the flat connector terminal material is formed, for instance, in the same manner as in FIG. 8 , the intermediate position is bent in a predetermined radius R in a right-angled direction with the connector-terminal material inserted into the housing 11 . As shown in FIG. 4A and FIG. 4B , the swelling part due to bending is formed on the bent part (bending part) 12 c . The widened part 12 e is formed above the swelling part. However, the widened part is not formed on the terminal 12 at the right end shown in FIG. 4B since the bending part 12 c is adjacent to the flange part 12 b.
And, as in the case of the above-described embodiment 1 , respective terminals 12 are inserted from the root side of the terminal body where the bending parts 12 c of the respective terminals 12 of the press-fit connector 10 are provided, into the deep groove 23 and shallow groove 24 of the connector fixture 20 from the height side of the housing 11 , and the respective terminals 12 are thus supported. The supporting state is such that the body parts of the respective terminals 12 are inserted into respective deep grooves 23 of the above-described connector fixture 20 , the flange parts 12 b are inserted into the shallow grooves 24 , and the rear end part of the flange part 12 b is brought into contact with the bottom surface, that is, the press-fit surface 21 of the shallow groove 24 at the edge part of the open end of the above-described deep groove 23 .
Thus, in a state where the respective terminals 12 of the press-fit connectors 10 supported by the connector fixture 20 and a printed circuit board 30 with which the substrate fixture 50 is brought into contact from the rear side are opposed to each other, the respective terminals 12 are press-fitted into the printed circuit boards 30 by pressing the above-described substrate fixture 50 (at this time, the pressed surface 21 of the connector fixture 20 presses the rear end part of the flange part 12 b of the respective terminals 12 from rearward).
Thus, as shown in FIG. 5 , when each terminal 12 is guided and inserted into the deep groove 23 of the connector fixture 20 in the press-fit connector 10 of Embodiment 2, each terminal 12 is supported by at least two points of the swelling part of the bending part 12 c and the widened portion 21 e , and the guide posture is stabilized. In that case, the contact force between each terminal 12 and guide surface 23 a of the deep groove 23 decreases, and the end of each terminal 12 is hardly turned and, moved to the penetrating hole 32 of the printed circuit board 30 . As a result, it is easy to press-fit each terminal 12 to the penetrating hole 32 of the printed circuit board 30 , and the yield of a product of a substrate with a connector is improved in a producing method of the substrate with the connector.
In Embodiments 1 and 2, the terminal body of each terminal 12 protruding from the housing 11 of the press-fit connector 10 is perpendicularly bent to the upward side of the housing 11 . However, the terminal body may be bent downward, and may not be bent perpendicularly. For instance, the terminal body may be bent at 45°.
The example of the press-fit connector 10 is described in Embodiments 1 and 2. However, the applicable scope of the invention is not limited thereto, and the invention can be applied to other kinds of connectors for a substrate such as a pin connector. However, the end of terminal 12 of the pin connector is not press-fitted to the penetrating hole 32 of the printed circuit board 30 , and the end of terminal 12 is soldered after the end of terminal 12 is engaged into the penetrating hole 32 .
The foregoing description of the preferred embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings or may be acquired from practice of the invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to enable one skilled in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims appended hereto, and their equivalents.
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A bent connector terminal with improved stability when held within a groove ( 23 ) of a comb-shaped, press-fit jig ( 20,22 ), the terminal aligned with a hole ( 32 ) of a printed circuit board ( 30 ) and to be press-fitted into the hole. In one embodiment, at least one widened portion ( 12 e ) is formed on the connector terminal between a tip flange part ( 12 b ) and a swelled or widened part ( 12 c ), the widening of the part ( 12 c ) caused by bending of the connector terminal. The widened portion ( 12 e ) and the swelled part ( 12 c ) serve to stabilize the connector terminal within the groove ( 23 ) of the press-fit jig as the jig is used to press on the tip flange part ( 12 b ). In another embodiment, the connector terminal includes notches ( 12 d ) at the location where the connector terminal is to be bent, to compensate for widening caused by the bending step so that no swelled or broadened area is produced at this region. In this embodiment, since no widening is produced at the bent region the press-fit jig grooves may be narrowed so that the bent connector terminal is supported evenly between the bend and the flange part ( 12 b ) and stability is improved.
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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OF DEVELOPMENT
This invention was made with Government support under DE-OE0000190 awarded by Department of Energy. The Government has certain rights in this invention.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of utility usage forecasting and more particularly to determining data for improved forecasting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Weather effects are often a contributing factor to the variability in utility usage forecasting. Weather effects can include past outdoor temperatures, past wind chill factors, past heat indices, and past precipitation measurement. Utilities can include natural gas providers, oil providers, electricity providers, and water supply providers. The modeling of weather effects, such as outdoor temperature, for a utility usage, such as electricity, allows for the electrical company to prepare for the commercial and residential demand in the short-term future. Utilizing previously recorded electrical usage for a given temperature allows for a compilation of data to be used to create a model representing a predicted electrical usage at a given temperature.
Modeling of weather effects involves specifying a mathematical formula for the relationship between usage and weather measurements. For example, the effect of the temperature on the utility usage is often described using a single index called “Degree Days” which can be further split into two categories, Heating Degree Days (HDD) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD). At a given instant in time, at most one of these indices will be relevant, and the other will have a zero value. For example, HDD is a measure of the severity of the cold weather as measured by the extent and duration of the temperature deviation below a baseline temperature (e.g., 15° C.) that is used to quantify the heating load. Similarly CDD is a measure of the severity of the hot weather as measured by the extent and duration of the temperature deviation above a baseline temperature (e.g., 20° C.) that is used to quantify the cooling load. Typically the utility usage is assumed to be correlated to the HDD or CDD. However, such a model for the relationship between the temperature and the utility usage is not ideal for calibrating accurate forecasting models, which are better modeled using nonlinear relationships.
In short-term forecasting, certain issues may arise with the ability to calibrate the forecasting models when information such as utility usage values is incomplete or missing for a range of weather effect values. For example, historical data for electrical usage may be unavailable for certain outlier values for the temperatures, such as for example, unseasonably hot or cold temperatures that may have never been encountered in the historical data. In another example, the amount of historical data for electrical usage might not include complete information if the historical data was taken from only a certain time period of the entire year. The appropriate electrical usage data might not exist for a temperature range that is typically not seen in the historical data during the certain season for which the calibrated model forecasts are required.
SUMMARY
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method for creating a utility demand forecast model for weather parameters. A computer receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of utility parameter values, wherein each received utility parameter value, corresponds to a weather parameter value. The computer determining, by one or more processors, that a range of weather parameter values lacks a sufficient amount of corresponding received utility parameter values. The computer determining, by one or more processors, one or more utility parameter values that corresponds to the range of weather parameter values. The computer creating, by one or more processors, a model which correlates the received and the determined utility parameter values with corresponding weather parameters values.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer program product for creating a utility demand forecast model for weather parameters. A program product comprising, program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media. The computer program product receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of utility parameter values, wherein each received utility parameter value corresponds to a weather parameter value. The computer program product determining, by one or more processors, that a range of weather parameter values lacks a sufficient amount of corresponding received utility parameter values. The computer program product determining, by one or more processors, one or more utility parameter values that corresponds to the range of weather parameter values. The computer program product creating, by one or more processors, a model which correlates the received and the determined utility parameter values with corresponding weather parameters values.
Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer system for creating a utility demand forecast model for weather parameters. A computer system comprising program instructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, for execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors. The computer system receiving, by one or more processors, a plurality of utility parameter values, wherein each received utility parameter value corresponds to a weather parameter value. The computer system determining, by one or more processors, that a range of weather parameter values lacks a sufficient amount of corresponding received utility parameter values. The computer system determining, by one or more processors, one or more utility parameter values that corresponds to the range of weather parameter values. The computer system creating, by one or more processors, a model which correlates the received and the determined utility parameter values with corresponding weather parameters values.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of a spline forecasting program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of the spline forecasting program creating a utility forecast model, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 a is an example utility forecasting model incorporating received and created utility parameter values, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 4 b is the example utility forecasting model of FIG. 4 a in a different representation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an example of the basis function set used for the spline representation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is an example of a usage-temperature relation calibrated on historical data, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of components of the computer device executing the service migration program, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
As will be appreciated by one skilled in the art, aspects of the present invention may be embodied as a system, method or computer program product. Accordingly, aspects of the present invention may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an entirely software embodiment (including firmware, resident software, micro-code, etc.) or an embodiment combining software and hardware aspects that may all generally be referred to herein as a “circuit”, “module” or “system.” Furthermore, aspects of the present invention may take the form of a computer program product embodied in one or more computer-readable medium(s) having computer readable program code/instructions embodied thereon.
Any combination of computer-readable media may be utilized. Computer-readable media may be a computer-readable signal medium or a computer-readable storage medium. A computer-readable storage medium may be, for example, but not limited to, an electronic, magnetic, optical, electromagnetic, infrared, or semiconductor system, apparatus, or device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. More specific examples (a non-exhaustive list) of a computer-readable storage medium would include the following: an electrical connection having one or more wires, a portable computer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM or Flash memory), an optical fiber, a portable compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), an optical storage device, a magnetic storage device, or any suitable combination of the foregoing. In the context of this document, a computer-readable storage medium may be any tangible medium that can contain, or store a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
A computer-readable signal medium may include a propagated data signal with computer-readable program code embodied therein, for example, in baseband or as part of a carrier wave. Such a propagated signal may take any of a variety of forms, including, but not limited to, electro-magnetic, optical, or any suitable combination thereof. A computer-readable signal medium may be any computer-readable medium that is not a computer-readable storage medium and that can communicate, propagate, or transport a program for use by or in connection with an instruction execution system, apparatus, or device.
Program code embodied on a computer-readable medium may be transmitted using any appropriate medium, including but not limited to wireless, wireline, optical fiber cable, RF, etc., or any suitable combination of the foregoing.
Computer program code for carrying out operations for aspects of the present invention may be written in any combination of one or more programming languages, including an object oriented programming language such as Java®, Smalltalk, C++ or the like and conventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C” programming language or similar programming languages. The program code may execute entirely on a user's computer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone software package, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computer or entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario, the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through any type of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide area network (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer (for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).
Aspects of the present invention are described below with reference to flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus (systems) and computer program products according to embodiments of the invention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in the flowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented by computer program instructions. These computer program instructions may be provided to a processor of a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or other programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, such that the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computer or other programmable data processing apparatus, create means for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
These computer program instructions may also be stored in a computer-readable medium that can direct a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to function in a particular manner, such that the instructions stored in the computer-readable medium produce an article of manufacture including instructions which implement the function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
The computer program instructions may also be loaded onto a computer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other devices to cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer, other programmable apparatus or other devices to produce a computer-implemented process such that the instructions which execute on the computer or other programmable apparatus provide processes for implementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block or blocks.
Cubic splines are a commonly used form for representing this nonlinear relationship. A cubic spline is a smooth function that takes the form of a cubic polynomial in a set of neighboring and non-overlapping intervals. It is defined by a set of parameters equal in number to the number of said non-overlapping intervals. However, these parameters which define the cubic spline typically have no direct physical or intuitive meaning.
A forecasting program can utilize a modeling method that uses cubic splines to represent the nonlinear usage-weather relationship. When calibrating to historical data, the resulting estimated cubic spline parameters in the representation can be interpretable by using concepts, such as Heating Degree Days (HDD) and Cooling Degree Days (CDD) parameterizations within a nonlinear cubic spline representation.
The model utilizing this representation expresses the relationship between the utility usage and a single predictor variable, such as the temperature, in the mathematical form of a cubic spline with “natural” boundary conditions. This form is defined by a set of “knots”, a set of values x 1 , . . . , x K , given in increasing order, and specified in advance of the analysis to take values within the expected range of the data for the predictor variable (e.g., 0° C. to 24° C.). Between each pair of adjacent knots the spline approximation is a cubic polynomial; outside the boundary knots, i.e., for values of the predictor variable less than x 1 and greater than x K , the spline approximation is a linear function; at each knot the function value and the first two derivatives are continuous. These conditions define the spline approximation except for a set of K parameters that can be specified by the user based on any available prior information, or estimated by calibrating the approximation on a set of historical data, or some combination of these approaches, such as a Bayesian analysis that makes use both of prior information and historical data about the parameter values.
There are numerous ways of formulating the K parameters for specifying the spline approximation. For example, one can specify the function value at each knot, or the function value at each boundary knot and the first derivative of the function at each of the other “interior” knots. These parameters typically do not have a direct physical interpretation. In the present invention, the representation of the spline approximation involves a set of parameters of which at least two have a clear physical interpretation. These parameters are the slopes of the spline approximation in the two end segments of the approximation, i.e., values of the predictor variable less than x 1 and greater than x K . In a model of usage versus a weather-related predictor variable such as temperature, these slopes represent the change in usage for each one-degree increase in temperature at extremely low or extremely high temperatures.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed data processing environment, generally designated 100 , in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Distributed data processing environment 100 includes computer device 104 , data storage 108 , and utility station 110 all interconnected over network 102 .
Computer device 104 can be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbook computer, a personal computer (PCs), a desktop computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smartphone, or any other programmable electronic device capable of communicating with utility station 110 via network 102 . Computer device 104 includes spline forecasting program 106 , which has access to data storage 108 and information contained within. Data storage 108 can be a collection of storage units accessible by either computer device 104 or utility station 110 .
Utility station 110 is connected to a plurality of structures 112 A, 112 B, and additional structures not illustrated, designated as structure 112 C. Utility station 110 can be a natural gas provider, an oil provider, an electricity provider, a water supply provider, or any other utility provider where usage of the other utility can be monitored. In this embodiment, utility station 110 provides electricity to structures 112 A, 112 B, and 112 C and metering device 114 monitors the amount of electricity, utility station 110 provides to structures 112 A, 112 B, and 112 C. In other embodiments, metering device 114 can be located at structures 112 A, 112 B, and 112 C and metering device 114 can send recorded monitored values to utility station 110 . Metering device 114 can also monitor and record weather effect values at the location of utility station 110 . Weather effects can be outdoor temperature values, heat index values, wind chill factor values, precipitation values, or any other weather effect values where there can be a correlation between the other weather effect value and utility usage value. The recorded weather effect values and utility usage values from metering device 114 are stored in data storage 108 . Data storage 108 can also store multiple correlations between the weather effect values and both, the utility usage values and a particular time period such as, a time of day, month, and season.
Spline forecasting program 106 can create a utility forecast model with the use of limited historical data, through a series of operational steps. Spline forecasting program 106 can access the weather effect values and the utility usage values in data storage 108 to generate the utility forecasting model. Spline forecasting program 106 has the ability to create a forecasting model for situations where either of the utility usage values or weather effect values may be limited, inconsistent, and/or missing.
In one embodiment, computer device 102 may be owned, and at least nominally controlled (e.g., required to install various security software, updates, etc.), by the same entity controlling utility station 110 . In such an embodiment, computer device 104 may be considered part of utility station 110 .
Network 102 can be any combination of connections and protocols that will support communications between computer device 104 , data storage 108 , and utility station 110 . Network 102 can include, for example, a local area network (LAN), a wide area network (WAN) such as the internet, a cellular network, or any combination of the preceding, and can further include wired, wireless, and/or fiber optic connections.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of a spline forecasting program 106 , in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
In an exemplary embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 produces a forecasting model for short-term electricity usage. The weather effect on which spline forecasting program 106 bases the short-term electricity usage forecast model is outdoor temperature at utility station 110 as previously recorded by monitoring device 114 .
Spline forecasting program 106 receives a request to create a utility usage forecast model (step 202 ). In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 receives an input from a user specifying a type of utility parameter and a type of weather parameter for which the utility forecast usage model is to be based upon. In this example, the utility parameter is previous electricity usage for a specified period and the weather parameter is previous out door temperatures for the specified period. In the exemplary embodiment, the specified period is equivalent to 6 months incorporating the spring and summer months. Spline forecasting program 106 is creating a utility usage forecast model for the subsequent 6 months incorporating the fall and winter months.
Spline forecasting program 106 receives weather parameter values (step 204 ). In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 queries data storage 108 to obtain the weather parameter values. Continuing from the previously mentioned example, outdoor temperature values are received for the specified period of 6 months. However, temperature values for the subsequent 6 months (i.e., fall and winter months) may not be within the bound of the specified 6 months from which spline forecasting program 106 bases the utility usage forecast model upon.
To incorporate such temperatures outside the bound of the specified 6 month period, spline forecasting program 106 can receive an input from a user specifying a desired range for the forecasting model. In one example, if during the specified 6 month period the temperature range was between 45° F. and 90° F. and the temperature for the subsequent 6 months is in the 0° F. to 45° F., spline forecasting program 106 may not include certain temperature values due to the limitation of the temperature parameter values being utilized for the creation of the utility usage forecasting model. To incorporate the 0° F. to 45° F. temperature parameter range, spline forecasting program 106 can receive an input from a user with the specified range or the user can pre-program spline forecasting program 106 to utilize the same range for temperature parameter value for creating the forecasting model.
Spline forecasting program 106 receives utility parameter values (step 206 ). In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can query data storage 108 to obtain the utility parameter values corresponding to the weather parameter values in step 204 . Continuing from the previously mentioned example, the utility parameter values are the electricity usage values for a given day during the specified 6 month period. Such electrical usage values for any give day during the specified 6 month period can be stored in data storage 108 where each of the stored electrical usage values has an associate temperature parameter value. Spline forecasting program 106 can receive the electrical usage value for any time in a 24-hour period for each given day of the specified 6 month period.
In one example, a user can pre-program spline forecasting program 106 to utilize electrical usage values during the coldest part of a given day (i.e., low temperature) to forecast electrical usage during the night time. In another example, the user can pre-program spline forecasting program 106 to utilize electrical usage values during the hottest part of a give day (i.e., high temperatures) to forecast electrical usage during the middle of the day.
Spline forecasting program 106 determines a correlation between the weather parameter values and the utility parameter values (step 208 ). The correlation, in mathematical terms, is also known as the line of best fit. The correlation is an estimation performed to create a single utility parameter value for every weather parameter value. Continuing from the previously mentioned example, spline forecasting program 106 can determine a correlation between outdoor temperature values and electricity usage values. Since the temperature range is 0° F. and 90° F. for the specified and subsequent 6 months, spline forecasting program 106 determines the correlation for the temperature range of 0° F. and 90° F. Spline forecasting program 106 determines a single correlation based on the electricity usage values for the corresponding temperature values for the specified 6 months, upon which spline forecasting program 106 can utilize the determined correlation to create a utility usage forecast mode for the temperature range of 0° F. and 90° F.
Spline forecasting program 106 represents the relationship between utility usage and any single predictor variable in the mathematical form of a cubic spline with so-called “natural” boundary conditions. This form is defined by a set of “knots”, a set of at least four values x 1 , . . . , x K , (i.e., with K≧4), given in increasing order, and specified in advance of the analysis. Between each pair of adjacent knots the spline approximation is a cubic polynomial. Outside the boundary knots, i.e., for values of the predictor variable less than x 1 and greater than x K , the spline approximation is a linear function and at each knot the function value and its first two derivatives are continuous. Spline forecasting program 106 can utilize another set of K parameters to specify the spline approximation. In this embodiment, these parameters include the level and slope of the spline approximation at each boundary knot. If K is greater than 4, any set of additional parameters that suffices to define the spline approximation may be used. In an exemplary embodiment the spline parameters are the level and slope of the spline approximation at each boundary knot, and the second derivative of the spline approximation at the interior knots x 3 ≦x<x K−2 . Spline forecasting program 106 can express the spline approximation as a weighted sum of basis functions by constructing the given knot locations x 1 , . . . , x K .
A real-valued function of a real variable x is a cubic spline function with knots t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 if the function is a cubic polynomial on each of the intervals −∞<x<t 1 , t 1 ≦x<t 2 , t 2 ≦x<t 3 , t 3 ≦x<t 4 , and t 4 ≦x<∞, and the values of the function and the first two derivatives are continuous at the values t 1 , t 2 , t 3 , t 4 .
Spline forecasting program 106 defines four basis functions designed to have specific values outside the range of the knots.
Let L 1 (x) be a spline function with knots x 1 , . . . , x 4 , with the properties that L 1 (x)=1 if x<x 1 and L 1 (x)=0 if x>x 4 .
Let S 1 (x) be a spline function with knots x 1 , . . . , x 4 , with the properties that S 1 (x)=x−x 1 if x<x 1 and S 1 (x)=0 if x>x 4 .
Let L K (x) be a spline function with knots x K−3 , . . . , x K , with the properties that L K (x)=0 if x<x K−3 and L K (x)=1 if x>x K .
Let S K (x) be a spline function with knots x K−3 , . . . , x K , with the properties that S K (x)=0 if x<x K−3 and S K (x)=x−x K if x>x K .
In each of the cases, the function values in the interval x 1 <x<x 4 (for L 1 and S 1 ) or x K−3 ≦x<x K (for L K and S K ) can be specified by 12 constants, the four coefficients of the cubic polynomial in each of the three intervals x 1 ≦x<x 2 , x 2 ≦x<x 3 , x 3 ≦x<x 4 (for L 1 and S 1 ) or x K−3 ≦x<x K−2 , x K−2 ≦x<x K−1 , x K−1 ≦x<x K (for L K and S K ). The properties of a cubic spline function, i.e., continuity of the function and its first two derivatives at the four knot values, provide 12 linear constraints on the coefficients that suffice to determine the coefficients exactly. Spline forecasting program 106 can compute the coefficients in practice by solving a set of 12 simultaneous linear equations derived from the said conditions on the coefficients.
If K>4, define a further K−4 basis functions B k (X), k=1, . . . , K−4, recursively by setting
B k ( 0 ) ( x ) = { 1 , x k ≤ x < x k + 1 , 0 , otherwise ,
for k=1, . . . , K−1, and for m=1, 2, 3 define
B k ( m ) ( x ) = x - x k x k + m - x k B k ( m - 1 ) ( x ) + x k + m + 1 - x x k + m + 1 - x k + 1 B k + 1 ( m - 1 ) ( x )
for k=1, . . . , K−1−m. Spline forecasting program 106 sets B k (x)=B k (3) (x), k=1, . . . , K−4 and notes that B k (x)=0 for x≦x k and x≧x k+m+1 .
Any weighted average of these basis functions is a natural cubic spline, i.e., a function that is linear in the two end segments −∞<x<x 1 and x k ≦x<∞ respectively, quadratic in the adjacent intervals x 1 <x<x 2 and x K−1 <x<x K , and cubic in the inner intervals x k <x<x k+1 , k=2, . . . , K−2.
At x=x 1 , function L 1 has unit intercept and zero slope, function S 1 has zero intercept and unit slope, and the other basis functions all have zero intercept and zero slope. Thus in a function approximation that is a weighted average of the basis functions, the weight assigned to L 1 will be the function value of the approximation at x=x 1 and the weight assigned to S 1 will be the slope of the approximation at x=x 1 and throughout the interval −∞<x<x 1 .
Similarly, at x=x K , function L K has unit intercept and zero slope, function S K has zero intercept and unit slope, and the other basis functions all have zero intercept and zero slope. Thus in a function approximation that is a weighted average of the basis functions, the weight assigned to L K will be the function value of the approximation at x=x K and the weight assigned to S K will be the slope of the approximation at x=x K and throughout the interval x K <x<∞.
Spline forecasting program 106 creates the utility usage forecast model (step 210 ). Utilizing the determined correlation from step 208 , spline forecasting program 106 can create a single utility usage forecast value for every temperature parameter value in the temperature range. An interval for the temperature parameter values can be pre-programmed by a user into spline forecasting program 106 to limit the number of utility forecast values spline forecasting program 106 produces.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of the spline forecasting program creating a utility forecast model, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
As previously discussed in step 210 , spline forecasting program 106 is capable of creating a utility forecast model based on the correlation between utility parameter values and temperature parameter values. However, in situations such as the previously mentioned example, the amount of utility parameter values may be limited or non existent for temperature parameter values where spline forecasting program 106 is creating the utility usage forecast model. Spline forecasting program 106 can identify and compensate for situations where a limited amount of utility parameter values are not present.
Spline forecasting program 106 determines a utility forecast model to use (step 302 ). A user can pre-program spline forecasting program 106 to utilize the same forecasting model whenever spline forecasting program 106 receives a request to create a utility forecast model in step 202 . In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can determine to use a utility forecast model which can utilize received utility parameter values for corresponding weather parameter values to generate additional utility parameter values where spline forecasting program 106 deems the amount of utility parameter values as lacking. Spline forecasting program 106 can create the additional utility parameter values based on estimation and a probability of the additional utility parameter values occurring for the corresponding temperature parameter values. In another embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can determine to use a utility forecast model which can utilize two or more correlations to create a utility forecast model.
Spline forecasting program 106 determines a value range for the weather parameter values (step 304 ). The value range for the weather parameter values represents the value range for which spline forecasting program 106 creates a forecast model. In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 determines the value range for the weather parameter values by evaluating the received weather parameter values in step 204 . Spline forecasting program 106 can determine the upper and lower bounds of the value range by determining the highest and the lowest values in the received weather parameter values. The upper and lower bounds can represent the range for which spline forecasting program 106 creates the utility forecast model.
In another embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can query the user for the value range for the weather parameter values. In addition to determining the upper and lower bounds for the value range, spline forecasting program 106 can query the user to determine if the upper and lower bounds for the value range are correct. In the event the upper and lower bounds do not represent the desired value range for the utility forecast model, spline forecasting program 106 can query the user for the correct upper and lower bounds that represent the desired value range. Spline forecasting program 106 can store the received value range and base the utility forecast model on the received value range. It is to be noted, spline forecasting program 106 can forego the determining of the upper and lower bounds for the value range and query the user for the upper and lower bounds for the value range without spline forecasting program 106 providing a possible value range.
Spline forecasting program 106 identifies where utility parameter values are lacking (step 306 ). Spline forecasting program 106 can identify value ranges for weather parameter values where there may be limited or non existent amounts of utility parameter values. In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can have a threshold where the threshold is an amount of utility parameter values in an identified value range for weather parameter values.
For example, if the weather parameter value are outdoor temperatures with a determined value range of 0° F. and 90° F. then the identified value range can be increments of 10° F., such as 20° F.-30° F. The threshold for the amount of utility parameter values, such as electricity usage values, can be 20 electricity usage values for the identified value range, such as 20° F.-30° F. If the threshold is exceeded, spline forecasting program 106 determines the amount of electricity usage values for the identified value range for temperature parameter values is not lacking and proceeds to determine if the threshold is exceeded for the next identified value range. If the threshold limit is not exceeded, spline forecasting program 106 determines that the amount of electricity usage values for the identified value range for temperature parameter values is lacking.
Spline forecasting program 106 creates additional utility parameter values according to the determined utility forecast model (step 308 ). The identified value ranges for weather parameter values where spline forecasting program 106 identified utility parameter values are lacking, is where spline forecasting program 106 creates additional utility parameter values. In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can create the additional utility parameter values through mathematical algorithms and probability of occurrence, such as Bayesian Inference. Spline forecasting program 106 can utilize such mathematical algorithms and probability of occurrence by creating the additional utility parameter values based on the existing utility parameter values.
Spline forecasting program 106 creates a correlation between the utility parameter values and the weather parameter values (step 310 ). As previously discussed, the correlation is estimation, performed to create a single utility parameter value for every weather parameter value. In one embodiment, spline forecasting program 106 can constrain the approximation of the correlation by separating the weather parameter values to create two dependent correlations. For example, if the correlation between utility parameter values and weather parameter values is parabolic, spline forecasting program 106 can establish a separation at a vertex of the parabolic correlation. The separation at the vertex dictates where spline forecasting program 106 creates two separate dependent correlations. In one example, spline forecasting program 106 can establish the slope for the second correlation as ⅔ the slope for the first correlation and provide a more desirable correlation at the lower and upper bounds of the temperature parameter values for the utility parameter values.
In another embodiment, utilizing the received utility parameter values along with the additionally created utility parameter values creates a correlation with the weather parameter values. The additional utility parameters values compensate for possible correlation manipulation, for example data skewing. In an instance where there are a limited amount of utility parameter values in a range of weather parameter values, for example areas containing outliers, the correlation between the utility parameter values and weather parameter values may be skewed. Spline forecasting program 106 creates a consistent correlation with the utilization of the additionally created utility parameter values which otherwise would have created an inconsistent correlation.
Spline forecasting program 106 creates forecasting estimates based on the correlation (step 312 ). Utilizing the correlation, spline forecasting program 106 creates a list of forecasted estimates for utility usage for every weather parameter value. Since, the correlation is spline based; the amount of forecasted estimates for utility usage is infinite. To handle the amount of forecasted estimates, spline forecasting program 106 can select finite values when create forecasting estimates. For example, if a correlation exists between electricity usage values and temperature parameter values in the 20° F.-30° F. range, spline forecasting program 106 can create a forecasting estimate for utility usage for 1° F. intervals. Such intervals can be pre-programmed by a user into spline forecasting program 106 or spline forecasting program 106 can query the user to determine the intervals for the weather parameter values.
FIG. 4 a is an example utility forecasting model incorporating received and created utility parameter values, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Megawatts 402 represent a unit of measurement for electrical usage and temperature 404 represent a weather parameter at which the electrical usage was recorded. In this example, the value range for temperature 404 is 10° F.-50° F. However, the utility parameter values (i.e., electrical usage values 406 ) which spline forecasting program 106 receives in step 206 , are concentrated in the 15° F.-35° F. temperature range. In the temperature value ranges, 0° F.-14° F. and 36° F.-50° F., there is a lower concentration of electrical usage values where spline forecasting program 106 identifies as lacking in utility parameters values. Additional electrical usage values 408 compensate for the lower concentration of electrical usage values in the temperature ranges, 0° F.-14° F. and 36° F.-50° F. Correlation line 410 represents the estimation, performed to create a single utility value for a single temperature value.
FIG. 4 b is the example utility forecasting model of FIG. 4 a in a different representation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
Utilizing correlation line 410 , spline forecasting program 106 creates a forecast estimates chart 412 for electrical usage at a given temperature in the temperature 404 value range of 10° F.-50° F. In this embodiment, the interval at which spline forecasting program 106 creates estimates is 1° F. In another embodiment, the interval at which spline forecasting program 106 creates estimates is 0.5° F. As previously discussed, the intervals can be pre-programmed by the user of spline forecasting program 106 . Spline forecasting program 106 translates correlation line 410 into manageable data which can be readily accessed by a user of spline forecasting program 106 .
FIG. 5 is an example of the basis function set used for the spline representation, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentation.
An example set of basis functions is illustrated in FIG. 5 , for a case with knot cluster 512 containing knot values 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, and 27. For discussion purposes, basis functions 502 , 504 , 506 , and 508 respectively represent basis functions L 1 , S 1 , L 9 , and S 9 . Basis functions cluster 510 represent basis functions B 1 , . . . , B 5 . Basis functions 502 , 504 , 506 , and 508 are shown as solid lines and Basis functions cluster 510 are shown as dotted lines. Cluster points 512 on the horizontal axis indicate the knot values x 1 , . . . , x 9 .
Spline forecasting program 106 obtains the numerical values for the parameters of the spline approximation by calibration of the relationship between usage and the predictor variable on historical data or by specification of fixed values for the parameters based on expert knowledge, or a combination of these two approaches. In an exemplary embodiment, the spline approximation between electricity usage and temperature, spline forecasting program 106 calibrates on historical data using a Bayesian approach that can incorporate prior information about the slope of the usage-temperature relationship in the end segments.
FIG. 6 is an example of a usage-temperature relation calibrated on historical data, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 6 illustrates the effect of the Bayesian analysis. The plotted points are a set of values of usage (kW per customer) and temperature (° C.), on Monday's at 11 AM for 52 consecutive weeks for a set of electric utility customers. The usage-temperature relation is approximated by a natural cubic spline with knots at temperature values 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, and 24, represented by knot cluster 512 in FIG. 5 . This spline is fitted as a weighted average of six basis functions computed as described above, with the weights first estimated by the method of least squares. This fit is obtained by linear regression, with predictor variables given by the basis functions evaluated at the observed temperature values. The regression model has six coefficients, one for each basis function; these coefficients determine the weights assigned to each basis function in the weighted average that defines the cubic spline approximation to the usage-temperature relation. For this data set there is only one temperature value greater than 20, and the estimated weights for the basis functions describing the usage-temperature relation at high temperatures are not reliable. Spline forecasting program 106 applies a Bayesian approach, a regression model with normal prior distributions specified for each of the six regression coefficients. The regression coefficients corresponding to slopes of the usage-temperature relation were set to physically plausible values; a mean of −0.3 and standard deviation 0.5 for the slope for temperatures less than 9, and a mean of 0.15 and standard deviation 0.5 for the slope for temperatures greater than 24. Spline forecasting program 106 assigns other coefficients that diffuse prior distributions with mean 0 and standard deviation 1000. The posterior mean of the estimated usage-temperature relation is shown as solid line 602 . The slope of the relation for temperatures above 24 is now 0.155, little changed from its prior mean because there is little information in the data to override the prior estimate.
FIG. 7 depicts a block diagram of components of a computer, capable of operating spline forecasting program 106 within computer device 104 , in accordance with an illustrative embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that FIG. 7 provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made.
Computer device 104 includes communications fabric 702 , which provides communications between computer processor(s) 704 , memory 706 , persistent storage 708 , communications unit 710 , and input/output (I/O) interface(s) 712 . Communications fabric 702 can be implemented with any architecture designed for passing data and/or control information between processors (such as microprocessors, communications and network processors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any other hardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric 702 can be implemented with one or more buses.
Memory 706 and persistent storage 708 are computer-readable storage media. In this embodiment, memory 706 includes random access memory (RAM) 714 and cache memory 716 . In general, memory 706 can include any suitable volatile or non-volatile computer-readable storage media.
Spline forecasting program 106 is stored in persistent storage 708 for execution by one or more of the respective computer processors 704 via one or more memories of memory 706 . In this embodiment, persistent storage 708 includes a magnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetic hard disk drive, persistent storage 708 can include a solid state hard drive, a semiconductor storage device, read-only memory (ROM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), flash memory, or any other computer-readable storage media that is capable of storing program instructions or digital information.
The media used by persistent storage 708 may also be removable. For example, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 708 . Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, and smart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto another computer-readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage 708 .
In these examples, communications unit 710 includes one or more network interface cards. Communications unit 710 may provide communications through the use of either or both physical and wireless communications links. Spline forecasting program 106 may be downloaded to persistent storage 708 through communications unit 710 .
I/O interface(s) 712 allows for input and output of data with other devices that may be connected to computer device 104 . For example, I/O interface 712 may provide a connection to external devices 718 such as a keyboard, keypad, a touch screen, and/or some other suitable input device. External devices 718 can also include portable computer-readable storage media such as, for example, thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards. Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention, e.g., spline forecasting program 106 , can be stored respectively on such portable computer-readable storage media and can be loaded onto persistent storage 708 via I/O interface(s) 712 . I/O interface(s) 712 may also connect to a display 720 .
Display 720 provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be, for example, a computer monitor.
The programs described herein are identified based upon the application for which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of the invention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular program nomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus the invention should not be limited to use solely in any specific application identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.
The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate the architecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementations of systems, methods and computer program products according to various embodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in the flowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, segment, or portion of code, which comprises one or more executable instructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). It should also be noted that, in some alternative implementations, the functions noted in the block may occur out of the order noted in the figures. For example, two blocks shown in succession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or the blocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending upon the functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocks in the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implemented by special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specified functions or acts, or combinations of special purpose hardware and computer instructions.
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The computer creates a utility demand forecast model for weather parameters by receiving a plurality of utility parameter values, wherein each received utility parameter value corresponds to a weather parameter value. Determining that a range of weather parameter values lacks a sufficient amount of corresponding received utility parameter values. Determining one or more utility parameter values that corresponds to the range of weather parameter values. Creating a model which correlates the received and the determined utility parameter values with the corresponding weather parameters values.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/216,691, filed Aug. 31, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,051,665 which is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/130,458, filed May 16, 2005, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,983,707, which is a divisional of application Ser. No. 10/792,942, filed Mar. 4, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,907,835.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to a lift system for watercraft. In particular, the present invention relates to a portable lift system for a pontoon boat that is carried beneath a deck of the pontoon boat.
It is desirable to lift pontoon boats out of the water when not in use so that the pontoons are not continually exposed to the water and to avoid disruption to the boat or its occupants as a result of waves or wakes from other passing watercraft. Conventional pontoon boat lifts are well known, but are stationary, i.e. typically adjacent to a dock, and include a platform which is submersible under the water below the pontoon boat. With the pontoon boat positioned above the platform, the platform is raised to elevate the pontoon boat above the water. To avoid damage during sub-freezing weather, docks and conventional lifts must be removed from the water before it freezes, usually well before the end of a normal boating season. Also, the effectiveness of conventional lifts can be impacted by fluctuations in the water level of a lake.
Thus, there is a need in the art for a portable lift system for pontoon boats that allows a pontoon boat to be lifted and securely held out of the water at any desired location.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pontoon lift system for a pontoon boat having a deck comprises a plurality of independently movable legs. A first leg of the system is pivotally mounted to an underside of the deck and has a first support pad on a free end thereof. A second leg of the system is spaced from the first leg and is pivotally mounted to the underside of the deck. The second leg has a second pad, separate from the first pad, on a free end thereof. A third leg of the system is spaced from the first and second legs and is pivotally mounted to the underside of the deck. The third leg has a third pad, separate from the first and second pads, on a free end thereof. A fourth leg of the system is spaced from the first, second and third legs and is pivotally mounted to the underside of the deck. The fourth leg has a fourth pad, separate from the first, second and third pads, on a free end thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pontoon boat in phantom showing the lift system of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a lift of the present invention.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the lift of FIG. 2 taken along line 3 — 3 .
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of a threaded follower of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of a thrust bearing and housing for a screw of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an electric motor mounting plate of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the electric motor mounting plate of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 8 is a side partially sectioned view of a screw/keyed motor shaft connection for the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 8A is an enlarged perspective view of a coupler for connecting together the screw and the keyed motor shaft of FIG. 8 .
FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of leg members connected to a second end of the pair of channels of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 9A is an exploded top view of the connection of one leg member to a wing of the electric motor mounting plate.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged rear perspective view of the connection of fulcrum arm members to leg members of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 11 is a partially sectioned side view of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 12 is an exploded view of a pad of the lift of the present invention.
FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one embodiment of the lift of the present invention with stop sensors.
While the above-identified drawing figures set forth preferred embodiments of the invention, other embodiments are also contemplated, as noted in the discussion. In all cases, this disclosure presents the present invention by way of representation and not limitation. It should be understood that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by those skilled in the art which fall within the scope and spirit of the principles of this invention. It should be specifically noted that the figures have not been drawn to scale, as it has been necessary to enlarge certain portions for clarity.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of lift system 10 of the present invention mounted to a pontoon boat 12 (shown in phantom). Pontoon boat 12 generally comprises a pair of pontoons 14 placed parallel to one another and extending from a forward end 16 to a rearward end 18 of pontoon boat 12 . A deck 20 is supported above pair of pontoons 14 by a plurality of spaced deck support members 22 that extend between pair of pontoons 14 . Lift system 10 comprises four identical lifts 24 that are connectable to deck support members 22 of pontoon boat 12 . Two lifts 24 are connected to deck support members 22 between pontoons 14 near forward end 16 of pontoon boat 12 and two lifts 24 are connected to deck support members 22 between pontoons 14 near rearward end 18 of pontoon boat 12 . Each set of lifts 24 are oriented generally parallel to pontoons 14 and to each other.
Each lift 24 generally comprises a channel 26 , a motor 28 , a screw 30 , a leg 32 , and a fulcrum arm 34 . Channel 26 comprises a pair of spaced channel members 26 A, 26 B. Each channel member 26 A, 26 B includes a flange 36 for mounting channel 26 to support members 22 . A motor mounting plate 38 is welded to channel 26 at a first end 40 . Motor 28 is mounted to motor mounting plate 38 and is connected to a first end 29 of screw 30 . A second end 31 of screw 30 is supported by a bearing 42 secured to a bearing plate 44 welded to a second end 46 of channel 26 . A leg 32 is pivotally connected to wings 48 of motor mounting plate 38 . Leg 32 is pivoted by a fulcrum arm 34 , which has one end connected to leg 32 , and a second end connected to a threaded follower 50 that is threaded onto screw 30 . Threaded follower moves along screw 30 when motor 28 turns screw 30 . When screw 30 is turned in a first direction, leg 32 is extended by virtue of the fulcrum arm connection such that leg 32 is radially spaced from screw 30 . When screw 30 is turned in a second direction, leg 32 is retracted by virtue of the fulcrum arm connection such that leg 32 is proximate to screw 30 .
FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of lifts 24 of lift system 10 shown in FIG. 1 . Channel 26 serves to attach lift 24 to deck support members 22 . Channel 26 is connectable to deck support members 22 by either pre-formed holes in flanges 36 of each channel member 26 A, 26 B or by drilling holes in flanges 36 . Connection of lift 24 to pontoon boat 12 is accomplished by drilling complimentary holes in deck support members 22 and securing flanges 36 to deck support members 22 with bolts. Channel members 26 A, 26 B are located to define a space to house screw 30 . Each channel member 26 A, 26 B serves as a track to assist in a smooth movement of threaded follower 50 along screw 30 . Channel 26 has a length that spans several deck support members 22 . Each channel member 26 A, 26 B has a length approximating leg 32 , which in one embodiment is about 56.75 inches. The preferable material for channel members 26 A, 26 B is aluminum.
Motor 28 is operatively connected to screw 30 and turns screw 30 to raise and lower leg 32 . Motor 28 is mounted to motor mounting plate 38 , which is welded to first end 40 of channel 26 . In one embodiment, motor 28 is a reversible electric motor. In a preferred embodiment, motor 28 is a one-half horsepower motor manufactured by Bodine Electric Company capable of providing 400 lb-in. of torque. Motor 28 is preferably coated by waterproofing material.
Screw 30 is housed between channel members 26 A, 26 B. First end 29 of screw 30 is operatively connected to motor 28 by a drive coupling 52 . Second end 31 of screw 30 extends to second end 46 of channel 26 and is supported by bearing 42 . In one embodiment, screw 30 has a length of about 54.78 inches and is a threaded 1–4 2 Start Acme screw having an outside diameter of approximately one inch.
Threaded follower 50 is located between first and second ends 29 and 31 of screw 30 and is threaded onto screw 30 . Screw 30 guides threaded follower 50 along the length of channel 26 when screw 30 is turned by motor 28 .
Leg 32 comprises a pair of leg members 32 A, 32 B which are pivotally connected to wings 48 of motor plate 38 at a first end of leg 32 . A brace plate 54 is welded to leg members 32 A, 32 B adjacent the first end of leg 32 and serves to provide support and stability to leg members 32 A, 32 B as leg members 32 A, 32 B pivot about first end 40 of channel 26 . Leg brackets 56 are connected to leg members 32 A, 32 B below brace plate 54 and support a pivot tube 58 for connection of fulcrum arm 34 . Leg 32 has a length sufficient to raise pontoon boat 12 above the surface of the water when leg 32 is fully extended relative to channel 26 . When leg 32 is extended, lift 24 is supported on the bottom of the body of water by a pad 60 pivotally connected to a second end of leg members 32 A, 32 B by a pad pivot tube 62 and pad brackets 64 . In one embodiment, the length of leg members 32 A, 32 B is about 65.56 inches. The preferable material for leg members 32 A, 32 B is aluminum.
Fulcrum arm 34 serves to raise and lower leg 32 as threaded follower 50 travels along screw 30 . First end 66 of fulcrum arm 34 is pivotally connected to threaded follower 50 and second end 68 of fulcrum arm 34 is pivotally connected to pivot tube 58 . In one embodiment, fulcrum arm 34 comprises a pair of fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B. Each fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B includes a plurality of holes 35 equally spaced along the length of fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B for weight reduction. A cross-piece may optionally be welded between fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B to maintain fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B at a constant distance from each other when fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B are extending and retracting leg 32 . Each fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B has a length sufficient to extend leg 32 such that leg 32 is generally normal to channel 26 when fully extended. In one embodiment, fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B have a length of about 30.64 inches and structure holes 35 have a diameter of 1.5 inches. Fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B are preferably formed from aluminum.
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of channel 26 of FIG. 2 taken along line 3 — 3 . Each channel member 26 A, 26 B is comprised of flange 36 and a C-shaped track 70 defined by a top wall 72 , a bottom wall 74 , and a vertical wall 76 that is normal to top wall 72 and bottom wall 74 . Flange 36 and walls 72 , 74 , and 76 are integrally connected and formed by extruding aluminum. In one embodiment, flange 36 and walls 72 , 74 , and 76 have a wall thickness of about 0.1875 inches. Channel members 26 A, 26 B are spaced and oriented such that C-shaped track 70 of channel members 26 A, 26 B are oriented toward screw 30 .
Slider blocks 78 are housed in C-shaped track 70 of channel members 26 A, 26 B and are dimensioned to slide along C-shaped tracks 70 as threaded follower 50 moves along screw 30 to assist in smooth travel of threaded follower 50 along screw 30 . In one embodiment, slider blocks 78 are made of a polymer material, preferably plastic. In an alternative embodiment, slider blocks 78 can be replaced with wheels, bearings, or any other known structure that functions to provide a smooth travel of threaded follower 50 along screw 30 .
Threaded follower 50 is threaded onto screw 30 between channel members 26 A, 26 B. Threaded follower 50 generally comprises a drive block 80 , drive screw 82 , and anchor pin 84 . Drive block 80 and drive screw 82 are located on screw 30 . Anchor pin 84 fixes drive screw 82 relative to drive block 80 to prevent drive screw 82 from rotating relative to drive block 80 when screw 30 is rotated. Drive block 80 includes posts 86 (shown in phantom) which extend from opposite sides of drive block 80 toward C-shaped tracks 70 . Each post 86 serves to pivotally connect fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B to threaded follower 50 , and to connect threaded follower 50 to slider blocks 78 .
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of threaded follower 50 . As shown in FIG. 4 , drive block 80 is an aluminum block with posts 86 extending from opposite sides oriented toward slider blocks 78 . Each post 86 has a length sufficient to pass through fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B and connect drive block 80 to slider blocks 78 . Drive block 80 also includes a smooth bore 88 that is axially aligned with screw 30 . Bore 88 has a diameter that is larger than the outer diameter of screw 30 . Drive block 80 further comprises a lock pin hole 90 located at side 92 of drive block 80 adjacent bore 88 . Lock pin hole 90 has a depth and diameter sufficient to securely maintain a portion of anchor pin 84 . Anchor pin 84 is sized such that anchor pin 84 is frictionally held in lock pin hole 90 .
Drive screw 82 is comprised of a head 94 , a tubular body 96 , and a bore 98 extending therethrough. Head 94 has an outer diameter larger than that of tubular body 96 and includes a notch 100 at a circumferential edge of head 94 . Body 96 of drive screw 82 has an outer diameter sized to fit within bore 88 of drive block 80 and a length sufficient to extend through bore 88 of drive block 80 . Body 96 has external threads that mate with a drive nut 102 when body 96 extends through bore 88 to secure drive screw 82 relative to drive block 80 . Bore 98 of drive screw 82 is provided with internal threads that mate with the external threads of screw 30 .
Each fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B has an opening 104 which receives a brass bushing 106 that is dimensioned to fit onto posts 86 of drive block 80 . Each slider block 78 is provided with a hole 108 to receive an end portion of posts 86 .
To assemble threaded follower 50 on screw 30 , channel members 26 A, 26 B are secured to deck support members 22 of pontoon boat 12 with screw 30 supported at one end by bearing 42 . Before motor mounting plate 38 is welded to channel 26 and screw 30 is secured to coupler 52 , drive nut 102 is slid onto first end 29 of screw 30 . Fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B are then connected to drive block 80 by positioning brass bushings 106 over posts 86 and slider blocks 78 are positioned to allow posts 86 to extend within hole 108 of slider blocks 78 . Next, slider blocks 78 are positioned within C-shaped tracks 70 of channel members 26 A, 26 B while bore 88 of drive block 80 is passed over first end 29 of the screw 30 .
Drive screw 82 is then threaded onto first end 29 of the screw 30 . Once drive screw 82 is at the desired location on screw 30 , bore 88 of drive block 80 is positioned over body 96 of drive screw 82 . Drive screw 82 is rotated until notch 100 of drive screw 82 is aligned with lock pin hole 90 of drive block 80 and anchor pin 84 is press fit into lock pin hole 90 with a portion extending to engage notch 100 . Drive nut 102 is then threaded onto the end portion of body 96 of drive screw 82 that extends from bore 88 of drive block 80 to prevent axial movement of drive screw 82 relative to drive block 80 .
FIG. 5 is an exploded side view of bearing assembly 110 for supporting second end 31 of screw 30 relative to bearing mounting plate 44 . As shown in FIG. 5 , second end 31 of screw 30 is machined to define an end portion 112 of reduced diameter for mounting a pair of bearings 42 . Each bearing 42 is housed in a bearing race 114 and is retained on the end portion 112 of screw 30 by a washer 116 and nut 118 that mates with a threaded end 119 of end portion 112 . Bearing assembly 110 and second end 31 are covered by a bearing housing 120 consisting of facing cups 120 A, 120 B. Cups 120 A, 120 B are provided with a plurality of bores 121 that correspond to holes 122 in mounting plate 44 . Bores 121 in cup 120 A include internal threads which allow bearing housing 120 and bearing assembly 110 to be secured to mounting plate 44 by bolts 124 .
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of first end 40 of channel 26 showing motor 28 mounted to motor mounting plate 38 . As shown in FIG. 6 , motor mounting plate 38 has a width W which is greater than the spacing of channel members 26 A, 26 B. As such, wings 48 are spaced from channel members 26 A, 26 B to create a gap G for mounting leg members 32 A, 32 B.
As shown in FIG. 7 , in one embodiment wings 48 are welded to ends 125 of motor mounting plate 38 . Alternatively, wings 48 may be integral to motor mounting plate 38 and are formed by bending end portions of motor mounting plate 38 . As further shown in FIG. 7 , motor mounting plate 38 is provided with motor mounting holes 126 which align with bolt holes in motor casing 128 ( FIG. 6 ) for connecting motor 28 to motor mounting plate 38 with bolts. Motor mounting plate 38 also is provided with an opening 130 to permit a drive shaft of motor 28 to connect to screw 30 .
FIG. 8 is a partial cutaway side view of first end 40 of channel 26 showing screw 30 connected to motor 28 . As shown in FIG. 8 , first end 29 of screw 30 is machined to define an end portion 132 of reduced diameter. End portion 132 is positioned within bore 134 of drive coupling 52 and is secured by welding. Second end 136 of drive coupling 52 is positioned over drive shaft 138 of motor 28 . As shown in FIG. 8A , bore 134 of drive coupling 52 is configured with a key-slot 140 that extends along the inner circumference of drive coupling 52 along the length of bore 134 . Referring to FIG. 8 , drive shaft 138 of motor 28 is keyed to permit a portion of drive shaft 138 to extend into key-slot 140 at second end 136 of drive coupling 52 to allow motor 28 to rotate screw 30 .
FIG. 9 is an enlarged perspective view of first end 40 of channel 26 . A portion of flange 36 is cut away to show a first end 142 of leg members 32 A, 32 B connected to wings 48 of motor mounting plate 38 . As shown in FIG. 9 , first end 142 of leg members 32 A, 32 B are mounted to wings 48 within gap G beneath flanges 36 of channel members 26 A, 26 B. First end 142 of leg members 32 A, 32 B are mounted to wings 48 by bolts to provide pivotal movement of leg members 32 A, 32 B relative to channel 26 .
FIG. 9A is an exploded top view of first end 142 of leg member 32 A between wing 48 A and channel member 26 A. As shown in FIG. 9A , first end 142 of leg member 32 A has a hole 144 , which receives a brass bushing 146 . First end 142 of leg member 32 A is axially aligned with pre-drilled holes 148 in wing 48 A and in vertical wall 76 of channel member 26 A. Washers 150 are aligned with holes 148 on either side of leg member 32 A and leg member 32 A is connected by bolt 152 and nut 154 . First end 142 of leg member 32 B connects to wing 48 B and channel member 26 B in an identical manner.
With leg members 32 A, 32 B mounted to wings 48 of motor mounting plate 38 and channel members 26 A, 26 B, second end 68 of fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B are pivotally connected to leg members 32 A, 32 B.
FIG. 10 is an enlarged rear perspective view of second end 68 of fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B connected to leg members 32 A, 32 B. Second end 68 of each fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B has an opening (not shown) that receives pivot tube 58 . Spacing S of fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B along pivot tube 58 is chosen to locate each fulcrum arm member 34 A, 34 B generally equidistant from a respective leg member 32 A, 32 B and to space fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B generally equal to the spacing of first end 66 of fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B. Once fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B are properly spaced along pivot tube 58 , pivot tube 58 is welded to fulcrum arm members 34 A, 34 B. Pivot tube 58 has a length less than the distance between leg brackets 56 secured to leg members 32 A, 32 B to permit positioning of brass bushings 156 (not shown) at each end of pivot tube 58 .
FIG. 11 is a partially sectioned side view of one of lifts 24 showing first and second ends 66 and 68 of fulcrum arm 34 connected to threaded follower 50 and leg 32 , respectively. As motor 28 turns screw 30 in a first direction, threaded follower 50 carries first end 66 of fulcrum arm 34 along screw 30 in the direction of arrow A causing leg 32 to move in the direction of arrow B to a retracted position and stow leg 32 against channel 26 . When leg members 32 A, 32 B are fully retracted, leg members 32 A, 32 B extend along the exterior side of vertical wall 76 of channel members 26 A, 26 B and pad 60 extends beyond second end 46 of channel 26 .
To lower leg 32 , motor 28 turns screw 30 in a second opposite direction and threaded follower 50 carries first end 66 of fulcrum arm 34 along screw 30 opposite the direction of arrow A to lower leg 32 . Leg 32 is lowered until pad 60 contacts the bottom of the body of water. Operated in concert with a plurality of lifts 24 , as shown in FIG. 1 , as legs 32 of lifts 24 are further lowered, pontoon boat 12 is elevated above the surface of the body of water.
FIG. 12 is an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of pad 60 . As shown in FIG. 12 , end portion 176 of second end 178 of leg members 32 A, 32 B is curved to mate with pad pivot tube 62 . End portion 176 of leg members 32 A, 32 B are spaced at opposite ends of pad pivot tube 62 and are secured by welding.
Pad 60 is pivotally connected to pad pivot tube 62 by a pair of U-shaped pad brackets 64 sized to fit over pad pivot tube 62 . Pad brackets 64 are placed over pad pivot tube 62 adjacent to an inner side of leg members 32 A, 32 B. Holes 180 of pad brackets 64 align with corresponding holes 182 provided in pad 60 to pivotally connect pad 60 to pad brackets 64 with bolts 184 and nuts 186 .
In one embodiment, pad 60 is formed of an aluminum plate and may include one or more support braces 188 welded to a bottom of pad 60 . Support braces 188 shown in FIG. 12 comprise V-shaped aluminum pieces sized to fit bottom contours of pad 60 .
FIG. 13 is an enlarged partial perspective view of one of lifts 24 representing a control for synchronized operation of lift system 10 . As shown in FIG. 13 , in one embodiment of lift system 10 , each lift 24 is equipped with a pair of spaced stop sensors 200 and 202 , which aid in preventing motor 28 from being over-operated when leg 32 is in the complete up position or the complete extended position. Stop sensor 200 is connected to bearing mounting plate 44 and extends within channel 26 with an end oriented toward one of slider blocks 78 . Stop sensor 202 is located on a plate 204 , which is mounted within channel 26 between channel members 26 A, 26 B, such as by welding. Plate 204 is provided with a hole 206 that is sized to permit screw 30 to pass therethrough. Stop sensor 202 also has an end oriented to an opposite side of slider block 78 .
In one embodiment, the leading and trailing faces of slider block 78 are provided with a magnet 208 . As previously discussed, as threaded follower 50 travels along screw 30 toward bearing mounting plate 44 , leg 32 is raised to a stowed position. When leg 32 reaches the raised, stowed position, magnet 208 on the leading face of slider block 78 is adjacent stop sensor 200 . Stop sensor 200 senses the presence of the magnetic field and sends a representative signal via electrical connection 210 to a switch in control box 212 , which opens an electrical connection 213 of motor 28 to battery 214 . In alternative embodiments, stop sensor 200 may be positioned to correspond with a portion of leg 32 when leg 32 is in a raised, stowed position, with a magnet mounted on the corresponding portion of leg 32 .
Likewise, as threaded follower 50 travels in an opposite direction along screw 30 , leg 32 is lowered to engage a bottom of the body of water. In one embodiment, plate 204 with stop sensor 202 are located within channel 26 to ensure that leg 32 is not over-rotated and motor 28 is not over-operated. When threaded follower 50 is near plate 204 and magnet 208 on the trailing face of slider block 78 is adjacent stop sensor 202 a signal is transmitted via electrical connection 216 to a switch in control box 212 to open the electrical connection 213 of motor 28 to battery 214 . In alternative embodiments, magnet 208 may be positioned on head 94 of drive screw 82 with corresponding stop sensor 202 positioned on plate 204 accordingly.
The remaining lifts 24 of lift system 10 are similarly electrically configured to control box 212 . Control box 212 also receives inputs from a user and synchronizes operation of motors 28 of each lift 24 to raise and lower pontoon boat 12 relative to the surface of the water. Additionally, each motor 28 can be individually operated such as for leveling pontoon boat 12 .
Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, workers skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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The pontoon boat lift system comprises a plurality of lifts mounted to an underside of a deck of the pontoon boat. Each lift comprises a leg that pivotally mounted to the underside of the deck and is moveable between a raised position and a lowered position. A free end of each leg includes its own support pad that contacts, for example, a lake bottom when the legs are in the lowered position. The operation of the lifts is coordinated to raise the pontoon boat above the surface of the water at desired shoreline locations.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a bubbled foamy drink provided by applying a bubbling engineering process to various functional foods, particularly, fermented foods supplied using various fermentation techniques, that have functions to control the activation of bioregulatory functions in view of biological defense and physical rhythm control and preventive medicine in lives, including humans.
[0003] 2. Description of the Background
[0004] In connection with the present invention, the concept of bubbling engineering technology is already known in Patent Application PCT KR 2007-001040 filed by the present applicant. Bubbling processes can be classified into hot bubbling processes and cold bubbling processes. In hot bubbling processes, a rapid temperature rise occurs by heating to induce a phase change. In cold bubbling processes, surface activation is achieved by using a catalyst or inducing turbulence in an overcooled state, resulting in phase separation.
[0005] The bubbling engineering technology is defined as a process wherein additives for various purposes and applications are added to bioavailable food materials selected from grain powders, natural protein foods, etc. to prepare a colloidal solution, and thereafter, the colloidal solution is reacted with a gas-containing aqueous solution to prepare a foamy colloid. The bubbling engineering technology can be realized by a combination of techniques based on the following basic mechanisms:
1. Powder processing and mixing techniques of the bioavailable food materials enable manufacturers to program the reaction procedures and the application purposes on the materials; 2. The reaction speed can be controlled by varying the crystal state of the saccharides, so that the reaction rates of the respective steps can be controlled; 3. The number, size and mobility of air bubbles can be manipulated by controlling the amount of protein; 4. Manipulating the state (e.g., kind, pressure (including partial pressure), temperature and state) of the gas can remotely control the environments of biochemical reactions in a living body (e.g., partial pressure control control of biochemical reactions control of pharmacological effects for health and hygiene improvement); and 5. The stabilizing procedure of the bubble colloid, which is slowly separated into an aggregation of foam scum and a body of brewed solution and stabilized with the passage of time, can be controlled and utilized for fermentation.
[0011] The final product produced by bubbling engineering process in the present invention may be a 3-state complex (the composite state of gas, liquid and solid) bubble structure, an aggregation of foam scum, a body of brewed solution (patterned water), a stabilizing process, or a combination thereof. Bubble drink products by this invention can be served by impromptu (improvised) cuisine of simply mixing two major functional materials, i.e. a gas-saturated drink and a food concentrate in colloidal dispersion state, and hence spontaneously forming a fluent complex aggregation of gas bubbles, and then are ingested by means of drinking in the form of synthetic construction as named ‘bubble drink’ which enables ingesta not only to help the living subject to keep and/or improve health but also to attain various functional effects when carefully designed and controlled. Those beneficial results are achieved by the property of bubble drink maximizing the introduction of gas within the digestive system with a soft feeling of gulp, thereby increasing the functional efficiency of the ingested gas materials.
[0012] From the viewpoint of the size criteria of dispersed particles, a colloidal solution constituting bubble drink can be defined as ‘complex colloid’ in which the three types coexist. By the definition of colloid, accordingly, the physicochemical properties of bubble drink are dependent on the sizes of the constituent materials and irrespective of those properties and thereby, the term ‘complex colloid’ naturally secures a wide variety of choice in identifying bubble drink material constituents, thus excluding the need for additional longwinded explanation thereof.
[0013] The design of bubble drink was invented considering the common pattern of ingestion of all kinds of food and drink, and, so long as the basic requirements described herein are met, any food or drink undergoing a change in composition can be ingested in the form of bubble drink as an instant food which is produced by converting ingesta into a blast of bubbled structure in 3 state complexity of solid, liquid and gas even under the various influences of the actual life environment. An invention involving phase changes and exhibiting potent thermodynamic and quantum mechanical properties as stated in the present invention will never produce products having completely identical fingerprints. Furthermore, food ingestion environmental conditions cannot be manipulated just like those in laboratories and so potential instability and change cannot be avoidable. Under such environmental systems, an invention associated with a method for ingesting a physicochemically stable food or drink must ensure a consistency in the practice of the invention even under various and comprehensive daily life environments. With reference to technical and experimental data associated with the basic principles of the present invention and embodiments of the present invention, the technical spirits will be described below from the standpoint of the features and purposes of the present invention.
[0014] According to a generally known method for producing a functional fermented food, after water is mixed with materials to be processed in an optimal ratio, the mixture is fermented and aged under constant temperature conditions.
[0015] The present invention relates to a follow-up technique of bubble drink disclosed in Patent Application PCT/KR2007/001040 entitled “Bubble Drink Provided by Bubbling Engineering Process” which was filed by the present applicant, and the technical spirit of the present invention is associated with a functional fermented bubble drink provided by adding a fermented food to the bubble drink disclosed in the patent application to impart additional characteristic functions to the bubble drink.
[0016] For example, a powder of soup prepared with fermented soybeans may be added during production of the final bubble drink.
[0017] Particularly, experimental results obtained from the production of cheese whey from milk by fermentation indicate that the production of milk-rich bubble drinks by fermentation can open a new market in the application of new flavored foods and drinks by alcoholic fermentation and lactic acid bacteria fermentation (as shown in “Alcoholic fermentation of cheese whey by mixed culture of Kluyveromyces marxianus and lactic acid bacteria” Sim Young Sup, Kim Jae Won and Yoon Seong Sik, Korean J. Food SCI. Technol. Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 161˜167 (1998)).
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] The present inventor has earnestly and intensively conducted research to develop a process by which a cold bubbling process is applied to bioavailable food materials, based on bubbling engineering technology, to design and manipulate formation reactions of foam in a creative and easy manner. As a result, the present inventor has succeeded in developing a bubble drink suitable for drinking, characterized in that a foamy structure can be easily obtained at ambient pressure and temperature, a flow of materials can be intentionally manipulated, which is an inherent characteristic of foam, and unit processes can be varied during in-line automatic production, which is a characteristic of modern industry, without involving considerable additional expense.
[0019] It is one object of the present invention to provide a functional fermented bubble drink that is produced by applying bubbling engineering process to various fermented foods while keeping reserving the effective ingredients obtained from fermentation and aging, and that is programmed such that the physical rhythm of lives be optimized and the effect of caloric intake by consumers be rightly controlled.
[0020] It is another object of the present invention to provide a functional fermented bubble drink that is produced by converting fermented foods to a form of bubbles having a three-state composite structure of gas, liquid and solid so as to be ingested and functioning within the digestive system. That is, the above objects of the present invention are accomplished by a programmed bubble drink that is to be produced with designing various functional components to include fermented nutrition determined to be necessary to maintain or improve the health of organism in view of the characteristics of individuals.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0021] Thus, the present invention provides a method for producing a functional fermented bubble drink using bubbling engineering process to effectively provide functional materials to a consumer. Specifically, the method of the present invention entails the steps of:
[0022] steaming and drying or slightly parching natural grains, pulverizing the dried or parched natural grains to prepare a fine powder of roasted grains, adding functional ingredients and fermented food ingredients to the fine powder of roasted grains while maintaining the humidity of the fine powder below 5%, and pulverizing the mixture to prepare a powder having a size of 10 μm or less (first step); pulverizing a crystalline powder or granular crystal of a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide to prepare a crystalloid powder having a size of 10 μm or less (second step), and controlling the composition and characteristics of the saccharide necessary for glycosylation (in the case of patients suffering from diabetes, a harmful ingredient, such as sugar or glucose, may be excluded) (second step);
[0023] preparing a powder or an extract of functional raw materials selected from strains, inocula, and/or powders, extracts, powdery pills and concentrates of ginseng steamed red, etc, to impart particular additional functions such as fermentation to a final bubble drink product (third step);
[0024] mixing the raw materials prepared in the first, second and third steps, controlling the particle size of the mixture, adding a functional material (e.g., honey) to the powder, and mixing the mixture with a colloidal solution (e.g., milk) in the form of a protein emulsion-suspension to prepare a food concentrate in a gel state (fourth step);
[0025] pulverizing, rotating or swirling the food concentrate while adding a liquid (e.g., milk) to the food concentrate to convert the gel into a sol, and freely dropping a gas-saturated solution on the sol to generate a bubble blast (bubbling engineering process) (fifth step); and
[0026] storing the bubble drink consisting of separates of liquid and foam phases in one container, or separating the two phases and storing in different containers (sixth step).
[0027] In the third step above-stated, the functional raw materials may be in the form of a powder of pulverizing the lyophilized food or an extract prepared by lyophilizing a fermented food.
[0028] In the fourth step, a functional material may be further added during mixing of the raw materials prepared in the previous steps. The functional material is selected taking into consideration the purpose of drinking, functions, and demand and taste of a consumer. Preferably, CO 2 is added in the form of a dry ice powder during the mixing.
[0029] The bubble drink consisting of separates of liquid and foam phases prepared in the fifth step is tightly sealed, followed by alcoholic fermentation or lactic acid bacteria fermentation. In the fifth step, vegetable soup is further added during conversion of the gel into a sol. The vegetable soup may be prepared by gently heating one-half of a carrot, one-fourth of a radish, one-fourth of dried radish leaves, one-fourth of a burdock and one dried oak mushroom in two liters of water for one hour, followed by cooling.
[0030] The present invention also provides a bubble drink that is ingested such that the amount of intake of a consumer is satisfied, offering a sense of satiety to the consumer wherein the bubble drink is produced by a method comprising the steps of:
[0031] steaming and drying or slightly parching natural grains, and pulverizing the dried or parched natural grains to prepare a fine powder of roasted grains, and adjusting the amount of the fine powder of roasted grains to the caloric intake of a consumer while maintaining the humidity of the fine powder below 5% (first step);
[0032] pulverizing a crystalline powder or granular crystal of a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide selected from solid substances including sugar, lactose, starch sugar, oligosaccharide, dextrin, α-starch and D-mannitol to prepare a saccharine crystalloid powder having a size of 10 μm or less (second step);
[0033] lyophilizing a fermented food and pulverizing the lyophilized food to prepare a powder of the lyophilized food or pulverizing a functional raw material for imparting particular functions to a final bubble drink to prepare a powder of the functional raw material (third step);
[0034] adsorbing and distributing the powders prepared in the previous steps in a wind tunnel to obtain a powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less, adding a functional material to the powder, and mixing the mixture with a colloidal solution, such as milk, in the form of a protein emulsion to prepare a food concentrate in a gel state (fourth step); and
[0035] pulverizing, rotating or swirling the food concentrate to convert the gel into a sol, and freely dropping a gas-saturated solution on the sol to generate a bubble blast (bubbling engineering process) (fifth step).
[0036] In the fifth step, it is preferred to further add vegetable soup to control the nutritive conditions of the bubble drink.
[0037] The above objects of the present invention can be accomplished in various forms, for example, by the provision of a bubble drink for dietary treatment of a disease, such as obesity or diabetes, that is ingested such that the caloric intake of a consumer suffering from the disease is controlled while offering a sense of satiety to the consumer wherein the bubble drink is produced by a method comprising the steps of:
[0038] steaming and drying or slightly parching natural grains, and pulverizing the dried or parched natural grains to prepare a fine powder of roasted grains, and adjusting the amount of the fine powder of roasted grains to the caloric intake of a consumer while maintaining the humidity of the fine powder below 5% (first step);
[0039] pulverizing a crystalline powder or granular crystal of a monosaccharide or oligosaccharide selected from solid substances including sugar, lactose, starch sugar, oligosaccharide, dextrin, α-starch and D-mannitol to prepare a saccharine crystalloid powder having a size of 10 μm or less (second step);
[0040] processing a functional raw material for imparting particular functions to a final bubble drink into a powder or extract (third step);
[0041] mixing the raw materials prepared in the previous steps by adsorption and distribution in a wind tunnel to obtain a powder having a particle size of 10 μm or less, adding a functional material to the powder, and mixing the mixture with a colloidal solution, such as milk, in the form of a protein emulsion to prepare a food concentrate in a gel state (fourth step); and
[0042] pulverizing, rotating or swirling the food concentrate to convert the gel into a sol, and freely dropping a gas-saturated solution on the sol to generate bubble blast (a bubbling engineering process) (fifth step).
[0043] The functional material used in the third step may be ginseng extract A or B. The functional material may be a cacao extract containing dietary fibers. The functional material may be a soybean fermented food produced using Rhizopus nigricans disclosed in Korean Patent No. 681532, a lyophilized product of Opuntia ficus - indica var., saboten or soup prepared with fermented soybeans, or the like. It is apparent to those skilled in the art of foods that the technical spirit of the present invention can be applied to all general fermented foods. By adding at least one suitable material during the preparation of the designed colloidal solution and violently mixing with the aqueous solution, the taste, fragrance and functions of the final drink are controlled and enhanced in a very easy manner.
[0044] That is, the control of the foam-forming catalyst is more effective and simpler than that of the gas carrier. Particularly, foam functions to preserve a fragrance, e.g., xylitol, for a prolonged time and to emit an aroma through the oral cavity for a long time after ingestion. Therefore, it is believed that the bubble drink is most effective in producing aromatic diet drinks.
[0045] Further, various tastes of people can be reflected according to the kind of a material added to colloidal particles as dispersion media and the reserve vessel material as a dispersoid in the form of an aqueous solution. Furthermore, it is very easy to mix the drink with at least one hygienic and pharmacologically active substance selected from aromatic ingredients, healthy food ingredients and therapeutic ingredients (e.g., cold medicines, drugs for promoting blood circulation, internal medicines for treating hypertension, internal medicines for treating tinea pedis, etc) and to take the mixture.
[0046] As apparent from the above description, the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention is produced by applying bubbling engineering process to various fermented foods while keeping effective ingredients obtained from fermentation and aging and is programmed such that the physical rhythm of an organism can be optimized and the amount of caloric intake of consumers can be justly consumed in view of preventive medicine.
[0047] Since the functional and fermented bubble drink of the present invention comprises a fermented food and pharmacologically active functional ingredients, which control biological functions and rhythm, prevent various diseases such as diabetes, control diseases to assist in the recovery of the patients, enhance immunocompetence, etc.
[0048] According to the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention, pharmacologically active substances, such as ribonucleic acids, oligosaccharides, chitosan, polysaccharides, amino acids and oligopeptides, are provided as various additives. As a result, the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention serves primary nutritive functions of food, bioregulatory functions, and preventive, curative and protective functions against various diseases.
[0049] In addition, the bubble drink of the present invention provides improved physical constitution of the weak, the elderly, children and patients under medical treatment by programming or designing the composition of the bubble drink depending on various intended purposes, including biological defense, physical rhythm control, prevention of diseases, recovery from diseases and enhancement of natural immune function.
[0050] The following examples are provided to compare the degree of separation between foamy and liquid phases of a complex bubble-net structure of three states, i.e. solid, liquid and gas states (or a bubble network <3 state bubble-net solution>, referred to simply as a ‘slg complex bubble-net structure’ or a ‘slg-CBS’ with the passage of time according to the composition of the materials.
[0051] The following examples are given to make the practice of the present invention easier. In the following examples, commercially available products, i.e. a CO 2 -containing aqueous solution, milk, sugar, and a fine powder of roasted grains (hereinafter, referred to as a ‘fiporog’ were used as four basic ingredients. It was found through experiments that although various additives having different materials and compositions thereof were used for various purposes to produce bubble drinks, the bubble drinks showed similar effects without significant differences in terms of their physical properties.
[0052] This finding proves that the bubble drink of the present invention has stable and consistent physical properties, irrespective of the nature and mixing of the materials used. The following examples are not intended to limit the intrinsic principle and constitution of the present invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
[0053] In a simpler method, a flavored carbonated drink was mainly used as a gas carrier. The flavored carbonated drink can be prepared by any well-known method. Mineral water (CO 2 content: 1.112%) produced from Chojeong-ri, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea, natural soda pop, and flavored carbonated drink products, including Coca-Cola Zero, Kin Cider, Fanta and Demisoda, were used in the following examples. All drink products were stored in a freezer at 5° C. The volume of each of the carbonated drinks was measured in a cylindrical container having a diameter of 9 cm and a height of 9 cm at ambient pressure and room temperature. The height of each of the carbonated drinks was measured in a glass having a height of 12 cm and a diameter of 6 cm, which is routinely used at home. A colloidal solution (milk+powder of roasted grains+sugar) was added to the glass, and a gas carrier fell freely from a height of 30 cm within 5 seconds to induce turbulence. As a result, a bubble colloid was obtained. The maximum volume of the bubble colloid was expressed in V max . The milk can be prepared by an ordinary technique. In the following examples, E + Supgol Milk (provided by FamilyMart Co., Korea), Pasteur Fresh Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) and Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) were used. A mixture of a concentrate of ginseng steamed red, yogurt, vinegar, an alcoholic beverage, honey, fresh egg, mayonnaise, butter, soybean soup and sesame oil, all of which are in a colloidal state, as edible additives was used. The addition of butter and sesame oil caused a reduction in foaming function. A parched cereal powder, a parched food powder and a powder of vegetable enzymes were readily prepared by well-known techniques. In the following examples, three powders of different types were used.
[0054] Fine powder of roasted grains A (fiporog A): Unhulled barley (37.5%), brown rice (25%), brown glutinous rice (18.7%), black soybean (16.3%), and others (chestnut, sea tangle, etc)
[0055] Fine powder of roasted grains B (fiporog B): Barley (27%), brown rice (25%), corn (25%), brown glutinous rice (10%), black soybean (10%), and others (potato, sweet potato, sea tangle, etc) Fine powder of roasted grains C (fiporog C): A fine powder of roasted grains for parched food, which was prepared by processing a mixture of a parched cereal powder and dry parcned food materials wherein the parched cereal powder consists of brown glutinous rice (13%), barley (13%), unhulled barley (15%), brown rice (13%), black soybean (13%), white soybean (4.4%), unshelled grains of adlay (4.4%), African millet (4.4%) and corn (4.4%) and wherein the dry parched food materials consist of sesame (2.2%), black sesame (2.2%), wild sesame (2.2%), sweet potato (0.88%), potato (0.88%), sea tangle (0.44%), anchovy (0.44%), brown seaweed (0.44%), chestnut (0.88%), mushroom (0.44%), spinach (0.44%), cabbage (0.44%), mugwort (0.44%), onion (0.44%), banana (0.44%), an embryo bud of brown rice (0.88%), pumpkin (0.44%), carrot (0.44%) and apple (0.44%).
[0056] For better taste, nutrition and function, edible additives were mixed, for example, starch flour, york flour, parched wild sesame flour, coffee extract powder, salt powder, green tea flour, powder of ginseng steamed red, concentrate of ginseng steamed red, extract of ginseng steamed red, pepper flour, powder of soup prepared with fermented soybeans, dry ice powder, powder of various vegetable enzymes, powder of herbs and pollen.
[0057] As the sugar, white sugar having a diameter of 1 mm or less was mainly used. The sugar was mixed with the parched cereal powder, and then the mixture was pulverized into a fine powder (fiporog A100) having a size of 100 μm or less and a fine powder (fiporog A10) having a size of 10 μm or less.
[0058] Although mannitol or xylitol was further added or used instead of the sugar, similar results were obtained.
[0059] To measure the degree of separation of the structures, the ratios of a solution state to a foamy state separated from a 100% foamy state with time (0.5 min., 1 min., 5 min., and 10 min.) were expressed as R 0.5 , R 1 , R 5 and R 10 , respectively. One method selected from the volume and height measurement methods was employed to measure the degree of separation.
[0060] Specifically, the ratios were expressed as values of V t (total):V l (liquid):V b (bubble) in ml or values of H t (total):H l (liquid):H b (bubble) in cm. In particular examples (Fanta/cake production and purification functions of contaminants), the turbidity of the separated solution state with the passage of time was measured, relative to the degree of clearness of background letters. The results were evaluated based on three criteria, i.e. Good, Fair and Poor. The present invention will now be illustrated by several Examples which are provided solely for purposes of illustration and are not intended to be limitative.
Examples
Example 1
[0061] 10 g of fiporog A-10 was homogeneously mixed with 10 g of sugar to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 50 ml of Pasteur Fresh Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (Fanta) fell freely down the composite colloidal solution, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (V)=13:4.3:8.9, R 1 (V)=12.3:4.8:7.5, R 5 (V)=9.7:3.8:5.9, R 10 (V)=8.5:4.2:4.3. About 30 minutes after the free fall, a solid structure in the form of a foam crust was obtained.
Example 2
[0062] 10 g of fiporog A-10, 10 g of sugar and 1 g of a coffee concentrate powder were homogeneously mixed together to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 50 ml of Pasteur Fresh Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (Fanta) fell freely down the composite colloidal solution, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (V)=13:3.4:9.6, R 1 (V)=11.8:3.8:8, R 5 (V)=10.1:3.8:6.3, R 10 (V)=8.9:4.4:4.5. About 30 minutes after the free fall, a solid structure in the form of a foam crust was obtained.
Example 3
[0063] 10 g of fiporog A-10, 10 g of sugar and 10 g of a powder of vegetable enzymes were homogeneously mixed together to obtain a powder. 50 ml of Pasteur Fresh Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) was added to the powder to prepare a composite colloidal solution. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (natural soda pop) fell freely down the composite colloidal solution, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=13:3.5:9.5, R 1 (H)=11.9:4.2:7.7, R 5 (H)=9.9:3.8:6.1, R 10 (H)=8.7:4.4:4.3. About 30 minutes after the free fall, a solid structure in the form of a foam crust was obtained.
Example 4
[0064] 5 g of fiporog C-10, 5 g of sugar and 5 g of a powder of soup prepared with fermented soybeans were homogeneously mixed together to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 45 ml of Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. When 130 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (natural soda pop) fell freely down the composite colloidal solution, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=12.4:3.5:8.9, R 1 (H)=12:5:7, R 2 (H)=11.2:6.3:4.9, R 3 (H)=10.3:6.8:3.5, R 4 (H)=9.5:7.2:2.3, R 5 (H)=8.9:7.3:1.6.
Example 5
[0065] 5 g of fiporog C-10, 5 g of sugar and 2 g of a powder of ginseng steamed red extract were homogeneously mixed together to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 50 ml of Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. The composite colloidal solution was mixed with 10 g of Manuka honey (active 5). When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (Mineral water produced from Chojeong-ri, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea) fell freely down the mixture, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=11.6:6.6:5, R 1 (H)=10:7:3, R 2 (H)=8.7:7.8:0.9.
Example 6
[0066] 5 g of fiporog C-10 was homogeneously mixed with 2 g of a powder of ginseng steamed red extract to obtain a powder. The powder was mixed with 15 g of Manuka honey (active 5) to prepare a gel. 50 ml of Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) was added to the gel to prepare a composite colloidal solution in the form of a sol. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (Mineral water produced from Chojeong-ri, Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea) fell freely down the composite colloidal solution, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=12:5.5:6.5, R 1 (H)=10.5:6.5:4, R 2 (H)=8.5:7:1.5.
Example 7
[0067] 5 g of fiporog A-100, 5 g of sugar, 5 g of a powder of vegetable enzymes and 1 g of a powder of soup prepared with fermented soybeans were homogeneously mixed together to obtain a powder. 40 ml of Pasteur Fresh Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) was added to the powder to prepare a composite colloidal solution. The composite colloidal solution was mixed with 20 ml of plain yogurt with stirring. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (natural soda pop) fell freely down the mixture, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=13:6.2:6.8, R 1 (H)=12.5:7:5.5, R 2 (H)=12:4.8:7.2. About 30 minutes after the free fall, a solid structure in the form of a foam crust was obtained.
Example 8
[0068] 5 g of fiporog B-10 was homogeneously mixed with 5 g of sugar to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 20 ml of Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. The composite colloidal solution was mixed with 10 g of brewing vinegar (acidity: 6-7) of grains with stirring. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (natural soda pop) fell freely down the mixture, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =14 cm, R 0.5 (H)=14:6:8, R 2 (H)=14:6:8. Immediately after the free fall, a foamy structure was obtained. The foamy structure was an aggregate of big bubbles having a diameter of 1 to 2 cm. The foamy structure was maintained for 5 minutes or more.
Example 9
[0069] 5 g of fiporog B-10 was homogeneously mixed with 5 g of sugar to obtain a powder. The powder was added to 20 ml of Pasteur Organic Milk (produced by Pasteur Milk Co., Korea) to prepare a composite colloidal solution. Separately, one-half of a carrot, one-fourth of a radish, one-fourth of dried radish leaves, one-fourth of a burdock and one dried oak mushroom were gently heated in two liters of water for one hour, and then the mixture was cooled to prepare vegetable soup. The composite colloidal solution was mixed with 20 g of the vegetable soup with stirring. When 100 ml of a gas-containing aqueous solution (natural soda pop) fell freely down the mixture, the following measurement results were obtained: V max =340 ml, H max =13 cm, R 0.5 (H)=13:5:8, R 1 (H)=13:5.4:7.6, R 2 (H)=13:5.7:7.3, R 3 (H)=13:5.9:7.1, R 4 (H)=12.5:5.9:6.6, R 1 (H)=12:5.9:6.1. Six hours after the free fall, the degree of clearness of the solution state was evaluated to be ‘Fair’ Fifteen hours after the free fall, the degree of clearness of the solution state was evaluated to be ‘Good’
[0070] The following is a brief explanation of basic concepts involved in implementing basic steps of bubbling engineering to impart functions to the bubble drink.
[0071] A crystal powder of white sugar and a grain powder are mixed together and pulverized under pressure to increase the surface energy of the mixture. Thereafter, the fine powder is friction-processed by a turbulent flow. At this time, it is necessary to process the fine powder into a solid aerosol by electrostatic adsorption. This processing can be done in a dry hot-wind tunnel at high temperature (Adsorption; Agent+Dispersant adsorption, wind tunnel; formation of polarized and air-cushioned powder), where gelatinization, drying and fractionation are effected.
[0072] When rotational stirring is carried out on a colloid reserve vessel, such as milk, to react the solid aerosol with the colloidal aqueous solution, the adsorption potential between the solid aerosol and the colloidal aqueous solution can be preserved. The rotational stirring is achieved by semi-automatic stirring using the phenomena of permeation, dispersion and diffusion. It was found that the roles of the colloid could be programmed on the materials in the final bubbling step through a combination of the preparation mode and sequence of the colloid.
[0073] Then, a sol colloid is prepared. The sol colloid is required to prepare a food concentrate as a bubbling agent. The sol colloid is foamed to prepare a foam colloid. When the foam colloid is in contact with a food concentrate in the form of a colloidal dispersion, a gas-containing aqueous solution absorbs a surface active catalyst by the adsorptive force of a fine powder of roasted grains. As a result, separation of the gas from the gas-containing aqueous solution is maximized.
[0074] The gas-containing aqueous solution falls freely to induce aeration by vortex turbulence. When bubbling blast begins, automatic reactions take place to obtain a bubble drink in the form of a bubble colloid. In each step of the bubbling engineering, a functional material and a fermented food can be easily added. Further, addition of strains, culture of inocula and strains, and/or necessary fermentation techniques can be readily controlled and implemented. In view of the foregoing, a very simple bubbling fermentation technique was invented.
[0075] To produce a bubble drink in an easy and effective manner, the present inventor invented and combined the following techniques.
[0076] A reaction procedure is programmed on the processing characteristics (e.g., hydrophilic saccharine crystalloid, hydrophobic pores and electrostatic adsorption of powders) of reaction materials while being less affected by the natures of the reaction materials. Thus, the reaction bases can be readily set by manipulation of powder processing, colloidal surface reactions and gas ingredients contained in a gas-saturated drink, selection of aerobic or anaerobic fermentation, and control of the fermentation rate, so that the reaction procedure, sequence and rate can be adjusted and checked in each step.
[0077] The binding states of the powder materials are monitored by the addition of various extract powders (coffee, ginseng steamed red, honey, green tea, pollen, charcoal, tobacco (ash) extract powders) to program the viscosity values in each step, so that the surface energy of the grain powder is preserved and the viscosity of the colloidal aqueous solution is enhanced. In the course of this process, the roles of the saccharine crystalloid are to 1) induce diffusion, 2) increase the viscosity in each step, 3) control the reaction rate, and 4) function as a material to be fermented.
[0078] Since bubbling seeds are captured and the protein colloidal solution is used as a bubbling agent, the size of bubble cells can be precisely controlled by varying the amount of the solution (trapping of moisture by the saccharide+trapping of surface active reaction materials by the grains)
[0079] Free fall and vortex turbulence are employed as aeration triggers for colloidal explosive reactions.
[0080] Accordingly, the height of the free fall is controlled to adjust an increase in the entropy of the bubble colloid.
[0081] Since the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention comprises a fermented food and a pharmacologically active functional ingredient, it controls biological functions, prevents various diseases, such as diabetes, controls diseases to assist in the recovery from the diseases, and controls biological rhythm. To this end, ginseng products, such as ginseng steamed red, polysaccharides of mushrooms, and extracts and powders thereof may be used. Further, physiologically active substances and glycosides of fermented organic acids and carbohydrates may be used.
[0082] Other nutritive substances applicable to the bubble drink of the present invention are as follows: Silkworm extract, propolis, antioxidants and polysaccharides contained in all fruits (e.g., apple), all kinds of yeasts, enzymes, fungi and microbes, gymnosperms, angiosperms, ferns, algae, fungi, moss, cnidaria, echinodermata, nematoda, mollusca, brachiopoda, nematomorpha, rotifera, arthropoda, bryozoa, porifera, acanthocephala, entoprocta, chaetognatha, sipunculida, tardigrada, nemathelminthes, nemertina, chordate, platyhelminthes, annelida, calcium, magnesium, iron, soybean paste, hot pepper paste, mixed soybean paste with red pepper paste, soup prepared with fermented soybeans, salted fish, xylooligosaccharides, SOD and GST enzymes, flavonoid glycosides of unripe tangerine, flavonoid glycosides of all animals and plants, pectin, fructose, fruit juices, essence, carotenoid, flavonoid, alkaloids, limonoid, lactic acid, glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase, glutamatepyrurate, kimchi, slices of radish or cucumber dried and seasoned with soy, pickled radish, mastoparan B, neuropeptides, phospholipid, caseinphosphopeptide, lysine, B subtilis, isoflavone, saponin, phytic acid, choline, dietary fibers, extract and powder of Acanthopanax senticosus, carotenoids, tocopherol, tocotrienol, glucosinolate, immune enhancing ingredients from vegetables and herbs, vectors, all food additive complements, salmon milt protein, proteins of all animals and plants, carbohydrates, fats, calcium, minerals, vitamins, five essential nutrients, all nutrients, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, thrombolytic agents, anti-skin-aging substances, (elastase), levan, glucosamine, protein hydrolysates, glucosamine salts, DHA calcium, nanosized calcium, soybean powder extract, soybean extract, noni and soybean extract, animal vegetable proteins, extracts of seaweeds (e.g., brown algae), hemp powder, pomegranate extracts, Saint John sweet extract, Rubus suavissium extract, water-soluble whey calcium powder, chitosan powder, oyster, young antlers of deer, ginseng, Chinese pepper, Picrorrhiza kurroa Bentham, red rice yeast, chlorella, Acanthopanax senticosus, aloe vera, garlic, onion, ginger, guar gum, seeds of all vegetables (e.g., grape), extracts and powders of cactuses, wild flowers and mushrooms, rutin, chondroitin sulfate, astaxanthin sweetener, food flavors, emulsifiers, preservatives, vitamins, antioxidants, stabilizers, xanthane, flavorings, colorants, bleaching agents, enhancers, quality improvers, defoaming agents, blowing agents, other additives, isoflavone, chlorophyll of plants, dietary fibers, functional coloring matters of Monascus sp. (red rice yeast extract), skin activating components, yeasts, fermented soybeans, all kinds of alcoholic drinks, kojic acid, red rice yeast enzymes of seaweeds (e.g., sea tangle), unsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, isoflavone, vitamin E, MS bacteria, starch, arrowroot, sugar, inorganic matter, polyphenol, flavonoid, hyphae of all mushrooms (e.g., basidiomycetes), eicosapentaenoic acd (EPA), polysaccharide peptide (PSP), interferons, retinol, luteolin, transresveratrol, IgY, peptides, bifidus bacteria, lactoferrin, whey, glycomacropeptides, sialic acid, immunoglobulin, lactoalbumin, galactose, galactosides, ganglioside, chondroitin sulfate, isoflavone, hesperidin, PDF, plant organic and inorganic germanium and ceramic (GE-132), tangerine peel extract (Jbb-1), nanomaterials of carbohydrates, acidic materials enhancing the activity of alcohol dehydrogenase present in Hovenia dulcis Thumb, rice extracts, carotin of brightly colored vegetables, cellulose alginate, cellulase, catalase, oxydo-reductase, phytase, protease, carbohydrase, lipase, yolk, the white of eggs, linolenic acid, recitin, cellular life complex, growth inhibitors of Helicobacter sp., anti-caries antibodies, soybean extract, caffeine, Monacolin K, nucleic acids, grass wood vinegar, chlorella, extracts of all beans (e.g., almond and peanut), cyclic adenosine monophosphate, lipids, glycerol, fatty acid esters, acetone, kephalin, cycline, cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), norepinephrine, gramicidin, amanitin, peptides, acid alkaline protease, all drugs and quasi-drugs, insulin, oxytocin, glutathione, angiotensin, bradykinin, all organic acids, physiological saline, bronchodilators, surfactants, proteolytic materials, physiologically active substances of bryophytes, picrom, epinephrine, trypsin, auxin, giberellin, phenolic substances, pupation hormones, apsicine, cell membranes, cholesterol, pectin, solitonics, hyphae of mushrooms, inorganic phosphoric acid, lipoic acid, lactic acid bacteria, sulfoxides, pyruvic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, thiamine, coenzymes (CoA), operons, all hormones, glutamic acid, alanine dehydrogenase, glycogen, phosphorylase, growth hormones of ecdysone, steroid and thyroxine, glucose, amino acids, all mineral vitamins, indole acetic acid, colostrum, NAD (coenzyme), thiamine pyrophosphate, ATP, inorganic phosphoric acids, citric acid, itaconic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, ethanol, butanol, alcohol, lactic acid, kojic acid, penicillin, cortisone, butyric acid, racemate, insect pheromones, hydroxytyramine, catecholamine, dopamine, tantalic acid, lectin, glycoconjugates, agricultural antibiotics, cytokinin, hirudine, saponin, dietary fibers, chitosan, functional microbes, squalene, xylitol, hydrocolloid, all plant extracts (physiologically active substances), anticancer-active substances of Saururus chinensis Baill, Houttuynia cordata Thumb, rice, chestnut tree, cinnamon, buckwheat, soybean, potato, green perilla and sesame, flavonoid, lactophenin, Lysium chinense, antifungal microbial agents, beneficial strains, amino acids, isoleucine, threonine, valine, trytophane, alanine, aspartic acid, proline, oxyproline, calcium, -glucan, CMC, complex lipids, EPA, DAA, dextrin, chaff extracts, chlorophyll, extracts of physiologically active substances from all healthy foods, drugs, quasi-drugs, minerals, soil, plants and animals, tourmaline extract, and extracts of nutritious substances having pharmacological effects.
[0083] The functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention is a kind of instant food produced by converting fermented materials to be ingested into a blast of bubbled structure in 3 state complexity of solid, liquid and gas. Also, the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention is a kind of storable food produced by converting a fermented food into a drink having an improved structure. Of course, the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention may be combined with another drink, for example, a conditioner capable of optimizing the absorption of nutrients from a food (e.g., vegetable soup), to constitute a menu for ingestion.
[0084] According to the functional fermented bubble drink of the present invention, the kinds and the mounts of a raw material, a catalytic material, a strain for fermentation and a fermented concentrate used in the final foam-generating step are selected and their contents are optionally selected and controlled. Therefore, the characteristics of the bubble drink can be adjusted to provide the bubble drink as a custom-made or custom-ordered product according to the demand of consumers. In addition, the bubble drink of the present invention can be used to provide high-quality drinks having various characteristics according to the demand of consumers belonging to a particular social class. Furthermore, the bubble drink of the present invention can be provided by determining an ingestion program depending on the kinds of food and nutrients and controlling the ingestion of the food and nutrients by the program.
[0085] Having described the present invention it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many changes and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the spirit and the scope of the present invention.
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The present invention relates to a bubbled foamy drink which is provided by applying a bubbling engineering process to various functional foods, particularly, fermented foods supplied using various fermentation techniques, that have functions to control the activation of bioregulatory functions in view of biological defense and physical rhythm control and preventive medicine in lives, including humans.
The bubble drink is produced by applying a cold bubbling process to bioavailable food materials, based on bubbling engineering technology, to design and manipulate formation reactions of foam in a creative and easy manner. The bubble drink is suitable for drinking, and is characterized in that a foamy structure can be easily obtained at ambient pressure and temperature, a flow of materials can be intentionally manipulated, which is an inherent characteristic of foam, and unit processes can be varied during in-line automatic production, which is a characteristic of modern industry, without involving considerable additional expense.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
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REFERENCE TO AN APPENDIX
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND
1. Technical Field
The technology described herein is generally related to the field of integrated circuits (“IC”); IC structures and devices are also referred to hereinafter as “chip(s),” and “dice” or “die.”
2. Description of Related Art
The integrated circuit field of technology is well established. Many publications describe the details of commonly known techniques used in the fabrication of integrated circuits that can be generally employed in the fabrication of complex, three-dimensional, IC structures and devices; see e.g., Silicon Processes , Vol. 1–3, copyright 1995, Lattice Press, Lattice Semiconductor Corporation, Hillsboro, Oreg. Moreover, the individual steps of such a process can be performed using commercially available IC fabrication machines. The use of such machines and commonly used fabrication step techniques will be referred to hereinafter as simply: “in a known manner.” As specifically helpful to an understanding of the present invention, approximate technical data are disclosed herein based upon current technology; future developments in this art may call for appropriate adjustments as would be apparent to one skilled in the art.
Certain commercial products employing IC chips require the state of a digital output signal stays at a predetermined logic signal, “HIGH” or “LOW,” even when supply voltages are below the threshold voltage of the output stage driver field effect transistors (“FETs”). For example, a voltage monitoring instrument needs to transmit accurately the true output of the circuitry being monitored. Other examples of such products are power-on reset generators, microprocessor supervisors, and chip-select drivers.
Known manner complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (“CMOS”) circuit designs may not result in a “guaranteed” output state when the supply voltage falls below a threshold voltage of the output stage driver FETs. On the other hand, lowering the threshold voltage may improve performance of an IC, but generally requires a change to the wafer-level IC dice fabrication processes. However, lowering the threshold voltage may have undesired electrical effects such as increasing leakage currents. Therefore, there are competing interests for the IC designer to consider.
There is a need for improved electronic circuits for commercial products where output stage signals are a critical factor of performance.
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention generally provides for an integrated circuit output driver stage for ensuring a predetermined output when power supply voltage falls below an expected level.
The foregoing summary is not intended to be inclusive of all aspects, objects, advantages and features of the present invention nor should any limitation on the scope of the invention be implied therefrom. This Brief Summary is provided in accordance with the mandate of 37 C.F.R. 1.73 and M.P.E.P. 608.01(d) merely to apprise the public, and more especially those interested in the particular art to which the invention relates, of the nature of the invention in order to be of assistance in aiding ready understanding of the patent in future searches.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic diagram in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram in accordance with another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
Like reference designations represent like features throughout the drawings. The drawings in this specification should be understood as not being drawn to scale unless specifically annotated as such.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 is an electrical schematic diagram for a circuit 100 in accordance with a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Standard electrical engineering symbols and conventions are shown in this layout such that a person skilled in the art will recognize the components and their respective interconnections. While the exemplary embodiments described herein is illustrative of using semiconductor devices having a specific transistor polarity implementation, it will be recognized by those skilled in the art that an implementation of reverse polarity devices can be made. No limitation on the scope of the invention is intended by the exemplary embodiments and none should be implied therefrom. An experimental implementation was constructed in a BiCMOS technology process; device sizes and the like may be adjusted as would be evident to persons skilled in the art for scaling the components and adapting the present invention to a specific implementation.
A CMOS Output Driver 101 is a typical known manner, output driver having four metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (“MOSFET”) MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 and forming an output driver stage on-board a chip, not shown. The Driver 101 is designed for receiving digital logic signals—represented by “In” symbol 105 —at an input node 103 from on-board chip circuitry, not shown, and providing an amplified output signal at the output driver stage output node 107 . A power supply voltage, Vss, for example, a known manner DC volt source, not shown, provide a nominal design voltage, or can be an electrical ground. A drain-source bias voltage, V DD , for the MOSFETs MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 of this embodiment is, for example, a known manner 3.3 volt ±0.3 DC source, not shown.
Generally, when the voltage V DD is at its design nominal value, it is well above the threshold voltage for the MOSFETs MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 , the voltage at the output driver stage output node 107 will be LOW when the signal In 105 is LOW and HIGH when the signal In 105 is HIGH. However, when the signal In 105 is LOW and the voltage V DD approaches or falls below the threshold voltage, the state of the output driver stage at output node 107 can float up from the LOW state since there is not enough voltage on the gate line 109 of MOSFET MN 2 to keep MOSFET MN 2 in the ON state.
In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention in a bipolar-CMOS (“BiCMOS”) implementation, an Auxiliary Driver 111 is added to the chip output stage. The function of the Auxiliary Driver 111 is to supplement output signal driving at low V DD voltages and to ensure that output at the output pad 113 of the chip remains LOW. The output pad 113 of the chip is connected to CMOS Output Driver 101 output node 107 via line 115 and Auxiliary Driver output node 117 .
When the voltage V DD is at or above its design nominal value, the gate 119 of Auxiliary Driver MOSFET MN 4 is pulled up; that is, it may be considered at a logic HIGH level. This removes the base drive signal from npn-type bipolar transistor Q 3 . Removing the base drive signal from bipolar transistor Q 3 removes the base drive signal from pnp-type bipolar transistor Q 2 . Therefore, for V DD =HIGH, the Auxiliary Driver 111 is OFF and so it does not influence the state of the output signal at output pad 113 .
When the voltage V DD drops below the threshold voltage for Auxiliary Driver MOSFET MN 4 , the drain 121 is pulled up by the voltage drop across bias resistor R 16 , sized appropriately to the specific implementation. The current, “I,” through resistor R 16 , represented by arrow 123 , is forced on a circuit path to the base 125 of npn-type bipolar transistor Q 3 . The collector 127 of bipolar transistor Q 3 draws current out of the base 126 of the transistor Q 2 . The collector 129 of transistor Q 2 pushes current into the base 131 of npn-type bipolar transistor Q 1 . The collector 133 of transistor Q 1 now draws node 117 LOW. Thus, the output pad 113 LOW condition is maintained appropriately. In other words, by turning on the Auxiliary Driver 111 whenever the voltage V DD falls below the design threshold voltage for driving the CMOS Output driver 101 , a LOW output signal is guaranteed at the associated output pad 113 .
Note that another advantage of the circuit 100 of the present invention is that the output pad 113 LOW condition remains at the LOW digital signal value even if there is significant external impedance from the device output to the positive supply, such as via a pull-up resistor, not shown.
In the preferred embodiment, the threshold voltage of Auxiliary Driver MOSFET MN 4 should be substantially equivalent to the threshold voltage of CMOS Output Driver MOSFET MN 2 . In this manner, the Auxiliary Driver 111 begins to operate at the supply voltage when it is most needed.
In the preferred embodiment, another MOSFET transistor M 13 is connected in Auxiliary Driver 111 so that leakage current from the collector 127 to the emitter 128 will not erroneously turn transistors Q 1 and Q 2 ON.
Similarly, in the preferred embodiment, another MOSFET transistor M 12 is connected in Auxiliary Driver 111 so that leakage current in transistor Q 2 from the collector 129 to the emitter 130 will not erroneously turn transistor Q 1 ON.
In the preferred embodiment a resistor, “Resd,” 133 , is provided to protect the gate of Auxiliary Driver MOSFET MN 4 from electrostatic discharge into the supply voltage V DD or V SS .
Thus, it can be recognized that the circuit 100 is capable of providing a substantial amount of sink current so that the output voltage will be a logic LOW even when the voltage V DD falls lower that specified. Any pull-up resistance voltage drop that this circuit 100 may have to drive will also be established at logic LOW. The maximum amount of drive is determined by the gains of the bipolar transistors and the value of the bias resistor R 16 .
FIG. 2 is an electrical schematic diagram in accordance with another exemplary embodiment. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that this is a complementary version of the circuit 100 shown in FIG. 1 , built to guarantee that an output 213 stays HIGH at node 217 at low power supply voltage levels.
As with FIG. 1 , a CMOS Output Driver 101 is a typical known manner, output driver having four metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistors (“MOSFET”) MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 and forming an output driver stage on-board a chip, not shown. It may similarly be advantageous to ensure a logic signal HIGH on the Output Driver output signal line 115 . Again, however, when the In signal 105 is HIGH and the voltage V DD approaches or falls below output driver MOSFET MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 threshold voltage, the state of the output of the CMOS Output Driver 101 can float down on its output line 115 as there will then not be enough voltage on the gate 209 of driving MOSFET MP 2 to maintain an ON condition. The Auxiliary Driver 211 is added to supplement the CMOS Output Driver 101 when the voltage V DD falls below the threshold voltage level needed for the output driver stage MOSFETs MP 1 , MP 2 , MN 1 , MN 2 .
When the voltage V DD is at its design nominal level, the gate 219 of auxiliary driver MOSFET MP 4 is pulled down, viz., to a logic LOW level. This removes base drive signal from a pnp-type bipolar transistor Q 3 ′. Consequently, the base drive signal is removed from a npn-type bipolar transistor Q 2 ′ which in turn remove the base drive signal from a pnp-type bipolar transistor Q 1 ′. Thus, for voltage V DD at its nominal level, the Auxiliary Driver remains in an OFF condition.
When the voltage V DD drops below its design nominal level and, therefore is not sufficient for operation of the CMOS Output Drive 101 , the drain 221 of transistor MP 4 is pulled down by bias resistor R 16 ′. The current, represented by arrow 223 labeled “I,” through R 16 ′ can come from nowhere else but the base 225 of bipolar transistor Q 3 ′. The collector 227 of transistor Q 3 ′ then pushes current into the base 226 of transistor Q 2 ′. In turn, the collector 229 of transistor Q 2 ′ pulls current out of the base 231 of transistor Q 1 ′. The collector 233 of transistor Q 1 ′ is pulled to a logic level HIGH; this occurs even if there is significant external impedance, such as a pull-down resistor, not shown, from the output pad 213 to ground.
As with the embodiment of FIG. 1 , the threshold voltage for Auxiliary Driver 211 transistor MP 4 should be substantially the same as the threshold voltage for CMOS Output Driver 201 transistor MP 2 in order for the Auxiliary Driver 211 to begin to operate only when the supply voltage V DD is out of its nominal design value.
In a preferred embodiment, electrostatic discharge protection resistor, “Resd,” 232 is provided to protect the gate 219 of transistor MP 4 .
In a preferred embodiment, an auxiliary driver MOSFET transistor M 13 ′ is connected so that leakage current from the emitter 228 to collector 227 of transistor Q 3 ′ will not errantly turn transistor Q 2 ′ and Q 1 ′ ON.
In a preferred embodiment, an auxiliary driver MOSFET transistor M 12 ′ is connected so that leakage current from collector 230 to emitter 229 in Q 2 ′ will not erroneously turn transistor Q 1 ′ ON.
Thus, it can be recognized that the circuit 200 is capable of providing a substantial amount of source current so that the output voltage will be a logic HIGH even when the supply voltage V DD falls lower that specified. Any pull-down resistance voltage drop that this circuit 200 may have to drive will also be established at logic HIGH. The maximum amount of drive is determined by the gains of the bipolar transistors and the value of the bias resistor R 16 ′.
It is important to note for both described exemplary embodiments that once the supply voltage drops to the level where the Auxiliary Driver 111 or 211 becomes activated, the output state 113 , 213 , respectively, will be at the desired state—namely, LOW in FIG. 1 or HIGH in FIG. 2 —independent of the input state. In many cases, once the supply voltage gets too low, whatever is driving the input 105 may no longer be a known, defined state.
The foregoing Detailed Description of exemplary and preferred embodiments is presented for purposes of illustration and disclosure in accordance with the requirements of the law. It is not intended to be exhaustive nor to limit the invention to the precise form(s) described, but only to enable others skilled in the art to understand how the invention may be suited for a particular use or implementation. The possibility of modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. No limitation is intended by the description of exemplary embodiments which may have included tolerances, feature dimensions, specific operating conditions, engineering specifications, or the like, and which may vary between implementations or with changes to the state of the art, and no limitation should be implied therefrom. Applicant has made this disclosure with respect to the current state of the art, but also contemplates advancements and that adaptations in the future may take into consideration of those advancements, namely in accordance with the then current state of the art. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the claims as written and equivalents as applicable. Reference to a claim element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated. Moreover, no element, component, nor method or process step in this disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. Sec. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for . . . ” and no method or process step herein is to be construed under those provisions unless the step, or steps, are expressly recited using the phrase “comprising the step(s) of . . . ”
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A BiCMOS auxiliary output driver is provided to maintain output logic signal levels when integrated circuit chip power supply voltage is outside its nominal range. When the power supply voltage level is within design tolerance for a MOSFET output driver stage, the auxiliary output driver is off; when below design tolerance, the auxiliary output driver is turned on. Driver stage output pad signal level is maintained at a desired state level by the auxiliary output driver whenever the power supply slips below its design tolerance range.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a catalyst composition for purifying the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine and, particularly, to a catalyst composition containing a gallium for purifying the exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, which is a catalyst of a type commonly called a “Three-Way Conversion (TWC)” catalyst, and which improves the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and the oxidation of hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). More particularly, the present invention relates to a catalyst composition which does not contain expensive platinum (Pt).
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] Generally, Three-Way Conversion (TWC) catalysts are useful in a number of fields including the purification of pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx), hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO), which are discharged from internal combustion engines such as gasoline fuel engines for automobiles and other purposes. The TWC catalyst is multi-functional in that it can simultaneously catalyze the oxidation of HC and CO and the reduction of NOx.
[0005] Emission standards for NOx, CO and unburned HC pollutants have been set by various countries and must be met by new vehicles. In order to meet such standards, catalytic converters containing a TWC catalyst are located in the exhaust gas line of internal combustion engines. Such catalysts promote the oxidation of unburned HC and CO by oxygen as well as the reduction of NOx. For example, techniques for purifying automobile exhaust gases, which store oxygen to facilitate the reduction of NOx somewhat during lean operation, and discharge the stored oxygen to promote the oxidation of HC and CO during rich operation, thereby treating exhaust gases of engines, are commonly known.
[0006] TWC catalysts having good catalytic activity and long life include one or more platinum group metals such as platinum (Pt), palladium (Pd), rhodium (Rh) and ruthenium (Ru). These TWC catalysts are used with a high surface area refractory oxide support, such as a high surface area alumina coating material, etc. The support is carried on a suitable carrier or substrate, such as a monolithic carrier comprising a refractory ceramic or metal honeycomb structure, or refractory particles such as spheres or short, extruded segments of a suitable refractory material. Generally, these TWC catalysts are used with oxygen storage components, including alkaline earth metal oxides such as calcium oxides (CaO), strontium oxides (SrO) and barium oxides (BaO), alkali metal oxides such as potassium oxides (K 2 O), sodium oxides (Na 2 O), lithium oxides (Li 2 O) and cesium oxides (Cs 2 O), and rare earth metal oxides such as cerium oxides, lanthanum oxides, praseodymium oxides and neodymium oxides.
[0007] The high surface area alumina support materials, also commonly called “gamma alumina” or “activated alumina”, typically have a BET surface area of 60 m 2 /g or more. Such activated alumina is usually a mixture of the gamma and delta phases of alumina, but may also contain substantial amounts of eta, kappa and theta alumina phases. The use of refractory metal oxides other than activated alumina as a support for at least some of the catalytic components in a given catalyst has been disclosed.
[0008] Recently, as the regulations for automobile exhaust gases become stricter, the manufacturing cost rises due to the increase in the content of platinum included in the TWC catalyst, therefore attempts to replace all or some of the platinum with palladium have been continuously made to overcome this problem. Meanwhile, as shown in FIG. 1 , the HC oxidation rate obtained by the Pt—Rh based catalyst is better than that obtained by the Pd—Rh based catalyst, therefore various researches to physically and/or chemically improve the Pd—Rh based catalyst has been conducted.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,294,726 discloses a TWC catalyst composition containing platinum and rhodium, which is obtained by impregnating a gamma alumina carrier material with an aqueous solution containing cerium, zirconium and iron salts, or mixing the carrier material with the respective oxides of cerium, zirconium and iron, tempering the carrier material in air at a temperature of 500° C.˜700° C., and then impregnating the carrier with an aqueous solution of a salt of platinum and a salt of rhodium, drying and subsequently treating with flowing gas containing hydrogen at a temperature of 250° C.˜650° C.
[0010] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1985-19036 discloses a catalyst for purifying exhaust gases, which has improved carbon monoxide removal performance. The catalyst includes a cordierite substrate and two alumina layers laminated on the surface of the substrate. The lower alumina layer includes platinum or vanadium deposited thereon, and the upper alumina layer includes rhodium and platinum or rhodium and palladium.
[0011] Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 63-205141 discloses a catalyst for purifying exhaust gas, which includes the lowermost layer including platinum or platinum and rhodium dispersed on an alumina carrier containing rare earth oxides and the uppermost coating layer including palladium and rhodium dispersed on a carrier containing alumina, zirconia and rare earth oxides.
[0012] Meanwhile, U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,231 discloses a method of producing a three-way catalyst for purifying exhaust gases.
[0013] The present applicant filed a patent application for a catalyst composition containing iridium for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine. This patent application disclosed a catalyst composition for purifying exhaust gases which can improve low temperature activity and high temperature activity by adding more iridium than the amount of impurities that are present.
[0014] Although catalyst compositions for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine can be found in many other patent documents, a catalyst composition for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine which improves the reduction of NOx using a palladium-rhodium and a gallium, rather than an expensive platinum, has not been disclosed anywhere.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0015] While the present inventor has researched the effects of a gallium contained in a palladium-rhodium based catalyst on the oxidation rate of HC and the conversion rate of NOx, the present inventor has found that a catalyst composition containing a gallium for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine has excellent effects in the denitrification of exhaust gases and the oxidation of HC and CO. As the result of the findings, the present invention has been completed.
[0016] The present inventor has selected gallium as a material which exhibits a high thermal stability, and has an excellent dehydrogenation efficiency for saturated hydrocarbons, such as propane or butane, and an excellent oxidation power for unsaturated hydrocarbons, and has mixed the gallium with a palladium catalyst component, thereby completing the present invention, which can improve a deNOx effect.
[0017] Accordingly, the present invention provides a catalyst composition for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine, which is a catalyst of a type commonly called a “Three-Way Conversion (TWC)” catalyst, including a support impregnated with a precious metal component including palladium and a metal component including gallium, which improves the effect of reducing NOx.
[0018] The TWC catalyst is multi-functional in that it can substantially concurrently realize the oxidation of HC and CO and the reduction of NOx, and a catalyst composition containing a gallium according to the present invention can greatly improve the effect of reducing NOx, compared to a conventional catalyst composition. The reason that the effect of reducing NOx is improved is because hydrogen gas (H2), generated by the dehydrogenation of saturated hydrocarbons using a gallium, is used effectively in the reduction of NOx. Further, it has been found that the catalyst composition containing a gallium can also be effectively used in the oxidation of HC and CO.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0020] FIG. 1A and 1B are graphs showing HC conversion rates obtained using a platinum-rhodium based catalyst and a palladium-rhodium based catalyst, respectively;
[0021] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the degree of dehydrogenation reaction measured using fresh catalysts;
[0022] FIG. 3 ; is a graph showing the degree of dehydrogenation reaction measured using aged catalysts;
[0023] FIG. 4 is a graph showing real measurement results (accumulated emissions of NOx) using the catalyst of the present invention and the catalysts of comparative examples;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a graph showing real measurement results (concentrations of NOx discharged from a vehicle at phase 1) using the catalyst of the present invention and the catalysts of comparative examples;
[0025] FIG. 6 is a graph showing real measurement results (concentrations of NOx discharged from a vehicle at phase 3) using the catalyst of the present invention and the catalysts of comparative examples; and
[0026] FIG. 7 is a graph showing measurement results (concentrations of NOx discharged from an engine) using the catalyst of the present invention and the catalysts of comparative examples.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0027] The present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings below.
[0028] In the preferred example of the present invention, a catalyst composition includes a support, any one of a platinum group metal component other than platinum, preferably a precious metal component including palladium, and a metal component including gallium, both of which are carried on the support. Further, as commonly known, the catalyst composition may include an oxygen storage component selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metal components, alkali metal components and rare earth metal components.
[0029] In the selective example of the invention, there is provided a catalyst composite including a first layer and a second layer. The first layer of the catalyst composite includes a first support, a first platinum component, and any oxygen storage component selected from the group consisting of alkaline earth metals, alkali metals, and rare earth metals. The first layer may additionally include a first zirconium component. The second layer of the catalyst composite includes a second support, a second platinum group metal component other than platinum, preferably a precious metal component including palladium, and a metal component including gallium. Further, as commonly known, the second layer may additionally include a second zirconium component.
[0030] As described above, in particular, the catalyst composition containing a gallium according to the invention can effectively reduce NOx. The first support and the second support may be identical or different compounds, and may be selected from the group consisting of a silica compound, an alumina compound and a titania compound. Preferably, the first support and the second support are activated compounds selected from the group consisting of alumina, silica, silica-alumina, aluminosilicate, alumina-zirconia, alumina-chromia and alumina-ceria. More preferably, the first support and the second support are activated aluminas. The compositions of the first layer and the second layer may additionally include nickel, manganese and iron used for removing sulfides, for example hydrogen sulfides, but these are commonly known.
[0031] When a monolithic carrier substrate is thinly coated with the catalyst composition, the ratios of components are designated by grams of the components per liter of the catalyst and substrate (g/l). These values include cell sizes constituting gas flow paths of the several monolithic carrier substrates. The terms ‘catalyst metal components’ and ‘metal including the component’, used in this specification, refer to a catalytically effective metal form regardless of whether or not the metals exist in the form of elements, alloys, or compounds such as oxides. The following Examples according the invention were performed to measure the exhaust gas purification effects of palladium and gallium to the exclusion of the rhodium necessary for purifying exhaust gases. In the following examples of the invention, although the rhodium was excluded for the sake of simplicity of the experiments, it will be apparent from other documents that the rhodium is included in the palladium. Although the examples are described without inclusion of rhodium for the sake of simplicity of comparative experiments, but it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the rhodium is not excluded from the scope as defined by the claims.
EXAMPLE 1
[0032] An activated alumina impregnated with Pd and Ga was prepared by impregnating 1.58 g/l of palladium nitrate and 1.0˜1.58 g/l of gallium nitrate into 84.0 g/l of gamma-alumina powder, and slurry was prepared by dispersing 5.0 g/l of CeO 2 -ZrO 2 composite ceria powder in water and was then milled until a predetermined particle size distribution was attained. A ceramic honeycomb structure, having a CPSI of 600 cells/inch 2 and a wall thickness of 4.0 milliinches, was coated with the slurry. The coating process was performed by dipping a substrate (105.7 * 115) into the slurry, draining the slurry, and then removing the excess slurry through compressed air injection. The coated honeycomb structure was dried at a temperature of 120° C. for 4 hours, and was baked at a temperature of 550° C. for 2 hours, thereby fabricating a catalyst.
EXAMPLE 2
[0033] The catalyst fabricating process was performed as in Example 1, except that 2.58 g/l of gallium nitrate was applied, thereby fabricating a catalyst for measuring the oxidation of HC and CO.
EXAMPLE 3
[0034] The catalyst fabricating process was performed as in Example 1, except that 5.00 g/l of gallium nitrate was applied, thereby fabricating a catalyst for measuring the oxidation of HC and CO.
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 1
[0035] Activated alumina impregnated with only Pd was prepared by impregnating 1.58 g/l of palladium into 84.0 g/l of gamma-alumina powder, and slurry was prepared by dispersing 5.0 g/l of CeO 2 -ZrO 2 composite ceria powder in water and was then milled until a predetermined particle size distribution was attained. Subsequently, the slurry was processed as in Example 1, thereby fabricating a comparative catalyst 1 .
COMPARATIVE EXAMPLE 2
[0036] Activated alumina impregnated with only Pd was prepared by impregnating 1.78 g/l of platinum chloride into 84.0 g/l of gamma-alumina powder, and slurry was prepared by dispersing 5.0 g/l of CeO 2 -ZrO 2 composite ceria powder in water and was then milled until a predetermined particle size distribution was attained. Subsequently, the slurry was processed as in Example 1, thereby fabricating a comparative catalyst 2 .
[0037] Test Method
[0038] Fresh catalysts were aged in a furnace at a temperature of 1050° C. for 5 hours, and then the degree of dehydrogenation was tested, while introducing a feed gas including 1000 ppm of propane, 6.75% of CO 2 , 2% of H 2 O and nitrogen balance at a rate of 400 ml/min into the furnace and varying the temperature (room temperature ˜650° C.). Meanwhile, the NOx conversion rate was observed through real car tests.
[0039] FIG. 2 is a graph showing the degree of dehydrogenation of the introduced propane gas using fresh catalysts. The dehydrogenation is primarily performed at a temperature of 270° C., is maximum at a temperature of about 330° C., and is secondarily performed at a temperature of 600° C. Although this phenomenon is common in the catalysts of example 1 and Comparative Examples 1 and 2, dehydrogenation using a Pt—Al 2 O 3 catalyst (Comparative Example 2) is superior to dehydrogenation using a Pd—Al 2 O 3 catalyst (Comparative Example 1). Meanwhile, the Pd—Ga—Al 2 O 3 catalyst of example 1 is superior to the Pd—Al 2 O 3 catalyst in the dehydrogenation, and the measurement results of the dehydrogenation were believed to fulfill the object of improving the reduction of NOx using hydrogen gas (H 2 ) generated through the dehydrogenation reaction while entirely or partially replacing Pt with Pd. This inclination is the same as in FIG. 3 , showing the propane conversion rate using aged catalysts.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a graph showing the amount of NOx accumulated through real car tests using a Pd—Ga—Al 2 O 3 catalyst (Example 1) and a Pd—Al 2 O 3 catalyst (Comparative Example 1), and it has been found that the Pd—Ga—Al 2 O 3 catalyst consistently decreased the discharge of NOx in the measurement sections. In Example 1, although comparative tests were performed by impregnating 1.58 g/l of gallium nitrate, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that a co-catalyst, particularly a deNox catalyst, may be added in a range of approximately 0.2˜20 g/l.
[0041] FIGS. 5 and 6 are graphs showing concentrations of NOx discharged from vehicles at phase 1 and phase 3 in real car tests, and it has been found that a high concentration of NOx was discharged using a Pd—Al 2 O 3 catalyst, compared to a Pd—Ga—Al 2 O 3 catalyst. In order to ascertain whether the difference in the concentration of NOx discharged from vehicles is derived from the purifying ability of the catalysts at phase 1 and phase 3, the measurement results of the concentrations of NOx discharged from an engine before the NOx passes through the catalysts are shown in FIG. 7 . In this case, the concentrations of NOx discharged from an engine showed the same results as both of the catalysts (Example 1 and Comparative Example 1), thus it has been found that the effects of reducing NOx exhaust in FIGS. 4 to 6 are due to the change of the catalyst components according to the invention.
[0042] The following Tables show the results of real car tests for finding the oxidation of HC and CO using the catalysts in Examples 1 to 3 and Comparative Example 1 (test vehicles: XD 2.0 A/T and M/T, catalyst attachment position: Manifold Catalytic Converter (MCC), test mode: FTP-75).
TABLE 1 Total emissions (mg/mile) of HC and CO at FTP-75 (XD 2.0 A/T) mode HC CO/10 Comparative Example 1 33.2 66.4 Example 1 29.6 64.0 Example 2 28.9 61.3 Example 3 28.4 47.9
[0043]
TABLE 2
Total emissions (mg/mile) of HC and
CO at FTP-75 (XD 2.0 M/T) mode
HC
CO/10
Comparative Example 1
24.3
33.0
Example 1
23.2
30.3
Example 2
22.6
29.7
Example 3
22.1
27.0
[0044] Accordingly, it has been found that the palladium based catalyst containing the gallium had improved performance in the reduction of NOx as well as in the oxidation of HC and CO.
[0045] In the examples, the gallium is added to the conventional palladium based catalyst composition containing precious metals, so that the deNOx and the oxidation of HC and CO are improved, thereby realizing a catalyst composition having economic and technical effects superior to those of conventional catalyst compositions.
[0046] Although the examples of the invention have been described in detail, the examples are illustrative and the scope of the present invention is to be defined based on the accompanying claims.
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The invention relates to a catalyst composition for purifying exhaust gases of an internal combustion engine including a support impregnated with a first platinum group metal component and a metal component including gallium, which is a catalyst of a type commonly called a “Three-Way Conversion (TWC)” catalyst, and which improves the reduction of NOx and the oxidation of HC and CO.
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RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/947,147, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to the field of asset valuation and, in particular, to methods of relative valuation of patents within a patent landscape.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] Intellectual property represents a increasingly significant portion of the wealth and assets of the global community. Patents are an important component of intellectual property, and thus the ability to determine relative values and value ranges for patents has increasing utility.
[0006] Gathering information about individual patents is time consuming, complex, and requires careful analysis. It is impracticable to undertake such an endeavor for every patent within a large patent landscape. Instead, a fast and relativistic approach is needed that can identify valuable patents or patent families within classes, subclasses, markets, industries, groups, or entire patent landscapes, the objective being to rank patents in terms of their relative importance/seminality.
[0007] For the purposes of this invention, a patent is deemed to be seminal if the novelty of the invention is less a product of variation on related art and more a spawning of a new direction in intellectual property as described by subsequent patents. It is desirable to detect seminal patents as early as possible and to identify patents that are less seminal, as this capability is an important component of producing patent valuation models.
[0008] Seminal patents enable and motivate other inventors to build on the ideas outlined within the patent. If the same inventors are involved in all future inventions that cite a particular patent, then that patent is to be considered potentially less valuable than patents that are referenced by multiple different inventors. The method described in this document is one that combines a number of direct and indirect network factors and tempers the method by considering proximity to other patents within the landscape, incestuous citations, and other characteristics of the patent documents. It also utilizes other publicly available information. The objective is to determine a score that denotes the relative seminality of a patent or patents within a particular patent landscape.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] Patent applications and granted patents typically contain citations to earlier granted patents and other works that describe related art. These citations form a citation tree representing a large network of both directly and indirectly related patents. Directly related patents are those that either directly cite or are directly cited by one another. Indirectly related patents are those where one or more intermediate patents help form a citation chain, for example patents #1 and #3, where patent #1 cites patent #2 which in turn cites patent #3. The present invention examines this citation tree in a number of ways, and optionally combines the results of the examination with a variety of other factors, to produce a score representing the relative seminality of a patent within its patent landscape.
[0010] Briefly, in a preferred embodiment, a computer system comprising database storage sufficient to hold data representing millions of USPTO patents, and a CPU capable of processing said amount of data, is used to tally, for each patent, a count of direct citations to earlier granted patents. Similarly, a count of direct citations to earlier granted patents is first tallied for each patent. Similarly, a count of direct references from later granted patents is also tallied for each patent. The number of direct references from later granted patents is then combined with the age of those references to produce an attractiveness value, which represents the likelihood of attracting additional references in the future. Given that indirect references can often be an important factor in determining relative seminality, a network value theoretic calculation is then used to augment the citation, reference, and attractiveness values.
[0011] Next, where either citations or references originate from patents owned by the same assignee, this incestuousness often impacts the seminality of those patents involved. Thus, an adjustment is made to the citation, reference and attractiveness values where incestuousness is found.
[0012] Finally, a number of patent attributes are examined, including assignee market capitalization, class/subclass membership, prosecution timing within class, prosecuting attorney, examiner, age since grant, word counts, prosecution duration, number of independent and dependent claims, and expiration date. These attributes are then evaluated to produce adjustment factors which are then combined with the citation, reference, and attractiveness values, resulting in an overall relative seminality value for each patent.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 presents a functional overview diagram of a preferred embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 2 presents an example patent citation tree, illustrating a very small subset of the citations that exist within a patent landscape.
[0015] FIG. 3 presents a partial example representation of a patent citation tree, as might be implemented using an industry-standard SQL database, within a preferred embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0016] Patent applications and granted patents typically cite earlier granted patents and works that describe related art. These citations form a citation tree representing a large network of directly or indirectly related patents, which can be captured and manipulated by a computing machine with sufficient storage capacity and speed. The present invention comprises the use of such a computing machine, either programmed, or in some other way configured, so as to implement one or more of the steps of the invention.
[0017] In a preferred embodiment, a computer processing unit accesses a storage subsystem comprising at least one database representing at least one patent landscape, said landscape comprising more or more sets of patents which can each be organized to form one or more citation trees. Said at least one database is in turn comprised of tables containing at least information representing a subset of USPTO patents, citations, assignees, classes, subclasses, inventors, examiners and attorneys.
[0018] Within this description we use the capital letter C to refer to patents that are cited by a particular patent, and the capital letter R to refer to patents that reference a particular patent. Later we introduce the notion of extending R and C based on indirect citations and references and other factors, but for the moment R=R 0 is just the count of references to the patent and C=C 0 is just the count of the citations made by the patent.
[0019] Every patent has the possibility of being referenced by subsequent patent applications. Within this description we use the capital letter A to denote, Attractiveness, a measure related to the likelihood of a patent to attract references by other patents ( Modeling Innovation by a Kinetic Description of the Patent Citation System, Katherine J. Strandburg, 2007, 374 PHYSICA A 783).
[0020] If a patent does not receive any citations over time, it becomes less and less likely to do so. With each citation it receives, it becomes more likely to be cited again, particularly in the short term.
[0021] Overall, attractiveness decays with age, thus it is possible to use a Poisson Probability Distribution function to model this decay, which peaks some time from the patent grant date, and then exhibits a long tail of decay after the peak.
[0022] For example, one such function, loosely derived from the Poisson Probability Distribution function, that is fast and easy to calculate can be written as follows:
[0000] A=A ( k, l )= A k ( k ) A l ( l ), (1)
[0000] where k is the number of citations a patent has received at a time t, l is the age of the patent as represented by the difference between the maximum patent number in the USPTO landscape granted on or before t and the patent number identifier in the USPTO, and the factor functions are described by:
[0000] A k ( k )=α k α +α, (2)
[0000] with α=1.19 and α=1.11; and
[0000] A l ( l )=β e −y, (3)
[0000] with y=1 if l=0, (l-μ). 75μ if l<μ, and (l-μ)/2.5μ if l>μ. and β=2000 and μ=200,000. A view of this function for various values of number of citations, k, and age, l, is shown in FIG. 1 .
[0023] However, the standard Attractiveness does not differentiate the value of various citations. Therefore, this method continues by traversing the citation tree using a network value theoretic approach. Consider a quantity that is denoted by inverse value, which is the simple count of the numbers of citations that directly reference the target patent. If a patent cites a patent that cites another patent, then we say that the first patent is an indirect citation of the base patent. At each level in the network tree, there is a network decay factor, DF, that modifies this count as one traverses the network tree. The decay factor should properly discount the amount of indirectness of the citation tree from each individual patent. Typically the decay factor DF should be a constant between 0 and 1, wherein values closer to 0 discount indirect citations more quickly and values closer to 1 discount them more slowly, weighting references with various degrees of separation more similarly. For example, in a preferred embodiment DF is set to 0.2 based on research on internet topologies ( Linked: The New Science of Networks, Albert-László Barabási, 2002, Perseus, Cambridge, Mass.). The inverse value is the modification of R that takes into account indirect citations also. If we write R level to be the reference value at one level of the network citation tree, then we can write R as:
[0000] R=Σ (i=0, N) DF i R level ( i ), (4)
[0000] for N the maximum number of levels to traverse up the citation tree. Recall that R 0 is just the zero th level of the reference citation tree count for the base patent, whereas R level for level >0 is really the sum of all of the R 0 counts for each patent that is part of the reference citation tree of the patent directly below it.
[0024] This process is repeated for a calculated value that is denoted the direct value, which starts with the patents that a patent cites and traverses the tree in the other direction, using citation values at each level that we denote C level . The direct value is the modification of C that takes into account indirect citations made by patents cited by a particular patent and so on:
[0000] C=Σ (i=0, N) DF i C level ( i ). (5)
[0025] Recall that C 0 is just the zero th level of the direct citation tree counts from the base patent, whereas C level for level >0 is really the sum of all of the C 0 counts for each patent that is cited by the patent directly above it in the citation tree.
[0026] Finally, the same process is repeated for the function A=A(k, l) above, such that function values of the citing patents are summed (and not just raw counts), and this results in a quantity, Z, that is denoted as global attractiveness. We can compute Z 0 =A for the base patent, and at each level we can use k as either the raw reference counts or k=integer part of the values for each patent participant in R level to calculate each A at that level and sum, to compute a value denoted Z level . These can be all gathered together to calculate:
[0000] Z=Σ (i=0, N) DF 9 Z level ( i ). (6)
[0027] Some owners of patents develop various strategies for incremental protection and continuous innovation through the use of divisional, continuations and adapting their patents for enhancements. When an assignee has a patent that references another patent assigned to that assignee, then this phenomenon is referred to here as an incestuous citation. If the only citations that a patent receives are those patents with the same assignee, then the method to determine a seminality factor may modify that when it applies the network theory. If, on the other hand, a patent is cited by the same assignee and by patents assigned to different assignees, then that means that the inventor or assignee is developing a more robust monopoly on a technology that is recognized by the outside world, and this is thought to indicate that the technology described and its associated IP rights are likely more valuable. Therefore, it is important to keep track of the patent assignees when analyzing citations.
[0028] Recall that for the inverse value, R, the network theory simply counts each connection as a single unit, and the value of each node of the citation tree is decreased by the network devaluation factor. In a preferred embodiment, the computations are enhanced as follows: when the assignees are the same for the patent being cited and the patent that does the citing, then if there are any other non-incestuous citations (that is there exists a patent with a different assignee that cites that patent), then that citation is counted twice, because the assignee is seen as increasing robustness in its monopoly on a particular technology that is being referenced. If there are not any other non-incestuous citations, then that citation is discounted for the owner's portfolio that only cites its own patents.
[0029] One of the more important parts of a preferred embodiment of the invention is that non-incestuous citations indicate 3 rd party validation of industry value and incestuous citations indicate robustness in patent family and families as a measure of internal strength. When there are many patents in a portfolio that cite each other it indicates strength and obstacles to design-around.
[0030] For example, as in a preferred embodiment, let each network level of the reference value R be expressed as follows:
[0000] R level =1.1 sqrt(number of incestuous references) [number of non-incestuous references], (7)
[0000] so that when there are not any non-incestuous references, the R level value for that network level is 0, and when there are not any incestuous references, then the R level value for that network level is just the number of non-incestuous references. When there is a mixture, the incestuous references can enhance the number of non-incestuous references. The citation count, k, used for that network level of the attractiveness, A, in equation (1) can be simply the integer part of the right-hand-side of equation (4) above.
[0031] Recall that for the citation value, C, the network theory simply counts each connection as a single unit, and the value of each node of the citation tree is decreased by the network devaluation multiplier. For example, in a preferred embodiment, let the direct citations in each network level of the direct value be driven by the number of non-incestuous citations and let the incestuous citations enhance that number:
[0000] C level =1.1 sqrt(number of incestuous citations) [number of non-incestuous citations]. (8)
[0032] For the global attractiveness function, Z, each of the network edges (in the inverse value calculation) in the citation tree are replaced by the value of the function A=A(k, l) in equation (1) above for the citing patent, as described above. The change to this calculation to accommodate incestuous citations will be exactly as for the inverse value calculation. In this case, when the count of the value of the citation is doubled, the double count can be used in the function A level =A(k, l) for the number of citations, k. If the assignees are the same and there are no other non-incestuous citations, then that citation is counted as 0, and if they are of different assignees then the count of the citations from patents that have the same assignees is one for each. When equation (1) is used, then one can use the integer part of R for k.
[0033] Within this description, we refer to possible alterations in the R level , C level , and Z level values, and what we are referring to is that R level is the aggregate sum of R level values for each individual patent in the citation tree for that reference level, C level is the aggregate sum of C level values for each individual citation made by a patent in the citation tree for that citation level, and Z level is the aggregate sum of Z level values of attractiveness edges for each individual patent in the citation tree for that reference level. The attractiveness values for each patent that comprise the Z level value is taken from equation (1), where a citation quantity k and an age, l, is used to estimate the ability for that patent to attract future citations. For the citation quantity, k, one can either use raw reference counts or the integer part of the component of R level that is comprised from that patent.
[0034] One can also alter the inverse value, R, according to the strength of citations from patents that belong to highly valued portfolios, as determined by the assignees of the citing patents. For example, in a preferred embodiment, if patents belong to a public company with a known market capitalization, then the weight of those citations at each network level when the market capitalization is high is increased using a factor CW (for capitalization weight). Specifically, the weight of a citation from an unknown assignee or from a public company with a market capitalization of below $10 Million is set to 1.0, the weight of a citation from a public company with market capitalization of between $10 Million and $100 Million is set to 2.0, between $100 Million and $1 Billion is set to 3, between $1 Billion and $10 Billion is set to 4, between $10 Billion and $100 Billion is set to 5, and greater than $100 Billion is set to 6:
[0000] R level =R level *CW and k =integer part of R level . (9)
[0035] One can also alter the inverse value, R, the citation value, C, the inputs to the attractiveness calculation, A, and the global attractiveness, Z, according to the strength of citations from the same classes or subclasses, which describe patents that have similar technologies. For example, in a preferred embodiment, if patents that are related to each other in the network citation tree all belong to similar technologies as described by the classes and subclasses, then that impacts the seminality score of the patent. A patent that cites a patent in the same class or subclass weakens the seminality score, whereas a patent that is cited by a patent in the same class or subclass strengthens the seminality score, because it shows that the patent is building strength within the class or subclass. Since citation values C weaken the seminality score, we can introduce a Group Factor Multiplier, denoted GFM, so that the count of references or citations are multiplied by GFM when they occur in the same class and subclass (or technology group) and 1.0 when they appear in different classes and subclasses (or technology group). A useful value to use for GFM is 2.0. This will change the values for R level and C level , and in the process alter the values for A and Z level , so as to change the results for R, C, and Z through the network theory. Therefore, the calculation for R level and C level can be separated into two groups, those that belong to the same technology classes/subclasses (or groups) and those that don't, and we can write:
[0000] R level =R level (same groups)*GFM+ R level (different groups), and k =integer part of R level (10)
[0000] and
[0000] C level =C level (same groups)*GFM+ C level (different groups), and k =integer part of C level . (11)
[0036] Within this description, when we introduce individual factors, such as GFM, for two individual patents that are related together within the citation tree, rather than separate R level and C level into separate calculations, we will simply write:
[0000] R level =R level *GFM, C level =C level *GFM, and k =integer part of R level , (12)
[0000] where it is assumed that the appropriate value for GFM is determined for each reference or citation in the citation tree.
[0037] One can also alter the inverse value, R, the citation value, C, the inputs to the attractiveness calculation, A, and the global attractiveness, Z, according to a determination of when patents in the citation tree are prosecuted relative to other patents within the same class and subclass. For example, in a preferred embodiment, patents that are prosecuted earlier within a given class and subclass are deemed more seminal than those prosecuted later. A reference factor multiple, RFM, and a citation factor multiple, CFM, is calculated according to a percentage ranking of all patents within a given class and subclass, such that reference values R, A, and Z get multiplied by RFM and citation value C gets multiplied by CFM:
[0000] RFM=1.0−the percentage ranking of prosecution, (13)
[0000] and
[0000] CFM=the percentage ranking of prosecution, (14)
[0000] so that:
[0000] R level =R level *RFM, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *CFM (15)
[0038] For example, suppose that a patent, p, is cited by two referencing patents, r 1 and r 2 , and suppose further that r 1 and r 2 appears in the same class, subclass grouping as the patent p, and that further suppose that r 1 is in the 20 th percentile according to prosecution and r 2 is in the 80 th percentile. Then we calculate RFM as 0.8 for r 1 and 0.2 for r 2 , making the reference citation r 1 more valuable in the calculations for R than r 2 . Suppose that a patent, p, cites two patents, c 1 and c 2 , and suppose further that c 1 and c 2 appear in the same class, subclass grouping as the patent p, and that further suppose that c 1 is in the 20 th percentile according to prosecution and c 2 is in the 80 th percentile. Then we calculate CFM as 0.2 for c 1 and 0.8 for c 2 , making the citation c 2 a bigger contributor to value decrement in the calculations for C than c 1 .
[0039] One can also alter the inverse value, R, the citation value, C, the inputs to the attractiveness calculation, A, and the global attractiveness, Z, by considering patents that are written by the same attorney. Patents that are all written by a particular attorney may have similar language, numbers of words, numbers of independent and dependent claims, and may take advantage of the value and success of each either individually or taken as a group. For example, in a preferred embodiment, if patents that are related to each other in the network citation tree have been written by different attorneys or groups of attorneys, a factor of 1.0 is applied to the values used to calculate R, C, A, and Z. Where patents that are related to each other in the network citation tree were written by the same attorney, an Attorney Factor AF is applied. A value of 1.5 is used for AF. Thus:
[0000] R level =R level *AF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *AF (16)
[0040] One can also alter the inverse value, R, the citation value, C, the inputs to the attractiveness calculation, A, and the global attractiveness, Z, by considering patents that are examined by the same patent examiner. If patents that are related to each other in the network citation tree were examined by the same examiner, this impacts the seminality score of the patent. Patents that are examined by the same examiner may have a similar numbers of citations, have more or less detail in the claims specified, have a similar length of time span between filing date and grant date, and may take advantage of the value and success of each either individually or taken as a group. For example, in a preferred embodiment, a factor of 1.0 is applied to the values used to calculate R, C, A, and Z. Where patents that are related to each other in the network citation tree were approved by the same examiner, a factor EF is applied. A value of 1.5 is used for EF. Thus:
[0000] R level =R level *EF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *EF (17)
[0041] One can also alter the inverse value, R, the citation value, C, the inputs to the attractiveness calculation, A, and the global attractiveness, Z, by considering references that are closer in age to the patent being cited or the patents being cited. For example, in a preferred embodiment, when constructing a relative seminality value, patents that are closer in age to each other in the citation tree can be more relevant than patents that are distant from each other. It is desirable to detect seminality early, and citations that are close in age to a patent can be more important than those that come much later. Similarly, a patent that directly cites a nearby patent may be written with that patent in mind and may have more overlap in claims than otherwise. A good application of this idea is to bin the differences in ages of the patents related to each other in the citation tree. For the US patent landscape, patent IDs are numbers that are usually greater than 3 Million and always increasing as grant dates progress, and therefore in this case we can consider the difference of IDs to represent an age quantity (similar to the calculation of the age for the attractiveness value A above). If the age of related patents, either through citation C or reference R, are less than 200,000, for example, then this citation tree relationship is enhanced by an age bin factor ABF 1 , such as ABF 1 =3, between 200,001 and 500,000, by an age bin factor ABF 2 , such as ABF 2 =2, between 500,001 and 1,000,000, and by an age bin factor ABF 3 , such as ABF 3 =1.0. The age bin factor ABF is applied for all citation and reference relationships at each level of the network theory applications for enhancing R, C, and indirectly Z:
[0000] R level =R level *ABF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *ABF (18)
[0042] There are additional metric quantities that can be joined with the citation network quantities described above, such as length of time from filing to grant approval, number of independent and dependent claims, and length in words of the abstract and first independent claim, so as to compute a general “seminality value” for each patent. With word lengths, such as length of the abstract, length of the patent document, and length of independent or dependent claims, it is useful to bin the quantities rather than input the numbers of words directly into the computation of the seminality value. For example, in a preferred embodiment, one bin is used when the number of words in the first independent claim is 50 or less, the next bin for between 50 and 150 words, and the final for more than 150 words. When strength is inferred from a small number of words, one can use WF 1 for the first bin of 50 words or less as 3.0, the next factor WF 2 for the second bin between 50 and 150 words of 2.0, and the third factor for the third bin of 150 words or more as 1.0. The appropriate bin factor WF is then applied to each level of the network citation tree calculations for R and C, and indirectly A and Z:
[0000] R level =R level *WF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *WF, (19)
[0000] one can also use a similar binning process as the calculation of WF for the abstract length AF:
[0000] R level =R level *AF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *AF, (20)
[0000] and 10* WF for the binning process as a calculation of the total size (in words) for the patent document itself TWF:
[0000] R level =R level *TWF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *TWF. (21)
[0043] In a like manner, we can come up with a factor, denoted RLF, that takes into account the review length of time from filing to grant approval for a patent, such as RLF=3.0 if the review length is less than 2 years, 2.0 if the review length is between 2 and 3.5 years, 1.0 if the review length is between 3.5 and 5 years, and 0.75 if the review length is greater than 5 years:
[0000] R level =R level *RLF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *RLF (22)
[0044] In a like manner, we can come up with a factor, denoted NIF, that takes into account the number of independent claims, such as NIF=the number of independent claims (thinking that a larger number of independent claims can be more difficult to work around for new patents):
[0000] R level =R level *NIF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *NIF (23)
[0045] In a like manner, we can come up with a factor, denoted NDF, that takes into account the number of dependent claims, such as NDF=1.0 if there are between 0 and the number of independent claims, 1.5 if there are less than two times the number of independent claims, and 2.0 if there are more than two times the number of independent claims (thinking that a larger number of dependent claims related to the number of independent claims can be more difficult to work around for new patents):
[0000] R level =R level *NDF, and k =integer part of R level , and C level =C level *NDF. (24)
[0046] The first task in combining the metric quantities towards producing a seminality factor is to gather an “expiration factor”, f, for a patent, p. Patents have rules that govern their expiration, and if a patent holder does not pay their maintenance fees, then a patent can be prematurely expired. Once a patent expires, there is a six year decay period where the worth of a patent approaches zero. The rules changed for a patent's nominal expiration on Jun. 1, 1995. If the grant date of a patent is prior to that date, then the natural expiration is the grant date plus 17 years. Otherwise the natural expiration is the file date plus 20 years. But a patent can expire because of non-payment of maintenance fees, and a patent can be reinstated if those fees are caught up. If a patent expires, the clock starts ticking for 6 years before a patent is worth nothing, because a court can assign some value to patents after they have expired. The natural expiration date, x, based on the rules outlined above is calculated as follows. If the grant date is prior to Jun. 1, 1995, then
[0000] x =grant date+17 years; (25)
[0000] Otherwise
[0000] x =file date+20 years . (26)
[0047] If a patent has expired for non-payment of maintenance fees and has been reinstated, then the natural expiration date applies. Otherwise x becomes the date of the event where non-payment of maintenance fees has caused the patent to prematurely expire.
[0048] Now, consider a date in time, t, from which we wish to calculate the expiration factor, f. If x+6 years is less than t, then
[0000] f=0; (27)
[0000] If t<x, then
[0000] f= 1 ; (28)
[0000] Otherwise, one can adjust the expiration factor according to an exponential fall-off rate:
[0000] f=e −1.2(t−x) , (29)
[0000] where if the patent has expired naturally, then
[0000] f= 0.5* f, (30)
[0000] and if the patent has expired for non-payment of maintenance fees, then the decay will be slower to allow for the patent holder to come in and reinstate the patent:
[0000] f= 0.1* f . (31)
[0049] Now let f denote the patent expiration factor, as described above. The seminality value, v, is constructed as follows: Start with v=0. If the inverse value R is 0 (thus the patent has not received any references), then v is augmented as
[0000] v=v+ 0.1* A. (32)
[0000] If the inverse value R is less than 5.0, then v is augmented as
[0000] v=v+ 0.1*( R+ 1)* Z. (33)
[0000] Otherwise, v is augmented as
[0000] v=v+Z. (34)
[0000] Next v is augmented as 1000 times the inverse value R to reward those patents with citations:
[0000] v=v+ 1000* R . (35)
[0050] Next it is important to decrease the relative seminality value for those patents with a large direct value C>0, and one way to do this is using the following augmentation of v as follows:
[0000] v=v −(square root( C )* R ). (36)
[0051] If after all of these arithmetic calculations cause the value metric v to be less than 100, then it is desirable to make v equal to 100 as a floor to give any patent that is living a nominal value:
[0000] If ( v< 100) then v= 100. (37)
[0052] If the direct value C is greater than 0 and less than 5, then v is augmented by 1000:
[0000] v=v+ 1000; (38)
[0053] If the direct value C is greater than 5 and less than 10, then v is augmented by 800:
[0000] v=v+ 800; (39)
[0000] If the direct value C is greater than 10 and less than 15, then v is augmented by 500:
[0000] v=v+ 500; (40)
[0000] If the direct value C is greater than 15 and less than 20, then v is augmented by 300:
[0000] v=v+ 300; (41)
[0000] If the direct value C is greater than 20 and less than 25, then v is augmented by 100:
[0000] v=v+ 100; (42)
[0054] Next the length (in words) of the first independent claim is taken into account, with the objective of rewarding patents that have fewer words over those with many words, because it is believed that those patents with the first independent claim having fewer words are more seminal and valuable than those that are very verbose. To weed out bogus claims, the following rules are applied only to those patents with the first independent claim having a length of at least 5 words.
[0055] If the first independent claim has 20 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 1000:
[0000] v=v+ 1000; (43)
[0000] Otherwise if the first independent claim has 50 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 500:
[0000] v=v+ 500; (44)
[0056] Otherwise if the first independent claim has 80 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 100:
[0000] v=v+ 100; (45)
[0057] Next the length (in words) of the abstract is taken into account, with the objective of rewarding patents that have fewer words over those with many words, because it is believed that those patents with the abstract having fewer words are more seminal and valuable than those that are very verbose. Abstracts are limited to 150 words or less, but to weed out bogus claims, the following rules are applied only to those patents with the abstract having a length of at least 5 words.
[0058] If the abstract has 20 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 1000:
[0000] v=v+ 1000; (46)
[0000] Otherwise if abstract has 50 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 500:
[0000] v=v+ 500; (47)
[0000] Otherwise if the abstract has 100 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 100:
[0000] v=v+ 100; (48)
[0000] Next the review length (in days) from filing the patent to grant date is taken into account, with the objective of rewarding patents that take less time to grant.
[0059] If the review length is less than one year, then the value is increased by 1000:
[0000] v=v+ 1000; (49)
[0000] Otherwise if review length is less than two years, then the value is increased by 500:
[0000] v=v+ 500; (50)
[0000] Otherwise if review length is less than three years, then the value is increased by 100:
[0000] v=v+ 100; (51)
[0000] Next the length (in words) of the patent text is taken into account, with the objective of rewarding patents that have fewer words over those with many words, because it is believed that those patents with the patent text having fewer words are more seminal and valuable than those that are very verbose. The following rules are applied only to those patents with the patent text having a length of at least 150 words.
[0060] If the patent text has 1000 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 1000:
[0000] v=v+ 1000; (52)
[0000] Otherwise if the patent text has 2000 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 500:
[0000] v=v+ 500; (53)
[0000] Otherwise if the patent text has 3000 or fewer words, then the value is increased by 100:
[0000] v=v+ 100; (54)
[0000] Finally the calculated seminality value, v, is multiplied by the expiration factor, f, whose calculation is described above:
[0000] v=f*v. (55)
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A method for assigning a relative score to patents within a patent landscape is described, with the objective of being able to compare any two or more patents. A patent is considered seminal if the novelty of the invention is not a product of variations of prior art and spawns a new direction in intellectual property as described by new patents that come later. The method described in this document is one that combines a number of direct and indirect network factors and tempers the method by considering proximity to other patents within the landscape, incestuous citations, and other metric quantities inherent in the patent documents and from publicly available information. The method described is a relativistic model that is generic in that it does not depend on specific success of any individual patent to produce revenue or to fend off exposure to other specified intellectual property.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to valves and more particularly to rotary spool valves.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spool valves for utilization with hydraulic control systems including the use of four way valves are well-known in the prior art. The inventor of the present invention has received three prior U.S. patents in this area, namely U.S. Pat. No. 3,774,504 for a Sliding Spool Valve; U.S. Pat. No. 4,027,697 for a Rotary Valve; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,124,038 for a Multi-way Hydraulic Valve. These patents and the references cited therein are related to the field in which the present invention resides.
SUMMARY
The present invention is a rotary four way tandem center spool valve which incorporates a flow through design feature useful in systems with pressure occurring beyond the instant valve.
It is an object of this invention to provide a valve of simple and economical construction in which it is not necessary to utilize check members such as ball checks. However, if desired, ball checks could be used in an alternate embodiment if positive device line locking is desired.
It is a further object of this invention to provide a valve with which other valves can be utilized beyond or between the valve of this invention and the tank without affecting the valve of this invention. In its preferred form the valve comprises a valve housing having a cylinder bore defined therein containing a rotatably movable spool member, the ends of which are in fluid-tight relation to the valve housing and which spool member is provided with a central spool projection whose peripheral surface is adapted to make fluid-tight contact with the sides of the housing around the cylindrical bore. The central spool projection is provided with four axially extending grooves on its peripheral surface. On either side of the central spool projection are defined a first and second pressure chamber, each of said chambers communicating to a respective first and second operation port. The operation ports are adapted for interconnection to the device, i.e., cylinder, etc. to be operated by the valve. Alternate of said grooves communicate with the first or second pressure chamber respectively. Further defined within the valve housing are an inlet port and outlet port which open into the cylindrical bore in the area occupied by the central spool projection and are, in a preferred embodiment, at right angles to one another. Also in a preferred embodiment the axially extending grooves are positioned around the periphery of the spool projection at 90 degree intervals to one another with the grooves diametrically opposite one another communicating to the same pressure chamber. Further defined within the central spool projection extending through the central spool projection are a first and second spool channel which are disposed at right angles to one another and whose end openings at the outer peripheral surface of the spool projection are each defined between respective grooves.
In operation the spool may be rotated so that the first and second channels which intersect one another align with the inlet port and the outlet port so that the fluid enters from the inlet port and passes through the channels in the spool to exit through the outlet port. If one wishes to activate the valve, one rotates the spool 45 degrees and a groove associated with one of the pressure chambers is now aligned with the inlet port thereby pressurizing the device interconnected with that pressure chamber's operation port while at the same time the groove associated with the other pressure chamber is aligned with the outlet port thereby allowing pressure to be relieved within the device associated with that pressure chamber's operation port as the fluid passes out to the tank.
Sealing means such as O-rings or equivalent can be provided at the ends of the spool to assist in forming its fluid-tight relation with the valve housing. Conventional means to retain the spool within the valve housing can also be provided such as a lock ring affixed to a groove in a section of the spool which may protrude from the valve housing or other well-known methods of retaining the spool within the housing can be utilized. Opposite the inlet port and outlet port there can be balance slots defined within the valve housing to assist in causing equalization of pressure around the spool at all times so that it will rotate easily.
The objects and design of the instant invention will become clearer with reference to the following drawings and Description of the Preferred Embodiment below.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 discloses a cross-section through the valve housing with the spool in place being shown as a completed structure and not in half-section.
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-sectional view through A--A of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 illustrates a similar view as FIG. 2 but with the spool in an alternate position and with a ball check illustrated in outline form.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
FIG. 1 illustrates the device of this invention having a valve housing 10 with cylindrical bore 12 defined therein. Valve housing 10 also contains inlet port 14 illustrated in FIG. 2 and outlet port 16, both of which enter into cylindrical bore 12 and are substantially in the same plane transverse to the axis of the cylindrical bore and positioned at right angles to one another. Also defined within the cylindrical bore are a first operation port 18 and second operation port 20 which are located on opposite sides of the transverse plane of the outlet and inlet ports and which communicate into the cylindrical bore being in the same plane as, and directly opposite to, outlet port 16. Within cylindrical bore 12 is located rotary spool 26 which at either end thereof is of a diameter adapted to contact the cylindrical bore in a fluid-tight relationship. If desired, sealing means such as a first O-ring 28 and second O-ring 30 can be utilized within grooves defined within the spool to assist in forming such fluid-tight relationship between the spool and the valve housing. The spool is rotatable within the valve housing and can be retained therein by conventional means such as by a lock ring 32 which is mounted within a groove of the segment of the spool which may protrude out of the valve housing or by equivalent conventional means. The spool can be manually rotated or rotated by other conventional means as desired and may include stop members to limit its rotational movement and detents for determination by the user as to the rotated position of the spool within the valve. The spool may be self-centering in a neutral position by spring members or by other well-known conventional means. Positioned on a central portion of the spool aligned with the transverse plane of the inlet and outlet ports is the central spool projection 34 whose periphery is adapted to make fluid-tight contact with the sides of the cylindrical bore. On either side of the central spool projection the spool is of smaller diameter than the cylindrical bore forming a first pressure chamber 22 and a second pressure chamber 24. The first pressure chamber 22 and the second pressure chamber 24 communicate with the first operation port 18 and the second operation port 20, respectively. Defined on the outer peripheral surface of central spool projection 34 are a series of four axially extending grooves 36, 38, 40 and 42, each of substantially equal area. Each of said grooves is positioned equidistant from one another around said periphery whereby groove 42 is directly opposite groove 38, and groove 36 is directly opposite groove 40 so that a line from groove 36 to groove 40 and a line from groove 42 to groove 38 would intersect at right angles. Grooves 42 and 38 extend only to, and enter, the second pressure chamber 24 and grooves 36 and 40 extend only to, and enter, first pressure chamber 22. Further defined within the central spool projection and best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3 are a first channel 44 and a second channel 46 intersecting one another at right angles, the openings of each channel being positioned on the peripheral surface of the central spool projection, each between two grooves. These channels are aligned with the transverse plane of the inlet and outlet ports and intersect so that when the spool is rotated, aligning for example in FIG. 2 channel 44 with the inlet port, fluid will pass into channel 44 and then pass through channel 46 to escape through outlet port 16. When the spool is rotated so that a groove aligns with inlet port 14, one operation port will be pressurized and the other pressure port will be relieved of pressure. For example, if the spool is rotated so that groove 42 aligns with the inlet port and groove 36 aligns with the outlet port as seen in FIG. 3, then pressure will pass through the inlet port through groove 42 into the second pressure chamber 24 and then through the second operation port 20 to the device being operated. Alternately, groove 36, being aligned with the outlet port, allows the pressure within the first operation port to pass through the first pressure chamber through groove 36 and out the outlet port 16. As can be seen, the spool can be operated by the rotation of the spool 45 degrees in either direction since, if one wished to operate the operation ports in the opposite manner as described below, one would rotate the spool so that groove 38 aligned with the outlet port and groove 36 aligned with the inlet port thereby pressurizing the first pressure chamber and first operation port and relieving the pressure within the second pressure chamber and second operation port. Groove 40 is unnecessary for use to pressurize or relieve the operation ports but is necessary for pressure balance around the spool. Uneven pressure around the spool can force the spool against the housing within the cylindrical bore. Therefore means to balance the pressure are incorporated within the valve of this invention, being balance slots 48 and 50 seen in FIG. 2. These slots in conjunction with the otherwise unused groove 40 allow for even pressures around the spool so that the spool can be turned freely.
It should be noted that the first and second operation ports can be positioned anywhere on the valve that can allow them to open into the first and second pressure chambers, i.e., they could be on opposite sides of the valve if desired.
Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications can be substituted therefor without departing from the principles and spirit of the invention.
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A rotary four way tandem center valve including a spool member provided with a central spool projection with four axially extending grooves in its outer peripheral surface and two intersecting channels defined therein, a first and second operation port, an inlet and outlet port, and means for directing pressure passing from the inlet port to the outlet port to a selected one of said operation ports while at the same time relieving pressure in the other operation port.
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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/273,255 filed Oct. 18, 2002.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to watches. In particular, this invention relates to a bracelet or wristwatch having a decorative housing with arm bands that grasp the arm of the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wristwatches are worn by all segments of society. While to an adult the primary function of the wristwatch is to allow the user to determine the correct time, in many cases the wristwatch also serves an ornamental purpose.
[0004] Children in particular will often select a wristwatch for fashion reasons. In some cases a child will wear a watch primarily as a fashion item, and the convenience of having the correct time immediately accessible is either secondary or irrelevant. Children also tend to like a particular wristwatch because it is popular, but at the same time like to be able to wear an item that is somewhat distinctive. Bracelets can be fashionable for the same reasons.
[0005] A parent will often take comfort in knowing that the child is aware of the time and not reliant on others to apprise the child of the time day. To some extent this is a sign of responsibility in a child. Moreover, in the case of very young children it can be considered beneficial to introduce the child to the routine of wearing a wristwatch, or an alternative such as a bracelet, at an early age. It is accordingly advantageous to provide the child with a wristwatch or bracelet which is fashionable, fun to wear, and somewhat distinctive to satisfy most children's desire to “show off” a unique personal belonging.
[0006] Further, a wristwatch must be put on with one hand. The clasp of a conventional watchband can be difficult to manipulate with one hand, particularly for a child whose dexterity may not be fully developed. Accordingly, despite a parent's desire to coax their child into the routine of wearing a wristwatch, the child may be unable to put on the wristwatch because only one of the child's hands is available to operate the clasp, or the child may be frustrated when they encounter difficulty in doing so and may try to avoid wearing a watch.
[0007] It would accordingly be further advantageous to provide a wristwatch that is easy for a child to put on with one hand.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention provides a wristwatch or bracelet that is decorative, easy for the user to put on with one hand, and conducive to forming part of a thematic collection of many different styles. This provides an item for children to wear that is fashionable, but at the same time different users can possess different variations of the wristwatch or bracelet, all of which being thematically related to the collection.
[0009] The invention accomplishes this by providing a wristwatch or bracelet comprising a decorative housing and opposing resilient armbands that are biased to a closed position and may be pried to an open position to put on the wristwatch or remove the wristwatch from the user's arm.
[0010] the preferred embodiment, the housing according to the present invention presents opposed pairs of resilient armbands, and the housing is shaped in the form of an animal or character, real or fictitious, with the opposed pairs of armbands being formed as appendages of the animal or character. Thus, a wristwatch according to the invention is particularly suitable for marketing as a “collectible” item, i.e. part of a collection of wristwatches, being produced as part of a line of animals and/or characters, for example cartoon or comic strip characters, while providing a virtually unlimited variety of shapes and styles to thus allow users to collect and wear different variations of the wristwatch or bracelet.
[0011] A wristwatch or bracelet according to the invention is accordingly fun to wear, fashionable, and easy for the user to engage to his or her wrist using only one hand.
[0012] The present invention thus provides a housing for a wristwatch, comprising a body for mounting a timepiece, and at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands being flexible and biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position, whereby when the user moves the armband to the open position the wristwatch can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.
[0013] The present invention further provides a wristwatch, comprising a timepiece, a body for mounting the timepiece, and at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands comprising a resilient member biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position, whereby when the user moves the resilient member to the open position the wristwatch can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.
[0014] In further aspects of the invention: the body is shaped in the form of an animal or character; the armbands are shaped like appendages of the animal or a character; the housing comprises a first pair of armbands in opposition to a second pair of armbands; in which the armbands on at least one side of the user's arm comprise a core of a resilient material; both armbands are resilient and biased to the closed position; both pairs of armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position; the housing comprises a plurality of armbands extending from each side of the body wherein all armbands comprise a resilient member and are biased to the closed position; the body is molded; and/or the resilient members are formed as part of an integral core insert and the armbands are molded over the core insert integrally with the body.
[0015] The present invention further provides a bracelet, comprising a body, and at least two opposed armbands extending away from the body, at least one of the armbands comprising a resilient member biased to an engaging position in which the armbands engage around a user's wrist and moveable between the engaging position and an open position, whereby when the user moves the resilient member to the open position the bracelet can be engaged to the user's arm or disengaged from the user's arm.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] In drawings which illustrate by way of example only a preferred embodiment of the invention,
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a watch according to the invention;
[0018] FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional side elevation of the watch of FIG. 1 ;
[0019] FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional end elevation of the insert shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0020] FIGS. 3A, 3B , 3 C, 3 D and 3 E are perspective views of different variations of the watch of FIG. 1 , showing different animal and/or character shapes for the watch housing by way of non-limiting example; and
[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a bracelet according to the invention
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] An embodiment of the wristwatch of the invention is illustrated in FIG. 1 . It will be appreciated that the embodiment of FIG. 1 is merely one example out of a virtually infinite variety of wristwatch shapes and/or styles that can be produced according to the present invention.
[0023] The wristwatch comprises a timepiece 2 lodged in a housing 10 , which in the preferred embodiment comprises a body 12 formed generally in the shape of an animal or character, which may be realistic or fictitious, for example a popular cartoon character. The body 12 illustrated in FIG. 1 by way of example only is in the form of a dinosaur body. The body 12 of the housing 10 may be formed, for example molded, from rubber, plastic, silicone or any other suitable material, flexible or rigid, and colored with any desired pigment, paint or otherwise to increase the realism of its appearance. The body 12 may alternatively be formed as a plush figure, made from any available fabric and stuffed in conventional fashion to maintain the body 12 in the desired shape.
[0024] The timepiece 2 may be embedded (in the case of a molded body 12 ) or sewn (in the case of a plush body 12 ) in any convenient position where it is visible to the user when the housing 10 is engaged to the user's wrist. The timepiece 2 shown in FIG. 1 by way of example is a conventional digital electronic timepiece, however any desired timepiece may be mounted or affixed to the housing 10 and the invention is not intended to be limited to any particular type of timepiece 2 associated with the watch housing 10 .
[0025] Projecting from the body 12 are opposed armbands 14 , 16 . In the embodiment shown each watch is provided with a pair of armbands 14 and a pair of armbands 16 , however a single armband 14 and a single opposing armband 16 will also operate effectively accordingly to the principles of the invention, although the wristwatch will not necessarily be as resistant to disengagement as where opposed pairs of armbands 14 , 16 are used. Further, any number of additional armbands 14 and/or 16 may be included, either to accommodate the design of the animal or character (for example a spider with eight legs) or to increase the resistance to disengagement of the watch from the user's arm. In alternative embodiments the arm bands 14 , 16 may be very wide, for example the wings of a bird (not shown) or the fins of a fish (not shown), in which case a single armband 14 and a single armband 16 may be preferable and just as stable.
[0026] The armbands 14 , 16 are biased to a closed position, either permanently or selectively. For example, each armband 14 , 16 may comprise a core of a spring member 20 , for example composed of spring steel, which is formed in and thus permanently biased to the grasping position shown in solid lines in FIG. 1 . The resistance to bending of the spring member 20 is a matter of selection, it being desirable that the wristwatch be held sufficiently firmly against the user's wrist so as not to disengage inadvertently, while at the same time the armbands 14 , 16 should be sufficiently easy to bend as to permit a child to pry the bands 14 and/or 16 away from his or her arm fairly readily in order to apply or remove the wristwatch.
[0027] The arm bands 14 , 16 may alternatively be rigid and pivotally mounted to the body 12 , biased to an engaging or grasping position by a spring or other resilient element; or the arm bands 14 , 16 may be flexible and formed from a material, or provided with a core of material, which retains its shape under sufficient force to resist disengagement from the user's arm. In each case at least one of the arms bands 14 or 16 is flexible and biased to the closed position.
[0028] The armbands 14 , 16 may be formed separately from the body 12 and attached to the body 12 after fabrication. However, in the preferred embodiment an insert 18 comprising spring cores 20 for each of the armbands 14 , 16 is formed as a single unit, visible in FIG. 2 . The junction between the spring cores 20 may provide a backing plate 22 for the timepiece 2 , for example with a rim 24 into which the timepiece 2 is mounted in snap-fit relation to prevent dislodgement.
[0029] Where the body 12 is molded, each spring core 20 (or the insert 18 comprising all spring cores 20 extending from backing plate 22 ) is preferably molded integrally with the body 12 , and preferably fully encapsulated in the molding material so as to conceal any sharp edges. In the example illustrated in FIG. 1 , the rubber body 12 is molded integrally with pairs of armbands 14 , 16 . The insert 18 comprising spring cores 20 and backing plate 22 is positioned in the mold in conventional fashion so as to be completely surrounded by rubber during the molding process (for example injection molding). Because the rubber is flexible, it does not significantly impede the resilience of the spring core 20 or the user's ability to pry the bands 14 and/or 16 apart to apply or remove the wristwatch.
[0030] The embodiment in which the spring cores 20 for the armbands 14 , 16 are formed as a single-piece insert with the backing plate 22 , is also particularly suitable for a plush version of the wristwatch according to the invention. Once the insert 18 has been die stamped (or otherwise cut out) and pressed (or otherwise formed) into the desired position, the orientations of the spring cores 20 , and thus the wristbands 14 , 16 , are fixed by the backing plate 22 and so do not rely upon the material of the body 12 or filling material for structural strength. Moreover, the backing plate 22 provides a solid surface for mounting the timepiece 2 .
[0031] To manufacture the molded embodiment of the invention, a core insert 18 comprising spring cores 20 for each of the armbands 14 , 16 projecting from a backing plate 22 is placed in a mold (not shown) and secured in position within the mold by suitable spacing elements (not shown) in conventional fashion. A filler piece is positioned where the timepiece 2 will be mounted, to exclude molding material from the space that the timepiece 2 will occupy. Plastic, rubber or any other suitable molding material is injected into the mold and encapsulates the core insert 18 . The housing 10 thus produced is removed from the mold and the timepiece 2 is mounted to the backing plate 22 .
[0032] In this embodiment it may be advantageous to form the opening in which the timepiece 2 is mounted slightly smaller than the size of the timepiece 2 , so that the resilient molding material will hold the timepiece 2 in position in the finished product. If the molding material is not resilient, other means (for example adhesive or mechanical structures) may be required to secure the timepiece 2 against dislodgement.
[0033] In use, the user positions one of his or her arms against the tips of one of the pairs of armbands 14 or 16 , and pries the other pair of armbands 16 or 14 open so that the arm fits between the tips of the pairs of armbands 14 , 16 . When the user releases the armbands 14 , 16 the resilient spring cores 20 draw the armbands 14 , 16 back to the grasping position, engaging the wristwatch to the user's arm.
[0034] It will be appreciated that it is possible to form the spring cores 20 so as to lock in the open position, for example in the same fashion as a “slap bracelet”. This can be accomplished by forming each spring core 20 with a slight transverse curvature that must be straightened before the spring core 20 will bend longitudinally. Prying the spring core 20 open to a longitudinally straight position re-establishes the transverse curvature and locks the spring core 20 into a longitudinally straight position. This allows a user to pry the armbands 14 , 16 to the open position, and then “slap” the wristwatch onto their wrist. The momentum of the open armbands suddenly stopping as the body 12 comes into contact with the user's wrist overcomes the stiffening effect of the transverse curvature and allows the spring cores 20 to return to the engaging position and grasp the user's arm.
[0035] It will also be appreciated that the principle of the invention applies even if the armbands 14 or 16 on only one side of the body 12 are resilient or flexible. In this case the armbands on the other side of the body, for example armbands 16 , may be fixed and rigid while the armbands 14 are biased to the closed position but can be pried to the open position. Sufficient clearance will still be available for the user to insert his or her wrist between the armbands 14 , 16 .
[0036] Various embodiments of the present invention having been thus described in detail by way of example, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that variations and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The invention includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the scope of the appended claims.
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The present invention provides a decorative wristwatch that is easy for the user to put on with one hand. The wristwatch comprises a decorative housing and opposing resilient armbands that are biased to a closed position and may be moved to an open position to apply or remove the wristwatch. In the preferred embodiment the housing is shaped in the form of an animal or character with opposed pairs of armbands being formed as appendages of the animal or character. A wristwatch according to the invention is accordingly fun to wear, fashionable, and easy for the user to engage to his or her wrist using only one hand.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to the key and lock art, and more specifically, it relates to a method and apparatus for reading the identations in a key.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
An arrangement for reading the indentations in a key is known heretofore, one example being that shown in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,811 in which the indentations along the edge of a pre-formed key are read and the information there obtained is used to manufacture a lock with which that key would be used. However, while that key reading structure would be operable for its intended purpose, it has the disadvantage of being relatively slow and of lacking the sensitivity to read and discern different depths of indentations wherein the differences in depth between successive depth stages is relatively small as is the case for example in the type of key as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,393,542 which has "dimple" indentations formed into the flat sides of the key blade. In this case the tumblers move transverse to the plane of the key into said dimples to effect an opening position of the lock.
Hence, there exists a need for a new and improved key reading method and apparatus which will overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a purpose of the present invention to provide a key reading method and apparatus which is new and improved and overcomes the disadvantages of the prior key reading arrangements.
This purpose of the present invention is achieved by providing an arrangement for positioning a key to be read, utilizing reading pins or the like to sense indentations in the key, providing a plurality of juxtaposed light paths and multiplying the movement of the reading pin to interrupt different groups of said light paths, each group corresponding to a certain depth of the indentation being read. Such an arrangement can be utilized in several different ways. Firstly, the key depth readings thus sensed can be delivered to a lock manufacturing machine such as that shown in my previous U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,811 to cause delivery of the appropriate tumbler pins to the appropriate lock and cylinder recesses to thereby make a lock which will mate with that particular key. As another example, the key reading features of the present invention can be incorporated in a door lock to identify a given key and by this means a given key holder.
A preferred embodiment of the present invention is arranged so as to read "dimple" indentations in the flat side of a key blade. The reading pins, which may be located on one side of the key blade or both sides thereof, would in turn engage a pivotable member at a point closer to its pivot axis than a light blocking portion thereof such that the light blocking portion moved a greater distance than the portion engaged by the reading pin, thereby effecting multiplication of the movement of the latter. The light blocking means could then be utilized in cooperation with a plurality of juxtaposed light paths, thereby interrupting a certain group of said light paths in dependence upon the depth of the dimple indentation being read.
In the preferred embodiment of the invention a pair of reading pins are provided, one on each side of the key being read, each reading pin provided with its own pivotable member and its own set of juxtaposed light paths.
Any number of known arrangements may be provided for establishing the said light paths. For example, the light sources can comprise a bulb, LEDs, fiber-optic light sources or a Lucite illuminating block, and the light detectors can take many forms such as direct photo transistors or fiber optics leading to remote detectors.
In the above described preferred embodiment of the present invention, as a key is inserted into the slot, each indentation positioned along the length of the key is read, a clock line is used to record the fact that successive indentation positions are being read and this continues until all positions are read and the key is fully inserted in the slot. Owing to the speed of the electronics and the low inertia of the mechanical elements utilized in the present invention, the task of reading successive key positions can be accomplished so fast that a key holder inserting the key manually would simply push the key completely into the slot without interruption, in which case the key reader would easily and automatically read all key positions. In one example of the invention sixteen different key positions were read in a total time of seventy milliseconds.
As alternatives to the above described preferred embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of different reading pins can be provided along the length of the key slot so that all of the key positions can be read simultaneously in parallel. It would only be necessary to arrange the reading pins and their respective light blocking members so that each light blocking member had its own set of juxtaposed light paths and did not interfere with the other light paths.
Although the present invention is particularly advantageous with respect to a key of the type having "dimple" indentations formed into the flat sides of the key blade, it will be understood that the present invention can also be used for reading the conventional edge notches in a conventional key such as that shown in my said U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,811.
Hence, it is an object of this invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for reading a key.
It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for reading a key wherein slight movement of reading pins recording slight differences in indentation depths are multiplied and the multiplied movements interrupt different groups of juxtaposed light paths, which light paths convey information concerning the depths of the indentation being read.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus having greater sensitivity and/or speed for sensing indentations in a key for incorporation in a machine for making a lock for use with that key.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method and apparatus for incorporation in a key lock for reading the key and thereby identifying the key holder.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description to follow, taken together with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The preferred embodiments of the invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view showing the apparatus of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a central sectional view of the apparatus in FIG. 1 in its assembled form and with the addition of a key in the slot of the apparatus.
FIG. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 2, but without the key in the slot.
FIG. 5 is a vertical cross sectional view taken in the plane of lines 5--5 in FIG. 2 but without the key in the slot.
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the type of key to be read by the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5.
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view of a lock which would be operated by the key of FIG. 6.
FIG. 8 is a partial end elevation, partial sectional view taken along line 8--8 of FIG. 7.
FIGS. 9 and 10 are highly schematic views illustrating modifications of the present invention wherein FIG. 9 is taken in a plane corresponding to the plane of FIG. 4 and FIG. 10 is a view taken in the plane of line 10--10 of FIG. 9, which plane corresponds generally to the plane of FIG. 5.
FIG. 11 illustrates a conventional key of the type having notched indentations at bit positions along its length.
FIG. 12 illustrates schematically a modification of the present invention adapted to read the conventional key of FIG. 11, this view taken in a plane corresponding to the plane of FIG. 5.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to the drawings, like elements are represented by like numerals throughout the several views.
FIG. 1 illustrates the main housing 10 which in assembled form encompasses all of the remaining illustrated elements of the invention. The housing 10 includes a key slot 11 through which the key to be read is inserted.
Before continuing the description of the preferred embodiment, it would be helpful to refer to FIGS. 6-8 for an understanding of the type of key which is to be read with the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 1-5 and the type of lock with which such key is normally used.
FIG. 6 illustrates the key 40 having along the flat blade part thereof a plurality of dimples, in this case four dimples 41-44. The blade includes a bevelled outer end 45. Referring to FIGS. 7 and 8, the former of which includes the key 40 in place and the latter of which does not, in the absence of a key, each tumbler pin 49 is pushed to its innermost position by driving pin 51 and spring 52. In this position a shoulder 53 on the pin 49 engages a shoulder 54 on the lock cylinder 47. The lock cylinder 47 is mounted in a conventional way within a lock housing 46, separated therefrom along the shear line in the form of the cylinder 50 which in the usual way permits turning of the cylinder 47 relative to the lock 46 when all of the tumbler pins have been properly positioned by the key 40 as shown in FIG. 7. The tapered end 45 of course pushes back the inner ends of tumbler pin 49 in a known manner to allow full insertion of the key 40 into the key slot 48.
Returning now to FIG. 1, taken together with FIGS. 2-5, the housing 10 includes a slot 12 extending downwardly along the side thereof and having a pair of widened areas 12a and 12b. The opposite side includes an identical slot 14 with a pair of widened areas identical to the widened areas 12a and 12b. A pair of flags 13 and 15 are passed through the slots 12 and 14 and positioned as shown in the other figures, pivotably mounted on pivot pins 16 and urged towards each other by a spring 18 which engages the two flags 13 and 15 at openings 18a and 18b. Reading pins 19 and 20 are passed through the widened areas 12b and the similar widened area of the slot 14, respectively, until the shoulders 19a and 20a thereof engage mating shoulders 19b and 20b, respectively of the housing, which shoulders define the innermost positions of the reading pins 19 and 20 whereat the inner tips of the pins enter the slot 11 to a depth at least slightly greater than the greatest key indentation depth to be read. Engagement of these shoulders also determines the inward position of the flags 13 and 15 since these flags engage the reading pins and are urged together by the spring 18.
At its upper portion the main housing 10 includes an upper opening 22, a front window 21 and a rear opening 23. An upper block 30 is passed downwardly completely into the opening 22 of main housing 10 and secured in place by engagement of bolts 34 with suitable bosses (not shown) on the interior of the lower portion of housing 10. This block 30 includes a front window 32, which is a continuation of the window 21, and flag slots 33 which are continuations of slots 12 and 14. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the block 30 is essentially hollow, thereby adapted to receive through the rear thereof a device 35 containing photo-optic detectors, this example including six detectors A through F which are connected to fiber-optic passages within cable 36. A Lucite illuminating block 24 fits in the window area formed by openings 21 and 33 and the light therefrom passes into the block 30 through the opening 26 while light is brought to the illuminating block by flat cables 25 which lie over the block 30 and pass outwardly through the rear opening 23 of housing 10.
It will be understood that the present invention can utilize any one of a large number of optical arrangements and is not limited to the one described above. For example the light may be visible or infrared light, the light may be provided by either a bulb, a light emitting diode, fiber-optics brought directly to the window 26 or the Lucite block as shown above; and the detectors A through F may include fiber-optics as shown herein or photo transistors mounted directly at positions A through F. Light paths formed by light emitting diodes may be spaced apart as little as one tenth of an inch.
Although the present invention can be designed to read a virtually unlimited number of bit positions, i.e. operative positions along the key, any number of possible depths of the indentations and also either one side of the key or both sides of the key, by way of illustration, the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5 is designed to read both sides of the key and four different depth positions. The latter limitation results only from the presence of only three light paths on each side of the center plane. Referring to the right hand flag 13 of FIG. 5, the maximum depth would uncover none of the light paths D, E or F while three successive shallower depths would cause the uncovering of light path D, light paths D and E, and light paths D, E and F, respectively. Obviously if a larger number of different possible depths were desired, a larger number of these light paths would be provided to the right of light path F.
One advantage of the mechanical and electrical features as combined in the present invention is the speed of operation. Thus, in the description of the operation to follow wherein it is stated that the key is pushed into the slot in steps, permitting the apparatus to sense the first set of indentations, and then subsequently the second, third and fourth sets of indentations, it will be understood that in practice this device operates so fast that this sequence may be accomplished even if the operator pushes the key into the slot continuously as one would normally push a key into a slot without regard to such steps. This is possible because the present invention is capable of reading each position so rapidly, e.g. sixteen positions in seventy milliseconds.
The method of operation of the present invention, with special reference to the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, is as follows. The key to be read is pushed into the slot 11. Assuming the key is in fact the key 40 of FIG. 6, when the dimples or indentations 44 are aligned with the reading pins 19 and 20 they enter the dimples 44 on opposite sides of the key and in response to the depths of those indentations (they may of course be different on opposite sides of the key), they push back their respective flag members 13 and 15 to uncover the appropriate number of the light paths D-F on the right hand side of FIG. 5 and A-C on the left hand side of FIG. 5. As the key continues into the slot the next positions 43, 42 and 41 are then read in an identical manner.
One main use of the present invention is in the manufacture of a lock for use with this specific key 40. In this case precisely which of the four dimple positions 41-44 was being read would be known by the use of a clock line. This information would then be used by an apparatus such as that shown in my U.S. Pat. No. 3,226,811 to deliver signals to the pin distribution system of a lock manufacturing device for delivering the correctly sized tumbler pins 49 (see FIG. 7) for insertion into the proper recesses in the lock cylinder 47 and the lock housing 46 (together of course with the uniformly sized driving pins 51 and springs 52).
It should be understood that the basic concepts of the present invention, as described above with respect to the apparatus and operation of the embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 5, is capable of numerous variations.
A first variation is that instead of a single reading set on each side of the slot (i.e., a set including a reading pin, a flag part and the appropriate light paths) together with a clock line for noting which key position is at that single set, it is also possible to provide a plurality of different sets in parallel along the same side of the slot, one set for each key position, so that the key can simply be inserted into the slot and all of the bit positions sensed simultaneously. To accomplish this, it is necessary only to provide the various mechanical and optical elements such that each set has its own set of light paths positioned such that they are not interfered with by movement of the mechanical elements of the other sets. This can be accomplished by placing the subsequent light sets either above the first light set or outwardly thereof.
FIGS. 9 and 10 represent not a specific embodiment, but rather they illustrate diagramatically the two possible variations for placing subsequent sets. Assuming that the reading pin 61 and flag part 64 represent the front set, i.e. the set corresponding to the single one shown in FIGS. 1 through 5, the subsequent sets can include reading pin 62 with flag parts 65 similar to the flag part 64 but having a greater height so that the light path associated therewith will be located above and out of the way of flag part 64. Alternatively, as also shown the reading pin can be made much longer such as shown at pin 63 and this can be coupled with a flag part 66 which is identical to the flag part 64 except that it is located outwardly thereof such that its movement does not interfere with the light paths of the other flag parts, and vice versa. If successive flag parts were placed outwardly such as with the flag part 66, it would of course require a housing which became much larger at the rear end than the front part, i.e. it would not be rectangular as is the housing part 10 of FIG. 1. As between these two alternatives, the alternative of using a flag of the same height but located outwardly is the preferable embodiment since this flag would have a movement multiplication factor identical to that of the first flag 64 so that it could employ optical elements identical to those employed by the flag 64. In contrast, the taller flag 65 would move a greater distance than the flag 64 and thereby require a different optical means with the light paths located farther apart than with the flag part 64.
Another variation of the present invention is described with respect to FIGS. 11 and 12. These figures illustrate how the present invention can be utilized to sense the indentations in a conventional key 70 with edge notchings 71. The key would be inserted into the slot 72 horizontally such that the reading pin 73 would sense the depth of notches 71, thereby turning the flag part 74 about the axis 75, unblocking successive light paths 76 in a manner identical to the manner as described with respect to FIGS. 1 through 5.
Another application of the present invention is in combination with a door lock itself to identify a given key and by this means also a certain holder of the key. This application would of course find wide use in any area where is was necessary not only to prevent access without a key, but also to limit access to certain persons, i.e. certain key holders.
Although the invention has been described in considerable detail with respect to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of numerous modifications and variations, apparent to those skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.
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A method and apparatus for reading a key, preferably a key of the type having indentations formed in the flat sides of the key blade. Typical uses for such method and apparatus include incorporating the same in a machine for making a lock to be opened by that key or incorporation in a door lock to identify a given key and by this means a given holder of the key. Movement of reading pins which sense the key indentations are multiplied to cover or uncover groups of juxtaposed light paths to electronically record the depth of the key indentations. Plural indentations on a key can be read either sequentially or simultaneously in parallel.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 USC §119 to International Application Publication No. WO 95/23857, which was filed on Mar. 1, 1995 and which claims priority to GB 94042702, which was filed on Mar. 5, 1994.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the production of recombinant human albumin (rHA) by yeast species.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART
Human serum albumin (HSA) is a protein of 585 amino acids that is responsible for a significant proportion of the osmotic pressure of serum, and also functions as a carrier of endogenous and exogenous ligands. It is used clinically in the treatment of patients with severe burns, shock, or blood loss, and at present is produced commercially by extraction from human blood. The production of recombinant human albumin (rHA) in microorganisms has been disclosed in EP 330 451 and EP 361 991.
In recent years yeast species have been widely used as a host organisms for the production of heterologous proteins (reviewed by Romanos et al, 1992), including rHA (Sleep et al, 1990, 1991; Fleer et al, 1991). Yeasts are readily amenable to genetic manipulation, can be grown to high cell density on simple media, and as eukaryotes are suitable for production of secreted as well as cytosolic proteins.
When S. cerevisiae is utilised to produce rHA, the major secreted protein is mature 67 kDa albumin. However, a 45 kDa N-terminal fragment of rHA is also observed (Sleep et al, 1990). A similar fragment is obtained when rHA is expressed in Kluyveromyces sp. (Fleer et al, 1991) and Pichia pastoris (EP 510 693). The fragment has the same N-terminal amino acid sequence as mature rHA, but the carboxy terminus is heterogeneous and occurs between Phe 403 and Val 409 with the most common termini being Leu 407 and Val 409 Geisow et al, 1991), as shown below.
↓ ↓-Phe-Gln-Asn-Ala-Leu-Leu-Val-Arg-Tyr-Thr-Lys-Lys-Val-Pro-Gln- (SEQ IDNO:16) 405 410 415
The amount of fragment produced, as a percentage of total rHA secreted, varies with both the strain and the secretion leader sequence utilised, but is never reduced to zero (Sleep et al, 1990). We have also found that the amount of fragment produced in high cell density fermentation (75-100 g/L cell dry weight) is approximately five times higher than in shake flask cultures.
The 45 kDa albumin fragment is not observed in serum-derived human serum albumin (HSA), and its presence as non-nature-identical material in the recombinant product is undesirable. The problem addressed by the present invention is to reduce the amount of the 45 kDa fragment in the product. The simplest and most obvious approach would have been to have purified it away from the full length albumin, as proposed by Gist-brocades in EP 524 681 (see especially page 4, lines 17-22). However, we have chosen a different approach, namely to try to avoid its production in the first place.
Sleep et al (1990) postulated that rHA fragment is produced within the cell and is not the result of extra-cellular proteolysis. These authors codon-optimised the HSA cDNA from Glu 382 to Ser 419 but this had no effect on production of rHA fragment. They noted that a potential Kex2p processing site in the rHA amino acid sequence, Lys 413 Lys 414 , is in close proximity to the heterogeneous carboxy terminus of the fragment, but neither use of a kex2 host strain (ie a strain harboring a mutation in the KEX2 gene such that it does not produce the Kex2p protease), nor removal of the potential cleavage site by site-directed mutagenesis of the codon for Lys 414 , resulted in reduction in the amount of the fragment.
There is a vast array of yeast proteases which could, in principle, be degrading a desired protein product, including (in S. cerevisiae) yscA, yscB, yscY, yscS, other vacuolar proteinases, yscD, yscE, yscF (equivalent to kex2p), yscα, yscIV, yscG, yscH, yscJ, yscE and kex1.
Bourbonnais et al (1991) described an S. cerevisiae endoprotease activity specific for monobasic sites, an example of which (Arg 410 ) exists in this region of albumin. This activity was later found to be attributable to yeast aspartyl protease 3 (Yap3) (Bourbonnais et al, 1993), an enzyme which was originally described by Egel-Mitani et al (1990) as an endoprotease similar to Kex2p in specificity, in that it cleaved at paired basic residues. Further work suggested that Yap3p is able to cleave monobasic sites and between, and C-terminal to, pairs of basic residues, but that cleavage at both types of sites is dependent on the sequence context (Azaryan et al, 1993; Cawley et al, 1993).
As already discussed, the region of the C-terminus of rHA fragment contains both a monobasic (Arg 410 ) and a dibasic site (Lys 413 Lys 414 ). However, even though a Kex2p-like proteolytic activity is present in human cells and is responsible for cleavage of the pro sequence of HSA C-terminal to a pair of arginine residues, the fragment discussed above is not known to be produced in humans. This indicates that the basic residues Arg 410 , Lys 413 and Lys 414 are not recognised by this Kex2p-like protease, in turn suggesting that this region of the molecule may not be accessible to proteases in the secretory pathway. Thus, the Yap3p protease could not have been predicted to be responsible for the production of the 45 kDa fragment. In addition, Egel-Mitani et al (1990 Yeast 6, 127-137) had shown Yap3p to be similar to Kex2p in cleaving the MFα propheromone. Since removal of the Kex2p function alone does not reduce the amount of the fragment produced, there was no reason to suppose that removal of the Yap3p function would be beneficial. Indeed, Bourbonnais et al (1993) showed that yap3 strains had a decreased ability to process prosomatostatin, and therefore taught away from using yap3 strains in the production of heterologous proteins.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The solution to the problem identified above is, in accordance with the invention, to avoid or at least reduce production of the fragment in the initial fermentation, rather than to remove it during purification of the albumin. We have now found that, out of the 20 or more yeast proteases which are so far known to exist, it is in fact the Yap3p protease which is largely responsible for the 45 kD fragment of rHA produced in yeast. The present invention provides a method for substantially reducing the amount of a 45 kDa fragment produced when rHA is secreted from yeast species. The reduction in the amount of fragment both improves recovery of rHA during the purification process, and provides a higher quality of final product. A further, and completely unexpected, benefit of using yap3 strains of yeast is that they can produce 30-50% more rHA than strains having the Yap3p function. This benefit cannot be accounted for merely by the reduction of rHA fragment from˜15% to 3-5%.
Thus, one aspect of the present invention provides a process for preparing albumin by secretion from a yeast genetically modified to produce and secrete the albumin, comprising culturing the yeast in a culture medium such that albumin is secreted into the medium, characterised in that the yeast cells have a reduced level of yeast aspartyl protease 3 proteolytic activity.
Preferably, the said proteolytic activity is an endoprotease activity specific for monobasic sites and for paired basic amino acids in a polypeptide.
Suitably, the yeast is S. cerevisiae which lacks a functional YAP3 gene. However, the invention is not limited to the use of S. cerevisiae, since the problem of 45 kDa fragment production is found also in other yeast genera, for example Pichia and Kluyveromyces, which shows that they have equivalent proteases (ie Yap3p proteolytic activity); see Clerc et al (1994), page 253. We have confirmed this by hybridisation analysis to locate homologues of Yap3p in non-Saccharomyces genera. A gene is regarded as a homologue, in general, if the sequence of the translation product has greater than 50% sequence identity to Yap3p. In non-Saccharomyces genera, the Yap3p-like protease and its gene may be named differently, but this does not of course alter their essential nature.
The level of fragment can be reduced still further if, as well as substantially eliminating the Yap3p proteolytic activity, the Kex2p function is also substantially eliminated even though, as mentioned above, elimination of the Kex2p function alone does not affect the level of fragment. As in the case of Yap3p, the Kex2p function is not restricted to Saccharomyces; see Gellissen et al (1992), especially the sentence bridging pages 415 and 416, showing that Pichia has a Kex2p function. The genes encoding the Kex2p equivalent activity in Kluyveromyces lactis and Yarrowia lipolytica have been cloned (Tanguy-Rougeau et al, 1988; Enderlin & Ogrydziak, 1994).
A suitable means of eliminating the activity of a protease is to disrupt the host gene encoding the protease, thereby generating a non-reverting strain missing all or part of the gene for the protease (Rothstein, 1983). Alternatively, the activity can be reduced or eliminated by classical mutagenesis procedures or by the introduction of specific point mutations by the process of transplacement (Winston et al, 1983). Preferably, the activity of the enzyme is reduced to at most 50% of the wild-type level, more preferably no more than 25%, 10% or 5%, and most preferably is undetectable. The level of Yap3p proteolytic activity may be measured by determining the production of the 45 kDa fragment, or by the 125 I-β h -lipoprotein assay-of Azaryan et al (1993), also used by Cawley et al (1993). Kex2p proteolytic activity may similarly be measured by known assays, for example as set out in Fuller et al (1989).
The albumin may be a human albumin, or a variant thereof, or albumin from any other animal.
By "variants" we include insertions, deletions and substitutions, either conservative or non-conservative, where such changes do not substantially alter the oncotic, useful ligand-binding or non-immunogenic properties of albumin. In particular, we include naturally-occurring polymorphic variants of human albumin; fragments of human albumin which include the region cleaved by Yap3p, for example those fragments disclosed in EP 322 094 (namely HSA (1-n), where n is 369 to 419) which are sufficiently long to include the Yap3p-cleaved region (ie where n is 403 to 419); and fusions of albumin (or Yap3p-cleavable portions thereof) with other proteins, for example the kind disclosed in WO 90/13653.
By "conservative substitutions" is intended swaps within groups such as Gly, Ala; Val, Ile, Leu; Asp, Glu; Asn, Gln; Ser, Thr; Lys, Arg; and Phe, Tyr.
Such variants may be made using the methods of protein engineering and site-directed mutagenesis as described below.
A second aspect of the invention provides a modified albumin having at least 90% sequence identity to a naturally-occurring albumin, which naturally-occurring albumin is susceptible to cleavage with the S. cerevisiae yeast aspartyl protease 3 (Yap3p) when expressed in yeast, characterised in that the modified albumin is not susceptible to such cleavage.
Preferably, the modified albumin lacks a monobasic amino acid present in the naturally-occurring albumin protein. Suitably, the said monobasic amino acid is arginine. Conveniently, the modified albumin additionally lacks a pair of basic amino acids present in the naturally-occurring albumin, especially any of Lys, Lys; Lys, Arg; Arg, Lys; or Arg, Arg. Thus, in one particular embodiment, the naturally-occurring albumin is human albumin and the modified protein lacks Arg 410 and, optionally, one or both Lys 413 Lys 414 lysines. For example, the modified albumin may be human albumin having the amino acid changes R410A, K413Q, K414Q. Equivalent modifications in bovine serum albumin include replacing the Arg 408 and/or one or both of Arg 411 Lys 412 . The person skilled in the art will be able to identify monobasic sites and pairs of basic residues in other albumins without difficulty.
The numbering of the residues corresponds to the sequence of normal mature human albumin. If the albumin is a variant (for example a polymorphic form) having a net deletion or addition of residues N-terminal to the position identified, then the numbering refers to the residues of the variant albumin which are aligned with the numbered positions of normal albumin when the two sequences are so aligned as to maximise the apparent homology.
A third aspect of the invention provides a polynucleotide encoding such a modified albumin.
The DNA is expressed in a suitable yeast (either the DNA being for a modified albumin, or the yeast lacking the Yap3p function) to produce an albumin. Thus, the DNA encoding the albumin may be used in accordance with known techniques, appropriately modified in view of the teachings contained herein, to construct an expression vector, which is then used to transform an appropriate yeast cell for the expression and production of the albumin.
The DNA encoding the albumin may be joined to a wide variety of other DNA sequences for introduction into an appropriate host. The companion DNA will depend upon the nature of the host, the manner of the introduction of the DNA into the host, and whether episomal maintenance or integration is desired.
Generally, the DNA is inserted into an expression vector, such as a plasmid, in proper orientation and correct reading frame for expression. The vector is then introduced into the host through standard techniques and, generally, it will be necessary to select for transformed host cells.
Host cells that have been transformed by the recombinant DNA of the invention are then cultured for a sufficient time and under appropriate conditions known to those skilled in the art in view of the teachings disclosed herein to permit the expression and secretion of the albumin, which can then be recovered, as is known.
Useful yeast plasmid vectors are pRS403-406 and pRS413-416 and are generally available from Stratagene Cloning Systems, La Jolla, Calif. 92037, USA. Plasmids pRS403, pRS404, pRS405 and pRS406 are Yeast Integrating plasmids (YIps) and incorporate the yeast selectable markers HIS3, TRP1, LEU2 and URA3. Plasmids pRS413-416 are Yeast Centromere plasmids (YCps). Other yeast expression plasmids are disclosed in EP-A-258 067, EP-A-286 424 and EP-A-424 117.
The polynucleotide coding sequences encoding the modified albumin of the invention may have additional differences to those required to produce the modified albumin. For example, different codons can be substituted which code for the same amino acid(s) as the original codons. Alternatively, the substitute codons may code for a different amino acid that will not affect the activity or immunogenicity of the albumin or which may improve its activity or immunogenicity, as well as reducing its susceptibility to a Yap3p protease activity. For example, site-directed mutagenesis or other techniques can be employed to create single or multiple mutations, such as replacements, insertions, deletions, and transpositions, as described in Botstein and Shortle (1985). Since such modified coding sequences can be obtained by the application of known techniques to the teachings contained herein, such modified coding sequences are within the scope of the claimed invention.
Exemplary genera of yeast contemplated to be useful in the practice of the present invention are Pichia, Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Candida, Torulopsis, Hansenula (now reclassified as Pichia), Histoplasma, Schizosaccharomyces, Citeromyces, Pachysolen, Debaromyces, Metschunikowia, Rhodosporidium, Leucosporidium, Botryoascus, Sporidiobolus, Endomycopsis, and the like. Preferred genera are those selected from the group consisting of Pichia, Saccharomyces, Kluyveromyces, Yarrowia and Hansenula. Examples of Saccharomyces sp. are S. cerevisiae, S. italicus and S. rouxii. Examples of Kluyveromyces sp. are K. fragilis and K. lactis. Examples of Hansenula (Pichia) sp. are H. polymorpha (now Pichia angusta), H. anomala (now P. anomala) and P. pastoris. Y. lipolytica is an example of a suitable Yarrowia species.
Methods for the transformation of S. cerevisiae are taught generally in EP 251 744, EP 258 067 and WO 90/01063, all of which are incorporated herein by reference. Suitable promoters for S. cerevisiae include those associated with the PGK1 gene, GAL1 or GAL10 genes, CYC1, PHO5, TRP1, ADH1, ADH2, the genes for glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase, hexokinase, pyruvate decarboxylase, phosphofructokinase, triose phosphate isomerase, phosphoglucose isomerase, glucokinase, α-mating factor pheromone, a-mating factor pheromone, the PRB1 promoter, the GPD1 promoter, and hybrid promoters involving hybrids of parts of 5' regulatory regions with parts of 5' regulatory regions of other promoters or with upstream activation sites (eg the promoter of EP-A-258 067).
Convenient regulatable promoters for use in Schizosaccharomyces pombe are the thiamine-repressible promoter from the nmt gene as described by Maundrell (1990) and the glucose-repressible fbp1 gene promoter as described by Hoffman & Winston (1990).
Methods of transforming Pichia for expression of foreign genes are taught in, for example, Cregg et al (1993), and various Phillips patents (eg U.S. Pat. No. 4,857,467, incorporated herein by reference), and Pichia expression kits are commercially available from Invitrogen BV, Leek, Netherlands, and Invitrogen Corp., San Diego, Calif. Suitable promoters include AOX1 and AOX2.
The Gellissen et al (1992) paper mentioned above and Gleeson et al (1986) J. Gen. Microbiol. 132, 3459-3465 include information on Hansenula vectors and transformation, suitable promoters being MOX1 and FMD1; whilst EP 361 991, Fleer et al (1991) and other publications from Rhone-Poulenc Rorer teach how to express foreign proteins in Kluyveromyces spp., a suitable promoter being PGK1.
The transcription termination signal is preferably the 3' flanking sequence of a eukaryotic gene which contains proper signals for transcription termination and polyadenylation. Suitable 3' flanking sequences may, for example, be those of the gene naturally linked to the expression control sequence used, ie may correspond to the promoter. Alternatively, they may be different in which case the termination signal of the S. cerevisiae ADH1 gene is preferred.
The albumin is initially expressed with a secretion leader sequence, which may be any leader effective in the yeast chosen. Leaders useful in S. cerevisiae include that from the mating factor α polypeptide (MFα-1) and the hybrid leaders of EP-A-387 319. Such leaders (or signals) are cleaved by the yeast before the mature albumin is released into the surrounding medium. When the yeast strain lacks Kex2p activity (or equivalent) as well as being yap3, it may be advantageous to choose a secretion leader which need not be cleaved from the albumin by Kex2p. Such leaders include those of S. cerevisiae invertase (SUC2) disclosed in JP 62-096086 (granted as 91/036516), acid phosphatase (PHO5), the pre-sequence of MFα-1, β-glucanase (BGL2) and killer toxin; S. diastaticus glucoamylase II; S. carlsbergensis α-galactosidase (MEL1); K. lactis killer toxin; and Candida glucoamylase.
Various non-limiting embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a general scheme for the construction of mutated rHA expression plasmids, in which HA is a human albumin coding sequence, L is a sequence encoding a secretion leader, P is the PRB1 promoter, T is the ADH1 terminator, amp is an ampicillin resistance gene and LEU2 is the leucine selectable marker;
FIG. 2 is a drawing representing a Western blot analysis of mutant rHA secreted by S. cerevisiae, in which Track A represents the culture supernatant from DB1 cir° pAYE316 (normal rHA), Track B represents the culture supernatant from DB1 cir + pAYE464 (alteration 1), and Track C represents the culture supernatant from DB1 cir + pAYE468 (alteration 3);
FIG. 3 is a scheme of the construction of pAYE515;
FIG. 4 is a comparison of rHA fragment production by wild-type and protease-disrupted strains, presented as a drawing of an anti-HSA Western blot of culture supernatant from shake flask cultures separated by non-reducing 10% xSDS/PAGE, in which Track A corresponds to DB1 cir° pAYE316, Track B corresponds to DXY10 cir° pAYE316 (yap3 strain), and Track C corresponds to ABB50 cir° pAYE316 (yap3, kex2 strain);
FIG. 5 is similar to FIG. 4 but shows Coomassie Brilliant Blue stained 12.5% SDS Phastgel (Pharmacia) of culture supernatants from fed batch fermentations, namely Track D for the HSA standard, Track E for DB1 cir° pAYE316, Track F for DB1 Δkex2 cir° pAYE522, and Track G for DXY10 cir° pAYE522; and
FIG. 6 is a scheme for the construction of pAYE519.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
All standard recombinant DNA procedures are as described in Sambrook et al (1989) unless otherwise stated. The DNA sequences encoding HSA are derived from the cDNA disclosed in EP 201 239.
EXAMPLE 1
Modification of the HSA cDNA
In order to investigate the role of endoproteases in the generation of rHA fragment, the HSA cDNA (SEQ ID NO:1) (which includes a sequence encoding the artificial secretion leader sequence of WO 90/01063)) was modified by site-directed mutagenesis. Three separate changes were made to the HSA sequence (SEQ ID NO: 2). The first, using the mutagenic primer FOG1, changed the Arg 410 codon only, replacing it with an Ala codon, leaving intact the dibasic site, Lys 413 Lys 414 . The second change, using primer FOG2, changed the residues 407-409, including the C-terminal residues of fragment, from LeuLeuVal to AlaValAla. The third change, using the primer FOG3, altered residues 410-414 from ArgTyrThrLysLys (SEQ ID NO: 3) to AlaTyrThrGlnGln (SEQ ID NO: 4). The oligonucleotides encoded not only the amino acid changes, but also conservative base changes that create either a PvuII or an SpeI restriction site in the mutants to facilitate detection of the changed sequences.
Single-stranded DNA of an M13mp19 clone, mp19.7 (EP 201 239; FIG. 2), containing the HSA cDNA was used as the template for the mutagenesis reactions using the In Vitro Mutagenesis System, Version 2 (Amersham International plc) according to the manufacturer's instructions. Individual plaques were selected and sequenced to confirm the presence of the mutations. Double stranded RF DNA was then made from clones with the expected changes and the DNA bearing the mutation was excised on an XbaI/SacI fragment (FIG. 1). This was used to replace the corresponding wild-type fragment of pAYE309 (EP 431 880; FIG. 2). The presence of the mutated XbaI/SacI fragment within the plasmid was checked by digesting with PvuII or Spel as appropriate. These HindIII fragments were excised and inserted into the expression vector pAYE219 (FIG. 1) to generate the plasmids pAYE464 (alteration 1, R410A), pAYE470 (alteration 2, L407A, L408V, V409A) and pAYE468 (alteration 3, R410A, K413Q, K414Q). These expression plasmids comprise the S. cerevisiae PRB1 promoter (WO 91/02057) driving expression of the HSA/MFα1 leader sequence (WO 90/01063) fused in-frame with the mutated HA coding sequence which is followed by the ADH1 transcription terminator. The plasmids also contain part of the 2 μm plasmid to provide replication functions and the LEU2 gene for selection of transformants.
pAYE464, pAYE470 and pAYE468 were introduced into S. cerevisiae DB1 cir + (a, leu2; Sleep et al, 1990) by transformation and individual transformants were grown for 3 days at 30° C. in 10 ml YEPS (1% w/v yeast extract, 2% w/v peptone, 2% w/v sucrose) and then the supernatants were examined by anti-HSA Western blot for the presence of the rHA fragment. The Western blots clearly showed that fragment was still produced by the strains harboring pAYE464, although the level was reduced slightly compared to the control expressing wild-type rHA. The mutations in the plasmid pAYE470 appeared to have no effect on the generation of fragment. However, DB1 cir + pAYE468 showed a novel pattern of HSA-related bands, with little or no fragment.
One example of each of DB1 cir + pAYE464 and DB1 cir + pAYE468 were grown to high cell density by fed batch culture in minimal medium in a fermenter (Collins, 1990). Briefly, a fermenter of 10 L working volume was filled to 5 L with an initial batch medium containing 50 mL/L of a concentrated salts mixture (Table 1), 10 mL/L of a trace elements solution (Table 2), 50 mL/L of a vitamins mixture (Table 3) and 20 g/L sucrose. An equal volume of feed medium containing 100 mL/L of the salts mixture, 20 mL/L of the trace elements mixture, 100 mL/L of vitamins solution and 500 g/L sucrose was held in a separate reservoir connected to the fermenter by a metering pump. The pH was maintained at 5.7±0.2 by the automatic addition of ammonium hydroxide or sulphuric acid, and the temperature was maintained at 30° C. The stirrer speed was adjusted to give a dissolved oxygen tension of >20% air saturation at 1 v/v/min air flow rate.
TABLE 1______________________________________Salts MixtureChemical Concentration (g/L)______________________________________KH.sub.2 PO.sub.4 114.0MgSO.sub.4 12.0CaCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O 3.0Na.sub.2 EDTA 2.0______________________________________
TABLE 2______________________________________Trace Elements SolutionChemical Concentration (g/L)______________________________________ZnSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O 3.0FeSO.sub.4.7H.sub.2 O 10.0MnSO.sub.4.4H.sub.2 O 3.2CuSO.sub.4.5H.sub.2 O 0.079H.sub.3 BO.sub.3 1.5KI 0.2Na.sub.2 MoO.sub.4.2H.sub.2 O 0.5CoCl.sub.2.6H.sub.2 O 0.56H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 75 mL/L______________________________________
TABLE 3______________________________________Vitamins SolutionChemical Concentration (g/L)______________________________________Ca pantothenate 1.6Nicotinic acid 1.2m inositol 12.8Thiamine HCl 0.32Pyridoxine HCl 0.8Biotin 0.008______________________________________
The fermenter was inoculated with 100 mL of an overnight culture of S. cerevisiae grown in buffered minimal medium (Yeast nitrogen base [without amino acids, without ammonium sulphate, Difco] 1.7 g/L, (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 5 g/L, citric acid monohydrate 6.09 g/L, Na 2 HPO 4 20.16 g/L, sucrose 20 g/L, pH6.5). The initial batch fermentation proceeded until the carbon source had been consumed, at which point the metering pump was switched on and the addition of feed was computer controlled (the micro MFCS system, B. Braun, Melsungen, Germany) using an algorithm based on that developed by Wang et al (1979). A mass spectrometer was used in conjunction with the computer control system to monitor the off gases from the fermentation and to control the addition of feed to maintain a set growth rate (eg 0.1 h -1 ). Maximum conversion of carbon substrate into biomass is achieved by maintaining the respiratory coefficient below 1.2 (Collins, 1990) and, by this means, cell densities of approximately 100 g/L cell dry weight can be achieved. The culture supernatants were compared with those of a wild-type rHA producer by Coomassie-stained SDS/PAGE and by Western blot. These indicated (FIG. 2) that, whilst elimination of the monobasic Arg 410 (pAYE464) did reduce the level of the fragment by a useful amount, removal of both potential protease sites (pAYE468) almost abolished the 45 kDa fragment.
The above data suggested that the generation of rHA fragment might be due to endoproteolytic attack, though the absence of an effect of removal of the potential Kex2p site Lys 413 Lys 414 (Sleep et al, 1990, and confirmed by other studies not noted here) unless combined with elimination of Arg 410 , had suggested a complex etiology. The reduction in the amount of fragment with the mutated rHA could in principle be due to an effect of the changes on the kinetics of folding of the molecule and not due to the removal of protease cleavage sites.
EXAMPLE 2
Disruption of the YAP3 Gene
The YAP3 gene encoding yeast aspartyl protease 3 was mutated by the process of gene disruption (Rothstein 1983) which effectively deleted part of the YAP3 coding sequence, thereby preventing the production of active Yap3p.
Four oligonucleotides suitable for PCR amplification of the 5' and 3' ends of the YAP3 gene (Egel-Mitani et al, 1990) were synthesised using an Applied
Biosystems 380B Oligonucleotide Synthesiser. To assist the reader, we include as SEQ15 the sequence of the YAP3 gene, of which 541-2250 is the coding sequence.
5' endYAP3A: 5'-CGTCAGACCTTGCATGCAGCCAAGACACCCTCACATAGC-3' (SEQ ID NO:5)YAP3B: 5'-CCGTTACGTTCTGTGGTGGCATGCCCACTTCCAAGTCCACCG-3' (SEQ ID NO:6)3' endYAP3C: 5'-GCGTCTCATAGTGGAAAAGCTTCTAAATACGACAACTTCCCC-3' (SEQ ID NO:7)YAP3D: 5'-CCCAAAATGGTACCTGTGTCATCACTCGTTGGGATAATACC-3' (SEQ ID NO:8)
PCR reactions were carried out to amplify individually the 5' and 3' ends of the YAP3 gene from S. cerevisiae genomic DNA (Clontech Laboratories, Inc). Conditions were as follows: 2.5 μg/ml genomic DNA, 5 μg/ml of each primer, denature at 94° C. 61 seconds, anneal at 37° C. 121 secs, extend at 72° C. 181 secs for 40 cycles, followed by a 4° C. soak, using a Perkin-Elmer-Cetus Thermal Cycler and a Perkin-Elmer-Cetus PCR kit according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Products were analysed by gel electrophoresis and were found to be of the expected size. The 5' fragment was digested with SphI and cloned into the SphI site of pUC19HX (pUC19 lacking a HinduIII site) to give pAYE511 (FIG. 3), in which the orientation is such that YAP3 would be transcribed towards the KpnI site of the pUC19HX polylinker. The 3' YAP3 fragment was digested with HindIII and Asp718 (an isoschizomer of KpnI) and ligated into pUC19 digested with HindIII/Asp718 to give pAYE512. Plasmid DNA sequencing was carried out on the inserts to confirm that the desired sequences had been cloned. The HindIII/Asp718 fragment of pAYE512 was then subcloned into the corresponding sites of pAYE511 to give pAYE513 (FIG. 3), in which the 5' and 3' regions of YAP3 are correctly orientated with a unique HinduIII site between them. The URA3 gene was isolated from YEp24 (Botstein et al, 1979) as a HindIII fragment and then inserted into this site to give pAYE515 (FIG. 3), with URA3 flanked by the 5' and 3' regions of YAP3, and transcribed in the opposite direction to YAP3.
A ura3 derivative of strain DB1 cir° pAYE316 (Sleep et al, 1991) was obtained by random chemical mutagenesis and selection for resistance to 5-fluoro-orotic acid (Boeke et al, 1987). The strain was grown overnight in 100 mL buffered minimal medium and the cells were collected by centrifugation and then washed once with sterile water. The cells were then resuspended in 10 mL sterile water and 2 mL aliquots were placed in separate 15 mL Falcon tubes. A 5 mg/mL solution of N-methyl-'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (NTG) was then added to the tubes as follows: 0 μL, 20 μL, 40 μL, 80 μL or 160 μL. The cells were then incubated at 30° C. for 30 min and then centrifuged and washed three times with sterile water. Finally, the cells were resuspended in 1 mL YEP (1% w/v yeast extract, 2% w/v Bacto peptone) and stored at 4° C. The percentage of cells that survived the mutagenic treatment was determined by spreading dilutions of the samples on YEP plates containing 2% w/v sucrose and incubating at 30° C. for 3 days. Cells from the treatment which gave approximately 50% survival were grown on YEP plates containing 2% w/v sucrose and then replica-plated onto YNB minimal medium containing 2% w/v sucrose and supplemented with 5-fluoro-orotic acid (1 mg/mL) and uracil (50 μg/mL). Colonies able to grow on this medium were purified, tested to verify that they were unable to grow in the absence of uracil supplementation and that this defect could be corrected by introduction of the URA3 gene by transformation. One such strain, DBU3 cir° pAYE316, was transformed with the SphI/Asp718 YAP3-URA3-YAP3 fragment of pAYE515 with selection for Ura + colonies. A Southern blot of digested genomic DNA of a number of transformants was probed with the 5' and 3' ends of the YAP3 gene and confirmed the disruption of the YAP3 gene. An anti-HSA Western blot of YEPS shake-flask supernatants of two transformants indicated that disruption of YAP3 markedly reduced rHA fragment levels.
One yap3 derivative of DBU3 cir° pAYE316, designated DXY10 cir° pAYE316, was grown several times by fed-batch fermentation in minimal medium to high cell dry weight. When supernatants were examined by Coomassie-stained PAGE and anti-HSA Western blot (FIGS. 4 and 5), the reduction in the level of rHA 45 kDa fragment was clearly apparent; estimates of the amount of the degradation product vary from 1/3 to 1/5 of the levels seen with the YAP3 parent. The amount of rHA produced was not adversely affected by the yap3 mutation, indeed DXY10 cir° pAYE316 was found to produce 30-50% more rHA than the YAP3 equivalent, DB1 cir° pAYE316. Despite the fact that cleavage of the leader sequence from the HA sequence is C-terminal to a pair of basic residues, the rHA was found to have the correct N-terminus.
The fermentation broth was centrifuged to remove the cells and then subject to affinity chromatographic purification as follows. The culture supernatant was passed through a Cibacron Blue F3GA Sepharose column (Pharmacia) which was then washed with 0.1M phosphate glycine buffer, pH8.0. The rHA was then eluted from the column with 2M NaCl, 0.1M phosphate glycine, pH8.0, at which point it was >95 % pure. It may be purified further by techniques known in the art.
The albumin may alternatively be purified from the culture medium by any of the variety of known techniques for purifying albumin from serum or fermentation culture medium, for example those disclosed in WO 92/04367, Maurel et al (1989), Curling (1980) and EP 524 681.
EXAMPLE 3
Disruption of the KEX2 Gene in a yap3 Strain
To construct a strain lacking both Yap3p and Kex2p activity, a lys2 derivative of yeast strain DXY10 cir° (pAYE316) was obtained by random chemical mutagenesis and selection for resistance to α-amino adipate (Barnes and Thorner, 1985). Cells were mutagenised as in Example 2 and then plated on YNB minimal medium containing 2% w/v sucrose and supplemented with 2 mg/mL DL-α-amino adipate as the sole nitrogen source and 30 μg/mL lysine. Colonies able to grow on this medium were purified and tested to verify that they were unable to grow in the absence of lysine supplementation and that this defect could be corrected by the introduction of the LYS2 gene by transformation. This strain was then mutated by the process of gene disruption which effectively disrupted part of the KEX2 coding sequence, thereby preventing production of active Kex2p. To assist the reader, the sequence of the KEX2 gene is reproduced herein as SEQ14, of which 1329-3773 is the coding sequence.
Four oligonucleotides suitable for PCR amplification of the 5' and 3' ends of the KEX2 gene (Fuller et al, 1989) were synthesised using an Applied Biosystems 380B Oligonucleotide Synthesiser.
5' endKEX2A: 5'-CCATCTGGATCCAATGGTGCTTTGGCCAAATAAATAGTTTCAGC-3' (SEQ ID NO:9)KEX2B: 5'GCTTCTTTTACCGGTAACAAGCTTGAGTCCATTGG-3' (SEQ ID NO:10)3' endKEX2C: 5'-GGTAAGGTTTAGTCGACCTATTTTTTGTTTTGTCTGC-3' (SEQ ID NO:11)KEX2D: 5'-GGAAACGTATGAATTCGATATCATTGATACAGACTCTGAGTACG-3' (SEQ ID NO:12)
PCR reactions were carried out to amplify individually the 5' and 3' ends of the KEX2 gene from S. cerevisiae genomic DNA (Clontech Laboratories Inc).
Conditions were as follows: 2.5 μg/ml genomic DNA, 5 μg/ml of each primer, denature 94° C. 61s, anneal 37° C. 121s, extend 72° C. 181s for 40 cycles, followed by a 4° C. soak, using a Perkin-Elmer-Cetus Thermal Cycler and a Perkin-Elmer-Cetus PCR kit according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Products were analysed by gel electrophoresis and were found to be of the expected size (0.9 kb for the 5' product and 0.62 kb for the 3' product). The 5' product was digested with BamHI and HindIII and the 3' product was digested with HindIII and SalI and then the two fragments were together cloned into pUC19HX digested with BamHI and SalI. A 4.8 kb HindIII fragment comprising the S. cerevisiae LYS2 gene (Barnes & Thorner, 1985) was then inserted into the resulting plasmid at HindIII (ie between the two KEX2 fragments) to form pAYE519 (FIG. 6).
The lys2 derivative of DXY10 cir° (pAYE316), lys2-16, was transformed with the 6.0 kb KEX2-LYS2-KEX2 fragment of pAYE519, selecting for Lys 30 colonies. A Southern blot of digested genomic DNA of a number of transformants was probed with the 5' and 3' ends of the KEX2 gene and confirmed the disruption of the KEX2 gene. An anti-HSA Western blot of YEPS shake-flask culture supernatants of these transformants indicated that disruption of KEX2 in a yap3 strain reduced the level of rHA fragment still further, despite the lack of an effect of disruption of KEX2 alone in Example 4 below. Analysis of the rHA produced by one such strain, ABB50, indicated that the leader sequence was incorrectly processed, leading to an abnormal N-terminus.
The strain ABB50 (pAYE316) was cured of its plasmid (Sleep et al, 1991) and transformed with a similar plasmid, pAYE522, in which the hybrid leader sequence was replaced by the S. cerevisiae invertase (SUC2) leader sequence such that the encoded leader and the junction with the HSA sequence were as follows:
MLLQAFLFLLAGFAAKISA↓DAHKS (SEQ ID NO:13) Invertase leader HSA
In this construct, cleavage of the leader sequence from HSA does not rely upon activity of the Kex2 protease. The strain ABB50 (pAYE522) was found to produce rHA with a similarly very low level of rHA fragment, but in this instance the N-terminus corresponded to that of serum-derived HSA, ie there was efficient and precise removal of the leader sequence.
EXAMPLE 4
Disruption of the KEX2 Gene alone (Comparative Example)
By a similar method to that disclosed in Example 3 the KEX2 gene was disrupted in S. cerevisiae. This strain had the Yap3p proteolytic activity and was therefore not within the scope of the invention. When this strain was grown in fed batch fermentation the rHA produced contained similar amounts of fragment to that produced by strains with an intact KEX2 gene. In addition, the overall level of rHA was reduced and the leader sequence was not correctly processed, leading to an abnormal N-terminus.
EXAMPLE 5
Identification of Equivalent Protease in Pichia
As noted above, non-Saccharomyces yeast similarly produce the undesirable fragment of rHA and therefore have the Yap3p proteolytic activity. We have confirmed this by performing Southern hybridisations of Pichia angusta DNA, using the S. cerevisiae YAP3 gene as a probe. A specific DNA fragment was identified, showing that, not only is the Yap3p proteolytic activity present in P. angusta, but a specific homologue of the YAP3 gene is present also.
The method of Southern hybridization used for detection of the YAP3 homologue can be adapted to clone the gene sequence from a genomic DNA library of Pichia DNA using standard procedures (Sambrook et al, 1989). Disruption of the YAP3 homologue in Pichia sp. can be achieved using similar techniques to those used above for Saccharomyces (Cregg and Madden, 1987).
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Barnes, D. A. and Thorner, J. (1985) In Gene Manipulations in Fungi (Bennett,
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Yeasts, Vol. II, Stewart, G. G., Russell, I., Klein, R. D. and Hiebsch, R. R. (Eds) CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fla.
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__________________________________________________________________________# SEQUENCE LISTING- (1) GENERAL INFORMATION:- (iii) NUMBER OF SEQUENCES: 16- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 1:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 1830 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: cDNA to mRNA- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (A) ORGANISM: Homo sapi - #ens- (ix) FEATURE: (A) NAME/KEY: CDS (B) LOCATION: 73..1827#1: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- ATGAAGTGGG TAAGCTTTAT TTCCCTTCTT TTTCTCTTTA GCTCGGCTTA TT - #CCAGGAGC 60- TTGGATAAAA GA GAT GCA CAC AAG AGT GAG GTT GCT - # CAT CGG TTT AAA 108 Asp Ala Hi - #s Lys Ser Glu Val Ala His Arg Phe Lys# 10- GAT TTG GGA GAA GAA AAT TTC AAA GCC TTG GT - #G TTG ATT GCC TTT GCT 156Asp Leu Gly Glu Glu Asn Phe Lys Ala Leu Va - #l Leu Ile Ala Phe Ala# 25- CAG TAT CTT CAG CAG TGT CCA TTT GAA GAT CA - #T GTA AAA TTA GTG AAT 204Gln Tyr Leu Gln Gln Cys Pro Phe Glu Asp Hi - #s Val Lys Leu Val Asn# 40- GAA GTA ACT GAA TTT GCA AAA ACA TGT GTT GC - #T GAT GAG TCA GCT GAA 252Glu Val Thr Glu Phe Ala Lys Thr Cys Val Al - #a Asp Glu Ser Ala Glu# 60- AAT TGT GAC AAA TCA CTT CAT ACC CTT TTT GG - #A GAC AAA TTA TGC ACA 300Asn Cys Asp Lys Ser Leu His Thr Leu Phe Gl - #y Asp Lys Leu Cys Thr# 75- GTT GCA ACT CTT CGT GAA ACC TAT GGT GAA AT - #G GCT GAC TGC TGT GCA 348Val Ala Thr Leu Arg Glu Thr Tyr Gly Glu Me - #t Ala Asp Cys Cys Ala# 90- AAA CAA GAA CCT GAG AGA AAT GAA TGC TTC TT - #G CAA CAC AAA GAT GAC 396Lys Gln Glu Pro Glu Arg Asn Glu Cys Phe Le - #u Gln His Lys Asp Asp# 105- AAC CCA AAC CTC CCC CGA TTG GTG AGA CCA GA - #G GTT GAT GTG ATG TGC 444Asn Pro Asn Leu Pro Arg Leu Val Arg Pro Gl - #u Val Asp Val Met Cys# 120- ACT GCT TTT CAT GAC AAT GAA GAG ACA TTT TT - #G AAA AAA TAC TTA TAT 492Thr Ala Phe His Asp Asn Glu Glu Thr Phe Le - #u Lys Lys Tyr Leu Tyr125 1 - #30 1 - #35 1 -#40- GAA ATT GCC AGA AGA CAT CCT TAC TTT TAT GC - #C CCG GAA CTC CTT TTC 540Glu Ile Ala Arg Arg His Pro Tyr Phe Tyr Al - #a Pro Glu Leu Leu Phe# 155- TTT GCT AAA AGG TAT AAA GCT GCT TTT ACA GA - #A TGT TGC CAA GCT GCT 588Phe Ala Lys Arg Tyr Lys Ala Ala Phe Thr Gl - #u Cys Cys Gln Ala Ala# 170- GAT AAA GCT GCC TGC CTG TTG CCA AAG CTC GA - #T GAA CTT CGG GAT GAA 636Asp Lys Ala Ala Cys Leu Leu Pro Lys Leu As - #p Glu Leu Arg Asp Glu# 185- GGG AAG GCT TCG TCT GCC AAA CAG AGA CTC AA - #G TGT GCC AGT CTC CAA 684Gly Lys Ala Ser Ser Ala Lys Gln Arg Leu Ly - #s Cys Ala Ser Leu Gln# 200- AAA TTT GGA GAA AGA GCT TTC AAA GCA TGG GC - #A GTA GCT CGC CTG AGC 732Lys Phe Gly Glu Arg Ala Phe Lys Ala Trp Al - #a Val Ala Arg Leu Ser205 2 - #10 2 - #15 2 -#20- CAG AGA TTT CCC AAA GCT GAG TTT GCA GAA GT - #T TCC AAG TTA GTG ACA 780Gln Arg Phe Pro Lys Ala Glu Phe Ala Glu Va - #l Ser Lys Leu Val Thr# 235- GAT CTT ACC AAA GTC CAC ACG GAA TGC TGC CA - #T GGA GAT CTG CTT GAA 828Asp Leu Thr Lys Val His Thr Glu Cys Cys Hi - #s Gly Asp Leu Leu Glu# 250- TGT GCT GAT GAC AGG GCG GAC CTT GCC AAG TA - #T ATC TGT GAA AAT CAA 876Cys Ala Asp Asp Arg Ala Asp Leu Ala Lys Ty - #r Ile Cys Glu Asn Gln# 265- GAT TCG ATC TCC AGT AAA CTG AAG GAA TGC TG - #T GAA AAA CCT CTG TTG 924Asp Ser Ile Ser Ser Lys Leu Lys Glu Cys Cy - #s Glu Lys Pro Leu Leu# 280- GAA AAA TCC CAC TGC ATT GCC GAA GTG GAA AA - #T GAT GAG ATG CCT GCT 972Glu Lys Ser His Cys Ile Ala Glu Val Glu As - #n Asp Glu Met Pro Ala285 2 - #90 2 - #95 3 -#00- GAC TTG CCT TCA TTA GCT GCT GAT TTT GTT GA - #A AGT AAG GAT GTT TGC1020Asp Leu Pro Ser Leu Ala Ala Asp Phe Val Gl - #u Ser Lys Asp Val Cys# 315- AAA AAC TAT GCT GAG GCA AAG GAT GTC TTC CT - #G GGC ATG TTT TTG TAT1068Lys Asn Tyr Ala Glu Ala Lys Asp Val Phe Le - #u Gly Met Phe Leu Tyr# 330- GAA TAT GCA AGA AGG CAT CCT GAT TAC TCT GT - #C GTG CTG CTG CTG AGA1116Glu Tyr Ala Arg Arg His Pro Asp Tyr Ser Va - #l Val Leu Leu Leu Arg# 345- CTT GCC AAG ACA TAT GAA ACC ACT CTA GAG AA - #G TGC TGT GCC GCT GCA1164Leu Ala Lys Thr Tyr Glu Thr Thr Leu Glu Ly - #s Cys Cys Ala Ala Ala# 360- GAT CCT CAT GAA TGC TAT GCC AAA GTG TTC GA - #T GAA TTT AAA CCT CTT1212Asp Pro His Glu Cys Tyr Ala Lys Val Phe As - #p Glu Phe Lys Pro Leu365 3 - #70 3 - #75 3 -#80- GTG GAA GAG CCT CAG AAT TTA ATC AAA CAA AA - #T TGT GAG CTT TTT GAG1260Val Glu Glu Pro Gln Asn Leu Ile Lys Gln As - #n Cys Glu Leu Phe Glu# 395- CAG CTT GGA GAG TAC AAA TTC CAG AAT GCG CT - #A TTA GTT CGT TAC ACC1308Gln Leu Gly Glu Tyr Lys Phe Gln Asn Ala Le - #u Leu Val Arg Tyr Thr# 410- AAG AAA GTA CCC CAA GTG TCA ACT CCA ACT CT - #T GTA GAG GTC TCA AGA1356Lys Lys Val Pro Gln Val Ser Thr Pro Thr Le - #u Val Glu Val Ser Arg# 425- AAC CTA GGA AAA GTG GGC AGC AAA TGT TGT AA - #A CAT CCT GAA GCA AAA1404Asn Leu Gly Lys Val Gly Ser Lys Cys Cys Ly - #s His Pro Glu Ala Lys# 440- AGA ATG CCC TGT GCA GAA GAC TAT CTA TCC GT - #G GTC CTG AAC CAG TTA1452Arg Met Pro Cys Ala Glu Asp Tyr Leu Ser Va - #l Val Leu Asn Gln Leu445 4 - #50 4 - #55 4 -#60- TGT GTG TTG CAT GAG AAA ACG CCA GTA AGT GA - #C AGA GTC ACC AAA TGC1500Cys Val Leu His Glu Lys Thr Pro Val Ser As - #p Arg Val Thr Lys Cys# 475- TGC ACA GAA TCC TTG GTG AAC AGG CGA CCA TG - #C TTT TCA GCT CTG GAA1548Cys Thr Glu Ser Leu Val Asn Arg Arg Pro Cy - #s Phe Ser Ala Leu Glu# 490- GTC GAT GAA ACA TAC GTT CCC AAA GAG TTT AA - #T GCT GAA ACA TTC ACC1596Val Asp Glu Thr Tyr Val Pro Lys Glu Phe As - #n Ala Glu Thr Phe Thr# 505- TTC CAT GCA GAT ATA TGC ACA CTT TCT GAG AA - #G GAG AGA CAA ATC AAG1644Phe His Ala Asp Ile Cys Thr Leu Ser Glu Ly - #s Glu Arg Gln Ile Lys# 520- AAA CAA ACT GCA CTT GTT GAG CTC GTG AAA CA - #C AAG CCC AAG GCA ACA1692Lys Gln Thr Ala Leu Val Glu Leu Val Lys Hi - #s Lys Pro Lys Ala Thr525 5 - #30 5 - #35 5 -#40- AAA GAG CAA CTG AAA GCT GTT ATG GAT GAT TT - #C GCA GCT TTT GTA GAG1740Lys Glu Gln Leu Lys Ala Val Met Asp Asp Ph - #e Ala Ala Phe Val Glu# 555- AAG TGC TGC AAG GCT GAC GAT AAG GAG ACC TG - #C TTT GCC GAG GAG GGT1788Lys Cys Cys Lys Ala Asp Asp Lys Glu Thr Cy - #s Phe Ala Glu Glu Gly# 570- AAA AAA CTT GTT GCT GCA AGT CAA GCT GCC TT - #A GGC TTA TAA#1830Lys Lys Leu Val Ala Ala Ser Gln Ala Ala Le - #u Gly Leu# 585- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 2:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#acids (A) LENGTH: 585 amino (B) TYPE: amino acid (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: protein#2: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- Asp Ala His Lys Ser Glu Val Ala His Arg Ph - #e Lys Asp Leu Gly Glu# 15- Glu Asn Phe Lys Ala Leu Val Leu Ile Ala Ph - #e Ala Gln Tyr Leu Gln# 30- Gln Cys Pro Phe Glu Asp His Val Lys Leu Va - #l Asn Glu Val Thr Glu# 45- Phe Ala Lys Thr Cys Val Ala Asp Glu Ser Al - #a Glu Asn Cys Asp Lys# 60- Ser Leu His Thr Leu Phe Gly Asp Lys Leu Cy - #s Thr Val Ala Thr Leu# 80- Arg Glu Thr Tyr Gly Glu Met Ala Asp Cys Cy - #s Ala Lys Gln Glu Pro# 95- Glu Arg Asn Glu Cys Phe Leu Gln His Lys As - #p Asp Asn Pro Asn Leu# 110- Pro Arg Leu Val Arg Pro Glu Val Asp Val Me - #t Cys Thr Ala Phe His# 125- Asp Asn Glu Glu Thr Phe Leu Lys Lys Tyr Le - #u Tyr Glu Ile Ala Arg# 140- Arg His Pro Tyr Phe Tyr Ala Pro Glu Leu Le - #u Phe Phe Ala Lys Arg145 1 - #50 1 - #55 1 -#60- Tyr Lys Ala Ala Phe Thr Glu Cys Cys Gln Al - #a Ala Asp Lys Ala Ala# 175- Cys Leu Leu Pro Lys Leu Asp Glu Leu Arg As - #p Glu Gly Lys Ala Ser# 190- Ser Ala Lys Gln Arg Leu Lys Cys Ala Ser Le - #u Gln Lys Phe Gly Glu# 205- Arg Ala Phe Lys Ala Trp Ala Val Ala Arg Le - #u Ser Gln Arg Phe Pro# 220- Lys Ala Glu Phe Ala Glu Val Ser Lys Leu Va - #l Thr Asp Leu Thr Lys225 2 - #30 2 - #35 2 -#40- Val His Thr Glu Cys Cys His Gly Asp Leu Le - #u Glu Cys Ala Asp Asp# 255- Arg Ala Asp Leu Ala Lys Tyr Ile Cys Glu As - #n Gln Asp Ser Ile Ser# 270- Ser Lys Leu Lys Glu Cys Cys Glu Lys Pro Le - #u Leu Glu Lys Ser His# 285- Cys Ile Ala Glu Val Glu Asn Asp Glu Met Pr - #o Ala Asp Leu Pro Ser# 300- Leu Ala Ala Asp Phe Val Glu Ser Lys Asp Va - #l Cys Lys Asn Tyr Ala305 3 - #10 3 - #15 3 -#20- Glu Ala Lys Asp Val Phe Leu Gly Met Phe Le - #u Tyr Glu Tyr Ala Arg# 335- Arg His Pro Asp Tyr Ser Val Val Leu Leu Le - #u Arg Leu Ala Lys Thr# 350- Tyr Glu Thr Thr Leu Glu Lys Cys Cys Ala Al - #a Ala Asp Pro His Glu# 365- Cys Tyr Ala Lys Val Phe Asp Glu Phe Lys Pr - #o Leu Val Glu Glu Pro# 380- Gln Asn Leu Ile Lys Gln Asn Cys Glu Leu Ph - #e Glu Gln Leu Gly Glu385 3 - #90 3 - #95 4 -#00- Tyr Lys Phe Gln Asn Ala Leu Leu Val Arg Ty - #r Thr Lys Lys Val Pro# 415- Gln Val Ser Thr Pro Thr Leu Val Glu Val Se - #r Arg Asn Leu Gly Lys# 430- Val Gly Ser Lys Cys Cys Lys His Pro Glu Al - #a Lys Arg Met Pro Cys# 445- Ala Glu Asp Tyr Leu Ser Val Val Leu Asn Gl - #n Leu Cys Val Leu His# 460- Glu Lys Thr Pro Val Ser Asp Arg Val Thr Ly - #s Cys Cys Thr Glu Ser465 4 - #70 4 - #75 4 -#80- Leu Val Asn Arg Arg Pro Cys Phe Ser Ala Le - #u Glu Val Asp Glu Thr# 495- Tyr Val Pro Lys Glu Phe Asn Ala Glu Thr Ph - #e Thr Phe His Ala Asp# 510- Ile Cys Thr Leu Ser Glu Lys Glu Arg Gln Il - #e Lys Lys Gln Thr Ala# 525- Leu Val Glu Leu Val Lys His Lys Pro Lys Al - #a Thr Lys Glu Gln Leu# 540- Lys Ala Val Met Asp Asp Phe Ala Ala Phe Va - #l Glu Lys Cys Cys Lys545 5 - #50 5 - #55 5 -#60- Ala Asp Asp Lys Glu Thr Cys Phe Ala Glu Gl - #u Gly Lys Lys Leu Val# 575- Ala Ala Ser Gln Ala Ala Leu Gly Leu# 585- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 3:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#acids (A) LENGTH: 5 amino (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (v) FRAGMENT TYPE: internal#3: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- Arg Tyr Thr Lys Lys1 5- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 4:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#acids (A) LENGTH: 5 amino (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (v) FRAGMENT TYPE: internal#4: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- Ala Tyr Thr Gln Gln# 5 1- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 5:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 39 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO#5: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 39 CAGC CAAGACACCC TCACATAGC- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 6:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 42 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: YES#6: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 42 TGGC ATGCCCACTT CCAAGTCCAC CG- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 7:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 42 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO#7: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 42 AAGC TTCTAAATAC GACAACTTCC CC- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 8:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 41 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: YES#8: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 41 TGTC ATCACTCGTT GGGATAATAC C- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 9:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 44 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO#9: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 44 GTGC TTTGGCCAAA TAAATAGTTT CAGC- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 10:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 35 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: YES#10: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 35 ACAA GCTTGAGTCC ATTGG- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 11:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 37 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO#11: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 37 CCTA TTTTTTGTTT TGTCTGC- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 12:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 44 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: YES#12: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:# 44 GATA TCATTGATAC AGACTCTGAG TACG- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 13:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#acids (A) LENGTH: 24 amino (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (v) FRAGMENT TYPE: N-terminal#13: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- Met Leu Leu Gln Ala Phe Leu Phe Leu Leu Al - #a Gly Phe Ala Ala Lys# 15- Ile Ser Ala Asp Ala His Lys Ser 20- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 14:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 4106 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (A) ORGANISM: Saccharomyce - #s cerevisiae#14: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- GAATTCTCTG TTGACTACTA AACTGAGAGA ATTTGCCGAG ACTCTAAGAA CA - #GCTTTGAA 60- AGAGCGTTCT GCCGATGATT CCATAATTGT CACTCTGAGA GAGCAAATGC AA - #AGAGAAAT 120- CTTCAGGTTG ATGTCGTTGT TCATGGACAT ACCTCCAGTG CAACCAAACG AG - #CAATTCAC 180- TTGGGAATAC GTTGACAAAG ACAAGAAAAT CCACACTATC AAATCGACTC CG - #TTAGAATT 240- TGCCTCCAAA TACGCAAAAT TGGACCCTTC CACGCCAGTC TCATTGATCA AT - #GATCCAAG 300- ACACCATATG GTAAATTAAT TAAGATCGAT CGTTTAGGAA ACGTCCTTGG CG - #GAGATGCC 360- GTGATTTACT TAAATGTTGA CAATGAAACA CTATCTAAAT TGGTTGTTAA GA - #GATTACAA 420- AATAACAAAG CTGTCTTTTT TGGATCTCAC ACTCCAAAGT TCATGGACAA GA - #AAACTGGT 480- GTCATGGATA TTGAATTGTG GAACTATCCT GCCATGGCTA TAATTTACCT CA - #GCAAAAGG 540- CATCCGGTAT TAGATACCAT GAAAGTTTGA TGACTCATGC TATGTTGGAT CA - #CTGGCTGC 600- CACGTCGATG AAACGTCTAA ATTACCACTT CGCTACCGTC TGAAAATTCC TG - #GGGTAAAG 660- ACTCCGGTAA AGACGGATTA TACGTGATGA CTCAAAAGTA CTTCGAGGAG TA - #CTGCTTTC 720- AAATTGTGGT CGATATCAAT GAATTGCCAA AAGAGCTGGC TTCAAAATTC AC - #CTCAGGTA 780- AGGAAGAGCC GATTGTCTTG CCCATCTGGA CCCAATGGTG CTTTGGCCAA AT - #AAATAGTT 840- TCAGCAGCTC TGATGTAGAT ACACGTATCT CGACATGTTT TATTTTTACT AT - #ACATACAT 900- AAAAGAAATA AAAAATGATA ACGTGTATAT TATTATTCAT ATAATCAATG AG - #GGTCATTT 960- TCTGAAACGC AAAAAACGGT AAATGGAAAA AAAATAAAGA TAGAAAAAGA AA - #ACAAACAA1020- AGGAAAGGTT AGCATATTAA ATAACTGAGC TGATACTTCA ACAGCATCGC TG - #AAGAGAAC1080- AGTATTGAAA CCGAAACATT TTCTAAAGGC AAACAAGGTA CTCCATATTT GC - #TGGACGTG1140- TTCTTTCTCT CGTTTCATAT GCATAATTCT GTCATAAGCC TGTTCTTTTT CC - #TGGCTTAA1200- ACATCCCGTT TTGTAAAAGA GAAATCTATT CCACATATTT CATTCATTCG GC - #TACCATAC1260- TAAGGATAAA CTAATCCCGT TGTTTTTTGG CCTCGTCACA TAATTATAAA CT - #ACTAACCC1320- ATTATCAGAT GAAAGTGAGG AAATATATTA CTTTATGCTT TTGGTGGGCC TT - #TTCAACAT1380- CCGCTCTTGT ATCATCACAA CAAATTCCAT TGAAGGACCA TACGTCACGA CA - #GTATTTTG1440- CTGTAGAAAG CAATGAAACA TTATCCCGCT TGGAGGAAAT GCATCCAAAT TG - #GAAATATG1500- AACATGATGT TCGAGGGCTA CCAAACCATT ATGTTTTTTC AAAAGAGTTG CT - #AAAATTGG1560- GCAAAAGATC ATCATTAGAA GAGTTACAGG GGGATAACAA CGACCACATA TT - #ATCTGTCC1620- ATGATTTATT CCCGCGTAAC GACCTATTTA AGAGACTACC GGTGCCTGCT CC - #ACCAATGG1680- ACTCAAGCTT GTTACCGGTA AAAGAAGCTG AGGATAAACT CAGCATAAAT GA - #TCCGCTTT1740- TTGAGAGGCA GTGGCACTTG GTCAATCCAA GTTTTCCTGG CAGTGATATA AA - #TGTTCTTG1800- ATCTGTGGTA CAATAATATT ACAGGCGCAG GGGTCGTGGC TGCCATTGTT GA - #TGATGGCC1860- TTGACTACGA AAATGAAGAC TTGAAGGATA ATTTTTGCGC TGAAGGTTCT TG - #GGATTTCA1920- ACGACAATAC CAATTTACCT AAACCAAGAT TATCTGATGA CTACCATGGT AC - #GAGATGTG1980- CAGGTGAAAT AGCTGCCAAA AAAGGTAACA ATTTTTGCGG TGTCGGGGTA GG - #TTACAACG2040- CTAAAATCTC AGGCATAAGA ATCTTATCCG GTGATATCAC TACGGAAGAT GA - #AGCTGCGT2100- CCTTGATTTA TGGTCTAGAC GTAAACGATA TATATTCATG CTCATGGGGT CC - #CGCTGATG2160- ACGGAAGACA TTTACAAGGC CCTAGTGACC TGGTGAAAAA GGCTTTAGTA AA - #AGGTGTTA2220- CTGAGGGAAG AGATTCCAAA GGAGCGATTT ACGTTTTTGC CAGTGGAAAT GG - #TGGAACTC2280- GTGGTGATAA TTGCAATTAC GACGGCTATA CTAATTCCAT ATATTCTATT AC - #TATTGGGG2340- CTATTGATCA CAAAGATCTA CATCCTCCTT ATTCCGAAGG TTGTTCCGCC GT - #CATGGCAG2400- TCACGTATTC TTCAGGTTCA GGCGAATATA TTCATTCGAG TGATATCAAC GG - #CAGATGCA2460- GTAATAGCCA CGGTGGAACG TCTGCGGCTG CTCCATTAGC TGCCGGTGTT TA - #CACTTTGT2520- TACTAGAAGC CAACCCAAAC CTAACTTGGA GAGACGTACA GTATTTATCA AT - #CTTGTCTG2580- CGGTAGGGTT AGAAAAGAAC GCTGACGGAG ATTGGAGAGA TAGCGCCATG GG - #GAAGAAAT2640- ACTCTCATCG CTATGGCTTT GGTAAAATCG ATGCCCATAA GTTAATTGAA AT - #GTCCAAGA2700- CCTGGGAGAA TGTTAACGCA CAAACCTGGT TTTACCTGCC AACATTGTAT GT - #TTCCCAGT2760- CCACAAACTC CACGGAAGAG ACATTAGAAT CCGTCATAAC CATATCAGAA AA - #AAGTCTTC2820- AAGATGCTAA CTTCAAGAGA ATTGAGCACG TCACGGTAAC TGTAGATATT GA - #TACAGAAA2880- TTAGGGGAAC TACGACTGTC GATTTAATAT CACCAGCGGG GATAATTTCA AA - #CCTTGGCG2940- TTGTAAGACC AAGAGATGTT TCATCAGAGG GATTCAAAGA CTGGACATTC AT - #GTCTGTAG3000- CACATTGGGG TGAGAACGGC GTAGGTGATT GGAAAATCAA GGTTAAGACA AC - #AGAAAATG3060- GACACAGGAT TGACTTCCAC AGTTGGAGGC TGAAGCTCTT TGGGGAATCC AT - #TGATTCAT3120- CTAAAACAGA AACTTTCGTC TTTGGAAACG ATAAAGAGGA GGTTGAACCA GC - #TGCTACAG3180- AAAGTACCGT ATCACAATAT TCTGCCAGTT CAACTTCTAT TTCCATCAGC GC - #TACTTCTA3240- CATCTTCTAT CTCAATTGGT GTGGAAACGT CGGCCATTCC CCAAACGACT AC - #TGCGAGTA3300- CCGATCCTGA TTCTGATCCA AACACTCCTA AAAAACTTTC CTCTCCTAGG CA - #AGCCATGC3360- ATTATTTTTT AACAATATTT TTGATTGGCG CCACATTTTT GGTGTTATAC TT - #CATGTTTT3420- TTATGAAATC AAGGAGAAGG ATCAGAAGGT CAAGAGCGGA AACGTATGAA TT - #CGATATCA3480- TTGATACAGA CTCTGAGTAC GATTCTACTT TGGACAATGG AACTTCCGGA AT - #TACTGAGC3540- CCGAAGAGGT TGAGGACTTC GATTTTGATT TGTCCGATGA AGACCATCTT GC - #AAGTTTGT3600- CTTCATCAGA AAACGGTGAT GCTGAACATA CAATTGATAG TGTACTAACA AA - #CGAAAATC3660- CATTTAGTGA CCCTATAAAG CAAAAGTTCC CAAATGACGC CAACGCAGAA TC - #TGCTTCCA3720- ATAAATTACA AGAATTACAG CCTGATGTTC CTCCATCTTC CGGACGATCG TG - #ATTCGATA3780- TGTACAGAAA GCTTCAAATT ACAAAATAGC ATTTTTTTCT TATAGATTAT AA - #TACTCTCT3840- CATACGTATA CGTATATGTG TATATGATAT ATAAACAAAC ATTAATATCC TA - #TTCCTTCC3900- GTTTGAAATC CCTATGATGT ACTTTGCATT GTTTGCACCC GCGAATAAAA TG - #AAAACTCC3960- GAACCGATAT ATCAAGCACA TAAAAGGGGA GGGTCCAATT AATGCATATT TA - #AGACCACA4020- GCTGAATAAC TTTAAAACGG CAGACAAAAC AAAAAATAGG TCGAATAAAC CT - #TACCTGCC4080# 4106 AGCT AATAAG- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 15:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#pairs (A) LENGTH: 2526 base (B) TYPE: nucleic acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: DNA (genomic)- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (vi) ORIGINAL SOURCE: (A) ORGANISM: Saccharomyce - #s cerevisiae#15: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- CCGTTTTCTT TTCGTAAAAA AAAACAATAG ACACTATATA TAGACACTTT TT - #CCTTTCCT 60- TCTTTGCGCG ATTTCAAGAG GAAAAGCATA CTTAAATAAG AATATTCCTA AA - #ACACACGT 120- TCTGACGCGT CAATTAGATC GTCAGACCTT GCATGCAGCC AAGACACCCT CA - #CATAGCAC 180- TGCCTCCTTC CTCCTCTTTT CTGTCACCAC CTCACCTCCC TCGTCCACTC AA - #CTGAGTGG 240- CTTTTCGCTC CTTTTATACT GCGCCATGAG TAGTTTTCGT TTCACTGATG TG - #TCCGAAAA 300- AATTGAGGTT TCATAAAAAA ATTCGTGGAC TTATTTATGG AGAAACAGGG AA - #ATCCGACT 360- ACTTAAGAAA AGGGTGTCAA AGAGGATTTA CTTTTTTCCT TCTTTTTGCA TT - #TGTTCCTA 420- TTTCCGCAAT TGGACGGTTA TTAAGAAGAA CGCAATTGGC TTTTCTGTAT AT - #TAAAATAC 480- ATAGCGTAAT AAAAAGATAA GGTGAACACC AAGCATATAG TATAATATTA CC - #TACCACAT 540- ATGAAACTGA AAACTGTAAG ATCTGCGGTC CTTTCGTCAC TCTTTGCATC GC - #AGGTTCTC 600- GGTAAGATAA TACCAGCAGC AAACAAGCGC GACGACGACT CGAATTCCAA GT - #TCGTCAAG 660- TTGCCCTTTC ATAAGCTTTA CGGGGACTCG CTAGAAAATG TGGGAAGCGA CA - #AAAAACCG 720- GAAGTACGCC TATTGAAGAG GGCTGACGGT TATGAAGAAA TTATAATTAC CA - #ACCAGCAA 780- AGTTTCTATT CGGTGGACTT GGAAGTGGGC ACGCCACCAC AGAACGTAAC GG - #TCCTGGTG 840- GACACAGGCT CCTCTGATCT ATGGATTATG GGCTCGGATA ATCCATACTG TT - #CTTCGAAC 900- AGTATGGGTA GTAGCCGGAG ACGTGTTATT GACAAACGTG ATGATTCGTC AA - #GCGGCGGA 960- TCTTTGATTA ATGATATAAA CCCATTTGGC TGGTTGACGG GAACGGGCAG TG - #CCATTGGC1020- CCCACTGCTA CGGGCTTAGG AGGCGGTTCA GGTACGGCAA CTCAATCCGT GC - #CTGCTTCG1080- GAAGCCACCA TGGACTGTCA ACAATACGGG ACATTTTCCA CTTCGGGCTC TT - #CTACATTT1140- AGATCAAACA ACACCTATTT CAGTATTAGC TACGGTGATG GGACTTTTGC CT - #CCGGTACT1200- TTTGGTACGG ATGTTTTGGA TTTAAGCGAC TTGAACGTTA CCGGGTTGTC TT - #TTGCCGTT1260- GCCAATGAAA CGAATTCTAC TATGGGTGTG TTAGGTATTG GTTTGCCCGA AT - #TAGAAGTC1320- ACTTATTCTG GCTCTACTGC GTCTCATAGT GGAAAAGCTT ATAAATACGA CA - #ACTTCCCC1380- ATTGTATTGA AAAATTCTGG TGCTATCAAA AGCAACACAT ATTCTTTGTA TT - #TGAACGAC1440- TCGGACGCTA TGCATGGCAC CATTTTGTTC GGAGCCGTGG ACCACAGTAA AT - #ATACCGGC1500- ACCTTATACA CAATCCCCAT CGTAAACACT CTGAGTGCTA GTGGATTTAG CT - #CTCCCATT1560- CAATTTGATG TCACTATTAA TGGTATCGGT ATTAGTGATT CTGGGAGTAG TA - #ACAAGACC1620- TTGACTACCA CTAAAATACC TGCTTTGTCG GATTCCGGTA CTACTTTGAC TT - #ATTTACCT1680- CAAACAGTGG TAAGTATGAT CGCTACTGAA CTAGGTGCGC AATACTCTTC CA - #GGATAGGG1740- TATTACGTAT TGGACTGTCC ATCTGATGAT AGTATGGAAA TAGTGTTCGA TT - #TTGGTGGT1800- TTTCACATCA ATGCACCACT TTCGAGTTTT ATCTTGAGTA CTGGCACTAC AT - #GTCTTTTA1860- GGTATTATCC CAACGAGTGA TGACACAGGT ACCATTTTGG GTGATTCATT TT - #TGACTAAC1920- GCGTACGTGG TTTATGATTT GGAGAATCTT GAAATATCCA TGGCACAAGC TC - #GCTATAAT1980- ACCACAAGCG AAAATATCGA AATTATCACA TCCTCTGTTC CAAGCGCCGT AA - #AGGCACCA2040- GGCTATACAA ACACTTGGTC CACAAGTGCA TCTATTGTTA CCGGTGGTAA CA - #TATTTACT2100- GTAAATTCCT CACAAACTGC TTCCTTTAGC GGTAACCTGA CGACCAGTAC TG - #CATCCGCC2160- ACTTCTACAT CAAGTAAAAG AAATGTTGGT GATCATATAG TTCCATCTTT AC - #CCCTCACA2220- TTAATTTCTC TTCTTTTTGC ATTCATCTGA AAACCGTTGC ACAAAGTTTA GA - #CATTCACA2280- TCTCCAAGCC AGTTGGAGTT TCTGGCGGAA ATCGTTGCTC TCGCTTGGGC AA - #AGTTTTTT2340- TTTATTATTA ATTTTTTATT GTTACGTTGG CGGTCTTTAT TTTTACTTCA CA - #ATAGTTTA2400- TCTTACCCAC TAAGAATAGG TTACCATTTA TTCACATTTT TTTTTCTCAT TC - #CTAGTATA2460- CTATTTACCT GGGATATGGC CTATAATCAA AGGCTTTAAT ATTCTAATAA TT - #CGTTTGGC2520# 2526- (2) INFORMATION FOR SEQ ID NO: 16:- (i) SEQUENCE CHARACTERISTICS:#acids (A) LENGTH: 15 amino (B) TYPE: amino acid (C) STRANDEDNESS: single (D) TOPOLOGY: linear- (ii) MOLECULE TYPE: peptide- (iii) HYPOTHETICAL: NO- (iii) ANTI-SENSE: NO- (v) FRAGMENT TYPE: internal#16: (xi) SEQUENCE DESCRIPTION: SEQ ID NO:- Phe Gln Asn Ala Leu Leu Val Arg Tyr Thr Ly - #s Lys Val Pro Gln# 15__________________________________________________________________________
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Albumin, for example human albumin, is expressed and secreted in yeast which has been mutated to lack the yeast aspartyl protease 3 (Yap3p) or its equivalent, thereby reducing the production of a 45 kD albumin fragment. A further reduction is achieved by additionally deleting the Kex2p function. Alternatively, a modified albumin is prepared which is not susceptible to Yap3p cleavage, for example human albumin which is R410A, K413Q and K414Q.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an oxygen concentration-sensing device of the type which generates an output proportional to the concentration of oxygen in a gaseous substance such as exhaust gases emitted from an internal combustion engine.
An air-fuel ratio control system for an internal combustion engine is known e.g. from Japanese Pat. Publication (Kokoku) No. 55-3533, which senses the concentration of oxygen in exhaust gases emitted from the engine by means of an oxygen concentration sensing device, and controls the air-fuel ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine to a desired value in a feedback manner responsive to the output from the oxygen sensor, to thereby purify the exhaust gases and improve the fuel consumption, etc.
The above-mentioned oxygen concentration-sensing device for use in an air-fuel ratio control system includes a type which generates an output proportional to the concentration of oxygen contained in the exhaust gases, i.e. the air-fuel ratio in the exhaust gases. An oxygen concentration-sensing device of this type is disclosed, e.g. in Japanese Provisional Pat. Publication (Kokai) No. 59-192955, which comprises an oxygen-pumping element and a cell element, each being composed of a plate-like member formed of a solid electrolytic material having oxygen ion-conductivity, and a couple of electrodes attached to opposite side surfaces of the plate-like member. A gas-staying chamber is partly defined by one of the electrodes of each of the oxygen-pumping element and the cell element. A gas to be examined is introduced into the gas-staying chamber through a gas-introducing slit. An air chamber into which the atmosphere is introduced is provided adjacent the cell element, with the other of the coupled electrodes of the cell element facing the interior of the air chamber.
According to this oxygen concentration-sensing device, in order to maintain the concentration of oxygen present within the gas-staying chamber at a predetermined value (e.g. 0), a voltage developed across the cell element is compared with a predetermined reference value, and pumping current is caused to flow between the two electrodes of the oxygen-pumping element in response to the result of the comparison. The value of the pumping current is outputted as an output proportional to the oxygen concentration in the gas to be examined.
In the above proportional output-type oxygen concentration-sensing device, as stated above, the concentration of oxygen within the gas-staying chamber is controlled in a feedback manner by varying the pumping current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element in response to the voltage developed across the cell element. There can occur phase rotation or phase delay in the feedback system, depending upon the frequency of variation of the pumping current value. If the loop gain of the feedback system is 1 or more at frequencies where the phase rotation exceeds 180 degrees, there can occur oscillation. Such oscillation can easily occur particularly when the pumping current is in a high frequency range, because the detection gain of an oxygen concentration-sensing element composed of the oxygen-pumping element and the cell element, i.e. the amount of change in the voltage developed across the cell element per unit amount of change in the pumping current is small in the high frequency range, as shown in FIG. 1.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the invention to provide an oxygen concentration-sensing device which is free from oscillation and is capable of accurately detecting the value of the pumping current.
To attain the above object, the present invention provides an oxygen concentration-sensing device including an oxygen concentration-sensing element formed by an oxygen-pumping element and a cell element, each composed of a member of a solid electrolytic material having oxygen ion-conductivity, and a pair of electrodes having the member interposed therebetween, one of the electrodes of the oxygen-pumping element and one of the electrodes of the cell element being connected to each other, the oxygen-pumping element and the cell element defining a gas diffusion-limiting zone therebetween, a current-to-voltage converter circuit having an input terminal connected to a junction between the connected ones of the electrodes, and a conversion output terminal, first amplifier means for generating an output having a level variable in response to a difference between a potential at the conversion output terminal of the current-to-voltage converter circuit and a potential at the other of the electrodes of the cell element, the first amplifier means applying the output thereof to the other of the electrodes of the oxygen-pumping element, and second amplifier means having an input thereof connected to the junction between the connected ones of the electrodes for generating an output proportional to current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element.
The oxygen concentration-sensing device according to the invention is characterized by an improvement wherein the current-to-voltage converter circuit includes gain-changing means for imparting a higher gain to the first amplifier means when the current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element is in a high frequency range.
The gain-changing means of the current-to-voltage converter circuit may comprise means for making the potential at the conversion output terminal closer or equal to a potential at the junction between the connected ones of the electrodes when the current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element is in the high frequency range.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the current-to-voltage converter circuit comprises a resistance connected between the junction between the connected ones of the electrodes and the conversion output terminal, a voltage-dividing circuit having a divided voltage output terminal and connected between an output terminal and an inverting input terminal of the first amplifier means, and a capacitive impedance element connected between the divided voltage output terminal of the voltage-dividing circuit and the conversion output terminal.
The above and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be more apparent from the ensuing detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a graph showing oxygen concentration-detecting gain vs. frequency in a conventional proportional output-type oxygen concentration-sensing device;
FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a graph showing a conversion output frequency characteristic of a current-to-voltage converter circuit in the device of FIG. 2; and
FIG. 4 is a graph showing oxygen concentration-detecting gain vs. frequency in the device of FIG. 2.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings showing an embodiment thereof.
Referring first to FIG. 2, there is illustrated an oxygen concentration-sensing device according to the invention, which is adapted for use in an air-fuel ratio feedback control system for an internal combustion engine. The oxygen concentration-sensing device comprises a body 1 formed by a pair of members lA and lB, each formed of a solid electrolytic material having oxygen ion-conductivity. The solid electrolytic material may preferably be zirconium dioxide (Zr0 2 ). A gas-staying chamber 2 is defined within the body 1, which serves as a gas diffusion-limiting zone. A gas-introducing slit 3 is formed in the body 1, through which a gaseous substance to be examined, such as exhaust gases from an internal combustion engine, is introduced into the gas-staying chamber 2. The slit 3 is disposed in an exhaust pipe, not shown, of the engine such that exhaust gases in the exhaust pipe can be easily guided into the gas-staying chamber 2 through the slit 3. An air reference chamber 4 which communicates with the atmosphere to be supplied with air is defined within the body 1 at a location adjacent the gas-staying chamber 2 by a wall 1a intervening therebetween and separating them from each other. The wall 1a carries on its opposite sides a couple of electrodes 6a and 6b facing the air reference chamber 4 and the gas-staying chamber 2, respectively. Another wall 1b of the body 1 defining the other side of the gas-staying chamber 2 carries on its opposite sides a couple of electrodes 5a and 5b facing outwardly of the body 1 and the gas-staying chamber 2, respectively. The electrodes 5a, 5b, and 6a, 6b may be formed of platinum (Pt). The member lA of the body 1 and the electrodes 5a, 5b cooperatively form an oxygen-pumping element 7, while the member lB and the electrodes 6a, 6b cooperatively form a cell element 8. The body 1 or member lB has an outer wall defining the air reference chamber 4 and having an outer surface provided with an electrically heating element 9 for heating the oxygen-pumping element 7 and the cell element 8.
The electrode 5b of the oxygen-pumping element 7 and the electrode 6b of the cell element 8 are connected together, and are also connected to an inverting input terminal of an operational amplifier 11. The amplifier 11 has its non-inverting input terminal supplied with a predetermined reference voltage V rl (e.g. 2.5 volts) from a reference voltage source 14. An output voltage V OUT from the operational amplifier 11 represents the sensed oxygen concentration. A series circuit formed of a resistance 12 for phase correction and a resistance 13 for current detection is connected between the inverting input terminal and output terminal of the operational amplifier 11. Connected in parallel with the resistance 12 is another series circuit formed of a resistance 21 and a capacitance 22, the former being connected to the inverting input terminal of the amplifier 11, and the latter being connected to the resistance 13. The resistance value of the resistance 21 is far larger than that of the resistance 12 (e.g. 10 ohms), for example, 100 K ohms. The resistances 12, 13, 21 and capacitance 22 cooperatively form a current-to-voltage converter circuit 20, wherein the junction between the resistance 21 and the capacitance 22 forms a conversion output terminal of the circuit 20, and is connected to the non-inverting input terminal of a differential amplifier 15. The differential amplifier 15 generates an output voltage corresponding to the difference between a potential at the electrode 6a of the cell element 8 and a potential at the conversion output terminal, which output voltage is supplied to another differential amplifier 16. The differential amplifier 16 generates an output voltage corresponding to the difference between the output voltage from the differential amplifier 15 and a predetermined reference voltage V r2 from a reference voltage source 17. The predetermined reference voltage V r2 from the reference voltage source 17 is set at a value (e.g. 0.45 volts) corresponding to a stoichiometric mixture ratio of a mixture supplied to the engine, at which the maximum conversion efficiency of a three-way catalyst arranged in the engine exhaust pipe can be obtained. The differential amplifier 16 has an output terminal connected to the electrode 5a of the oxygen-pumping element 7.
With the above arrangement, a voltage V s is developed between the two electrodes 6a, 6b of the cell element 8, which corresponds to the difference in oxygen concentration between the gas-staying chamber 2 and the air reference chamber 4. This voltage V s is added to a voltage V a applied to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 11, and the resulting sum is applied to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 11. On the other hand, the voltage V a applied to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 11 is made almost equal to the output voltage V rl from the reference voltage source 14, applied to the non-inverting input terminal of the amplifier 11, irrespective of whether the pumping current value I P changes or not, by the action of the amplifier 11. The differential amplifier 15 generates an output voltage V c corresponding to the difference between the sum V s + V a and the voltage V b at the coversion output terminal, which output voltage is compared with the output voltage V.sub. r2 from the reference voltage source 17, by the differential amplifier 16.
As the air-fuel ratio of the mixture changes toward the lean side, the voltage V s between the electrodes 6a, 6b of the cell element 8 decreases. When the voltage V c corresponding to the difference between the sum V s + V a and the voltage V b drops below the output voltage V r2 from the reference voltage source 17 due to the decrease of the voltage V s , the output from the differential amplifier 16 changes into a positive level, which is applied to the electrode 5a of the oxygen-pumping element 7. As a result, pumping current I P flows through the oxygen-pumping element 7 from the electrode 5a to the electrode 5b and then to the current-to-voltage coverter circuit 20 and the operational amplifier 11. On this occasion, since the pumping current I P flows from the electrode 5a to the electrode 5b in the oxygen-pumping element 7, oxygen present within the gas-staying chamber 2 is ionized by the electrode 5b, and the resulting ions move through the oxygen-pumping element 7 to be emitted as an oxygen gas from the electrode 5a. Thus, oxygen is pumped out of the gas-staying chamber 2.
As oxygen is thus pumped out of the gas-staying chamber 2, there occurs an increase in the oxygen concentration difference between the gas-staying chamber 2 and the air reference chamber 4. Accordingly, the voltage V s between the electrodes 6a, 6b of the cell element 8 increases, which is added to the voltage V a , and the resulting increased sum is applied to the inverting input terminal of the differential amplifier 15. The differential amplifier 15 generates an output voltage proportional to the difference between the sum V s + V a and the voltage V b , and thus the pumping current I P is proportional to the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gases.
On the other hand, when the air-fuel ratio has changed toward the rich side, the voltage V s rises correspondingly. When the output voltage V c from the differential amplifier 15 correspondingly rises above the output voltage V r2 from the reference voltage source 17, the output from the differential amplifier 16 changes into a negative level. This causes reversal of the flow direction of the pumping current I P flowing between the electrodes 5a, 5b of the oxygen-pumping element 7. That is, the pumping current I P now flows from the electrode 5b to the electrode 5a so that oxygen outside the body 1 is ionized by the electrode 5a and the resulting ions move through the oxygen-pumping element 7 to be emitted as an oxygen gas into the gas-staying chamber 2. Thus, oxygen is pumped into the gas-staying chamber 2. In this way, the supply of pumping current I P is controlled so that oxygen is pumped into and out of the gas-staying chamber 2 so as to maintain the oxygen concentration within the gas-staying chamber 2 constant. Therefore, the pumping current I P varies in proportion to the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gases as the air-fuel ratio of the mixture changes from the lean side to the rich side or vice versa.
The output voltage V OUT from the operational amplifier 11 is expressed by the following equation (1):
V.sub.OUT =(R.sub.S +R.sub.P)I.sub.P +V.sub.a..... (1)
where R S represents the resistance value of the resistance 12, and R P the resistance value of the resistance 13.
The operational amplifier 11 operates such that the input voltage V a becomes equal to the output voltage V rl from the reference voltage source 14, and hence its output voltage V OUT is proportional to the pumping current I P , i.e. proportional to the oxygen concentration in the exhaust gases.
In the oxygen concentration-sensing device according to the invention constructed as above, the output voltage at the conversion output terminal of the current-to-voltage converter circuit 20 has a high-pass frequency characteristic as shown in FIG. 3. More specifically, in a high frequency range, the capacitance 22 has reduced AC resistance such that there is a substantial short across the capacitance 22. Since the value of the resistance 21 is far larger than that of the resistance 12, the voltage V b at the conversion output terminal is nearly equal to the voltage at the junction between the resistances 12, 13. As a result, a sufficient level of detection gain of the oxygen concentration-sensing element is obtained in the high frequency range due to a voltage drop across the resistance 12, as indicated by the solid line a in FIG. 4.
On the other hand, in a low frequency range, the capacitance 22 has increased AC resistance as if the capacitance 22 were not connected between the resistance 21 and the junction between the resistances 12, 13. That is, the voltage V b at the conversion output terminal is nearly equal to the voltage V a . Therefore, the voltage drop across the resistance 12 so small that it can be disregarded. As a result, the output voltage from the differential amplifier 15 directly corresponds to the voltage V s across the cell element 8.
By setting the value of the phase correction resistance 12 of the current-to-voltage converter circuit 20 at a sufficiently large value, a sufficient level of detection gain of the oxygen concentration sensing element can be obtained in a high frequency range. This can compensate for phase delay in the high frequency range to thereby prevent oscillation in the same frequency range. On the other hand, in a low frequency range the voltage drop across the phase correction resistance 12 is negligibly small, and hence the pumping current can be controlled to flow in the oxygen-pumping element 7 in direct response to the voltage V s across the cell element 8, to thereby enable accurate detection of oxygen concentration in a gas to be examined.
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An oxygen concentration-sensing device includes an oxygen concentration-sensing element formed by an oxygen-pumping element and a cell element, each composed of an oxygen ion-conductive electrolytic member and a pair of electrodes having the member interposed therebetween. The two elements define a gas diffusion-limiting zone therebetween. A current-to-voltage converter circuit has an input terminal connected to the junction between mutually connected ones of the electrodes. A first amplifier generates an output having a level variable in response to the difference between a potential at a conversion output terminal of the current-to-voltage converter circuit and a potential at the other electrode of the cell element, and applies the output to the other electrode of the oxygen-pumping element. A second amplifier has an input thereof connected to the above junction and generates an output proportional to current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element. The current-to-voltage converter circuit imparts a higher gain to the first amplifier when pumping current flowing in the oxygen-pumping element is in a high frequency range.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a system for spatially detecting x-rays of varying wavelengths and in particular to an integrated x-ray detection system which can efficiently detect x-rays with energies in the range from approximately 1 keV to approximately 150 keV with an energy resolution as low as 0.5 keV or less and a spatial resolution of less than 100 micrometers.
2. Background of the Related Art
The defining characteristics of x-ray imaging technologies include spatial resolution, contrast sensitivity, speed, and cost. In addition, recently developed techniques for quantifying material composition require x-ray energy sensitivity. (See Ting et al., "Using Energy Dispersive X-ray Measurements for Quantitative Determination of Material Loss Due to Corrosion", in Review of Progress in Quantitative Nondestructive Evaluation, Vol. 12B, 1963, eds. D. O. Thompson and D. E. Chimenti, Plenum Press, New York (1993).) Many practical applications also require imaging under severe environmental conditions or in restricted spaces. Since no single x-ray detector offers optimum performance in all of the above areas, compromises must often be made.
X-ray detection technologies exhibiting energy sensitivity generally fall into two broad categories: wavelength dispersive systems or energy dispersive systems. In the former, Bragg diffraction from either a natural or artificial crystal is combined with collimating optics such that only those x-rays within an energy band determined by the geometry of the collimating optics and the lattice spacing of the diffracting crystal are allowed to impinge on an x-ray sensitive element. In such a system, the x-ray detector need not have any intrinsic energy sensitivity, since the collimating optics and crystal act as a filter and only allow certain wavelengths to reach the detector. Such wavelength dispersive systems generally have very limited throughputs both because the geometry of the incident x-ray optical system must be changed to allow detection of different energy photons, and because they are only a single pixel or point detection system.
Energy dispersive x-ray detection systems, on the other hand, generally rely on the photoelectric interaction between the incident quantum of radiation and a medium that results in the production of a number of charged particles in proportion to the energy of the incident photon. When the medium is a semiconductor such as silicon, germanium, or cadmium telluride, the electrons and holes generated by the interaction can be collected, and the amount of charge is a direct measure of the energy given up by the incident photon. Alternatively, the medium may be a gas that is ionized by the radiation such as in a gas proportional tube. Because energy dispersive detectors are intrinsically capable of distinguishing different wavelength photons, they are capable of rapid throughput. In addition, if the interaction medium is compartmentalized in some fashion, these detectors can be made to have many simultaneously active pixels, further improving the throughput of the system.
Gas proportional counters have been used for many years to detect ionizing radiation. Familiar Geiger counters are a close relative of this detector. In its simplest form, proportional counter 102 consists of a cylindrical outer cathode 110 with a small diameter anode wire 114 along axis A as shown in FIG. 1A. FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of proportional counter 102. Volume B is typically filled with a gas 118 such as argon or xenon plus a few percent of a quenching gas such as methane. Electrons liberated by interaction of an x-ray or charged particle in gas 118 are driven toward anode 114 by an electric field. The electric field is produced when a voltage is applied by power supply 122 with leads 126a and 126b connected to cathode 110 and anode 114, respectively. Near anode 114, this electric field varies as 1/r, where r is the distance from the center, as shown in FIG. 1A. The electric field must be strong enough such that electrons are accelerated to energies sufficient to ionize the gas molecules, thus generating an avalanche of electrons between anode 114 and cathode 110. The multiplicative gain in this process depends on the properties of the gas 118, the diameter d of anode 114, and the high voltage potential between anode 114 and cathode 110. This gain can be as high as 106. Anode 114 is typically connected to electronic circuitry 150 to amplify and digitize the signal. A pulse of height h is produced at anode 114, where h is proportional to the number of electrons initially liberated in the interaction with the gas 118. The number of electrons liberated in this initial interaction between the quantum of ionizing radiation and the gas 118 is in turn proportional to the energy of the incident quantum of radiation. This is why counter 102 is referred to as a "proportional counter".
Counter 102, however, has a drawback for x-ray imaging in that it provides very little spatial information. In 1968, Charpak improved on this with the introduction of a multiwire proportional chamber. (See G. Charpak et at., "The Use of Multiwire Proportional Counters to Select and Localize Charged Particles", Nucl. Instrum. Methods 62, 262 (1968).) In that device, many parallel anode wires are positioned in a common gas volume. Each anode wire behaves as a proportional counter and can be connected to a separate electronic circuit to give position information. The spatial resolution, however, of these multiwire proportional chambers is limited because the wires cannot be placed closer than about 1 millimeter apart without becoming unstable. Such multiwire proportional chambers are also quite fragile, which has limited their use even more.
A new technology related to multiwire proportional chambers which offers promise in improving both spatial resolution and mechanical ruggedness is the microstrip proportional chamber. (See A. Oed, "Position-Sensitive Detector with Microstrip Anode for Electron Multiplication with Gases", Nucl. Instrum. Methods, A263, 351 (1988).) This device has been developed for research in astrophysics and high-energy physics. Its properties make it an attractive choice for x-ray imaging applications. It is conceptually similar to a multiwire proportional counter, but instead of parallel anode wires stretched across a gas volume, the anodes are fabricated by patterning a thin metal layer which adheres to a solid substrate. The solid supporting substrate allows both narrower anodes and closer spacing of the anodes than is possible with freely suspended wires. In addition, the adherence of the metal anodes to a solid insulating substrate prevents mechanical vibration and shock from causing relative movement and consequent short-circuiting of the anodes, thus greatly improving reliability.
While several research groups have tested many different substrate materials for fabrication of microstrip gas proportional chambers, we know of only three groups that have explored the use of silicon. The first group (See F. Angelini, et at., "A microstrip gas chamber on a silicon substrate", Nucl. Instrum. Methods, A314, 450, (1992).) used a low resistivity (i.e., heavily doped) silicon substrate with a thermally grown oxide layer for electrical isolation of the anodes and a conductive contact to the back of the silicon. In this implementation, the silicon is a conductor and is used as one of the electrodes of the chamber. This heavy doping renders the silicon useless for active device fabrication. The second group. (See S. F. Biagi, et al., "Initial investigations of the performance of a microstrip gas-avalanche chamber fabricated on a thin silicon-dioxide substrate", Nucl. Instrum. Methods, A323, 258, (1993).) did not indicate the resistivity of their substrate, but used a combination of thermal oxidation and plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition to build an insulating layer for the anodes and placed the silicon substrate between sets of electrodes that must be held at high voltages during operation. The high fields from the electrodes can easily deplete the silicon and render any active devices fabricated in the silicon useless. The third group (See E. F. Barasch, et al., "Gas Microstrip Detectors on Polymer, Silicon and Glass substrates", Nuclear Physics B (Proc. Suppl.) 32, 216, (1993).) used anisotropic etching of the silicon substrate to etch pedestals to support the anodes and oxidation of the resulting silicon surface to provide electrical isolation of the anodes. Depletion by the electric fields from the electrodes will inhibit active device function. In addition, the etched pedestals are incompatible with the planar fabrication techniques needed to build active devices.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object, therefore, of the invention is to provide an integrated x-ray detection system capable of simultaneously providing spatial resolution of detected x-rays and digitized energy resolution data for said x-rays at high throughput rates.
Another object of the invention is to provide an integrated x-ray detection system which is compact and rugged.
Another object of the invention is to provide an integrated x-ray detection system which can be used in digital radiography and computed tomography.
Another object of the invention is to provide an integrated x-ray detection system which allows a user to selectively detect x-rays with energies from specific portions of the incident spectrum by setting lower and upper energy limits for a small number of independent energy intervals or windows.
One advantage of the invention is that it is capable of simultaneously spatially detecting x-rays and distinguishing various x-ray energies.
Another advantage of the invention is that all of its processing circuitry and its x-ray detector can be fabricated on a single wafer or substrate.
Another advantage of the invention is that it enables high speed detection of both energy and position of x-rays.
Another advantage of the invention is that it eliminates the need for a large number of discrete wires and cables connecting x-ray sensitive elements to their associated electronics.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is less susceptible to noise pickup than systems constructed using discrete components and interconnecting cables.
Another advantage of the invention is that it is more reliable and rugged than wired systems.
Another advantage of the invention is that it can be used in digital radiography, computed tomography, monitoring and inspecting of composite materials, airline baggage inspection, corrosion detection, and x-ray detection in diffraction and scattering systems, all of which require spatial detection of x-rays and all of which benefit from energy sensitivity.
One feature of the invention is that it has metallic potential strips patterned onto a substrate or wafer.
Another feature of the invention is that it has multiple microstrip anodes patterned onto the substrate.
Another feature of the invention is that it has active signal processing circuits integrated into the substrate.
Another feature of the invention is that it has a wafer isolation layer above the active signal processing circuits to protect and electrically insulate those circuits from high voltages.
Another feature of the invention is that it has a metallic shield plane between the portions of the x-ray detector with high voltages and the active signal processing circuits to shield those circuits from stray electric fields.
Another feature of the invention is that it involves fabricating the x-ray detector by spin casting polyimide resin layers and curing them at temperatures sufficiently low that the circuits integrated in the substrate are not damaged.
Another feature of the invention is that it has active signal processing electronics including analog and digital circuits.
Another feature of the invention is that each analog circuit for each microstrip anode includes a protection circuit which reduces the potential for damage to the rest of the analog electronics.
Another feature of the invention is that each analog circuit for each microstrip anode includes a pulse shaper which improves the count rate capability of each anode.
Another feature of the invention is that it includes a plurality of energy window circuits following each amplifier circuit for each microstrip anode, wherein these energy window circuits detect pulses within a user specified range and convert said pulses to logic pulses.
Another feature of the invention is that each microstrip anode has digital circuits coupled to its analog circuits and these digital circuits include digital counters, each coupled to a respective energy window circuit in the analog circuits.
Another feature of the invention is that each digital circuit for each microstrip anode is coupled to an internal digital I/O bus which is in turn coupled via an I/O control logic circuit to an external digital interface circuit.
The above and other objects, advantages and features are accomplished by the provision of an integrated apparatus, comprising: a wafer; an x-ray detector fabricated on the wafer having a housing, a plurality of anodes and a gas contained in the housing, wherein at least a portion of the housing passes x-ray photons which partially ionize the gas thereby producing at least one pulse at one of the plurality of anodes; a plurality of active signal processing circuits integrated into the wafer and respectively coupled to the plurality of anodes, wherein a respective one of the plurality of signal processing circuits receives and processes the at least one pulse to yield a digital signal indicating location of the one of the plurality of anodes and amplitude of the pulse; and an electrically isolating layer for electrically isolating the x-ray detector from the plurality of active signal processing circuits.
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the invention are further accomplished when the plurality of active signal processing circuits comprise a respective plurality of analog circuits coupled to the plurality of anodes and a respective plurality of digital circuits coupled to the plurality of analog circuits, wherein the plurality of analog circuits comprise: a plurality of protection circuits respectively coupled to the plurality of anodes for pulses from the plurality of anodes and for protecting electronic circuits downstream from the anodes; a plurality of amplifiers respectively coupled to the plurality of protection circuits for receiving the pulses and amplifying the pulses to yield amplified pulses; and a plurality of pulse shapers respectively coupled to the plurality of amplifiers for receiving the amplified pulses and outputting shaped pulses, and wherein each of the plurality of digital circuits comprises: a plurality of multiple energy window circuits each of the multiple energy window circuits respectively coupled to the plurality of pulse shapers for receiving the shaped pulses and outputting digital logic pulses when the shaped pulses have amplitudes within an externally selected range; and a plurality of multiple digital counters respectively coupled to the plurality of multiple energy window circuits for receiving and counting the digital logic pulses.
The above and other objects, advantages and features are accomplished by the provision of an integrated x-ray detection system, comprising: a wafer capable of supporting integrated circuitry; a housing for housing the wafer and a gas, wherein at least a portion of the housing passes x-ray photons which partially ionize the gas thereby producing at least one electron; a plurality of anodes fabricated on the wafer, the plurality of anodes being maintained at a first potential; a plurality of potential strips alternately arranged among the plurality of anodes on the wafer and maintained at a second potential; a cathode plane arranged along the wafer and maintained at a third potential; a back potential plane fabricated on the wafer and maintained at a fourth potential, wherein the first, second, third and fourth potentials are selected such that the at least one electron is accelerated toward one of the plurality of anodes with sufficient energy to produce a pulse at the one of the plurality of anodes; a plurality of active signal processing circuits integrated into the wafer and respectively coupled to the plurality of anodes wherein a respective one of the plurality of signal processing circuits receives and processes the pulse to yield a digital signal indicating location of the one of the plurality of anodes and height of the pulse; and an insulation layer for separating the plurality of anodes, the plurality of potential strips and the back potential plane from the active signal processing circuit.
The above and other objects, advantages and features will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A shows a schematic representation of a proportional counter and FIG. 1B shows a cross-sectional view of that proportional counter.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an x-ray microstrip proportional chamber or detector with multiple microstrip anodes.
FIG. 3A shows a block diagram of signal processing electronics used to test the microstrip proportional chamber of FIG. 2 by counting together all x-ray photons above a set threshold collected by each microstrip anode separately and FIG. 3B shows a block diagram of signal processing electronics used to test the microstrip proportional chamber of FIG. 2 by digitizing the energy spectrum of x-ray photons collected by a block of 16 microstrip anodes connected together in parallel.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show results of detecting x-rays output from 55 Fe and 241 Am x-ray sources, respectively, using the detector with signal processing electronics of FIG. 3B.
FIG. 5 shows a schematic of an x-ray detection system according to one embodiment of the invention wherein the signal processing electronics are illustrated for only one of the plurality of microstrip anodes.
FIG. 6A is a schematic cross sectional view of a wafer containing integrated processing electronics and having a microstrip detector fabricated thereon. FIG. 6B shows a schematic plane view of the anode/potential strip metal layer of FIG. 6A seen looking down from the top of FIG. 6A. FIG. 6C is a schematic representation of one possible embodiment of the assembled detector showing the pressure cell, the x-ray transparent window, the cathode plane, the electrical and gas feedthroughs, and the electrical connections. FIG. 6D shows process steps for building the detector system shown in FIGS. 6A-6C.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 2 shows a schematic representation of an x-ray microstrip gas proportional chamber or detector 202 consisting of two equipotential planes (back potential plane 230 and cathode plane 244) with an intervening third plane made up of multiple microstrip anodes 214a-214c and potential strips 210a-210d deposited on and attached to surface 234 of insulating substrate 216. See A. Oed, "Position-Sensitive Detector with Microstrip Anode for Electron Multiplication with Gases", Nucl. Instrum. Methods, A263, 351 (1988), the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Anodes 214a-214c and interspaced potential strips 210a-210d are solidly bonded to surface 234 of substrate 216, thus permitting stable operation with much closer spacing than would be possible with the freely suspended wire anodes of a multiwire proportional detector. Although three anodes and four potential strips are shown, any number of such strips can be used. Photolithographic techniques are used to pattern a thin aluminum, copper, or other metal layer into potential strips 210a-210d and anodes 214a-214c. Potential strips 210a-210d can be anywhere from less than about 50 μm to more than about 200 μm wide and preferably about 90 μm wide. Anodes 214a-214c can be anywhere from about 1 to 100 μm wide and preferably about 10 μm wide. Insulating gaps 224 between potential strips 210a-210d and anodes 214a-214c can be anywhere from a few μm to several hundred μm and preferably about 50 μm. Insulating substrate 216 can be anywhere from 1 μm to more than 1000 μm thick and preferably about 15 μm thick. Cathode plane 244 can be arranged anywhere from less than 1 millimeter to more than 10 millimeters and preferably about 5 millimeters above surface 234. Cathode plane 244 must be at least partially transparent to x-rays with energies in the desired detection range. A gas 218, which is typically argon-methane or xenon-methane, fills volume B of chamber 202. Cathode plane 244 may serve the dual function of establishing an electric field in volume B and preventing the escape of gas 218, or a separate x-ray transparent window (not shown) may be placed parallel to and in close proximity to cathode plane 244 to allow x-rays to enter volume B while preventing loss of gas 218. This x-ray transparent window is sealed to a pressure cell (not shown) that permits control of the operating pressure of gas 218 in volume B.
When the detector is in operation, voltages are applied to each of the four distinct sets of electrodes 230, 210a-210d, 214a-214c, and 244 to establish and control electrostatic fields in volume B and in the vicinity of potential strips 210a-210d and anodes 214a-214c. Back potential plane 230, potential strips 210a-210d, and cathode plane 244 are held at operating voltages HV1, HV2, and HV3, respectively, while anodes 214a-214c are each held at ground potential through a resistor 250, typically 1 to 10 Megohms. Note that potential strips 210a-210d are all electrically connected together, whereas anodes 214a-214c are electrically isolated from all other electrodes and connected together to a common potential (typically ground) only through large value resistors. Operation of anodes 214a-214c at other potentials by connection to a power supply is also possible if they are coupled to signal processing electronics 270 through capacitor 260. When gas 218 is a mixture of 90% argon and 10% methane at a pressure of about 16 psig, when the microstrip proportional chamber geometry is as described above, and when the anodes 214a-214c are at 0 volts, values of -200 volts, -500 volts, and -2000 volts for HV1, HV2, and HV3, respectively, have been used to test the performance of the detector. Values of HV1, HV2, HV3, and the anode potentials can range from 0 to a few thousand volts, positive or negative polarity, depending primarily on the detector geometry, the sizes and spacing of potential strips 210a-210d and anodes 214a-214c, the thickness of insulating substrate 216, the pressure and composition of gas 218, and the distance between cathode plane 244 and surface 234. The key constraints on polarity and magnitude of applied voltages are that electrons resulting from ionization of gas 218 in volume B drift toward surface 234 and are further accelerated sufficiently by the electric field around one of the anodes 214a-214c to give rise to gas avalanche amplification. Optimum values of applied voltages must be determined separately for each chamber configuration. In addition, all voltages may be shifted by the same additive constant voltage with little or no change in detector performance, thus allowing free choice of which one of the four may be held at ground potential (0 volts).
X-rays enter volume B through the x-ray transparent window (if present) and cathode plane 244. Each x-ray photon has a probability of ionizing gas 218. That probability increases with both the atomic number and the density of gas 218. These characteristics are controlled by the composition and pressure, respectively, of gas 218. The electric field established by the potential planes accelerates the electrons and ions resulting from an ionizing event in opposite directions, with the electrons moving toward surface 234. As the electrons approach one of the anodes 214a-214c, they are further accelerated by the high electric field around that one anode (positive relative to the nearby potential strips) which causes additional ionizations. The result of this cascade of events will be a pulse of charge proportional to the energy of the incoming photon, but amplified by as much as a factor of 10 5 over the charge generated by the original ionizing event. This latter pulse of charge is the signal applied to the input of active signal processing circuits, each including protection, amplification, and shaping circuits, as well as a plurality of energy window circuits and digital counters to be discussed below. For simultaneous (parallel) use of available pixels, each anode 214a-214c must have its own separate electronic chain. The position of the x-ray ionization event is preserved first by the uniformity of the electric field in the drift region of volume B and next by which one of the plurality of anodes 214a-214c and associated signal processing, digitizing, and counting electronics records a pulse.
FIG. 3A shows a block diagram of one version of signal processing electronics 300 used to test microstrip proportional chamber or detector 202. Each anode of detector 202 was connected to an amplifier 304 and comparator 308 on a commercially available card 312 (LeCroy model 2735PC). Each card 312 contains 16 independent sets of amplifiers and comparators. Card 312 produced a digital output pulse for input signals greater than a comparator threshold voltage output from control electronics 318. Control electronics 318 was an assemblage of modules including: Greenspring Computers model VIPC610 VMEbus IndustryPack carrier, model IP-DAC IndustryPack digital to analog converter, and model IP-DUAL PI/T IndustryPack dual programmable interface/timer; a custom built interface buffer circuit; and LeCroy model 429A logic fanout. Pulses were sent from each card 312 to VME scaler module 316 (LeCroy model 1151E) which accumulated statistics separately for each of 16 channels during a preset time interval established by gate signals output to VME scaler module 316 from control electronics 318. For our prototype system, 6 separate cards 312 and 6 separate VME scaler modules 316 acquired data from a total of 96 anodes in our linear array microstrip gas proportional chamber. An interface bus 324 was used to accommodate the 6 VME scaler modules 316 and portions of the control electronics 318. A personal computer 330 allowed us to control the entire system via a data acquisition program.
FIG. 3B shows a block diagram of another version of signal processing electronics 350 used to test microstrip proportional detector 202. A block of 16 anodes or channels 360 of detector 202 were connected together in parallel and signals from them were connected in turn to the input of a preamplifier 364 (eV Products model 5093). The output of the preamplifier 364 was connected to the input of a shaping amplifier 368 (EG&G Ortec model 572). The linearly amplified and shaped pulses from shaping amplifier 368 were then sent to multichannel analyzer card 372 (EG&G Ortec model 916A) which was housed in and controlled by personal computer 376.
FIGS. 4A and 4B show results of detecting x-rays output from 55 Fe and 241 Am x-ray sources, respectively, using detector 202 with processing electronics 350. 55 Fe has a 5.9 keV emission line, and 241 Am has emission lines at 14, 18, and 21 keV. The measured width of the line at 5.9 keV is 1.0 keV (FWHM), which is considerably better than can be achieved with a scintillation detector such as sodium iodide. In these tests, gas 218 consisted of 90% argon and 10% methane at a pressure of 16 psig. Under these conditions, the efficiency at higher energies for converting x-rays fell for energies greater than 20 keV. The efficiency can be improved, however, by increasing the pressure of gas 218 and switching to a xenon based gas mixture.
When detector 202 is combined with a modified version of electronics 300 that for each anode implements energy intervals or windows using pairs of comparators, corresponding analog threshold voltages, and logic to provide output pulses for input pulses above the lower threshold but not exceeding the upper threshold for each interval or window, the resulting system should efficiently detect x-rays in the energy range from 1 keV to 150 keV With an energy resolution as low as 1 keV or less and a spatial resolution limited primarily by the pixel size, typically 200 to 100 micrometers. It could be used in digital radiography and computed tomography. In particular, it could acquire energy-resolved images, thus allowing sensitivity to selected chemical elements or compositions. This non-integrated x-ray detector system, one possible version of which is currently under construction, would be useful primarily for research purposes only, since the distributed electronics, the interconnecting cabling, and the high density of electromechanical contacts would make it too bulky, fragile, and susceptible to noise pickup for any but carefully controlled laboratory environments. A much more practical device, described in greater detail below, could be made by combining a microstrip proportional chamber with a complete customized set of signal processing and acquisition electronics fabricated on a semiconductor substrate using standard microelectronics techniques. Such a fully integrated detector would combine a device originally developed for research applications with high-density electronics to make a compact rugged detection system suitable for industrial or possibly even medical uses.
Integration of Detector and Electronics
Previous implementations of microstrip gas proportional chamber technology have used various substrate materials, such as glass, plastic, or even silicon as the mechanical support for the photolithographically defined electrode structures. In the latter case, the silicon was used in such a way as to render impossible incorporation of active signal processing circuits. (See the discussion at the end of the section entitled "Background of the related Art".) A key weakness of all these implementations is that they have used only external electronic signal acquisition circuitry, which results in a rather bulky and fragile system with poor noise immunity due to a large number of long interconnecting cables and poor reliability due to the high number of easily damaged connections.
Construction of a fully integrated detection system starts from a silicon or other semiconductor wafer containing the circuits needed for the counting chains for each microstrip anode 214a-214c as shown schematically in the block diagram of FIG. 5 for anode 214c. Bipolar, metal-oxide-semiconductor, or other technology may be used to construct the circuits described below. Considerations that affect the choice of device fabrication technology include maximum desired pulse throughput, total power dissipation, device radiation hardness, and cost. Many of the details of the circuit design will be governed by the chosen fabrication technology. We now describe the basic functional features required for the detection system without reference to the subtleties of any specific device technology.
FIG. 5 shows an x-ray detection system 500 according to one embodiment of the invention and FIG. 6A shows a schematic cross section view of an integrated x-ray detector system 600 corresponding to system 500. As will be discussed, microstrip proportional chamber 502, with the exception of cathode plane 244, is fully integrated in a supporting substrate along with active signal processing circuits 504 made up of analog circuits 505 and digital circuits 507. Integration of circuits 504 in the supporting silicon substrate allows amplifier 516 and protection circuit 510 to be placed close to anode 214c, thus reducing the pickup of undesired electromagnetic noise. Careful layout of the integrated electronics is needed to insure that crosstalk between the circuits corresponding to 504 for the other anodes (not shown) is minimized. Likewise, judicious layout and design are needed to minimize coupling between the digital circuits 507 and the analog circuits 505 for all channels. Since the detection system will necessarily be exposed to high radiation fields, external shielding (not shown) must be used to restrict exposure to a well defined portion of the wafer, which should be kept clear of circuit elements susceptible to radiation damage. This wafer-scale integrated device must be fully passivated and have input and output contact pads appropriate for connection of the subsequently fabricated anodes to the inputs of the signal processing circuitry, for connection of the various analog threshold voltages needed to define the energy windows, and for connection of the digital outputs and control signals.
The right hand side of FIG. 5 shows a conceptual block diagram, which we now describe in greater detail, of one possible embodiment of the signal processing electronic circuits 504 to be integrated into the supporting silicon substrate and which are typical for each anode. Following the blocks in sequence, the detector signal at anode 214c is input to protection circuit 510 which prevents damage to the rest of the electronics in the event of a high voltage discharge in detector 502. Protection circuit 510 will typically consist of high speed signal diodes arranged "back-to-back" to clamp the magnitude of the voltage at the input of amplifier 516 such that it does not exceed the forward voltage drop of the diodes, typically 0.6 volts for silicon. A low noise, high bandwidth amplifier 516 converts the charge at its input to a voltage output. Pulse shaper 522 processes the incoming signal using pole-zero cancellation and bandwidth limitations to improve pulse rate throughput while maintaining low noise. The current pulse shape intrinsic to gas proportional detectors consists of a rapidly rising edge followed by a slowly decaying tail. The total integrated charge is proportional to the energy released by the ionizing event. While it is in principle possible to integrate this current pulse to obtain the total charge, the slowly decaying tail would force a long integration time and thus limit the maximum count rate for each detector channel. Since the decay rate of the pulse is fixed by the details of the detector, the initial height of the current pulse is a direct (albeit somewhat less accurate) measure of the total charge. The design parameters of amplifier 516 and pulse shaper 522 are chosen to strike a balance between the accuracy of conversion of total charge to voltage pulse height and maximum count rate throughput. Each energy window circuit 528a-528d that follows consists of a pair of high speed comparators (not shown) with separate externally supplied reference voltages to define upper and lower energy (pulse height) thresholds. Each energy window circuit 528a-528d further includes logic to provide a standard digital output if the input pulse voltage is between the lower and upper thresholds. While four such energy window circuits are illustrated, the actual number would depend on the application and could be more or less than four. Note that the boundary between analog and digital electronics generally lies in the comparators and the associated logic gates of the energy window circuits 528a-528d which convert a linear voltage pulse from the pulse shaper 522 to a standard digital logic pulse if the amplitude of that linear voltage pulse falls within one of the defined intervals. Hence, energy window circuits could be considered to lie in either analog circuits 505 or digital circuits 507 and are depicted to be in analog circuits 505 in FIG. 5 for convenience only.
A resulting digital output then passes to counters 534a-534d, respectively. Each counter could be implemented, for example, by a cascade of flip-flops with as many as 32 bits. I/O control logic 540 allows sequential readout and control of counters 534a-534d. This on-wafer buffering of data and the ability to multiplex counters 534a-534d during readout is critical as it dramatically reduces the density of connections required.
Energy Window Circuits
In most practical x-ray inspections, a great deal is already known about the specimen under investigation. In particular, its average composition is reasonably well defined. As such, it is unnecessary to acquire full energy spectra. Processing electronics 504 for each anode 214a-214c allow a user to set the lower and upper energy limits of a small number of independent intervals or windows via energy window circuits 528a-528d. Pulses falling within each window are summed together by counters 534a-534d, respectively. Pulses outside all of the set windows are not counted. This allows the simultaneous collection of data from several energy ranges, i.e., the construction of energy resolved images, each from a different selected window. This in turn allows chemical element contrast in radiographs and enables a new class of x-ray inspections of unprecedented sensitivity which are ideally suited to inspection of composite materials and many other applications.
Fabricating the Integrated X-ray Detector System
Spun-cast polyimide resin layers and evaporated metal films are used together with conventional photolithography techniques to build the microstrip gas proportional detector on top of the passivated wafer containing the signal processing circuits and associated contacts as described above. These technologies require relatively low substrate temperatures (typically 250°-350° C. to cure the polyimide) that will not appreciably alter the characteristics of the active devices present in the substrate. FIG. 6A is a schematic cross section view of wafer 616 containing processing electronics 504 in a layer 601 with passivation layer 631. Polyimide layers are represented by a slanted line pattern and metal layers by heavy black lines. FIG. 6B shows a top view of a portion of wafer 616 with metal layers 606, 615, and 611 of FIG. 6A represented by different shades, and with openings through the (transparent) polyimide represented by white dotted lines. Layer 611 consists of potential strips 610a-610d and associated contact 625, which are all continuous, and anodes 614a-614c, which are all separated from each other and from potential strips 610a-610d.
The correspondences between features of the simplified schematic representation of a microstrip gas proportional detector of FIG. 2 and those of the integrated version of FIGS. 6A, 6B, and 6C are as follows. Substrate 216 is replaced by polyimide layer 618. Back potential plane 230 is replaced by metal back potential plane 615. Anodes 214a-214c are replaced by anodes 614a-614c. Potential strips 210a-210d are replaced by potential strips 610a-610d. Cathode plane 644 of FIG. 6C corresponds to cathode plane 244 of FIG. 2 and is a separate required feature of the detector system, although it is not integrated into the supporting wafer 616. As discussed above, the cathode plane may be the x-ray transparent window itself, or may be in close proximity to a separate x-ray transparent window 645 and possibly electrically isolated from it.
Before describing in detail the fabrication sequence for constructing the integrated microstrip gas proportional chamber x-ray detector system, we will first mention some general practices used during fabrication. The polyimide resin (either Brewer Science π-Polyim P-18 or OCG Microelectronic Materials Probimide 514) is spun on at a speed and for a time required to yield the desired film thickness (typically 10 to 15 micrometers) according to the resin manufacturer's data. Thicker films have been obtained by spin coating multiple layers of resin. Each layer is baked to remove solvents before subsequent process steps, and partially cured according to the resin manufacturer's instructions if wet etch patterning is needed. Positive photoresist (Hoechst-Celanese AZ 1350J-SF) has been used for all lithography steps. Tetramethylammonium hydroxide based photoresist developer (Hoechst-Celanese AZ 312 MIF) has been used both to etch the exposed photoresist and to wet etch the partially cured polyimide resin. The liftoff technique has been used to pattern all metal layers. After final curing according to the resin manufacturer's instructions, all polyimide layers requiring either subsequent metal deposition or application of additional polyimide resin layers are etched in an oxygen plasma to microscopically roughen the polymer surface to promote adhesion. In addition, metal layers are generally composites made up of a thin (100-200 Å) titanium layer to improve adhesion to the polyimide, a thicker layer of the primary metal (approximately 1 micrometer), and for those primary metals requiring oxidation protection, a thin (500-600 Å) layer of gold.
FIG. 6D summarizes the process steps needed to fabricate an integrated microstrip gas proportional chamber x-ray detection system. Refer to FIGS. 6A-6C to see schematic representations of the various elements described below and their relative locations. At step 652 of FIG. 6D, apply polyimide resin layer 602 on top of passivation layer 631 over integrated signal processing circuits 504 in layer 601 of wafer 616 and partially cure to permit subsequent patterning by wet etching. Pattern layer 602 at step 654 with contact holes 603a-603c and 604a-604c needed to expose anode signal contacts 620a-620c and analog threshold input and digital signal contacts 621a-621c, respectively, by coating layer 602 with photoresist, exposing the photoresist with ultraviolet light through a mask, and etching both the exposed photoresist and the underlying partially cured polyimide resin with the photoresist developer mentioned above. After stripping the residual photoresist, fully cure layer 602 according to the resin manufacturer's instructions and oxygen plasma etch it to prepare the surface for subsequent processing at step 656. To use the liftoff technique to pattern metal layers, apply photoresist and pattern it using a mask and ultraviolet light for metal shield layer 606 at step 658. Deposit the metal for shield layer 606 and liftoff the excess in acetone at step 660. At step 662, apply and partially cure polyimide resin layer 612. Pattern layer 612 at step 664 with contact holes 603a-603c and 604a-604c to expose contacts 620a-620c and 621a-621c, respectively, and with contact hole 613 to define shield plane 606 contact 622. At step 666, strip the residual photoresist, fully cure layer 612, and oxygen plasma etch the surface. Apply and pattern photoresist for metal back potential plane 6 15 at step 668. Deposit and liftoff metal for back potential plane 615 at step 670. At step 672, apply and partially cure polyimide resin layer 618. Pattern layer 618 at step 674 with contact holes 603a-603c, 604a-604c, and 613 to expose contacts 620a-620c, 621a-621c, and 622, respectively, and with contact hole 619 to define back potential plane 615 contact 623. At step 676, strip the residual photoresist, fully cure layer 618, and oxygen plasma etch the surface. Apply and pattern photoresist for metal anode/potential strip layer 611 at step 678. Deposit and liftoff metal for anode/potential strip layer 611 at step 680, defining anodes 614a-614c and potential strips 610a-610d. Note that electrical connection is automatically made between anodes 614a-614cand analog signal input contacts 620a-620c through contact holes 603a-603c, respectively, when the anodes 614a-614c are created at steps 678 and 680. That is because the design of masks for the lithography of step 678 insures registration between the ends of anodes 614a-614c and contacts 620a-620c. At step 682, apply and partially cure polyimide resin layer 624. Pattern layer 624 at step 684 with contact holes 604a-604c, 613, and 619 to expose contacts 621a-621c, 622, and 623, respectively, and with open areas 626a-626b to define potential strip contact 625 and the active detector area. At step 686, strip the residual photoresist and fully cure polyimide layer 624. The surface conductivity of the detector 600 may be modified at this point by application of coatings, ion implantation, or other means to alter performance characteristics if desired. Cut device 600 to size, package in pressure cell 635 (see schematic diagram of FIG. 6C), connect all necessary power, threshold, and signal bond wires to pins 641 of hermetically sealed electrical feedthrough 639, and close the assembly at step 688. At step 690, evacuate the pressure cell, backfill with the desired detector gas, and seal the cell assembly using sealable gas inlet 637. Pressure cell 635 may have radiation shielding 646 with slit 647 to limit radiation from source 648 to a narrow portion of detector 600 corresponding to the active area defined by 626b.
Other substrates that support microelectronic device fabrication, such as gallium arsenide or silicon-on-insulator material, could be substituted for monocrystalline silicon as wafer 616. Other dielectric materials common in microelectronic fabrication processes could be used in place of polyimide resin. These materials include silicon oxide deposited by low temperature techniques such as plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition or ozone/TEOS or silicon nitride deposited by similar techniques, as well as silicon oxynitride. Other polymer resins could be substituted for the polyimide. The polyimide or other polymer dielectrics could be patterned by using a spin-on-glass mask material followed by plasma etching. The various metal layers could be fabricated by deposition followed by either wet or dry etching rather than by liftoff. Electronic processing circuits 504 could be implemented with either bipolar or MOS device technologies. With appropriate changes in design, signals from anodes 614a-614c could be capacitively coupled rather than direct coupled to protection circuit 510, thus allowing the anodes 614a-614c to operate at elevated voltages. Other variations include segmenting back potential plane 615 to implement a two dimensional array using capacitive coupling. This would require significant modification of the signal processing electronics to permit coincidence counting to obtain separate x and y coordinates of ionizing events. If needed to improve noise immunity, the counters could be moved off the detector wafer and be built into a separate piece of silicon. This latter hybrid configuration would reintroduce the problem of a large number of interconnections, but might be appropriate comprise for applications where power dissipation or analog/digital noise coupling considerations force mixed signal processing electronics technologies.
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An integrated x-ray detection system includes an x-ray detector fabricated on a wafer with a housing for containing a gas. The detector has a plurality of microstrip anodes and the housing passes x-rays which partially ionize the gas thereby producing a pulse at one of the anodes. The same wafer also has a plurality of integrated active signal processing circuits which are respectively coupled to the anodes. Each active signal processing circuit receives and processes pulses from respective ones of the anodes and outputs a digital signal indicating the location and energy of x-rays detected by the detector. An isolation layer separates the x-ray detector from the active signal processing circuits.
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The present invention relates in general to optical sensor apparatus, and more particularly, to an optical sensor system for gathering and transmitting data about a plurality of physical conditions such as position, speed, torque, pressure, temperature, etc. within an aircraft gas turbine engine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Modern aircraft gas turbine engines utilize sophisticated control systems to optimize engine performance and efficiency and remove, as much as possible, work load from the pilot. These control systems require input concerning various engine and environmental parameters for accurate, optimal functioning. In addition, many engine parameters require monitoring to inform the pilot of the correct functioning of the various engine systems and to warn maintenance personnel of any impending system failure or need for maintenance.
Conventional sensing systems include measuring devices positioned at numerous locations about the engine for monitoring the various engine parameters. Electronic transducers or switches associated with the various measuring devices generate electric signals which are conducted along electric cables to the engine control system or monitors. Each switch or transducer may require that two or more wires be routed to it along with associated connectors, connector backshells, harness shielding and lightning protection devices.
The present invention greatly reduces the need for heavy, expensive electrical hardware by substitution of a minimum number of fiber optic devices and cabling. Fiber optic devices are advantageous due to their resistance to the adverse effects of electromagnetic interference and lightning. In addition, a single optic fiber cable can function to transmit a multitude of signals of different frequencies or to transmit signals in opposite directions along the cable without impairment to any of the signals. Thus, the advantages of the present invention are in the elimination of external wiring on the engine, the elimination of electrical cable shielding and lightning protection, reduction in system weight, and circuit simplification.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for gathering and transmitting data about a plurality of physical conditions with is not subject to the foregoing disadvantages.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sensing system having substantially less weight and complexity than conventional sensing systems.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved sensing system resistant to electromagnetic interference.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved optical sensing system in which a plurality of data signals are frequency multiplexed onto a single optic fiber.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Disclosed below is an optical sensing system for sensing and transmitting multiple switch type inputs concerning various monitored parameters. Electromagnetic radiation is transmitted via an optical conductor from a broadband light source to a wavelength splitter/combiner. The wavelength splitter/combiner separates the spectral output received from the broadband light source into a number of discrete output wavelengths. Each wavelength is transmitted through an optic fiber cable to an optical switch associated with a monitored engine system. The optical switch reflects all, none or a portion of the transmitted wavelength depending on the value of a sensed parameter. The reflected wavelength is multiplexed together with reflected wavelengths from other optical switches by the wavelength splitter/combiner to form one composite signal.
The composite signal may thereafter be separated into its component wavelengths, each of which reports on a corresponding monitored engine parameter, and converted into electrical signals for final transmission a control system, a monitor, or a storage device.
The above and other objects of the present invention together with the features and advantages thereof will become apparent from the following detailed specification when read in conjuction with the accompanying drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying FIGURE is a simplified illustration of an optical sensing system constructed in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, includes an electromagnetic radiation or light source 10 which emits electromagnetic radiation including wavelengths which are readily transmitted by optical fibers. For purposes of this discussion, the term "light" will be understood to include all electromagnetic radiation wavelengths which can be transmitted by optical fibers. At present, optical fibers are available with can transmit all visible light wavelengths as well as near ultraviolet and infra-red wavelengths.
An optical fiber 12, joins light source 10 to an optical splitter 14. A second optical fiber 16 connects optical splitter 14 to a wavelength splitter/combiner 18. The optical splitter 14 and fibers 12 and 16 are arranged in such a fashion so as to permit the unaltered transmission of light from light source 10 to splitter/combiner 18.
A plurality of optic fibers 20 are connected between splitter/combiner 18 and a plurality of optical switch devices, a single fiber connecting each optical switch device with splitter/combiner 18. For example, device 24 is seen to be connected to splitter/combiner 18 by a single fiber consisting of segments 22 and 22A. Similarly, device 28 is connected to splitter/combiner 18 by the fiber consisting of segments 26 and 26A. Two optical switch devices, 24 and 28, are shown in FIG. 1, however, the system can accommodate many more than the two devices shown. The switch devices are positioned at separate locations about the engine for sensing various engine parameters such as pressure, temperature, position, speed, etc.
Optical splitter 14 is also connected to a second wavelength splitter 30 via optical fiber 31 in a manner which allows the transmission of light signals from splitter/combiner 18 through optical splitter 14 to wavelength splitter 30. A photo sensitive array 32 is coupled to receive the output of wavelength splitter 30.
In operation, light source 10 emits a broadband spectral output which is transmitted through cable 12, optical splitter 14 and cable 16 to wavelength splitter/combiner 18 wherein the light received is separated into a number of discrete output wavelengths or frequencies. Each discrete output wavelength is conducted by a separated one of optic fibers 20 to a separate optical switch device. For example, optic fiber 22 conducts a first wavelength, identified as lambda 1 to optical switch device 24. Similarly, optic fiber 26 transmits a second wavelength, identified as lambda X to a second optical switch device 28. In this manner, a plurality of optical switch devices are each individually provided with a unique wavelength extracted from the multiband light spectrum emitted from light source 10.
Each optical switch device functions to reflect all, none or a portion of the signal received in response to a sensed engine parameter. Some applications will permit the switch device to directly sense an engine parameter while most applications will require the switch to monitor an engine parameter indirectly through an intermediate device. Temperature, for example, may be measured by altering the length of a substance or curvature of a bi-metallic strip so as to partially or totally obstruct light transmission or reflection. The switch devices operate in parallel and may be designed to be interchangeable. Each switch device operates to reflect the particular light wavelength provided to it or to reflect any other wavelength or band of wavelengths provided to it. The interchangeability of the switch devices simplifies maintenance and reduces spare parts requirements.
The reflected signals are transmitted back to wavelength splitter/combiner 18 via the same optic fibers 20 utilized to carry the discrete output frequencies to each switch device. Thus, each one of optic fiber 20 transmits a respective wavelength signal and reflected signal in opposite directions between wavelength splitter/combiner 18 and a respective switch device.
Splitter/combiner 18 combines the reflected signals and outputs a multiplexed signal onto optic fiber 16. Optical splitter 14 directs this multiplexed or composite signal to wavelength splitter 30 through optical fiber 31. Splitter 30 again separates the composite signal into its component wavelengths. Each wavelength is sent to an element within photosensitive array 32. Light striking the sensors is then converted into electrical signals for transmission to an engine control system, a monitor, or a storage device.
The advantage of combining the reflected signals into one composite signal and thereafter re-separating the composite signal into its component wavelengths is that a single optical splitter, 14, functions to direct the plurality of reflected signals, multiplexed into one composite signal, to photosensitive array 32. Optical splitter 14 and wavelength splitter 30 thus eliminate the need for a separate optical splitter corresponding to each one of optical fibers 20 or an additional set of optical cables for conducting the reflected signals from the optical switch devices directly to photosensitive array 32.
Photosensitive array 32 can be connected to wavelength splitter 30 by a plurality of optic fibers 34, as shown in FIG. 1, wherein each individual fiber transmits a discrete output wavelength. Alternatively, array 32 can be directly mounted to wavelength splitter 30.
The installation of the above-described system in an electronic chassis presents an additional problem. The use of fiber optics in a wired control would normally require the use of optical connectors in the chassis to provide separation of the optical electronics boards from the chassis for manufacturing and test regions. To address this problem, the above described optical devices, with the exception of the optical switch devices, can be assembled together as a connector module 36 with power leads 38 for light source 10 going into the module and return signal leads 40 from photosensitive array 32 coming out. The optical switch devices are shown to be connected to module 36 by optical fibers, such as fibers 22A and 26A, and an optical connector 42. Within module 36, optical connector 42 is connected with wavelength splitter-combiner 18 by optical fibers 20. There exists, however, only one optical transmission path between wavelength splitter/combiner 18 and each individual optical switch device. For example, switch device 24 is connected to wavelength splitter/combiner 18 by optical fiber segments 22 and 22A which are joined at connector 42.
The signals reflected by the optical switch devices can be bivalued wherein no reflection indicates a first state of a sensed parameter and full reflection indicates that a second state. Alternatively, the amount of signal reflection can vary between no reflection and complete reflection so as to represent several values of the sensed parameter. The system can also allow for detection of a failed fiber in the optical leads to a switch device by requiring that the switch device always reflect a portion of signal provided to it. An absence of a reflected signal would therefor indicate a cable or device failure.
Several advantages of this invention are readily apparent. The system presented above is less complex than conventional electrical sensing systems and does not require the cable shielding and lightning protection associated with electrical systems. The light weight of optical devices and fibers, relative to electrical hardware, permits a beneficial reduction in an aircraft engine's weight.
From the foregoing specification it will be clear to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiment described and illustrated and that numerous modifications and changes are possible without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the invention as described above uses a single light source which emits a broadband spectral output. The minimum breadth of the output waveband is that which just includes all the wavelengths selected for the optical switch devices. More than one light emitter may be employed, however, all injecting light into the same optic fiber. The light signal created thereby may have a discontinuous spectrum consisting only of the discrete light wavelengths which will later be separated out and transmitted to the optical switch devices. Additionally, optical components located within modular assembly 36 may be combined or directly affixed to one another thereby eliminating optical fiber cabling within the modular assembly.
These and other variations, changes, substitutions and equivalents will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention to be secured by Letters Patent be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
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An optical fiber system for gathering and transmitting data about a plurality of operating parameters in an aircraft gas turbine engine is disclosed. Broadband light from a light source is conducted through an optical fiber to a wavelength splitter/combiner which separates the received light signal into a number of discrete output wavelengths. Each wavelength is transmitted to a corresponding optical switch which is responsive to a monitored engine or environmental parameter to reflect all, none or a portion of the received light wavelength. The wavelength splitter/combiner multiplexes the reflected wavelengths into a single signal containing information pertaining to all monitored parameters.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of support structures for holding a vehicle chassis on which work is to be done, such as designing a new vehicle body or chassis, assembling component parts thereto, and the like. The support structure in this case is modular, in that its component parts may be readily assembled and disassembled, as well as being mobile, having wheels whereby it can be readily rolled from one location to another.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The modular mobile bench in accordance with this invention and the fixture holders which are releasably and adjustably securable thereto are an improvement over the prior art. The component parts are releasably connected and provide for virtually universal adjustment of the chassis supporting fixtures, horizontally, vertically and radially, to be able to engage and support virtually any point of a vehicle chassis that is to be supported or designed on the modular mobile bench. Such locations of the chassis supporting fixtures can also be easily and readily changed when the modular mobile bench in accordance with this invention is to be used to support or design a different vehicle chassis.
Prior, art devices of which the inventor is aware include those disclosed in two of the inventor's own previously issued patents and the references cited therein, as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 4,573,337 (Papesh)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,067,222 (Eck)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,238,951 (Grainger et al)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,404,838 (Hare)
U.S. Pat. No. 5,016,465 (Papesh)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,510,790 (Hare)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,720,991 (Kuhn)
U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,589 (Maxwell, Jr.)
Australia Patent No. 249,933
French Patent No. 2,246,322
PCT Int'l Patent No. 8,707,191
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The modular mobile bench in accordance with the present invention provides an easily adjustable support structure for holding and designing an almost infinite variety of vehicle chassis and vehicle bodies. It has a basic support frame comprising a pair of longitudinal support bars that may be easily moved closer together or farther apart by their slidable connections at each end to respective ones of a pair of lateral support bars. The basic support frame is mounted on four wheels making it easily movable from one location to another with a vehicle chassis supported therein, such as moving from one work station or inspection station to another.
Modular fixture holders are provided, a plurality of which may be releasably mounted on the longitudinal and lateral support bars and slidably moved thereon to any desired location. The fixture holders receive chassis engaging fixture members to engage and support selected pick-up points of the vehicle chassis or new design to be supported on the mobile bench. The fixture holders include a releasable and slidable connecting bracket for releasable and slidable mounting on one of the longitudinal or lateral support bars of the frame. A lateral arm is pivotally connected to the connecting bracket by a pivot pin or bolt which can be clamped down to hold the lateral arm in a selected position. The lateral arm of the fixture holder has an elongated slot through which the pivot bolt extends, whereby the lateral arm may slide relative to the pivot bolt and connecting bracket to provide for horizontal adjustment of the fixture holder.
The lateral arm can also be pivoted on the pivot bolt, to provide for radial adjustment of the fixture holder.
An upright member is slidably connected to one end of the lateral arm of the fixture holder to provide for vertical adjustment of the fixture holder and the chassis engaging fixture members received in a recess at the upper end of the upright member. The upright member extends through a connecting aperture adjacent one end of the lateral arm. A plurality of spaced apart apertures are provided through the upright member, and a pin is provided to extend through the aperture just above the surface of the lateral arm when the upright member has been raised or lowered to a selected vertical position. The pin is inserted through such aperture to then bear against the surface of the lateral arm and thus hold the upright arm in its selected vertical position.
Interchangeable fixture members are provided to seat in the receiving recess at the upper end of the upright member of the fixture holder. Such fixture members may be of the pin type, and several may be provided ranging from large diameter pins to small diameter pins, depending on which are suitable for the particular pick-up point on the vehicle chassis that such fixture member is to engage and support. Other interchangeable fixture members may have a bearing plate and a broad planar surface for engaging and supporting a chassis pick-up point where that type of fixture would be appropriate. Still other interchangeable fixture members include a clamp member, for clamping engagement of a portion of a vehicle chassis.
In addition to holding the vehicle chassis, the fixture members may also be used to hold individual components of an automobile such as the engine, the transmission, the entire drive train by itself, and the like. This feature makes the improved mobile bench in accordance with this invention particularly useful in performing its design function.
Other features and advantages of the modular mobile bench in accordance with this invention will become apparent from the more detailed description which follows and from the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a modular mobile bench in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a pivotable fixture holder shown slidably mounted on a longitudinal support bar of the modular mobile bench shown in FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is an end elevation view of a pivotable fixture holder as shown in FIG. 2 with the longitudinal support bar shown in section.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a connector sleeve member which connects a longitudinal support bar to a lateral support bar.
FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a connecting bracket which connects the fixture holders to the support bars.
FIG. 6 is an end elevation view of a connecting bracket as shown in FIG. 5 .
FIG. 7 is a plan view of the slidable bar portion of the fixture holder in accordance with this invention.
FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of a portion of a lateral support bar with a fixture holder in place thereon, and a longitudinal support bar shown in section received in a connector sleeve member as shown in FIG. 4 .
FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of a portion of a lateral support bar having a longitudinal support bar shown in section connected thereto by a connector sleeve member and a fixture holder shown secured to the longitudinal support bar.
FIG. 10 is a side elevation view of a set of pin fixtures for mounting at the top of the vertical support member of the fixture holder to seat in or engage various ones of the pick-up points of a vehicle chassis to be supported on the modular mobile bench.
FIG. 11 is a plan view of one of the threaded fixture assembly shanks and its central cavity in which the insert shafts of respective ones of the pins shown in FIG. 10 or other fixture members may be received.
FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of a base plate fixture whose insert shaft is receivable in the central cavity of the threaded fixture assembly shank shown in FIG. 11 and 13.
FIG. 13 is a side elevation view of the threaded fixture shank assembly shown in FIG. 11 .
FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a base plate fixture received in the threaded fixture assembly shank shown in FIGS. 11 and 13 which in turn is received in the open upper end of a vertical support member, part of which is shown cut away.
FIG. 15 is a plan view from above of a vertical support member to illustrate the opening to its tubular cavity.
FIG. 16 is a side elevation view of a clamp fixture whose insert shaft is received in the central cavity of the threaded fixture assembly shank which in this case is received in and through the aligned rectangular apertures of the fixture holder's slidable bar, which for other uses of the modular mobile bench receive the vertical support member.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
A modular mobile bench 2 in accordance with this invention comprises a support frame 4 having a pair of longitudinal support members 6 including a first longitudinal support member 8 and a spaced apart second longitudinal support member 10 extending parallel to the support member 8 , and a pair of laterally extending support members 12 including a first lateral support member 14 and a spaced apart second lateral support member 16 extending parallel to the lateral support member 14 .
Lateral support member 14 extends across the space between longitudinal support members 8 and 10 at one end 18 thereof. Lateral support member 16 extends across the space between longitudinal support members 8 and 10 at the opposite end 20 thereof.
The support members 8 , 10 , 12 and 14 are tubular, of generally square cross-sectional configuration. The longitudinal support members 8 and 10 are connected to the lateral support members 12 and 14 at their respective ends 18 and 20 by connector sleeves 22 . Each connector sleeve 22 includes a lateral tubular section 24 of generally square cross-sectional configuration having a generally square through passageway 26 extending therethrough, and a longitudinal tubular section 28 of generally square cross-sectional configuration having a generally square receiving passageway 30 extending therein from an open entrance wall 32 at one end to abut against side wall 34 of the lateral tubular section 24 at the opposite end 36 . The longitudinal tubular section 28 of each connector sleeve 22 is welded or otherwise secured to side wall 34 of the lateral tubular section 24 at the end 36 of longitudinal tubular section 28 .
The end 18 of longitudinal support member 8 is received in receiving passageway 30 of one connector sleeve 38 , and its opposite end 20 is received in receiving passageway 30 of a second connector sleeve 40 . The end 18 of longitudinal support member 10 is received in receiving passageway 30 of a third connector sleeve 42 , and its opposite end 20 is received in receiving passageway 30 of a fourth connector sleeve 44 .
Lateral support member 14 is received through the laterally extending through passageways 26 of connector sleeves 38 and 42 at their connections to longitudinal support members 8 and 10 at their ends 18 . Lateral support member 16 is received through the laterally extending through passageway 26 of connector sleeves 40 and 44 at their connections to longitudinal support members 8 and 10 at their ends 20 .
A securing pin 48 extends through aligned apertures of side walls 50 and 52 of the longitudinal tubular section 28 of each connector sleeve 22 to secure the end portion of the longitudinal support members in the receiving passageway 30 thereof when received therein. Each end portion of each longitudinal support member 8 and 10 includes aligned apertures 54 through opposite side walls 56 and 58 thereof to receive a securing pin 48 therethrough when such end portion is received in the receiving passageway 30 .
A threaded securing bolt 60 is threaded through side wall 62 of the lateral tubular section 24 of each connector sleeve 22 to seat in one of a plurality of laterally spaced apart positioning apertures 64 through side walls 66 and 68 of each lateral support member 14 and 16 .
The longitudinal support member 8 and 10 can thus be moved closer together or spaced farther apart by sliding the sleeve connectors 22 at each of the respective ends 18 and 20 of the longitudinal support members 8 and 10 along the lateral support members 14 and 16 until the securing bolt 60 through side wall 62 of the lateral tubular section of each connector sleeve 22 comes into registration with selected ones of the positioning apertures 64 through side walls 66 and 68 of each lateral support member 14 and 16 . The threaded securing bolt 60 is then rotated by its handle 70 to extend the bolt into the positioning aperture 64 thereby securing the longitudinal support members 8 and 10 in whatever spaced apart position desired.
Four transport wheels 72 are connected to respective outer ends 74 and 76 of each lateral support member 14 and 16 to enable rolling the modular mobile bench from one location to another, including a first transport wheel 78 connected to outer end 74 of lateral support member 14 , a second transport wheel 80 connected to outer end 76 of such lateral support member 14 , a third transport wheel 82 connected to outer end 74 of lateral support member 16 and a fourth transport wheel 84 connected to outer end 76 of such lateral support member 16 .
The transport wheels are connected to the lateral support members by U-shaped bracket assembly 86 , comprising a pair of spaced apart bracket walls 88 and 90 extending upwardly from a laterally extending base plate 92 , defining a receiving cavity 94 therebetween to receive an end portion of a respective one of the lateral support members 14 and 16 . A clevis 96 is pivotally connected at its bight portion to the downwardly facing side of the plate 92 , a transport wheel 72 being received between the downwardly extending spaced apart legs 98 and 100 of the clevis, and an axle rod 102 extending through the end portions of the clevis legs and hub 104 of the transport wheel 72 . A securing pin 106 extends through bracket wall 88 to seat in one of the positioning apertures 64 of the lateral support member received in the receiving cavity 94 of the transport wheel bracket assembly 86 to hold it in the selected position on the lateral support member.
A plurality of fixture holders 108 are provided for mounting on the longitudinal support members 8 and 10 and on the lateral support members 14 and 16 of the modular mobile bench as desired, including a first fixture holder 110 mounted toward one end of longitudinal support member 8 , a second fixture holder 112 mounted toward the opposite end of longitudinal support member 8 , a third fixture holder 114 mounted toward one end of longitudinal support member 10 , a fourth fixture holder 116 mounted toward the opposite end of longitudinal support member 10 , a fifth fixture holder 118 mounted at an intermediate location on lateral support member 14 and a sixth fixture holder 120 mounted at an intermediate location on lateral support member 12 . The chassis of a vehicle may be supported on the fixture holders 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 , 118 and 120 . The support ends 124 of the fixture holders are movable to any selected position within the space bounded by the lateral and longitudinal support arms 8 , 10 , 14 and 16 of the support frame 4 of the modular mobile bench 2 , and to any selected position within the space bounded by the chassis of a vehicle to be supported thereon.
Each of the fixture holders 108 include a releasable connecting bracket 126 , a laterally extending slidable bar 128 slidably mounted on the connecting bracket and extendable laterally therefrom, and an adjustable upright bar 130 extendable upwardly and downwardly from an end 132 of the laterally extending bar 128 .
Each releasable connecting bracket 126 comprises an inverted. U-shaped bracket structure having an upper cross bar member 134 and a pair of spaced apart downwardly extending side wall members 136 and 138 defining a receiving cavity 140 therebetween to receive one of the support members of the support frame 4 therein.
The side wall member 136 and 138 are longer than the corresponding dimension of the pairs of support members 6 and 12 , having aligned spaced apart rectangular apertures 142 through the portions of side wall members 136 and 138 which extend below the bottom wall 144 of the tubular support members 6 and 12 . A bearing plate 146 extends through the spaced apart rectangular apertures 142 of side wall members 136 and 138 . A threaded bolt 148 extends through a threaded aperture in the center of the bearing plate 146 , its bolt head 150 below the bearing plate and its free end 152 extending above for bearing engagement against the bottom wall 144 of the support member on which the connecting bracket 126 is mounted when the bolt 148 is tightened. At such time, the bearing plate 146 bears against the bottom edge 154 of the rectangular apertures 142 , thereby clamping the releasable connecting bracket 126 securely to the support member.
The upper edge 156 of the rectangular apertures 142 is spaced apart from the bottom edge 154 a distance greater than the cross-sectional thickness of the bearing plate 146 . This provides clearance when bolt 148 is loosened so the releasable connecting bracket 126 can slide freely along the support member to a new position.
The releasable connecting brackets 126 may be removed completely from the support members by sliding the bearing plate out from the rectangular apertures 142 , whereupon the connecting brackets 126 can be lifted off from the support members.
The upper cross bar member 134 of connecting bracket 126 has a rectangular tubular cross-section, comprising an upper wall 160 and a lower wall 162 . The lower wall 162 of the cross bar member 134 bears against the upper surface of the support member when in position thereon. A connecting bolt 164 extends upwardly from the upper wall 160 of the cross bar member to extend through the elongated spaced apart aligned slots 166 of laterally extending slidable bar 128 for connection thereof to the releasable connecting bracket 126 .
A large diameter washer 168 is placed on the connecting bolt 164 above the upper surface 170 of the laterally extending bar 128 to clamp it securely in a selected position when the nut 172 is tightened down on the connecting bolt 164 .
When the nut 172 is loosened, the bar 128 is slidable on the connecting bolt 164 which extends through the aligned elongated slots 166 to a new selected position.
The laterally extending slidable bar 128 has a pair of aligned rectangular apertures 174 through the upper wall 176 and lower wall 178 thereof adjacent its upright bar connecting end 132 . The adjustable upright bar 130 is received through the aligned rectangular apertures 174 .
The adjustable upright bar 130 is of rectangular tubular cross-section, having a plurality of longitudinally spaced apart height adjusting aligned apertures 180 through the spaced apart opposing side walls 182 and 184 . A pin 186 is received through apertures 180 at a selected height location to bear against the upper wall 176 of the laterally extending slidable bar 128 .
Set screws 188 are provided through side walls 190 and end wall 192 of the laterally extending bar 128 positioned to bear against and stabilize the upright bar 130 .
A variety of fixture members may be used with the fixture holder assembly 194 , including a pin fixture member 196 , a base plate fixture member 198 , and a clamp fixture member 200 .
Each of the fixture members 194 include a threaded shank 202 having a first positioning nut 204 threaded thereon. A set screw 206 extends through the nut 204 to bear against the shank 202 when the nut has been rotated and adjusted to a desired pre-selected position on the shank. A portion of the shank 202 which extends below the nut 204 is inserted into the opening 208 to the cavity of the tubular upright bar 130 , with the positioning nut 204 bearing against the-upper edge of the upright bar 130 .
A second nut 210 is threaded on the portion of the shank 202 which extends upwardly from the first nut 204 . A set screw 212 extends through the second nut 210 to bear against the shank 202 when that nut has been rotated and adjusted to its selected position. The threaded shank 202 has a cylindrical recess 214 extending downwardly therein from its upper end and its opening 216 .
The pin fixture assembly 196 includes a plurality of pins 218 whose base portions 220 are receivable in the cylindrical recess 214 of the threaded shank 202 . The pins 218 include an upwardly extending insert portion 222 . The insert portion 222 of pin 224 has a diameter of the same dimension as the diameter of the base portion 220 . The insert portion 222 of pin 226 has a slightly smaller diameter, that of pin 228 still smaller and that of pin 230 smaller than that of pin 228 . Any number of pins having insert portions of any desired diameter may be provided. The insert portions are receivable in selected pick-up points of the chassis of a vehicle that is to be received on the fixture holder assemblies mounted on the support frame of the modular mobile bench. The diameters of the insert portions to be used are selected to correspond with the diameter of the recess of the pick-up point in which the insert portion is to be received.
The base plate fixture assembly 198 includes a base plate 234 having an insert member 236 extending from its downwardly facing surface 238 for reception in the recess 214 of the shank 202 .
The clamp fixture assembly 200 includes a clamp member 240 having an insert member 242 extending downwardly from its base 244 for reception in the recess 214 of the shank 202 .
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A modular mobile bench for supporting a vehicle chassis comprises a modular frame and a plurality of modular fixture holders supported on such frame having fixtures pick-up points on the chassis or vehicle body that is to be suported thereon. The modular frame and fixture holders are constructed and arranged in such a way they can support the entire vehicle chassis in any desired position, upright, upside-down, on either side, on either end, one portion of the vehicle elevated relative to another portion, and at various desired angles and attitudes for working on the vehicle chassis as well as for design purposes.
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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/210,180 that was filed on Aug. 22, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,459,060.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention generally relates to techniques for monitoring and controlling continuous sheetmaking systems such as a papermaking machine and more, specifically to maintaining proper cross-directional alignment in sheetmaking systems by extracting alignment information from a closed-loop CD control system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the art of making paper with modern high-speed machines, sheet properties must be continually monitored and controlled to assure sheet quality and to minimize the amount of finished product that is rejected when there is an upset in the manufacturing process. The sheet variables that are most often measured include basis weight, moisture content, and caliper (i.e., thickness) of the sheets at various stages in the manufacturing process. These process variables are typically controlled by, for example, adjusting the feedstock supply rate at the beginning of the process, regulating the amount of steam applied to the paper near the middle of the process, or varying the nip pressure between calendaring rollers at the end of the process. Papermaking devices are well known in the art and are described, for example, in “Handbook for Pulp & Paper Technologists” 2nd ed., G. A. Smook, 1992, Angus Wilde Publications, Inc., and “Pulp and Paper Manufacture” Vol III (Papermaking and Paperboard Making), R. MacDonald, ed. 1970, McGraw Hill. Sheetmaking systems are further described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,539,634 to He, U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,966 to Hu, U.S. Pat. No. 4,982,334 to Balakrishnan, U.S. Pat. No. 4,786,817 to Boissevain et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,935 to Anderson et al. Process control techniques for papermaking machines are further described, for instance, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,770 to Hu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,092,003 to Hagart-Alexander et. al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,080,278 to Heaven et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,059,931 to Hu et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,853,543 to Hu et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,892,679 to He.
On-line measurements of sheet properties can be made in both the machine direction and in the cross direction. In the sheetmaking art, the term machine direction (MD) refers to the direction that the sheet material travels during the manufacturing process, while the term cross direction (CD) refers to the direction across the width of the sheet which is perpendicular to the machine direction.
Papermaking machines typically have several control stages with numerous, independently-controllable actuators that extend across the width of the sheet at each control stage. For example, a papermaking machine will typically include a headbox having a plurality of slice lip force actuators at the front which allow the stock in the headbox to flow out on the fabric of the web or wire. The papermaking machine might also include a steam box having numerous steam actuators that control the amount of heat applied to several zones across the sheet. Similarly, in a calendaring stage, a segmented calendaring roller can have several actuators for controlling the nip pressure applied between the rollers at various zones across the sheet.
All of the actuators in a stage are operated to maintain a uniform and high quality finished product. Such control might be performed, for instance, by an operator who periodically monitors sensor readings and then manually adjusts each of the actuators until the desired output readings are produced. Papermaking machines can further include computer control systems for automatically adjusting cross-directional actuators using signals sent from scanning sensors.
In making paper, virtually all MD variations can be traced back to high-frequency or low-frequency pulsations in the headbox approach system. CD variations are more complex. Preferably, the cross-directional dry weight profile of the final paper product is flat, that is, the product exhibits no CD variation, however, this is seldom the case. Various factors contribute to the non-uniform CD profiles such as non-uniformities in pulp stock distribution, drainage, drying and mechanical forces on the sheet. The causes of these factors include, for example, (i) non-uniform headbox delivery, (ii) clogging of the plastic mesh fabric of the wire, (iii) varying amounts of tension on the wire, (iv) uneven vacuum distribution, (v) uneven press or calendar nip pressures, and (vi) uneven temperatures and airflows across the CD that lead to moisture non-uniformities.
Cross-directional measurements are typically made with a scanning sensor that periodically traverses back and forth across the width of the sheet material. The objective of scanning across the sheet is to measure the variability of the sheet in both CD and MD. Based on the measurements, corrections to the process are commanded by the control computer and executed by the actuators to make the sheet more uniform.
In practice, control devices that are associated with sheetmaking machines normally include a series of actuator systems arranged in the cross direction. For example, in a typical headbox, the control device is a flexible member or slice lip that extends laterally across a small gap at the bottom discharge port of the headbox. The slice lip is movable for adjusting the area of the gap and, hence, for adjusting the rate at which feedstock is discharged from the headbox. A typical slice lip is operated by a number of actuator systems, or cells, that operate to cause localized bending of the slice lip at spaced apart locations in the cross-direction. The localized bending of the slice lip member, in turn, determines the width of the feed gap at the various slice locations across the web.
It is standard practice that sheetmaking machines be controlled by adjusting actuators using measurement signals provided by scanning sensors. In the case of cross-directional control, for example, a commonly suggested control scheme is to measure values at selected cross direction locations on a sheet and then to compare those measured values to target or set point values. The difference for each pair of measured and set point values, i.e., the error, can be used for algorithmically generating appropriate outputs to cross direction control actuators to minimize the error. In such systems, a measurement zone is defined as the cross direction portion of sheet which is measured and used as feedback control for a cross direction actuator zone, and a control zone is defined as the portion of the sheet affected by a cross direction actuator zone.
In practice, it is difficult to control sheetmaking machines by adjusting actuators using measurement signals provided by scanning sensors. The difficulties particularly arise because the scanning sensors are separated from the control actuators by substantial distances in the machine direction. Because of such separations, it is difficult to determine which measurements zones are associated with which actuator zones. Such difficulties are referred to as alignment problems in the papermaking art. Alignment problems are exacerbated when, as is typical, there is uneven paper shrinkage of a paper web as it progresses through a papermaking process. Another difficulty is that the effect of each actuator is not always limited within the corresponding control zone but spans over a few control zones. Alignment is an important process model parameter for keeping the CD control system stable and operating. The alignment can change over time and subsequently degrade the controller performance and thus paper quality.
One conventional method for aligning actuator zones with measurement zones involves the use of dye tests. In a dye test, narrow streams of colored liquid are applied to feedstock as it flows beneath a slice lip. The dye streams initially form parallel lines that extend in the machine direction, but those lines may deviate from parallel if there is web shrinkage during the papermaking process. The dye marks passing through the measurement devices reveal the distribution of control zones and therefore specify the alignment of measurement zones.
Conventional dye tests, however, have numerous drawbacks. The most serious drawback is that the tests destroy finished product and, therefore, it is seldom feasible to perform dye tests at an intermediate point in a sheetmaking production run, even though sheetmaking processes are likely to drift out of control during such times. Further, because of the limited thickness and high absorption characteristics of tissue grades of paper, dye tests are typically limited to paper products that have relatively high weight grades.
More recently, systems that automatically and non-destructively map and align actuator zones to measurements zones in sheetmaking systems have been developed. Some of these systems perform so-called “bump tests” by disturbing selected actuators and detecting their responses, typically with the CD control system in open-loop. The term “bump test” refers to a procedure whereby an operating parameter on the sheetmaking system, such as a papermaking machine, is altered and changes of certain dependent variables resulting therefrom are measured. Prior to initiating any bump test, the papermaking machine is first operated at predetermined baseline conditions. By “baseline conditions” is meant those operating conditions whereby the machine produces paper of acceptable quality. Typically, the baseline conditions will correspond to standard or optimized parameters for papermaking. Given the expense involved in operating the machine, extreme conditions that may produce defective, non-useable paper are to be avoided. In a similar vein, when an operating parameter in the system is modified for the bump test, the change should not be so drastic as to damage the machine or produce defective paper. After the machine has reached steady state or stable operations, the certain operating parameters are measured and recorded. Sufficient number of measurements over a length of time is taken to provide representative data of the responses to the bump test.
The standard bump test for CD model identification includes the following steps: (1) placing a control system in open-loop; (2) bumping a subset of the actuators at the headbox to follow a step or series of steps in time; (3) collecting the output data as measured by sensor(s) in the scanner; and (4) running a model identification algorithm to identify the model parameters including alignment.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,400,258 to He discloses a standard alignment bump test for a papermaking system in which an actuator is moved and its response is read by a scanning sensor and the alignment is identified by the software. U.S. Pat. No. 6,086,237 to Gorinevsky and Heaven discloses a similar technique but with more sophisticated data processing. Specifically, in their bump test the actuators are moved and technique identifies the response as seen by the scanner.
With current bump test alignment methods, the operator can identify the alignment at the time of the bump test experiment. To track alignment changes over time there is a need to re-identify alignment over the course of days and weeks. Moreover, model identification for a system in closed-loop control is well known to be challenging. This is due in part to the fundamental reason that a closed-loop control system works to eliminate any perturbations, so prior art techniques have endeavored to “sneak” a perturbation into the actuator profile that works against the rest of the system and attaining sufficient excitation of the system is difficult to achieve.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a novel method for identifying the alignment of a sheetmaking system while the system remains in closed-loop control. In contrast to the standard model identification techniques that are employed in conjunction with an open or closed-loop control system, the invention exploits the closed-loop control to its advantage. The technique can include the following steps: (1) leaving the control system in closed-loop, (2) artificially inserting a step signal on top of the measurement profile from the scanner (equivalently, inserting a step signal on top of a setpoint target profile), (3) recording the data as the control system moves the actuators to remove the perceived disturbance, and (4) refining or developing a model from the artificial measurement disturbance to the actuator profile.
The invention is based in part on the recognition that steady-state response of the actuator profile contains information from which the sheetmaking system alignment can be extracted.
In one embodiment, the invention is directed to a method for alignment of a sheetmaking system having a plurality of actuators arranged in the cross-direction wherein the system includes a control loop for adjusting output from the plurality of actuators in response to sheet profile measurements that are made downstream from the plurality of actuators, the method including the steps of:
(a) determining alignment information from at least two cross-directional positions by: (i) operating the system and measuring a profile of the sheet along the cross-direction of the sheet downstream from the plurality of actuators and generating a profile signal that is proportional to a measurement profile; (ii) adding a perturbative signal to the measurement profile (equivalently, adding a perturbative signal to a setpoint target profile) to generate a modified profile signal that simulates a disturbance (equivalently, a setpoint change) at a position along the measurement profile; (iii) determining alignment shift information based on the closed-loop response of the actuator profile to the modified profile signal (or setpoint change); and (iv) repeating steps (i) through (iii) wherein step (ii) comprises adding a perturbative signal to the measurement profile (equivalently, adding a perturbative signal to a setpoint profile) to generate a modified profile signal that simulates a disturbance (equivalently, a setpoint change) at a different position along the measurement profile thereby obtaining alignment shift information from at least two cross-directional positions; (b) identify the changes in alignment of the sheetmaking system, if any, from the alignment shift information from at least two cross-directional positions.
In another embodiment, the invention is directed to method for extracting cross-directional information from a sheetmaking system having a plurality of actuators arranged in the cross-direction wherein the system includes a control loop for adjusting output from the plurality of actuators in response to sheet profile measurements that are made downstream from the plurality of actuators, the method including the steps of:
(a) operating the system and measuring a profile of the sheet along the cross-direction of the sheet downstream from the plurality of actuators and generating a profile signal that is proportional to a measurement profile; (b) adding a perturbative signal to the measurement profile (equivalently, adding a perturbative signal to a setpoint target profile) to generate a modified profile signal that simulates a disturbance (equivalently, a setpoint change) of at least one position along the measurement profile; and (c) determining cross-directional alignment information based on actuator responses to the modified profile signal.
In a further embodiment, the invention is directed to a system for alignment of a sheetmaking system having a plurality of actuators arranged in the cross-direction wherein the system includes a control loop for adjusting output from the plurality of actuators in response to sheet profile measurements that are made downstream from the plurality of actuators, the system comprising:
(a) means for determining alignment information from at least two cross-directional positions that includes: (i) means for measuring a profile of the sheet along the cross-direction of the sheet downstream from the plurality of actuators; (ii) generating a profile signal that is proportional to a measurement profile; (iii) means for adding a perturbative signal to the measurement profile (equivalently, adding a perturbative signal to a setpoint target profile) to generate a modified profile signal that simulates a disturbance (equivalently, a setpoint change) at a position along the measurement profile; and (iv) means for determining alignment shift information based on the closed-loop response of the actuator profile to the modified profile signal; and (b) means for identifying the changes in alignment of the sheetmaking system, if any, from the alignment shift information from at least two cross-directional positions.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIGS. 1 , 2 , and 3 are schematic illustrations of a papermaking system;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a sheetmaking system with the inventive reverse closed-loop bump test;
FIGS. 5A , 5 B, and 5 C are the setpoint target, actuator and measurement profiles vs. CD position, respectively, in a normal steady-state closed-loop operation;
FIG. 6A shows the setpoint target that is modified with “bumps” at ¼ (low side) and ¾ (high side) across the paper, and FIGS. 6B and 6C show the actuator and measurement profiles vs. CD positions, respectively, in a closed loop steady-state operation with setpoint target bumps;
FIGS. 7A , 7 B, and 7 C show the difference between the closed-loop profiles representing normal steady-state closed loop operation in FIGS. 5A , 5 B, and 5 C and the closed-loop steady-state profile with setpoint target bumps of FIGS. 6A , 6 B, and 6 C;
FIGS. 8A and 8C are the graphs of gain vs. frequency of the low side and high side actuator responses to reverse bump tests, respectively;
FIGS. 8B and 8D are the graph of low-frequency phase vs. frequency of the low side and high side actuator responses; and
For FIG. 9 , the asterisks plot the slopes of the zero frequency phases illustrated in FIGS. 8B and 8D vs. CD positions of the induced setpoint target bumps that are positioned approximately ¼ and ¾ of the way across the paper; the straight line in FIG. 9 is a straight line fit between these two data appoints.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
As shown in FIG. 1 , a system for producing continuous sheet material includes various processing stages such as headbox 10 , steambox 12 , a calendaring stack 14 and reel 16 . The array of actuators 18 in headbox 10 controls the discharge of wet stock (or feedstock) material through a plurality of slices onto supporting web or wire 30 which rotates between rollers 22 and 24 . Similarly, actuators 20 on steambox 12 can control the amount of steam that is injected at points across the moving sheet. Sheet material exiting the wire 30 passes through a dryer 34 which includes actuators 36 that can vary the cross directional temperature of the dryer. A scanning sensor 38 , which is supported on supporting frame 40 , continuously traverses and measures properties of the finished sheet in the cross direction. Scanning sensors are known in the art and are described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,535 to Dalquist, U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,471 to Dalquist, et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,315,124 to Goss, et al, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,432,353 to Goss et al, which are incorporated herein. The finished sheet product 42 is then collected on reel 16 . As used herein, the “wet end” portion of the system includes the headbox, the web, and those sections just before the dryer, and the “dry end” comprises the sections that are downstream from the dryer. Typically, the two edges of the wire in the cross direction are designated “front” and “back” (alternatively, referred as the “high” and “low”) with the back side being adjacent to other machinery and less accessible than the front side.
The system further includes a profile analyzer 44 that is connected, for example, to scanning sensor 38 and actuators 18 , 20 , 32 and 36 on the headbox 10 , steam box 12 , vacuum boxes 28 , and dryer 34 , respectively. The profile analyzer is a computer which includes a control system that operates in response to the cross-directional measurements from scanner sensor 38 . In operation, scanning sensor 38 provides the analyzer 44 with signals that are indicative of the magnitude of a measured sheet property, e.g., caliper, dry basis weight, gloss or moisture, at various cross-directional measurement points. The analyzer 44 also includes software for controlling the operation of various components of the sheetmaking system, including, for example, the above described actuators.
FIG. 2 depicts a slice lip control system which is mounted on a headbox 10 for controlling the extent to which a flexible slice lip member 46 extends across the discharge gap 48 at the base of the headbox 10 . The slice lip member 46 extends along the headbox 10 across the entire width of the web in the cross-direction. The actuator 18 controls of the slice lip member 46 , but it should be understood that the individual actuators 18 are independently operable. The spacing between the individual actuators in the actuator array may or may not be uniform. Wetstock 50 is supported on wire 30 which rotates by the action of rollers 22 and 24 .
As an example shown in FIG. 3 , the amount of feedstock that is discharged through the gap between the slice lip member and the surface of the web 30 of any given actuator is adjustable by controlling the individual actuator 18 . The feed flow rates through the gaps ultimately affect the properties of the finished sheet material, i.e., the paper 42 . Specifically, as illustrated, a plurality of actuators 18 extend in the cross direction over web 30 that is moving in the machine direction indicated by arrow 6 . Actuators 18 can be manipulated to control sheet parameters in the cross direction. A scanning device 38 is located downstream from the actuators and it measures one or more the properties of the sheet. In this example, several actuators 18 are displaced as indicated by arrows 4 and the resulting changes in sheet property is detected by scanner 38 as indicated by the scanner profile 54 . By averaging many scans of the sheet, the peaks of profile 54 indicated by arrows 56 can be determined. This type of operation is typically used in traditional open and closed-loop bump tests. In contrast, the inventive reverse bump test does not directly send perturbations to the actuator profile. It should be noted that besides being positioned in the headbox, actuators can be placed at one or more strategic locations in the papermaking machine including, for example, in the steamboxes, dryers, and vacuum boxes. The actuators are preferably positioned along the CD at each location.
FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment the closed-loop reverse bump test for a sheetmaking system such as that shown in FIG. 1 . The term “reverse bump test” denotes that in contrast to standard model identification techniques that perturb one or more actuators and then extract information from the response, e.g., measurement profile from the scanner, the inventive technique artificially inserts a step signal d y on top of the measurement profile y (equivalently, a step signal d r on top of the setpoint target profile r) and then analyzes the actuator response while the system is under closed-loop control.
Referring to FIG. 4 , the process employs a controller denoted by K for use with a profile analyzer for the sheetmaking system denoted G. Signals associated with this process include r, u, and y. The r signal represents a selected target or selected setpoint level, signal u represents the actuator signal, and signal y represents the measurement profile, e.g., scanner measurements. When controlling and measuring sheetmaking parameters in the cross direction, it is understood that the signals will be arrays or vectors, so that, for instance, y can be described as a vector whose ith component is the weight level or moisture level or thickness of a sheet at the ith position along a scanner. The signal d y represents an unmeasured disturbance or a perturbation or offset signal that is inserted in the measurement profile. The signal d r represents a perturbation or offset signal that is inserted on the target profile. The controller K can be any suitable closed-loop controller and may contain many signal processing components, for example, spatial and/or temporal filters, a proportional integral derivative (PID) controller, Dahlin controller, proportional plus integral (PI) controller, or proportional plus derivative (PD) controller, or a model predictive controller (MPC). An MPC is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,807,510 to Backstrom and He, which is incorporated herein by reference. During normal production, a y signal profile is continuously generated by scanning the finished paper product and this signal is compared to the r signal for any error defined by e=r−y when d r =0.
The inventive closed-loop reverse bump test can be implemented to generate alignment data for any of the actuators that control cross direction operations of the various components for the sheetmaking system shown in FIG. 1 provided that the actuators are connected to the perturbed profile measurement y, setpoint r, or error e in the closed-loop through controller K. Therefore, while the invention will be illustrated by monitoring the actuators at the headbox which control that feedstock discharge through the individual slices, the invention can also be implemented to ascertain alignment data for any of the actuators that control cross directional unit operations in the sheetmaking machine including, for example, the steambox, dryer, and vacuum box.
In implementing the reverse bump test, a sheetmaking system G, such as a papermaking machine, is initially operated with actuators that are set by the feedback controller K to cause y to match a target signal profile r as closely as possible. During paper production, a y signal profile is generated by scanning the finished paper product. Thereafter, with the papermaking machine still in closed-loop control, the target profile is modified by inserting a pertubative signal d r to create a setpoint target profile at summer 64 of r+d r . The measurement profile y signal profile from the scanner will be subtracted from the setpoint target profile at summer 62 . Controller K will convert the error signal e from the comparator into an actuator signal profile u that is received by the papermaking machine. The effect will be that the papermaking machine feedstock discharge through the slice lip opening at the headbox that will be adjusted to have the measurement profile y follow the perceived change in setpoint target.
The following describes a preferred technique of implementing the inventive reverse bump test for closed-loop identification of CD controller alignment. In operation, the control system of the papermaking machine, for instance, is left in the closed-loop and a step signal is artificially inserted on top of the measurement profile from the scanner which measures the finished paper product. Data is recorded as the control system responds by adjusting the actuators at the headbox to remove the perceived perturbation. Finally, a model, which contains alignment information, is identified from the data comprising the artificial measurement disturbance and the resulting actuator profile. In actual implementation of the reverse bump test, the “bump” should not be so drastic as to cause the final product, e.g., paper, to be unfit for sale.
Reverse Bump Test Design and Data Collection Procedure
(1) Design a bump test by designing the setpoint target bumps (δr).
a. Using a papermaking machine for illustrative purposes, preferably at least two well-separated “bump” are positioned in the cross-direction. For example, they can be located at ¼ and ¾ across the sheet width.
b. In the time domain, operate the machine at a baseline and then operate the machine in a plurality of steps up and down. The simplest technique is to execute a single step that lasts long enough for the closed-loop controller to reach its new steady state with the setpoint bumps.
(2) Run the reverse bump test. With the CD in closed-loop control, modify the setpoint target profile with (r+δr) as designed above. While logging the data for:
a. Two dimensional setpoint target array (r).
b. Two dimensional setpoint target bumps (δr).
c. Two dimensional scanner profile measurements (y).
d. Two dimensional actuator profile array (u).
To illustrate the utility of the inventive technique, computer simulations implementing the reverse bump test for closed-loop identification were conducted using Matlab R12 software from Mathworks. The simulations modeled a papermaking machine as depicted in FIG. 4 with a headbox having 45 actuators that controlled pulp stock discharge through the corresponding slice lip opening. The weight of the finished paper was measured by a scanner at 250 points or bins across the width of the paper from the front to back side of the machine; each bin represents a distance of about 5 mm. The weight of the finished paper had a mean value of about 191 lb per 1000 units of sheet. The model also simulated closed-loop control of the actuators in response to signals from the scanner.
FIGS. 5A and 5C show the setpoint target and measurement profiles for paper vs. CD position in a normal steady-state closed loop operation. As is apparent, the setpoint target and measurement profiles for the finished paper are essentially the same and are represented by horizontal profiles depicting paper that has a weight of slightly more than 191 lb per 1000 units of sheet. Note that an actual papermaking machine would typically not have such a flat measurement profile y as there are typically uncontrollable high spatial frequency components that are not removed by the controller and do not affect this analysis. FIG. 5B is the headbox actuator profile and shows how the flow of pulp through the slices in the headbox varies across the headbox. The change in actuator response is relative to a baseline of zero. These profiles illustrate the appearance of the cross-directional control system prior to performing the “reverse bump test” experiment.
FIGS. 6A and 6C show the setpoint target and measurement profiles for paper vs. CD position in a steady-state closed loop operation after the setpoint target has been modified with ‘bumps’ at ¼ and ¾ across the paper sheet. As is apparent, the modifying setpoint target causes a corresponding change in the measurement profile for the finished paper. FIG. 6B is the headbox actuator profile and shows the slice jack actuator positions across the headbox. These profiles illustrate the appearance of the cross-directional control system during the “reverse bump test” experiment once the closed-loop has reached the steady-state.
Alignment Identification Algorithm
a. Using standard techniques, the response of the actuator profile to the setpoint target bumps is computed. In one preferred method, the actuator profile can be computed as the difference between the baseline actuator profile (prior to bumps) and the steady-state actuator profile (after bumps are inserted). As an illustration, FIGS. 7A , 7 B, and 7 C are the difference between the closed-loop target setpoint, actuator and measurement profiles. The actuator array illustrated is denoted as u resp . Specifically, the actuator profile plotted in FIG. 7B was computed by subtracting the normal operation closed-loop actuator profile in FIG. 5B from the closed-loop actuator profile resulting from the setpoint target bumps in FIG. 6B ,
u resp =r bump −u normal
The 1-dimensional array profiles u normal and u bump are the best estimates of the actuator profile during the baseline collection and the actuator profile for the system having reached steady-state after the bumps.
b. Next the actuator response profile and the setpoint target bump profile (as illustrated in the graphs in FIGS. 7B and 7A ) are partitioned in the middle to make two arrays of approximately equal length:
u
resp
=
[
u
low
u
high
]
δ
r
=
[
δ
r
low
δ
r
high
]
c. Compute the Fourier transforms of each of the component arrays:
U low f =fft ( u low )δ R low f =fft (δ f low )
U high f =fft ( u high )δ R high f =fft (δ f high )
d. Now the closed-loop spatial frequency response of the low end of the sheet and the high end of the sheet may be given by:
T low f =U low f ./δR low f
T high f =U high f ./δR high f
where “./” denotes element-by-element division.
e. For CD control systems, the low-frequency components of the arrays T low f and T high f will be equal to the inverse of the frequency response of the process itself, as practical cross-directional control will eliminate all low spatial frequency components of the steady-state error profile e=r−y, thus meaning that the actuator profile u contains exactly the correct alignment at low spatial frequencies. Thus the low frequency phase information in the arrays T low f and T high f will contain the true alignment information of the system.
e. The phase information of phase(T low f ) and phase(T high f ) could potentially be used directly. Alternatively, as illustrated here, the possibility of using the reverse bump test to compute the alignment change between two reverse bump tests that are performed perhaps days/weeks/months apart was considered. In this case, the alignment change between the alignment at the time of an “old” reverse relative to the alignment at the time of a “new” reverse bump test is computed, as follows:
H low f =U low f (new)./ U low f (old)
H high f =U high f (new)./ U high f (old)
then the phase information phase(H low f ) and phase(H high f ) are plotted with respect to the spatial frequency v as shown in FIGS. 8B and 8D , respectively.
g. A straight line through the low frequency components of phase(H low f ) and phase(H high f ) is fitted through the low frequency components of the two plots of FIGS. 8B and 8D , respectively. For the example illustrated in FIG. 8 , the low side phase ( FIG. 8B ) has a slope of 29.5 engineering units at zero frequency. Since the simulation used millimeters, the slope is 29.5 mm). The high side phase ( FIG. 8D ) has a slope of 50.9 mm at zero frequency. The y-axis intercepts of these straight lines should naturally be zero (and this can be constrained during the curve fit). The slope of this straight line is equal to the change in the alignment of the paper sheet at the CD positions of the low bump and the high bump, respectively.
h. Since it was assumed the change in alignment to be linear, the fact that at least two well-spaced bumps were employed allowed the two slopes to determine the two degrees of freedom assumed for the linear change in alignment. A straight line is drawn between the two measured points in FIG. 9 to model the change in alignment for the overall sheet as a function of the cross-directional position. Specifically, in FIG. 9 , the slopes of the zero frequency phases illustrated in FIG. 8 , i.e., 29.5 mm and 50.9 mm, were plotted against the CD position of the induced setpoint target bumps (δr) which are positioned approximately ¼ and ¾ of the way across the sheet as described above. It was assumed that the change in alignment was linear across the sheet width. The line in the graph is an alignment update computed from a linear fit between the two data points computed from the data obtained during the reversed bump test. A linear alignment shift is the most common experienced on actual papermaking machines. As is evident, other models of alignment can be accommodated and would simply involve a different distribution of the induced setpoint target bumps (δr).
If a more complicated nonlinear shrinkage pattern is assumed, then the above procedure could be modified to identify the nonlinear alignment change. This can be accomplished by designing more than two well-spaced bumps. This could potentially require the bumps to be staggered in time. For example, the bumps can be implemented sequentially. Finally, the change in cross-directional controller alignment as a function of cross-directional position on the sheet has been computed, e.g., as illustrated in FIG. 9 . This function can then be used to update the alignment of the online cross-directional controller. A CD control system will perform at its best when the controller alignment matches the true alignment of the paper sheet and the actuators.
The foregoing has described the principles, preferred embodiment and modes of operation of the present invention. However, the invention should not be construed as limited to the particular embodiments discussed. Instead, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive, and it should be appreciated that variations may be made in those embodiments by workers skilled in the art without departing from the scope of present invention as defined by the following claims.
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A reverse bump test, for identifying the alignment of a sheetmaking system while the system remains in closed-loop control, includes the following steps: (a) leaving the control system in closed-loop, (b) artificially inserting a step signal on top of the measurement (or setpoint) profile from the scanner, (c) recording the data as the control system moves the actuators to remove the perceived disturbance (or setpoint change), and (d) refining or developing a model from the artificial measurement disturbance (or setpoint change) to the actuator profile. The technique supplies the probing/perturbation signal to the scanner measurement, which is equivalent to supplying the probing/perturbation signal to the setpoint target) rather than inserting bumps via the actuator set points as has been practiced traditionally.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to fasteners in general and in particular to an improved fastener that is resistant to removal or pull-out.
2. Description of Related Art
Fasteners, such as nails, are well known for the purpose of securing articles of wood, plastic and the like together. Nails are elongate pin-shaped, sharp objects of hard metal or alloy having a sharpened end and a blunted or flared driving end.
Nails are typically driven into the work piece by a hammer, a pneumatic nail gun, or a small explosive charge or primer. A nail holds materials together by friction in an axial direction and shear strength laterally. Fasteners, such as nails, which are applied by an axial force are advantageously quick and easy to use. One limitation of nails, however is their reliance upon the friction between the nail on the wood surface to retain the nail in the material. Accordingly, nails may be prone to being axially displaced within the material which is also known as being pulled out.
Screws are also well known fasteners, however it is well known that screws are more difficult and time consuming to apply as they are required to be twisted or torque into the material. In particular, many screws are required to be axially rotated a plurality of times while being driven into the material. This is both time consuming and labor intensive. Screws also typically have a single helical thread extending therearound.
Other attempts to provide fasteners having improved pull out performance have provided circumferential rings or ridges around the shank of the nail or spiraled planar surfaces surrounding the shank of the nail, also referred to as screw-shank nails. Such attempts have similarly been limited in the resistance of the nail to pull out as the nail does not engage a surface area of the material into which it is applied that is a significantly larger than the circumference of the nail itself.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to a first embodiment of the present invention there is disclosed a fastener comprising a central elongate shank extending between first and second ends. The first end of the shank has a tapered point. The second end has a head having an annular shoulder disposed towards the second end. The fastener further comprises an opposed pair of spines extending along the path of a double-alpha helix along the shank and a plurality of hooks extending from each of the pair of opposed spines.
The plurality of hooks may have sharpened tips oriented towards the second end of the shank. The spines and the hooks may be formed from a planar member defining a double-alpha helix plane around the shank. The plurality of hooks may be curved out of the double-alpha helix plane of the spines. The tips of the plurality of hooks may be disposed to opposed alternating sides of the spines. The plurality of hooks may have flexible tips.
The spines may extend radially from the shank. The spines may have a constant angle of inclination about the shank. The spines may include a directional self-tapping blade oriented at an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination about the shank proximate to the first end of the shank. The spines may extend 360 degrees around the shank between the first and second ends of the shank. The spines may extend less than 360 degrees around the shank between the first and second ends of the shank.
The fastener may further include a protrusion extending axially with the shank from the head. The protrusion may be frangibly connected to the head. The protrusion may be formed of a more ductile material than the head. The protrusion may be deformable into an anti-friction slip washer upon impact by a fastener driver. The washer may be separable from the head upon rotation of the shank and head.
Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention wherein similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in each view,
FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a fastener according to a first embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of a fastener of FIG. 1 embedded in several boards.
FIG. 3 is a front view of a blank for forming the fastener of FIG. 1 at a first stage.
FIG. 4 is a front view of a blank for forming the fastener of FIG. 1 at a second stage.
FIG. 5 is a front view of a blank for forming the fastener of FIG. 1 at a third stage.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a blank for forming the fastener of FIG. 1 at a third stage.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a portion of one of the spines having a plurality of hooks of the fastener of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
Referring to FIG. 1 , a fastener according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10 . The fastener 10 has an elongate central shaft or shank 12 extending between a first or sharpened end 14 and a second or driving end 16 . The fastener 10 includes first and second spines 18 and 20 extending therealong. The first and second spines 18 and 20 are located to opposed sides of the shank 12 and spiral around the shaft along a double-alpha helix path as will be more fully described below. The first and second spines 18 and 20 each include a plurality of protrusions or hooks 30 having pointed ends oriented towards the driving end 16 of the fastener.
The shank 12 may have a round cross section, as are common in the art although it will be appreciated that other cross-sections may also be useful, such as, by way of non-limiting example, oval, square or rectangular. In embodiments having a non-round cross section, the cross section shape may twist around the shank in correspondence with the first and second spines such that the location of the spine on the cross-sectional shape will remain constant along the length of the shank. Optionally, the cross section may remain at a constant radial orientation around the shank while the spines twist therearound along a double-alpha helix path.
The path of each spine has an angle of inclination, generally indicated at 23 relative to an axis 24 of the shank 12 . The angle of inclination 23 of the spines 18 and 20 is constant along the length of the shank. As illustrated, a path of each of the first and second spines 18 and 20 curves around the fastener by 360 degrees from the sharpened end 14 to the driving end 16 although it will be appreciated that the first and second spines 18 and 20 may twist about the shank 12 by other rotation angles as well. Preferably, the twist of the first and second spines 18 and 20 about the shank will be limited to 360 degrees such that the first or second spine 18 or 20 does not overlap upon itself. Accordingly, the angle of inclination 23 of the spines 18 and 20 will be selected so as to permit each of the spines to rotate around the shank by up to 360 degrees along a double-alpha helix path depending upon the length of the fastener 10 . As utilized herein, a double-alpha helix path is defined as the path of a pair of paths twisting about the central shank in a continuous right-hand spiral with a smooth constant angle on opposite sides of the shank.
Each spine 18 and 20 may also include a directional self-taping blade 40 comprising a planar member 42 extending radially from the shank 12 . The planar member 42 is oriented relative to the shank 12 at an angle corresponding to the angle of inclination 23 of the spines 18 and 20 so as to form a path in the material into which the fastener 10 is to be inserted for the first and second spines 18 and 20 to follow. Each directional self-taping blade 40 includes a leading edge 44 being angled away from the sharpened end 14 of the fastener. The leading edge 44 may optionally be sharpened so as to facilitate insertion of the fastener through the material. As illustrated in FIGS. 4 , 5 and 6 , the leading edge 44 may be formed between side blade surfaces 48 . The side blade surfaces 48 may be continuations with sharpened tip surface 49 as illustrated. The leading edge 44 may be angled by an angle relative to the axis 24 of the shank generally indicated at 46 . The leading edge angle 46 may correspond to the angle of the sharpened portion of the shank and be selected to facilitate ease of insertion of the fastener into a material as is commonly known. As described above, the directional self-taping blade 40 cuts a path into the material along a double-alpha helix path about a bore formed by the shank 12 for the first and second spines 18 and 20 to follow.
The driving end 16 includes a flattened head portion 17 and an annular shoulder 19 as are conventionally known. The fastener 10 may also include a protrusion or nipple 22 extending axially from the head portion 17 . The protrusion 22 may be of a softer material or have less material hardening treatment than the remainder of the fastener such that the protrusion 22 is operable to be sheared off of the head portion 17 . The protrusion 22 may also be attached to the head portion 17 by a frangible portion. Upon impact by a hammer or the like, the protrusion 22 will be flattened and sheared from the head portion 17 so as to form a slip washer 25 on the surface thereof as illustrated in FIG. 2 . The slip washer 25 formed by the protrusion 22 will reduce the friction between the head portion 17 of the fastener 10 and a driving surface, such as a pneumatic nail gun, hammer, or the like it is driven into a material. It will therefore be seen that the slip washer will therefore reduce the torque imparted to the head portion 17 and will therefore be particularly useful for applications where the fastener 10 is inserted by the use of a nail gun and the like. It will be appreciated that for applications where the fastener 10 is to be driven by a hammer, that the slip washer may not be necessary due to the repeated impacts of the hammer on the head portion 17 of the fastener being for a shorter duration therefore less prone to friction or exertion of a torque on the head.
The fastener 10 may be formed of any known means such as machining, forging or casting. The fastener 10 may be formed of any suitable metal, such as, by way of non-limiting example, mild steel, iron, stainless steel, copper, titanium, or alloys. In particular, one method of forming the present fastener 10 may to be form, by pressing, stamping, extruding from a roll of wire or otherwise forming the shank 12 with opposed side plates 50 extending radially therefrom as illustrated in FIG. 3 . Thereafter, excess material or notches 52 may be removed, by cutting, grinding, stamping, pressing or otherwise so as to form the hooks 30 in the side plates 50 as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 . The head portion 17 and protrusion 22 may then be formed in driving end 16 by a press or other means as illustrated in FIG. 5 . Before, after or concurrently with forming the head portion and nipple, the fastener 10 may be twisted about the shank 12 so as to provide the required twist to the first and second spines 18 and 20 . The fastener 10 may also be formed with a twisting side plates 50 thereabout along a double-alpha helix path wherein the spines 18 and 20 and the hooks 30 are formed in the side plates along the double-alpha helix path. Optionally, the fastener 10 may be formed to have the side plates 50 and thereafter the side plates and fastener twisted to follow the double-alpha helix path before the spines and hooks are formed therein.
Turning now to FIGS. 6 and 7 , the hooks 30 and spines are formed of a common side plate 50 as described above. The hooks may be formed to have a rearwardly inclined triangular shape having leading and trailing edges, 37 and 39 , respectively, and first and second distal pointed ends, 34 and 36 , respectively. The spines 18 and 20 and hooks 30 are aligned along and extend radially from the shaft along a longitudinal path 32 . The spines and hooks therefore define a plane 33 extending radially from the shank 12 along the path 32 as illustrated in FIG. 7 . It will therefore be appreciated that the path of travel 32 and plane 33 follow a double-alpha helix path along the shank 12 . As illustrated in FIG. 6 (showing the fastener 10 before a twist is applied to spiral the spines) the first pointed ends 34 of the hooks 30 may be displaced to a first side of the plane 33 while the second pointed ends 36 may be displaced to a second opposed side of the plane 33 . The first and second pointed ends 34 and 36 are alternated along the first and second spines 18 and 20 . Additionally, FIG. 7 shows the alternating protrusion orientation in greater detail wherein the first and second pointed ends 34 and 36 are disposed to alternating sides of the plane 33 . The first and second ends may be arcuately curved out of the plane 33 such that the majority of the protrusions are aligned therewith. The offset to the hooks 30 may be formed during forming of the hooks 30 or at any other time.
The trailing edge 39 of the hooks 30 may be inclined from radial to the shank 12 in a direction towards the driving end 16 of the fastener. Once imbedded within a material, the rearwardly inclined hooks 30 will resist pull out of the fastener and the head portion 17 and will resist further insertion of the fastener thus securing the fastener therein. As illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein the fastener 10 is embedded through first, second, third and fourth boards, 8 a , 8 b , 8 c and 8 d , respectively, the hooks 30 will resist any pull out movement of the fastener as indicated generally at 64 . In any movement of the fastener in direction 64 relative to one of the boards 8 a , 8 b , 8 c or 8 d will cause the hooks 30 to engage with that board and draw the hooks out of the plane 33 in directions 60 and 62 . This will further serve to embed the fastener within the material as the fastener is attempted to be drawn backwards. Similarly, if any of the boards 8 b , 8 c or 8 d are drawn downward in directions generally indicated at 66 , such as by prying between the boards, the hooks 30 will also be drawn out of plane 33 in directions 60 and 62 to further engage in that board. It will be seen that the first board 8 a is maintained fixed with the fastener 10 by the head portion 17 which will bear upon the top surface of the first board. Therefore, any movement between the boards 8 a , 8 b , 8 c and 8 d will cause a corresponding movement between the fastener and at least one of those boards and will therefore further engage the hooks 30 in that board.
Thus it will be seen that any attempt to remove the fastener 10 from the boards or to pry the boards apart from each other will server to further engage the hooks 30 within the boards and more securely secure them to each other. Such a fastener may be useful for constructions in locations susceptible to natural disasters and may therefore be useful as a tornado, hurricane or earthquake fastener (T.H.E Fastener).
While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.
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Disclosed is a fastener comprising a central elongate shank extending between first and second ends. The first end of the shank has a tapered point. The second end a head has an annular shoulder disposed towards the second end. The fastener further comprises an opposed pair of spines extending helically along the shank and a plurality of hooks extending from each of the pair of opposed spines. Also disclosed is a protrusion extending axially with the shank from the head deformable into an anti-friction washer upon impact by a fastener driver.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the production of a proppant, particularly frac sand, for use in hydraulic fracturing and similar mining and extractive processes.
BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION
[0002] Proppants, such as frac sand, are utilised in extractive processes using hydraulic fracturing, for example for oil and gas extraction. Hydraulic fracturing (or fracking) is a process which is used to create or extend fractures in rock formations, using the pressure of the hydraulic fluid. The fluid is typically introduced under substantial pressure via a borehole. The fractures assist in the extraction of gas, oil, water or other materials contained in a rock formation, by increasing the porosity of the rock structure.
[0003] The function of the proppant is to flow into the fractures in the rock and maintain the fractures open, so that the fractures provide increased porosity in the rock structure and allow the effective extraction of the desired material. The proppant is introduced as a slurry with the hydraulic fluid.
[0004] As such, it is important that the proppant has the appropriate physical properties. Depending upon the situation, different proppants may be used. Frac sand is a commonly used proppant material, being formed from natural sand, or sand modified to have the required characteristics. These properties include a sufficient degree of roundness, sphericity and ability to meet a required crushing parameter. One standard for frac sand is established by the American Petroleum Institute ‘Recommended Practices for Testing Sand used in Hydraulic Fracturing Operations’, RP-56, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0005] It is disclosed in U.S. patent application No 20100071902 to Zeigler to produce an artificial frac sand from naturally occurring silica sand. This discloses a process of crushing, screening and repeated pneumatic abrasion to achieve the desired sand characteristics. However, this process requires multiple passes, in part because air is not a very efficient way to transfer energy to the sand.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a process for producing frac sand which is more efficient than existing techniques.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] In a broad form, the present invention uses a wet slurry process to self-abrade the natural sand particles, so as to achieve the necessary physical characteristics.
[0008] According to one aspect, the present invention provides a process for producing frac sand having a predetermined size range and sphericity from a feedstock material, including at least the steps of:
[0009] (a) Placing said feedstock material in a chamber with a liquid, so as to form a slurry, and causing the slurry to rotate under conditions such that the particles in the slurry are caused to mutually abrade;
[0010] (b) Continuing to rotate the slurry until such time as at least a substantial part of the particles in the slurry meet the predetermined size range and sphericity requirements.
[0011] According to another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for producing frac sand having a predetermined size range and sphericity from a feedstock material, the apparatus including a conditioning cell, and including a mechanism for operatively causing a slurry of feedstock material and liquid to rotate within the cell, an entry port for introducing water and feedstock material, and a discharge port for discharging the contents of the conditioning cell.
[0012] The present invention also encompasses a frac sand product produced using the inventive method or apparatus.
[0013] The use of a wet environment means that the specific gravity of the sand is much closer to the specific gravity of the working medium. As a consequence, the chance of fracturing the silica particles is reduced. This is important as, if the particles are fractured rather than abraded, they will not meet the required size, roundness and sphericity requirements. Accordingly, implementations of the present invention enable improved yields of material meeting the required standard.
[0014] A further advantage of implementations of the present invention is that the energy requirements are significantly reduced.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Illustrative embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying figures, in which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a side view, partly in section, of an apparatus according to one implementation of the present invention;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a detailed isometric view showing the stirrer structure according to the implementation of FIG. 1 ; and
[0018] FIG. 3 is a detailed isometric view showing the fan according to the implementation of FIG. 1 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0019] The present invention will be described with reference to a particular illustrative example. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the principles of the invention may be implemented using many alternative structures, power sources, and feedstocks. It will also be appreciated that the size, shape and scale of the implementation required will lead to necessary changes in the components, shapes, and operating characteristics of the components used for the process, and in the timing and other parameters of the process steps. It is anticipated that a variety of monitoring and control arrangements may be used in conjunction with implementations of the present invention.
[0020] The general approach of this implementation of the present invention is to select an appropriate feedstock, screen the material to produce an appropriate starting size range, and process the screened material in a wet conditioning cell, whereby the particles self abrade to improve sphericity and roundness.
[0021] The feedstock is preferably high in silica content. Alternatively, the sand feedstock may contain other minerals, with properties comparable to or better than silica for this application. The present invention is not limited in application to any particular sand feedstock, and the approach of the invention may be applied to any kind of suitable mineral feedstock. Whilst not preferred, the present invention could be applied to an artificial proppant material. However, it is preferred that a sand material with a silica content of at least 80% is used. The example below used feedstock with a silica content of 83%.
[0022] The sand may be a raw, natural sand, or it may be crushed to achieve the desired particle size. It is important that it is washed so as to remove clay and similar contaminants, or the clay may rub off during the crush test and cause the sand to fail the test.
[0023] It is inherent in the process that the material processed in the conditioning cell will be reduced in particle size. Accordingly, it is necessary to use a feedstock for the conditioning cell which is screened to an appropriate particle distribution, given the intended target frac sand size. It has been determined that one suitable starting material is to screen to nominally 50% larger than the target frac sand size. For example, one of the typical hydraulic frac sand sizes is 20/40 (in U.S. mesh sizes) which refers to particles between 850 μm and 425 μm. In this case the target feed stock would be about 1275 μm to 637 μm. Other typical frac sand specifications include 16/30, 30/50, 30/70 and 40/70. Of course, any desired range could be produced according to this invention.
[0024] The conditioning cell is partially filled with water, and the feedstock is then loaded into the cell. The precise ratio of water to feedstock can be optimised by the operator with regard to the particular properties of the sand and the dimensions and operating parameters of the conditioning cell. Using a cell as described below, a suitable nominal ratio is 1:1 by volume. Other ratios may be operable or even provide better performance.
[0025] While the example uses water alone, the present invention may be implemented with other additives and materials, for example salt water, or bore water. Other additives may be included with the water. Although not presently preferred, the present invention could in principle be implemented using other liquids.
[0026] One of the advantages of the present invention is that using a liquid slurry allows for more effective transfer of energy to abrading, rather than fracturing, the feedstock material. It is theorised that at least part of the reason for this is that the density of the liquid is closer to the density of the sand particles. Further modification of the liquid properties by additives, selection of alternative liquids, or otherwise changing the fluid properties may be helpful in optimising the effectiveness of the inventive techniques.
[0027] The conditioning cell is essentially a moderately high speed stirrer. It has been determined experimentally that a minimal speed is required to effectively condition the sand. For the experimental arrangement, the minimum rotational speed is at least 850 rpm. It is preferred that the rotational speed is between 720 and 1000 rpm for the cell size in the example below. It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the particles require a certain minimum energy to be transferred in the collisions, or else little or no mutual abrasion will occur. Accordingly, it will be understood that the optimum speed for a given conditioning cell will be dependant upon the feedstock material, the geometry of the cell and the stirrer, the size and shape of the cell, and in general factors which alter the fluid dynamics and rheology of the cell. It will be appreciated that any suitable mechanical system which induces an appropriate motion of the slurry could be used.
[0028] FIG. 1 illustrates one practical implementation of the present invention. Support frame 22 supports motor 20 and conditioning cell 30 . Support frame 22 may be formed from any suitable material, for example steel sections. Motor 20 is connected by coupling 21 to a stirrer assembly 31 within conditioning cell 30 . A fan 36 is provided at the base of the cell.
[0029] As can be seen in FIG. 2 , the stirrer assembly 31 is formed from a solid shaft 33 , from which multiple beater elements 34 extend. The function of the beater elements is to force rotation of the slurry and transfer energy to the slurry from the motor, so that mutual abrasion of the particle occurs, preferably with as little abrasion of the cell and the stirrer assembly as possible. It will be appreciated that, generally speaking, it is preferred that the gap between the wall of cell 30 on the one hand, and the beater elements 34 , is minimised. This is to ensure that so far as possible the entire slurry is forced to rotate, while minimising any locations of slower flow.
[0030] Fan 35 is provided to improve circulation of the slurry, so that there is a constant movement of material away from the base. As can be seen from FIG. 3 , the central shaft 37 is hollow, so as to receive shaft 33 . The individual fan blades 36 are upwardly angled, so as to produce an upward flow when rotated in the slurry.
[0031] In this implementation, sand and water are added through a small opening in the top of conditioning cell 30 . Removal of the slurry occurs in this implementation by removal of the bolted on lower plate of the conditioning cell 30 .
[0032] It will be appreciated that in a larger scale implementation, suitable valves, hoppers, conduits etc could be provided to automate these steps.
[0033] In this implementation, the cell is 450 mm in diameter, and 1200 mm in length. It is loaded with 150-200 kg of sand, and 150 to 200 L of water.
[0034] The sand is conditioned in the cell either for a set time, or until the sand has been suitably conditioned. This may be determined, for example, by inspecting a sample of the sand. Alternative monitoring and control process may be used. For example, another method which may be used in a suitable arrangement is to monitor the motor current, or power draw. As the particles improve in sphericity and roundness, the difficulty of the rotating the slurry decreases, with corresponding reductions in motor current and hence power drawn by the motor.
[0035] Over time, experience with particular input materials and conditions in a particular cell may allow a simple elapsed control to provide sufficient accuracy. Using the preferred set up, approximately 750 W of power for 12 minutes is required to condition 1 kg of sand.
[0036] After conditioning, the sand and water slurry is discharged out the base of the conditioning cell, and water is used to flush the cell. The cell's contents are discharged into a launder sump. This sump has a constant up current of water and a discharge weir which is designed to lift any of the under 75 μm particles from the contents of the launder. The launder is fitted with a product auger designed to lift and dewater the conditioned sand and to discharge this sand to either stockpile or the next process.
[0037] The conditioned sand is dried and then screened to the target frac sand size, in the example given, 850 μm to 425 μm using conventional screening systems, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
[0038] The stirring device is preferably powered by a directly coupled electric motor. However, it will be appreciated that any suitable alternative power source, for example an internal combustion engine of suitable design, could be used. The electric motor allows for close control of the speed of rotation. Similarly, any suitable stirring design may be used. For example, the stirrer could include fins or blades extending from the inside of the cell, or the cell could be rotated relative to the central stirring element.
[0039] It will be understood that in any scaled up system, detailed consideration of the intended feedstock material, throughput, and geometry will be required to optimise performance in any given system. Slurry rheology is a complex topic, particularly when the intention is to modify the particle sizes within the slurry as the conditioning cell is operated. It is anticipated that in a typical set up, 600 to 750 W of power will be required per kilogram of material to be processed.
[0040] Variations and additions are possible within the general inventive concept, as will be understood by those skilled in the art.
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Disclosed is an apparatus and method for producing frac sand, in order to meet size, sphericity and roundness standards, from a feedstock such as natural sand. The feedstock is rotated as slurry in a conditioning cell, so that it self abrades to produce frac sand with the required characteristics.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is US National Stage Entry of international patent application no. PCT/EP2008/061247, filed Aug. 27, 2008 designating the United States of America. Priority is claimed based on Federal Republic of Germany patent application no. 10 2007 040 666.7, filed Aug. 27, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention concerns an oil pan for an internal combustion engine.
PRIOR ART
DE 197 39 668 discloses an oil pump module comprised of an oil pump, an oil cooler, and an oil filter in an assembly. It comprises a base member that is embodied as a plastic housing. From one side, an oil pump is inserted, an oil cooler and an oil filter from the other side. Moreover, the oil pump is sealed by means of the base member relative to the housing of the internal combustion engine that drives also the oil pump. The oil module itself is however not adapted to the oil pan but to the housing of the internal combustion engine.
Furthermore DE 41 40 667 discloses a lubricant oil device comprised of several devices such as an internal combustion engine, torque converter, shifting clutch, gearbox, retarder and drive unit of a motor vehicle. Each of the devices has an oil collecting chamber for storing a lubricant oil quantity with a vacuum line and a supply line. The oil collecting chambers are connected to a common lubricant oil circuit with an oil pump, an oil cooler and an oil filter wherein the oil collecting chambers each have a certain filling level and devices for ensuring a normal oil level are present. This arrangement as a whole is very complex with respect to manufacture and requires a high mounting expenditure.
EP 0 807 748 discloses an oil pan for an internal combustion engine with oil passages integrally formed in the housing of the oil pan wherein the oil pan together with an oil filter and an oil pump as a unit is mountable on the internal combustion engine. The oil pump is arranged within the oil pan. An oil filter housing with an oil filter is also arranged within the oil pan and is connected thereto. At least one part of the oil filter housing is formed by a wall section of the oil pan itself. The pressure passage that extends from the oil pump to the oil filter is embodied as a riser whose highest point is above the normal oil level of the oil pan. By integration of the oil filter into the oil pan the access to the oil filter for maintenance work is made significantly more difficult and a reliable sealing action of the oil pan requires a high mounting expenditure.
The invention has the object to avoid the aforementioned disadvantages and to provide an oil pan for an internal combustion engine that is of a simple and reliable design.
This object is solved by the features of the independent claim 1 .
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention the oil cooler and the oil filter are integrated components of the oil pan. The neighboring arrangement of oil cooler and oil filter provides a straight connecting opening between the two components so that a complex oil guiding passage between cooler and filter is not required.
According to a further embodiment, the oil filter is partially integrated into the oil pan. Important in this connection is the simple servicing of the oil filter. This is achieved in that the servicing-relevant parts are arranged outside of the oil pan.
In one embodiment of the invention, one or two oil passages are produced between cooler and filter by a retractable core. Advantageously, both cooler connectors for the oil cooler can be produced with a single retractable core.
A further embodiment of the invention provides that the supply as well as the outlet for the oil module, comprised of oil cooler and oil filter, in the oil pan are aligned parallel and in the main removal direction for removing the plastic part from the injection mold.
A method for producing an oil pan for an internal combustion engine provides that the injection mold is to be matched to the pan contour of the oil pan and to employ at least one retractable core that extends approximately at a right angle to the closing direction of the injection mold so that this retractable core forms one or two passages in the oil pan. These passages serve as a connection between oil cooler and oil filter.
These and further features may not only be taken from the claims but also from the drawings and the description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be explained in the following with the aid of embodiments in more detail. It is shown in:
FIG. 1 an already known oil pan;
FIG. 1 a a detail illustration of the oil pan shown in FIG. 1 ;
FIG. 2 a schematic illustration of an oil pan with an integrated oil module;
FIG. 3 the oil pan illustrated in FIG. 2 in an interior view and with the removal directions for the injection mold;
FIG. 4 a further view of the oil pan with illustration of the oil supply and oil discharge on the oil module; and
FIG. 5 the oil pan illustrated in FIG. 2 in a bottom view with a radially sealed oil cooler.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows an oil pan 1 that is comprised of thermoplastic synthetic material and on which are attached an oil cooler 2 and an oil filter 3 . The oil pan is provided in the area of the oil filter 3 and the oil cooler 2 with appropriate conduits, i.e., a connection between the two elements is required. This connection is illustrated in FIG. 1 a . The oil filter is connected by an oil supply passage 4 with the oil cooler 2 . The oil supply passage is an additional component within the oil pan 1 . The oil flows through the connector 5 into the oil cooler, is cooled therein in the conventional way by supplying cooling water, exits through connector 4 from the oil cooler and flows to the oil filter 3 and exits from the oil filter through conduit 6 by means of which the oil reaches the lubricating sites of the internal combustion engine.
FIG. 2 shows in schematic illustration an oil pan with an oil module as an embodiment of the invention. The oil pan 10 is illustrated in a bottom view. On the side of the oil pan 10 there is a closure plug 11 for removing the used oil. Within the oil pan 10 , a vacuum passage in the form of a flow-guiding wall 12 with a connector socket 13 to an oil pump, not illustrated, is provided. This flow-guiding wall 12 that is illustrated here for improved representation external to the oil pan is usually attached to the bottom within the oil pan by means of vibration welding methods. To the right side on the oil pan 10 an oil cooler 14 in the form of a plate oil cooler is illustrated. This oil cooler is comprised of a stack of cooler plates between which alternatingly oil and cooling water is present. The cooling water is supplied and removed by connectors 15 and 16 . The supply or discharge of the oil to be cooled is realized by connectors 17 , 18 . The arrows 19 , 20 show the removal direction for producing the connecting openings, i.e., when producing the oil pan in an injection mold retractable cores are arranged at these positions in the injection mold so that a simple manufacture of the passages is possible. While the connector 17 is required for supplying the oil to the oil cooler, by means of connector 18 the discharge of the cooled oil immediately into the oil filter housing 21 is realized. In the oil filter housing 21 the oil filter 22 is arranged. It is comprised of a zigzag folded filter insert 23 which may be matched to an oil filter lid 24 wherein the oil filter lid 24 can be screwed onto the oil filter housing 21 .
FIG. 3 shows an interior view of the system shown in FIG. 2 . Same parts are identified with same reference numerals. It is shown how the oil pan is producible in an injection mold for synthetic material, of course without the additional parts such as the flow-guiding wall 12 or oil cooler 14 and oil filter 22 . The removal direction of the mold for the oil pan as a whole is illustrated by the arrow 25 . The removal direction for the two connectors 17 , 18 is indicated by the two arrows 26 , 27 . Ultimately, in the injection mold retractable cores are positioned that are arranged substantially at a right angle to the removal direction of the oil pan and produce the openings in the oil pan. The opening for the connector 18 is a direct connection between the oil cooler and the oil filter. This means that a flow deflection for the cooled oil is not required here.
Moreover, the illustration as a whole also shows that also the further required openings can be produced in the main removal direction.
FIG. 4 shows a further view of the oil pan with illustration of the oil supply to the oil module and the oil discharge from the oil module. Based on the oil pump, not illustrated here, according to the arrow 28 the oil is supplied through the opening 29 to the oil cooler in this illustrated variant. Discharge is done after cleaning in the oil filter through the opening 30 according to arrow 31 to the lubrication sites of the internal combustion engine. Sealing of the openings relative to the housing or to the openings at the internal combustion engine is realized by a single axial seal that extends along the sealing surface 32 in the oil pan. The sealing profiled section that is inserted into the sealing surface surrounds the aforementioned openings 29 and 30 .
FIG. 5 shows the oil cooler 14 that is provided with connecting sockets for the supply and discharge of oil. The connecting socket 33 is visible in this illustration. It can be sealed in a simple way in the corresponding opening of the oil pan by means of a radial seal, for example, by an O-ring. Also sealing of the closure plug 11 is realized by an O-ring.
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The invention relates to an oil pan made of thermoplastic for an internal combustion engine, said oil pan comprising integrated oil cooler and an integrated oil filter, a straight connection opening being provided between the oil cooler and the oil filter.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates generally to alkoxylated acrylate and methacrylate macromonomers useful for preparing water-reducing additives for concrete, ultraviolet light (UV)-cured adhesives, and water-dispersed polyurethanes. The macromonomers are prepared using the continuous addition of starter in order to minimize the by-product formation during the alkoxylation reaction used to produce the macromonomer.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Polyols produced using a double metal cyanide (DMC) catalyst are known to possess advantageous properties, such as low ethylenic unsaturation. Particularly preferred polyols made using these DMC catalysts are produced using a continuous addition of starter, together with optional initially charged starter, during the polymerization of epoxide to produce the desired polyol, as described in more detail in U.S. Pat. No. 5,777,177. The '177 patent teaches the use of water or a low molecular weight polyol as the starter, and discloses that the resulting polyol has a reduced amount of high molecular weight tail.
[0003] The continuous addition of other starters, such as hydroxypropylmethacrylate (HPMA) to initiate the polymerization of an epoxide, such as propylene oxide or ethylene oxide, in the presence of a DMC catalyst, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,854,386, notably at column 3, lines 13-16, and column 6, lines 15-18 thereof. The '386 patent discloses that this methodology is useful in preparing stabilizers for polymer polyols and impact modifiers made by reacting the stabilizer with one or more polymerizable vinyl monomers. This process is described in more detail in the paragraph bridging columns 7 and 8 of that patent. The '386 patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0004] Due to the hydrophobic nature of many polyurethanes, there is a need to employ a dispersion stabilizer when preparing water-dispersed polyurethanes in order to prevent the dispersion from “breaking” by virtue of precipitation or agglomeration of the polyurethane component. Conventional dispersion stabilizers for water-dispersed polyurethanes are typically expensive, and oftentimes do not perform as well as might be desired. For example, 2,2-dimethyol propionic acid (DMPA) is costly, in short supply, and typically does not provide acid groups in the desired location on the urethane molecule, namely in the middle of the hydrophobic polyether portion of the molecule, upon reaction with an isocyanate.
[0005] There currently is a need in the polyurethanes manufacturing community for inexpensive, homogeneous macromonomer compositions that are useful in preparing water-dispersed polyurethanes having alcohol water-dispersing moieties in a middle portion of the urethane molecules. The present invention provides one solution to this need by using “continuous addition of starter” (CAOS) methodology to prepare alkoxylated macromonomers, such as propoxylated acrylate- and propoxylated methacrylate- macromonomers. These macromonomers can be copolymerized with an acid, or combination of acids, to produce a stabilizer for water-dispersible polyurethanes. Alternatively, these macromonomers can be co-polymerized with a monomer, or combination of monomers, to produce copolymers that are useful as additives in concrete-forming compositions. These additives permit the use of a reduced amount of water in fabricating the concrete, and provide a further improvement over the water-reducing agents described in co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 09/358,009 filed Jul. 21, 1999. These copolymers are also useful as additives in UV-curable adhesives in order to enhance the adhesive's performance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] One aspect of this invention provides an improved process for producing an alkoxylated acrylate macromonomer or an alkoxylated methacrylate macromonomer. The alkoxy moiety of the macromonomer contains between one and six carbons. In the process, a first component, namely a hydroxyalkylacrylate or a hydroxyalkylmethacrylate, is reacted with a second component, namely an alkylene oxide compound (preferably an alkylene oxide selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and combinations thereof). The macromonomer is produced by co-feeding the reactants into the reaction vessel co-currently or counter-currently, and carrying out the reaction at a reaction temperature of between about 60° C. and about 130° C. in the presence of a DMC catalyst, and optionally in the presence of a solvent. The reaction employs a CAOS method whereby the first component is added to a reactor already containing at least some amount of the second component. Use of this CAOS method facilitates production of the desired macromonomer, and reduces the likelihood of forming unwanted byproducts.
[0007] In another aspect, the present invention comprises copolymerizing the above-described macromonomer with a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, styrene, maleic acid, methyl methacrylate, and combinations thereof. The resulting copolymer is useful as a water-reducing additive for concrete formation. When this water-reducing additive is present in a reaction mixture comprising sand, cement, and water, less water is needed than the amount that is necessary to prepare concrete in the absence of the water-reducing additive.
[0008] In still another aspect, this macromonomer, and its derivatives, can be used as a performance-enhancing additive for a UV-curable adhesive.
[0009] In yet another aspect, the above-described macromonomer can be used in the preparation of water-dispersible polyurethanes. For this use, the macromonomer is co-polymerized with a monomer selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, maleic acid, and combinations thereof, in order to produce a co-polymer containing hydroxyl and acid moieties. At least a portion of the hydroxyl moieties on the copolymer are then reacted with an isocyanate to provide the water dispersible polyurethane.
[0010] These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0011] It has now been surprisingly found that macromonomers produced in accordance with the present invention using a continuous addition of starter methodology are particularly useful in fabricating water-reducing additives for concrete-forming compositions, in producing dispersants for water-dispersible polyurethanes and performance enhancing additives for UV curable compositions. Illustratively, the macromonomers are reacted with a vinyl monomer to produce a co-polymer that is useful as a water-reducing additive (WRA) in concrete-forming compositions.
[0012] The macromonomers are prepared at a relatively low reaction temperature (between about 60 degrees and about 130 degrees Centigrade, preferably between about 60° C. and about 110° C.) in the presence of a relatively low concentration of a DMC catalyst (5 ppm to 500 ppm, preferably 5 ppm to 50 ppm), optionally in the presence of a solvent. The relatively low concentration of DMC catalyst, together with the relatively low reaction temperature, has been found by the present inventor to reduce or minimize the homopolymerization of the acrylate and methacrylate reactants. These reaction parameters have also been found to reduce or minimize the trans-esterification of hydroxyalkyl methacrylate and hydroxyalkylacrylate to form unwanted di-methacrylate and di-acrylate by-products. These byproducts are undesirable since they would be detrimental to the present inventor's envisioned use of the macromonomers as intermediates in the production of dispersants for water-dispersed polyurethanes, as well as the other uses described herein.
[0013] The macromonomers produced in accordance with the present invention are made using CAOS methodology wherein the methacrylate or acrylate “starter” is continuously added during the course of the reaction. The alkylene oxide compound employed in oxyalkylating the “starter” or “initiator” may be any alkylene oxide polymerizable with DMC catalysts.
[0014] Suitably, the alkylene oxide is selected from the group consisting of ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, butylene oxide, and combinations thereof. Illustrative compounds include ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, 1,2- and 2,3-butylene oxide, C6-30 alpha-olefin oxides, glycidol, and halogenated alkylene oxides. Preferred are propylene oxide and ethylene oxide.
[0015] Mixtures of more than one alkylene oxide many be used, for example, mixtures of propylene oxide and ethylene oxide. Alkylene oxides, and their mixtures, may be polymerized onto the initiator molecules in one or more stages, to produce homopolymers, block copolymers, random copolymers, block random copolymers and the like. “Copolymer” in the present application includes “terpolymer” and mixtures of more than three alkylene oxides as well.
[0016] Other co-monomers may be polymerized along with the alkylene oxide. Examples of copolymerizable monomers include those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,278,457; 3,278,458; 3,404,109; 3,538,043; 3,900,518; 3,941,849; 4,472,560; 5,145,833; and 5,223,583 which are herein incorporated by reference. Glycidol is a particularly preferred copolymerizable monomer, and it may be used to introduce additional hydroxyl functionality.
[0017] Suitable DMC catalysts are well known to those skilled in the art. DMC catalysts are non-stoichiometric complexes of a low molecular weight organic complexing agent, and optionally other complexing agents, with a double metal cyanide salt, e.g. zinc hexacyanocobaltate. Exemplary DMC catalysts include those suitable for preparation of low unsaturation polyoxyalkalene polyether polyols, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,427,256; 3,427,334; 3,427,335; 3,829,505; 4,472,560; 4,477,589; and 5,158,922. Preferably, however, the DMC catalysts used in accordance with the preferred aspects of the present invention are those capable of preparing “ultra-low” unsaturation polyether polyols such as polypropylene glycols and random EO/PO copolymers. The polyoxyalkylene polymers produced by the catalysts typically have levels of unsaturation (other than the purposefully introduced unsaturation of the subject invention starter molecules) less than about 0.010 meq/g, as measured by ASTM D-2849-69, “TESTING OF URETHANE FOAM POLYOL RAW MATERIALS”. Such catalysts are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,813 and 5,482,908, and 5,545,601, and these patents are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Preparation of the macromonomers of the present invention is facilitated using such highly active DMC catalysts.
[0018] Oxyalkylation conditions may be varied to suit the particular reactive unsaturation-containing initiator, alkylene oxide, and the like. For example, with liquid or low melting initiators, oxyalkylation may be effected by oxyalkylating neat, while with these same initiators or with solid initiators of higher melting point, oxyalkylation in solution or suspension in an inert organic solvent may be desired. Suitable solvents include aprotic polar solvents such as dimethylsulfoxide, dimethylacetamide, N-methyl-pyrrolidone, dimethylformamide, acetonitrile, methylene chloride, and especially the more volatile hydrocarbon solvents such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, cyclohexane, petroleum ether, methylethylketone, cyclohexanone, diethylether, tetrahydrofuran, and the like.
[0019] It has been found that certain hard-to-dissolve initiators may be initially oxyalkylated in suspension in an organic liquid such as toluene, and following oxyalkylation with from 1 to 4 mols of alkylene oxide, will form soluble reaction products which can be further oxyalkylated in solution.
[0020] Oxyalkylation temperatures and pressures are conventional when employing vinyl polymerization inhibitors. Temperatures may range from room temperature or below to about 150° C., or higher. Preferably, temperatures in the range of 70° C. to 140° C. are used, more preferably about 70° C. to 110° C. When highly active DMC catalysts capable of producing ultra-low unsaturation (less than 0.010 meq/g) are used, and the reaction is conducted at a low temperature, i.e. below 110° C., and most preferably in the range of 70° C. to 100° C., then polyoxyalkylation can occur at reasonable rates without additional polymerization of the unsaturated moieties present. This is true even in the absence of a vinyl polymerization inhibitor. Alkylene oxide pressure is adjusted to maintain a suitable reaction rate, consistent with the ability of the process system to remove heat from the reactor. Pressures from 2 psia or lower to about 90 psia are useful. A pressure of 2 to 15 psia, 2 to 10 psia when employing propylene oxide, ethylene oxide, or a mixture of these alkylene oxides, may be advantageous.
[0021] Catalyst concentration is generally expressed as ppm based on the weight of the product. The amount of catalyst will depend upon the activity of the particular DMC catalyst. When using very active catalysts, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,470,813; 5,482,908; and 5,545,601, amounts from less than 5 ppm to 500 ppm or higher are useful, more preferably from about 15 ppm to about 150 ppm.
[0022] In a typical synthetic procedure, the reaction is effected using a continuous addition of the initiator during the course of the reaction as disclosed in copending U.S. application Ser. No. 08/597,781, hereby incorporated by reference. For example, the initiator or initiators may be fed to the reactor continuously, either dissolved in alkylene oxide, dissolved in inert diluent, or, with liquid initiators, neat. The continuous addition of the initiator(s) may also be accompanied by continuous removal of product, resulting in a continuous synthesis process, as disclosed in U.S. application Ser. No. 08/683,356, also incorporated herein by reference.
[0023] The oxyalkylation of the reactive-unsaturation containing molecule is suitably conducted in the presence of a vinyl polymerization inhibitor, preferably of the type which function without the presence of oxygen, since oxyalkylations are generally “in vacuo”, meaning in this case that virtually the entire reactor pressure is due to alkylene oxide; or in the presence of a gas inert to the process, e.g. argon, nitrogen, etc. In other words, the partial pressure of oxygen, generally, is substantially zero. It is common to flush oxyalkylation reactors with nitrogen one or more times prior to final evacuation and introduction of alkylene oxide. Suitable inhibitors are well known to those skilled in the art of vinyl polymerization. Suitable inhibitors are, for example, butylated hydroxy toluene (BHT), 1,4-benzoquinone, 1,4-napthoquinone, diphenylphenylhydrazine, ferric chloride, copper chloride, sulfur, aniline, t-butyl-catechol, trinitrobenzene, nitrobenzene, 2,3,5,6-tetrachloro-1,4-benzoquinone (chloranil), and the like. BHT is preferred.
[0024] The inhibitor should be used in an amount effective to inhibit polymerization of the reactive unsaturation-containing inhibitor. Thus, the amount will vary with the reactivity of the particular type of unsaturation. Acrylates and methacrylates, for example may require higher levels of inhibitor than less reactive unsaturation-containing initiators. The amount of inhibitor will also vary with oxyalkylation temperature, with higher temperatures requiring higher amounts of inhibitor. Amounts of inhibitor, in weight percent relative to the weight of the reactive-unsaturation containing initiator, may vary from about 0.01 weight percent to about 1 weight percent, and more preferably from about 0.05 weight percent to about 0.5 weight percent. The latter range is particularly useful with BHT. If the vinyl polymerization inhibitor is not used, particularly with less active DMC catalysts, the product may be highly colored, or gelling of the product may occur.
[0025] Following oxyalkylation, the macromonomer may be vacuum stripped, for example using a stream of nitrogen, to remove unreacted monomers and other volatile components. The products may also be filtered to remove traces of DMC catalysts or their residues, or the products may be subjected to other methods of catalyst removal. When DMC catalysts of the ultra-low unsaturation-producing type are employed, the small amounts of catalysts used may be left in the product, or the product may be subjected to simple filtration to remove the catalysts and their residues.
[0026] The macromonomer is suitably reacted with a monomer such as acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, fumaric acid, styrene, maleic acid, methyl methacrylate, and combinations thereof, at a reaction temperature of between about 0° C. and about 100° C., preferably between about 30° C. and about 60° C., to prepare products useful in a variety of applications.
[0027] Illustratively, the macromonomer thusly produced may be used to prepare the dispersant for water reducing admixture for concrete, polymer polyol, or water-dispersed polyurethanes by reacting the intermediate with a vinyl monomer, such as acrylonitrile, styrene, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, methylmethacrylate, methylacrylate, p-methylstyrene, or the like. A vinyl polymerization initiator, e.g. an organic peroxide, hydroperoxide, peroxyester, azo compound, ammonium persulfate, or the like, is optionally added, and polymerization commenced. Examples of suitable free radical polymerization initiators include acyl peroxides such as dihexanoyl peroxide and dilaurolyl peroxide, alkyl peroxides such as t-butyl peroxy-2-ethylhexanoate, t-butylperpivalate, t-amylperoctoate, 2,5-dimethyl-hexane-2,5-di-per-2-ethylhexoate, t-butyl-per-dodecanoate, t-butylperbenzoate and 1,1-dimethyl-3-hydroxybutylperoxy-2-ethylhexanoate, and azo catalysts such as azobis(isobutyronitrile), 2,2′-azo-bis-(2-methylbutyronitrile), and mixtures thereof. Ammonium persulfate and other water-soluble initiators are preferred. Redox initiator systems are also suitable for use in this invention.
[0028] The polymerization initiator concentration employed is not critical and can be varied considerably. As a representative range, the concentration can vary from about 0.1 to about 5.0 weight percent or even more, based upon the total feed to the reactor. Up to a certain point, increases in the catalyst concentration result in increased monomer conversion, but further increases do not substantially increase conversion. The particular catalyst concentration selected will usually be an optimum value considering all factors, including costs. It has been determined that low concentrations can be used in conjunction with high potency preferred stabilizers while still obtaining the desired dispersants for water reducing admixture for concrete, water-dispersed polyurethane, and polymer polyol.
[0029] In preparing water-dispersible polyurethanes, at least a portion of the hydroxyl moieties present on the co-polymer is suitably reacted with an isocyanate. Any isocyanate may be employed, such as an aromatic isocyanate, i.e. toluene diisocyanate (TDI), or an aliphatic isocyanate, such as hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), or combinations thereof. Other useful isocyanates include isophorone diisocyanate (IPDI), ethylene diisocyanate, 1,4-tetramethylene diisocyanate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate, 1,10-decanemethylene diisocyanate, 1,12-dodecanemethylene diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,3-diisocyanate, cyclohexane-1,4-diisocyanate, 1-isocyanato-2-isocyanatomethyl cyclopentane, isophorone diisocyanate, bis-(4-isocyanatocyclohexyl)-methane, 1,3- and/or 1,4-bis-(isocyanatomethyl)-cyclohexane, bis-(4-isocyanato-3-methyl-cyclohexyl)-methane, 1-isocyanato-1-methyl-4(3)-isocyanatomethyl cyclohexane, 4,4′-dicyclohexylmethane diisocyanate, and combinations thereof.
[0030] As used herein, all percents are by weight unless otherwise specified, “ppm” designates “parts per million”, and all temperatures are in “degrees Centigrade” unless otherwise specified.
[0031] The following examples are intended to illustrate, but in no way limit the scope of, the present invention.
EXAMPLE 1
Preparation of Macromonomer A via a Total CAOS (Continuous Addition of Starter) Process
[0032] To a 300-gallon stainless steel pressure reactor, 250 lbs. of toluene (as a solvent), 245 g. BHT and 13.5 grams of DMC catalyst were added. The DMC catalyst is a zinc hexacyanocobaltate catalyst as produced by Example 2 of U.S. Pat. No. 5,482,908; and this patent is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. The reactor was stripped with nitrogen at room temperature for 10 minutes. After stripping, the reactor was kept under vacuum and was heated up to 100° C. HPMA was then fed into the reactor at 0.141 lb/min while both PO and EO are fed at 0.918 lb/min respectively. After 18.4 lbs. PO was fed into the reactor (20-min after the feeding started), all the feeds were turned off, and the reactor was let to cook out. After the reactor reached half pressure, the reactor was cooled down to 90° C., all feeds (HPMA, EO, and PO) were resumed at the twice the previous feed rates. Finally, after 4 hrs feeding of HPMA, EO and PO, all the feeds were closed again for 30 minutes to cook out. Additional BHT (300 g) was added to the reactor and the reactor was stripped under full vacuum for 3 hrs at 130° C. to remove the residual oxides and toluene. After the stripping, the reactor was cooled down and additional BHT (250 g) was added to the reactor. Finally the product, Macromonomer A, was drained to the containers.
EXAMPLE 2
Preparation of Macromonomer B via a Total CAOS Process
[0033] To a 300 gallon stainless steel pressure reactor, 220 lbs. Macromonomer A, 490 g of BHT and 26.9 grams of DMC catalyst as described in Example 1 were added. The reactor was stripped with nitrogen at 100° C. for 40 minutes. After stripping the reactor was kept under vacuum and was maintained at 100° C. HPMA was then fed into the reactor at 0.144 lb/min while both PO and EO were fed at 0.937 lb/min respectively. After 18.74 lbs. PO was fed into the reactor (20-min after the feeding started), all the feeds were turned off, and the reactor was let to cook out. After the reactor reached half pressure, the reactor was cooled down to 90° C., all feeds (HPMA, EO, and PO) were resumed at twice the previous rates. Finally, after 8 hrs feeding of HPMA, EO and PO, all the feeds were closed again for 30 minutes cook out. The reactor was stripped under full vacuum for 30 minutes to remove the residual oxides at 90° C. After the stripping the reactor was cooled down and additional BHT (485 g) was added to the reactor. Finally the product, Macromonomer B, was drained to the containers.
COMPARISON EXAMPLE 3
Preparation of Macromonomer C via a Semi-Batch Process
[0034] To a one-liter stainless steel pressure reactor, 54 g. of HPMA, 50 g of toluene, 0.5 g. BHT, 0.2 g of benzoquinone, and 0.12 g DMC catalyst as described in Example 1 were added. The reactor was stripped for 5 minutes at room temperature. After stripping, the reactor was kept under vacuum and was heated up to 100° C. Both PO and EO are fed into the reactor at 1.5 g/min respectively. After 10 g of PO was fed into the reactor (6.5 minutes after the feeding started), both the EO and PO feeds were turned off, and the reactor was let to cook out. After the reactor reached half pressure, both feeds (EO and PO) were resumed at the same feed rate of 1.5 g/min. Finally, after 4 hrs feeding of both EO (total of 348 g) and PO (total of 348 g), both the feeds were closed again for 30 minutes cook out. The reactor was stripped under full vacuum for 60 minutes at 100° C. to remove the residual oxides and toluene. After the stripping, the reactor was cooled down. Finally the product, Macromonomer C, was drained to the containers.
[0035] Analytical Results Comparison of the Three Samples
Sample Process Diol Viscosity OH# Mw/Mn Example 1 Total CAOS 0.00% 388 cSt 28.4 1.29 Example 2 Total CAOS 0.00% 401 cSt 27.7 1.27 Comp Ex 3 Semi-batch 3.75% 312 cSt 28.2 1.28
[0036] From above table, it is clear that the total CAOS process gives low diol content, as compared to the semi-batch methodology. Since lower diol content corresponds to a lower dimethacrylate content, higher performance in the Standard Slump Test is obtained with the macromonomer prepared by the total CAOS process, as compared with the results achieved using a macromonomer prepared by the non-CAOS process.
EXAMPLE 4
Preparation of Concrete Water Reducing Additive (WRA) from Macromonomer B (A Total CAOS Product)
[0037] A 250 ml, 3 neck flask with a thermowell and side arm overflow tube was used. The working volume of the reactor was about 175 mL. Three different feeds were co-fed to the reactor. The initiator, a 2.5% solution of ammonium persulfate in water, was fed from an ISCO pump at 12.5 mL per hour. A mixture of 650 g Macromonomer B, 94.0 g acrylic acid and 456 g water was fed from a reservoir at 100 g/hour. The reactor was initially charged with 40 g distilled water and then the feeds were started and the reaction mixture was heated to 40° C. with continuous feed for six hours. Reactor effluent collected during the first five hours of operation was discarded. Product during the next two hours was collected and evaluated in the slump test described below.
COMPARISON EXAMPLE 5
Preparation of Concrete WRA from Macromonomer C (Using a Semi-Batch Method)
[0038] A 250 mL, 3 neck flask with a thermowell and a side arm overflow tube was used. The working volume of the reactor was about 175 mL. Three different feeds were co-fed to the reactor. The initiator, a 2.5% solution of ammonium persulfate in water, was fed from an ISCO pump at 12.5 mL per hour. A 4.4% aqueous solution of mercaptoacetic acid was fed from a second ISCO pump at 12.5 mL per hour. A mixture of 650 Macromonomer C, 94.0 g acrylic acid and 456 g water was fed from a reservoir at 100 g/hour. The reactor was initially charged with 40 g of distilled water and then the feeds were started and the reaction mixture was heated to 40° C. with continuous feed for six hours. Reactor effluent collected during the first five hours of operation was discarded. Product during the next two hours was collected and evaluated in the slump test.
[0039] The Standard Slump Test:
[0040] The reaction products were tested in mortar mixes by using the slump test as described by ASTM method C-143. The method was modified in this case by using mortar in place of concrete and the slump cone was scaled by one-half in its dimension. In a typical test at a 25% water cut, 290 g water, 760 g cement and 1755 g dried mortar sand were mixed together with the admixture for 5 min and then the slump test was performed.
[0041] Comparison of the Slump Test Results for the WRA Made from the Polyether Methacrylates Prepared via Total CAOS and Semi-Batch Processes
Water/ Wt % additive Slump, Flow, Additive Cement on dry cement mm mm None 0.38 0 >20 NA Example 4 (total 0.38 0.16 130 239 CAOS macromonomer) Comparison Example 5 0.38 0.16 126 196 (semi-batch macromonomer)
[0042] Typically, higher slump and flow translate into higher water reducing performance for the product. These results demonstrate that the macromonomer made through the total CAOS process, in accordance with the present invention, performs better as a WRA than the macromonomer made through the semi-batch process.
[0043] One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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Alkoxylated acrylate and methacrylate macromonomers are disclosed that are useful in the preparation of water-reducing additives for concrete, ultraviolet light-curable adhesives, and water-dispersed polyurethanes. The macromonomers are suitably prepared by alkoxylating a hydroxyalkylacrylate or hydroxyalkylmethacrylate in the presence of a DMC catalyst using the continuous addition of starter (CAOS) in order to prevent the formation of by-products during the fabrication of the macromonomer.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to methods and apparatuses for measuring the average velocity of a flow stream.
In one class of velocity measuring apparatuses, ultrasonic signals are transmitted through the flow stream of a fluid and the reflections received from reflective portions of the fluid are sensed. The Doppler shift in frequency between the transmitted signal and the received signal is used to determine the average velocity of the fluid.
In this class of average-velocity measuring apparatuses, the waveform for the combined Doppler shifts in frequency of reflected ultrasonic sound represents an average velocity of the flow stream because the Doppler frequency shift for each portion of the flow stream is proportional to the velocity of that portion, the amplitude of the sum of the reflected signals for each different frequency shift represents the volume of the fluid flowing with that velocity, and thus, the sum of the received signals is a waveform combining the amount of each different velocity portion of the fluid. Each different velocity portion of the fluid stream contributes to a component of the waveform and its component is proportional to the contribution from each other different velocity portion so that the amplitude for each corresponding frequency shift represents the proportionate amount of fluid flowing with that velocity.
The signals that are incident on reflecting portions of the flow stream near the transmitting transducer or transducers have a higher amplitude than those incident on reflecting portions of the flow stream more remote from the transmitting transducer. The difference in amplitude or intensity is caused by the distribution of energy through a solid angle as it moves from the transmitting transducer to the reflecting portion of the fluid. However, the energy incident on the remote portions impacts on a larger proportion of the fluid at each velocity at more remote distances than at close distances for reflection.
It is believed that this class of average-velocity measuring apparatuses relies on the nature of the flow stream and the intensity of the transmitted signal being such that an approximate compromise can be reached in which the attenuation and reduction intensity with distance is balanced by the increased area from which signals are reflected. This attenuation is caused by the wider distribution of the energy of the transmitted signal and the increased attenuation of the reflected signal over the longer distances. This balance causes the energy transmitted to areas at a distance before being reflected to result in a sensed signal the same as if the entire reflected energy had been reflected from the same plane in the cross-section of the flow stream so that the signal is representative of an average velocity of that cross-section.
Because the received signals mainly represent those sound waves that travel a straight path to the reflective portions of the flow path and are reflected in a straight path to the receiving transducer, the received signals do not include representative amounts of sound waves that are reflected at an obtuse angle such as by glancing off at an angle from a portion of the flow path nor do they include representative amounts of reflected sound waves from certain sides or low portions of the flow path. Thus, the final waveform may actually not include sound waves reflected from the entire cross-section because the transmitted waves miss some portions of the flow stream and some of the reflected waves do not impact directly on the receiving transducer. However, the final waveform must represent the total cross-section.
To cause the final waveform to represent the total cross-section, even though the receiving transducer does not receive a representative amount of sound waves from every portion of the flow path, a representative portion of the flow stream should be selected for measurement of average velocity in this class of average-velocity measuring instrument. This representative portion can be sensed by selecting the angle of the transducers to cut proportional amounts of each velocity of flow.
One prior art velocity measuring system of this class was manufactured and sold by a corporation called Montedoro-Whitney Corporation. That prior art apparatus received different frequency signals in the expected range on a transducer and filtered a set of frequencies which were then weighed and averaged.
This type of measuring apparatus has several disadvantages, such as for example: (1) the range of signals of interest shifts as the velocity of the flow stream shifts, resulting in some inaccuracies due to the selection of a less desirable set of frequencies to be examined; (2) the on-line measurements of a limited number of ranges of frequencies accomplished by that system results in some lack of precision; and (3) because of the lack of precision, an empirically determined velocity coefficient is desirable at most locations to correct the measurement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to provide a novel apparatus for measuring the average rate of flow of a liquid in a flow stream.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a novel technique for measuring the average velocity of a stream.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel Doppler shift apparatuses and methods for measuring average velocity that have high resolution.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a novel Doppler-shift average-velocity meter that is able to directly correct for changes in the turbidity of the stream in a manner independent of variations in the amplitude of the combined reflected ultrasonic vibrations and noise received directly from the transmitted ultrasound.
It is a still further object of the invention to provide a Doppler-shift average-velocity measuring instrument that is capable of providing precision better than 30 percent of the actual average velocity without the need for correcting the received signal with an empirically determined velocity coefficient.
In accordance with the above and further objects of the invention, an average flow rate meter includes an ultrasonic Doppler transmitter and receiver under the control of an automatic range and threshold setting system. The velocity meter transmits sound through a representative section or through the entire cross section of the flow stream and receives a complex signal back which is digitized and analyzed using a fast Fourier transform analyzer.
The resolution of the measurement depends on the number of ranges of frequencies selected for each term of the Fourier transform analyzer across the full range of frequency shifts caused by the range of possible velocities in the flow stream. The expected velocity range is determined in the preferred embodiment and 256 bands of frequencies are selected for positive and negative terms of the Fourier transform analyzer.
To determine the expected velocity range, the input signal is sampled with a high sampling rate such as 11.1 kHz (kilohertz) and a correspondingly high cutoff point for the frequency shift. If the results of the Fourier transform do not provide a high energy distribution in the frequency range being sampled, the sampling rate and cutoff frequency are reduced until a range of frequencies representing a corresponding range of velocities is found that indicates the mid-range of the measured frequency shifts.
The transmitting tranducers and receiving transducers are acoustically shielded from each other in a single housing. This minimizes the amount of noise transmitted directly from the transmitting transducer to the receiving transducer and permits the control of gain in response to changes in the digital, processed signal as determined by the computer when an appropriate cutoff point for the low-pass filters has been found.
To calibrate the average-velocity meter, measurements are made using a model flow path with a known average velocity or an average velocity that can be precisely measured such as by collecting the fluid over a time period and measuring it. The values can be set for measured signals to equal the measured average flow rate.
A threshold amplitude is experimentally set at a level that may cause some received signals having Doppler frequency shifts to not be considered in the final calculation of average velocity because they are represented by low amplitude coefficients in the Fourier transform. This is done until an optimum value is found with a number of terms of the Fourier transform centered around the highest coefficient that provides the best result within the expected range of frequency shifts. This threshold is set for incorporation of the number of reflected signal frequency bands that provides the most constant readout during calibration.
As can be understood from the above description, the average-velocity flowmeter of this invention provides precision in a number of different flow paths and is less likely to have its precision disrupted by changes in the velocity of the stream.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above-noted and other features of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description when considered with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a process in accordance with the invention of measuring the average flow rate of a fluid stream;
FIG. 2 is a schematic elevational diagram of a system for performing the process of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a sectional view through lines 3--3 of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of the apparatus of FIG. 2;
FIG. 5 is a block diagram of an input section of the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a block diagram of a signal processing section of the system of FIG. 4;
FIG. 7 is a block diagram of a timing section used in the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 8 is a schematic circuit diagram of an amplifier, and band-pass filter included in the embodiment of FIG. 5;
FIG. 9 is a schematic circuit diagram of an adjustable-gain automatic gain control circuit used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 10 is a schematic circuit diagram of two synchronous samplers used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 11 is a schematic circuit diagram of an anti-alias, low-pass filter and variable, low-pass filter used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 12 is a schematic circuit diagram of a level-shift circuit used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 13 is a schematic circuit diagram of an analog-to-digital converter used in the embodiment of FIG. 6;
FIG. 14 is a schematic circuit diagram of a system clock and counter used in the embodiment of FIG. 7;
FIG. 15 is a schematic circuit diagram of a transmit signal generator used in the embodiment of FIG. 4;
FIG. 16 is a schematic circuit diagram of two synchronous pulse generators used in the embodiment of FIG. 7;
FIG. 17 is a schematic circuit diagram of a clock selector and a data clock generator used in the embodiment of FIG. 7; and
FIG. 18 is a block diagram of a computer program used for the control system of the embodiment of FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In FIG. 1, there is shown a block diagram of a process 10 for measuring the average velocity of a liquid stream including the step 12 of transmitting an ultrasonic signal, the step 14 of receiving a complex reflected wave and converting it to an electrical signal, the step 16 of setting the sample rate and frequency band to select a portion of the complex signal characterizing average velocity and the step 18 of digitizing and analyzing the characteristic waveform using a Fourier transform to obtain terms representing different areas and velocities of each area. This process provides precise results because a large number of different frequencies can be examined.
In FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic drawing of a flowmeter 30 and stream 31, with the flowmeter 30 being positioned for measuring average flow velocity. The flowmeter 30 includes an underwater portion 36 and an above-water portion 38. The underwater portion 36 includes a transmitting transducer or transmitting transducer array section 32, a receiver or receiver array of transducers 34 (not shown in FIG. 2), a pressure sensor 37 and an above-ground circuit section 38.
With this arrangement, the receive and transmit transducers 34 and 32 are positioned substantially at an angle of one hundred twenty-five degrees to the horizontal to radiate a beam that is 35 degrees to the horizontal within a bottom-located underwater unit 36 having a leading edge at an angle of about one hundred forty-five degrees to the flow bed to transmit to and receive reflections from a representative portion of the flow stream 31. The receiving cone has a central axis parallel with the central axis of the transmitting cone.
In the alternative, any different angle can be used that obtains reflections from a representative portion of the flow stream 31 including different angles between the transmit and receive transducers and different or the same angles between the transducers and the leading edge of the housing. Moreover, more than one transducer can be used to cover a representative portion of the entire cross-section or the transducers can scan a representative portion or the entire cross-section of the flow path. They can be aimed at a focal point and the focal point moved for such scanning or they can be parallel to transmit along a cone having a transmitting cone axis and receive reflections transmitted back from portions of the transmitting cone that fall within the receiving cone.
The words, "representative portion", in this specification means a portion of the total flow stream which has a volume that includes within it smaller portions of fluid streams at each velocity flowing in the total flow stream with the fluid streams for each of the velocities of the smaller portions of flow streams having a reflective portion that is in the same proportion to the size of the reflective portion of the total flow stream having the same velocity as any other reflective smaller portion with a different velocity in the representative portion. That proportionality can be achieved in part by reflecting signals from a volume of the liquid rather than from an imaginary plane cutting the flow stream.
In this definition of a representative portion, each unit area flowing at a particular velocity in the representative portion has a ratio to the area of liquid of the total flow stream flowing at that rate which is the same ratio as every other cross sectional area flowing at that flow rate. Thus, this representative portion truly reflects the average flow rate of the entire flow stream.
In practice, some inaccuracy always occurs because of the failure to properly sample either the entire cross sectional area of the flow stream or a portion that is precisely a representative portion. Because it is easier to utilize a representative portion than the total cross sectional area, the preferred embodiment utilizes a representative portion and preferably arrives at this representative portion by selecting an angle at which the ultrasonic sound is reflected and selecting an angle at which it is received so that proportional amounts of the fluid flowing at each velocity reflect signals to the receiving transducer or transducers. One such error is caused by a lack of symmetry in the reflected signal with respect to an axis perpendicular to the transducer when the reflected signal is considered as a cone. It can be easily corrected, however- The lack of symmetry can be correct by using a fixed factor such as two percent or other value to account for the discrepancy.
Other approaches that may be used are: (1) scanning at different frequencies to reach different depths of particles that reflect signals; or (2) utilizing an array of transducers with pairs of them measuring the rate of flow most accurately in selected areas so that the sum of the signals represents the entire area; or (3) using cones which move to scan the entire area; or (4) by focusing the sound on certain representative reflecting portions and/or blocking portions of reflected signals so that the received signals are from a representative portion.
The underwater unit 36 in the preferred embodiment includes an amplifier for signals generated by the receiving transducer to amplify the signal above a noise threshold before transmitting it to the above-water unit 38 for further processing. However, any distribution of the circuitry may be utilized since it is only necessary for the transducers to be below the water level and any amount of the other circuitry may be enclosed in a water-tight container or may be contained in the above-water unit 38.
In FIG. 3, there is shown a fragmentary sectional view of the housing 36 taken through lines 3--3 of FIG. 2 showing the side-by-side transmit and receive transducers 32 and 34 separated by a wall of insulating material 41, which may be a plastic foam, to avoid cross-coupling of ultrasonic signals between the transmit transducer 32 and the receive transducer 34 within the housing 36. Additional material is added around the transducers to reflect and absorb sound between the transducers. The pressure sensor 37 and the transducers 32 and 34 are electrically connected to the above ground section 38 (FIG. 2) through the cables 33, 39 and 35, respectively.
The 145 degree face of the housing 36 reduces water turbulence and resistance flowing over it while the 35 degree angle with a flow bed from the parallel transducers 32 and 34 enables more complete sensing of the flowing liquid by lowering the blind spot where the transmitted signal does not result in reflected signals that impinge upon the receiving transducer. To reduce errors from refraction of the sound, the portion of the probe between the transducers and the water is filled with a material having an index of refraction close to that of water. In the preferred embodiment, the material is a polybutadiene-based liquid urethane sold under the trademark, Conathane, under the designation, EN-4, by Conap Inc., 1405 Buffalo Street, Olean, N.Y. 14760.
The solid state pressure sensor 37 communicates with the flow bed through an opening 43 near the bottom of the cabinet to receive the full pressure indicating the depth of the flow stream. With this arrangement, the area of the flow stream may be calculated to enable a measurement between the measured average velocity and the area to obtain the rate of flow of liquid in the flow stream.
In FIG. 4, there is shown a block diagram of the flowmeter 30 having an input circuit 40, a reflection processing circuit 42, a time-control and computation system 48, an information input system 49, a timing circuit 44 and a transmit signal generator 46. The input circuit 40 is electrically connected to the receiving transducer or transducer array 34 through a conductor 64 to receive signals therefrom, amplify them with automatic gain control and transmit the signals to the reflection processing circuit 42 through a conductor 74.
The reflection processing circuit 42 is electrically connected to: (1) the timing circuit 44 through the conductors 50, 52, 54 and 58 which control the scanning of amplitudes and setting of the threshold value; and (2) the time-control and computation system 48 through conductors 70 and 72 through which it transmits data for use by the time-control and computation system 48 and through the conductor 68 from the time control and computation system from which it which receives signals which control the time of transmission of data to the time control and computation system.
The time-control and computation system 48 is electrically connected to the timing circuit 44 through conductors 62 and 76 to control the synchronization of the entire flowmeter 30 and to establish sampling rates and frequency cutoff points to the input circuit 40 to adjust the amplitude level of an automatic gain control circuit to obtain an adequate signal. The timing circuit 44 electrically connected to the transmit signal generator 46 through conductor 60 through which it transmits signals to control the time at which the the transmit signal generator transmits signals to the transmitting transducer or transducer array 32 through a conductor 66. These signals control the sampling time and the repetition rate of the transmitted ultrasonic signals for the purpose of scanning across a range of sample times and rates for increased precision.
The pressure sensor 37 is electrically connected to the time control and computation system 48 to transmit depth information thereto and the information input system 49, which includes a computer keyboard and other input devices, supplies information to the time control and computation system 48, such as a cross-sectional area of the flow stream. With these parameters, the time control and computation system 48 is able to calculate the area of flow in the flow stream and the average velocity, and from that, calculate the rate of flow of liquid in the flow stream in a manner known in the art.
In FIG. 5, there is shown a block diagram of the input section 40 having an input amplifier 90, a band-pass filter 92 and an automatic gain amplifier 94. The amplifier 90 is connected through a very short conductor 64 to be as close as possible to the transducer 34 and thus receive a minimum amount of noise prior to amplification of the signal from the transducer 34. The band-pass filter 92 is electrically connected to the amplifier 90 to receive the amplified signal from the transducer 34. It has a center frequency set at the transmit frequency and passes signals within four percent of the transmitted signal on either side of its center frequency. Signals outside this range are attenuated greatly.
The four percent band of frequencies is selected because, when the possible velocities of the liquid are considered, the maximum Doppler shift on either side of transmitted frequency is less than four percent of the transmitted frequency. The center frequency of the band-pass filter 92 is set to the transmitted frequency and thus the four percent includes all frequencies of interest and attenuates noise signals outside of that band. The size of the band is related to the selected transmitted frequency of the ultrasound and the circuit covers the band with either a positive shift in frequency or a negative shift in frequency, depending on the direction of flow of the liquid with respect to the transducer 34.
The output from the band-pass filter 92 is transmitted through conductor 93 to the automatic gain control amplifier 94 which provides a constant amplitude signal to the conductor 74 containing only frequencies within the probable range of the transmitted frequency that accounts for all of the most probable velocities of the liquid. The automatic gain control amplifier 94 receives signals from the time control and computation system 48 (FIG. 4) through cable 57 to set an amplitude level for the output signals on conductor 74.
In FIG. 6, there is shown a block diagram of the reflection processing circuit 42 having an amplitude signal processing section 100, a direction signal processing section 102 and an analog-to-digital convertor section 104. The amplitude signal processing circuit section 100 and the direction signal processing circuit section 102 are substantially identical but receive clock pulses at different times with the amplitude signal processing circuit 100 receiving first clock pulses on conductor 50 and the direction signal processing circuit section 102 receiving second clock pulses on conductor 52, which first and second clock pulses are spaced from each other a time duration which is approximately 90 degrees or one-quarter of a cycle removed so that the timing indicates the direction of motion of the fluid.
The amplitude signal processing circuit section 100 includes a synchronous sampler 110, an anti-alias, low-pass filter 112, a variable low-pass filter 114 and a level shift circuit 118. Similarly, the direction signal processing circuit section 102 includes a synchronous sampler 120, an anti-alias, low-pass filter 122, a variable low-pass filter 124 and a level shift circuit 128. Since both of these circuit sections operate in the same manner, only the amplitude signal processing section 100 will be described.
The synchronous sampler 110 serves as a mixer, receives clock pulses at the frequency of the transmitted ultrasound and produces a complex waveform representing the frequencies caused by the Doppler effect. For this purpose, it has its input electrically connected to the output of the input circuit 40 (FIG. 4) through conductor 74 and to the source of clock pulses 50. The output of the synchronous sampler 110 is electrically connected to the anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 which filters out high frequencies that would otherwise cause errors known to be caused by such high frequencies.
To obtain higher resolution at lower velocities, the variable, low-pass filter 114 receives the output from the anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 and a clock pulse on conductor 54 to control the cut-off frequency. The cut-off frequency on the variable, low-pass filter 114 is one one-hundredth of the clocked signal on conductor 54. With this arrangement, the received signal strength is dependent upon the concentration of the reflecting particles and does not contain as noise the transmitted frequency. However, low concentrations provide lower intensity signals, and higher concentrations produce higher intensity signals. This signal is transmitted to the level shift circuit 118.
The output from the level shift circuit 118 is electrically connected to the analog-to-digital converter 132 and the output of the level shift circuit 128 is applied to the analog-to-digital converter 134 to generate a digital signal for application to the time-control and computation system 48 through conductors 70 and 72. This circuit clocks the information from the level shifters into it from the conductors 58. The time-control and computation system 48 performs the Fourier transform upon receiving data and computes the average of the selected coefficients for the frequency components to provide an average value of the frequency components and thus of the velocity.
In FIG. 7, there is shown a block diagram of the timing circuit 44 having a first synchronous pulse generator 140, a second synchronous pulse generator 142, a data clock generator 144, a system clock 146, a counter 148 and a clock selector 150. The counter 148 counts pulses from the system clock 146 and applies outputs to the first and second synchronous pulse generators 140 and 142 which are spaced by 90 degrees for application to the conductors 50 and 52. The conductors 50 and 52 are the clock pulse conductors applied to the synchronous samplers 110 and 120 (FIG. 6) to respectively control the amplitude signal processing section and the direction signal processing section. The system clock 146 is set at a rate that is a multiple of two of the transmit frequency.
The counter 148 divides the clock pulse by successive multiples of two, and one of these pulses is used to drive the first synchronous pulse generator 140. Clock selector 150 also receives pulses from the counter 148 through conductor 380 and multiplexes these pulses to the variable low-pass filters 114 and 124 (FIG. 6) on conductor 54 and to the data clock generator 144. The data clock generator 144 receives pulses from the clock selector 150 and applies them to conductor 58 to time the acquisition of data from the analog-to-digital converters 134 and 132 (FIG. 6). This data sampling is set slightly higher than the Nyquist rate so that a maximum amount of the available range is used when the fast Fourier transform conversion calculations are done.
The counter 148 applies clock pulses at any of a number of different frequencies through the group of conductors 380 to the clock selector. The clock selector selects a pulse repetition rate in response to a signal on conductor 76 from the computer and applies it to the data clock generator 144 and to the variable low-pass filter 114 (FIG. 6). The data clock generator 144 in return controls the sampling rate by controlling the readout from the analog-to-digital convertors 134 and 132 (FIG. 6).
The processor repeatedly determines the energy in each of the different frequency bins in the fast Fourier transformer. The energy in these bins represents the coefficients of the terms of the Fourier transform for each of the frequencies considered. Ideally, most of the energy will be in a certain frequency area representing the velocity of the central flow path with higher and lower frequencies on either side. If the fast Fourier transform does not provide this configuration, the signal on conductor 76 will change the clock selection rate so that if the energy is too close to the low frequency end of the spectrum, the cutoff rate will be dropped by lowering the repetition rate from the clock selector 150 and if the energy is concentrated too close to the higher frequency terms of the Fourier transform, the rate will be increased until a representative profile is selected for the different velocities in the flow stream.
In general, an attempt is made to receive Doppler shift information from the entire cross-section of the stream. The signals are intended to represent all of the actual velocities and the cross-sectional area of each of the velocities. These velocities and cross-sectional areas may be represented in a curve, with the velocities being represented along the abscissa and the amount of area of the cross-section having each velocity or small range of velocities as the ordinates when viewed graphically. These values are measured with the Doppler frequency shift representing the velocity and the amplitude of the received ultrasonic signal as the area having that velocity.
This information is used to obtain the average velocity. However, some errors in the received signals occur such as those caused by differences in turbidity at different locations or the inaccessibility of certain parts of the cross-section of the flow stream to transmitted signals or inability to reflect signals truly representative of the cross-sectional area. Such errors may be detected such as by testing in an experimental flow stream in a laboratory. Thus, errors related to turbidity or related to particular diameter pipes or to different levels of liquid in the pipes or to combinations of the above can be determined. Accordingly, empirical corrections may be made where such effects are observed even though the system itself is basically designed to obtain pure Doppler shift information indicating pure average velocity directly.
In FIG. 8, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the amplifier 90 and the band-pass filter 92 shown in block diagram form in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 8, the input of the amplifier 90 is electrically connected to conductor 64 and has its output electrically connected to one of the inputs of the band-pass filter 92, the other input being connected to a ground 203.
The amplifier 90 includes a Texas Instrument TLE2027 amplifier 200, having its noninverting input electrically connected to conductor 64 and to a ground 203 through a one kilohm resistor 202. Its inverting input is electrically connected to ground through a 10.0 kilohm resistor 204 and to its output through a 49.9 kilohm resistor 206. The output of the amplifier 200 is also electrically connected to one input of the band-pass filter 92 through a conductor 208.
The band-pass filter 92 has its input electrically connected to conductor 208 at one end of a 5.1 kilohm resistor 210, the other end of which is electrically connected to: (1) one end of a 10K resistor 212; (2) an ajustable inductor 214; (3) a 1000 picofared capacitor 216; and (4) the output conductor 218. At the other end of the resistor 212, variable inductor 214 and capacitor 216 are electrically grounded at a ground 203.
In FIG. 9, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the automatic gain control circuit 94 having an amplitude level setting circuit 220 and an automatic gain control circuit 222 interconnected to each other to provide automatic gain and level control. In this circuit, the cable 56 applies signals to the level control circuit 220 to set a level for variations of the input amplitude and the input amplitude is applied through conductor 93 to the automatic gain control circuit 222 with the level control circuit 220 being connected to the automatic gain control circuit 222 to cause the signal on conductor 74 to vary about a level set in accordance with the signal received on conductor 56 within limits controlled by the automatic gain control circuit 222.
The level control circuit 220 includes a digital-to-analog circuit 224, a first amplifier 226, and a second amplifier 232. The digital-to-analog converter 224 is electrically connected to receive digital signals on the cable 56 from the time control and computation system 48 (FIG. 4) and apply them to CMOS operational amplifier 226 manufactured by National Semiconductor located at 2900 Semiconductor Drive, P.O. Box 58090, Santa Clara, Calif. 95052-8090 under the part no. LPC662AIN. The output of operational amplifier 226 is electrically connected to the second amplifier 232 which is also a CMOS operational amplifier manufactured by National Semiconductor as part no. LPC662AIN, the output of which is electrically connected to the automatic gain control circuit 222 through a conductor 251.
The digital-to-analog converter 224 is a 0832 chip, manufactured by National Semiconductor as part no. DAC0832LCN, having its IO2 electrically connected to the noninverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 226 and connected to ground 203. Its IO1 output terminal is electrically connected to the inverting terminal of the amplifier 226 and its reference B terminal is electrically connected to the output of the operational amplifier 226. The reference voltage input terminals Vrf, VCC, and I1c are electrically connected to a source of positive voltage 228 and the WR2, not-XFR, and ground input terminals are connected to ground 203. The conductors 56 are electrically connected to its input terminals.
The amplifier 226 is manufactured by Linear Technology, 1630 McCarthy Blvd., Milipitus, Calif. 95035-7487 as part no. LT1037CNB. Its output is at a fixed level of voltage controlled by the conductors 56, and is applied to the noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 232 through a 10K resistor 205. The noninverting terminal is also electrically connected to ground 203 through a 0.47 microfarad capacitor 215 and a 15 ohm resistor 207. The inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 232 is electrically connected: (1) to ground through a 750 kilohm resistor 209 in series with the parallel resistor 211 and capacitor 217, having values of 5.1 kilohom and 0.001 microfarad, respectively. It is also electrically connected to conductor 251 through the 0.1 microfarad capacitor 219 and to conductor 253 through the resistor 209, a 220 ohm resistor 213 and the reverse resistance of a 1N914 diode 221 having its anode electrically connected to the conductor 253. The output of the amplifier 232 is directly connected to conductor 251.
The automatic gain control circuit 222 includes a first 3080 operational amplifier 223 and a second LT1037 operational amplifier 225. The operational amplifier 223 is an OTA amplifier and is manufactured by National Semiconductor as part no. LM3080AN. The amplifier 223 receives signals on conductor 93 from the band-pass filter 92 (FIG. 5) representing the received complex wave form. It has its output electrically connected to the inverting input terminal of the operational amplifier 225. The output of the operational amplifier 225 is electrically connected to output conductor 74 to apply the signal to the synchronous samplers 110 and 120 (FIG. 6).
The operational amplifier 223 has its noninverting input terminal electrically connected to conductor 93, its inverting input terminal: (1) electrically connected to ground 203 through a 0.1 microfarad capacitor 239 and to its output terminal through a 1 kilohm resistor 235. Its control input terminal is electrically connected to conductor 251 through a 49.9 kilohm resistor 237 and its output terminal is electrically connected to: (1) the inverting input terminal of the amplifier 225 through a 0.001 microfarad capacitor 245; (2) to conductor 74 through the capacitor 245, a 100 kilohm resistor 231 and a 1 kilohm resistor 233; (3) to the output of the amplifier 225 through the capacitor 245 and resistor 231 and to conductor 253 through capacitor 245 and resistor 231. The noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 225 is grounded at 203 and its output is electrically connected to conductor 253 and thus to the anode of the diode 221. With this arrangement, the voltage on conductor 74 is controlled within limits by the voltages on 251 and 253 and varies between those limits in proportion to the signal on conductor 93.
In FIG. 10, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the synchronous samplers 110 and 120 of FIG. 6. Each of the samplers includes a different one of two sample and hold circuit electrically connected to the same Texas Instrument SN74AC4316N chip 260 that applies samples to them from conductor 74 under the control of the signals on conductors 50 and 52. To store the samples, the two sample and hold circuits each include one of the individual amplifiers 262 and 264 respectively connected to different outputs of the chip 260 and different ones of the capacitors 270 and 272 to store the samples.
To receive signals from the band pass filter 92 (FIG. 8) representing received signals, the input conductor 74 is electrically connected to 1Y and 2Y inputs of the chip 260, which selects different portions of the input signal from the transducer on conductor 74 for application to the sample and hold circuits. The sample and hold circuits form a part of the first synchronous sampler 110 and the second synchronous sampler 120 with the 1Z output from the chip 260 being electrically connected to the noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 262 and the 2Z output of the chip 260 being electrically connected to the noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 264 in the synchronous sampler 110 and 120 respectively. Conductor 50 from the synchronous pulse generator 140 (FIG. 7) is electrically connected to the 1S input terminal of the chip 260 and conductor 52 from the synchronous pulse generator 142 (FIG. 7) is electrically connected to the 2S input of the chip 260 to provide timing pulses to be sampled from the signal on conductor 74 by the sample and hold circuit respectively into the amplifier 262 and 264 so as to time the output of the sampled signals to be 90 degrees spaced from each other for the purpose of determining the direction of flow. The direction is indicated by a Fourier transform within the microprocessor.
The noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 262 is grounded through a 0.001 microfarad capacitor 270 that serves as one storage device for samples in one of the two sample hold circuits and the noninverting input terminal of the amplifier 264 is grounded through a similar 0.001 microfarad capacitor 272 which serves as the storage device for samples in the other of the pair of sample and hold circuits. The inverting input terminal of the amplifier 262 is electrically connected to the output of the amplifier 262 and the inverting input terminal of the amplifier 264 is electrically connected to its output. The output of the amplifier 262 is electrically connected to output conductor 274 through a 0.47 microfarad capacitor 276, and the output of amplifier 264 is electrically connected to output conductor 274 through a 0.47 microfarad capacitor 278.
In FIG. 11, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 and the variable, low-pass filter 114. The anti-alias, low-pass filter 122 and the variable, low-pass filter 124 (FIG. 6) are identical in structure to the anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 and the variable, low-pass filter 114 and only the anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 and only the variable, low-pass filter 114 will be described herein.
The anti-alias, low-pass filter 112 is electrically connected to the synchronous sampler 110 (FIG. 6) by conductor 274 and includes a first 22.1 kilohm resistor 290, a second 22.1 kilohm resistor 292, a first 1000 picofarad capacitor 294, a second 1000 picofarad capacitor 296, and a third 1000 picofarad capacitor 298. The input conductor 274 from the synchronous sampler 110 (FIG. 6) is electrically connected to an output connector 302 that is connected to the variable, low-pass filter 114 through the resistors 290 and 292 in series in the order named. The capacitor 294 has one plate electrically connected to the conductor 302 and the other is connected to a ground 203. The capacitors 296 and 298 each have one plate electrically connected between the resistors 290 and 292 and their other plates electrically connected to output conductor 300 and output conductor 304, both of which are electrically connected to the variable, low-pass filter 114.
The variable, low-pass filter 114 is electrically connected through conductor 54 to the clock selector 150 (FIG. 7) to adjust the filter band. The chip 306 is a National semiconductor MF6CJ-100 variable filter and provides the filtered output to conductor 314 from output terminal FO through a 0.47 microfarad capacitor 310.
In FIG. 12, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the level shift circuit 118 electrically connected to conductor 314 (FIG. 10) to shift their level before applying them to the analog-to-digital converter 132 (FIG. 6) through a conductor 334. The level shift circuit 118 is identical to the level shift circuit 128 (FIG. 6) and only the level shift circuit 118 will be described in detail.
The level shift circuit 118 includes a National semiconductor LF353N amplifier 332 with its noninverting input terminal connected to a ground 203 through a 169 kilohm resistor 336 and its inverting input terminal electrically connected to input conductor 314 through a 499 kilohm resistor 338, to a 2 volt reference voltage 339 through a 499 kilohm resistor 340 and to a level shift output terminal on conductor 334 through a 499 kilohm resistor 342.
In FIG. 13, there is shown an analog-to-digital converter circuit 132 identical to the analog-to-digital converter circuit 134 (FIG. 6) and only the analog-to-digital converter 132 will be described herein. The analog-to-digital converter 132 has a National semiconductor ADC0804 analog-to-digital converter 350 receiving the data clock signals from conductor 58 on input terminal not-WR, analog input signals on conductor 334 on V+ input terminal and provides its output signal from output conductor not-INT to conductor 63. Conductor 63 is electrically connected to ground through a 100 kilohm resistor 352.
The analog-to-digital converter circuit 132 receives the output signals from the level shift circuit 118 (FIG. 6) on conductor 334 and clock signals from the data clock generator 144 (FIG. 7) on conductor 58 and provides a digital signal to the microprocessor on output conductor 62. The digital signals on conductor 62 are electrically connected to a Hitachi, HD64180, 8-bit microprocessor. This microprocessor is available from Hitachi American, Ltd., Semiconductor and IC Division, 2210 O'Toole Avenue, San Jose, Calif. 95131.
In FIG. 14, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the system clock circuit 146 and of the counter 148 electrically connected together with the output of the system clock circuit 146 being applied through conductor 358 to the counter 148. The system clock 146 includes first and second inverters 360 and 362, a four megahertz crystal 364, first and second capacitors 366 and 368, respectively, and two resistors 372 and 374. The crystal 364 is in a circuit arrangement with the capacitors, resistors, and amplifiers to provide a stable four megahertz clock frequency to conductor 358 for application to the counter 148 and to other circuits.
The four megahertz crystal 364 of the system clock 146 has each of its two electrodes connected to a ground 365 through different ones of the 25 picofarad capacitors 366 and 368. One electrode is connected through the inverter 360 to the other electrode through a 2.2 kilohm resistor 374 to provide feedback signals. The inverter 360 is by-passed by a 2.2 megohm resistor 372 to adjust the feedback signal, and the output of the inverter 360 is applied to the output conductor 358 through the inverter 362 to provide pulses at four megahertz to the conductor 358 for counting by the counter 148.
To provide a series of counts to the clock selector 150 (FIG. 7), the counter 148 includes a Texas Instrument SN74HC4040N having its input terminal electrically connected to conductor 358 to receive count pulses and having its output conductors 380 electrically connected to the clock selector circuit 150 (FIG. 7) to provide a succession of pulses counted from the clock input pulses 358. Output conductors 64A and 64B are electrically connected to the synchronous pulse generator 140 (FIGS. 7 and 15) and to the synchronous pulse generator 142 (FIGS. 7 and 16) alternately at 90 degree time periods to clock these two pulse generators so as to provide phased pulses to their output conductors 50 and 52 (FIG. 16). An output conductor 60 is electrically connected to the transmit signal generator 46 (FIG. 4) to control the timing of the transmission of signals by the transmitting transducer or transducer array 32 (FIGS. 2, 3 and 4). Each of the conductors 380 provide a different one of 500 kHz (kilohertz), 250 kHz, 125 kHz, 62.5 kHz, 31.25 kHz and 15.625 kHz clock pulses.
In FIG. 15, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the transmit signal generator 46 having an input conductor 60 and output conductors 66A and 66B with a first inverter 390, an inverter array of five parallel-connected identical inverters 392, a TN0401 insulated gate N-channel, three-terminal semiconductor 394 and an output transformer 396 connected in series in the order named between the pulse input conductor 60 and output conductors 66A and 66B that are connected to the transmit transducer.
The inverters are all Texas Instrument SN74HC04N amplifiers which receive the pulse input and transmit it to the insulated gate, N-channel three-terminal semiconductor 394 through a 15 ohm resistor 400 and a filter path having in parallel a first 100K resistor 402 connected to a ground 365 and a 0.001 microfarad capacitor 404 connected between the gate of the insulated gate N-channel semiconductor 394 and a ground 365. The source of the semiconductor 394 is connected to a ground 365, and the drain is connected to one end of a 2.2K resistor 406 and one end of the primary winding of the transformer 396. The other end of the resistor 406 and primary winding of the transformer 396 are electrically connected through a 75 ohm resistor 408 to the positive 5 voltage source 228 and to ground through a 1000 microfarad capacitor 410. The secondary of the transformer 396 has one end of the secondary winding connected to a ground 365 and both ends electrically connected to the transmit transducer 32 (FIG. 4) through conductors 66A and 66B.
In FIG. 16, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the first and second synchronous pulse generators 140 and 142. To generate pulses that are synchronous with the transmitting pulses, the synchronous pulse generator 140 includes an inverter 420 and an AND gate 422, with the input to the inverter 420 being electrically connected to conductor 64A to receive pulses from the counter 148 (FIGS. 7 and 13) in synchronism with the system clock 146 (FIG. 7 and 14).
The output terminal of the inverter is electrically connected to one of the four inputs connected to the AND gate 422, each of the other three inputs being electrically connected to a different one of: (1) conductor 358 to receive clock pulses directly; (2) the conductor 64B to receive clock pulses that are 90 degrees removed from the transmitted input pulse; and (3) conductor 60 to receive pulses from the counter 382 (FIG. 13) in synchronism with the pulses that are transmitted to the transmitter. With this arrangement, the gate 422 transmits pulses on conductor 50 in synchronism with the transmitted pulses from the transducer.
To transmit pulses on conductor 52 that are one-quarter period removed from the transmitted pulses to the synchronous pulse generator 142, the synchronous pulse generator 142 includes an inverter or amplifier 424 and an AND gate 426. The input to the inverter 424 is electrically connected to conductor 64B to receive pulses 90 degrees removed from the pulses applied to conductor 64A with respect to the transmitted pulses. The AND gate 426 has: (1) one of its four inputs electrically connected to the output of the amplifier 420 to receive inverted pulses from conductor 64A; (2) another input is connected to conductor 60 to receive signals timed in conjunction with the transducer signals; (3) a third input electrically connected to the output of the amplifier 424 to receive inverted signals from conductor 64B; and (4) the fourth input electrically connected to conductor 358 to receive the clock pulses from the system clock pulse generator. This results in an output pulse to the conductor 52 that is 90 degrees removed from the pulses on conductor 50 which are in synchronism with the transmitted pulses.
In FIG. 17, there is shown a schematic circuit diagram of the clock selector 150 and the data clock generator 144. The clock selector 150 receives a plurality of different frequency clock pulses on conductors 380 from the counter 148, selects one to obtain the desired energy distribution and applies it as a clock signal on conductor 54 to the clock input terminal of the data clock generator 144. This clock selector is a Texas Instrument SN74HC151N semiconductor chip.
The data clock generator 144 includes a Motorola MCI 4059N semiconductor 432 and an inverter 434. The semiconductor 432 is electrically connected to receive pulses from the clock selector 150 on conductor 54 and to apply timed signals therefrom to the input of the inverter 54 which applies them in turn to conductor 58 for application to the analog-to-digital converters 130 and 132 (FIG. 6) to cause information to be written from the analog-to-digital converters 130 and 132 into the microprocessor.
In FIG. 18, the program performed by the time-control and computation system 48 (FIG. 4) is shown in block diagram form including the subroutine 160 for initializing and timing the sample. The initializing and timing step 160 includes the substep 166 of waiting for a sample-time signal indicating the velocity has been calculated from the last sample, and the substep 168 of initializing the microprocessor after turning it on, if necessary.
After these two steps, the microprocessor performs the step 170 of acquiring data from the receiving transducer, the step 172 of checking the voltage to see that it is within limits, and if not, the step 180 of adjusting the amplification and reacquiring the data in step 170.
If it is within limits, the step 174 is performed by obtaining a fast Fourier transform and determining the direction and approximate speed at 176. From this information, the sample rate is set at 178 and the signal proceeds to calculate the final velocity in subroutine 162.
In the performance of the subroutine 162, the step 182 of acquiring the data is performed, the voltage is checked at step 184 to see if it is within limits, and if not, the step 190 is performed to adjust the amplification and the step 182 is performed by drawing the data again from memory and processing it to the fast Fourier transform step 186. Following the step 186 of determining the Fourier transform, the velocity 188 is calculated by averaging the principal coefficients of the Fourier transform.
With this arrangement, the stored digital data can first be utilized to calculate an approximate speed and direction and then this approximation may be used to calculate velocity or new samples can be taken to calculate velocity. In both steps, the same data can be used more than once after adjusting parameters such as the amplitude of the signals for a more precise calculation but in the preferred embodiment, the data is used once.
From the above description, it can be understood that the system of this invention and the method of this invention may be utilized to precisely calculate the average velocity of a fluid stream and has several advantages, such as: (1) automatically adjusting to variations in flow turbidity rather than controlling raw signal with automatic gain control; (2) making measurements without an empirically determined factor related to flow stream; (3) adjusting for energy distribution of measured Doppler shifts to improve precision; and (4) being economical.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described with some particularity, many modifications and variations in the system are possible without deviating from the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.
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To determine the average velocity of a fluid stream, an ultrasonic signal is transmitted into the fluid and reflected ultrasonic signal received. The signals are mixed with a frequency of the transmitted ultrasonic signals. A Fourier transform is performed on the signals, the largest coefficient used to normalize the signal and certain of the weighted signals are averaged.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to managing communication systems, and in particular to method and apparatus enabling a master control station to ascertain which of a number of stations using a common communication channel need service from the channel.
Operating methods are known for the control of a plurality of stations using a common communication channel in which a masterstation establishes priorities and controls all use of the channel. In order to avoid interference on the channel, a protocol is usually adopted that the operating stations will transmit only when directed to do so by a message from the master station. Since the operating stations do not initiate any communications, they cannot directly call the masterstation's attention to a need for service that arises, and it is necessary for the masterstation to send inquiries from time to time to each of the operating stations. Each operating station replies when queried by indicating what if any service it needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A communication system managed as described above uses considerable time in the message exchange between the masterstation and the operating stations to provide the masterstation with the information about which stations need what service. It is recognized in connection with the present invention that when there are many stations sharing the channel but ordinarily only a few which are in need of any service, a large utilization of the facility is expended in obtaining very sparse information. In the present invention, the masterstation initially directs a single inquiry signal to the aggregate of the operating stations and receives a response from this aggregate indicating by its structure which of the several individual stations currently needs service from the communication facility. Messages are thereafter exchanged between the masterstation and those stations only which need service to inform the masterstation as to the details of the needed service. The many message exchanges between the masterstation and individual stations needing nothing is eliminated.
The invention comprises method and apparatus for operating a communication system which has a masterstation and a plurality of operating stations S i (where i takes various values to specify a particular operating station). The system further includes a forward communication channel on which signals are transmitted from the masterstation to all of the plurality of operating stations, a return communication channel on which signals are transmitted from any of the operating stations to the masterstation, wherein the propagation time for a signal from the masterstation to each operating station S i is p i and the propagation time from each operating station S i to the masterstation is p i '. The invention features the following steps and the means therefor: assign to each operating station S i an assigned delay value d i specific to the station such that each operating station's returned delay value D i =p i +p i '+d i is distinct for each station S i , store at each operating station S i its assigned delay value d i , transmit from the masterstation on the forward communication channel a distinctive polling sync signal, emit on the return channel from each operating station S i which needs service a polling reply signal indicative of needing to use a communication channel, the reply signal being emitted after the assigned delay interval d i specific to the station after receiving the polling sync signal, receive at the masterstation the signals indicative of needing service, and associate the arrival times of such received signals with operating station addresses to ascertain which operating stations need service, and initiate from the masterstation an addressed message exchange with each operating station ascertained to need service to ascertain what service is needed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 shows schematically a communications system according to the invention.
FIG. 2 shows in greater detail the masterstation of FIG. 1.
FIG. 3 shows in greater detail an operating station of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
As shown particularly in FIG. 1, communication system 10 includes masterstation 18, a plurality of operating stations of which 20 is exemplary, and inbound coaxial cable 14 conveying signals from the masterstation and all operating stations to head 16, and outbound coaxial cable 12 conveying signals from head 16 to the masterstation and every operating station. A forward communication channel for tranmission of system supervisory signals from the masterstation to the operating stations is provided by a defined frequency band with transmissions from the masterstation propagating on the inbound cable to the head and thence on the outbound cable to every operating station. A return communication channel for transmission of system supervisory signals from every operating station to the masterstation is provided by a defined frequency band with transmissions from the operating stations propagating on the inbound cable to the head and thence on the outbound cable to the masterstation. Amplifiers, splitters, and other devices may be used as appropriate to control signal level and impedance of the channels as required by circumstances according to well known principles; such design details are unrelated to the subject invention.
As shown particularly in FIG. 2, masterstation 18 includes processor 30, memory 32, timing generating circuits 38, uart 36 (meaning universal assynchronous receiver-transmitter), polling logic 34, and transmitting-receiving modem 40. Bus 42 interconnects the processor, memory, uart and polling logic for transfer of parallel data. Modulated carrier signal is transferred from cable 12 to modem 40 on link 58 and from modem 40 to cable 14 on link 60. Serial bit data is transferred as shown on links 46, 48, 50, and 52. Timing signals are transferred from timing generating circuits 38 to polling logic 34 on link 54. Other timing and control connections not shown are used to enable the processor to control the operations of the stations in accordance with well known design principles. Station 18 may communicate with other computers or peripherals through I/O devices 44.
An operating station, shown more particularly in FIG. 3, includes processor 60, memory 62, uart 66 polling logic 68, delay switch bank 90, timing circuits 70, and transmitting-receiving modem 64. Connector 86 carrying carrier modulated signals connects cable 12 to modem 64; connector 86 connects modem 64 to cable 14. Connectors 76 and 78 interconnect polling logic 68 and modem 64; connectors 80 and 82 interconnect uart 66 and modem 64 (all carrying serial bit data). Connector 88 connects timing circuits 70 to polling logic 68. Bus 72 carrying parallel byte data interconnects processor 60, memory 62, uart 66, switchbank 90, and polling logic 68.
In the particular embodiment described here, the forward and return channels are used exclusively for communications between the masterstation and each of the operating stations to effect supervision and control of a communication network serving the several operating stations. Other communication channels are used to carry intercommunication among the operating stations. Messages are sent over the channels by modulated carrier in the form of packets, each with a start bit, 8 information bits, a parity bit (odd parity), and a stop bit. Each operating station has a unique address and is programmed to respond to messages starting with its own address and to those with a broadcast address. In order to avoid interferring transmissions on the commonly used communication channels, the operating stations are programmed to transmit only when directed to do so by the masterstation, which thus completely controls the use of the channels. In the exemplary embodiment, there are 2047 operating stations with addresses running from 1 to 2047. The broadcast address is 0.
The operation of the system is as follows. Before initiating regular communications on the system, each operating station S i (where i takes different values to designate particular stations) is assigned a delay value d i . The values of d i are chosen with reference to the propagation delays p i required to propagate a signal from the masterstation to the stations S i , and the propagation delays p i ' required to propagate a signal from the operating stations S i to the masterstation. In general the values d i are chosen so that each operating station S i will have a distinct value for its return delay value D i =p i +p i '+d i . For each station S i , the value of d i assigned is then stored by entering the value in delay switchbank 90. In the exemplary embodiment, the propagation delays are negligible, and the assigned delay values are made equal to 128 usec times the station address.
In routine operation, the processor 30 of the masterstation initiates a poll by transmitting a distinctive five-byte message which is transmitted through the uart 36 and the modem 40 to channel 14. The first two bytes are the broadcast address, (i.e., 00000000, 00000000, in binary); the third byte is without information content, being reserved for system expansion; the fourth byte is 00000000, a command code indicating the message is a polling request, and the fifth byte is used to generate the polling sync signal. This fifth byte is 1000 0000 in binary. When encoded for transmission by uart 36 in an 11-bit packet this will produce an output sequence of a low (the start bit), a high, eight lows (the last being the parity bit), and a high (the terminator bit). The transition from the parity bit to the terminator bit is used as the timing signal for syncronizing the polling. During the long sequence of 0's in the fifth byte the polling logic 34 is armed by an output from the processor, and the rising edge of the terminator bit triggers the start of counting circuits in the polling logic which start counting timing pulses delivered from timing generator 38 on connector 54.
The polling request message is processed by modem 40 and propagated over the communication channels to each of the operating stations. In general, the operating stations may receive the polling request message at different times because of propagation delays. At exemplary station 20, the message is received and demodulated by modem 64 and passed in serial bit form to uart 66, which puts the information bits on the bus 72 in parallel form. The processor 60 decodes the message and identifies it from the first four bytes of the message as a polling request. Then if the station needs service, the processor during the sequence of 0's in the fifth byte arms the polling logic 68. When thus armed, polling logic 68 is triggered by the rising edge of the last bit of the fifth byte and begins to count timing pulses supplied on connector 88 from timing circuits 70. The rising count of these timing pulses is compared with the stored delay value d i in switchbank 90, and when the two are equal, the polling logic emits on connector 76 a 32us. reply pulse, indicating that the operating station needs service. This pulse is processed through modem 64 which transmits the pulse in modulated carrier form on connector 86 onto channel 14. If at the time the polling sync signal is received by a station, the station does not need service the polling logic is not armed and no transmission is made. An absence of transmission at the time d i thus constitutes a reply that no service is needed.
The reply pulses from all the responding operating stations will be propagated along the return communication channel to the masterstation where, because of the manner of selecting the several d i with regard to the propagation delays, they will arrive without overlapping or interference. At the masterstation 18 the transmissions are received and demodulated by modem 40 which sends to polling logic 34 over connector 50 a signal with a high voltage appearing at times D i corresponding to the return delays of the operating stations that transmitted a help-needed signal and with low voltage appearing at the times D i corresponding to the return delays of stations making no reply transmission. The polling logic 34 interprets these high or low voltages as logical 1's or 0's and enters them in successive positions of a serial in-parallel out, eight bit register, using the timing pulses received from timing circuits 38 to trigger the gating into successive bit positions. When the parallelizing register is filled, corresponding to the receipt of the replies of eight operating stations, the register contents is transferred as bytes in parallel form onto bus 42 and lodged in a designated address in memory 32, and the polling logic proceeds to process the following reply pulses in the same manner until it has processed the replies from all the operating stations, with successive bytes transferred from the logic places in successive addresses in memory. When all the reply signals have been processed as indicated there will be created a service need map in the designated portion of the masterstation memory 32 which has a bit corresponding to each operating station with the value of the bit indicating whether the corresponding station needs service. In the usual situations contemplated for use of this invention the memory map will be preponderantly 0's (indicating no need for service) with a sprinkling of 1's.
When the service need map is completed, the masterstation processor scans the map systematically and where it finds a 1 at a particular position it associates the position with an operating station address. This association may be done through a look up table or simply through an algorithm generating the station address from the map position. The masterstation processor then, using the address, sends one or more addressed messages to the corresponding operating station to ascertain what service is required and provide that service. After proceeding systematically through the service need map and providing whatever service is needed by all the stations indicating that they need service, the processor initiates another polling cycle to obtain an updated map of service needs of the operating stations.
The method and apparatus described are readily implemented in detail with standard circuitry and programming well known to those skilled in the communications and computer art and need not be further expanded upon.
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In a communication facility a masterstation initially directs a single inquiry signal to the aggregate of the operating stations and receives a response from this aggregate indicating by its structure which of the several individual stations currently needs service from the communication facility. Messages are thereafter exchanged between the masterstation and those stations only which need service to inform the masterstation as to the details of the needed service. The many message exchanges between the master station and individual stations needing nothing is eliminated.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an environmentally safe method for applying a single coating of an optically clear transparent silicone containment composition onto the surface of an incandescent lamp bulb. More particularly, the present invention relates to a silicone coating composition useful for imparting shatter resistance to incandescent lamps and to shatter resistant lamps made thereby.
As shown by Robertson et al, Canadian Patent 914265, an incandescent lamp bulb is coated by dipping it into a silicone dispersion consisting of 75% of xylene and 25% silicone rubber. After treating the lamp, removal of excess solvent is necessary. In a related patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,715,232, to Audesse et al, a method is described to make a shatter-resistant incandescent lamp, by initially coating the lamp bulb with an organic solvent silicone composition as shown by Robertson et al, followed by treating the coated lamp bulb surface with a solvent containing silicone overcoat.
Gagnon et al, Canadian Patent 1,243,723 is directed to an electric lamp having a pressurized light source capsule in a glass, light transmissive bulb. A containment coating is described for the bulb in the form of a fluoropolymer, such as Teflon resin of E. I. duPont de Nemours, or a multi-layer silicone rubber. It is reported that the silicone rubber multi-layer is applied by dip coating.
Lamoreaux U.S. Pat. No. 3,529,035, relates to high strength silicone elastomers. These silicone elastomers are formed by reacting a copolymer of SiO 2 units and (CH 3 ) 2 SiO units, in a toluene solvent, with a silanol end stopped polydimethylsiloxane in toluene. Reaction is effected with a catalyst in the form of an organic carboxylic acid salt of a metal, such as tin. Coating of an incandescent lamp bulb was achieved by dipping the lamp in the solvent blend, and upon lamp removal, allowing the solvent to evaporate from the treated bulb surface overnight. The silicone coating on the lamp's surface was then oven cured for 1 hour.
A transparent shatter-resistant platinum catalyzed silicone coating composition suitable for use on a glass surface is described by Maguire et al U.S. Pat. No. 5,034,061. An example of the Maguire et al composition includes the use of a 60% by weight in toluene solution of a benzene soluble copolymer of SiO 2 units and (CH 3 ) 3 SiO 0.05 units, in combination with a siloxane hydride fluid and vinyldimethylsiloxane fluid.
While various silicone coating compositions are described in the prior art for treating the bulbs of incandescent lights to enhance their shatter resistance, significant environmental concerns have often been advanced as a result of the necessity of organic solvent disposal during the cure of the silicone coating composition. Alternative silicone coating compositions and methods for incandescent lamp treatment are therefore needed to offset such environmental concerns while continuing to maintain the physical properties of the applied silicone coating of interest to the incandescent lamp industry.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is based on the discovery that a substantially organic solvent-free, platinum catalyzed heat curable silicone mixture, comprising by weight (a) a blend of a low molecular weight, and a high molecular weight vinyl containing polydimethylsiloxane fluid, (b) a siloxane hydride, and (c), a vinyl resin comprising chemically combined trimethylsiloxy units and SiO 2 units, can be used in an environmentally safe manner as an effective incandescent lamp bulb containment coating composition. The heat curable silicone composition has an extended shelf life, and can be applied as a single coating onto the surface of a lamp bulb by dip coating or spraying. Upon application and curing on the lamp bulb's surface, of the platinum catalyzed heat curable silicone mixture of the present invention, the lamp shows improved shatter resistance, weather resistance, and optical clarity.
In addition, if desired, a second substantially organic solvent-free heat curable platinum catalyzed silicone coating composition can optionally be applied at thicknesses up to about a mil onto the cured silicone treated lamp surface as a dust repellent. The dust repellent composition can comprise a platinum group metal catalyzed mixture of a vinyl resin comprising chemically combined dimethylvinylsiloxy units and SiO 2 units, a low molecular weight vinyl containing polydimethylsiloxane fluid, and a silicon hydride cross-linker.
In a further aspect of the present invention, there is included an incandescent lamp exhibiting improved containment of glass shards resulting from external impact. The incandescent lamp exhibiting improved impact resistance can be made by applying a single coating of the aforementioned heat curable platinum catalyzed silicone coating composition onto the incandescent lamp's glass bulb surface, extending beyond the hermetic seal between the glass bulb and the metallic base. Preferably, application of the silicone composition onto the surface of the incandescent lamp's metallic base can extend up to the threaded portion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A substantially volatile organic solvent-free, platinum group metal catalyzed, heat curable silicone coating composition comprising by weight,
(a) 100 parts of an alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane mixture consisting essentially of a (i) a low molecular weight alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity of about 500 centipoise to about 15000 centipoise at 25° C. and (ii) a high molecular weight alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity of about 40,000 centipoise to about 220,000 centipoise at 25° C., where there can be present by in the alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane mixture, from about 0.02 to 0.5 part of (i), per part of (ii),
(b) 5 to 50 parts of a silicone resin, referred to hereinafter sometimes as MQ, or MQD, having ratio of organo radicals to silicon which has a value of about 0.5 to 2, where the organo radicals are selected from the group consisting of C (1-6) organo radicals, C (2-6) alkenyl radicals, and a mixture thereof, and the silicone resin comprises “Q” units having the formula,
SiO 2 ,
chemically combined with a member selected from the group consisting of “M” units having the formula,
(R) a (R 1 ) b SiO 0.5 ,
and a mixture of M units and “D” units having the formula,
(R 2 ) 2 SiO,
where R is a C (1-6) organo radical, R 1 is a C (2-6) alkenyl radical, R 2 is selected from R, R 1 , and a mixture thereof, “a” is an integer having a value of 2 or 3, “b” is a whole number having a value of 0 or 1, and the sum of a+b is equal to 3, referred to hereinafter sometimes as an “MQ”, or “MQD” resin,
(c) 0.1 to 10 parts of a silicon hydride cross-linking agent, and,
(d) an effective amount of an inhibited platinum group metal catalyst.
An environmentally favorable method for making a shatter resistant incandescent lamp having a substantially transparent tack-free silicone coating on the incandescent lamp bulb, comprising the steps of:
(1) treating the surface of the bulb of the incandescent lamp with the above described substantially volatile organic solvent-free, platinum group metal catalyzed, heat curable silicone coating composition comprising (a),(b), (c) and (d) above, and
(2) heating the treated incandescent lamp at a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 180° C. until the silicone treated incandescent lamp bulb surface is substantially tack-free.
An environmentally favorable method for making a shatter resistant incandescent lamp having a substantially transparent dust repellent tack-free silicone coating on the surface of its bulb, comprising the steps of:
(1) treating the surface of the incandescent lamp bulb with the substantially volatile organic solvent-free, platinum group metal catalyzed, heat curable silicone coating composition comprising (a),(b), (c) and (d) above,
(2) heating the treated incandescent lamp at a temperature in the range of about 100° C. to about 200° C. until the silicone treated incandescent lamp bulb surface is substantially tack-free,
(3) applying to the resulting substantially tack-free silicone coated shatter resistant bulb surface, a substantially volatile organic solvent-free, platinum group metal catalyzed, heat curable silicone coating composition comprising by weight,
(e) an alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane mixture consisting essentially of a low molecular weight alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity of about 20 centipoise to about 500 centipoise at 25° C.,
(f) 0.5 to about 2 parts, per part of (e), of an MQ, or MQD resin,
(g) 0.005 part to 0.1 part, per part of (e), of a silicon hydride cross linker, and
(h) an effective amount of an inhibited platinum group metal catalyst, and,
(4) heating the silicone treated incandescent lamp at a temperature in the range of 100° C. to 180° C., and preferably, 130° C. to 150° C., until the surface of the silicone treated incandescent lamp bulb is substantially tack-free.
An incandescent lamp having improved shatter resistance comprising a glass envelope and a metallic base, where the glass envelope and a portion of the metallic base is coated with a cured tack-free substantially transparent homogenous silicone coating composition comprising the heat cured reaction product of a mixture comprising a substantially volatile organic solvent-free, platinum group metal catalyzed, heat curable silicone coating composition comprising by weight, (a),(b), (c) and (d) above.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The substantially volatile organic solvent-free platinum group metal catalyzed heat curable silicone composition, or “silicone coating composition” of the present invention can be made by blending together in a suitable mixer, the alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane fluids with the MQ or MQD resin dissolved in an organic solvent, for example xylene, or toluene. The silicone blend is then stripped of organic solvent in a suitable manner.
The resulting silicone mixture can then be divided into two parts, for example A and B. In part A, there can be added an effective amount of the platinum group metal catalyst, and thereafter the mixture can be homogenized in a suitable manner. In part B, there can be added the silicon hydride cross-linker. An effective amount of a suitable platinum group metal inhibitor and a heat stabilizer also can be added to either mixture A or B. Prior to lamp application, parts A and B are thoroughly mixed.
The alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane fluids consist essentially of chemically combined diorganosiloxy units having terminal R 1 (R) 2 SiO units, where R, and R 1 are as previously defined. Preferably, the alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane fluids or “vinylsiloxanes” of the present invention have terminal siloxy units of the formula,
C 2 H 3 (CH 3 ) 2 SiO 2 ,
and consist essentially of chemically combined dimethylsiloxy units. The vinylsiloxane fluids can have a vinyl content of about 0.05 to about 3.5 mole percent, and preferably 0.14 to about 2 mole percent based on the total siloxy units having one or more organo radicals as defined hereinafter attached to silicon by carbon-silicon bonds. Alkenyl substitution also can occur on the polymer backbone. Organo radicals include methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, perfluoropropyl, phenyl, and cyanoethyl.
The alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane fluids can be made by equilibrating a cyclotetrasiloxane with a low molecular weight alkenyl terminated chain-stopper. A mild acid catalyst such as a sulfuric acid activated clay can be used. The resulting silicone fluid can be neutralized with a base catalyst such as sodium hydroxide. By varying the level of chain-stopper, the viscosity of the alkenyl terminated polydiorganosiloxane fluid can be adjusted to the desired range.
The silicon hydride cross-linker, or “siloxane hydride” can have about 0.04% to about 1.4% by weight of chemically combined hydrogen attached to silicon based on total weight of siloxane hydride. A preferred variety of siloxane hydride can be made by a hydrolysis process or an acid catalyzed equilibration process. In the equilibration process, the appropriate cyclotetrasiloxane is equilibrated with a low molecular weight hydrogen terminated chain-stopper, such as a 1,3-dihydrogentetraorganodisiloxane. In the hydrolysis process, an appropriate hydrogendiorganochlorosilane is hydrolyzed with the desired level of diorganodichlorosilane. Undesirable cyclics can be removed by stripping.
The MQ, or MQD resin which is included within the present invention, are organic solvent dispersible, organic solvent hydrolyzates. A sodium silicate solution can be reacted under acidic conditions with a source of triorganosiloxy units, such as a hexaorganodisiloxane, for example hexamethyldisiloxane, or bis(dimethyl-vinyl)disiloxane, followed by recovering an organic solvent dispersible siloxane hydrolyzate. A suitable procedure for making the MQ, or MQD resin is further shown in Daudt, U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,182.
Various complexes can be used as the platinum group metal catalyst for the thermally-activated addition reaction between the vinyl siloxane and the silicon hydride cross-linker. Some of the platinum group metal complexes which can be used as catalysts include complexes of rhodium, ruthenium, palladium, and platinum. Some of these platinum group metal catalysts are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,159,601, 3,159,662 to Ashby; platinum alcoholate catalysts described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,220,972 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,814,730 to Karstedt. An effective amount of platinum catalyst is an amount which is sufficient to provide from about 5 ppm to about 200 ppm of platinum, and preferably, 10 ppm to 100 ppm, based on the total weight of the substantially volatile organic solvent-free platinum group metal catalyzed heat curable silicone composition.
In addition to platinum group metal catalysts, catalyst inhibitors can be used at about 100 ppm to about 1000 ppm to extend the pot-life of the heat curable substantially volatile organic solvent-free platinum group metal catalyzed composition. Some of these inhibitors include acetylenic compounds, for example alcohols, described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,603,168; dicarboxylate in U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,601 and maleates, for example, bis-3,trimethoxysilylpropylmaleate, in U.S. Pat. No. 4,783,552. Further, the silicone coating composition of the present invention can have a heat stabilizer, such as a copper salt of naphthenic acid.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In order to further understand the practice of the invention, reference is made to the drawing.
FIG. 1 shows an incandescent lamp having a cutaway section shown by FIG. 2 . In FIG. 3 there is shown a cutaway of the base section of FIG. 1 .
In FIG. 2, there is shown at 20 , a silicone coating having a thickness of about 3 to 15 mils on the surface of the glass envelope.
In FIG. 3, there is shown a silicone coating extending beyond the glass hermetic seal for a distance of about 40 to 200 mil onto the metal base at 32 .
In order that those skilled in the art will be better able to practice the present invention, the following example is given by way of illustration, and not by weigh of limitation. All parts are by weight unless otherwise indicated.
EXAMPLE
A vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane fluid having a viscosity of about 80,000 centipoise is prepared by equilibrating over a period of about 8 hours at a temperature of 155° C. in the presence of 10-20 ppm of KOH, a mixture consisting essentially of about 2.3 parts of 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, per 1000 parts of octamethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane. In a similar manner, a vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane fluid having a viscosity of about 3500 centipoise is prepared by equilibrating a mixture of about 6.1 parts of 1,3-divinyltetramethyldisiloxane, per 1000 parts of octamethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane over a period of 10-15 hours.
A blend is prepared consisting essentially of 0.2 part of the vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane fluid having a viscosity of about 3500 centipoise at 25° C., per part of the vinyl terminated polydimethylsiloxane fluid having a viscosity of about 80,000 centipoise at 25° C. The resulting fluid blend having a viscosity of about 50,000 centipoise is then further mixed thoroughly mixed with an MQD resin dissolved in xylene to form a mixture having a proportion of about 3 parts of vinyl siloxane fluid blend, per part of MQD resin (based on dry weight). The xylene is then stripped from the mixture in a controlled manner to produce a silicone mixture free of volatile organic compounds (VOC).
The above solvent free silicone mixture is divided into two equal parts referred to hereinafter as part A and part B.
There is added to 100 g of part A, 0.1 g of a platinum catalyst solution shown by Karstedt U.S. Pat. No. 3,775,452, 0.2 g of diallylmaleate inhibitor, and 0.5 g of a heat stabilizer (copper salt of naphthenic acid). The resulting mixture is homogenized for 20 minutes.
There is added to 100 g of part B, 2 g of a polymethyl-hydrogensiloxane cross-linking agent consisting essentially of condensed methylhydrogensiloxy units, dimethylsiloxy units and terminated with trimethylsiloxy units having a viscosity of about 15 centipoise at 25° C. The resulting part B mixture is mixed for 20 minutes.
A heat curable, sprayable, and dipable silicone mixture, free of volatile organic compounds (VOC), is prepared by thoroughly mixing part A and part B. Five 75 watt GE incandescent lamps manufactured at Nela Park, Cleveland Ohio, are dipped into the silicone mixture and removed. The treated lamps are mounted and placed into an oven for 3 minutes at 135° C. Tack-free coatings having an average thickness of 3 to 15 mils are obtained on the respective light bulbs. The respective light outputs for each of the lamps with and without the applied silicone coating are measured. The light output in lumens is found to drop an average of about 2.5% as a result of the silicone coating.
The physical properties of several cured test samples are prepared from the above described silicone heat curable mixture. The physicals are measured after a 3 minute cure at 135° C. There is obtained an average value showing a tensile (psi) of about 630, an elongation at break of 440% and a durometer of 44. A significant change in the physicals are found if the proportion of the low and high molecular weight vinyl siloxanes are varied between 10 to 90, and 50/50 respectively.
Several GE incandescent lamps are treated with the above described heat curable silicone mixture and thereafter oven cured following the same procedure. The lamps are then evaluated for shatter resistance. Some of the lamps are treated as shown in FIG. 1, whereby the cured silicone coating extends beyond the hermetic seal at the juncture of the glass envelope and onto the metal base and included a portion of the upper threaded screw area. Other GE incandescent lamps are similarly treated, but the curable silicone mixture is restricted to the glass envelope and does not extend onto the metal base.
Lamp shatter resistance is based on the use of a pendulum apparatus having an aluminum mallet. A lamp is positioned in an energized socket at the rest point of the pendulum. The lamp is burned until it reaches normal operating temperatures. At that point, the mallet is released and allowed to swing one or more times through a pre-ordained angle to strike the lamp. The pendulum apparatus is adjusted with respect to the angle of elevation of the pendulum bob to provide a force at impact at about the juncture of the glass envelope and the metal base which is at least sufficient to crack the glass envelope. Once the bulb has been broken, the lamp can be unscrewed and evaluated for glass containment.
Several lamps are evaluated for glass containment using the above test. It is found that the lamps treated with the heat curable silicone composition in accordance with the present invention show at least 90% containment based on visual observation. In addition, lamps coated with the heat cured silicone composition below the glass-metal hermetic seal onto the metal base as shown in FIG. 3, exhibit a substantially improved reduction in glass loss upon lamp fracture, as compared to lamps coated with various glass containment coating restricted to the glass surface.
Although the above example is directed to the use of only a few of the very many silicone coating compositions which can be used in the practice of the present invention, it should be understood that the present invention is directed to a much broader variety of materials and methods as set forth in the description preceding this description.
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An environmentally favorable method is described for treating an incandescent lamp with a heat curable substantially organic solvent free silicone composition to improve the shatter resistance of the lamp.
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BACKGROUND
[0001] It is assumed that a highly accurate map, a topographic map or highly accurate geo-data will be used in future driver assistance systems and during highly automated driving. So that this map is always up-to-date, the vehicles have a permanent connection to a so-called “backend” which stores the map and associated map data. Communication takes place between the vehicle and the backend.
[0002] A grid-based environmental model for a vehicle is known from the document WO 2013/060323 A1.
[0003] Methods for compressing data are also known.
[0004] A high data rate can be expected when transmitting data between the vehicles and a backend since the data are provided, in particular, by a multiplicity of vehicles. Compression methods can be used during transmission in order to reduce the data rate.
[0005] It may be desirable to make the transmission of vehicle environmental model data, for example to a backend, more efficient.
BRIEF SUMMARY
[0006] Accordingly, one aspect of the invention may provide a communication apparatus, a vehicle having a communication apparatus, a management apparatus, a communication method, a program element and a computer-readable storage medium.
[0007] The subject matter of the invention is specified by the features of the independent patent claims. Further embodiments are specified by the features of the dependent patent claims and by the following description.
[0008] In order to keep the map data or reference data up-to-date in the backend, it is possible to use the environmental data determined by vehicles as data sources. For this purpose, the acquired environmental data must be transmitted to the backend.
[0009] The environmental data are determined by a sensor device and/or a multiplicity of sensor devices in a vehicle in order to operate driver assistance systems, for example.
[0010] One aspect of the invention describes a communication apparatus for a vehicle. The communication apparatus has a sensor device, a receiving device, a processing device, and a transmission device. These devices are connected to one another, for example using a bus system inside the vehicle. The sensor device is set up to acquire sensor data. In particular, the sensor device is set up to acquire the sensor data during a movement of the sensor device. In order to acquire the sensor data, the sensor data may be cyclically queried, for example, with the result that an environmental model can be cyclically formed from the sensor data. Different sensor devices may have different cycle times. The acquisition of the sensor data at periodic times can be interpreted as an operation of scanning the environment. In this case, different sensor devices may collect different environmental data which are combined in an environmental model. The environmental model may be subject to temporal and/or local changes. The environmental model of a communication apparatus and/or of a vehicle may represent an excerpt from the reference data and/or map data managed by the management apparatus. The environmental model may be a database. In other words, an environmental model may be managed in a database. This database may be managed inside the vehicle and may have the acquired sensor data from the sensor device(s) with an indication of the time and/or location.
[0011] The sensor data may be stored as objects in the environmental model. The objects may be identified items, for example a road marking, a traffic sign or roadworks. However, the objects may also be only probability values for an existing item. The environmental model may be at least partially organized as a grid-based environmental model, that is to say an occupancy grid.
[0012] The environmental model may consequently have an object list such as traffic signs, vehicle markings, crash barriers or other vehicles and/or an occupancy grid, for example a grid around the vehicle with areas which can be driven on.
[0013] The receiving device is set up to receive reference data from an external management apparatus, for example map data from a backend and/or from a roadside unit. The management apparatus is arranged outside the sensor device. The reference data received by the vehicle are stored in the vehicle and are used there to accurately locate the vehicle on the map and for merging with data relating to the environmental model. In order to update the reference data in the management apparatus, for example the backend, the environmental model data are also transmitted to the backend before merging. Environmental model data and reference data may be organized as arrays, graphs or lists. Such structures make it possible to concatenate or combine physical memory cells of a database according to the environmental model data and/or the reference data, thus making it possible to form the difference between the environmental model data and the reference data by comparing corresponding contents of the memory cells.
[0014] The processing device of the communication apparatus is set up to determine a difference between the acquired sensor data, that is to say substantially the environmental model data, and the corresponding reference data. In one example, the environmental model which is cyclically updated with the sensor data may be compared with the reference data. In order to be able to form the difference, the reference data may be organized in a grid-based manner corresponding to the environmental model. This makes it possible to compare sensor data at one grid location with the reference data at a corresponding grid location. The grid can be considered to be a reference coordinate system, with the result that particular locations of the environmental model can be compared with the corresponding locations of the reference data. The grid can be oriented to geographical coordinates.
[0015] In this context, the term “difference” may relate both to a local difference and to a temporal difference. A temporal difference may result since the sensor device moves and new objects are therefore cyclically captured by the sensor device. A local difference may result from geographical changes, for example structural changes, changed signposting and/or the installation of moving roadworks. However, a local difference may also result from a measurement inaccuracy of a sensor device.
[0016] The transmission device is set up to transmit the determined difference between the acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data to the external management apparatus. The difference may also be organized, for example, in the structure of an array, a graph and/or a list. Consideration of the local and/or temporal changes may substantially update the reference data in the management apparatus.
[0017] Another aspect of the present invention describes a vehicle having the communication apparatus according to the invention. The vehicle may ensure that the sensor device moves.
[0018] Another aspect of the invention describes a management apparatus, for example a backend or a roadside unit. The management apparatus has a map device and a transmitting and receiving device, the map device being set up to manage map data. These map data may generally be referred to as reference data. The reference data are organized in a grid-based manner.
[0019] The transmitting and receiving device is set up to transmit the map data as reference data to a communication apparatus for a vehicle. The transmitting and receiving device is also set up to process a determined difference between sensor data which have been acquired by the vehicle and the corresponding reference data. The transmitting and receiving device is also set up to transmit a level or quantization characteristic curve of differences to be transmitted and/or a coding method to the communication apparatus for predefinition. In other words, the transmitting and receiving device may be set up to influence the communication apparatus, in particular by predefining a threshold value for a difference value above which a determined difference value should be transmitted, and/or the transmitting and receiving device may be set up to predefine the coding method which is used by the communication apparatus for transmission. For predefinition, currently prevailing data traffic can be taken into account. The threshold value can be predefined, for example, as a quantization characteristic curve, with the result that only difference values above the quantization characteristic curve are transmitted, for example. Alternatively, only values which are below the predefinable threshold value and/or below the quantization characteristic curve can also be transmitted. The quantization characteristic curve may predefine a level of differences, in particular difference values, which are intended to be transmitted.
[0020] Yet another aspect of the present invention describes a method for communicating sensor data. The method provides for a sensor or a sensor device for acquiring the sensor data to be moved. The movement of the sensor may produce changes in the sensor data which result in temporal and/or local differences. In other words, the movement of a sensor device may be used to scan an environment of a vehicle. The movement may also result in a field of view of the sensor device being entered and left.
[0021] The method also provides for reference data to be obtained or received from an external management apparatus. The management apparatus is arranged outside the sensor or the sensor device, with the result that the reference data are provided via an external interface. In one example, this interface may be a wireless interface. The method also comprises the acquisition of the sensor data, the sensor data being able to be acquired independently of the reception of the reference data.
[0022] In order to determine a difference between the acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data, a deviation between the acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data may be determined. When determining the difference or the deviation, data which temporally and/or locally correspond may be compared. For the temporal correspondence of the data, a time stamp or a time of the determined data may be captured. The local correspondence may be established using a statement of coordinates, for example a statement of a position in a grid, in a coordinate system and/or in an occupancy grid. In this consideration, a synchronous time base and/or a synchronized reference coordinate system in the communication apparatus and in the management apparatus may be assumed. Furthermore, when comparing the sensor data and the reference data, a state may be taken into account in which the sensor data no longer substantially change over a predefinable period, for example if the sensor data leave the field of view of a sensor device.
[0023] If the term “data” is used in the plural form in this text, it may also include an individual data item. The data may be occupancy probabilities and/or objects. An object may have been determined from probabilities. An object may be, for example, a traffic sign, a sign, another vehicle, an infrastructure element or a local anomaly, for example roadworks.
[0024] After determining the difference, the method provides for the determined difference between the acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data to be transmitted to the external management apparatus. In other words, only the differences between the current sensor data and the reference data are substantially transmitted.
[0025] Another aspect of the present invention describes a program element which, when executed on a processor, instructs the processor to carry out one of the methods according to the invention for communicating sensor data and/or for managing reference data.
[0026] Yet another aspect of the present invention describes a computer-readable medium which stores a program element which, when executed on a processor, instructs the processor to carry out one of the methods according to the invention for communicating sensor data and/or for managing reference data.
[0027] A computer-readable storage medium may be a floppy disk, a hard disk, a USB (universal serial bus) storage medium, a RAM (random access memory), a ROM (read only memory) or an EPROM (erasable programmable read only memory). A communication network, such as the Internet, which may make it possible to install or download program code can also be considered to be a computer-readable storage medium.
[0028] Furthermore, one aspect of the present invention may describe a method for managing reference data. The method may provide for map data to be transmitted as reference data to a communication apparatus for a vehicle. The method may also provide for a determined difference between currently acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data to be processed. For control purposes, the method may also predefine a level of differences which is intended to be transmitted and/or a coding method which is intended to be used to transmit the difference data.
[0029] One aspect of the invention may be considered to be the fact that sensor data from a sensor device moving in a vehicle are acquired. More up-to-date environmental data than the comparable reference data may therefore be collected. When acquiring the sensor data, it may be taken into account that the sensor data may change from one acquisition cycle to another acquisition cycle on account of the movement of the vehicle. The associated sensor data may only change insignificantly only at a time at which an object is close to the sensor. This time may correspond to a time at which the items which produce the sensor data leave the field of view of the sensor. A traffic sign may thus cyclically produce sensor data of a different distance from the sensor device when it approaches the sensor. The traffic sign may be visible in a first cycle and may consequently generate sensor data. In another cycle in turn, that is to say at a different time for example, the traffic sign may substantially produce no sensor data. The object or traffic sign may produce stable sensor data only when the object or traffic sign is close to the sensor device, which sensor data make it possible to identify the traffic sign with a high degree of probability.
[0030] The determination of what object is involved in the determined sensor data relating to an item may be carried out in a cycle in which the associated sensor data leave and/or have already left the predefinable field of view of the sensor device. Temporally preceding sensor data which belong to this item may not be taken into account and can be filtered out or rejected in order to reduce the volume of data generated. For example, objects may not be entered in the environmental model as long as they are in the field of view of a sensor. In one example, the environmental model may also cover a limited range, environment or perimeter around a vehicle or around a sensor device, with the result that data which go beyond this range can be ignored. In particular, a reduction in the data or compression can be achieved and a transmission bandwidth for transmitting the data can be kept low by disregarding or ignoring sensor data which are acquired before the associated item leaves the field of view of the sensor device. The field of view of the sensor device may be used as a window and/or filter for sensor data which need not be stored and/or transmitted if the data relating to an environmental model are transmitted to a management apparatus.
[0031] According to one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the acquired sensor data are managed in a vehicle environmental model or environmental model. The vehicle environmental model may be organized in a grid-based, time-based and/or coordinate-based manner, as a result of which sensor data which are stored in the environmental model may be based on a reference coordinate system in order to be able to compare them with reference data.
[0032] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, a field of view of the sensor device is defined, the acquired sensor data which leave the field of view during the movement of the sensor device being used to determine the difference between the acquired sensor data and the corresponding reference data.
[0033] By transmitting only those data which leave the field of view, it may be possible to reduce the number of data items to be transmitted. Consequently, not all data acquired by the sensor device in the field of view need to be stored and/or transmitted. In addition, in one example, the environmental model may substantially include sensor data which are in the predefinable environment of a sensor device.
[0034] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the field of view of the sensor device is determined by a cycle length of sampled sensor data, a geometrical capture area, the change in the vehicle position, the change in the vehicle orientation and/or a probability of the sensor data changing.
[0035] In particular, the change in the vehicle position and/or the change in the vehicle orientation may produce a movement which may result in an item leaving the field of view.
[0036] Since substantially data which do not change are intended to be taken into account in the transmission, a cycle length, a geometrical distance range and/or a change probability or change frequency can be used as a criterion for defining the field of view. Data which no longer change since they have already left a field of view and have already been transmitted also do not need to be transmitted again. Consequently, the number of data items in an environmental model can be reduced further by substantially taking into account only data which no longer change.
[0037] Since sensor data are provided by the sensor device or by a multiplicity of sensor devices at regular intervals of time, in cycles or at regular scanning times, a certain amount of time elapses between the time at which an object or an item is captured for the first time by the sensor device and the time at which the object or the item is so close to the sensor device that it can be identified with a high degree of probability. With this assumption, it can be assumed that an item close to the sensor device is correctly identified with a higher degree of probability than an item which is far away from the sensor device. If the item leaves the field of view of the sensor, no new information is provided and the state identified up to this time at which the item leaves the field of view can be transmitted. This state is represented in the environmental model. The change probability of the environmental model is lowest after an item has left the field of view of a sensor or a sensor device. Image processing and/or pattern recognition methods may be used to identify an object from sensor data and from the assignment to an item which actually exists.
[0038] It may be determined whether an item which enters the field of view is of interest, in principle, for transmission to the management apparatus. In this case, it may also be identified, for example, that an item which newly enters the field of view of the sensor device is another road user not of interest to the management apparatus and the map managed by the latter. Therefore, no transmission at all needs to be provided for this item. However, the item may nevertheless be tracked by the sensor device since it is possibly of interest to the internal environmental model of the vehicle.
[0039] In contrast, a structural item or an infrastructure object, for example a traffic sign, may be of interest to the management apparatus, in particular if it has changed in comparison with the reference data. This item may be tracked from the first appearance to reliable identification and may be entered in the environmental model and/or transmitted to the management apparatus at the time at which the identification probability is highest. This probability may be highest when the item leaves the field of view of the sensor device. The field of view may be defined by a number of scanning cycles, a geometrical function or an illumination cone of the sensor device and/or by considering the change frequency, for example as a result of incorrect identification.
[0040] In a predefinable filter, it is possible to stipulate which objects or items are of interest to the management apparatus, with the result that only these objects or items and/or only environmental models which contain them are transmitted. If no infrastructure objects occur for a long time, the environmental model does not need to be transmitted. Preprocessing of the sensor data makes it possible to avoid unnecessary transmission of objects which are not of interest and/or transmission of environmental models containing items which have not yet been reliably identified. The volume of data transmitted can be reduced by means of such a selection or filtering.
[0041] It is additionally possible to determine whether an identified object is already present in the reference data in order to avoid transmission again. If a traffic sign is identified and is already present at the corresponding local position in the reference data, there is no need to update the reference data in the management apparatus. However, if it is determined, for example, that the location of the traffic sign or generally of the identified object has shifted and/or the object has never been previously identified, this is an interesting item of information which is intended to be transmitted to the management apparatus. In this case, tolerances can also be taken into account in order to compensate for inaccuracies of the sensor devices.
[0042] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the sensor device may be at least one sensor device selected from the group of sensor devices consisting of a camera, a distance sensor, a radar sensor, an ADAS (advanced driver assistance system) sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a LIDAR (light detection and ranging) sensor, and a LaDAR (laser detection and ranging) sensor.
[0043] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the sensor device, the receiving device, the processing device and/or the transmission device can be connected to one another using a CAN (controller area network) bus, via Flexray and/or Ethernet (IEEE 802.x).
[0044] A CAN bus is a standard transmission bus system of a vehicle from the family of field buses. If the corresponding components provide CAN interfaces, they can be easily connected to one another by being connected to the bus. A similar situation may apply to Flexray or Ethernet.
[0045] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the receiving device and/or the transmission device may have an interface selected from the group of interfaces consisting of a radio interface, a car-to-X interface, a WiFi interface, a UMTS (universal mobile telecommunications system) interface, a GSM (global system for mobile Communications) interface, a GPRS (general packet radio service) interface, and/or an LTE (long term evolution) interface.
[0046] A radio interface enables wireless communication between the management apparatus and the communication apparatus. Further examples of wireless connections are Bluetooth, WLAN (for example WLAN 802.11a/b/g/n or WLAN 802.11p), ZigBee or WiMax.
[0047] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the transmission device has a quantization device, the quantization device being set up to transmit the determined difference above a predefinable level and/or a predefinable change rate. In one example, the quantization device may be set up to transmit the determined difference, the value of which is above a predefinable quantization step height and/or above a predefinable quantization step profile. A quantization step profile may be relevant in the case of non-equidistant quantization.
[0048] A quantization device results in a reduction in the volume of data or compression by virtue of an input signal being mapped to an output signal having a reduced number of steps in comparison with the input signal or being digitized. In this case, the width of the steps may be equidistant or variable, for example. If the value of a difference falls below such a step, it may not be identified and therefore may not be taken into account.
[0049] Alternatively or in combination with the quantization device, the transmission device may have a coding device, the coding device being set up to code the determined difference using a predefinable coding method.
[0050] The level of the differences which are intended to be transmitted can be predefined by the external management apparatus. In one example, the management apparatus may predefine a quantization characteristic curve. The level of the change rates at which transmission is intended to take place may likewise be predefined by the management apparatus.
[0051] The external management apparatus may also influence the coding method to be used.
[0052] As a result of the different ways of influencing the communication apparatus, the management apparatus can control the data stream which is made available to it by a communication apparatus and/or by a multiplicity of communication apparatuses. In this manner, the management apparatus can provide the communication apparatus with feedback. The feedback may take into account a current volume of data, for example.
[0053] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the predefinable level, the quantization step height, the quantization step profile, a quantization characteristic curve and/or the predefinable coding method can be predefined by the external management apparatus. For this influence, a communication channel can be set up between the communication apparatus and the management apparatus.
[0054] According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, the transmission device has at least two buffers which can be changed over.
[0055] Providing at least two buffers makes it possible to store and code environmental data, that is to say data relating to the environmental model, in a parallel manner. The buffers can be in the form of memory devices which operate according to the FIFO (first in first out) principle.
[0056] The reference data which are managed by the management apparatus may be map data or geographical data, in particular digital map data relating to a digital topographic map.
[0057] The term “digital map” or “digital map data” can also be understood as meaning maps for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) without navigation taking place.
[0058] The vehicle is, for example, a motor vehicle, such as an automobile, a bus or a truck, or else a rail vehicle, a ship, an aircraft, such as a helicopter or airplane, or a bicycle, for example.
[0059] Navigation systems which determine navigation data or localization data, for example satellite data or GPS data, can be used to determine the location of the sensor data. It is pointed out that, in the context of the present invention, GPS is representative of all global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), for example GPS, Galileo, GLONASS (Russia), Compass (China), IRNSS (India).
[0060] At this point, it is pointed out that the position of the vehicle can also be determined using cell positioning. This is appropriate, in particular, when using GSM or UMTS networks.
[0061] Car-to-car communication (C2C communication) is a term defined by the car-to-car communication consortium (C2C-CC), an association of a plurality of automobile manufacturers. C2C-CC is developing an open industrial standard for vehicle-to-vehicle communication and for communication between the vehicles and infrastructure devices or infrastructure objects (traffic lights, etc.). An infrastructure device is an object or item in the sense of this text.
[0062] The basis for such car-to-car radio systems may be wireless communication systems in the form of WLANs (wireless local area networks) according to the standard defined by the IEEE under the standard designation 802.11, for example.
[0063] C2X communication comprises C2C communication (vehicle-to-vehicle communication) and communication between a vehicle and a further device which is not a vehicle, for example an infrastructure device (traffic lights, traffic signs etc.).
[0064] Further exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described below with reference to the figures.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0065] FIG. 1 shows a communication system for communicating data from a vehicle environmental model to a management apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0066] FIG. 2 shows a vehicle with a block diagram of a communication apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0067] FIG. 3 shows a sensor device having a field of view according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0068] FIG. 4 shows a flowchart for a method for communicating sensor data according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0069] FIG. 5 shows a vehicle having a communication apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0070] FIG. 6 shows a management apparatus according to one exemplary embodiment of the present invention.
[0071] The illustrations in the figures are schematic and are not true to scale. In the following description of FIG. 1 to FIG. 6 , the same reference symbols are used for the same or corresponding elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0072] The communication system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 has a multiplicity of vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c having communication apparatuses (not illustrated). The vehicles communicate with a management apparatus 102 via the wireless connections 103 a , 103 b , 103 c or radio connections 103 a , 103 b , 103 c . The management apparatus 102 has the backend 102 a and a roadside unit 102 b . The roadside unit may be integrated in a base station 102 b . A backend 102 a is often also used alone as the management apparatus 102 . Instead of using the cable connection 104 between the backend 102 a and the roadside unit 102 b , the vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c , in particular their communication apparatuses, communicate directly with the backend 102 a.
[0073] The system 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 may be used to implement a data compression method for efficiently transmitting data from the vehicle environmental model of the vehicles to the backend 102 a.
[0074] Each of the multiplicity of vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c has its own vehicle environmental model. Each of the vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c may have a database in order to store the vehicle environmental model. The vehicles are moving, for example, on a road 105 with infrastructure objects. The infrastructure objects 105 a , 105 b , 105 c may be a crash barrier 105 a , a road marking 105 b and/or a traffic sign 105 c.
[0075] In the case of uncompressed transmission of the data from the vehicle environmental model, very large volumes of data may be produced and may result in an obstacle when implementing this function of interchanging information. Compression makes it possible to reduce the volume of data.
[0076] A plurality of subscribers are involved in the communication with the backend 102 a . One or more vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c communicate with a base station 102 b via a radio connection 103 a , 103 b , 103 c . This base station 102 b may be a GSM base station 102 b or a roadside unit 102 b , as is used for C2X communication. Data compression should be aimed for for both connections 103 a , 103 b , 103 c , 104 .
[0077] A vehicle 101 a , 101 b , 101 c which communicates with the backend is illustrated in FIG. 2 . It has a communication apparatus 200 . The communication apparatus 200 has a sensor device 201 , the receiving device 202 , the processing device 203 or the processor 203 , the transmission device 204 and the database 205 . The receiving device 202 and the transmission device 204 may be integrated in a single transmitting/receiving device and are used for wireless communication via the antennas 206 a , 206 b . The individual components 201 , 202 , 203 , 204 , 205 are connected via a vehicle bus, for example via the CAN bus 207 .
[0078] The environmental model of the vehicle is stored in the database 205 . Since the vehicle 101 a , 101 b , 101 c is movable, the communication apparatus 200 can be moved. As a result of the movement, the relative positions of the items 105 , 105 a , 105 b , 105 c with respect to the vehicles may change, and sensor data can be cyclically acquired using the sensor device 201 and can be stored in the environmental model in the database 205 . The acquired sensor data can be stored with indications of the time and/or location. Irrespective of the acquisition time or cycle, the absolute indications of the location have substantially constant values if static objects are assumed. The relative indications of the location with respect to the vehicle may change, however. The position of the vehicle inside an environmental model may also change. In the case of moving objects, such as other vehicles, the indications of the location also change over time.
[0079] FIG. 3 illustrates a sensor device 201 having a sensor field of view 301 or a sensor field of vision 301 . The field of view is an excerpt from the environmental model 300 which concomitantly moves with the sensor device 201 . The sensor device 201 or the vehicle sensor system 201 looks far ahead in the direction of movement 304 of the vehicle in order to make it possible for the vehicle 101 a , 101 b , 101 c (not shown in FIG. 3 ) to react to the environment. That is to say, the sensor device 201 can capture items 105 c which are already far away. The field of view 301 is that area of an environmental model 300 which is captured by the sensor device 201 , which environmental model is illustrated as a square in FIG. 3 . The environmental model 300 has a transition area 302 which is outside the field of view 301 and is in front of the sensor device 201 in the direction of movement 304 of the sensor device 201 . The transition area 302 has a shape corresponding to two opposite symmetrical triangles. The boundary 307 is between the transition area 302 and the field of view 301 . If a stationary object 105 c crosses the boundary 307 during a movement of the sensor device 201 , it leaves the capture area 301 of the sensor device 201 . After the object 105 c has left the field of view 301 of the sensor device 201 , it no longer changes the environmental model. Objects which are behind the sensor device 201 in the direction of movement 304 likewise no longer change the environmental model. Objects behind the sensor device 201 are in the area 303 behind the sensor boundary 308 . These objects in the area 303 are objects which have already been transmitted once and therefore do not have to be transmitted again since they do not provide any more recent information.
[0080] The capture area 301 or field of view 301 is illustrated in the form of a triangle in FIG. 3 . However, it may also be parabolic, rectangular or trapezoidal and, in a simplified manner, can be approximated by a triangle, a parabola or a trapezoid or a rectangle. A rectangular approximation is appropriate, for example, when a plurality of sensors having differing fields of view are used, in particular.
[0081] Depending on the number of observations cycles or scanning cycles, the upcoming information in the field of view 301 also changes greatly since, with a small number of observation cycles, for example incorrect detection, objects 105 c which have not been identified and inaccuracies in the captured positions are still present.
[0082] In order to reduce the volume of data, provision may be made for the transmission device 204 not to transmit the complete environmental model 300 in each cycle, but rather to transmit only that restricted area 302 outside the field of view 301 of the sensor device 201 in which the data relating to the environmental model have just left the sensor field of view. The data have reached the maximum reliability in this area and changes substantially no longer occur in future cycles.
[0083] The area 303 behind the sensor device 201 in the direction of movement 304 can likewise be omitted from the transmission since the data are substantially no longer subject to any changes and have already been transmitted in preceding cycles. A sensor update does not take place in the area 303 since this area is no longer captured by the sensors 201 . This area can likewise be modeled as a triangle, a parabola, a trapezoid or a rectangle. During each measurement cycle, the data are updated in the area 301 , as a result of which the environmental model data change greatly.
[0084] In particular, the areas 301 which were observed only with a few cycles, that is to say with a low scanning rate, and in which the values still change greatly are omitted from storage and/or transmission. This is because provision may be made for a multiplicity of sensor devices 201 to be provided. For example, a sensor device looking far in front of the sensor device 201 can operate with a high cycle duration, that is to say with a low scanning rate, whereas a sensor device looking close in front of the sensor device 201 can operate with a low cycle duration, that is to say with a high scanning rate. The data in this area 301 change very greatly and have not yet reached their maximum reliability and are therefore suitable or necessary only to a restricted extent for updating the backend data or reference data. The aim is therefore to transmit substantially only the data with the highest identification probability or with the lowest change probability.
[0085] The data rate for transmitting the data relating to the environmental model 300 can be reduced if substantially only the information or data relating to the areas 302 which have just left the sensor field of view and consequently cross or have crossed the boundary 307 substantially at the time of provision are transmitted. After being transmitted once, these data need not be transmitted again since the information is already available to the backend and further transmission can be dispensed with. The information further back in time was transmitted in preceding cycles and therefore no longer changes. This information further back in time is data which have been acquired in a preceding cycle. These data are substantially in the area 303 if a movement of the sensor device in the direction of movement 304 is taken as a basis.
[0086] On account of the movement, the sensor device 201 and on account of the cyclical sampling of the sensor data and therefore on account of the cyclical capture of the objects 105 c , the position of the object relative to the vehicle in the data relating to the cyclically updated environmental model 300 changes on the basis of time. In this case, a representation of the static vehicle environment in global coordinates is often used, the position of the object in the environmental model remaining constant, but the position of the vehicle in the environmental model changing from cycle to cycle.
[0087] The vehicle moves or “drives” through the environmental model.
[0088] In one example, the vehicle environment is represented in fixed global coordinates, the area 300 resulting from the fact that only a limited area around the vehicle is represented. The area 300 can then be interpreted as a window. The “front” boundary of the area 300 in the direction of travel 304 results from the limited visual range of the environmental model, for example as a result of the limited sensor range or as a result of the decreasing sensor accuracy. The rear boundary results from the fact that excessively “old” data are deleted. The environmental model 300 can be understood as meaning a topographic map, of which only the limited area 300 is held in the memory of the vehicle or the communication apparatus. The position of moving objects changes with fixed global modeling.
[0089] The coordinates of the boundaries 307 , 308 between the areas 301 , 302 and 303 inside the environmental model 300 depend on the vehicle position and the orientation of the vehicle when considering the cyclically updated environmental model 301 and, in the case of a moving vehicle, change from cycle to cycle on the basis of the vehicle movement.
[0090] Alternatively, vehicle-based coordinates or sensor-based coordinates can be used, the coordinates of the boundaries 307 , 308 between the areas 301 , 302 and 303 remaining fixed, but the position of static objects in vehicle coordinates changing in each cycle in the case of a moving vehicle.
[0091] A time/location transformation therefore takes place. The object 105 c , for example, therefore “wanders” relative to the vehicle at the different scanning times t 0 , t 1 , t 2 , t 3 from the field of view 301 across the boundary 307 into the transition area 302 and finally into the rear area 300 . The wandering of the static object 105 c becomes visible in the sensor-based coordinate system, whereas the object 105 c appears at a fixed location based on a coordinate system of the environmental model 300 . The temporally changed image of the object 105 c is represented as the object 105 c at the time t 0 , as the object 105 c ′ at the time t 1 , as the object 105 c ″ at the time t 2 and as the object 105 c ′″ at the time t 3 . However, the transmission takes place only at the time t 1 since the identification accuracy is still too low at the time t 0 . From the time t 2 on, no further transmission must be carried out since the sensor is no longer able to capture changes in the object 105 c . The time increases from the time t 0 to the time t 3 . An entire environmental model 300 is generated at each time. However, the changing areas are filtered out and only the changes are transmitted as the difference.
[0092] The difference is formed in the processing device 203 .
[0093] FIG. 4 shows details of the sequence of the compression method in the vehicle. In this case, a method for communicating sensor data is illustrated in the form of a flowchart. Whereas the method represents the transmission of data to an external management apparatus 102 a , the method can also be used for the transmission of occupancy grids inside the vehicle or for the transmission of an environmental model inside the vehicle.
[0094] However, since the transmission of data from the vehicle to the backend 102 a is not critical to safety and is less time-critical than a method for internal vehicle communication, the transmission method can be optimized with respect to the data compression by using buffering, for example by filtering and analyzing the sensor data. External communication can also take place with a lower priority than internal communication. The environmental model 300 may be organized as a grid model 300 in the database 205 . Objects which cannot be driven over can likewise appear as so-called occupancy grids on the basis of a grid model. In addition to the occupancy grids, the other objects, features or items of the static environment can also be transmitted, for example lane markings 105 b or traffic signs 105 c . The moving environment, for example other vehicles, can also be captured. However, on account of the time change, the transmission of the moving objects may only be of secondary interest. Filtering may therefore also provide for static and movable object data to be identified in order to substantially transmit only the static objects.
[0095] Whereas the object type is not determined for occupancy grids, the transmission of items or objects presupposes that the objects were identified before they were stored in the environmental model.
[0096] Since the reference data stored in the backend are static, it can be assumed that only a small part of the data changes. The reference data are received from the external management apparatus 102 in step S 401 . The cycle time with which reference data are received can be a multiple greater than the cycle time with which the sensor device is operated. Different sensor devices 201 may operate with different cycle times. The received reference data may be stored, for example, in a separate area of the database 205 . In one exemplary embodiment, the reference data match the data in the environmental model 300 and are therefore rigid, and only the boundaries 300 , 307 , 308 move across a static environmental model 300 . In this example, the boundaries of the captured area move with the vehicle and/or with the communication apparatus and move across the environmental model. In this example, the environmental model may be decoupled from the area 300 . The area 300 may then be interpreted as a window which moves. Calculations are always carried out with fixed global coordinates in the backend.
[0097] In another example, it is possible to work with fixed vehicle coordinates inside the vehicle or inside the communication apparatus, that is to say with coordinates which are based on the vehicle. In this case, inside the vehicle on the basis of the vehicle position, the vehicle environmental model can be transformed into global coordinates or the reference data can be transformed into vehicle coordinates in order to form the difference.
[0098] The reference data are substantially provided only with a location mark in order to be able to establish a benchmark for the sensor data relating to the environmental model. The corresponding data are read from the environmental model in step S 402 .
[0099] In step S 403 , a difference between the data received from the backend and the data relating to the vehicle environmental model is formed. This is substantially a comparison of the static infrastructure data which do not move within a predefinable short interval of time.
[0100] When providing the data relating to the environmental model, in particular when reading the data relating to the environmental model from the database 205 , that area 302 of the environmental model 300 which is currently moving from the field of view of the sensor system 201 may be used.
[0101] In the event of slight changes, the formation of the difference may result in no or only small differences occurring for many values and large deviations may be rare. This may mean that, when the grid-based environmental model is compared with the corresponding locations of the reference data, only slight changes in the environmental model in comparison with the reference data are determined since the captured objects are usually infrastructure data which are organized in a substantially static manner.
[0102] In step S 404 , quantization can be used to control which differences are transmitted. In particular, in step 404 , the level of the differences to be transmitted can be stipulated. In other words, a threshold value can be stipulated, in which case difference values which are below the threshold value are not transmitted. A slight difference may occur, for example, if a traffic sign is only identified as being offset by a few centimeters with respect to the reference data and is therefore still within a tolerance range. The management apparatus 102 can influence the quantization, that is to say the level of the differences to be transmitted, and can control the flow of data by means of feedback of this type. In the case of a high volume of data, transmission of different differences can therefore be prevented.
[0103] In step S 405 , a precoding method combines areas having identical values after the quantization in order to thus achieve compression by combining the data.
[0104] In step S 406 , buffering takes place. This buffering may be asynchronous. Since both the data rate of the environmental data and the available bandwidth of the radio interface 103 a , 103 b , 103 c , 205 b to the management apparatus 102 may fluctuate and the transmission need not have hard real-time capability, buffering of the data can also be used to smooth the data rate. In one example, at least two buffers can be used in connection with the compression. The first buffer of the at least two buffers may be filled with data in step S 407 , whereas the second of the at least two buffers codes and transmits the data in step S 408 . Steps S 407 and S 408 can be carried out in a substantially parallel manner. The role of the buffers can then be swapped, that is to say in the next cycle, with the result that the second, now empty, buffer is filled with data in step S 407 ′ and the first buffer can code or compress and transmit the data in step S 408 ′. When filling the buffers, the data to be transmitted are written to the buffer and are therefore stored.
[0105] From step S 408 or S 408 ′, there is a transition to step S 409 in which the now available data from the buffer are coded or encoded. A predefinable coding method can be used as the coding method in step S 409 . The coding method can be predefined by the external management apparatus 102 . An entropy coding method, for example the Huffman code, or arithmetic coding may be possible as the coding method. In these coding methods, the distribution of the symbols contained in the buffer is calculated and short codes, that is to say few bits, are allocated for frequently occurring symbols. On account of the formation of the difference, an uneven distribution of values can be expected. The imbalance may result in slight deviations of the environmental data, that is to say the currently determined data relating to the environmental model, occurring more often than large deviations with respect to the reference data. In contrast to pure occupancy grid compression, the use of phrase coding methods, for example LZW (Lempel-Ziv-Welch), or block sorting methods, for example by means of Burrows-Wheeler transformation, is also suitable since the data may contain, for example, the information relating to a plurality of items, infrastructure objects or traffic signs which can be compressed well by means of re-sorting or block sorting, for example.
[0106] In step S 410 , the data are transmitted to the management apparatus 102 .
[0107] For communication between the external management apparatus and the communication apparatus in steps S 404 and S 409 , a feedback channel 401 , 402 may be provided. The management apparatus 102 , the backend 102 a or, in particular, the base station 102 b can influence the data compression in at least two ways. On the one hand, in the case of many subscribers 101 a , 101 b , 101 c and/or in the case of major changes, for example moving roadworks, the result may be large data traffic on the radio path 103 a , 103 b , 103 c . Adapting the compression method at the different points of the compression method, for example by adapting the quantization in step S 404 via the feedback channel 401 , may require increased compression from the vehicles and may thus reduce the total volume of data to an acceptable level. Furthermore, the management apparatus 102 , the base station 102 or the backend 102 may predefine parameters for the compression in step S 409 via the feedback channel 402 , for example parameters in the form of the tables used for the entropy coding.
[0108] If the quantization which results in lossy compression is used, a degree of quality can be calculated in a step S 411 from the quantized data obtained in step S 404 and the data relating to the vehicle environmental model which are provided in step S 402 . This degree of quality indicates the extent to which the quality of the data is actually influenced by lossy compression. This information is additionally transferred to the buffers in step S 406 and is transmitted to the management apparatus 102 or to the backend server 102 so that this management apparatus 102 can react accordingly to the reduced quality. Since the volume of data for the degree of quality is a very low value in comparison with the volume of data for the environmental data, for example 1 byte per buffer, the degree of quality can be transmitted together with the differences to the management apparatus.
[0109] Compression can be additionally used during communication between base stations 102 b and the backend 102 a . In this case, it can be assumed that the data transmitted from the vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c to the base station 102 b strongly correlate since, as can be seen in FIG. 1 , the vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c which move in the same direction of travel perceive identical or overlapping items. For example, all vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c , in particular their sensor devices, perceive the same infrastructure objects, such as the same moving roadworks. For compression, the environmental data from all vehicles 101 a , 101 b , 101 c are assigned to the base station 102 b in the radio cell on the basis of the position, for which purpose an additional, third buffer can be used in the base station, for example. Before the data are transmitted from the base station 102 a to the backend 102 a , the mean difference and the deviation of the individual vehicles from the mean difference are determined. Since an unequal distribution of the differences can be assumed, they can be compressed further by applying an entropy coding method to the buffer in the base station or in the management apparatus.
[0110] Based on an occupancy grid of the environmental model, the differences between cells of the occupancy grid and the cells of the occupancy grid contained in the reference data are formed. If infrastructure data or objects in the environmental model, for example a traffic sign, are considered, the difference can be calculated, for example, from a deviation of the measured position of an object between the map in the backend 102 a and the sensor measurement. In this case, both the objects of the environmental model and the reference data can be stated in global coordinates, for example in the UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) system or in the WGS84 system. Forming the difference, instead of the complete global position for which a large number of digits is needed to indicate a position with an accuracy in the cm range on account of the large absolute numerical values, makes it possible to transmit only an accurate position difference in which the large absolute value is eliminated and only the small difference is required, which has a high degree of accuracy and an accordingly reduced number of digits.
[0111] When representing the environmental model in vehicle coordinates, the indications of the positions of the objects contained in the environmental model can be transformed into global coordinates with the aid of the global position of the vehicle and can therefore be compared with the reference data, as a result of which the above method for forming the difference between positions can also be used again.
[0112] Since all attributes in a map are geo-referenced, that is to say are provided with global coordinates, this formation of the difference can be applied to all attributes in the map. Further attributes for which a difference can be formed between the environmental model value and the value from the map are, for example, the curvature or change in curvature of lane courses or lane markings, the width of lanes or the reliability of the attributes as a probability value. The formation of a difference can also be used, for example, for data compression for all further attributes of a map, for example for a sign ID which indicates the significance of the traffic sign for which a position deviation has been determined. If a position deviation results for a multiplicity of different signs, but the sign ID remains the same, an accumulation of the difference “0” instead of the differing sign IDs results in the data to be transmitted, as a result of which good compression can be achieved using an entropy coding method. A slight deviation in the position of map elements can always be expected on account of the sensor errors, for example as a result of noise.
[0113] The described method makes it possible to achieve compression. Slight deviations occur more often and benefit from the entropy coding. The quantization makes it possible to entirely prevent the transmission of position deviations below a threshold.
[0114] The situation is similar in the case of lane markings, for example. Here, differences in the position and the curvature parameters are calculated and can be compressed using the method described above.
[0115] The transmission method can be used to reduce the bandwidth during communication between a vehicle 101 a , 101 b , 101 c and a management apparatus, for example a base station 102 b and/or a backend 102 a , in order to reduce the costs for this communication or to allow it in the first place. The method can also be used for communication between a base station 102 b and a backend 102 a.
[0116] In order to increase the compression factor, the compression method is adapted to the properties of the environment capture by means of a sensor device 201 , for example by means of ADAS sensors, and to the properties of the communication between a vehicle, a base station and/or a backend in order to achieve efficient compression at a high compression rate. It is therefore possible to achieve higher compression in comparison with communication without compression or the use of a standard compression method. Feedback can also ensure good compression.
[0117] A vehicle having a communication apparatus is illustrated in FIG. 5 .
[0118] FIG. 6 shows a management apparatus 102 a having a map apparatus 601 and a transmitting and receiving device 602 . The transmitting and receiving device 602 is set up to transmit map data as reference data to a communication apparatus 200 for a vehicle. The transmitting and receiving device 602 is also set up to process a determined difference between sensor data acquired by the vehicle and the corresponding reference data. The determined difference can be received as a compressed data stream, as emitted by a communication apparatus 200 . The transmitting and receiving device 602 is also set up to transmit a minimum level of differences to be transmitted, a quantization method, a quantization characteristic curve and/or a coding method to the communication apparatus 200 for predefinition in order to thus provide the communication apparatus 200 with feedback and to control the transmission bandwidth. During this control, the vehicle density of the number of vehicles transmitting to the management apparatus 102 can be taken into account. Consequently, the management apparatus 102 can predefine the quantization conditions and/or the coding conditions.
[0119] The management apparatus can reverse the compression operation illustrated in FIG. 4 and can receive the output data by reversing at least the non-lossy compression steps.
[0120] It should be additionally pointed out that “comprising” and “having” do not exclude any other elements or steps and “one” or “a(n)” does not exclude a multiplicity. It is also pointed out that features or steps which have been described with reference to one of the exemplary embodiments above can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other exemplary embodiments described above. Reference symbols in the claims should not be considered to be a restriction.
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The invention relates to a communication system for a vehicle, which device includes a sensor device, wherein the sensor device is arranged to capture sensor data when the sensor device moves. A receiving device receives reference data from an external management system and a processing device determines a difference between the captured sensor data and the corresponding reference data, wherein the determined difference between the captured sensor and the corresponding reference data is transmitted to the external management system.
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[0001] This invention relates to a cathode-ray tube (CRT) and, more particularly to a color CRT including a tension focus mask.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A color cathode-ray tube (CRT) typically includes an electron gun, an aperture mask-frame assembly, and a screen. The aperture mask-frame assembly is interposed between the electron gun and the screen. The screen is located on an inner surface of a faceplate of the CRT tube. The screen has an array of three different color-emitting phosphors (e. g., green, blue and red) formed thereon. The aperture mask functions to collimate the electron beams generated in the electron gun toward appropriate color-emitting phosphors on the screen of the CRT.
[0003] The aperture mask may be a focus mask. Focus masks typically comprise two sets of electrodes that are arranged orthogonal to each other, to form an array of openings. Different voltages are applied to the two sets of electrodes so as to create quadrupole focusing lenses in each opening of the mask, which are used to direct and focus the electron beams toward the appropriate color-emitting phosphors on the screen of the CRT tube.
[0004] One type of focus mask is a tension focus mask, wherein at least one of the sets of electrodes is under tension. Typically, for tension focus masks, the vertical electrodes are held in tension by the mask frame. The other set of electrodes is horizontal and overlays the vertical electrodes, which are typically strands. An etching process used on a flat sheet of metal commonly forms the strands. Such an etching process forms sharp corner edges along the length of the strands.
[0005] The two sets of electrodes overlap at a series of points known as junctions. At these junctions the individual elements of one set of electrodes are separated from the individual elements of the other set by an insulating material. When the different voltages are applied between the two sets of strands of the mask, to create the quadrupole focusing lenses in the openings thereof, surface flashover may occur at one or more of the junctions. Surface flashover is a breakdown process that may take place on or near the surface of the insulating material separating the two sets of strands and may lead to arcing between the strands at one or more places on the focus mask. Since the overlying wires are electrically connected to one another, all of the energy stored in the capacitance of the entire focus mask is available to arc. This stored energy may be sufficient to cause local melting of the strands and/or the insulating material and may result in an electrical short leading to the subsequent failure of the focus mask. Surface flashover has a greater risk of occurring in locations in which one of the electrodes has a sharp edge, since the local electric field can be higher at these locations.
[0006] Additionally, during operation of the CRT tube, electron scattering may occur along sharp edges of the mask strands. Electron scattering along strand edges of the focus mask is undesirable because some of these electrons may strike the wrong color element, degrading the color purity of the CRT tube.
[0007] Thus, a need exists for suitable tension focus masks that overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a color cathode-ray tube (CRT) having an evacuated envelope with an electron gun therein for generating at least one electron beam. The envelope further includes a faceplate panel having a luminescent screen with phosphor lines on an interior surface thereof. A tension focus mask, having a plurality of spaced-apart first conductive electrodes, is located generally parallel to an effective picture area of the screen. The plurality of spaced-apart first conductive electrodes, otherwise known as strands, have a screen-facing side and electron-gun facing side. Each side of the strands have sharp corner edges extending along the length of the strands. A plurality of second conductive electrodes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the plurality of strands and separated by an insulating material deposited on the screen-facing side and corners of the strands to shield the sharp edges of the strands from the second conductive electrodes. In doing so, the present invention reduces the risk of surface flashover that would occur when sharp corners are formed using prior art etching processes.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] The invention will now be described in greater detail, with relation to the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0010] [0010]FIG. 1 is a plan view, partly in axial section, of a color cathode-ray tube (CRT) including a uniaxial tension focus mask-frame assembly embodying the present invention;
[0011] [0011]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the uniaxial tension focus mask-frame assembly of FIG. 1;
[0012] [0012]FIG. 3 is a side view of the mask frame-assembly taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 2;
[0013] [0013]FIG. 4 is an enlarged section of the uniaxial tension focus mask shown within the circle 4 of FIG. 2; and
[0014] [0014]FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the uniaxial tension focus mask taken along lines 5 - 5 of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] [0015]FIG. 1 shows a color cathode-ray tube (CRT) 10 having a glass envelope 11 comprising a faceplate panel 12 and a tubular neck 14 connected by a funnel 15 . The funnel 15 has an internal conductive coating (not shown) that is in contact with, and extends from, a first anode button 16 to the neck 14 . A second anode button 17 , located opposite the first anode button 16 , is contacted by a second conductive coating (not shown).
[0016] The faceplate panel 12 comprises a viewing faceplate 18 and a peripheral flange or sidewall 20 that is sealed to the funnel 15 by a glass fort 21 . A three-color luminescent phosphor screen 22 is carried by the inner surface of the viewing faceplate 18 . The screen 22 is a line screen (not shown) that includes a multiplicity of screen elements comprised of red-emitting, green-emitting, and blue-emitting phosphor lines respectively, arranged in triads, each triad including a phosphor line of each of the three colors. Preferably, a light-absorbing matrix (not shown) separates the phosphor lines. A thin conductive layer (not shown), preferably formed of aluminum, overlies the screen 22 and provides a means for applying a uniform first anode potential to the screen 22 as well as for reflecting light, emitted from the phosphor elements, through the viewing faceplate 18 .
[0017] A multi-apertured color selection electrode, or uniaxial tension focus mask 25 , is removably mounted, by conventional means, within the faceplate panel 12 , in predetermined spaced relation to the screen 22 . An electron gun 26 , shown schematically by the dashed lines in FIG. 1, is centrally mounted within the neck 14 to generate and direct three inline electron beams 28 , a center and two side or outer beams, along convergent paths through the uniaxial tension focus mask 25 to the screen 22 . The inline direction of the center of the beams 28 is approximately normal to the plane of the paper.
[0018] The CRT of FIG. 1 is designed to be used with an external magnetic deflection yoke, such as the yoke 30 , shown in the neighborhood of the funnel-neck junction. When activated, the yoke 30 subjects the three electron beams 28 to magnetic fields that cause the beams to scan a horizontal and vertical rectangular raster across the screen 22 .
[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the uniaxial tension focus mask 25 (shown schematically by the dashed lines in FIG. 2) includes two horizontal sides 32 , 34 and two vertical sides 36 , 38 . The two horizontal sides 32 , 34 of the uniaxial tension focus mask 25 are parallel with the central major axis, X, of the CRT while the two vertical sides 36 , 38 are parallel with the central minor axis, Y, of the CRT. A frame 45 , for the tension focus mask 25 , includes four major members, two horizontal members 46 , 48 to which the horizontal sides 32 , 34 of the tension focus mask 25 are attached and two vertical members 50 , 52 to which the second metal electrodes 60 are attached. Members 46 , 48 are substantially parallel to the major axis, X, and each other. The curvature of members 46 , 48 may be shaped to substantially match the specific curvature of the CRT screen (see FIG. 3). The horizontal sides 32 , 34 of the uniaxial tension focus mask 25 are welded to the two members 46 , 48 , which provide the necessary tension to the mask. The uniaxial tension focus mask 25 includes an apertured portion that overlies an effective picture area of the screen 22 . Referring to FIG. 4, the uniaxial tension focus mask 25 includes a plurality of first metal electrodes, or conductive strands 40 , separated by spaced slots 42 that parallel the minor axis, Y, of the CRT and the phosphor lines of the screen 22 . In the preferred embodiment slots 42 each have a width within a range of about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm (4-20 mils). For a color CRT having a diagonal dimension of 68 cm, the strands 40 have widths in a range of about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm (8-20 mils) and slot 42 widths of about 0.2 mm to about 0.5 mm (8-20 mils). In a color CRT having a diagonal dimension of 68 cm (27 V), there are about 800 strands 40 . Each of the slots 42 extends from one horizontal side 32 of the mask to the other horizontal side 34 thereof (shown in FIG. 3).
[0020] Strands 40 , depicted in FIG. 5, are formed by an etching process performed on a flat metal plate. The etching process involves a sequence of operations suitable to form slots 42 . With the etching, new regions of the strands 40 are exposed. The preferred outcome is illustrated in FIG. 5 as strand 40 having a generally rectangular cross-section defined by screen-facing side 72 , electron-gun facing side 70 and side walls 75 . The etched strands 40 have associated with them a pair of relatively sharp edges at corners 43 and 44 being the top and bottom sharp edge portions shown in the embodiment of FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5, the edge of corners 43 at the intersection of the screen-facing side 72 and side walls 75 form corners with a relatively less sharp edge than the edges formed at corners 44 . The shaper edges formed at corners 44 are positioned as far as possible from the cross-wires 60 to reduce the probability of surface flashover or arcing between the electrodes at one or more junctions. The arcing may be sufficient to cause local melting of the electrodes, destruction of the insulator, or both and may result in electrical short, leading to the subsequent failure of the focus mask. Further, the corners 43 closest to the cross-wires 60 are typically coated with an adhesive insulating material 62 , reducing triple-point electron emission from this region and thereby also reducing the incidence of surface flashover.
[0021] According to the preferred embodiment, the strands 40 each have a transverse dimension, or width, of about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm (4-20 mils) for both the screen-facing side 72 and the electron-gun-facing side 70 , with the screen-facing side 72 having a width about 0.025 to about 0.05 mm (1-4 mils) smaller than the width of the electron-gun-facing side 70 . Although the strands 40 may be inverted so that the wider side of the strands 40 is closest to the second conductive electrodes 60 , the above prescribed dimension of the strands 40 allows for less scatter of the electron beam 28 , thereby providing a measurable improvement in the color purity of the CRT. For example, in a conventional color CRT, the red x-coordinate is about 0.633. The red x-coordinate measured for a tension focus mask 25 incorporating the geometry described above, and shown in FIG. 5, is about 0.627, as compared with 0.613 for tension focus masks 25 , where the screen-facing side surface 72 is wider than the electron-gun-facing side 70 . A further advantage in having a narrower electron-gun-facing side 70 immediately adjacent the second conductive electrodes 60 is that the adhesive material 62 may be applied to the screen-facing side 72 and allowed to accumulate along the side walls 75 to corners 44 so as to shield the corners of the strands 40 thereby reducing the potential for surface flashover.
[0022] With reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, a plurality of second conductive electrodes 60 , each having a diameter of about 0.025 mm (1 mil), are disposed substantially perpendicular to the strands 40 and are bonded to the adhesive material 62 to electrically isolate the second conductive electrodes 60 from the strands 40 . The vertical spacing, or pitch, between adjacent second conductive electrodes 60 is about 0.33 mm (13 mils) for a color CRT 10 having a diagonal dimension of 68 cm (27 V). The uniaxial tension focus mask 25 , described herein, provides a mask transmission, at the center of the screen, of about 40-45%, and requires that the second anode, or focusing voltage, δV, applied to the second metal electrodes 60 , differs from the first anode voltage applied to the strands 40 by less than about 1 kV, for a first anode voltage of about 30 kV. The combination of the strands 40 and the second conductive electrodes 60 along with the different electric potentials applied thereto function to create the quadrupole fields, which converge the electron beams 28 onto the color-emitting phosphors on the screen 22 of the CRT 10 .
[0023] Although a single application of the insulative adhesive material 62 may be applied to the strands 40 , FIG. 5 illustrates the result of a multiple process for applying the adhesive material 62 . Such process includes applying a first coating of the insulative adhesive material 62 , e.g., by spraying, onto the screen-facing side 72 of the strands 40 . The strands 40 , in this example, are formed of either creep resistant steel or a low expansion alloy, such as INVAR™. The strands 40 each have a transverse dimension, or width, such that the screen-facing side 72 maintains a width about 0.025 to about 0.05 mm (1-4 mils) smaller than the width of the electron gun facing side 70 . The first coating of the insulative adhesive material 62 typically has a thickness of about 0.05 mm to about 0.1 mm (2-4 mils).
[0024] After the first coating of the insulative adhesive material 62 is hardened, a second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 is applied over the first coating of the insulative adhesive material 62 . The second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 may optionally have a different composition from that of the first coating. The second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 typically has a thickness of about 0.0025 mm to about 0.05 mm (0.1 to 2 mils).
[0025] Thereafter, the second metal electrodes 60 are applied to the frame 45 , over the second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 , such that the second metal electrodes 60 are substantially perpendicular to the strands 40 . The second metal electrodes 60 are applied using a winding fixture (not shown) that accurately maintains a desired spacing of, for example, about 0.33 mm (13 mils) between adjacent metal electrodes for a color CRT 10 having a diagonal dimension of about 68 cm (27 V).
[0026] The assembly is heated to a temperature of about 460° C. for about 30 minutes to cure the second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 , thereby bonding the crosswires to the second coating of the insulative adhesive material 66 . Following curing, electrical connections are made to the strands 40 and second metal electrodes 60 , and the tension focus mask 25 is inserted into a tube envelope.
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A color cathode-ray tube (CRT) having an evacuated envelope with an electron gun therein for generating at least one electron beam is disclosed. The envelope further includes a faceplate panel having a luminescent screen with phosphor lines on an interior surface thereof. A tension focus mask, having a plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes, is located adjacent to an effective picture area of the screen. The plurality of spaced-apart first electrodes has a screen-facing side having a predetermined width and a relatively wider electron-gun-facing side. Each side forming sharp corner edges extending along the length of each first electrodes. A substantially continuous insulating material is deposited on the screen-facing side and on the corners of the first electrodes to shield the sharp corner edges of the first electrodes. A plurality of second electrodes are oriented substantially perpendicular to the plurality of first electrodes and are bonded thereto by the insulating material layer.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of rotary spade drills, and in particular to a rotary spade drill arrangement with improvement features which greatly extend the life of a rotary spade drill of the type having a blade with transverse cutting edges extending from a central portion of the drill tip radially outwardly.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Drills adapted to bore through rock are well known and documented in the art. For example, drills for the installation of roof bolts in mines and the like have a hardened tungsten carbide blade mounted transversely on the distal end of an elongated drill shank. The body of the drill may also have access ports communicating with the interior of the bore for purposes of flowing water or applying a vacuum to remove dust and cuttings from the vicinity of the cutting action in the bore. The blades of such drills are adapted to bore a hole having a diameter of approximately one inch and larger into the hardened stone roof or earth strata of the walls of a mine.
In the distant past, it was common to forge a drill from hardened material or substance such that the distal end of the drill was shaped in a generally planar spade-like configuration with transverse cutting edges leading from a central point of the drill to the outer periphery of a cutting circle which the drill makes in the material or substance to be drilled.
An improvement of that basic structure has been proposed in the prior art in the form of attaching a spade drill blade in a slot at the distal end of a drill body by brazing or by some sort of a fastener. This permits the spade-like blade to be made of a hardened material or substance, while the drill body may be made of a softer, less expensive, material.
The blades of such drills are subjected to extreme forces causing stresses within the blade which frequently result in breakage of the blade and failure of the drill, and in particular, causes wear especially at the outer radial portions of the cutting edge of the blade insert. Such wear is caused by a number of factors, including improper alignment of the blade on the distal end of the drill body, excessive thrust being applied to the blade during the drilling operation, heat generated by the fact that the cutting edge of the spade insert is, at all time, in contact with the material or substance being drilled without any opportunity for cooling. Abrasion, frictional, and impact wear are also major causes of drill failure.
Attempts have been made in the past to achieve the goals of the present invention, but their efforts have fallen short of providing satisfactory results. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,287,937 and 5,458,210 to Sollami et al. show a drill with a blade insert having features which serve to centrally locate the cutting blade in the longitudinal recess of a drill body, but the cutting edges of the insert are of traditional shape and are thus subject to traditional wear and damage as described above.
Other examples of providing a spade blade insert into a receiving drill body can be found by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,086,972 to Hansen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,817,742 to Whysong; U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,748 to Truscott; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,049,033 to M. L. Benjamin et al. While all of these prior art patents relate to spade drill insert arrangements, and while suggested improvements in blade cutting edge design and attachment means between the blade and the body of the drill are offered, none of these prior art references suggest any solution for the problem of wear of the cutting edges of a spade drill, especially toward the outer radial surfaces thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,503 to Horton attempts to solve the wear problem by providing a multi-layer spade cutting insert comprising a polycrystalline diamond center layer portion and outer metal side portions. When used as an insert in a spade drill, the cutting element, while extending the life of the drill due to the presence of the polycrystalline material, the cutting edges must nevertheless be repeatedly resharpened, as mentioned in this prior art patent. Polycrystalline tool materials are very delicate and are very subject to impact chipping and breakage.
Attempts have also been made in the prior art to employ rotating discs to assist in the cutting action of a drill, examples being found in U.S. Pat. No. 1,692,919 to W. C. Bailey, and U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,790,613 and 1,812,475 to A. M. Gildersleeve et al. However, the rotary cutting discs as described in these prior art patents define the cutting edges of the drill devices themselves, i.e. they are not associated with any other drill cutting edges in combination.
It would be desirable to provide an improved rotary spade drill arrangement which puts the cutting edges at exact alignment locations without brazing or the possibility of an inadvertently loosened screw or other fastener which may cause damage, not only to the spade drill insert but also to the body of the drill and possibly to the drill driving apparatus. It would also be desirable to provide a rotary spade drill arrangement which would reduce cutting forces for the same rate of cut to thereby reduce the required thrust bearing forces, and to reduce the incidences of failure of the drill by extending the life of the drill several times over the life of a standard transverse edge spade drill arrangement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention overcomes the aforementioned problems and disadvantages with the prior art drill devices by providing a rotary spade drill arrangement comprising a combination spade drill body having a rotational axis, a shank portion, and a generally planar spade cutter portion with a pair of oppositely directed cutting edges extending radially of the axis. A rotatable frusto conical cutter is mounted on the spade cutter portion adjacent the maximum radial extent of each cutting edge. In a preferred embodiment, the spade cutter portion comprises a spade insert mounted to the shank portion.
The zero plane of the frusto conical cutter cutting edges are made coincident with the plane of the cutting paths of the spade cutter insert cutting edges adjacent the maximum radial extent of the spade cutter insert edges. In this way, the cutting edges of the rotatable frusto conical cutters cut material or substance which would otherwise be cut by the most extreme radial cutting edge of the spade insert.
Since the frusto conical cutter is rotatable, and since the forces applied to the face of the frusto conical cutter during a cutting action tend to rotate the cutter, a fresh portion of the cutting edge is always presented at the maximum radial extent of the spade insert. This not only provides for a greatly extended life of the cutting edge at the extreme radial ends of the spade cutter by exposing the material or substance to be cut with a continuously fresh cutting edge, but due to the rotation of the frusto conical cutter, the cutting edge making a cut is immediately rotated out of position so as to have time to cool before it is brought back into cutting engagement with the material or substance to be cut. Both of these features of a rotatable frusto conical cutter greatly increase the life of the rotary spade drill arrangement.
Another major feature of the invention is that it forms a true constant diameter hole over the life of the spade drill. With prior art spade drills, the forward portion of the side edges of the cutter wear faster than those at the rearward portion. As a result, the spade cutter becomes tapered, making a tapered hole due to such drill wear, and drill seizure in the tapered hole often results. The cutting edge of a conical skirt in a frustum cutter, as in the present invention, performs as a reamer maintaining a true constant diameter hole and avoiding seizure.
Other important features include reduced frictional, abrasive, and impact wear or chipping, reduced heat, higher rotating speeds, higher feed rates, and higher productivity rates. Thus, the present invention provides the advantages of a frusto conical cutter in combination with the ideal spade drill insert arrangement for drilling holes in stone, metal, or other hard substances. As compared with the common transverse spade drill cutting insert, the addition of a rotatable frusto conical cutter mounted on the spade cutter portion adjacent each cutting edge results in stronger cutting edges, less thermal deformation, greater heat dissipation, heavier feeds, more efficient cutting action, reduced horsepower of the driving force, reduced part deflection, reduced entry shock, reduced cutting forces, more stability and positive mounting position of the cutting edges of the rotary spade drill arrangement, and improved surface finishing when used for surfacing work-hardened materials or substances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
Further objects and advantages and a better understanding of the present invention may be had by reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a basic spade drill employing a rotatable frusto conical cutter on the blade insert portion thereof;
FIG. 2 is a front elevational view of a female body and shank portion of a preferred embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 3 is a right side elevational view of the female body and shank portion shown in FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the female body and shank portion similar to that shown in FIG. 2 but with the shank portion formed at an angle with respect to the female body;
FIG. 5 is a spade blade insert showing a rotatable frusto conical cutter mounted outwardly on both sides of the spade insert;
FIG. 6 is a bottom view of the spade insert shown in FIG. 5 but without rotatable frusto conical cutters mounted on the bosses shown in the figure;
FIG. 7 is a front elevational view similar to that shown in FIG. 2, but with a spade insert received by and fixed to the female body and shank portion;
FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the arrangement shown in FIG. 7;
FIG. 9 is a side view of a rotatable frusto conical cutter which is to be mounted on the spade cutting insert shown in FIG. 5;
FIG. 10 is a left side view of the rotatable frusto conical cutter of FIG. 9, showing the cutting end of the frusto conical cutter; and
FIG. 11 is a side elevational view of the spade cutting insert shown in FIG. 5 with one of the rotatable frusto conical cutters mounted in position, illustrating the mounting and release features of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a basic rotary spade drill arrangement 1 having a shank portion 3 and a spade cutting insert 5 fixed to the distal end of shank 3. The spade cutting insert 5 is shown to have radially directed cutting edges 7 slanted rearwardly toward the outer periphery of the insert 5. On the flat surfaces of spade cutting insert 5, at the furthest radial location, is positioned or formed a platform, or boss, 11 supporting a rotatable frusto conical cutter insert 9. This depiction of the most basic aspect of the present invention, nevertheless, provides the aforementioned advantages, greatly prolonging the life of the spade cutting insert 5 for the reasons mentioned.
FIGS. 2-5 show a preferred embodiment of the invention in which a body and shank member 13 (FIG. 2) accepts a nd securely holds a spade cutting insert 33 (FIG. 5). The body and shank member 13 is comprised of a shank portion 15 and a female insert receiver portion 17. As best seen in FIG. 3, the insert receiver portion 17 has a slot 29 traversing the insert receiver portion 17 along its entire width, the slot 29 ending in a bottom wall 23.
The spade cutting insert 33 is received in slot 29 in a predetermined snug fit, and a rivet 41 (FIG. 7) is passed through hole 21 in insert receiver portion 17 and hole 37 in spade cutting insert 33.
In order to accommodate the rotatable frusto conical cutting inserts 9, a cutaway portion 25 is provided at the bottom, or outer end of body and shank member 13, the cutaway portion 25 being provided only in the area of the platform 11 and cutter insert 9 projecting from each side of spade cutting insert 33.
When spade cutting insert 33 is positioned in slot 29, and rivet 41 is secured in place, the upper linear machined surface 43 of the spade cutting insert 33 surface contacts the machined bottom wall 23 of slot 29 in the female insert receiver portion 17, the contacting surfaces 23 and 43, in combination with the rivet 41 providing a secure and tight fit for the spade cutting insert 33 into the female insert receiver portion 17.
By reference to FIG. 4, it will be observed that the shank portion 15A is formed at an angle to the insert receiver portion 17A, while the shank portion 15 of the embodiment of FIG. 2 shows the shank portion 15 and receiver portion 17 in line. The channels 31 formed on each side of shank portion 15 allow fluid to be passed, or a vacuum may be provided for the removal of dust and small particles from the material or substance being cut. The purpose for angling the shank portion 15A is to put the fluid or vacuum the debris directly in line with the cutter inserts 9, as shown in FIG. 4.
As will be observed by reference to FIG. 7, the outer lateral edges and the bottom of the spade cutting insert 33 are provided with sharp cutting edges f or the rotary spade drill arrangement. Where the converging, substantially radial cutting edges 7 meet at the bottom central region of the spade cutting insert 33, as shown in FIGS. 5-8, a pyramidal-shaped point 35 is formed. This may best be viewed in FIG. 6 showing the bottom view of the spade cutting insert 33. The shape of the pyramidal point 35 provides four cutting edges, as opposed to the typical spade drill cutter inserts which have only one or two cutting surfaces. A pyramidal-shaped end point 35 thus provides advantages over one-edge or two-edge points of the prior art, by at least doubling the impact frequency and cutting/drilling efficiency of the tip in a starting hole, and by subjecting any particular cutting edge to the material or substance to be cut with greatly reduced stress.
FIG. 8 is a side elevation view of the completely assembled rotary spade drill arrangement of FIG. 7, showing the downward angle of the rotatable frusto conical cutter inserts 9, the shape of the bosses or platforms 11, and the orientation of the shaft of the rotatable frusto conical cutter insert 9, further details of which may be better understood by reference to FIGS. 9-11.
FIG. 9 is a side view of a rotatable frusto conical cutter insert 9 mounted in a boss 11, a fragment of boss 11 shown for illustrative purposes. The frusto conical cutter insert has a frusto conical nose portion 51 tapering forwardly to a cutting edge 61 formed by the converging surfaces of the outer surface of frusto conical surface 51 and the concave cutter face 53. Extending rearwardly from the center of the nose portion 51 is a conical bearing surface 62 in surface bearing contact with a complementary conical shaped bearing surface 64 in boss 11. Preferably, the contacting bearing surfaces are treated with a diamond coating, available from QQC, Inc. of Dearborn Mich., to reduce the sliding friction between the mating conical surfaces.
A cylindrical shaft 45, having a chamfered end 49, and an intermediate retainer ring groove 47, extends rearwardly from the conical surfaced portion 62. A retainer ring 55 is shown self-expanded radially outwardly to lie partially within an annular groove 65 in the walls of a cylindrical opening 67 in boss 11, and partially in the annular groove 47 in shaft 45, thereby retaining and preloading the rotatable insert 9 in boss 11.
To remove insert 9, a bladed tool could be inserted between the nose 51 and boss 11, and the insert 9 could thus be pried out. To assist in this procedure, the forward walls of annular groove 65 may be slightly angled or rounded as shown in FIG. 9, thereby making it easier for the walls of groove 65 to cam the insertion ring 55 radially inwardly.
FIG. 10 is a view taken from the left side of FIG. 9 showing the front of the frusto conical cutter insert.
The nose portion 51 of the frusto conical cutter insert 9 may have formed therein sharp-edged grooves or flutes (not shown). Such sharp-edged grooves or flutes aid in chipping away the material or substance being cut by the cutting insert, in providing breaking of chips in metal removal, in moving small particles away from the cutting/drilling process, and in providing forced rotation of rotary cutting inserts. It is to be understood that the design of the frusto conical cutter inserts shown in the accompanying figures are for illustrative purposes only, and any of a variety of patterns of sharp cutting edges on the cutting insert faces can be formed, as desired. For example, instead of V-grooves, facial sharp edges for the cutting insert may be formed as boss projections, diamond shaped grooves, radial grooves, axially angular grooves, helical grooves, tapered grooves, or grooves in a feathered pattern or in a chevron pattern, any such grooves being straight or curved as desired, to name a few.
FIG. 11 is a somewhat enlarged view of just the spade cutting insert 33 shown in FIG. 8. As mentioned, if the forward edges of annular groove 65 are chamfered or beveled slightly, the cutter insert 9 may be removed by prying the nose portion 51 away from the sloped surface 69 of platform 11 without requiring removal of the spade cutting insert 33 from shank member 13. A more convenient way of snapping the cutter insert 9 from retention by the retainer ring 55 (again, without requiring removal of the spade cutting insert 33 from shank member 13) is to push the inner end of shaft 45 outwardly with a tool. Toward that end, an opening 59 may be provided in each lateral edge of the spade cutting insert 33, forming a passageway directly leading to the center of the rear surface 57 of shaft 45. A mating access hole (not shown) in the body of shank member 13, in alignment with opening 59 of the spade cutting insert 33, may be provided for insert removal, if needed. In a fully assembled rotary spade drill arrangement, the right side of the spade cutting insert 33 shown in FIG. 11 bears against an inner sidewall surface of the slot 29 formed in insert receiver portion 17. Accordingly, a tool inserted in opening 59, especially if wedge-shaped at its tip, applies a wedging pressure between the shaft end 57 and the inner wall surface of the slot 29. Sufficient wedging force will urge the shaft 45 forwardly out of the capturing effects of the retainer ring 55.
In the embodiments shown and described, it was suggested that the sloped platforms 11 were integrally formed with the blade cutting portion of the spade cutting inserts 33. Obviously, other means of supporting a rotatable frusto conical cutting insert 9 than the platforms 11 as shown would come to the mind of a skilled worker, once the need for such platform is made known. That is, to conserve the hardened material used for forming the spade cutting inserts 33, less expensive metal platforms, made independently of the insert 33, can be welded, riveted, brazed, screwed, or otherwise mounted securely thereon.
Moreover, various methods may be utilized to retain the spade cutting insert 33 in the female insert receiver portion 17, other than by the rivet 41 shown and described in connection with the preferred embodiment. For example, the insert 33 may be fixedly attached to a body and shank member 13 by means of screws, retainer pins, or by means of a taper locking fit between the spade cutting insert 33 and the slot 29 for receiving the spade cutting insert. Such a taper lock system is described in my copending application entitled "TAPER LOCK ARRANGEMENT", filed simultaneously herewith and bearing Serial No. 08/905,038.
It will also be understood that the various features of the invention described in connection with a rotary spade drill arrangement employing replaceable rotatable frusto conical cutter inserts have novel and nonobvious characteristics of their own. Accordingly, these features of the invention are to be considered independently inventive from the rotary spade drill arrangements employing rotatable frusto conical cutter inserts. For example, it has heretofore been unknown to provide a pyramidal merging point for the sloping, generally radially directed, cutting edges of a spade drill or spade cutting insert. Similarly, removing retainer ring locked shafts from their retainer rings in the annular grooves of mating cylindrical components by providing a tool access hole for the insertion of a wedged tool to force the locked shaft out of locking engagement with the retainer ring is also an independent invention of merit.
While only certain embodiments have been set forth, alternative embodiments and various modifications will be apparent from the above description to those skilled in the art. These and other alternatives are considered equivalents and within the spirit and scope of the present invention.
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A rotary spade drill arrangement comprising a combination spade drill body having a rotational axis, a shank portion, and a generally planar spade cutter portion with a pair of oppositely directed cutting edges extending radially of the axis, and a rotatable frusto conical cutter mounted on the spade cutter portion adjacent the maximum radial extent of each cutting edge.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates to solar energy electrical power collection systems and specifically to the design of a solar panel mounting system that is mounted on pole structures and tracks the movement of the sun with a single or dual axis motion and programmable control.
[0003] Utility poles for lighting, power, communications, and wind turbines are prevalent in today's landscape. They are existing industrial structures that can be utilized to support solar panels and they also provide convenient access to the local power grid. These are attractive features for solar power collection systems as part of a distributed generation system. Using existing poles for a mounting structure greatly reduces the cost to install the solar panels and no additional real estate is required. Utilizing existing poles also provides an easy access to the electrical grid so that power produced by the solar panels does not need to be stored but can be “sold” back to the grid for others to use. Utilizing wind turbine poles in particular provides a Hybrid energy collection system that utilizes both wind and solar energy and can provide power more often than either source alone.
[0004] This invention presents a detailed approach for the design of sun tracking solar panel mounting system that is easily attached to different pole including light poles, wind turbine support poles, standard utility poles. This design is unique in its ability to be mounted at an intermediate position on the pole and it can be retrofit onto a wide variety of existing poles. The design of this tracking system allows it to share a pole with a wind turbine, streetlight, or a utility pole with overhead wiring.
[0005] Powered actuator(s) and a control system are integrated within the mount structure to actively rotate the solar panels around the vertical axis of the pole to track the sun and maximize the daily power production. A simple single axis tracking system can be configured with the solar panels are held at a fixed inclination and the entire array is rotated around the vertical axis of the pole to track the sun in azimuth. An even more efficient dual axis tracking system can be configured where the inclination of the solar array is also changed during the day to track the sun in azimuth and elevation.
[0006] The principal application for this invention is to configure highly efficient power generation systems on existing light poles, wind turbine poles, utility poles, and other common outdoor pole structures. However, it should be obvious to one skilled in the art that this tracking mount system could be used on any pole type structure as well as utilized for a variety of other tracking or pointing applications of other antennas, cameras, etc.
[0007] 2. Brief Description of Prior Art
[0008] Pole mounting systems are prevalent in prior art. However, most are for static mounting. U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,422 shows a widely used approach for statically mounting a solar panel onto pole type structures to power local electronic systems. The mounting technique uses “U” bolts to encircle the pole and attach the solar panel mounting structure. This mounting technique is easy to use on existing poles since it is not necessary to modify or drill into the structure of the pole and it's also not necessary to put it over the top of the pole where there could be a variety of existing power cables or other appendages. This type of mounting system is static and does not move the solar panel to track the sun. The power generated by a non-tracking panel is 30 to 40% less than what can be gained from a sun tracking panel. Most of these applications are designed simply to power a local electronic system and the loss of efficiency is addressed by over sizing the panels for the local requirement. This would not be an effective approach if the purpose was to generate excess electrical power to be fed back into the electrical grid.
[0009] Tracking pole mounted systems are also found in prior art. However, these systems are designed to be mounted on top of a pole structure. U.S. Pat. No. 1,111,111 shows a common top mounted tracking system and these are available in both single axis and dual axis tracking configuration.
[0010] These mounting systems incorporate the sun tracking function and generate more power than the non-tracking panels. However, the mechanical system to provide the 2 axis motion requires the mechanism to be mounted on top of the pole structure. This approach does not lend itself for retrofitting onto existing utility poles and it would also be impossible to use on a wind turbine pole where the top of the pole is occupied by the turbine itself. This design limits the potential installation sites.
[0011] These top mounted configurations cannot be easily mounted to the midsection of the pole where there is adequate area and access. The structure and drive mechanism of these top mounted poles systems are not designed to encircle the pole. It would be difficult or impossible to slip the mechanism over the top of the pole and slide it down into a middle position.
[0012] These types of mounting systems can only be installed on the tops of the poles and this is not a convenient location for installation or maintenance and it would be impossible to use on a pole that is supporting a wind turbine.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] This invention describes a sun tracking mount for a solar power generation system designed to be mounted on vertical poles. Two rings are installed on the pole and provide upper and lower bearing races for the powered tracking module. The tracking module incorporates another bearing surface or rollers to interface with the bearing races of the rings and allow the tracking module to smoothly rotate around the center line of the pole. The tracking module is constructed in two halves so that the module can opened up, positioned around the pole, and then closed to capture the bearing races around the pole. The tracking module incorporates a horizontal structure to support an array of solar panel(s) at a on either side of the pole.
[0014] The basic tracking module can be configured as a 1 axis tracking system or a 2 axis tracking system.
[0015] For 1 axis tracking, a primary 1 st axis drive motor is positioned on the tracking module and connected by a drive chain to a sprocket that is fixed around the pole. When this motor is activated it will rotate the entire tacking module around the centerline of the mounting pole providing a single rotational axis. This is called 1 axis motion and it is used to rotate the solar array and track the sun's position in Azimuth only. For 1 axis configurations, the inclination of the solar panels is fixed.
[0016] For 2 axis tracking, a second drive motor is added to actively change the inclination of the solar panels. This motion combined with the rotational movement of the tracker module allows the complete tracking of the sun in azimuth and in elevation for the maximum power generation efficiency.
[0017] The solar panels are positioned on either side of the support pole providing them un-restricted freedom of motion to rotate around the pole and change elevation to perfectly track the suns position. The shadow from the pole is always between the panels and will not degrade their performance.
[0018] The tracking module supports the solar panels in a balanced position to minimize any moment loads to the mounting pole structure. Panels are positioned on either side of the pole as a balanced load. The panels themselves are connected to the horizontal cross arm structure close to their center of gravity so they maintain a balanced configuration regardless as they change their pointing elevation as they track the path of the sun.
[0019] The solar panels generate DC voltage. A small amount of power is used by the positioning motor(s) and some energy is stored for end-of-day repositioning. The majority of the energy produced will be converted to AC power and fed back to the utility electrical grid with a “grid tied” inverter. A grid tied inverter matches the frequency of the generated AC power with the frequency of the local electrical grid so that excess power can be fed directly to the local power grid for credit or outright sale as an independently produced power.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0020] This invention presents the design for a sun tracking solar panel mount designed to be easily installed on a variety of pole structures used for street lighting, wind turbines, power transmission, signage, and other supports.
[0021] A further object of this design is to provide mounting system that can easily accommodate different size and shaped poles.
[0022] A further object of this design is to provide mounting system that can easily be retrofitted onto existing poles.
[0023] A further object of this is to provide mounting system can be used specifically for wind turbine poles where access to the top of the poles for installation is not possible.
[0024] A further object of this invention is to provide a means for a cost effective installation solar installation.
[0025] A further object of this invention is to provide an installation location for the solar panels that is easily accessible to the existing electrical grid.
[0026] A further object of this invention is to provide an installation location for the solar panels that are easily accessible by service personnel and equipment.
[0027] A further object of this invention is to provide a pointing control system that is based on microprocessor control.
[0028] A further object of this invention is to provide an automated method to coordinate the movement of the device to correctly track the sun from any geographical location.
[0029] A further object of this invention is to provide a means to reduce the wind load from the installed PV panels.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0030] FIG. ( 1 ) Pole mounted sun tracking solar panel mount—This illustration shows an overview of the sun tracking mount installed on a light pole.
[0031] FIG. ( 2 ) Split bearing interface with the mounting pole—This illustration shows how split bearing clamps are used to attach the tracking mount to the mounting pole.
[0032] FIG. ( 3 ) Captured tracking mount—This illustration shows how the mount structure is attached to the mounting pole and captures the bearing interface.
[0033] FIG. ( 4 ) Tracking mount installed on mounting pole—This illustration shows how the tracking mount is installed on the mounting pole and how the actuators mechanically provide the axis of motion for the solar panels.
[0034] FIG. ( 5 ) Position control system—This illustration shows one embodiment of a microprocessor based position controls system for sun tracking.
[0035] FIG. ( 6 ) Utility Grid Interface—This illustration shows one embodiment of how the generated power can be interfaced with the utility grid.
[0036] FIG. ( 7 ) General daily motion profile—This illustration shows a general motion profile for the movement of the tracking mount and the solar panels.
[0037] FIG. ( 8 ) Fixed mount wind load reduction—This illustration show a method to mount the solar panels to reduce the wind loading for most wind directions.
[0038] FIG. ( 9 ) Passive compliant wind load reduction—This illustration shows how the panels can be mounted with a spring loaded pivot to allow relief for excessive wind pressure.
[0039] FIG. ( 10 ) Active wind load reduction—This illustration shows how the orientation of the solar panels can be changed to reduce the anticipated wind loading from a variety of information sources.
[0040] FIG. ( 11 ) Active wind load reduction—This illustration shows different ways that the surface area of the solar panels can be utilized for advertising graphics.
[0041] FIG. ( 12 ) Tracking mount installed on wind turbine pole—This illustrations shows an overview of the sun tracking mount installed on a wind turbine pole to form a hybrid power generation system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0042] The following sections describe the invention where the application is for mounting a solar panel tracking system onto light poles and wind turbine support poles. It should be obvious that this invention can also be utilized as a simple and robust method for building a sun tracking solar collection system on practically any pole structure including a single purpose pole dedicated to the mounting of the solar panel. Similarly this invention could also be applied to a variety of different pointing applications for antennas or other optical systems.
[0043] FIG. ( 1 ) Pole mounted sun tracking solar panel mount—This illustration shows an the pole mounted sun tracking solar panel mount installed on a utility light pole. Using an existing light pole provides a cost effective approach for mounting the solar power collection system. The abundance of existing lighting fixtures provides immediately available installation sites. Existing utility light polls provide an easy access to the local electrical power grid since they are already connected and currently serviced by service personnel and equipment.
[0044] In this illustration the tracking mount ( 100 ) is shown mounted to the mid section of a conventional light pole ( 200 ). Connecting arms ( 300 ) on either side of the tracking mount ( 100 ) connect to solar panels ( 400 ) on either side. To track the sun, the tracking mount ( 100 ) provides the solar panels ( 400 ) with either one or two axis of motion. For East to West tracking the tracking mount ( 100 ) itself will rotate about the centerline of the light pole ( 200 ) in the horizontal plane of rotation ( 500 ) for 1 axis tracking. To track the sun in elevation above the horizon, the connecting arms ( 300 ) of the tracking mount ( 100 ) will rotate around their centerline and in the vertical plane of rotation ( 600 ) providing a 2 nd axis of tracking.
[0045] FIG. ( 2 ) Split bearing interface with mounting pole—This illustration shows how a split clamping ring ( 700 ) can be used to encircle the pole ( 800 ) and provide a bearing surface ( 1000 ) for the tracking mount to rotate around the pole. The split clamping ring approach allows this mounting interface to be clamped around an existing pole where it may not be practical to access the top of the pole or otherwise attach a mounting structure. In the illustration the split clamping rings ( 700 ) are secured around the pole structure ( 800 ) with screws ( 900 ) or other means to clamp the sections securely around the mounting pole diameter. Some larger diameter poles may utilize several separate clamping ring ( 700 ) sections to encircle the pole. An upper and lower bearing surface ( 1000 ) would be typically installed on the pole structure to provide a structural interface. Clamping rings can be manufactured with a wide variety of bore sizes and inside diameter configurations to match the size and profile of the installation poles and still maintain a consistent bearing surface ( 1000 ) for the tracking mount interface itself. It may also be desirable to manufacture separate internal diameter inserts to further increase the adaptability of the split bearings to an even wider range of utility poles. It is also envisioned that new utility poles could be designed and constructed with attachment provisions for the split clamping rings where they could be individually attached and collectively form the bearing surface ( 1000 ) when all of the split clamping rings were installed. This would provide a “built in” feature to mount the tracking mount system.
[0046] FIG. ( 3 ) Captured tracking mount—This illustration shows how the front panel ( 1100 ) of the tracking mount ( 1200 ) is removable and installed from the opposite side of the mounting pole ( 1300 ). Rollers ( 1400 ) or other bearing features mounted on the front panel ( 1100 ) and within the tracking mount ( 1200 ) interface with the split bearings ( 1500 ) and provide the structural and rotational interface between the tracking mount ( 1200 ) and the mounting pole ( 1300 ). Many different roller and bearing configurations can be envisioned to provide the structural and rotational interfaces required within the spirit of this invention.
[0047] FIG. ( 4 ) Tracking mount installed on pole—This illustration shows the tracking mount as installed on a mounting pole. The tracking mount ( 1600 ) encircles and captures the mounting pole ( 1700 ). In this embodiment, an array of rollers ( 1800 ) mounted inside the front cover ( 1900 ) and main body of the tracking mount ( 1600 ) interfaces with the bearing surface ( 2000 ) of the split bearings ( 2100 ). If full 2 axis tracking is used, a linear actuator ( 2200 ) is installed between the structure of the tracking mount and the rotating sleeve ( 2300 ). Extension or retraction of the linear actuator ( 2200 ) will rotate the sleeve member ( 2300 ) that supports the solar panels and thereby adjust the pointing elevation of the solar panel. The conventional 1 axis tracking is performed by the azimuth drive motor ( 2400 ) which is attached to the tracking mount ( 1600 ) and powers a belt drive ( 2500 ) or other similar drive train connected to the lower split bearing ( 2600 ). Activation of the azimuth drive motor ( 2400 ) will cause the tracking mount ( 1600 ) to rotate horizontally about the mounting pole ( 1700 ). Many different actuator and drive configurations for the azimuth and elevations drives are possible and anticipated by this invention. The preferred embodiment described here is one approach that is simple and low cost using off the shelf components.
[0048] FIG. ( 5 ) Position control system—This illustration shows the position control system for the tracking panel mount show 2 axis tracking in both azimuth and elevation. Single axis tracking may be used to save cost and complexity in which case only the azimuth pointing axis would be controlled. A microprocessor ( 2700 ) is used to control the elevation motor ( 2800 ) and the azimuth motor ( 2900 ) by providing them with DC voltages through elevation relay ( 3000 ) and azimuth relay ( 3100 ) respectively. Voltages can be reversed to enable bi-directional movement. Both motors incorporate position feedback. The elevation motor encoder ( 3200 ) and the azimuth motor encoder ( 3300 ) communicate their positions to the microprocessor ( 2700 ).
[0049] A Global Position System (GPS) ( 3400 ) and GPS antenna ( 3500 ) determine the Latitude and Longitude of the current position and also communicate the current date and time.
[0050] Sun tracking is accomplished by the microprocessor ( 2700 ) calculating the relative position of the sun and coordinating the positions of both the elevation motor ( 2800 ) and the azimuth motor ( 2900 ).
[0051] The position of the solar panels is updated on a pre-set time interval. The interval is chosen to optimize the overall efficiency that is a function of pointing accuracy and the power required for the frequency of re-positioning.
[0052] Many different approaches can be used to accomplish the actual positioning function and they are anticipated by this invention. The preferred embodiment described above presents an automated solution where the sun positions are calculated based on Date, time of day, and the latitude and longitude of the installation location. However, a much simpler solution can be envisioned where the positions are “pre-programmed” and stored in a look up table for each of the update intervals.
[0053] For simplicity it is assumed that the installers would correctly orient the system North and South and this position would be used for initialization. A more automated approach can be envisioned where an electronic compass is used to determine the North and South orientation of the unit after it is installed and the internal coordinates of the control system would be updated automatically upon initialization.
[0054] The Solar panel ( 3600 ) generates DC voltage for the Grid Tie inverter ( 3700 ) that converts it to AC voltage for delivery back to the utility power grid ( 3800 ). A small portion of the power generated is used to trickle charge an on board battery or other power storage device ( 3900 ). This battery or power storage device ( 3900 ) provides power to operate the azimuth and elevation (if used) drive motors as well as the microprocessor ( 2700 ) and the GPS unit ( 3400 ) during periods of no sun or at the end of the day when the solar panels ( 3600 ) are repositioned from the direction of the setting sun to the direction of the rising sun for the following sunrise.
[0055] FIG. ( 6 ) shows how the generated power can be provided to the grid—Providing excess electrical power to the grid for others to use is the primary purpose of this invention. FIG. 6 shows one of the basic configurations for delivering electrical power to the grid. Other variations are anticipated and within the scope of this invention. The tracking solar panel system ( 4000 ) is shown attached to a utility light pole ( 4100 ) that is connected to a Utility Pole AC Power ( 4200 ) line. Generated solar panel DC power ( 4300 ) is delivered to a grid tied inverter ( 4400 ) where it is converted to AC power that is in sync with the utility pole AC power ( 4200 ).
[0056] Many different “Grid Tied” inverters are commercially available and incorporate different features. The basic functionality of an inverter is to convert DC power into AC power. The grid tied inverters are a special configuration that will “sense” the phase of the utility line and match the phase of the converted AC power so that it can be directly connected. As a safety provision grid tied inverters will stop producing AC power if the utility line loses power or frequency.
[0057] Synchronous AC power can be provided to the AC power grid through a separate metering system ( 4500 ) to log how much power has been provided to the grid for the purposes of reverse billing.
[0058] Several of the commercially available grid tie inverters ( 4400 ) also provide data over the utility AC power ( 4200 ) for a smart grid interface ( 4600 ) component to report on solar panel health, power output and other performance metrics. The smart grid interface ( 4600 ) devices can be connected to the internet ( 4700 ) to report solar performance metrics into a database that is accessible over the internet for a variety of monitoring and control functions that can be performed remotely over the world wide web. This type of utility could be used to supervise, monitor, and manage a large installed base of solar panel systems ( 4000 ) spread out over a large geographical area.
[0059] FIG. ( 7 ) shows a general daily motion profile of a 2 axis system—Many different motion profiles can be programmed for the daily sun tracking function and stow positions can be incorporated for the nighttime, high wind, snow, or other conditions. Both single and dual axis system can be configured. In the morning a dual axis system will position the solar panels to the sunrise position ( 4800 ) before the sun rises. Here the solar panels ( 4900 ) are positioned close to vertical and turned to face the sunrise position. As the sun travels along its path ( 5000 ), both the azimuth and elevation of the solar panels ( 4900 ) are periodically adjusted to face the sun. At the mid day position ( 5100 ) the solar panels ( 4900 ) have their maximum vertical elevation of the day and they are facing due south. At the end of the day position ( 5200 ) the solar panels ( 4900 ) are once again nearly vertical and facing the sunset in the West. For night time storage the panels are re-positioned to face the rising sun for the next day and then the cycle will repeat itself. Other storage positions are possible for the night time or adverse weather conditions. It may be desirable to stow the panels in the horizontal position to avoid the excess wind loading that could happen overnight.
[0060] The motion profiles for a single axis system is much simpler where the panels are at a fixed inclination and the mount is only rotated throughout the day to the azimuth of the sun.
[0061] FIG. ( 8 ) Passive wind load reduction—This illustration shows how the solar panels are mounted on the support structure with an offset pattern designed to reduce the wind loading by providing gaps between panel sections. A tubular support structure ( 5300 ) provides the mating connection to the rotating mount and supports the side frames ( 5400 ) where the solar panels ( 5500 ) are attached. The solar panels ( 5500 ) are attached to the side frames ( 5400 ) with a staggered pattern that creates open panel gaps ( 5600 ) between each of the panel sections. These gaps provide a wind relief passage to decrease the overall wind loading on the panel and mounting structure. Many different gap configurations are possible and anticipated by this invention
[0062] FIG. ( 9 ) Compliant wind load reduction—This illustration shows how a mounting structure can provide passive compliance for each of the panels to relieve over pressure and decrease the overall wind loading forces. With this approach the mounting frame ( 5700 ) supports pivot rods ( 5800 ) for each of the solar panels ( 5900 ). The hinged pivot rods ( 5800 ) are located off center on the solar panels ( 5900 ) and they are spring loaded so that they seek a center of rotation where all of the panels lay flat in a common plane with the mounting frame ( 5700 ).
[0063] Wind causes pressure on the solar panels ( 5900 ) with a center of force that is offset from the centerline of the pivot rod ( 5800 ). At low wind levels ( 6000 ) the force on the solar panels ( 5900 ) is not sufficient to cause them to rotate against the spring loaded pivot rods ( 5800 ). However, excessive wind speeds ( 6100 ) will create sufficient force to overcome the spring loaded pivot rod ( 5800 ), causing rotation about the pivot rod ( 6200 ). This rotation of the solar panel ( 5900 ) will decreasing its apparent surface area and limit the force of the wind on the panel array to an acceptable level.
[0064] FIG. ( 10 ) Active wind load reduction—This illustration shows how a 2 axis tracking mount could actively re-orient the panels to a horizontal position to reduce wind loading effects. When the solar panels are in a normal position ( 6300 ) their surface area may be perpendicular to the apparent wind direction ( 6400 ). In this position the wind forces could be significant. To reduce these forces the solar panels can be re-positioned into a horizontal stow position ( 6500 ) where there is very little surface area exposed to the apparent wind direction ( 6400 ) and the wind loading is greatly reduced. Positioning of the solar panels is performed by the microprocessor based controller and many different control inputs are possible and anticipated to signal the microprocessor to re-position the solar panels into a horizontal or “stow” position ( 6500 ). Strain gages, pressure sensors, wind speed gages, or external RF could be used to trigger the mounting system to move the panels into received to command the panels move to safe position.
[0065] FIG. ( 11 ) Utilization of available surface area for advertising—This illustration shows how the available surface area could be used for advertising to help offset the costs of the solar power generation system. Solar power generation has a marginal economic rate of return with current technology and associated costs. Utilization of the available surface area for advertising will provide an attractive source for additional revenue. The solar panels could have underside graphics ( 6600 ) applied to form an interesting visual display for a variety of commercial enterprise.
[0066] To accommodate the needs of different advertising customers, graphic panels ( 6700 ) could be inserted into holder frames ( 6800 ) that could be easily changed out for periodic updates.
[0067] Front surface graphics ( 6900 ) could also be applied directly to the face of the solar panels using standard techniques for “see through” images, however care would be required to minimize any associated decrease in solar panel's performance.
[0068] FIG. ( 12 ) Wind Turbine Pole mounted sun tracking solar panel mount—This illustration shows the sun tracking solar panel mount installed on a wind turbine pole. Co-locating a tracking solar panel on a wind turbine pole provides a cost effective “hybrid” system that can effectively harvest 2 different sources of energy, wind and solar. Power generated by both of these systems can be combined for use or storage.
[0069] In this illustration the sun tracking mount and solar panels ( 7000 ) is shown mounted to the mid section of a wind turbine mounting pole ( 7100 ). The wind turbine ( 7200 ) is positioned at the top of the support tower
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This invention presents a unique design for a sun tracking, solar panel mounting system that is intended to be mounted onto utility light poles, wind turbine poles, and other pole type structures. Rings are clamped around the pole and form a structural interface to support the tracking mount assembly and allow it to rotate around the centerline of the pole. An actuator powers the tracking structure rotate right or left around the centerline of the pole. A secondary structure in the mount assembly supports solar panels on either side of the vertical mounting poll and an optional second actuator tilts the elevation solar panels up and down. A control system reads the position of each actuator and periodically adjusts them to track the motion of the sun and optimize the solar energy collection efficiency.
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FIELD AND BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has been proposed heretofore that foodstuffs be cooked through the use of apparatus and in accordance with methods in which conveyors move foodstuffs through cooking apparatus. Particularly with regard to certain foodstuffs, such apparatus and methods have achieved some recognition and success.
With certain types of baked goods foodstuffs, it is important to the quality of the goods produced that cooking or baking be essentially uniform. By way of example, if a relatively great number of items such as rolls, buns, biscuits or the like are to be baked using a cooking apparatus of the general type described, it is important that the baked goods be uniformly cooked in order that a uniform quality be attained. Comparable requirements exist where the cooking involved combines baking and other cooking processes, such as in preparing pizza and the like where successive individual items having both a crust and fillings or coverings must be heated.
Where fillings or coverings are involved such as with pizza, there is an increased likelihood that the covering or filling materials will, during the cooking process, bubble over or melt into the apparatus used. Thus, it is important that provision be made for adequate maintenance and cleaning of the apparatus employed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
With the foregoing in mind, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cooking apparatus of the type generally described which achieves more uniform cooking of foodstuff conveyed through a cooking zone. In realizing this object of the present invention, a cooking zone defined within an enclosing housing and through which foodstuff is moved by a conveyor is heated by the emission of infrared radiant energy and by convective heating of air. Further, the heating of the cooking zone and of foodstuff moving therethrough is tempered by interruption of reflection of infrared radiation from the heating means and by agitation of air in the cooking zone. By such tempering, more uniform cooking of foodstuff conveyed through the cooking zone is accomplished.
Yet a further object of the present invention is to cook foodstuffs of the types described in accordance with a method in which foodstuff being cooked is conveyed through a cooking zone by an endless conveyor while the cooking zone is heated by the emission of infrared radiant energy and by convective heating of air. In accordance with the method of the present invention, more uniform cooking of foodstuffs being cooked in accordance with such methods is achieved by tempering the heating which is accomplished by agitating air in the cooking zone while interrupting the reflection of infrared radiation. The agitating and interrupting are accomplished at a controlled variable rate as required for uniformity in cooking of the particular food products being handled.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an elevation view, in section, through a portion of the apparatus of FIG. 1 and taken generally as indicated along the line 2--2 in that Figure; and
FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2, taken generally along the line 3--3 in FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
While the present invention will be described more particularly hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment for the invention is shown, it is to be understood at the outset of the description which follows that this invention may be modified while still achieving the benefits and advantages to be described. Accordingly, the description which follows is to be understood as a broad, teaching disclosure directed to persons of skill in the relevant arts, and not as limiting upon the scope of this invention.
An apparatus in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3 and is generally indicated at 10. As will be described in greater detail hereinafter, the apparatus 10 includes a housing means generally indicated at 11 for enclosing a cooking zone 12. The cooking zone 12 generally has the configuration of a "tunnel" having an entry end 14 and an exit end 15. An endless foodstuff conveyor means generally indicated at 16 is mounted to extend through the cooking zone 12 and for movement along a closed path of travel having upper and lower runs (FIG. 3). Preferably, the conveyor means 16 is an open bar chain conveyor of wire formed links trained about a drive sprocket 18 and an idle sprocket 19. The drive sprocket 18 is driven by an appropriate variable speed drive assembly generally indicated at 20 (FIG. 3) and which typically includes an electrical motor as a prime mover, a motor speed control having a speed variation control element 21 such as a potentiometer, and coupled to the drive sprocket 18 through an appropriate gear train. The upper run of the conveyor means 16 is supported as and where appropriate to facilitate the conveyor means supporting foodstuffs and pans or the like containing the foodstuffs as the foodstuffs move through the cooking zone 12. In the form illustrated, support for the conveyor means 16 within the cooking zone 12 may include angle iron lip members 22 (FIG. 2) underlying the lengthwise margins of the conveyor 16.
Heating means are mounted in the housing means 11 for heating the cooking zone 12. In the particular form illustrated, the heating means takes the form of a plurality of heat sources generally indicated at 24 (FIGS. 2 and 3) for directing infrared radiation toward foodstuff supported on and moving with the conveyor means 16 while heating air within the cooking zone 12 by convection. In the arrangement illustrated, one heat source is mounted above and transversely of the "tunnel" cooking zone 12 near the entry opening 14, while four heat sources 24 are located below the upper run of the conveyor 16 and spaced along the length of the cooking zone 12 (FIGS. 2 and 3). The heat sources illustrated are in the form of burners for gaseous fuel such as natural gas and are of a general type known as face burners in which a mixture of fuel and air is delivered through a large number of small orifices in a block of ceramic-like material for burning at the surface or face of the blocks. The flame faces of the heat sources 24 preferably are covered by a protective screen of metal wire, metal mesh or the like. As a consequence, heating of the cooking zone 12 occurs both by emission of infrared radiation and by convective heating of air within the housing 11. The placement of the heat sources in the embodiment illustrated is such as to direct infrared radiant energy downwardly onto the upper surface of foodstuff being cooked and upwardly through the conveyor against any pan or the like containing the foodstuff. In part as a consequence of the arrangement of the heat sources, foodstuffs are cooked both from above and from below by the types of heating described. Persons of appropriate skill in the arts of applying heating sources to cooking apparatus will recognize the applicability of alternative types of heat sources which both emit infrared radiant energy and accomplish convective heating of air. Such persons will also recognize the possibility of modifying the specific arrangement of heat sources illustrated where appropriate to achieving the operations here described.
In accordance with the present invention, tempering means are provided so as to facilitate more uniform cooking of foodstuff conveyed through the cooking zone 12 along the upper run of the conveyor 16. The tempering means, in this invention, accomplishes the multiple functions of agitating air in the cooking zone 12 while interrupting reflection of infrared radiation from the heat sources 24. In the specific form illustrated, the tempering means comprises fan means 25 having impeller blades mounted within the cooking zone 12 for rotation. The impeller blades preferably are elongate strips of metal, bent or twisted so as to stir air and effective for mechanically "chopping" or stroboscopically interrupting reflected infrared radiation within the cooking zone. The fan means 25 have shafts penetrating an appropriate body of thermal insulation 26 and, adjacent their upper ends, being provided with driven pulleys 28 engaged by a drive belt 29. The drive belt 29 also engages, and is driven by, a suitable motive means such as an electrical motor 30. The speed of the electrical motor 30 may be controllably varied, so as to drive the fan means 25 over a range of desirable rotational speeds, as from about 40 revolutions per minute to about 200 revolutions per minute. Experimentation with an operating embodiment of the invention as here described has discovered that the uniformity of cooking of foodstuffs conveyed through the apparatus of the present invention is varied by selecting speeds within those ranges and that a desired uniformity will be achieved at some point within that range.
While the interaction between air agitation and infrared radiation reflectivity interruption is not fully understood, it is to be appreciated by persons skilled in the appropriate arts that the relationship is not necessarily linear. That is, while the tempering means accomplishes both functions, variations in cooking resulting from variations in air agitation are not necessarily linearly related to variations in cooking resulting from variations in infrared radiation reflection interruption. Experience strongly suggests that selection of a final rotational speed for the fan means 25 of the tempering means be done empirically, through testing of the specific food products to be cooked in the apparatus and in accordance with the methods of this invention.
The motor 30 through which the fan means 25 are driven preferably is cooled by an air flow through the central portion of the housing means 11 which contains the motor. Such an air flow is provided by a cooling fan generally indicated at 31.
Access to the cooking zone 12 and the other portions of the apparatus 10 may be desired for varying purposes. For example, the apparatus 10 may be employed in some kitchens wherein more than one type of product is prepared using the apparatus, and the cooking time for the various products is different. By means of side doors 32 (FIGS. 1 and 2), foodstuffs may be introduced into the cooking zone 12 at an intermediate point along the length of the cooking zone and thus may be subjected to reduced times of cooking. Further, the central portion of the housing means 11, containing the tempering means, preferably is hinged for lifting away from the cooking zone 12 (to the phantom line position in FIGS. 1 through 3). With the central portion of the housing means 11 removed, the interior of the apparatus 10 is accessible for cleaning and maintenance such as the removal of cheese or the like or the replacement of components.
As will be noted, the cooking zone 12 is vented through a pair of flues 34 which, in the installation illustrated, join together into a single flue. Where appropriate, the flues 34 may be relatively short stacks terminating within or beneath a canopy hood which would provide for ventilation of the area ambient to the apparatus 10.
The apparatus 10 is supported upon a suitable structural framework, preferably having casters so as to permit movement of the apparatus 10 to whatever location is necessary or appropriate for use.
In practicing the method of cooking foodstuffs in accordance with the present invention, and as particularly exemplified by cooking pizza, the apparatus 10 is positioned as is appropriate in the kitchen of a restaurant offering pizza, preferably with that portion of the conveyor means 16 leading into the entrance 14 to the cooking zone 12 adjacent a food preparation table or area in which pizzas are assembled. As orders for pizza are received and individual pizzas are prepared, pans bearing the assembled pizzas are placed on the conveyor means 16 adjacent the entry 14 and are moved into the cooking zone 12 with movement of the conveyor 16. Movement of the conveyor 16 is under the control of an operator stationed adjacent the exit 15 from the cooking zone 12 and having access to the speed control 21 and an on-off switch for the conveyor drive. As a prepared pizza is conveyed through the cooking zone 12 (as indicated in phantom lines in FIG. 2), the upper surface of the pizza is subjected to heat from the transverse upper heat source 24 which spans the width of the conveyor 16. The pan is subjected to infrared radiation from the four heat sources 24 disposed beneath the upper run of the conveyor 16. Additionally, and particularly in passing beneath the tempering means, air heated by convection by the heat sources 24 is agitated above and about the foodstuff while infrared radiant energy reflected within the cooking zone 12 from the heat sources 24 is dispersed by interruption of patterns of reflection by the tempering means. Typically, movement of a pizza from the loading area adjacent the entry 14 to the unloading area adjacent the exit 15 occupies approximately eight minutes time.
In the drawings and specification, there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention, and although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
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A cooking apparatus and method, particularly for baked goods foodstuffs such as pizza and the like, in which a foodstuff conveyor extends through a cooking zone defined within a housing. The cooking zone is heated by heat sources emitting infrared radiation and convectively heating air. More uniform cooking is accomplished by tempering the effect of the heat sources by interrupting reflection of infrared radiation and agitating air.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to and is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/755,186, filed Jun. 30, 2015, and entitled “METHOD FOR THE USE OF NITRATES AND NITRATE REDUCING BACTERIA IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING,” which is a divisional application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/213,781, filed Aug. 19, 2011, and entitled “METHOD FOR THE USE OF NITRATES AND NITRATE REDUCING BACTERIA IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING,” the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference; and to U.S. Provisional Application 61/385,011, filed Sep. 21, 2010, and entitled “METHOD FOR THE USE OF NITRATES AND NITRATE REDUCING BACTERIA IN HYDRAULIC FRACTURING”.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to the field of fracturing fluids used in fracturing subterranean formations during hydrocarbon recovery. More specifically the present disclosure relates to methods for introducing additives in fracturing fluids to supplement or replace traditional biocides.
[0003] Hydraulic fracturing is a formation stimulation technique used to create additional permeability in a producing formation to increase the flow of hydrocarbons toward the wellbore. Typically, during a hydraulic fracturing operation, a high hydraulic pressure is used to fracture the subterranean formation, creating cracks that facilitate the increased flow of hydrocarbons. Often, proppants are used to keep cracks open that are created during the fracturing operation.
[0004] Fracturing fluids include a number of components and are most often water-based. These components typically include acids, biocides, breakers, corrosion inhibitors, friction reducers, gels, iron control chemicals, oxygen scavengers, surfactants and scale inhibitors. Fracturing fluids that contain friction reducers to allow higher flow rates are most often termed “slick water” fracturing fluids.
[0005] In most traditional hydraulic fracturing operations, much of the fracturing fluid used is recovered. However, in certain formations and operations, the majority of the fracturing fluid that enters the subterranean formation is not initially recovered, but, instead, remains in the formation. This is particularly true for small pore-sized, low permeability formations such as gas-producing shale formations. Some shales may have unfractured permeabilities of 0.01 to 0.00001 millidarcies. Effective porosity of shales may be 0.2% or less. As a result, it may be possible to initially recover only 15% or less of the fracturing fluid, with the rest of the fracturing fluid remaining in situ.
[0006] The unrecovered fracturing fluid in the formation may provide a fertile breeding ground for the anaerobic bacteria present in the hydrocarbon-producing formation. Certain types of bacteria, for example, sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB), can be detrimental to both the recovery of the hydrocarbon and the hydrocarbon itself. SRB act to reduce sulfates to sulfides which are detrimental to both the formation itself, as well as to the hydrocarbon recovered. For instance, the SRB may create sludge or slime, which can reduce the porosity of the formation and thereby impede hydrocarbon recovery. SRB may also produce hydrogen sulfide which may sour the hydrocarbon, as well as cause corrosion in metal tubulars and surface equipment.
[0007] Typical fracturing fluids include a biocide in order to control of the action of bacteria such as SRB. However, some of these biocides, such as, for instance, glutaraldehye, present environmental issues. Ground water may be contaminated with the biocide, for instance, during fracturing operations, or through spills of fracturing fluids at the surface. Further, more reactive biocides such as oxidizers tend to have a limited life in the formation. This limited life may present a serious problem in low porosity, low permeability formations, where fracturing fluids may remain for a significant period of time due to low mobility.
[0008] Other problems exist with traditional fracturing fluids where environmentally sensitivity is an issue. For instance, certain friction reducers and scale inhibitors may be toxic.
[0009] What is needed is a method of controlling undesirable bacteria, such as SRB, in small pore-sized, low permeability formations without the use of traditional biocides during hydraulic fracturing operations. Further, what is needed is a fracturing fluid with less toxic components than traditional fracturing fluids.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0010] The compounds and methods described herein relate generally to the field of gas and oil production. Other uses may also be made of same. In particular, compositions and methods for controlling the growth of sulfate reducing bacteria are described.
[0011] In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method of controlling sulfides in a low porosity, low permeability subterranean formation is disclosed which includes injecting an inorganic nitrate into the formation.
[0012] In another embodiment of the present disclosure, a slick water fracturing fluid is disclosed which includes, a brine, an inorganic nitrate, a nitrogen reducing bacteria, a scale inhibitor. The scale inhibitor is a polyacrylate polymer, a polyacrylate copolymer, a polyacrylate terpolymer, or mixtures thereof. The slick water fracturing fluid further includes a friction reducer that is a polyacrylamide.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0013] In the present disclosure, inorganic nitrates or inorganic nitrites are injected with the fracturing fluid to stimulate nitrate-reducing bacteria or nitrate reducing sulfide oxidizing bacteria (NRSOB) (generically, “NRB”) as a control mechanism for SRB in place of a traditional biocide in a low porosity, low permeability subterranean formation, such as shale. Molybdates also may be used in conjunction with the inorganic nitrates as a control mechanism for SRB.
[0014] SRB and NRB typically compete for the same non-polymer carbon source (such as acetates) present in the subterranean formation needed for gro′″1:h of bacteria. By increasing the growth rate of the NRB in comparison to the SRB, the NRB may out compete the SRB in consumption of the available non-polymer carbon source, depriving the SRB of its ability to grow and create the undesirable sulfides. Further, by inhibiting the growth rate of the SRB, the NRB may predominate, again out competing the SRB for the available non-polymer carbon in the subterranean formation.
[0015] Often, in low permeability, low porosity formations such as shales, recovery of the fracturing fluid is limited due to limited mobility; as a result, a significant portion of the fracturing fluid may remain in the formation for weeks and even months. Short acting biocides typically used to control the growth of SRB are often ineffective in such applications, as their efficacy may be limited to mere hours or days, allowing SRB growth following the initial biocide use. Other traditional persistent biocides may represent a health risk, in that spills or migration into groundwater may create an undesirable hazard. In contrast, the mechanism of the current disclosure may increase in efficacy with time, as the NRB out compete the SRB with time, and, with respect to NRSOB, may serve to mediate damage done by SRB. Further, the NRB does not pose the health or environmental risks related to the traditional biocides.
[0016] Inorganic nitrates serve to stimulate the growth of the NRB present in the subterranean formation or the water that serves as a basis for the fracturing fluid, thus outcompeting SRB present in the formation. Inorganic nitrates may be used as part of the fracturing fluid injected into the subterranean formation. Inorganic nitrates available for use in the present disclosure include, for instance, potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, ammonium nitrate, and mixtures thereof. These inorganic nitrates are commonly available, but are non-limiting and any appropriate inorganic nitrate may be used.
[0017] The amount of inorganic nitrate included as part of the fracturing fluid is dependent upon a number of factors, including the amount of sulfate in the hydrocarbon, the amount of sulfate in the fracturing fluid itself, the permeability of the formation, and the expected amount of NRB needed to counteract the SRB. Typical concentration of inorganic nitrate in the fracturing fluid is less than 2000 ppm by weight of the solution. More often, the concentration of inorganic nitrate is between 500 to 1000 ppm by weight, most often between about 700 and 800 ppm by weight.
[0018] NRB are often indigenous in the subterranean formation or already present in the fracturing fluid and simple addition of the inorganic nitrate may be adequate to stimulate the NRB to outcompete SRB for the non-polymer carbon source. However, in certain circumstances, such as when the indigenous amount of NRB is inadequate or wholly absent, it may be necessary to supplement the indigenous NRB with suitable additional NRB in the fracturing fluid. Thus, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, NRB are added to the fracturing fluid.
[0019] Those of ordinary skill in the art with the benefit of this disclosure will recognize acceptable examples of NRB appropriate for use in this disclosure. NRB include any type of microorganism capable of performing anaerobic nitrate reduction, such as heterotrophic nitrate-reducing bacteria, and nitrate-reducing sulfide-oxidizing bacteria. This may include, but is not limited to, Campylobacter sp. Nitrobacter sp., Thiobacillus sp., Nitrosomonas sp., Thiomicrospira sp., Sulfurospirillum sp., Thauera sp., Paracoccus sp., Pseudomonas sp., Rhodobacter sp., or Specific examples include, but are not limited to, Nitrobacter vulgaris, Nitrosomonas europea, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Paracoccus denitrificans, Sulfurospirillum deleyianum, and Rhodobacter sphaeroides.
[0020] The amount of NRB included in the fracturing fluid will depend upon a number of factors including the amount of SRB expected, as well as the permeability and porosity of the subterranean formation. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the amount of NRB in the fracturing fluid is between 1 and 10 8 bacteria count/ml of the fracturing fluid, preferably between 10 1 and 10 4 bacteria count/ml of the fracturing fluid.
[0021] NRB of the present disclosure may convert inorganic nitrates to nitrites. In addition, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the NRB of the present disclosure also may convert nitrites to ammonia. In certain other embodiments of the present disclosure, the NRB of the present disclosure may convert ammonia to nitrogen gas. Thus, in addition to adding nitrates to the fracturing fluid, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, inorganic nitrites may also be added to the fracturing fluid. It has further been found that nitrites may scavenge hydrogen sulfide, further reducing the souring of the hydrocarbon produced. Inorganic nitrites include, for instance sodium nitrite and potassium nitrite and are typically added in the range of between about 5 and 100 ppm by weight of the fracturing fluid.
[0022] In addition to stimulating the NRB to out compete the SRB, it may be desirable to introduce additional SRB inhibitors in certain embodiments of the present disclosure together with the inorganic nitrates. Examples of SRB inhibitors suitable for the present disclosure are 9,10-anthraquinone, molybdates and molybdate salts, such as sodium molybdate and lithium molybdate, although any SRB inhibitor may be used in concentrations where the molybdates do not unduly affect the ability of the NRB to otherwise out compete the SRB. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, molybdate is added to the fracturing fluid in the range of 5 to about 100 ppm by weight of fluid.
[0023] Thus, as described in the present disclosure, less effective and less environmentally-sensitive biocides may be replaced with long-acting alternatives, particularly in low porosity, low permeability formations, such as shale. In addition, it may be advantageous, particularly in environmentally sensitive situations, such as where possibility of ground water contamination exists, to substitute other toxic components of traditional slick water fracturing fluids with less toxic alternatives.
[0024] For example, traditional fracturing fluids use scale inhibitors to reduce scale buildup in the formation or production equipment that may precipitate from the brine used as a base for the fracturing fluid. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, polyacrylate polymers, copolymers, and terpolymers have been found to be compatible with nitrates and NRBs, effective and present few, if any, environmental issues.
[0025] As another example, slick water hydraulic fracturing fluids include friction reducers. Latex polymers and copolymers of polyacrylamides have been found to be compatible with nitrates and NRBs, effective, and present, few if any, environmental issues.
[0026] This disclosure will now be further illustrated with respect to certain specific examples which are not intended to limit the disclosure, but rather to provide more specific embodiments as only a few of many possible embodiments.
EXAMPLE 1
[0027] A fracturing fluid may be prepared with sufficient sodium nitrate to bring the sodium nitrate concentration in the fracturing fluid to about 800 ppm by weight. The fracturing fluid may then be injected into a hydrocarbon-producing, subterranean shale formation.
EXAMPLE 2
[0028] A fracturing fluid may be prepared in accordance with Example 1. Sulfurospirillum deleyianum may be added to the fracturing fluid in sufficient amounts to bring the concentration of the NRB to about 10 2 bacteria count/ml fracturing fluid. The fracturing fluid may then be injected as in Example 1.
EXAMPLE 3
[0029] A fracturing fluid may be prepared in accordance with Example 1. Sodium molybdate may be added to the fracturing fluid in sufficient amount to bring the concentration of the sodium molybdate to 50 ppm by weight of fracturing fluid.
[0030] While the disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments and examples, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will appreciate that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the invention as disclosed herein. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be limited only by the attached claims.
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A slick water fracturing fluid including a brine, an inorganic nitrate, a nitrogen reducing bacteria, a scale inhibitor selected from the group consisting of a polyacrylate polymer, a polyacrylate copolymer, a polyacrylate terpolymer, and mixtures thereof, and a friction reducer, wherein the friction reducer is a polyacrylamide.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/165,571, filed Apr. 1, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference.
STATEMENT OF GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to ammunition and explosives. More particularly, the invention relates to a smoke marker. Most particularly the invention relates to an aerosol dispersing grenade.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The invention relates to a military search and rescue (SAR) grenade. Smoke marker grenades are stowed in life rafts for use in rescue at sea. Smoke marker grenades are also used on land to draw attention and to mark a geographical position.
Most smoke grenades comprise a hand held body which contains a smoke forming charge, a discharge composition and a primer/bursting charge to activate the discharge composition and generate the smoke. The smoke grenade is set off by igniting the primer, which in turn ignites the smoke charge and the discharge composition. The grenade body functions as a pressure vessel to contain the ignition and initial combustion long enough for the smoke to be generated and then to facilitate discharge of the burning contents as smoke. A disadvantage of the ignition type smoke grenade is the discharge of ignition and combustion products that can cause fires in the surrounding area. This is undesirable on land, in a life raft at sea and in most military and civilian environments.
Non-incendiary aerosol smoke dispersing grenades have been developed which overcome the danger of starting fires when producing smoke. These grenades rely on an aerosol can of pressurized propellant gas. The propellant gas is released through a valve and carries a quantity of solid particles or liquid into the atmosphere to create a smoke plume. The size of the smoke plume produced is limited by the amount of propellant gas in the aerosol can.
Inventor has discovered that the problems and deficiencies associated with known incendiary and non-incendiary smoke grenades and can be solved or greatly reduced by the use of an aerosol smoke grenade.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An aerosol smoke grenade comprises a hand held canister. The canister has a curved side wall. A cross-section of the curved side wall displays a major axis and a minor axis. The major axis is longer than the minor axis. Inside the body are at least one gas cartridge and an actuator for initiating flow of gas from the cartridge to an aspirating nozzle. An aspirating nozzle has at least one air aspiration port and a discharge end. The nozzle discharges to a powder reservoir. The powder reservoir has a discharge conduit which transports gas and powder to two powder discharge ports traversing the side wall. The discharge ports are located on the side wall proximate opposite ends of the minor axis.
The hand held grenade is actuated and thrown. The shape of the curved side wall causes the grenade to come to rest in a position such that one smoke discharge port is pointing up and one is pointing down. The discharge port pointing down is stopped. This results in a smoke plume directed upward. The air aspiration nozzle forms a smoke plume of greater size than could be produced by the gas cartridge alone.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
FIG. 1 is an overhead view of an aerosol smoke grenade.
FIG. 1 a is an end view of the aerosol smoke grenade of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 2 is an overhead cross-sectional view of the aerosol smoke grenade of FIG. 1 .
FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of the aerosol smoke grenade of FIG. 1 along section 3 - 3 .
FIG. 4 is a sectional side view of the aerosol smoke grenade of FIG. 1 along section 4 - 4 .
FIG. 5 is a sectional side view of the aerosol smoke grenade of FIG. 1 along section 5 - 5 .
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention is described with reference to the drawing. The drawing discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention and is not intended to limit the generally broad scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
Reference is made to FIG. 1 and FIG. 1 a showing a non-incendiary aerosol smoke grenade. The grenade has dimensions that allow it to be held in the hand and thrown. In this embodiment, the grenade has a length L 1 of 8 inches, a width W 1 of 3.5 inches and a height H 1 of 2 inches. The appearance of the grenade is that of the outer canister or body 10 . The canister has a continuously curved side wall made of plastic. In the end view shown in FIG. 1 a , the curved side wall is generally oval or elliptical in shape. The curved side wall has a major axis A 1 and a minor axis A 2 . The proportions of the body are critical in that the length of the major axis A 1 is always greater than the length of the minor axis A 2 . Numerically, the major axis is greater in length than the minor axis by a ratio of 4:1 to 1.5:1, typically 2.5:1 to 1.5:1. This, together with the continuously curved side wall assure that the thrown grenade will land and come to rest with one powder discharge port 12 pointing upward and one powder discharge port 14 pointing downward.
The powder discharge port 12 is indented from the surface of the side wall by the depth of spray cone 13 , shown in FIG. 3 . Twist knob 18 provides for manual initiation of the smoke grenade. Bolt 19 attaches twist knob 18 to the grenade. Air aspirating ports 15 are also shown.
Reference is made to FIG. 2 . Bolt 19 attaches twist knob 18 through bayonet block 20 to mounting block 40 . Mounting block 40 has two bayonet sleeves 42 . Each sleeve provides for travel of a bayonet piston 46 . In each sleeve is positioned a bayonet assembly including a bayonet piston 46 attached to a grooved metal bayonet 50 .
Twist knob 18 is directly attached to bayonet block 20 and the two are manually rotated 10° to 30° on bolt 19 which is an axis of rotation. Bayonet block 20 includes ramps 25 in contact with bayonet pistons 46 . The left ramp 25 is shown with bayonet piston 46 in front of it. The right ramp 25 is shown in front of the bayonet piston 46 . As bayonet block 20 is rotated, bayonet piston 46 is forced up bayonet sleeve 46 for bayonet 50 to puncture the neck 68 of gas cartridge 70 . Two gas cartridges 70 are shown. There could be one or more than two. The limit is the desire for simplicity of construction and that the grenade be hand held. In this embodiment the gas cartridges have a diameter W 2 of 1.38 inch and a cylindrical body length L 2 of 7.48 inches. The cylinder 70 has an internal volume of 114 cubic centimeters (cc) and contains 86 grams of carbon dioxide gas (CO 2 ). These gas cylinders and bayonets are available commercially from Leland® Gas Technologies, 1611 Canady Road, Wilmington, N.C. 28411. Equivalent cylinders are available in a number of sizes containing carbon dioxide, Freon® or nitrogen.
Carbon dioxide gas flows through the neck 72 of cylinder 70 into expansion chamber 52 in mounting block 40 to confront rupture disc 54 . Expansion chamber 52 and rupture disc 54 provide a few seconds delay, e.g. 2 to 3 seconds, in the initial flow of gas before smoke flows out of powder discharge port 12 .
Rupture disc 54 breaks under gas pressure, allowing carbon dioxide gas to flow through aspirating nozzle 58 . As seen in FIG. 5 , tubes 16 provide fluid communication with air aspiration ports 15 traversing outer container 10 and port 56 in aspirating nozzle 58 . The flow of carbon dioxide through aspirating nozzle 58 causes air to be aspirated into the aspirating nozzle 58 by the venturi effect so that the combined gas flow volume is 2 to 6 times the volume of gas flowing out of the cylinder. The gas flows into the entry junction 60 of agitator tube 65 .
Agitator tube 65 is positioned in smoke powder reservoir 68 , also shown in FIG. 4 . The carbon dioxide/air mixture flows through multiple ports 66 into powder reservoir 68 and erodes and entrains powder on the way to discharge conduit 75 .
Smoke powder reservoir 68 contains packed powder for smoke or an obscurant. Smoke and obscurant compositions include a variety of metals, carbon and the like materials in the form of finely divided, solid particles. Such materials are used in the form of solid, finely divided powders, particles, flakes and the like collectively referred to herein as powder. Exemplary materials include titanium dioxide (TiDi), white silica powder, aluminum flakes, copper flakes, brass flakes and carbon flakes. Suitable finely divided solid particles or the like smoke forming materials may be prepared by conventional well known techniques. In addition, the powder may include inert powders to improve flow characteristics. The particle size and particle size distribution of the smoke forming materials can vary depending on the material used as well as the method of their preparation, as is known in the art.
In the alternative, smoke powder reservoir 68 contains a packed particulate non-lethal lachrymator powder. The particulate lachrymator is a powdered pepper derived substance, for example, oleoresin capsicum or capsaicin. CS (ortho-chlorobenzalmalononitrile) is tear gas powder. The active ingredient is in amount of at least 1% up to about 30%, with the remainder made up of an inert particulate matter or a marking particulate matter such as dye powder. More than one non-lethal irritant substance may be combined to provide a total of about 1% to about 30% or more lachrymator substance in the capsule.
Reference is made to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 showing discharge conduit 75 . The end portion of discharge conduit 75 is a race 80 between smoke discharge port 12 and smoke discharge port 14 . Stopper 85 seen here as a ball travels under the influence of gravity in race 80 between smoke discharge port 12 and smoke discharge port 14 . The two smoke discharge ports are proximate opposite ends of the minor axis A 2 . In use, one port is vertically below the other with the lower port blocked by stopper 85 under the influence of gravity.
Smoke discharges from the upper port that is not blocked by stopper 12 . The smoke is carried typically by 3 times the gas that would be carried by gas from the cylinder alone. As a result, the smoke plume is larger and potentially higher than it would be with only gas from the cylinder. In addition, no gas is propelled in the downward direction and thereby rendered ineffective.
The foregoing discussion discloses and describes embodiments of the invention by way of example. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from this discussion, that various changes, modifications and variations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.
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The invention is an aerosol search and rescue (SAR) grenade. A smoke signal is produced that is comparable to the smoke signal produced by a pyrotechnic grenade. An aspirating provides a propellant gas/air mixture to a reservoir of smoke material. A container configuration and gravity operated valve provide for a smoke plume only in the upward direction. The smoke grenade is useful in life rafts. It is also useful in inland areas posing a risk of fire.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an optical amplifying medium component and an optical fiber amplifier comprising the optical amplifying medium component. Especially, an optical amplifying medium component comprising a rare-earth doped fiber as an optical amplifying medium and having the function of maintaining the temperature of such a fiber constant.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In recent years, Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) technology has been developed and proceeded toward practical utilization to cope with growing demand for network access and transmission products in telecommunications as the development of Internet has surged forward. The WDM system allows an increase in the transmission capacity of a single optical fiber transmission line by multiplexing a plurality of signal light beams having different wavelengths onto the optical fiber over a predetermined wavelength band region.
[0005] The WDM system can easily increase the transmission capacity of the optical fiber by extending the range of bandwidths to increase the number of optical signals to be multiplexed. In this case, the optical fiber amplifier is required to be one having flat wavelength characteristics of gain (i.e., the increase in the amplitude of a signal is constant) with respect to the broad bandwidth. For instance, optical signals at a wavelength band of 1550 nm is generally used. In this case, an erbium-doped optical fiber (EDF) is used as an optical amplifying medium.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] In the first aspect of the present invention, an optical amplifying medium component comprises: an optical amplifying medium for amplifying signal light; a first substrate on which the optical amplifying medium is placed; a second substrate opposite to the fist substrate to sandwich the optical amplifying medium between the fist substrate and the second substrate; and a first temperature control element for controlling the temperature of the fist element.
[0007] Here, the optical amplifying medium component may further comprise: a second temperature control element for controlling the second substrate.
[0008] The optical amplifying medium may be a rare-earth element doped optical fiber.
[0009] The optical amplifying medium component may further comprise: a temperature-detecting device for detecting temperature at a predetermined place in the proximity of the optical amplifying medium.
[0010] The rare-earth element doped optical fiber may be placed in a plane without bending and crossing; and
[0011] the rare-earth element doped optical fiber and the temperature-detecting device are sandwiched between the first substrate and the second substrate.
[0012] In the second aspect of the present invention, an optical fiber amplifier comprises: an optical amplifying medium component; a pumping light source for producing pumping light; and an optical multiplexer for multiplexing the pumping light with signal light to send them to the optical amplifying medium. The optical amplifying medium component includes an optical amplifying medium for amplifying signal light, a first substrate on which the optical amplifying medium is placed, a second substrate opposite to the fist substrate to sandwich the optical amplifying medium between the fist substrate and the second substrate, and a first temperature control element for controlling the temperature of the fist element.
[0013] The optical amplifying medium component may further comprise: a second temperature control element for controlling the second substrate.
[0014] Here, the optical amplifying medium may be a rare-earth element doped optical fiber.
[0015] The optical amplifying medium component may further comprise: a temperature control circuit for adjusting temperature at a predetermined place in the proximity of the optical amplifying medium. If the relationship between the temperature and the wavelength characteristics of gain are investigated in advance, a temperature control circuit may be used for actively adjusting the temperature of the optical amplification medium in the optical amplifying medium component. Therefore, it allows to keep the such a medium entirely at a predetermined temperature so as to obtain desired wavelength characteristics of gain thereof. In this case, the action of gain equalization can be achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other objects, effects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description of embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:
[0017] [0017]FIG. 1 is a graph that illustrates the relationship between the gain and the wavelength characteristics of the typical erbium-doped optical fiber at different surrounding temperatures;
[0018] [0018]FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the exemplified conventional erbium-doped optical fiber component:
[0019] [0019]FIG. 3 is a graph that illustrates the relationship between the gain and the wavelength characteristics of the conventional erbium-doped optical fiber component at different surrounding temperatures;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the optical amplifying medium component as the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic plane view of the optical amplifying medium component as the first preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 6 is a graph that illustrates the relationship between the gain and the wavelength characteristics of the optical amplifying medium component as a first preferred embodiment of the present invention at different surrounding temperatures;
[0023] [0023]FIG. 7 is a schematic perspective view of the optical amplifying medium component as the second preferred embodiment of the present invention; and
[0024] [0024]FIG. 8 is a block diagram of the optical fiber amplifier comprising the optical amplifying medium component as the third preferred embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0025] For facilitating the understanding of the present invention, we will describe the conventional optical amplifying medium component and the conventional optical fiber amplifier comprising such a component.
[0026] Conventionally, wavelength multiplexing has been performed at a wavelength band of 1550 nm (designated as a C-band) in general. Recent years have also seen the consideration given to the use of a wavelength band of 1580 nm (designated as L-band) in addition to the C-band.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 1 shows the wavelength characteristics of gain in an erbium-doped fiber (EDF) at the L-band. As shown in FIG. 1, the wavelength-characteristics of gain in the EDF have a temperature dependency. And the wavelength-characteristic of gain changes by the environmental temperature. Therefore, there is a problem that the wavelength-characteristics of gain in the EDF vary as the surrounding temperature varies.
[0028] [0028]FIG. 2 is an example of the configuration of the conventional temperature-compensated EDF component well known in the art. As shown in the figure, the conventional temperature-compensated EDF component comprises a peltier-effect device 2 , an EDF 3 provided as an optical amplifying medium, a thermister 4 , and a reel 6 . Both the peltier-effect device 2 and the thermister 4 are mounted on the reel 6 while the EDF 3 is wound thereon, so that the temperature of the EDF 3 can be monitored and controlled by the peltier-effect device 2 and the thermister 4 through the reel 6 . In this case, however, there are multiple turns of the EDF 3 around the reel 6 , so the EDF 3 has a portion touched on the surface of the reel 6 and the rest not touched thereon. As a result, there is a thermal gradient through the whole EDF 3 . Thus, it cannot be monitored and controlled under the same conditions because the temperatures of all portions of the EDF 3 may be different from each other.
[0029] The wavelength-characteristics of gain in the EDF 3 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the gain fluctuates in a range of about 1.5 dB as the surrounding temperature is changed in a range of 0 to 60° C., so that the gain fluctuation is in need of further improvement.
[0030] Referring now to attached figures, we will describe novel optical amplifying medium components, and novel optical fiber amplifiers that comprise their respective optical amplifying medium components in accordance with the present invention.
[0031] An optical amplifying medium component as a first preferred embodiment of the present invention is capable of adjusting the temperature of a rare-earth element doped optical fiber provided as an optical amplifying medium to ensure a uniform temperature distribution through the fiber such that wavelength characteristics of gain and output of the fiber remain invariant while the surrounding temperature varies.
[0032] [0032]FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view of the optical amplifying medium component of the present embodiment. The optical amplifying medium component comprises: a pair of substrates (i.e., Peltier effect devices) 2 a and 2 b provided as thin plates capable of heating and cooling any component thereon; and an optical fiber 3 provided as an optical amplifying medium, in which a rare-earth element is doped. In this embodiment, but not limited to, the optical fiber 3 is an erbium-doped optical fiber (hereinafter, abbreviated as “EDF”) and wound into a spiral in a plane. The spiral-shaped optical fiber 3 is sandwiched between sheet films described later to form an EDF sheet 1 . Then, the EDF sheet 1 is sandwiched between the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b . These Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b are responsible for altering the surface temperature of the EDF sheet 1 by the passage of a driving current through these devices 2 a , 2 b to keep the EDF sheet 1 at a constant temperature.
[0033] Next, the EDF sheet 1 will be described in a little more detail. FIG. 5 is a plane view that illustrates an EDF sheet 1 to be applied in the optical amplifying medium component shown in FIG. 4. The EDF sheet 1 is comprised of: an EDF 3 as an optical amplifying medium; and a temperature-sensitive semiconductor device (i.e. thermister) 4 possessing a negative temperature coefficient so that resistance decreases as temperature increases. In this case, as shown in the figure, the EDF 3 and the thermister 4 are arranged in the same plane. In this embodiment, the EDF 3 is an erbium-doped optical fiber of about 40 meter in length. For amplifying incident signal light, in fact, both signal light and pumping light can be introduced into the EDF 3 from the same direction. In this embodiment, as described above, the EDF 3 and the thermister 4 are arranged on one of sheet films 5 and then covered with another one to make a laminated sheet assembly 5 for keeping the EDF 3 from twisting, bending, and crossing. In this embodiment, furthermore, the sheet film 5 may be made of a Teflon-based films or the like.
[0034] Subsequently, we will describe the operation of the optical amplifying medium component of the present embodiment shown in FIG. 4. In other words, we will describe how to control the temperature of the EDF 3 in the optical amplifying medium component.
[0035] In the EDF sheet 1 , as described above, the thermister 4 is provided as a temperature sensor in which its resistance varies with the temperature variations. If the surrounding temperature is higher than ordinary temperature(about 25° C.), the resistance of the thermister 4 on the EDF sheet 1 is decreased. Then, the decrease in the resistance of the thermister 4 is monitored to permit the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b to feed a driving current for cooling the EDF sheet 1 . Therefore, the EDF sheet 1 can be kept at ordinary temperature (about 25° C.). On the other hand, if the surrounding temperature is lower than ordinary temperature, the resistance of the thermister 4 on the EDF sheet 1 is increased and monitored to permit the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b to feed a driving current for heating the EDF sheet 1 . Therefore, the EDF sheet 1 can be kept at ordinary temperature (about 25° C.). As described above, the optical amplifying medium component of the present embodiment allows to keep the temperature of the EDF sheet 1 at ordinary temperature (about 25° C.) regardless of the surrounding temperature.
[0036] [0036]FIG. 6 shows wavelength characteristics of gain with respect to variations in the surrounding temperature when pumping light at a wavelength band of 1480 nm is introduced into the EDF sheet 1 from both directions with a power of 100 mW. At this moment, the incident signal light is provided as 1580 nm wavelength-multiplexed signal light of −25 dBm per a wave. It is shown that the variations in wavelength characteristics of gain are within about 1 dB when the surrounding temperature varies in the range of 0 to 60° C.
[0037] In the present embodiment, the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 B are used for heating and cooling the EDF sheet 1 . According to the present invention, however, the heating and cooling devices are not limited to the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b . Other thermal devices well known in the art may be applicable to heat and cool the EDF sheet 1 . In addition, one of the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b may be only provided on one side of the EDF sheet 1 instead of sandwiching the EDF sheet 1 with a pair of the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b . According to the present invention, furthermore, the EDF sheet 1 may be subjected to a temperature control procedure using a thermal device capable of performing both heating and cooling operations, or using a heater or a cooler. In this embodiment, but not limited, the thermister is used as a temperature sensor. According to the present invention, however, any temperature sensor well known in the art may be used instead of the thermiser. In this embodiment, but not limited to, the Teflon-based film is used as a material for laminating the EDF 3 after arranging it in position. According to the present invention, however, any material well known in the art may be used instead of the Teflon-based film.
[0038] [0038]FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an optical amplifying medium component as a second preferred embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, the optical amplifying medium component is constructed by the same way as that of the first preferred embodiment shown in FIGS. 4 to 6 , except of the absence of thermister 4 in the present embodiment. That is, the optical amplifying medium component of the present embodiment comprises an EDF sheet 1 sandwiched between thin Peltier effect devices 2 a and 2 b . As with the first embodiment, the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b are responsible for altering the surface temperature of the EDF sheet 1 by the passage of a driving current through them to keep the EDF sheet 1 at a constant temperature. In this embodiment, however, the thermister 4 is not installed on the device, so that the temperature of the EDF 3 can be controlled by monitoring variations in the spectrum of gain.
[0039] In the present embodiment, the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 B are used for heating and cooling the EDF sheet 1 . However, just as in the case of the first embodiment, the heating and cooling devices are not limited to the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b . Other thermal devices well known in the art may be also applicable to heat and cool the EDF sheet 1 . In addition, the Peltier effect device may be only provided on one side of the EDF sheet 1 instead of sandwiching the EDF sheet 1 with a pair of the Peltier effect devices 2 a , 2 b . According to the present invention, furthermore, the EDF sheet 1 may be subjected to a temperature control procedure using a thermal device capable of performing both heating and cooling operations, or using a heater or a cooler. In this embodiment, as with the first embodiment, the thermister is used as a temperature sensor. According to the present invention, however, it is not limited to a specific type of the thermal sensor. Any temperature sensor well known in the art may be sued instead of the thermiser. In this embodiment, but not limited to, the Teflon-based film is used as a material for laminating the EDF 3 after arranging it in position. According to the present invention, any material well known in the art may be used instead of the Teflon-based film.
[0040] In the following description, we will describe an optical fiber amplifier on which the optical amplifying medium of the first or second preferred embodiment is applied.
[0041] [0041]FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of an optical fiber amplifier as a third preferred embodiment of the present invention. The optical fiber amplifier comprises: an optical amplifying medium component 8 of the first or second preferred embodiment; pumping light sources 6 that produce pumping light to bring an optical amplifying medium in the component 8 to a excited state; and an optical multiplexer 7 that multiplexes pumping light with signal light to send them to the optical amplifying medium component 8 .
[0042] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, there two pumping light sources 6 positioned on both sides of the optical amplifying medium component 8 for bi-directionally exciting the optical amplifying medium. According to the present invention, however, the optical amplifying medium may be excited in the forward or backward direction.
[0043] The optical fiber amplifier has the function of keeping the optical amplifying medium at a constant temperature and stabilizing the wavelength characteristics of gain in the optical amplifying medium by applying the configuration of the optical amplifying medium component disclosed in the first or second preferred embodiment. If the relationship between the temperature and the wavelength characteristics of gain are investigated in advance, a temperature control circuit may be used for actively adjusting the temperature of the EDF 3 in the optical amplifying medium component 8 . Therefore, it allows to keep the EDF 3 entirely at a predetermined temperature so as to obtain desired wavelength characteristics of gain. In this case, the action of gain equalization can be allowable.
[0044] As described above, the optical fiber amplifier of the present embodiment comprises the optical amplifying medium component of the first or second preferred embodiment, so that an optical amplification can be performed while the wavelength characteristics of gain in the optical amplifying medium is stabilized. In addition, the EDF provided as the optical amplifying medium is configured in a sheet structure and the whole package provided as the EDF sheet is extremely compact, so that the EDF saves space in the optical fiber amplifier.
[0045] In summary, the optical amplifying medium component of the present invention comprises an optical amplifying medium for optically amplifying signal light, a first substrate on which the optical amplifying medium is placed, a second substrate opposite to the fist substrate to sandwich the optical amplifying medium between the fist and second substrates, and a first temperature control element for controlling the temperature of the fist element. A second temperature control element for controlling the second substrate may be also installed on the optical fiber amplifier. These temperature control elements allow the temperature control of the optical amplifying medium (e.g., EDF) in an efficient manner. Therefore, the optical amplifying medium component can be prevented from occurring variations in wavelength characteristics of gain in response to the variations in surrounding temperature. In the present invention, particularly, an optical amplifying medium (e.g., EDF) with a sheet shape may be sandwiched between thin Peltier effect devices to allow the passage of a driving current of the Peltier effect devices through the optical amplifying medium, so that the temperature of the EDF can be stabilized and both the gain and the wavelength characteristics thereof can be also stabilized.
[0046] The optical amplifying medium component of the present invention uses: the EDF sheet in which the EDF is placed properly in a plane; and the thin Peltier effect devices, so that the whole EDF component is extremely compact enough to save space and fits in a small space when the optical fiber amplifier is constructed. Furthermore, the optical amplifying medium allows to keep the EDF 3 entirely at a predetermined temperature to obtain desired wavelength characteristics of the gain, so that it allows the action of gain equalization.
[0047] While this invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments, it is to be understood that the subjects matter encompassed by way of this invention is not to be limited to those specific embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended for the subject matter of the invention to include all alternative, modification and equivalents as can be included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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An optical amplifying medium has an optical amplifying medium for amplifying signal light, a first substrate on which the optical amplifying medium (e.g., erbium-doped optical fiber) is placed, a second substrate opposite to the fist substrate to sandwich the optical amplifying medium between the fist substrate and the second substrate, and a first temperature control element for controlling the temperature of the fist element, for amplifying light beams of several different wavelengths together to be applied in wavelength-multiplexing transmission so that it provides a property of stable optical amplification and it is prevented from occurring variations in the wavelength characteristics of gain in spite of occurring variations in surrounding temperature. Also, an optical fiber amplifier has such an optical amplifying medium component, a pumping light source for producing pumping light, and an optical multiplexer for multiplexing the pumping light with signal light to send them to the optical amplifying medium. In addition, a temperature-control circuit may be included in the optical fiber amplifier for adjusting temperature at a predetermined place in the proximity of the optical amplifying medium to a predetermined temperature.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates generally to vehicle repair and maintenance and more particularly to restoring or touching-up scratches, chips, and small recesses in an automotive paint finish.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Blemishes such as scratches, scrapes, chips, gouges, and small recesses in the painted finish of an automobile or other vehicle are unsightly and can reduce the market value of the vehicle. These types of defects can result from a number of causes ranging from accidental scraping with jewelry or other hard objects, to being hit by small rocks, to intentional vandalism, sometimes known as “keying.” On occasion, the paint job on a new vehicle may become scratched or scraped during delivery from the factory to a dealership. Obviously, when a new vehicle is damaged in this way, the damage must be repaired before offering the vehicle for sale as new.
Many techniques short of the complete restoration of the affected body panel have been developed for restoring or “touching-up” blemishes in an automotive paint finish. One technique involves the careful painting of the blemish with matching touch-up paint using a small brush. While this technique has been used for years and is the common touch-up method used by car owners and other non-professionals, it nevertheless is not completely satisfactory because the repair usually is obvious upon even casual inspection. This is because the touch-up paint, once dry, forms a small but objectionable mound covering the blemish and the surface of the mound can be lumpy or uneven. Further, the surface of the repair seldom is flush with the surrounding finish and seldom matches the sheen of the surrounding paint, making it stand out even more.
Another touch-up technique involves air brushing the blemished area with a matching touch-up paint. While this technique avoids some of the problems with brushed on touch-up paint, it nevertheless has its own set of shortcomings. For example, relatively expensive air brushing equipment is required, as is the skill and experience needed to operate it effectively. Accordingly, air brush touch-up has generally be limited to use by professional restorers. In addition, the overspray that is an unavoidable attribute of air brushing covers not only the blemish, but also the surrounding area of the finish and must be removed because it is unsightly. The removal process involves careful cleaning of the area immediately surrounding the blemish with a special paint remover, while not disturbing the small amount of paint that fills the blemish. This is a very tedious process requiring skill and experience. Even using the utmost care, however, it is virtually impossible not to disturb the paint in the scratch so some degree and, often, this renders the repair noticeable. Finally, since touch-up paint must generally be relatively thin and liquid to be sprayed, the paint does not tend to fill the blemish fully. This can result in a small but noticeable concavity in the blemish. In some cases, multiple coats must be applied, allowed to dry, and subsequently sanded and buffed to avoid this problem. In any event, it is clear that air brushed touch-up is an expensive, time consuming, tedious, and imperfect technique for restoring scratches and other blemishes in an automotive paint finish.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,834,054 of Berry discloses another method of restoring small blemishes such as scratches and chips that form recesses in an automotive paint finish. The Berry process involves lubricating the region of the finish containing the blemish and applying a deposit relatively thick color matched touch-up paint to an area of the painted surface directly adjacent to the blemish. A squeegee blade is then pulled with pressure first across the deposit of touch-up paint and then across the blemish. The squeegee blade forces the touch-up paint into the recess, thereby filling the recess to hide the blemish. At the same time, the squeegee blade removes excess touch-up paint from areas of the finish surrounding the blemish and also smoothes the surface of the touch-up paint within the blemish so that it is flat and flush with the surrounding finish. After a short drying interval, a soft cloth wetted with a suitable solvent is wiped over the repair to remove any remaining film of touch-up paint on the surrounding finish and the repair is complete.
While the Berry process is an improvement over the manual and air brush techniques discussed above, it nevertheless exhibits certain problems and shortcomings. For example, the touch-up paint itself is contained in separate squeeze bottles and is applied from the squeeze bottles directly to the finish adjacent the blemish. The squeeze bottle is then capped and put away, whereupon a separate squeegee tool is deployed for spreading the touch-up paint into the blemish. As a result, inherent kit maintenance, cleaning, and storage requirements are entailed and the multi-step nature of the process lengthens the time and increases the complexity of the repair. Further, a substantial amount of touch-up paint is wasted during each repair because most of the paint applied to the finish adjacent the blemish is simply wiped away and discarded. Only a small amount of the deposited touch-up paint actually is wiped into the recess of the blemish. While each repair may only result in the waste of a small amount of touch-up paint, the aggregate amount of wasted paint over time can be substantial. For these and other reasons, the Berry process, while an improvement, is not a complete solution.
A need therefore exists for an improved tool and method for restoring small blemishes in an automotive paint finish that addresses the forgoing and other problems inherent in prior methods and that is fast, efficient, economical, and results in a repair that is virtually unnoticeable. It is to the provision of such a tool and method that the present invention is primarily directed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly described, the present invention, in a preferred embodiment thereof, comprises a tool for restoring blemishes in a painted finish such as the finish on an automobile. The tool includes a squeezable bottle for containing touch-up paint with the bottle having an externally treaded mouth and being sized and configured to be held comfortably in the hand. An angled coupler has a first end and a second end is provided on its first end with an internally threaded receptacle for threading the coupler onto the mouth of the squeezable bottle. A blade holder is disposed on the second end of the coupler and the blade holder projects from the coupler to a substantially straight forward edge. A flexible blade having opposed surfaces is secured along and projects from the forward edge of the blade holder to a straight free edge. This assembly resembles a squeegee, with the squeezable bottle forming a handle for holding the tool during use.
A small passageway extends through the coupler and the blade holder. The passageway communicates between the treaded receptacle of the coupler and the forward edge of the blade holder at a position adjacent one of the surfaces of the blade. The passageway is sized and positioned to deliver a bead of touch-up paint from the squeezable bottle onto the surface of the blade when the bottle is squeezed gently by a user. The touch-up paint can then be wiped by the blade into a blemish such as a crack or chip in a painted finish to repare the blemish and restore the finish.
The method of the invention comprises applying a measured amount of touch-up paint to one surface of a flexible blade and drawing the flexible blade across a blemish in a painted finish. The blade thus wipes the touch-up paint into the blemish, smoothes the surface of the touch-up paint, and insures that the surface of the touch-up paint within the blemish is flush with the surrounding painted finish. The result is a virtually invisible repair that is accomplished quickly, easily, and economically with far less skill and equipment than is required with prior art restoration techniques. Since only the amount of touch-up paint necessary to fill the blemish is deposited onto the blade, wasted touch-up paint is substantially reduced.
Thus, a unique tool and method is now provided that addresses successfully the problems and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above. A more thorough understanding of the invention will be gleaned upon review of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments set forth below when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing figures, which are briefly described as follows. dr
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an automotive paint restoration tool that embodies principles of the invention in a preferred form.
FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional partially exploded view of restoration tool of FIG. 1 showing the internal paint delivery passageway thereof.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the deposit of a bead of touch-up paint on the blade of the restoration tool of this invention in preparation for use to restore a blemish.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating use of the restoration tool of this invention to restore a blemish in an automotive paint finish according to the method of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in more detail to the drawings, in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views, FIGS. 1 and 2 depict an automotive paint restoration tool that embodies principles of the invention in a preferred form. The tool 11 , which resembles a squeegee in some respects, comprises a generally cylindrical squeezable plastic bottle 12 having a shoulder 18 and an externally threaded open mouth 19 (FIG. 2 ). The bottle 12 is sized and shaped to be held comfortably in the hand of a user and is adapted to contain a touch-up paint mixture as described in more detail below.
An angled plastic coupler 14 has a first end 16 , a second end 17 , and is formed with an internally threaded receptacle 21 in its first end 16 . The receptacle 21 is configured to be threaded securely onto the externally threaded mouth 19 of the squeezable bottle 12 to cap the bottle and form an angled forward extension thereof. The second end 17 of the coupler 14 is formed with a relatively wide slot 22 , which extends into the body of the coupler 14 from the second end thereof. A blade holder 23 , which preferably is relatively thick and substantially flat, has a top face 24 and a bottom face 26 (FIG. 2) and is received in the slot 22 where it is securely fixed with an appropriate adhesive such as an epoxy or PVC cement. As an alternative to a separate blade holder cemented in a slot of the coupler, the blade holder 23 and coupler 14 can be formed as a single unitary injection molded plastic component if desired and such fabrication may well be preferable because of its inherent strength and simplicity of assembly. In any event, the blade holder 23 projects forwardly from the coupler 14 to a substantially straight forward edge 27 . Further, the blade holder 23 preferably flares outwardly from the coupler defining flared edges 28 and forming a forward edge 27 that preferably is at least several inches long, but that may take on other lengths depending upon intended final use of the tool.
The forward edge 27 of the blade holder is formed with a longitudinally extending slot 34 , which preferably but not necessarily extends the full length of the forward edge. The slot 34 is further configured with a pair of internal grooves 36 , which in the illustrated embodiment extend at substantially right angles with respect to the slot 34 . A flexible blade 29 is disposed and secured within the slot 34 and extends forwardly therefrom to a substantially straight free edge 31 . The blade 29 has an upper surface 32 and a lower surface 33 and its rear edge portion extends into the slot 34 formed in the forward edge of the blade holder 23 . Further, the rear edge portion of the blade is formed with a pair of projecting tongues 37 , which are sized and positioned to be received and held within the grooves 36 formed in the slot 34 . In this way, the blade 29 is held firmly and securely within the slot 34 by the cooperating tongues and grooves 37 and 36 respectively. Further, during fabrication, the blade 29 advantageously may be secured within the blade holder 23 by sliding its rear edge portion into the slot 34 from one end of the blade holder. The blade 29 may be formed of any appropriate flexible material such as rubber, polymer, a relatively low durometer PVC plastic, or any other suitable flexible material. In any event, the blade preferably is flexible yet relatively stiff rather like the blade of a traditional squeegee. When the blade 29 is installed in the slot 34 , a shoulder 38 (FIG. 3) is formed by the forward edge 27 of the blade holder on either side of the blade 29 .
A relatively small diameter passageway 41 is formed through the coupler 14 and the blade holder 23 . The passageway 41 communicates between the threaded recess 21 in the first end of the coupler and the shoulder 38 adjacent the lower surface 33 of the blade 29 . Thus, when the bottle 12 is charged with touch-up paint and threaded into the coupler 14 , a gentle squeeze of the bottle forces paint through the passageway 41 and onto the lower surface 33 of the blade 29 (FIG. 3 ). A tubular extender nozzle 42 may be secured within the end of the passageway 41 if desired to direct and deposit the paint on the lower surface 33 of the blade at a location nearer the free edge 31 thereof, although the invention does not require the use of such an extender nozzle.
FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate generally the best mode known to the inventors of using the tool 11 to repair or restore a blemish such as a scratch or scrape in the painted finish of an automobile. First, the squeezable bottle 12 is at least partially filled with a touch-up paint formulation having a color that matches the color of the painted finish. As described in more detail below, the touch-up paint is specially mixed and formulated to have a rather thick consistency compared to ordinary paint and in this regard preferably has the approximate consistency of a paste. The filled bottle is then threaded into the coupler 14 , where the bottle serves the dual purpose of containing a supply of touch-up paint and providing the handle of the tool 11 .
The tool preferably is then held upright as shown in FIG. 3 with the blade of the tool extending upwardly or at an angle so that the lower surface 33 of the blade faces generally in an upward direction. The bottle 12 is then squeezed gently until a small dollop or bead of touch-up paint 43 of a predetermined size is deposited onto the lower surface 33 of the blade. Most preferably, the passageway 41 communicates through the shoulder 38 of the blade holder in a central location of the blade intermediate its ends, but this certainly is not a requirement or limitation of the invention. Further, if it is desired to deposit the bead of touch-up paint closer to the free edge 31 of the blade, an extender nozzle 42 may be fitted in the end of the passageway 41 as shown in FIG. 2 . In any event, a bead of touch-up paint is deposited on the lower surface of the blade 29 and, significantly, the amount of paint that is deposited can be carefully gauged and controlled by applying the appropriate pressure to the squeezable bottle 12 and observing the flow of paint onto the blade. In this way, only the amount of touch-up paint needed to affect the restoration is used and the significant waste inherent in prior art restoration processes is eliminated.
FIG. 4 illustrates the painted finish 47 of a vehicle having a blemish 46 , which is shown as a scratch or scrape, but that may also be a chip, small dent, or other blemish. With a bead of touch-up paint applied to the lower surface of the blade 29 as described above, the tool of the invention is held by the bottle, which now functions as a handle, and the blade 29 is applied to the surface with sufficient pressure to deflect the blade and hold its free edge firmly against the finish. The blade is positioned such that the bead of touch-up paint on the lower surface of the blade is located adjacent the blemish 46 . The tool is then pulled steadily in the direction of arrows 49 to draw the blade across the blemish 46 . As the blade moves over the blemish 46 , the blade wipes a small amount of touch-up paint 48 into the blemish 46 to fill it in much the same way that spackling fills cracks in drywall when applied with a drywall knife. At the same time, the straight free edge of the blade levels and smoothes the surface of the touch-up paint 48 so that it is flat and flush with the surface of the painted finish around the blemish. When the entire length of the blemish 46 has been covered the tool is lifted from the finish leaving the blemish filled and the furnish restored. The bottle can then be removed from the tool by unthreading it from the coupler, whereupon the bottle can be capped and stored until touch-up paint of the same color is needed for a future repair. The tool itself can then be cleaned easily by, for example, threading a bottle of solvent onto the coupler and squeezing it to force solvent through the passageway 41 to remove any paint residue. The blade may be cleaned simply by wiping it with a cloth and solvent and put away for future use.
When the touch-up paint in the blemish has been allowed to dry for a prescribed drying time, which may vary depending upon the composition of the paint, any excess paint or film left on the painted finish is removed with a small amount of solvent, such as acetone or an enamel reducer, and a soft cloth. The entire area of the vehicle containing the repaired blemish may then be buffed if desired to improve the appearance of the repair further. The result is a restoration that is virtually invisible and that is accomplished in a fraction of the time and with a fraction of the skill and waste inherent in prior art restoration processes.
The best mode of practicing the invention will now be described in more detail. It has been found that commercially available touch-up base paints used in prior art manual and air brushing restoration techniques generally do not have the optimum consistency and finished appearance characteristics. Accordingly, certain pre-application formulation is preferable for a consistent high-quality result. The formulation starts with a matching commercial base paint such as, for example, base paints available from the BASF Corporation under the trademarks GLASURIT® or DIAMONT®, each of which is believed to be a polyester-based product. A thickening agent, also commercially available from BASF and others, is then added to the base paint to decrease its viscosity, preferably to the consistency of a soft paste. An organic or polymeric gel also may be used to thicken the base paint and to provide a smooth consistency to the resulting paste. The amount of thickening agent needed may vary depending upon the base paint used, temperature conditions, and other factors. In addition to thickening the touch-up paint, it has been found that the thickening agent also enhances the ability of the paint to suspend the small metal flakes commonly used in automotive metallic finishes, which are popular among many consumers.
After addition of the thickening agent, a commercially available glossing agent is added to the formulation and the mixture is thoroughly blended so that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Addition of the glossing agent is preferred in the formulation because it causes the touch-up mixture to take on a glossy sheen as it dries and also provides protection against fading as a result exposure to ultraviolet light, which is a component of sunlight. Without a glossing agent, the touch-up mixture tends to dry to a less glossy matte-like finish and an additional step of clear coating and buffing the area of the restoration is required. Accordingly, including the glossing agent also eliminates a step commonly required in prior art restoration techniques.
As mentioned above, after application of the touch-up mixture with the tool of this invention, relatively minor post application finishing such as wiping with a solvent to remove any film and buffing with a soft cloth may be applied to render the restoration virtually invisible. Hand buffing the entire affected area with a buff enhancer further improves the appearance of the restoration. The final result is a restoration that is flush with the surrounding finish and matches the finish in color and sheen to provide a virtually invisible repair. All of this is accomplished quickly, easily, and economically with the unique and innovative tool and method of the present invention.
The invention has been illustrated and described herein in terms of preferred embodiments and methodologies that represent the best mode known to the inventors of practicing the invention. However, the illustrated embodiments are not intended to, nor should they be construed as, limiting the invention. It will be obvious that a variety of additions, deletions, and modifications of the illustrated embodiments might well be made by persons of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the claims.
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A method for restoring or touching-up blemishes, such as scratches and chips in an automotive paint finish, includes the steps of applying a measured bead of relatively thick matching touch-up paint to a flexible blade and drawing the flexible blade across the blemish to deposit the touch-up paint in the blemish to restore the blemish. A tool for restoring or touching-up blemishes such as scratches and chips in an automotive paint finish, includes a squeezable paint bottle that forms the handle of the tool, a coupler threaded at one end onto the bottle, a blade holder extending from the other end of the coupler to a forward edge, a flexible blade projecting from the forward edge of the blade holder to a free edge, and a nozzle projecting from the forward edge of the blade holder toward the free edge of the flexible blade. A passageway communicates between the squeezable bottle and the vicinity of the blade to deposit a measured amount of touch-up paint onto the blade when the bottle is squeezed, the blade subsequently being drawn over a blemish to deposit the touch-up paint in the blemish.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The application relates generally to gas turbine engines and, more particularly, to the bleed air system of a gas turbine engine and to fluid transfer tubes used therein.
BACKGROUND
[0002] Gas turbine engine bleed air systems are typically used to bleed air from a compressor section of the engine, and to further transfer this bleed air to other parts of the engine or aircraft for further usage. It is desirable to minimize leakage in bleed air conveying components. However, when subjected to vibratory loads, angular deflections, radial deflections, high temperatures and/or differential thermal growth, the fluid transfer tube assemblies in a bleed system may become worn, unsealed and/or may begin to leak. Elastomeric seals are generally not for use in a high temperature environment, because they may lose their shape and become deformed during use, which may lead to the transfer tube assembly becoming unsealed. Typical seals in gas turbine engine bleed systems are therefore generally metallic and energized through the pressurized air which maintains the seal in place. However, when subjected to angular deflections, known arrangements might lead to leaking. Hence, opportunities exist for improvement.
SUMMARY
[0003] In one aspect, there is provided a bleed air system for directing bleed air from a compressor section of a gas turbine engine, the bleed air system comprising a cylindrical adaptor in fluid communication with the compressor section, the adaptor having an inner surface, a cylindrical conduit defined by an outer cylindrical wall having two opposed open ends for permitting fluid passage therethrough, the outer cylindrical wall having a pair of adjacent annular flanges extending radially outwardly in proximity of a respective one of the open ends, the pair of annular flanges defining a circumferential groove between opposed annular side walls thereof and being circumscribed by the cylindrical adaptor, and a non-elastomeric ring received in the circumferential groove, the ring having two opposed annular walls located adjacent a respective one of the two side walls of the flanges, the ring having a radial thickness greater than a depth of the groove such that an outer peripheral portion of the ring protrudes radially from the groove around an entire circumference thereof, the outer peripheral portion having an outer peripheral surface abutting the inner surface of the adaptor and maintaining the adaptor spaced apart from the conduit in proximity of the ring while sealing the conduit within the adaptor, the outer peripheral surface having a curved profile extending between the opposed annular walls along a longitudinal direction configured to provide continuous abutment of the outer peripheral surface on the inner surface irrespective of angular displacement of the cylindrical adaptor relative to the cylindrical conduit, the ring being spaced apart from an inner circumferential surface defining a bottom of the groove along at least a portion of the circumference of the groove such as to create a radial gap permitting relative movement between the ring and the cylindrical conduit.
[0004] In another aspect, there is provided a fluid-conveying device comprising an inner tubular member having two opposed open ends, at least one circumferential portion of the inner tubular member adjacent one of the open ends having an outer annular surface and an annular depression defined therein by two opposed annular side walls extending radially inwardly from the outer surface and interconnected by a circumferential surface spaced radially inwardly from the outer annular surface, a non-elastomeric ring occupying an annular portion of the depression, the ring having an inner diameter greater than a first outer diameter defined by the circumferential surface and smaller than a second outer diameter defined by the outer annular surface near the depression such as to enable radial displacement of the ring within the annular depression while maintaining an inner annular portion of the ring inside the depression, the ring having opposed annular ring walls located adjacent a respective one of the side walls defining the depression and an outer peripheral surface with a rounded contour extending between the annular ring walls along a longitudinal direction, the ring defining an outer diameter greater than the second outer diameter, and an outer tubular member having an inner surface abutting the outer peripheral surface of the ring, the outer tubular member having an inner diameter at least substantially equal to the outer diameter of the ring and being sealingly engaged thereto, the ring maintaining the outer tubular member distanced from the inner tubular member.
[0005] In a further aspect, there is provided a bleed air transfer tube assembly for a gas turbine engine, the tube assembly comprising an inner tubular member having opposed open ends and at least one annular groove defined in an outer surface thereof in proximity of a respective one of the open ends, an outer tubular member surrounding at least a portion of the inner tubular member where the groove is defined, the outer and inner tubular members being relatively sized such as to allow a range of relative angular displacement therebetween, and a non-elastomeric ring received within the annular groove and having opposed radial surfaces extending adjacent radial walls of the annular groove, an outer surface defining a curve along a longitudinal direction between the opposed radial surfaces and in sealed contact with an inner wall of the outer tubular member, and an inner surface extending within the groove, the inner surface of the ring being spaced apart from a bottom of the groove around at least part of its circumference throughout the range of relative angular displacement, the ring having a radial thickness larger than a radial depth of the groove, such that the outer surface of the ring is in continuous contact with the inner wall of the outer tubular member and prevents contact between the inner and outer tubular members in proximity of the groove throughout the range of relative angular displacement.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0006] Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which:
[0007] FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a gas turbine engine;
[0008] FIG. 2 is a schematic front cross-sectional view of the gas turbine engine of FIG. 1 ;
[0009] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of an inner tubular member of a transfer tube assembly which can be used in a gas turbine engine such as shown in FIG. 1 ;
[0010] FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one end of the transfer tube assembly of FIG. 3 ;
[0011] FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of detail A of FIG. 4 ;
[0012] FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of detail B of FIG. 4 ;
[0013] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of part of a transfer tube assembly according to an alternate embodiment; and
[0014] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of part of a transfer ube assembly according to another alternate embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] FIG. 1 illustrates a gas turbine engine 10 of a type preferably provided for use in subsonic flight, generally comprising in serial flow communication a fan 12 through which ambient air is propelled, a compressor section 14 for pressurizing the air, a combustor 16 in which the compressed air is mixed with fuel and ignited for generating an annular stream of hot combustion gases, and a turbine section 18 for extracting energy from the combustion gases. The fan 12 , compressor section 14 , combustor 16 and turbine section 18 are surrounded by an outer bypass duct structure 6 which defines a bypass air cavity 4 therearound.
[0016] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2 , the gas turbine engine also comprises a bleed air system which bleeds air from the compressor section 14 , and which includes two transfer tube assemblies 8 . The transfer tube assembly 8 is used to direct bleed air from one location to another. The transfer tube assemblies 8 extend through the bypass air cavity 4 , between the compressor section 14 and the outer bypass duct structure 6 . In other embodiments, the transfer tube assembly can be used in various other stages of bleed, for example in bleeding air from the compressor section 14 to the bypass air cavity 4 , as shown by 8 ′ ( FIG. 1 ).
[0017] Referring to FIG. 4 , the transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ comprises three main components, a cylindrical conduit or inner tubular member 20 , a cylindrical adaptor or outer tubular member 50 and a single non-elastomeric ring 40 sealing the inner tubular member 20 to the outer tubular member 50 . The inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 undergo a range of relative axial and angular deflections, due to thermal growth variations and to vibration loads. The ring 40 provides a sealed contact between the tubular members 20 and 50 , while accommodating such relative motions therebetween.
[0018] As seen in FIG. 3 . the inner tubular member 20 comprises a cylindrical wall 22 defining two opposed open ends 70 , 72 for permitting fluid passage therethrough. In the particular embodiment shown, both ends 70 , 72 of the inner tubular member 20 are relatively similar, with the ring 40 sealing one end 70 of the inner tubular member 20 to the outer tubular member 50 and a second ring 41 , similar to ring 40 , sealing the end 72 of the inner tubular member 20 to a second outer tubular member (not shown), similar to outer tubular member 50 . Only the assembly of the first ring 40 , outer tubular member 50 and inner tubular member 20 at end 70 will be herein described and it is understood that the second end 72 of the inner tubular member 20 , second outer tubular member (not shown) and second ring 41 are similarly configured. In another embodiment, the second end 72 of the inner tubular member 20 may be connected to another component of the gas turbine engine through another type of connection, e.g. a rigid connection.
[0019] As seen in FIG. 4 , the inner tubular member 20 comprises at least one circumferential portion 26 located in proximity of the end 70 and extending radially outwards from a remainder of the inner tubular member 20 , i.e. the circumferential portion 26 defines has a larger outer diameter than that of a remainder of the inner tubular member 20 . This circumferential portion 26 has an outer annular surface 28 having an annular depression or circumferential groove or depression 30 defined therein. In the embodiment shown, the circumferential portion 26 comprises two adjacent annular flanges 32 interconnected by a circumferential surface 36 and extending radially outwardly therefrom, such that the groove 30 is defined between respective opposed annular side walls 34 of the flanges 32 , with a bottom of the groove 30 being defined by the circumferential surface 36 . In another embodiment which is not shown, the circumferential portion 26 may have an outer diameter similar or substantially similar to that of the outer diameter of the remainder of the inner tubular member 20 , i.e. the thickness and/or configuration of the cylindrical wall 22 may be such that the circumferential portion 26 does not significantly extend radially from a remainder of the inner tubular member 20 .
[0020] Still referring to FIG. 4 , the ring 40 occupies an annular portion of the groove 30 . The ring 40 has an inner diameter 54 which is greater than a first outer diameter 56 of the inner tubular member 20 defined along the bottom of the groove 30 , by the circumferential surface 36 . As such, the ring 40 is spaced apart from the circumferential surface 36 of the groove 30 along at least a portion of the circumference thereof, therefore creating a variable radial gap 38 between the ring 40 and the circumferential surface 36 (also shown in FIG. 6 ). The gap 38 allows for relative displacement of the ring 40 inside the groove 30 . The inner diameter 54 of the ring is also smaller than a second outer diameter 58 of the inner tubular member 20 defined by the outer annular surface 28 of the circumferential portion 26 This prevents the ring 40 from exiting the groove 30 during use.
[0021] As seen in FIG. 5 , the ring 40 has a longitudinal width W, i.e. the dimension measured along longitudinal axis 44 (see FIG. 4 ), which is slightly smaller than the distance between the side walls 34 , so that the two opposed radial annular side walls 42 of the ring 40 are located adjacent a respective one of the annular side walls 34 and may each abut a respective one of the annular side walls 34 . The ring 40 is in sealing contact with at least one of the side walls 34 , while being free to move relatively thereto, such as to allow movement of the ring 40 within the groove 30 while preventing fluid leakage between the ring 40 and the inner tubular member 20 .
[0022] The ring 40 has a radial thickness T which is greater than a depth D of the groove 30 , to ensure that the ring 40 has an outer peripheral portion 46 protruding from the groove 30 along an entire circumference thereof, regardless of the position of the ring 40 inside the groove 30 .
[0023] In the embodiment shown, the ring 40 is a monolithic, one-piece ring (See FIG. 3 ) and is split, i.e. it has a circumferential gap 86 extending along part of a circumference thereof. This gap 86 allows for radial compression of the ring 40 and for easy assembly of the ring 40 inside the groove 30 . The ring 40 is made of a stiff material which is resistant to deformation. The ring 40 therefore mechanically seals the inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 , such that even under high pressure, the stiffness of the ring allows the ring to maintain its shape. This prevents the ring 40 from collapsing into the groove 30 , thereby preventing the inner tubular member 20 from contacting the outer tubular member 50 . The ring is made of a material which minimizes the risk of the transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ becoming unsealed when exposed to high temperatures, and which is able to accommodate for thermal growth between the tubular members. In a particular embodiment, the material from which the ring is formed is able to resist to temperatures of at least 1000° F. In one embodiment, the non-elastomeric ring 40 is made of a suitable high temperature metal such as a nickel alloy, for example AMS 5671. In another embodiment, the ring 40 is made of a suitable type of ceramic. In a particular embodiment, the ring 40 , which may be made of a nickel alloy or of another suitable material, is coated on its outer peripheral surface 48 with a thin layer (e.g. 0.0007-0.0013 inches) of an anti-galling compound, for additional wear protection.
[0024] Referring back to FIG. 4 , the outer tubular member 50 surrounds or circumscribes the ring 40 and at least a portion of the inner tubular member 20 where the groove 30 is defined. The outer tubular member 50 has an inner surface 52 defining an inner diameter 62 substantially equal to the outer diameter 60 of the outer peripheral surface 48 of the ring 40 . The inner surface 52 therefore abuts the outer peripheral surface 48 to form a sealed connection. This prevents fluid leakage between the outer tubular member 50 and the ring 40 .
[0025] As mentioned above, the ring 40 has an outer peripheral portion 46 which protrudes radially from the groove 30 along an entire circumference thereof. The ring 40 is therefore the only connection between the inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 , and it maintains the inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 spaced apart. Therefore, the risk of inner tubular member 20 directly contacting the outer tubular member 50 is minimized, which ensures that contact is limited to the surfaces designed to withstand wear, thus reducing wear damage of the tubular members 20 , 50 .
[0026] In use, the inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 are subjected to relative axial and radial deflections, due to vibrations and thermal growth variations, as well as sizing and positioning manufacturing tolerances. For these reasons, the inner tubular member 20 and outer tubular member 50 are relatively sized to allow a range of relative angular displacement therebetween. As seen in FIGS. 5 and 6 , the outer peripheral surface 48 of the ring 40 has a curved profile or rounded contour, which extends between the opposed radial annular side walls 42 along the longitudinal direction 44 . When the tubular members 20 , 50 are subjected to relative angular deflections, the rounded contour of the outer peripheral surface 48 of the ring 40 allows the inner tubular member 20 to roll, by way of the ring 40 , along the inner surface 52 of the outer tubular member 50 , while maintaining the ring 40 abutted to the outer tubular member 50 . The curved profile is configured to provide continuous abutment of the outer peripheral surface 48 on the inner surface 52 irrespective of angular displacement of the cylindrical adaptor relative to the cylindrical conduit. The rounded contour decreases the wear on the outer tubular member 50 and provides for uniform wear on the outer peripheral surface 48 of the ring. In this particular embodiment, the rounded contour of the outer peripheral surface 48 is only slightly curved. The curved profile of the outer peripheral surface 48 defines a radius of curvature R (see FIG. 5 ) and the ratio between the radius of curvature and the outer diameter 60 of the ring 40 is within the range of 0.02 to 0.08.
[0027] Furthermore, the gap 38 between the ring 40 and the circumferential surface 36 of the groove 30 allows for relative displacement of the ring 40 inside the groove 30 . When subjected to certain axial or angular deflections, the ring 40 may therefore completely fill a portion of the groove 30 at a first angular position while still protruding therefrom, while at another angular position, the gap 38 is present between the ring 40 and the circumferential surface 36 , with a greater portion of the ring protruding from the groove 30 . When subjected to different axial or angular deflections, the gap 38 may be located at a different angular position along the circumference of the groove 30 . This provides the transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ with a greater degree of flexibility when subjected to axial or angular loads, which decreases the wear caused to the assembly 8 , 8 ′.
[0028] The transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ reduces the wear on the inner tubular member 20 and the outer tubular member 50 by using the ring 40 as the sole contact between these two components. In addition, the transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ allows for the sealed connection to be maintained when subjected to axial or angular deflections, vibration loads or when exposed to high temperatures.
[0029] In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 7 , the circumferential surface 36 at the bottom of the groove 30 comprises holes 74 defined therein in fluid communication with a source of pressurized air 76 . This pressurized air 76 may be bleed air or may be additional air from the compressor. The pressurized air 76 pressurizes the groove 30 such as to press the ring 40 against the outer tubular member 50 , in order to improve the sealing connection therebetween.
[0030] In another alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 8 , the outer peripheral surface 148 of the ring 140 has a curved profile or rounded contour which includes two curves 80 , 82 , in side by side relationship along a longitudinal direction between the opposed annular walls 142 of the ring 140 , with each curve 80 , 82 having a respective different radius of curvature R 1 , R 2 . Such a contour provides for additional rolling capability of the inner tubular member 20 on the outer tubular member 50 , by way of the ring 140 , thereby further limiting wear and reinforcing the sealing therein. In a particular embodiment, the two different profiles may be defined along portions of the cross-section of the ring have different widths and/or heights from one another. In another embodiment (not shown), the outer peripheral surface of the ring may have a curved profile or rounded contour with more than two distinct curves.
[0031] The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed. For example, although the transfer tube assembly 8 , 8 ′ is described as being used in a gas turbine engine bleed air system, the transfer tube assembly could also be used in any type of system where fluid is transferred by pipe or tube. Still other modifications which fall within the scope of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.
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A fluid-conveying device including an inner tubular member with a circumferential end portion, a non-elastomeric ring received in a depression of the end portion, and an outer tubular member. The ring has a peripheral surface with a rounded contour defined along a longitudinal direction configured to remain out of the depression to engage the outer tubular member and facilitate sealing thereof.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
Not Applicable.
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not Applicable.
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC
Not Applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to chemical and biological sampling, and more specifically to a self-sealing sample cartridge for use with a device for monitoring ambient air or other gas for chemical or biological compounds.
Systems for real-time detection of biological and chemical compounds or agents are known in the art. Exemplary known systems may utilize a contactor having a substrate therein, such that the air or gas being analyzed comes into contact with the substrate, such as water, so that chemical and biological compounds or agents are transferred thereto.
Such devices may have a number of limitations. For example, known devices may utilize a sample container that is not removable from the device but is, instead, an integral component thereof. This makes cleaning of the sample container difficult. Further, even if the sample container is removable, it may be a permanent part of the device, being used over multiple sampling runs throughout the life of the device. This increases the chances that the sample container will suffer from cross-contamination between runs, from being generally dirty, or from ordinary wear and tear to the device during use. Further, such sample containers may become prone to leakage due to weakening seals or other portions of the container structure with reuse over time. It is therefore desirable to provide a self-sealing, single-use sample cartridge for use with a gas or air monitoring device, such that the cartridge is not susceptible to cross-contamination or dirtying due to repeated use, and is not susceptible to structural weakening due to repeated use over time.
A further problem with some known air and gas monitoring devices is that, upon initial use, the device must provide fluid from a fluid reservoir into the device so that the fluid can be delivered to a contactor, where it acts as a substrate during the sampling run. The process of delivering fluid from a reservoir, through the device, to a contactor takes time and can lead to slow startup times for the sampling device. Thus, it is desirable to provide a component to such a device that allows for rapid startup of the device. Further, in some known devices, the use of a pressure-based fluid level control would require a component that maintains a pressure seal at its machine interface.
Further, in known devices, collection and storage of a sample after a sampling run may require transfer of the sample to a storage container external to the device, such as by manual transfer at the hands of a technician or other skilled worker. This allows opportunity for contamination of the sample during transfer, or due to contamination of the storage receptacle. It also presents the possibility of exposure of the technician to harmful chemicals or agents within the sample.
An additional problem presented by devices that require transfer of the collected sample to a storage container is that the storage container may be mislabeled or may contain insufficient data to identify the sample and the parameters of the sampling run from which the sample was obtained. This can lead to faulty interpretation of data taken from analysis of the sample, or in some cases may render the sample useless for further analysis. Thus, it is desirable to provide a sample storage container for any given sample within the sampling device itself, and likewise to provide a unique identifier for any given sample. Likewise, it is further desirable to provide an automatic means of imparting identification information to the sample storage container upon delivery of the sample to the container.
Further, in known devices it is typically required that the collected sample be pretreated with buffer solutions, bio-chemical assays, or other chemicals that are used as part of the analysis method. Thus it is desirable to provide a sample storage container that is pre-filled with the required chemicals for analysis.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a sample cartridge for use with an air and gas sampling device. The cartridge includes a body that defines an interior space, a top portion attached to the body and substantially covering the interior space, and a plurality of valves seated in the top portion of the cartridge. The present invention preferably uses three or four valves. The valves automatically seal to prevent leakage from the cartridge when the cartridge is not in operable position within the air and gas sampling device. It is preferred that the valves deform when the present cartridge is installed in an air and gas sampling device, thereby allowing unrestricted fluid flow in and out of the cartridge.
In another aspect of the present invention, a lid portion is provided, the lid being engageable with the top portion of the cartridge. When the lid is closed, it forms a seal against the valves. The lid portion may be fixedly attached to the body portion, such as by a hinge, or may be entirely removable from the body.
In another aspect of the invention, gripping features are provided to allow the user to insert and remove the cartridge from the air sampling device.
In another aspect of the present invention, the sample cartridge is provided with a data storage portion for storing data related to the cartridge or to the sample stored within the cartridge. The data storage portion may be a magnetic storage device, a flash storage device, a computer-readable disc, a RAM storage device, a radio frequency identification device (RFID), a combination of these, or any other suitable data storage device, and may be interfaced with remotely or by direct connection to the present invention.
In yet another aspect of the present invention, the sample cartridge is provided with a data receiver for receiving data transmitted from the air and gas sampling device or from some other source external to the sample cartridge.
In another aspect of the invention, the sample cartridge is provided with buffers, biochemical markers, or other chemicals that aid in analysis of the sample.
In still another aspect of the present invention, the sample cartridge is provided with a data transmitter for transmitting data to the air and gas sampling device or to some other external receiver.
In another aspect of the present invention, the sample cartridge is a single-use, disposable cartridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a perspective view of a sample cartridge according to the present invention, the sample cartridge having a cap portion in the open position.
FIG. 2 is a cross-section of a perspective view of a sample cartridge according to the present invention, the sample cartridge having a cap portion in the closed position.
FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of a portion of an exemplary air and gas sampling device having a sample cartridge according to the present invention placed in operable position therein.
FIG. 4 is a cross-section of a perspective view of an exemplary air and gas sampling device adapted for use with a sampling cartridge according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a sample cartridge constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a sample cartridge constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
According to the principles of the present invention, a self-sealing sample cartridge is provided for use with an air and gas sampling device. The cartridge is used to provide an initial fluid charge to a contactor of the air and gas sampling device, as well as to accept and provide additional fluid during a sampling run and to serve as a final sample storage container after the completion of a sampling run. The cartridge also serves as an air pressure bridge during operation, and a vacuum reservoir during sample extraction. In one aspect of the present invention, the sample cartridge is a single-use cartridge.
Turning now to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like parts, the numeral 10 refers generally to a sample cartridge constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention. Sample cartridge 10 includes a body 12 , a top portion 14 , a cap 16 , and first, second and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c. A position for a fourth valve 18 d , described below, is preferably also provided, but is sealed in the embodiment of the present invention shown in the drawings. These and other features of sample cartridge 10 are described more fully below.
Sample cartridge 10 has multiple functions when used in conjunction with a device or system for monitoring the ambient air or other gases. When first installed for use in a gas and air sampling device, sample cartridge 10 preferably contains a volume of fluid that acts as the initial collection fluid charge. This initial fluid charge is delivered to a contactor of the air and gas sampling device when a collection cycle is commenced. The sample cartridge also acts as a fluid level maintenance reservoir during a collection run, when the air and gas monitoring device is collecting particles from samples of the air or other gas being monitored. Thus, fluid contained within sample cartridge 10 is delivered to the contactor of the air and gas sampling device over the course of the sampling run. Fluid from an external source may be added to the cartridge during a run, and air pressure may be introduced to the cartridge to affect the rate and direction of fluid transfer to or from the cartridge. Finally, sample cartridge 10 also acts as the final sample collection vessel at the end of a collection run. When the collection run is ended, air pressure in the cartridge is reduced to transfer fluid from the contactor of the air and gas sampling device to the sample cartridge 10 for storage or further processing. The fourth valve position 18 d allows fluid in the cartridge to be drawn out while the cartridge is mounted in the air and gas sampling device, for use by internal analysis or archival devices. Further, the fourth valve position allows for the cartridge to be used for multiple samples while preserving the ability to replace the cartridge quickly and easily.
As shown in FIG. 1 , body 12 and top portion 14 are preferably welded together or otherwise hermetically sealed. Alternatively, sample cartridge 10 may be produced such that body 12 and top portion 14 are constructed from a single, integral piece of material. Any manner of check valve may be used that restricts flow in one direction and can be mechanically opened to allow for flow in two directions. First, second, and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c are pressed into top portion 14 , and each preferably includes a duck-bill type seal 15 that remains closed until sample cartridge 10 is inserted into the ambient air and gas monitoring device with which it is being used. First, second, and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c are preferably opened upon insertion into the air and gas monitoring device by a structure within the device itself that holds valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c in open positions. For example, the air and gas monitoring device may include pins on a manifold (an example of which is described more fully below) that serve to open valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c when sample cartridge 10 is placed in operating position prior to use of the sampling device. Once sample cartridge 10 is removed from the sampling device, valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c close, for example, by the action of molded ribs 20 , which serve to force the closure of the valves. Once valves 18 a , 18 b and 18 c are closed, a seal is created such that collection fluid is prevented from leaking out of sample cartridge 10 , thereby preventing the exposure of the user to contaminated fluid, and other fluids are prevented from entering sample cartridge 10 and contaminating the fluid therein.
Cap 16 is preferably molded as part of top portion 14 , connected to top 14 by a molded hinge 22 . When cap 16 is closed, cap 16 is held in place by detents 24 , which interface with slots 26 to allow cap 16 to snap into place. This method of securely closing cap 16 allows for repeated opening and closing of cap 16 without loss of performance over time, and also allows for secure shipping and other handling of sample cartridge 10 without leakage of fluid therein or damage to valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c. Cap 16 is sealed to top portion 14 of sample cartridge 10 by interference between sealing bosses 28 in cap 16 and the receiving geometry of valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c. Although as shown in the figures, cap 16 is molded as an integral part of top portion 14 , it is contemplated that cap 16 and top portion 14 may be provided as two separate portions.
FIG. 2 depicts a cross-sectional view of a sample cartridge 10 constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, sample cartridge 10 being shown with cap 16 in a closed position. With cap 16 in a closed position, sealing bosses 28 mate with the receiving geometry of valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c to seal sample cartridge 10 , such that fluid does not leak from sample cartridge 10 and fluid contained within sample cartridge 10 is not contaminated by particles or fluid from sources external to sample cartridge 10 . With cap 16 in a closed position, sample cartridge 10 may be shipped or otherwise transported or handled without loss of fluid from within sample cartridge 10 , and without risk to the user due to contact with the contents thereof. Further, the outer surface of cap 16 may be textured to better accept identification markings applied by the user with pen or other suitable means.
While sample cartridge 10 may be constructed as described above, with first, second, and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c , sample cartridge 10 may also be provided as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with a fourth valve as indicated above. Alternatively, sample cartridge 10 may be provided with only two valves 18 a and 18 b. In such an embodiment of the present invention, one of valves 18 a or 18 b serves to allow fluid to flow along a sample line, while the other of valves 18 a or 18 b serves as a pressure connector between the cartridge and a contactor of a gas and air sampling device. One of valves 18 a or 18 b may further include the capacity to inject water into the system.
FIG. 3 depicts sample cartridge 10 as installed in an air and gas sampling device. Manifold 30 of the air and gas sampling device shown in the figures includes pins 32 that interface with first, second, and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c , holding them open. The receiving geometry of first, second, and third valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c is preferably such that a seal is formed between valves 18 and pins 32 . Once first and second valves 18 are opened by pins 32 , valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c are in bidirectional liquid communication with manifold 30 , and thus in communication with the air and gas sampling device.
As shown in FIG. 3 , sample cartridge 10 is oriented in a vertical position when used in the exemplary air and gas monitoring device depicted in the drawings. When used in other such devices, sample cartridge 10 may have other orientations, including a horizontal orientation. Likewise, the size, shape, and overall configuration of sample cartridge 10 may differ from that shown in the drawings when sample cartridge 10 is used with other than the exemplary air and gas sampling device shown in the drawings. Further, the placement and configuration of valves 18 may vary. So long as the basic functionality of sample cartridge 10 , as described herein, is preserved, the physical shape and configuration may be altered to meet the requirements of a specific sampling device or sampling application.
When sample cartridge 10 is first inserted into an air and gas sampling device, the sample cartridge preferably contains enough fluid to initially charge a contactor 42 (best seen in FIG. 4 ) of the air and gas sampling device. An air space encompasses two upper manifold pins 32 (one of which is visible in FIG. 3 , the other, not visible, being positioned adjacent the first). One of upper manifold pins 32 is preferably in fluid communication with an air space within contactor 42 of the air and gas sampling device, a pump (not shown) that can draw a vacuum on the cartridge or can extract excess fluid from the cartridge, as well as with valve 18 c of sample cartridge 10 . The other upper manifold pin 32 is in fluid communication, via manifold 30 , with a pump (not shown) that can charge sample cartridge 10 with a gas or liquid, as well as with valve 18 a of sample cartridge 10 . Lower manifold pin 32 is in fluid communication with the bottom of contactor 42 of the air and gas sampling device, as well as with valve 18 b of sample cartridge 10 . When a collection cycle is initiated, the pump in communication with one of upper manifold pins 32 pressurizes the cartridge, which pushes fluid through lower manifold pin 32 and into contactor 42 of the sampling device. This allows for a rapid startup of the device.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of an exemplary air and gas sampling device 34 for which the sample cartridge 10 shown in FIGS. 1-3 is adapted to be used. Manifold 30 is shown in the figure, as are manifold pins 32 . Device 34 includes a bay 36 adapted to receive sample cartridge 10 . In order to place sample cartridge 10 in operational position within device 34 , sample cartridge 10 is inserted such that valves 18 of sample cartridge 10 line up with manifold pins 32 of device 34 . Once sample cartridge 10 is in place, device 34 is ready for use. In some embodiments of the present invention, a protective door may be provided over bay 36 such that internal components of device 34 are protected when sample cartridge 10 is not in place.
As can be seen in FIG. 4 , sample cartridge 10 , once in position, is in communication with a contactor 42 of device 34 by way of manifold 30 and manifold pins 32 , which communicate with valves 18 a , 18 b , and 18 c of sample cartridge 10 . For example, line 40 provides fluid communication between a lower manifold pin 32 and a fluid inlet 46 of contactor 42 . Likewise, line 44 provides fluid communication between an upper manifold pin 32 and an opening 48 positioned above a fluid level in contactor 42 . A second upper manifold pin (not shown) may provide fluid communication with either an internal pump (not shown) of device 34 , or an external pump adapted to be used with device 34 .
In aspects of the present invention having a valve 18 c , wherein an upper manifold pin 32 is in fluid communication with a contactor of the air and gas sampling device, the communication between upper manifold pin 32 (and therefore an upper air space within sample cartridge 10 ) and contactor 42 of the air and gas sampling device combines with the pressure caused by the fluid in the contactor to create a pressure balance that allows fluid to gradually flow out of sample cartridge 10 and into the contactor to replace fluid that evaporates from the contactor. In such an aspect of the present invention, a sensor may also be provided to monitor the fluid level in sample cartridge 10 such that additional fluid may be pumped into sample cartridge 10 via a pump in communication with an upper manifold pin 32 , either from a fluid reservoir included in the air and gas sampling device or from some source external to the air and gas sampling device. Thus, sample cartridge 10 can be provided with a continuous source of fluid, enabling long-term, continuous operation of the sampling device.
In addition to the aspects of the present invention described above, sample cartridge 10 may be provided with an integral memory device that can receive and record data, such as the lot number of a particular cartridge, the date of manufacture thereof, collection date of the sample, run time, flow rates, collection fluid type, ambient temperature, humidity, occurrence of system alarms, and the like. Such a memory device could include a magnetic storage device, a flash storage device, a RAM storage device, a computer-readable disc storage device, other devices, or any combination of the foregoing, and may be molded into the structure of sample cartridge 10 or otherwise affixed thereto. A transmission or receiving portion may be included into the air and gas sampling device such that the device may communicate information to sample cartridge 10 , or may receive information therefrom. Such transmission or receiving of communications may occur via, for example, radio frequency, or by any other suitable methods of transmitting or receiving data. In addition to a data storage device, an identifier may be included with the present sample cartridge, the identifier simply providing identifying information that may subsequently be associated with specific data regarding a sample contained within the sample cartridge. The identifier may be a human-readable identifier, such as, for example, a serial number printed on the cartridge, or may be a computer-readable identifier such as, for example, a bar code or RFID device.
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate additional features that may be included with some embodiments of sample cartridge 10 . FIG. 5 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a sample cartridge constructed in accordance with the teachings of the present invention, illustrating gauge marks 48 that may be molded into the surface of sample cartridge 10 , allowing for a quick and easy estimate of the sample volume therein. Any suitable markings may be used to allow for estimation of the volume of a sample or other fluid within sample cartridge 10 .
FIG. 6 provides a cross-sectional view of sample cartridge 10 , and shows molded ribs 47 , which allow for a user's fingers to securely grip sample cartridge 10 when using gloves or other hand-protective gear, and also allows for easy insertion of sample cartridge 10 into an air and gas sampling device, as well as easy removal therefrom. Any suitable gripping portion may be used to allow easy manipulation of cartridge 10 .
Each of the various components of sample cartridge 10 may be constructed from a variety of materials, as will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. Materials may be selected, for example, according to weight, durability, insulating qualities, and the like. In addition, materials may be selected according to chemical compatibility with chemicals or agents likely to come into contact with sample cartridge 10 during use.
The specific embodiments of the present invention described above are provided by way of example only, and are not meant to limit the subject matter of the present invention. Various alterations and modifications to the above will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading this disclosure. For example, the number, configuration, arrangement, and type of valves may be varied without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Likewise, the size, shape, and configuration of sample cartridge 10 , as well as the mechanism by which sample cartridge 10 associates with a gas and air sampling device, may be varied. The present invention is limited only by the claims that follow.
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The present invention provides a sample cartridge for use with an air and gas sampling device. The cartridge includes a body that defines an interior space, a top portion attached to the body and substantially covering the interior space, and first and second valves seated in the top portion of the cartridge. The valves automatically seal to prevent leakage from the cartridge when the cartridge is not in operable position within the air and gas sampling device.
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RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/669,925 filed on Mar. 26, 2015; this application also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/970,434 filed on Mar. 26, 2014. The entire contents of both of these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to the low-cost manufacture of a tunable physical topographic pattern and more particularly to the manufacture of micro and nano scale hierarchical periodic wrinkle patterns that are generated upon compression of supported thin films.
[0003] Micro and nano enabled devices have the potential to significantly impact diverse fields with direct societal benefits such as energy, water, health, and environment among others. These devices function by actively manipulating matter and/or energy on the micro/nano length scale and often rely on the structure-property relationship to achieve this manipulation. This active manipulation enables using micro/nano enabled products in applications such as (i) fluidics based medical diagnostics, (ii) high-sensitivity sensing of toxic chemicals, and (iii) optoelectronics based chemical and biological sensing. As these devices rely on the structure-property relationship, several different properties can be simultaneously controlled by incorporating different types of structures on the same device. One of the techniques to achieve this is via fabrication of hierarchical structures. A hierarchical structure is one that comprises features on multiple length scales and demonstrates “nested features”, i.e., a set of features built on top of another set of features. Each of these set of features may be used to control a different material property. For example, large-scale features in a hierarchical structure may be used to direct/manipulate fluid flow whereas small-scale features may be used to tune the local adhesion/stickiness. Thus, low-cost fabrication of hierarchical micro/nano structures is essential if one desires affordable manufacturing of multi-function micro/nano enabled devices.
[0004] Current processes for fabricating micro/nano scale hierarchical structures are primarily limited in terms of the (i) cost and scalability of fabrication and (ii) tunability of hierarchy. At present, hierarchical micro/nano structures are fabricated via a combination of two or more substantially different fabrication processes. This leads to manufacturing challenges in terms of throughput, cost, and/or scalability as one needs to satisfy the requirements for multiple processes. Additionally, it is infeasible to tune/modify the hierarchy after the patterns have been fabricated. For example, it is currently not possible to deterministically switch a pattern across non-hierarchical and hierarchical states or to change the relative “strength” of the individual patterns within the overall composite pattern. This inability to tune the hierarchy prevents one from applying hierarchical structures to build tunable “smart” sensors and devices. Thus, there is a need to develop fabrication processes for scalable and affordable manufacturing of tunable hierarchical micro/nano scale structures. Herein, a scalable and affordable process to fabricate tunable hierarchical structures via a single fabrication process is disclosed. This fabrication process was developed by performing wrinkling of pre-patterned surfaces wherein the pre-patterned surfaces are also fabricated via wrinkling.
[0005] Wrinkling of thin films is an affordable and scalable process for fabricating periodic sinusoidal patterns over large areas. Wrinkled patterns are formed on supported thin films as a result of buckling-based instabilities and the mechanism is similar to Euler buckling of beams under compressive loads. A schematic of this process is illustrated in FIG. 1 . Essential elements of a system that demonstrates wrinkle formation are: (i) a film 10 that is thin relative to the base, (ii) mismatch in the elastic moduli of the film and the base 12 with the film being stiffer than the base, and (iii) loading conditions that generate in-plane compressive strain (ε) in the film. In such bilayer systems, the state of pure compression becomes unstable beyond a critical strain and wrinkles are formed via periodic bending of the film/base. The period of wrinkles (λ) is determined by the competing dependence of strain energy on period in the film versus in the base. The amplitude (A) is determined by the amount of applied compressive strain. Several different techniques have been developed in the past to (i) generate and join/bond the film to the base, (ii) generate moduli mismatch, and (iii) apply uniaxial and biaxial strains to the film. During compression of flat/smooth films, one is limited to a single period wrinkled pattern even with all of these different combinations of techniques. Thus, to obtain hierarchical wrinkled patterns one must start with non-flat film geometry.
[0006] Although fabrication of hierarchical wrinkled patterns has been demonstrated in the past, current techniques for wrinkling have major limitations that prevent one from using these techniques in a manufacturing environment. These limitations are: (i) inability to accurately predict the resulting pattern for a given set of process parameters and (ii) inability to perform inverse pattern design; i.e., inability to predictively design and fabricate the desired hierarchical patterns by combining several patterns. Thus, using current techniques one can fabricate some form of hierarchical wrinkles but not the desired targeted hierarchical pattern. This makes it impossible to use the current techniques to (i) deterministically switch between hierarchical and non-hierarchical states and (ii) predictively tune the relative strength of the individual periodicities in the composite pattern.
[0007] Herein, a technique to deterministically tune the hierarchy of a wrinkled surface is disclosed. The technique is based on the discovery that the hierarchical form during compression of a non-flat bilayer emerges with increase in the compressive strain. This emergence phenomenon has been exploited here to design and fabricate wrinkled surfaces with tunable hierarchy wherein the hierarchical form is tuned via the applied compressive strain. A schematic representation of emergence of hierarchy with compression is illustrated in FIG. 2 . This disclosure presents: (i) the process scheme for fabricating hierarchical patterns 22 from wrinkling of pre-patterned surfaces 16 , (ii) the tools that enable controlling the parameters during the fabrication process, and (iii) model-driven design of such bilayer systems that demonstrate tunable hierarchy. In combination, these tools and techniques enable one to (i) predictively design and fabricate hierarchical patterns at 1/10 th of the cost of the existing processes and (ii) deterministically tune the hierarchical form.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The process of generating tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns consists of the following steps: ( 1 ) generating the wrinkled pre-pattern via compression of a polymer bilayer comprising a thin hard film 24 on top of a soft compliant base 25 , ( 2 ) transferring this pre-pattern geometry onto a base layer 26 via imprinting, ( 3 ) generating a pre-patterned bilayer by depositing a thin film 16 on top of the patterned base 28 , and ( 4 ) performing compression of this patterned bilayer. A schematic of the process is illustrated in FIGS. 3( a ), 3 ( b ), and 3 ( c ). During step ( 1 ), 1-D wrinkle patterns are obtained upon uniaxial compression via periodic bending of the bilayer surface. The period and amplitude of the pre-pattern can be tuned by controlling the thickness of the hard thin film, material properties of the bilayer, and the applied compressive strain. The period and amplitude of the emerging wrinkles can also be tuned by controlling these parameters during steps ( 3 ) and ( 4 ). As these parameters can be independently tuned between steps ( 1 ), ( 3 ) and ( 4 ), a variety of different hierarchical wrinkle patterns can be obtained by combining the two patterns. Upon compression of the pre-patterned bilayer during step ( 4 ), one observes that first the pre-patterned mode 20 persists with a growth in amplitude and then the mode transitions over to a hierarchical pattern 22 beyond a threshold compression. The patterns are reversible between the pre-pattern 20 and the hierarchical pattern 22 with reduced/increased compression around this threshold. Thus, tunable hierarchical patterns are be obtained by controlling the compression during the final step. These patterns find applications in the fabrication of tunable optical sensors and tunable microfluidic circuits among others.
[0009] To be able to satisfactorily implement the process scheme described above, one requires tools that would enable controlling the process parameters during steps ( 1 )-( 4 ). These tools must: (i) control the applied compressive strains during steps ( 1 ) and ( 4 ), (ii) control the imprinting process for accurate pre-pattern transfer during step ( 2 ) and (iii) accurately align the pre-patterns to the direction of subsequent loading during step ( 4 ). The biaxial tensile stage that is used for controlling the compressive strains has been disclosed elsewhere in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/590,448 titled “Biaxial Tensile Stage for Fabricating and Tuning Wrinkles”. Herein, the tools and techniques for controlling the imprinting and alignment processes are disclosed. A well-controlled imprinting process is achieved by performing delayed imprinting, i.e., by imprinting the pre-pattern onto the base material while the base material is partially cured. Accurate alignment of pre-pattern to loading direction is achieved by a gradual alignment scheme. In this scheme, surface-to-edge alignment is first achieved via alignment marks and then conformal surface-to-surface alignment is achieved via gradual engagement.
[0010] In addition to the process scheme and the tools, one must carefully design the pre-patterned bilayer systems if deterministic tunability of hierarchy is desired. This is necessary to ensure that the transition of the pre-pattern into the hierarchical mode occurs at a practically feasible compressive strain. Thus, not all possible combinations of pre-patterns and process parameters will result in practical tunable systems. To select the “right” set of process parameters, an analytical physics-based model of the process has been developed. This model predicts the critical strain for pre-pattern to hierarchy transition and guides the design of tunable bilayer systems. Herein, the set of process parameters that deterministically demonstrate tunability of hierarchy is disclosed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIGS. 1( a ) and 1 ( b ) are schematic illustration of wrinkle formation during compression of a flat non-patterned bilayer system.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the phenomenon of emergence of hierarchy during compression of pre-patterned bilayers.
[0013] FIGS. 3( a ), 3 ( b ), and 3 ( c ) are illustration of the process scheme for fabricating tunable hierarchical wrinkles wherein the pre-pattern is also fabricated via wrinkling FIG. 3( a ) illustrates generation of pre-pattern. FIG. 3( b ) illustrates imprinting of pre-pattern and generation of pre-patterned bilayer. FIG. 3( c ) illustrates the generation of hierarchical wrinkles via compression of pre-patterned bilayer.
[0014] FIGS. 4( a ), 4 ( b ), 4 ( c ), and 4 ( d ) are schematic illustration of the process of wrinkle fabrication via a prestretch based film compression technique. FIG. 4( a ) illustrates stretching of PDMS base. FIG. 4( b ) illustrates plasma oxidation. FIG. 4( c ) illustrates release of prestretch. FIG. 4( d ) illustrates the resulting wrinkle pattern.
[0015] FIGS. 5( a ) and 5 ( b ) are top and front views of a PDMS coupon that is uniaxially stretched.
[0016] FIG. 6( a ) is a perspective view of the mold that is used for casting and curing of PDMS films. FIG. 6( b ) is a cross-sectional view of the mold.
[0017] FIGS. 7( a ) and 7 ( b ) are schematic illustrations of the gradual alignment and imprinting process.
[0018] FIGS. 8( a ) and 8 ( b ) are images of hierarchical wrinkled patterns that were fabricated via compression of pre-patterned bilayers wherein the pre-patterns were also fabricated via wrinkling FIG. 8( a ) is an atomic force microscopy image and FIG. 8( b ) is an optical image.
[0019] FIG. 9 is an illustration of the dependence of the critical amplitude ratio on the ratio of pre-pattern and natural periods.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0020] A hierarchical wrinkle pattern is one that comprises more than one spatial frequency, i.e., hierarchical wrinkle patterns demonstrate periodic sinusoidal patterns of one period built on top of patterns of another period. In general, hierarchical patterns may demonstrate hierarchy on several length scales, i.e. patterns with several different periods. In the preferred embodiment, fabrication of tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns with two spatial periods is presented.
[0021] Tunable hierarchical wrinkle patterns are generated by performing a series of two wrinkle-patterning operations with an intermediate imprinting pattern transfer process between the two steps. This scheme is illustrated in FIGS. 3( a ), 3 ( b ), and 3 ( c ). In the first wrinkle-patterning step one starts with a flat non-patterned bilayer system, whereas in the last wrinkle-patterning step one starts with a pre-patterned non-flat bilayer surface. Herein, the process for wrinkling of non-patterned flat bilayer systems via compression is presented first and then the process of pattern transfer via imprinting is presented. The final step of wrinkle formation via compression of pre-patterned bilayer is identical to the first wrinkle formation step.
[0022] A schematic of wrinkle pattern formation is depicted in FIG. 1 . To enable the fabrication of wrinkle patterns, one must solve these sub-problems: (i) fabrication of a bilayer system with the desired material properties and geometry and (ii) compression of the top stiff film.
[0023] Stretchable bilayers with large stiffness ratio can be fabricated by attaching or growing a thin stiff film 10 on top of a thick elastomeric base 12 . For example, exposing a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) film to air or oxygen plasma leads to the formation of a thin glassy layer on top of the exposed PDMS surface via oxidation. Alternatively, a metallic or polymeric thin film may be deposited on top of PDMS to obtain the desired bilayer. The top layer thickness can be tuned by controlling the duration of plasma oxidation or the deposition process; whereas the stiffness ratio may be tuned by selecting the appropriate top/bottom materials. In the preferred embodiment of the tunable patterns, both plasma oxidation and metal/polymer film deposition techniques are used to generate a stiff thin film on top of an elastomeric PDMS layer.
[0024] Compression of the top film can be achieved by either directly compressing the bilayer or by generating a residual compressive strain in the top layer. As direct compression requires sustained loading to maintain the wrinkles, residual compression is often the preferred scheme. During mechanical loading, residual compression is generated by first stretching the PDMS base and then attaching/growing the stiff film on top of this pre-stretched base layer. On releasing the prestretch in the PDMS, the top layer undergoes compression that leads to formation of wrinkles. In the preferred embodiment of the pre-patterned bilayer, the prestretch is selected to be sufficiently high so that the transition compressive strain can be achieved during release of the prestretch.
[0025] The steps of the wrinkle fabrication process are illustrated in FIGS. 4( a ), 4 ( b ), 4 ( c ), and 4 ( d ). The steps are (i) fabricating the base PDMS film 12 , (ii) clamping the PDMS film in a tensile stage, (iii) extension of the PDMS film, (iv) plasma oxidation of the stretched PDMS film or deposition of metallic/polymeric thin film 10 , and (v) release of the prestretch in the PDMS film. The base PDMS films were fabricated by casting and thermally curing the commercially available Sylgard 184 two-part silicone elastomer mixture in a ratio of 1 part curing agent to 12 parts resin by weight. Rectangular coupons with a stretched length of 37.5 mm, a clamped width of 20 mm, and a thickness of 1.9-2.2 mm were cut of the cast PDMS films. The film is illustrated in FIGS. 5( a ) and 5 ( b ). To align the edges of the PDMS coupon 30 to the stretching direction, alignment features 32 were generated on the bottom surfaces 33 of the films by incorporating them directly into the molds used for curing. The edge 31 corresponding to these alignment marks is aligned perpendicular to the uniaxial stretch direction. These alignment features (i) ensure that the length of the stretched section is accurately known during stretching and (ii) act as reference features for alignment of the pre-patterns to the direction of stretching during the final wrinkling step.
[0026] The mold geometry is illustrated in FIGS. 6( a ) and 6 ( b ). The mold consists of a cylindrical casting reservoir 38 that is 150 mm in diameter and has a nominal height of 2 mm. The casting reservoir is surrounded by an overflow reservoir 40 that holds any excess PDMS that overflows from the casting reservoir. This feature ensures that the maximum thickness of the PDMS films is limited to the height of the casting reservoir. Films below this thickness may be fabricated by controlling the amount of pre-cured PDMS that is poured into the casting reservoir. Variations in thickness across the casting surface can be reduced by holding the mold surface level with respect to the gravitational field. For example, this may be achieved by performing the thermal curing operation on a hot plate that is itself kept on top of an optical table. To ensure that featureless flat films are available for patterning, only the top surface of the films is used for patterning wrinkles. The stretched length of the films is held uniform across different samples by incorporating alignment features 34 into the molds. These mold features ensure that each PDMS coupon 30 has well characterized alignment features built into it during the casting/curing process. The coupons can be cut out of the cast PDMS films by tracing out the outline 36 of the coupons.
[0027] During the first step of wrinkle formation on flat bilayers, the full prestretch in the bilayer is released to generate the wrinkles that are used as the pre-pattern for the subsequent steps. During the last step of wrinkle formation on pre-patterned bilayers, the prestretch is partially released to tune the resultant hierarchical pattern.
[0028] The pre-patterned bilayers are fabricated on PDMS by using the wrinkled surfaces as the molds/templates to generate the top surface of the PDMS casts. The curing process for fabrication of the pre-patterned base is same as that for the first wrinkling step presented above with the additional step of imprinting the pre-pattern onto the PDMS material during curing. Imprinting is performed by “gently” placing the pre-patterned coupon on top of the exposed surface of the curing PDMS while taking care that the patterned surface 44 is oriented toward the curing material 42 . The imprinting process is illustrated in FIGS. 7( a ) and 7 ( b ).
[0029] A well-controlled imprinting process is essential to fabricate the desired hierarchical patterns by ensuring accurate pre-pattern replication. Factors during imprinting that influence pattern replication are (i) contact force, (ii) uniformity of contact with minimum bubbles/gaps, and (iii) alignment of pre-patterns to the direction of subsequent stretching. To ensure a well-controlled imprinting process, a protocol was developed. This protocol is listed in Table 1.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Protocol for imprinting pre-patterns on PDMS
#
Step
Protocol
1
Mixing of two-part PDMS (resin + curing agent) with curing ratio of 1
r = 12 or r = 15
part curing agent for ‘r’ part resin; r ∈ [6, 15]
2
Degassing of the two part mixture under vacuum pressure P d for t d
P d <= −28.5 inHg, t d = 20
minutes
minutes
3
Pouring two part mixture onto aluminum mold. The mold is held at
T L = 65° C.
constant temperature T L using a hot plate
4
Low temperature curing up to gelation point: Mold held at constant
T L = 65° C., t l = 20 min
temperature T L for t l minutes
5
Imprinting pre-pattern onto the top surface of PDMS mold t i minutes after
6 min < t i < 8 min
start of curing
6
High temperature curing: increasing mold temperature to T H after t l
T H = 165° C., t h = 15 min
minutes of pouring and holding this temperature for t h minutes.
7
Taking mold off the heater and then placing it on aluminum thermal sink
t s = 10 min
that is maintained at room temperature for at least t s minutes
[0030] In the presence of insufficient contact force, PDMS does not flow into the pre-pattern; whereas high contact force leads to excess flow of PDMS under the pre-pattern and a thinner-than-desired casting. The sensitivity of flow to contact force decreases as curing proceeds due to the increase in viscosity of PDMS. Therefore, delayed imprinting is performed, i.e., imprinting close to, but before, the gelation point instead of at the beginning of the curing process. One must be careful not to cross the gelation point as the phase change at this point prevents pattern replication.
[0031] To ensure uniform contact and to align the pre-patterns along the stretch direction, a gradual imprinting/alignment scheme was developed. This scheme is illustrated in FIGS. 7( a ) and 7 ( b ). Steps of this scheme are: (i) in-plane alignment of one of the edges 46 of the pre-patterned bilayer coupon to the alignment features 34 that are pre-fabricated on the PDMS mold, (ii) bringing the aligned edge into contact with the curing material, and (iii) gradually bringing the rest of the pre-pattern coupon into contact with the curing material. During gradual contact, alignment is maintained due to the no-slip condition that exists along the initial contact edge 46 ; uniformity of the contact can be verified by visual inspection of the moving contact meniscus.
[0032] The process schemes and techniques described above enable one to fabricate wrinkled patterns via compression of pre-patterned bilayers but are not sufficient when deterministically tunable hierarchical patterns are desired. For deterministic tunability, in addition to the process schemes and techniques one must also select the “right” set of process parameters to design the bilayers. This set of “right” parameters is presented below.
[0033] The geometric parameters that are relevant to predictive design of tunable hierarchical wrinkles are: (i) the period (λ p ) of the pre-pattern, (ii) the amplitude of the pre-pattern (A p ), (iii) the period of the natural pattern (λ n ), and (iv) the amplitude of the natural pattern (A n ). The natural pattern is the hypothetical pattern that would have been observed for an un-patterned flat bilayer that has the same material properties as the pre-patterned bilayer and is compressed by the same amount. During design and prediction, the effect of material properties and compression is indirectly accounted for by the natural period and amplitude; whereas the pre-pattern accounts for the geometric effect. As the period and amplitude of the pre-patterns and natural patterns can be independently tuned, different types of hierarchical patterns is feasible.
[0034] As the pre-patterns are fabricated via wrinkling, only a limited set of pre-patterns are available. For uniaxial stretching, this set comprises 1-D sinusoidal periodic patterns over a finite range of period (λ p ) and amplitude (A p ). The feasible range of period and amplitude can be obtained from the fabrication constraints. Fabrication constraints arise due practical limitations such as resolution of vision system, overheating during plasma oxidation or metal deposition, and failure/tearing of PDMS during stretching. During fabrication of wrinkles, period is controlled via the exposure time during plasma oxidation and amplitude is controlled via stretching of PDMS. Additionally, both period and amplitude may be tuned over a small range by tuning the PDMS curing ratio, i.e., by tuning the Young's modulus of PDMS. Thus, fabrication constraints can be linked to the feasible range of period and amplitude by quantifying the feasible range of (i) PDMS stretching (c), (ii) exposure time during plasma oxidation (t e ), and (iii) Young's modulus of PDMS. Out of these available pre-patterns and natural patterns, only a subset would lead to tunable hierarchical patterns. To determine that set, an analytical model of the process was developed.
[0035] Hierarchical patterns are formed as result of the competition and combination of two distinct modes of the wrinkled system. These two modes are (i) pre-pattern that is imprinted onto the bilayer and (ii) natural pattern of the corresponding flat bilayer system. The natural pattern of the flat bilayer system is determined by the thickness of the top film, mechanical properties of the bilayer, and the applied strain. The contribution of each of these modes to the overall mode shape is determined by the applied compression. Below a critical threshold compressive strain, the pre-pattern mode is energetically favorable. Thus, during initial compression of the pre-patterned bilayer a non-hierarchical single period mode is observed. As the compression is increased, the natural mode becomes energetically favorable. Thus, a combination of the pre-pattern and the natural mode is observed during subsequent compression. The critical compression threshold can be predicted in terms of the pre-pattern and the natural pattern of the bilayer.
[0036] Pre-patterning a bilayer system changes the wrinkling process in two ways: (i) pre-patterning the surface provides a lower energy pathway to bending deformation as compared to the case of a flat surface, (ii) pre-patterning with a period that is not the natural period of the flat system leads to an energy penalty. The energy penalty arises as the natural period of the flat system (by definition) is the lowest energy mode for a flat system. Thus, the first effect causes the pre-patterned mode to have a lower energy whereas the second effect causes it to have a higher energy. The energy penalty remains independent of the applied compression; however, the energy advantage decreases with compression. Thus, beyond a critical threshold the pre-patterned mode becomes energetically unfavorable. Beyond that compression, the natural mode emerges in addition to the pre-patterned mode. This results in the formation of a complex hierarchical mode. Examples of fabricated hierarchical wrinkle patterns are shown in FIGS. 8( a ) and 8 ( b ).
[0037] A model of the process has been developed that captures the essential physics discussed above. The pre-pattern is quantified in terms of the pre-pattern period (λ p ) and the amplitude (A p ); similarly, the natural pattern is characterized by the natural period (λ n ) and the amplitude (A n ). These parameters are represented in terms of the non-dimensional parameters as: m=(λ p /λ n ) and n=(A p /A n ). The natural amplitude can be represented in terms of the applied compression (ε) as: A n =(λ n /π) ε 0.5 . The natural period of the system is independent of the applied compression and depends only on the top film thickness and the material properties of the pre-patterned bilayer.
[0038] The energy advantage due to pre-patterning is given by: (E p,n /E n )=1−2[{η(1+η)} 0.5 −η]. Here, E p,n is the energy of a pre-patterned bilayer with the same period as the natural period, E n is the energy of the hypothetical flat bilayer, and η=n 2 /m 2 . The energy penalty due to non-natural mode is given by: (E p,p /E p,n )={(1+2m 3 )/(3m 2 )}. Here, E p,p is the energy of a pre-patterned bilayer with a pre-pattern period that is different from the natural period. The critical compression is achieved when E p,p =E n . Thus, the critical condition is given by: n c =|1+2m 3 −3m 2 |{12(1+2m 3 )} 0.5 . Here, n c is the critical amplitude ratio and |•| is the absolute value operator.
[0039] When the compressive strain in a pre-patterned bilayer is increased, the amplitude ratio increases. At the onset of compression, the amplitude ratio ‘n’ is close to infinity as the amplitude of the natural period is zero. With increasing compressive strain, the natural amplitude of the hypothetical equivalent flat bilayer increases along with a decrease in the amplitude ratio ‘n’. As long as the amplitude ratio remains higher than the critical amplitude ratio ‘n c ’, only the single-period pre-pattern exists. Physically, this manifests as an increase in the amplitude of the pre-patterned mode. With further compression, hierarchical patterns emerge when the amplitude ratio ‘n’ falls below the critical amplitude ratio ‘n c ’. This critical ratio is illustrated in FIG. 9 and depends only on the period ratio ‘m’. As this condition is independent of the material properties, it is applicable to all combinations of bilayer materials. The corresponding critical compressive strain is given as: ε t ={π(A p /λ p )(m/n c )} 2 .
[0040] When tunable hierarchical systems are desired, one must select the process parameters such that (i) the observed amplitude ratio is close to the critical amplitude ratio ‘n c ’ and (ii) the prestretch in the pre-patterned bilayer is sufficiently high so that the amplitude ratio can cross over the critical value upon full prestretch release. The period ratio must be selected based on the desired application. For example, if a tunable optical sensor in the visible spectrum is desired, then one may select the pre-pattern as λ p =700 nm and A p =15 nm and the period ratio ‘m’ as 2. The corresponding critical amplitude ratio is n c =0.35. Thus, the prestretch in the pre-patterned bilayer must be at least 14.8% to achieve hierarchical patterns. If a prestretch below this value is applied then hierarchical patterns cannot be obtained even upon full prestretch release; instead, one would observe an increase in the pre-pattern amplitude.
[0041] Another application of tunable hierarchical patterns is a tunable microfluidic channel wherein the pre-pattern is used as a channel for fluid flow and the hierarchical pattern is used as small-scale features that control the surface roughness of the channels. In this application, one may select the pre-pattern as λ p =5 um and A p =500 nm and the period ratio ‘m’ as 10. The corresponding critical amplitude ratio is n c =10.98. Thus, the prestretch in the pre-patterned bilayer must be at least 8.2% to achieve hierarchical patterns. When the prestretch in the pre-patterned bilayer is not released, a smooth channel is obtained. Upon release of the prestretch beyond 8.2%, a rough surface is observed. This rough surface results due to the emergence of the hierarchical wrinkles. The surface roughness of the channels can be tuned by further releasing the prestretch.
[0042] The process schemes, techniques, and the bilayer design disclosed here enable one to fabricate hierarchical wrinkled patterns wherein the hierarchy can be deterministically tuned via compression.
[0043] It is recognized that modifications and variations of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art and it is intended that all such modifications and variations be included within the scope of the appended claims.
[0044] In one variation, the pre-patterns may be fabricated by a process other than wrinkling. In such a scheme, the manufacturing advantages of using a single fabrication process are lost. However, such a scheme may be necessary when pre-patterns are desired outside the feasible range of pre-patterns that can be fabricated via wrinkling. For example, pre-patterns may be fabricated via an alternate process when large amplitudes are desired. Even in such a scenario, the subsequent steps of pre-pattern imprinting and compression of pre-patterned bilayers can be used to fabricate tunable hierarchical patterns.
[0045] In another variation, biaxial strains can be applied during pre-pattern generation via wrinkling to generate 2-D periodic patterns. Imprinting this pre-pattern and subsequent compression of the bilayer would lead to the generation of an asymmetrical complex hierarchical pattern.
[0046] In another variation, biaxial strain may be applied during compression of the pre-patterned bilayer with a uniaxially generated pre-pattern. This scheme would also lead to generation of an asymmetrical complex hierarchical pattern.
[0047] In another variation, the pre-pattern that is generated via uniaxial compression may be aligned at a non-zero angle to the direction of uniaxial prestretch in the pre-patterned bilayer. Alignment marks on the PDMS mold can be used to accurately align the pre-pattern at an angle to the prestretch direction. This scheme would also lead to the generation of asymmetrical complex hierarchical patterns.
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The pattern complexity and functional value of wrinkled structures can be substantially increased by fabricating the wrinkles on pre-patterned quasi-planar substrates instead of flat substrates. This disclosure presents the methods for fabricating pre-patterned polymeric surfaces that can be subsequently used as the substrates during manufacture of complex wrinkled structures. Pre-patterned substrates are generated by imprinting the pre-patterns onto the substrates during the curing process. Suitability for post-curing use in fabrication of wrinkles is ensured by (i) delayed imprinting that occurs close to but before the gelation point and (ii) gradual alignment of pre-patterns to the direction of stretch that is applied later during manufacture of wrinkled structures.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates generally to a paper making machine and more particularly to apparatus employed for cleaning the belt-like screen or screens of such a paper making machine.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART STATEMENT
In the art of paper making, the machines employed therefor often comprise endless revolving screen-like belts. It has been discovered that the quality of the paper, cardboard or the like, produced by such machines employing endless revolving screen belts is often impaired due to fouling of the screen belts by impurities. This problem has, generally, been realized as by European Patent Application No. 0053316 filed Nov. 14, 1981, and having a Date of Publication of June 9, 1982.
More particularly, because of regulations relating to environmental protection, the paper making machines, at least in the most part, must employ a closed water circulation and dilution cycle. As a result, the relative amount of impurities in the process water, employed in the paper making process, increases and such impurities deposit upon, among other things, the screen belts. Further, there is an increasing use of recovered or used paper in the production of various grades of paper and such used paper often includes a relatively great amount of impurities which are relatively sticky and may comprise, for example, coloring pigments, latex, resins, bitumen, etc. Also, instead of forming the screen belts from metal wire, as for example phosphor bronze wires, there is an increasing trend to forming the screen belts from wires of synthetic (plastic) material such as, for example, polyester.
The use of screen belts comprised of plastic (synthetic) material creates or at least intensifies the problem of deposits of impurities. That is, experience has shown that the impurities within the process water adhere more strongly to screen belts comprised of plastic material than to metallic screen belts.
Said European Patent Application No. 0053316 has proposed various devices in an attempt to successfully clean the deposited impurities from the screen belts. One of the devices proposed by said European Patent Application No. 0053316 comprises a drum type rotary brush situated as to have its axis of rotation transverse of the running direction of the screen belt and positioned as to have the brush portion thereof in continuous contact with screen belt. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of said Application No. 0053316, the drum type rotary brush 9 is located as to always be at the returning portion of the screen belt which is already free of or separated from the paper or fibre web. Said FIG. 2 depicts, in a fragmentary view, a usual Fourdrinier paper making machine in which, as is known in the art, the fibre or paper web is formed on the top side of the upper screen belt section (not shown in said FIG. 2). Below such paper web-forming zone, the section of screen belt is free of the paper web and travels back as generally indicated by the arrow in said FIG. 2, to what may be considered a starting area for the further continuous forming of the paper web. Because of this, the rotary brush 9 in said FIG. 2 is applied to the returning screen belt 1 from below the screen belt. By so doing such impurities as are removed by said rotary brush 9 can fall into the catch basin or trough 4.
One of the disadvantages of the structure disclosed in FIG. 2 of said Application No. 0053316 is that the rotary brush 9 cannot be employed for cleaning a top or upper screen belt of a double-screen type paper making machine or, if so employed, can be employed only with great difficulties. In such situations it becomes necessary to apply said rotary brush 9 against the returning screen belt section from above such returning screen section.
Further, said Application No. 0053316 fails to provide any information, or even a hint, as to the material which could or should be used for the forming of the bristles of the rotary brush 9. This, therefore, makes it doubtful as to whether the said rotary brush 9 is even capable of removing, in sufficient quantities, impurities from the screen belt.
Accordingly, the invention as herein disclosed and described is primarily directed to the solution of such and other related and attendant problems of the prior art as well as to provide apparatus, for cleaning paper making machine screen belts, which is sufficiently effective even if sticky impurities are abundant.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, apparatus for cleaning a paper making machine screen belt comprises first rotary brush means having an axis of rotation transverse to the direction of travel of said screen belt, said rotary brush means operatively engaging said screen belt as to during rotation of said rotary brush means and travel of said screen belt remove impurities carried by said screen belt, and combing means spaced from said screen belt and operatively engaging said rotary brush means, said combing means being effective to comb from said rotary brush means such of said impurities as are carried by said rotary brush means as a consequence of said rotary brush means removing said impurities from said screen belt and thereafter depositing said impurities as are combed into a receiving area other than said screen belt.
Various specific objects, advantages and aspects of the invention will become apparent when reference is made to the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the drawings, wherein for purposes of clarity certain details and/or elements may be omitted from one or more views:
FIG. 1 is a schematic view illustrating a double-screen type paper making machine employing teachings of the invention, and
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a fragmentary portion of the structure of FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now in greater detail to the drawings, the double-screen type paper making machine of FIG. 1 has, in the usual manner, a breast box 20, a closed loop continuous bottom or lower situated screen belt 21 and a closed loop continuous top or upper situated screen belt 22. The two screens 21 and 22 operatively jointly travel over or against drums or rolls 25, 26 and 27. Additional drums or rolls 28--28 are provided against which only the upper or top screen belt means 22 travels while, similarly, additional drums or roller means 33--33, 31, 32 and 30 are provided for operative rolling coaction against the bottom screen belt means 21.
A first drum type or generally cylindrical rotary brush means 10 is situated below the lower portion or returning section of the bottom screen belt means 21 and positioned as to have the generally radiating bristles thereof applied against the said returning screen belt section from below. Further, rotary brush means 10 is situated as to have its axis of rotation transverse to the direction of travel of said returning screen belt section.
A second drum type or generally cylindrical rotary brush means 11 is situated as to have its axis of rotation transverse to the direction of travel of said returning screen belt section. Further, the axis of rotation of the brush means 11 is situated at an elevation generally below that of the axis of rotation of said brush means 10 and offset to one side thereof so that a line of centers as between the axes of brush means 10 and 11 is generally oblique with respect to the vertical and with respect to said returning screen belt section where operatively contacted by the brush means 10.
As depicted in FIG. 1, the second brush means 11 is spaced as to operatively engage the rotary brush means 10. Preferably such engagement would occur at a relatively lower portion of the rotary brush means 10 as at, for example, in the lower right-hand quadrant of the generally cylindrical rotary brush means 10 as viewed in FIG. 1.
The rotational speeds of the brush means 10 and 11, each of which extend transversely over the total width of the screen belt means 21, are selected so that at the various points of engagement, between the bristles respectively carried by brush means 10 and 11, differential circumferential speeds exist.
In the preferred embodiment, spray-type conduit means or manifold means 12 and 13 are provided and operatively connected to a suitable source (not shown) of liquid, preferably under superatmospheric pressure. In such an embodiment the spray conduits or tubes 12 and 13 would operatively extend transversely of the direction of travel of the returning screen belt section of lower screen belt means 21. The provision of such spray tubes 12 and 13 enables the directing of an added cleaning liquid into the zone of engagement as between the bottom screen belt and the first rotary brush means 10 and/or into the zone of engagement as between the two rotary brushes 10 and 11. A catch basin, trough or conduit means 14 positioned generally below the rotary brush means 11 serves to transfer the impurities removed from the screen belt means 21, as well as any cleaning liquid added by spray tubes 12 and 13, to a suitable collection area (not shown).
In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the direction of travel of the returning section of the lower screen belt means 21 is depicted by the arrow (generally clockwise about roller means 30, 26, 33--33, 31 and 32) and the direction of rotation of rotary brush means both 10 and 11 is also clockwise as viewed in FIG. 1.
Referring to both FIGS. 1 and 2, a similar cleaning apparatus is arranged and situated generally as at the upper portion of the top or upper screen belt means 22.
As possibly best seen in FIG. 2, a first drum type or generally cylindrical rotary brush means 10' is situated above the returning section of the upper screen belt means 22 and positioned as to have the generally radiating bristles thereof applied, as from above, against the returning section of the upper screen belt means 22. Further, rotary brush means 10' is situated as to have its axis of rotation transverse to the direction of travel of the returning section of the upper screen belt means 22.
A second drum type or generally cylindrical rotary brush means 11' is situated as to have its axis of rotation transverse to the direction of travel of the upper screen belt means 22. Further, the axis of rotation of the rotary brush means 11' is situated at an elevation generally above that of the axis of rotation of the brush means 10' and offset to one side thereof so that a line of centers as between the axes of brush means 10' and 11' is generally oblique with respect to the vertical and with respect to the returning section of screen belt means 22 where operatively engaged by brush means 10'.
As depicted in FIG. 2, the second brush means 11' is spaced as to operatively engage the rotary brush means 10'. Preferably such engagement would occur at a relatively higher portion of the rotary brush means 10' as at, for example, in the upper right-hand quadrant of the generally cylindrical rotary brush means 10' as viewed in either FIGS. 1 or 2.
The rotational speeds of the brush means 10' and 11', each of which extends transversely over the total width of the screen belt means 22, are selected so that at the various points of engagement, between the bristles respectively carried by brush means 10' and 11', differential circumferential speeds exist.
In the preferred embodiment, spray-type conduit means or manifold means 12' and 13' are provided and opertively connected to a suitable source (not shown) of liquid, preferably under superatmospheric pressure. In such an embodiment the spray conduits or tubes 12' and 13' would operatively extend transversely of the direction of travel of the returning screen belt section of upper screen belt means 22. The provision of such spray tubes 12' and 13' enables the directing of an added cleaning liquid into the zone of engagement as between the upper screen belt means 22 and the first rotary brush means 10' and/or into the zone of engagement as between the two rotary brusher 10' to 11'. A catch basin, trough or conduit means 14' positioned generally below the rotary brush means 11' serves to transfer the impurities removed from the screen belt means 22, as well as any cleaning liquid added by spray tubes 12' and 13', to a suitable collection area (not shown).
As also best depicted in FIG. 2, the axes of rotary brushes 10' and 11' (as well as brush means 10 and 11) may be mounted as on any suitable structure in order to be generally vertically selectively displaceable in order to therby be able to selectively vary or adjust the depth of engagement as between the bristles of the first brush means 10' and the screen belt means 22 as well as to selectively vary or adjust the depth of engagement as between rotary brushes 10' and 11'. Such directions of adjustable displacement are depicted as by the arrows in FIG. 2 passing through the axes of rotary brushes 10' and 11'.
Further, as best depicted in FIG. 2, the respective diameters and/or respective bristle lengths of the respective rotary brushes 10' and 11' (as well as those of rotary brushes 10 and 11) may be made different in magnitude thereby, for the same angular velocity, creating a differential peripheral speed therebetween.
In the arrangement of FIG. 2, the upper screen belt means 22 travels in a generally counter-clockwise direction generally about roller means 25, 27 and 28--28 and the brush means 10' and 11' also rotate in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1.
Both brushes 11 and 11', as should now be evident, actually serve as a scraping or combing means with regard to rotary brushes 10 and 10', respectively, That is, for example with reference to FIG. 2, as brush means 10' rotates against the screen belt 22 and picks-up impurities therefrom, such impurities are carried by the bristles of brush means 10' to the zone where the bristles of brush means 11' (traveling as at a different velocity) engage the particles of impurities and in a scraping like or combing like manner dislodge such from the bristles of brush means 10'. Such dislodged impurities are then, in effect, dropped from the bristles of brush means 11' into the receiving means 14'. The same action occurs with regard to brush means 10 and 11.
In addition to the invention as herein already described, it has further been discovered that optimum results are obtained when the bristles of the first brush means 10 or 10' are comprised of a material which exhibits a higher affinity to the sticky impurities than does the material of which the coacting screen belt is made. The apparent problem with this discovery was that the impurities would accumulate on the rotary brush means 10 and/or 10'. This, in turn, led to a further discovery that the impurities thusly removed from the screen belt by the rotary brush means 10 and/or 10' and carried thereby could be removed from the rotary brush means 10 and/or 10' by a scraping or combing action so that the particles of impurities would be effectively removed from the rotating bristles of the brush means 10 and/or 10' prior to such bristles again operatively engaging the associated screen belt. Even though the preferred embodiment of a scraper or combing means is herein disclosed as being a second rotary brush means 11 and/or 11', it is nevertheless contemplated that such scraper or combing means could be a stationary device which at least partially extends into the first brush means 10 and/or 10' as to permit the bristles thereof to pass by and against the fixed scraper or combing means as to thereby dislodge the particles of impurities from the bristles of the brush means 10 and/or 10'.
It has also been discovered that in the use of such scraper or combing means, whether stationary or rotary, best results are obtained when the operative portion of the scraper or combing means, as for example the bristles of the rotary brush means 11 and/or 11', is comprised of material having a relatively low (especially as compared to that of the bristles of brush means 10 and/or 10') affinity to the sticky impurities. As a consequence, the scraper or combing means serves merely to transfer the particles of impurities from the first brush means 10 or 10' (as the case may be) and into a catch means (as for example 14 or 14' as the case may be), thereby assuring that the impurities cannot accumulate either in the brush means 10 or 10' or in the scraper or combing means.
It has also been discovered that excellent results are obtained if the bristles of the brush means 10 and/or 10' are formed of a polyester material, which has a high affinity to sticky impurities while the operative portion of the scraping or combing means is formed of, for example, a silicone compound, teflon or other materials which also have only a slight affinity to the sticky impurities.
Although only a preferred embodiment, and selected modifications of the invention have been disclosed and described, it is apparent that other embodiments and modifications of the invention are possible within the scope of the appended claims.
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An apparatus especially suited for cleaning impurities from plastic screen belts of paper making machines is shown as having a first drum type brush operatively engaging, through its bristles, the screen belt. The bristles are made of material having a high affinity to such impurities. A second drum type brush, of which its bristles are made of material having a low affinity for such impurities, spaced from the screen belt, is in operative engagement with the first drum type brush as to remove the impurities, which the first drum type brush carries because of removal thereof from the screen belt, from the first drum type brush and deposit such impurities into a receiving area.
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REFERENCE TO PRIORITY APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. Nos. 61/218,518, filed Jun. 19, 2009 and 61/314,290, filed Mar. 16, 2010, the disclosures of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to U.S. application Ser. No. 12/535,284, filed Aug. 4, 2009, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to integrated circuit devices and methods of forming same and, more particularly, to micromechanical devices and methods of forming same.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Micro-electromechanical (MEMs) resonators can provide small form factor, ease of integration with conventional semiconductor fabrication techniques and high f·Q products. High frequency and high-Q width-extensional mode silicon bulk acoustic resonators (SiBARs) and film bulk acoustic wave resonators (FBARs) have demonstrated atmospheric Q factors in excess of 10,000 at or above 100 MHz, with moderate motional resistances. Such resonators are disclosed in an article by S. Pourkamali et al., entitled “Low-Impedance VHF and UHF Capacitive Silicon Bulk Acoustic Wave Resonators—Part I: Concept and Fabrication,” IEEE Trans. On Electron Devices, Vol. 54, No. 8, pp. 2017-2023, August (2007), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
The resonant frequency of silicon micro-electromechanical resonators is dependent on the physical dimensions of the resonating structure. This causes the resonant frequency of those resonators to deviate from a designed target value in response to variations in photolithography, etching and film thickness. For example, as described in an article by G. Casinovi et al., entitled “Analytical Modeling and Numerical Simulation of Capacitive Silicon Bulk Acoustic Resonators,” IEEE Intl. Conf. on Micromechanical Systems (2009), a 2 μm variation in thickness of a 100 MHz width-extensional mode SiBAR can cause a 0.5% variation in its center frequency, while lithographic variations of ±0.1 μm in the width of the resonator can cause an additional 0.5% variation in frequency.
Unfortunately, even when efforts to reduce the adverse effects of variations in photolithography, etching and film thickness on resonant frequency are successful, additional changes in resonant frequency may occur in response to changes in operating temperature. These temperature-based changes in resonant frequency can be reduced using modified fabrication processes and active compensation circuits. However, because circuit-based compensation techniques typically increase the complexity and power requirements of resonator devices, passive fabrication-based compensation techniques based on the intrinsic properties of the resonator materials are generally preferable to circuit-based compensation techniques. Conventional passive compensation techniques are disclosed in U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2010/0032789 to Shoen et al., entitled “Passive Temperature Compensation of Silicon MEMS Devices;” and 2009/0160581 to Hagelin et al., entitled “Temperature Stable MEMS Resonator.”
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Methods of forming micromechanical resonators operable in a bulk acoustic mode include forming a resonator body anchored to a substrate by at least a first anchor. This resonator body may include a semiconductor or other first material having a negative temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE). A two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches are provided in the resonator body. These trenches may be filled with an electrically insulating or other second material having a positive TCE. The array of trenches may extend uniformly across the resonator body, including regions in the body that have relatively high and low mechanical stress during resonance. This two-dimensional array (or network) of trenches can be modeled as a network of mass-spring systems with springs in parallel and/or in series with respect to a direction of a traveling acoustic wave within the resonator body during resonance.
To achieve a high degree of temperature compensation, the array of spaced-apart trenches may have a sufficient density in the resonator body to meet the following relationship:
1≦− R V (TCE I /TCE S )[( E I /E S )+(ρ I /ρ S ) 1/2 ( E I /E S ) −1/2 ]≦3,
where R V =(V I /V S ); TCE S , E S , ρ S and V S represent the temperature coefficient of elasticity, Young's modulus, density and volume of the first material in the resonator body, respectively; and TCE I , E I , ρ I and V I represent the temperature coefficient of elasticity, Young's modulus, density and total volume of the second material in the array of spaced-apart trenches, respectively. Thus, in the event the first material is silicon and the second material is silicon dioxide, the ratio R V may have a value in a range from about 0.14 to about 0.42, where TCE S , E S and ρ S for silicon are represented as −52 ppm/° C., 169 GPa and 2.33 grams/cm 3 , respectively, and TCE I , E I and ρ I for silicon dioxide are represented as 180 ppm/° C., 73 GPa and 2.63 grams/cm 3 .
According to some embodiments of the invention, the array of spaced-apart trenches may extend partially through the resonator body or may extend entirely through the resonator body as through-body holes. According to additional embodiments of the invention, the spaced-apart trenches in the array may be arranged in a checkerboard pattern. In further embodiments of the invention, the spaced-apart trenches in the array are arranged as a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches having a first plurality of rows of spaced-apart trenches and a second plurality of columns of spaced-apart trenches. According to these embodiments of the invention, each of the first plurality of rows of spaced-apart trenches has an equivalent number of spaced-apart trenches therein and each of the second plurality of columns of spaced-apart trenches has an equivalent number of spaced-apart trenches therein.
According to still further embodiments of the invention, a bottom electrode of the resonator may be formed on the resonator body, a piezoelectric layer may be formed on the bottom electrode and at least one top electrode may be formed on the piezoelectric layer. According to additional aspects of these embodiments of the invention, a combination of a number of spaced-apart trenches in the array and the second material is sufficient to fully temperature compensate the micromechanical resonator, which includes the resonator body, bottom electrode, piezoelectric layer and at least one top electrode. To achieve full or at least nearly full temperature compensation, the density of the filled trenches in the upper surface of a resonator body may be set to a value of at least five trenches/square for each square region on an upper surface of the resonator body having an area equal to t 2 , where t is a thickness of the resonator body as measured between upper and lower surfaces thereof and t is greater than about 10 microns. Alternatively, the density of the filled trenches in the upper surface of the resonator body may be set to a value of at least one trench/square for each square region on an upper surface of the resonator body having an area equal to t 2 , for cases where t is in a range from about 2 microns to about 10 microns.
According to additional embodiments of the invention, a method of forming a micromechanical resonator includes forming a resonator body having upper and lower surfaces thereon. This resonator body includes a first material having a negative temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE) and a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart through-body holes filled with a second material having a positive TCE. The through-body holes may have minimum and maximum lateral dimensions in a range from about 0.1 T to about 0.2 T, where T is a thickness of the resonator body and T is greater than about 10 microns.
The step of forming a resonator body may include etching a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches in the resonator body and then depositing the electrically insulating material onto a surface of the resonator body and into the two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches using, for example, a low pressure chemical vapor deposition technique. The step of etching a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches in the resonator body may include using an etching process that alternates repeatedly between an isotropic plasma etching of the resonator body and a deposition of a chemically inert passivation layer on the resonator body.
A dry etching step may then be performed. This dry etching step may include dry etching the electrically insulating material to thereby remove portions of the electrically insulating material from the surface of the resonator body and from within the two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches. The depositing and dry etching steps may be repeatedly performed in sequence at least once until the two-dimensional array of spaced-apart through-body holes is formed and completely filled with the electrically insulating material.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a plan view of a suspended resonator body having a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches therein filled with a material having a positive TCE, according to embodiments of the invention.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a micromechanical resonator operable in a bulk acoustic mode, according to embodiments of the present invention.
FIG. 1C is a plan view of a suspended resonator body having a checkerboard pattern of spaced-apart trenches therein filled with a material having a positive TCE, according to additional embodiments of the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention now will be described more fully 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 construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.
It will be understood that when an element or layer is referred to as being “on,” “connected to” or “coupled to” another element or layer (and variants thereof), it can be directly on, connected or coupled to the other element or layer or intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to” or “directly coupled to” another element or layer (and variants thereof), there are no intervening elements or layers present. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout. As used herein, the term “and/or” includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items and may be abbreviated as “/”.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, third etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the present invention.
Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “above,” “upper” and the like, may be used herein for ease of description to describe one element or feature's relationship to another element(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will be understood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompass different orientations of the device in use or operation in addition to the orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures is turned over, elements described as “below” or “beneath” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” the other elements or features. Thus, the term “below” can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and the spatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly.
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the present invention. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprising”, “including”, having” and variants thereof, when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. In contrast, the term “consisting” of when used in this specification, specifies the stated features, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, and precludes additional features, steps, operations, elements and/or components.
Embodiments of the present invention are described herein with reference to cross-section and perspective illustrations that are schematic illustrations of idealized embodiments (and intermediate structures) of the present invention. As such, variations from the shapes of the illustrations as a result, for example, of manufacturing techniques and/or tolerances, are to be expected. Thus, embodiments of the present invention should not be construed as limited to the particular shapes of regions illustrated herein but are to include deviations in shapes that result, for example, from manufacturing. For example, a sharp angle may be somewhat rounded due to manufacturing techniques/tolerances.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present invention belongs. It will be further understood that terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art and will not be interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.
FIG. 1A illustrates a plan view of a suspended resonator body 12 of a micromechanical resonator. This resonator body 12 is suspended on opposite sides by a pair of anchors 12 a , 12 b , which are attached to a surrounding substrate 10 and aligned to a longitudinal axis of the resonator body 12 . As highlighted by the aforementioned U.S. application Ser. No. 12/535,284, filed Aug. 4, 2009, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference, the resonator body 12 may be suspended opposite a recess in the substrate 10 .
The resonator body 12 of FIG. 1A is illustrated as having a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart square trenches 14 therein, which are filled with an electrically insulating material 16 a or another material having a positive temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE). These trenches 14 may extend partially or, more preferably, completely through the resonator body 12 as through-body holes. According to some embodiments of the invention, the resonator body 12 may be configured as a semiconductor body, such as a silicon body, or another material having a negative TCE and the electrically insulating material 16 a may be silicon dioxide. Similarly, the resonator body 12 ′ of FIG. 1C is illustrated as having a checkerboard pattern of spaced-apart trenches 14 therein. Because the checkerboard pattern of spaced-apart trenches 14 may be treated as including a two-dimensional array of trenches in the spaces or gaps between the trenches of another two-dimensional array, greater temperature compensation may be provided by the embodiment of FIG. 1C relative to the embodiment of FIG. 1A .
FIG. 1B is a perspective view of a micromechanical resonator 100 operable in a bulk acoustic mode. This resonator 100 includes a semiconductor resonator body 12 having a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches 14 therein. In particular, the resonator 100 of FIGS. 1A-1B includes a resonator body 12 anchored to a surrounding substrate 10 by a pair of anchors 12 a , 12 b . The resonator body 12 includes a semiconductor material (e.g., silicon) and a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart square through-body holes 14 , which are completely filled with an electrically insulating material 16 a having a positive TCE. To achieve a high degree of temperature compensation, the density of the array of spaced-apart trenches should be sufficient to meet the following relationship:
0.5 ≦−R V (TCE I /TCE S )[( E I /E S )+(ρ I /ρ S ) 1/2 ( E I /E S ) −1/2 ], (1)
where R V =(V I /V S ); TCE S , E S , ρ S and V S represent the temperature coefficient of elasticity, Young's modulus, density and volume of the first material in the resonator body, respectively; and TCE I , E I , ρ I and V I represent the temperature coefficient of elasticity, Young's modulus, density and total volume of the second material in the array of spaced-apart trenches, respectively. More preferably, the density of the array of spaced-apart trenches should be sufficient to meet the following relationship:
1≦− R V (TCE I /TCE S )[( E I /E S )+(ρ I /ρ S ) 1/2 ( E I /E S ) −1/2 ]≦3. (2)
Thus, in the event the first material is silicon and the second material is silicon dioxide, the ratio R V may have a value in a range from about 0.14 to about 0.42, where TCE S , E S and ρ S for silicon are represented as −52 ppm/° C., 169 GPa and 2.33 grams/cm 3 , respectively, and TCE I , E I and ρ I for silicon dioxide are represented as 180 ppm/° C., 73 GPa and 2.63 grams/cm 3 .
In addition to the insulator-filled array of through-body holes 14 , some additional degree of temperature compensation may be provided by a thin electrically insulating layer 16 b (e.g., SiO 2 ), which is formed directly on an upper surface of the resonator body 12 . This electrically insulating layer 16 b , which may remain on the resonator body 12 after the through-body holes 14 are filled, may have a planarized upper surface. Conventional techniques may then be performed to deposit a bottom resonator electrode 18 (e.g., molybdenum (Mo) electrode) on the planarized upper surface, a piezoelectric layer 20 (e.g., aluminum nitride (AlN)) on the bottom electrode 18 and a pair of electrodes 22 a , 22 b (e.g., input and output electrodes) on the piezoelectric layer 20 .
In addition, because the semiconductor resonator body 12 is typically relatively thick, some additional constraints on the dimensions of the holes may apply. For fabrication reasons, it may be preferable that the lateral dimensions of the holes be no smaller than approximately 10% of the thickness of the resonator body. Thus, for a silicon resonator body 12 having a thickness of about 20 um, the lateral dimensions of the holes 14 should be no smaller than about 2 um. Moreover, in order to evenly distribute the holes 14 over the entire surface of the resonator body 12 , the hole dimensions should be maintained close to the minimum value. This conclusion supports a requirement in some embodiments of the invention that a lateral dimension of the through-body holes be set at a range from about 0.1 T to about 0.2 T, where T is a thickness of the resonator body and T is greater than about 10 microns. Accordingly, for a silicon resonator body 12 having dimensions of 250 um wide, 143 um long and 20 um thick, a hole pattern consisting of a 24×42 matrix of equally spaced 3.1 um×3.1 um square holes satisfies a volume ratio of about 0.37.
According to still further embodiments of the invention, a bottom electrode of the resonator may be formed on the resonator body, a piezoelectric layer may be formed on the bottom electrode and at least one top electrode may be formed on the piezoelectric layer. According to additional aspects of these embodiments of the invention, a combination of a number of spaced-apart trenches in the array and the second material is sufficient to fully temperature compensate the micromechanical resonator, which includes the resonator body, bottom electrode, piezoelectric layer and at least one top electrode. To achieve full or at least nearly full temperature compensation, the density of the filled trenches in the upper surface of a resonator body may be set to a value of at least five trenches/square for each square region on an upper surface of the resonator body having an area equal to t 2 , where t is a thickness of the resonator body as measured between upper and lower surfaces thereof and t is greater than about 10 microns. Alternatively, the density of the filled trenches in the upper surface of the resonator body may be set to a value of at least one trench/square for each square region on an upper surface of the resonator body having an area equal to t 2 , for cases where t is in a range from about 2 microns to about 10 microns.
In order to inhibit the formation of voids within the deep insulator-filled holes 14 , which have relatively large aspect ratios, steps may be taken to form trenches having sufficiently tapered sidewalls and sufficiently wide top-surface openings that are less likely to be occluded with insulating material during filling of the holes 14 . In particular, steps may be taken to etch a two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches that extend partially through the resonator body, prior to depositing the electrically insulating material onto a surface of the resonator body 12 and into the two-dimensional array of uniformly spaced-apart trenches using a technique such as low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD). Thereafter, the electrically insulating material is dry etched to remove portions of the electrically insulating material from the surface of the resonator body and from within the two-dimensional array of uniformly spaced-apart trenches. This dry etching step may include blanket dry etching the electrically insulating material across the surface of the resonator body. More specifically, the dry etching process may alternate repeatedly between an isotropic plasma etching of the resonator body and a deposition of a chemically inert passivation layer on the resonator body. The depositing and dry etching steps are then repeatedly performed in sequence until the two-dimensional array of uniformly spaced-apart holes is formed and completely filled with the electrically insulating material. Thereafter, a sequence of steps is performed to form a bottom electrode on the resonator body, a piezoelectric layer on the bottom electrode and at least one top electrode on the piezoelectric layer. In addition, a selective etching step may be performed to etch through the resonator body material and release the resonator body opposite a recess in the substrate (e.g., by removing an underlying sacrificial material in the recess).
In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed typical preferred embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being set forth in the following claims.
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A method of forming a micromechanical resonator includes forming a resonator body anchored to a substrate by at least a first anchor. This resonator body may include a semiconductor or other first material having a negative temperature coefficient of elasticity (TCE). A two-dimensional array of spaced-apart trenches are provided in the resonator body. These trenches may be filled with an electrically insulating or other second material having a positive TCE. The array of trenches may extend uniformly across the resonator body, including regions in the body that have relatively high and low mechanical stress during resonance. This two-dimensional array (or network) of trenches can be modeled as a network of mass-spring systems with springs in parallel and/or in series with respect to a direction of a traveling acoustic wave within the resonator body during resonance.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a continuation application of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/876,953, filed on Sep. 7, 2010, and entitled “APPARATUS FOR SUPPORT DURING TATTOOING,” which is hereby incorporated herein in its entirety by reference.
BACKGROUND
[0002] During the first decade of the 21st century, the popularity of tattoos have exploded, inspiring growth and refinement in the equipment used to create tattoos and the sophistication of the tattoos themselves. In order to meet the current needs of clients, a typical tattoo studio needs to have a variety of tools to apply tattoos to clients. For example, a tattoo artist may have a tattoo chair, table, arm stand, foot rest, etc. All of these pieces of furniture take up space, yet are required in order to properly apply tattoos.
[0003] For the most part, the furniture used by tattoo artists is not specifically designed to be used to apply tattoos, but rather, are used for other applications, such as in medical or beauty salon applications. Thus, prolonged use of the furniture in tattooing may be uncomfortable for both the tattoo artist and the client. For example, many tattoo artists use massage tables to apply tattoos to a client's back, shoulders, legs, etc. These tables were not designed with the ergonomics of a tattoo artist in mind and may not be comfortable or healthy.
[0004] Moreover, commonly used furniture in tattooing may not be able to place the client in a position that naturally stretches the skin of the area that is going to receive the tattoo. In order to apply a professional looking tattoo, the skin needs to be stretched or else otherwise, the tattoo may be applied incorrectly, i.e., the tattoo may be disfigured. In order to compensate for this, a tattoo artist typically has to stretch the skin by hand and hold it in position while the tattoo is applied. This is uncomfortable for the tattoo artist and the client. Plus, the artist may not stretch the skin in a way that it would naturally stretch.
[0005] Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an apparatus that can be used to position a client in optimal positions in order to apply tattoos on any part of the body while simultaneously being comfortable for the client and the artist. Moreover, there is a need in the art to reduce the number of different pieces of furniture that an artist needs to own in order to apply tattoos.
SUMMARY
[0006] An exemplary embodiment describes an, apparatus for supporting a person during tattooing. The apparatus can be configured such that a client can be placed in an ergonomic position, i.e., a position that is comfortable for the both the client and the tattoo artist. For example, the apparatus can be configured from a bed position, i.e., a horizontal position, into a chair position, i.e., a position where certain sections of the apparatus are articulated relative to the floor.
[0007] In at least one exemplary embodiment, the apparatus can include arm sections, leg sections, a seat section, and a back section, some of which can be coupled to a frame. Each section can be made to comfortably support and articulate different parts of a client's body during a tattoo session. For example, the arm sections can be raised, lowered, or angled in order to place the arms of a client in positions to comfortably support the arms while one or more tattoos are applied.
[0008] The leg sections can be attached such that each leg is independently rotatable in a direction perpendicular from a plane formed by the seat section. Or put another way, each leg section can be independently rotatable about an axis parallel to a frontal plane and a transverse plane. For example, the leg sections can be rotated up to 90 degrees downward from a plane formed by the seat section from a bed configuration to a chair configuration. In the same, or another embodiment, each leg section can also be rotated up to, for example, 90 degrees outward from the midsagittal line of the seat section to allow a tattoo artist access to the inner leg and/or lower back portions of a client.
[0009] In the same, or another embodiment, the back section can be attached such that it is independently rotatable in a direction that is perpendicular from a plane formed by the seat section. A client can sit with his or her back resting against the back section of the apparatus.
[0010] In another configuration, the back section can be formed to include cuts defining leg openings. In this exemplary embodiment, and when the back section is articulated such that it is generally perpendicular to a plane formed by the seat section, the cuts can be formed such that the proximal end of the back section, e.g., the end closest to the seat section, is narrower in the frontal plane than the distal end of the seat section. In an exemplary embodiment, the cuts can be formed such that the back section looks like a cobra's hood.
[0011] A client can sit with his or her back or chest resting against the back section of the apparatus. When a client sits with his or her chest resting against the back section of the apparatus, the client can straddle the proximal portion of back section by placing his or her legs through the cuts defining leg openings.
[0012] In an exemplary embodiment, the seat section can include two rearwardly extending leg supporting segments that encircle the proximal portion of the back section. In this embodiment, the rearwardly extending leg supporting segments can support the thighs of a client while he or she is straddling the back section. In this exemplary embodiment, when the apparatus is in the bed configuration the rearwardly extending leg supporting segments can form, along with the cuts defining leg openings, a generally flat surface for a client to lie on.
[0013] The foregoing is a summary and thus contains, by necessity, simplifications, generalizations and omissions of detail. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the summary is illustrative only and is not intended to be in any way limiting.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] FIG. 1 illustrates a side illustration of an exemplary apparatus' frame.
[0015] FIG. 2 illustrates a quarter view of an exemplary apparatus in a bed configuration.
[0016] FIG. 3 illustrates a side view of an exemplary apparatus in a bed configuration.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates a side view of a back portion of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0018] FIG. 5 illustrates a quarter view of a back portion of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0019] FIG. 6 illustrates a quarter view of an exemplary frame of an apparatus in a chair configuration.
[0020] FIG. 7 illustrates a side view of an exemplary back section with a headrest.
[0021] FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of a front portion of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0022] FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of an exemplary frame of an apparatus in a chair configuration.
[0023] FIG. 10 illustrates a view of underneath the front portion of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0024] FIG. 11 illustrates a quarter view of an exemplary apparatus in a chair configuration.
[0025] FIG. 12 illustrates an exemplary arm assembly.
[0026] FIG. 13 illustrates a side view of an exemplary back section including exemplary arm frame supports rotatably coupled to the back section.
[0027] FIG. 14 illustrates a view from behind an exemplary back section.
[0028] FIG. 15 illustrates exemplary components for rotatably coupling an arm frame support to an exemplary back section of an apparatus.
[0029] FIG. 16 illustrates an over-the-head view of a front of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0030] FIG. 17 illustrates an over-the-head view of a front of an exemplary frame of an apparatus.
[0031] FIG. 18 illustrates a quarter view of an exemplary apparatus in a chair configuration with leg supports rotated about a vertical plane.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 1 , an exemplary frame 122 is illustrated. In an embodiment, exemplary frame 122 can include a generally flat portion that is parallel to the ground, which is also known as the transverse plane, i.e., the plane that divides the apparatus into top and bottom sections. As shown by the figure, and described in more detail below, a front portion of frame 122 can be “T” shaped to support leg assemblies 102 configured to independently rotate away from a position generally parallel to the midsagittal plane, i.e., a plane passing through the middle of the apparatus dividing it into left and right portions, to positions generally perpendicular to the midsagittal plane.
[0033] The front portion of frame 122 can be separated from a back portion by the frontal plane, i.e., a plane that divides the apparatus into front and back portions. In an exemplary embodiment, back portion of frame 122 can be formed to include one or more rear downward angled support members 104 and upwardly extending support sections 106 that are configured to connect to an L-hinge 108 , which can be coupled to a back section. As will be described in more detail below, the back section can be articulated.
[0034] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, a horizontal tubular rail 110 such as, for example, a steel rectangular or circular tube, can be coupled to the bottom of frame 122 extending in a direction parallel to the transverse and frontal planes. The horizontal tubular rail 110 can be used to attach arm bar assemblies 112 . In at least one exemplary embodiment, the arm assemblies can be articulated such that each assembly can be independently linearly moved in a direction that is perpendicular to the midsagittal plane. In an exemplary embodiment, and described in more detail in the following paragraphs, the arm assemblies can also be articulated such that the arm supports are articulated about an axis parallel to the transverse plane and the midsagittal plane.
[0035] Also shown by the figure, a chassis 114 is coupled to the bottom of frame 122 . Frame 122 can rotate about chassis 114 such that it rotates about, for example, the vertical axis, i.e., an axis parallel to the midsagittal plane and the frontal plane. In at least one exemplary embodiment, chassis 114 can be coupled to a hydraulics assembly, which can be used to raise and lower frame 122 . That is, frame 122 can be linearly moved through the transverse plane in an exemplary embodiment.
[0036] Turning now to FIG. 2 , it illustrates the exemplary apparatus in the bed configuration. That is, leg sections 202 and 204 , arm sections 208 and 210 , seat section 206 , back section 212 , and head rest 220 are flush with seat section 206 , together forming a generally flat surface for a client to lie on. In this exemplary embodiment, frame 122 is generally covered with these supporting sections. This figure more clearly illustrates an axis parallel to both the midsagittal plane and the transverse plane 252 . This axis is formed by the midsagittal plane cutting through the apparatus and separates the right from left side. Also shown is an axis parallel to both the frontal plane and the transverse plane 250 . This axis is formed by the frontal plane cutting through the apparatus and separates the front from the back.
[0037] Briefly, seat section 206 can include top and bottom portions separated by a plane parallel to the transverse plane, forward and rearward portions separated by a plane parallel to the frontal plane, and left and right portions separated by a plane parallel to the midsagittal plane. Seat section 206 can include a bacteria resistant fabric cushion filled with foam padding or the like. The bottom of seat section 206 can be operatively coupled to frame 122 via one or more bolts, screws, pins, buttons, nails, an adhesive, etc.
[0038] Back section 212 is also shown. Back section 212 can also include a bacteria resistant fabric cushion filled with foam padding or the like. As is described in more detail below, back section 212 can be operatively coupled via one or more bolts, screws, pins, buttons, nails, an adhesive, etc., to a hinge. In an exemplary embodiment, the hinge can be L-shaped. In another exemplary embodiment, back section 212 can be coupled to seat section 206 via a hinge.
[0039] In exemplary embodiments, back section 212 can be formed into a variety of shapes in order to support a client's back in the bed and chair configurations, and allow for a user to straddle it. In this exemplary embodiment, the proximal portion of the back section 212 can be narrower than the distal portion in order to define leg openings. The leg openings can be formed by removing different types of shapes from of back section 212 , such as, for example, plano-concave cuts, incurvation-shaped cuts, generally rectangular, generally circular, generally oval, or generally square cuts, or cuts defined by a tapering from the proximal end of the back section to the distal end. In at least one exemplary embodiment, the back section could be generally “T” or “Y” shaped.
[0040] As stated briefly above, back section 212 can be rotatably coupled to, for example, the rear portion of seat section 206 or a hinge coupled to frame 122 . One exemplary coupling is described in more detail in FIGS. 4 and 5 . The coupling that attaches the proximal portion of back section 212 can be used to reconfigure apparatus 100 from a bed position (shown in FIG. 2 ) to a chair position (shown in FIG. 6 ). For example, a user could rotate back section 212 from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 to the position illustrated in FIG. 6 by rotating back section 212 from a position whereby back section 212 is flush with seat section 206 , i.e., parallel to the traverse plane, to a position whereby back section 212 is generally perpendicular to seat section 206 , i.e., generally parallel to the frontal plane.
[0041] Turning to leg sections 202 and 204 , these sections can also be formed from bacteria resistant fabric cushions filled with foam padding or the like. As described in more detail below, leg sections 202 and 204 can be operatively coupled to the forward portion of seat section 206 or coupled to frame 122 . In an exemplary embodiment, leg sections 202 and 204 can be coupled to rotatable assemblies that can independently rotate the leg sections about an axis parallel to the transverse and frontal planes. Or put another way, legs 202 and 204 can independently rotate from a position generally flush with seat section 206 , e.g., the position shown in FIG. 2 , to a position generally perpendicular to a plane formed by the seat section 206 , e.g., similar to the position shown in FIG. 6 .
[0042] In at least one embodiment, leg sections 202 and 204 can also be rotated about an axis parallel to the frontal and midsagittal planes. Or put another way, in an exemplary embodiment, each leg 202 and 204 can be independently rotated from the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 15 . One exemplary rotatable coupling is shown by FIGS. 13 and 14 ; however, other couplings can be used.
[0043] Continuing with the description of FIG. 2 , the cuts that define the leg openings are shown as generally adjoined with rearwardly extending leg supports 216 and 218 . In an exemplary embodiment, the rearwardly extending leg supports can have a shape similar to the shape cut out of back section 212 . For example, if the cuts are square-like, rearwardly extending leg supports can be formed to be square-like. If the cuts are plano-concave shaped, rearwardly extending leg supports can formed to be plano-convex shaped. As shown by the figure, the rearwardly extending leg supports do not need completely fill the area made by the cuts that define the leg openings. Instead, rearwardly extending leg supports may only fill enough of the openings so that a client can lie flat on the apparatus in the bed configuration.
[0044] Turning now to FIG. 3 , it illustrates a side view of the exemplary apparatus illustrating an exemplary chassis 114 . This view illustrates more clearly an axis 350 that is parallel to both the transverse plane and the frontal plane. The exemplary axis 350 separates the apparatus into top and bottom sections. As shown by the figure, in an exemplary embodiment, chassis 114 can include a support plate 302 that can lie on the floor. In this embodiment, chassis 114 can be bolted to floor, for example. Support plate 302 can be made from any suitable material such as wood or steel. As illustrated by the figure, in at least one embodiment, support plate 302 can be constructed to increase stability and to aid in the process of applying a tattoo. For example, and as illustrated by the figure, support plate 302 can be formed with stabilizer plate sections 304 that extend in the transverse plane, perpendicular to the midsagittal plane, from the ends of support plate 302 to allow chassis 114 to support a wider or longer load. For example, the stabilizer plate sections 304 can help prevent the apparatus from flipping over when the apparatus is rotated about an axis parallel to the midsagittal plane and the frontal plane. The illustrated configuration of support plate 302 can aid in the process of applying a tattoo because the tattoo artist can maneuver a chair closer to the apparatus than he or she would be able to if the support plate was wider. This configuration allows for a tattoo artist to sit in a more comfortable position while he or she is working.
[0045] Continuing with the description of the figure, chassis 114 can include a frustum section 312 coupled to support plate 302 . As shown by the figure, frustum section 312 can be configured to provide clearance for the arm assemblies as they rotate about the axis parallel to the midsagittal plane and the frontal plane when seat section 206 is rotated. A hydraulics system 306 can be attached to an upper portion of frustum section 312 . Release lever 310 can be used to lower and raise shaft 308 . In an exemplary embodiment, the top of seat section 206 can be approximately 29 inches off the ground when the hydraulic system 206 is at its lowest position. When hydraulics system 206 is engaged, it can raise shaft 308 approximately 7 more inches to 36 inches. Thus, in exemplary embodiments, the height of apparatus 100 may be adjusted to allow for the tattoo artist to orient a client in an ergonomically correct position. As one of skill in the art can appreciate, these exemplary values are for illustration purposes only and can be adjusted based on the height hydraulics system 306 can raise the apparatus, the height of frustum section 312 , the materials used to construct the apparatus, the length of the apparatus in the bed configuration, and the width of the apparatus.
[0046] FIG. 4 illustrates a view of the rear portion of frame 122 without seat section 206 attached. Back section 212 and hydraulics system 306 are illustrated in dashed lines so that the rear portion of frame 122 can be easily illustrated. In an exemplary embodiment, the back portion of back section 212 can be attached to an L-shaped hinge 402 via one or more bolts or pins.
[0047] In another alternative embodiment, a generally flat plate connected to a hinge can be used instead of L-shaped hinge 402 . In this exemplary embodiment, the length of upwardly extending plates 106 and/or the thickness of seat section 206 can be adjusted such that when back section 212 is in the bed configuration the back section 212 is flush with seat section 206 . In another exemplary embodiment, seat section 206 can be coupled to back section 212 via a hinge (not illustrated). In this embodiment, both back section 212 and seat section 206 may be directly connected to each other.
[0048] Turning back to the exemplary embodiment illustrated in the figure, L-shaped hinge 402 can be coupled to one or more upwardly extending plates 106 on the back of the portion of frame 122 . L-shaped hinge 402 in this example can be configured to rotate back section 212 from the bed configuration to the chair configuration. That is, L-shaped hinge 402 can rotate back section 212 about an axis parallel to the transverse and frontal planes. As can be understood from the illustration, the length that upwardly extending plates can extend can be dependent on the thickness of back and seat sections ( 212 and 206 ) so that when back section 212 parallel to the transverse plane back section 212 is level with seat section 206 . In an exemplary embodiment, back and seat section ( 212 and 206 ) can be approximately 4 inches thick. In this exemplary embodiment, upwardly extending plates 106 may extend approximately 2 inches upward.
[0049] Continuing with the description of FIG. 4 , frame 122 can also include one or more rear-downward angled support members 104 . As illustrated in FIG. 4 , in an exemplary embodiment, each rear-downward angled support member can be configured such that they intersect a plane parallel to the transverse plane at a 45 degree angle; however, the disclosure is not limited to such a configuration and rear-downward angled support members 104 can be at any angle relative to the transverse plane. Moreover, while two rear-downward angled support members 104 are illustrated, any number of rear-downward angled support members can extend from the flat portion of frame 122 . As one skilled in the art can appreciate, frame 112 can be formed to include rear downward angled support members 602 and upwardly extending plates 106 ; however other embodiments are contemplated. For example, upwardly extending plates 106 could be attached to a frame via one or more bolts or screws, nails, an adhesive, etc., or may be welded to a frame. Moreover, rear-downward angled support members 104 could also be separate components that are attached to a frame via one or more bolts or screws, nails, an adhesive, etc., or may be welded to a frame.
[0050] In an exemplary embodiment, rear-downward angled support members 104 can be used to couple a support bar operable to lock back section 212 in one or more positions to frame 122 . For example, and illustrated in more detail in FIG. 5 , circular holes 402 can be drilled into the distal end of rear-downward angled support members 104 . Axles or the like can be used to rotatably couple a support bar, e.g., a square or rectangular shaped bar to frame 122 .
[0051] Turning to FIG. 5 , support bar 502 is shown operatively coupled to frame 122 via rear-downward angled support members 104 . As shown by the figure, gear rails 508 can be coupled to the back side of back section 212 . In an alternative embodiment, gear rails 508 can be coupled to L-shaped hinge 402 . A distal end of support bar 502 can be formed to be parallel to the transverse plane and can engage the teeth of gear rails 508 . In an example, gear rails 508 can be made of a suitable material such as stainless steel and can have associated catch lock rails 510 attached in order to prevent support bar 502 from disengaging. Tension springs 512 , which are designed to absorb and store energy as well as create a force that pulls support bar 502 toward frame 122 , can attach frame 122 to support bar 502 . In exemplary embodiments, the initial tension force can be set based on the angle rear-downward angled support members 104 form with frame 122 , the weight of the support bar 502 and the weight of back section 212 , for example. Also shown is a handle 506 , which can be used to rotate apparatus about chassis 114 .
[0052] In operation, a tattoo artist can adjust the angle back section 212 forms with seat section 206 by using the handle 504 to adjust the set of teeth support bar 502 engages. As one of skill in the art can appreciate, in an alternative embodiment, handle 504 can be mounted on the bar portion of bar support 502 to provide a larger torque force when moving the bar from tooth to tooth. When support bar 502 engages the teeth of gear rails 508 closest to the proximal end of the back section 212 , back section 212 will be generally perpendicular to the transverse plane. When support bar 502 engages the teeth of gear rails 508 closest to the distal end of the back section 212 , back section 212 will be generally flush with seat section 206 .
[0053] Turning now to FIG. 6 , it illustrates the exemplary apparatus in a chair configuration. As shown in the figure, arm sections 208 and 210 are raised up from the position illustrated in FIG. 2 and seat section 206 is rotated a quarter turn counter clockwise about an axis parallel to the midsagittal and frontal planes. In the figure, back section 212 has been rotated about an axis parallel to the transverse and frontal plane approximately 60 degrees upward from a plane that is transverse to apparatus. In this configuration, cuts defining leg openings ( 602 and 604 ) are clearly shown. In this configuration, a client could sit rearward with his or her chest resting against back section 212 and insert his or her legs into openings defined by the cuts ( 602 and 604 ).
[0054] FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary side view of headrest 220 in two positions. As shown by the figure, the position of headrest 220 can be adjusted such that it is extended from back section 206 in order to support a tall client as he or she sits in apparatus. For example, shafts 702 can be attached to headrest 220 and inserted into holes on the top of back section 212 . In at least one embodiment, headrest 220 can be removed from back section 212 .
[0055] FIG. 8 shows an example side view of front portion of frame 122 with an exemplary rotatable assembly that can be used to lift leg section 202 . While the following discussion will focus on the left side of the apparatus, one of skill in the art can appreciate that the right side can have similar features. Leg support 202 can be coupled to leg frame 804 . Leg frame 804 can be made from any suitable material such as wood or steel. In an exemplary embodiment, leg frame 804 can be rotatably coupled to leg plate 802 , which can also be made from any suitable material such as wood or steel. As illustrated more clearly in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the proximal end of leg plate 802 can be gear-shaped and held in place by a spring pin assembly 818 . The spring pin can be contracted to allow for leg plate 802 to rotate about axle pin 814 in a plane parallel to the transverse plane.
[0056] Leg plate 802 can be coupled to the front top portion of frame 122 via axle pin 814 that extends through frame 122 and is coupled to a top portion of circular support 812 . As described in more detail in FIGS. 13 and 14 , the circular support 812 can rotate about axle 814 . The top portion of rear bracket 810 can be attached to the bottom portion of circular member 812 . Hydraulic system 806 can be coupled via an axle to the rear portion of rear bracket 810 . In this configuration, and described in more detail in FIGS. 13 and 14 , when leg plate 802 is rotated in a plane parallel to the transverse plane, axle 814 can rotate rear bracket 810 , which in turn rotates hydraulic system 806 .
[0057] Continuing with the description of FIG. 8 , shaft 808 with a bracket attached to the end 808 can be configured to extend from hydraulic system 806 in order to raise leg frame 804 from the position shown in FIG. 8 to the position shown in, for example, FIG. 2 . As shown in the figure, the proximal portion of shaft 808 can be operatively coupled to the hydraulic system and the distal end can be rotatably coupled to leg frame 804 via an axle. In an alternative embodiment, hydraulics system can be reversed such that the shaft can engage the rear bracket 810 instead of the leg frame 804 . A release lever 820 can be used to configure hydraulics assembly 806 to extend or contract shaft 808 .
[0058] Turning to FIG. 9 , it illustrates a side view of the apparatus in the chair configuration. In the exemplary embodiment, the front portion of frame 122 has an attached rotatable assembly in the same configuration as it is illustrated in FIG. 8 . In operation, a tattoo artist can engage release lever 820 , which can be used to configure hydraulics assembly 806 to extend or contract shaft 808 that can raise or lower leg frame 804 (thereby raising or lowering leg section 202 ) from a position generally perpendicular to the transverse plane to a position generally parallel to the transverse plane. When moved into the bed configuration, leg section 202 can be generally flush with seat section 206 (similar to how leg sections 202 and 204 are illustrated in FIG. 2 ).
[0059] Turning to FIG. 10 , it is a view from the underside of the front portion of frame 122 illustrating how exemplary arm assemblies 112 can be coupled to frame 122 in an exemplary embodiment. In this embodiment, the bottom of the frame 122 can include one or more downward extending members 1002 coupled to a horizontal tubular rail 110 . On each end of the horizontal tubular rail 110 , openings can receive the proximal ends of two shafts 1004 that are part of the arm assemblies 112 . In the illustrated example, the tubular rail can be mounted such that the two shafts 1004 can be independently extended in a direction away from the midsagittal plane of the apparatus. That is, the two shafts 1004 can be linearly extended and contracted in the transverse plane. The two shafts 1004 can include vertically extending holes that can be used to secure arm bar assemblies to frame 122 . In an exemplary embodiment, screw clamps 1006 can be used to secure the position of shafts 1004 and in at least one embodiment, shafts 1004 can be detached completely. In an exemplary embodiment, horizontal tubular rail 110 can be cylindrical and the horizontal shafts can be rotated within the tubular rail in order to adjust the position of the arm assemblies 112 . In this example, shafts 1004 can include a plurality of holes separated from each other not only horizontally, but also around the housing of the cylindrical horizontal shafts. In this configuration, screw claims 1006 could be used to secure arm bar assemblies from rotating about an axis parallel to the frontal and transverse planes and linearly moving in the transverse plane. For example, in this configuration arm assemblies 112 could be independently rotated 360 degrees within the tubular rail through a plane parallel to the transverse plane of the apparatus.
[0060] Continuing with the description of FIG. 10 , the distal ends of the horizontal shafts 1004 can include support plates 1010 coupled to vertical shafts 1008 via an axle attached to tension levers 1014 , which can be used to lock the vertical shafts 1008 in position. The tension levers 1014 can be used to release the pressure holding vertical shafts 1008 such that the vertical shafts 1008 can be moved in a linear vertical direction perpendicular to the transverse plane of the apparatus. That is, arm assemblies 112 can be raised or lowered by adjusting the position of the vertical shafts 1008 .
[0061] Turning now to FIG. 11 , it illustrates the left side of the apparatus with the legs removed in order to illustrate the left arm assembly. As shown by the figure, arm section 206 can be coupled to vertical shaft 1008 via bracket 1102 . In an exemplary embodiment, bracket 1102 can be configured to rotate arm section 206 through a plane parallel to the transverse plane. In an exemplary embodiment, bracket 1102 can be configured to rotate from a position generally parallel with a plane parallel to the transverse plane of the apparatus 45 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise. Or put another way, bracket 1102 can rotate about an axis parallel to the transverse and frontal planes. In this embodiment, a hole can be drilled through shaft 1008 and an axle bolt can couple bracket 1102 to shaft 1008 . The position of arm section 206 can be secured by a tension lever coupled to a plate via an axle bolt. When the lever is opened, the pressure on bracket 1102 can be released so arm section 206 can be moved.
[0062] An exploded view of an exemplary arm assembly is shown in FIG. 12 . In this embodiment, shaft 1008 is shown coupled to horizontal shaft 1004 via support plates 1010 . One support plate 1010 can be fixed to the distal end of the horizontal shaft 1004 and the other can be secured to it by bolts and tension applied by tension lever 1014 . In this example, the plates can be curved so as to define a tube for vertical shaft 1008 to be inserted. The vertical position of vertical shaft 1008 can be adjusted and the tension lever 1014 can be used to lock the vertical shaft in position. In addition, when vertical shaft 1008 is generally circular, vertical shaft 1008 can be rotated about an axis passing through the middle of vertical shaft 1008 . In this example, arm section 208 can be rotated 360 degrees in the tube defined by plates 1010 .
[0063] Bracket 1102 can be coupled to one end of vertical shaft 1008 via an axle bolt and a tension lever 1202 . In this example, the distal end of the bracket 1102 can include a plate 1204 configured to secure arm section 208 . For example, arm section 208 could be coupled to the distal plate 1204 via a bolt. The proximal end of bracket 1102 can be curved to allow for rotational motion about the axle pin securing it to vertical shaft 1008 . In operation, a tattoo artist could release tension lever 1202 thereby allowing bracket 1102 to rotate; position the bracket; and use the tension lever 1202 to lock bracket 1102 into position.
[0064] Referring now to FIG. 13 , illustrated is an alternative configuration for back section 212 . This exemplary configuration can be used when back section 212 is configured to rotate from a chair configuration to a position substantially 30 degrees from the transverse plane. Thus, back section 212 may not fully recline into the bed configuration in this embodiment. As illustrated by FIG. 13 , in this exemplary embodiment, arm frame sections 1302 and 1304 can be rotatably coupled to back section 212 . Arm sections similar to arm sections 208 and 210 can be attached to arm frame sections 1302 and 1304 . However, in this example, the arm sections can encircle the arm frame sections 1302 and 1304 and can include cushioning for both a top side and a bottom side. As shown by the figure, arm frame sections 1302 and 1304 can be independently rotated from a first position whereby arm frame sections 1302 and 1304 can be used as supports for a person sitting with his or her back against back section 212 clockwise 180 degrees about an axis parallel to both the frontal plane and transverse plane to a second position whereby the arm sections 1302 and 1304 can be used as supports for a person straddling back section 212 .
[0065] Turning to FIG. 14 , illustrated are exemplary components for attaching arm frame support 1302 to back section 212 . For example, support plate 1402 can be secured to back section 212 via one or more screws. Circular shaft 1404 can be operatively attached to support plate 1402 , e.g. it could be welded to support plate 1402 . In this example the proximal portion of arm frame support can be operatively coupled, e.g., welded, to a cylindrical tube 1406 . The cylindrical tube 1406 can be inserted into circular shaft 1404 .
[0066] Referring to FIG. 15 , shown is cylindrical tube 1406 detached from circular shaft 1404 . In the illustrated embodiment, the male connection of circular shaft can include hexagon shaped rotating member 1504 . The end that is visible in FIG. 15 can mate with a female end within cylindrical tube 1406 . Hexagon shaped rotating end 1504 can be threaded to receive screw 1502 to secure cylindrical tube 1406 to circular shaft 1404 . The other portion of hexagon shaped rotating member 1504 can extend within circular shaft 1404 and have a tooth that engages with a housing within circular shaft 1404 that prevents hexagon shaped rotating end 1504 from rotating more than 180 degrees.
[0067] Turning now to FIG. 16 , illustrated is a top view of the left front portion of frame 122 and an exemplary rotatable assembly. In an embodiment, frame 122 can have a “T” shaped front portion configured to support leg plate 802 . The proximal end of leg plate 802 is shown to include a gear-like end that includes one or more gear teeth 1602 . Spring pin assembly 818 can be configured to position a pin such that it engages a space in between two teeth herein referred to as a groove. In this exemplary configuration, the pin can be used to secure the position of leg pate 802 such that it will prevent leg plate 802 from rotating. In the instance where a tattoo artist wants to adjust the position of the leg sections in order to, for example, tattoo a client's inner thigh, the tattoo artist can pull on a handle attached to the distal end of spring pin assembly 818 to disengage the pin from a groove and pull on lever arm 820 to rotate leg frame 804 from the position illustrated in FIG. 13 to the position illustrated in FIG. 14 . The tattoo artist can release the handle of the spring pin assembly 818 and the spring can force the pin to engage a groove thereby locking leg frame 804 into position. In an exemplary embodiment, the gear-like portion of leg plate 802 can include, for example, 5 teeth spaced such that each groove can lock leg frame 804 in increments of 20 degrees about an axis parallel to the frontal and midsagittal planes. In an exemplary embodiment, each groove can be used to lock leg frame 804 at 15, 35, 55, 75, and 90 degrees from the midsagittal plane of the apparatus. One skilled in the art can appreciate that the number of teeth and the spacing of them is variable and that while one embodiment is illustrated it is contemplated that any number of teeth and any spacing can be used.
[0068] Turning now to FIG. 17 , illustrated is the exemplary apparatus in the chair configuration with the exemplary rotatable assembly configured such that the left leg is about 75 degrees from the midsagittal plane.
[0069] FIG. 18 shows the exemplary apparatus in the chair configuration with leg sections 202 and 204 rotated into a position whereby they are generally perpendicular to the midsagittal plane. In this example, vertical shafts 1008 and arm sections 208 and 210 have been removed. This exemplarily embodiment can be used to tattoo the lower back portion of a client. For example, the client can straddle back section 212 by placing his or her legs through the cuts that define leg openings 602 and 604 . The tattoo artist can use hydraulics system 306 to raise or lower the position of seat section 206 to place the client's lower back in a position where it is comfortable for the tattoo artist to work and comfortable for the client. In this exemplary embodiment, client can lean forward and rest his or her chest on the padded top portion of back section 212 . This action causes the skin of the client's back to naturally stretch thereby aiding the tattoo artist in the application of a tattoo. The tattoo artist can also rotate the apparatus into the illustrated position in order to move his or her chair closer to the client. That is, the tattoo artist can roll a chair in between stabilizer plate sections 304 .
[0070] While particular aspects of the present subject matter described herein have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that, based upon the teachings herein, changes and modifications may be made without departing from the subject matter described herein and its broader aspects and, therefore, the appended claims are to encompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as are within the true spirit and scope of the subject matter described herein.
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An apparatus that supports a person in a variety of positions so that a tattoo artist can comfortably apply a tattoo to the skin of the supported person is herein disclosed. The apparatus can be articulated to cause a person's legs and arms to be optimally positioned and supported to receive a tattoo.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] This invention relates to methods for reducing the symptoms of allergic reactions using electrical energy stimulation. More particularly, this invention relates to applying low amperage, pulsed electrical energy having a controlled frequency to acupuncture meridians to reduce the symptoms of allergies.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Some ancient, traditional, and present Eastern health and medical practices involve the concept and theory of an invisible life-energy that permeates the environment, and circulates in the human body via a system of channels and gateways. This invisible life-energy is called “qi” or “chi”. Certain Eastern medical treatments involve delivering and improving the flow of this life-energy to the ill. One such example is acupuncture, which uses acupuncture needles punctured through a patient's skin to gateways to his or her life-energy channels to derive energy from the environment to unblock the patient's blockage in his life-energy flow.
[0003] Traditional Chinese acupuncture is widely practiced all over the world for enhancing health and treating illnesses. To practice acupuncture, the practitioner inserts small gauge needles through skin, ranging from approximately 2 mm to 2.5 cm deep, into specific sets of points in a system of meridians. The acupuncture treatment is based on twelve meridians on each side of the body and two master meridians along the center line of the body. These meridians are channels where life-energy circulates. Each meridian contains from about twenty-five to about one-hundred fifty acupuncture points. The points where the acupuncture needles are inserted are the specific sites located in the superficial cutaneous layer generally beneath the surface skin, and above the muscle regions, through which the life-energy is gated to the body surface. External energy can be gated into the meridians to help open blocked life-energy flow.
[0004] The acupuncture needles used in traditional acupuncture are very fine, requiring accurate location and depth insertion to produce effective results, and to not accidentally insert the needles into a nerve, a blood vessel, or a wrong point, causing pain, bleeding, and/or undesirable results. These risks make the practice of traditional acupuncture difficult to master, and patients reluctant to visit an acupuncturist. Recently, acupuncture practitioners have turned to the use of electrical energy instead of needles. The use of electrical energy has the advantage of being non-invasive. This is particularly advantageous for those individuals who are concerned about the use of needles in the procedure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with the present invention, the method is carried out using a device capable of generating and transmitting pulsed electrical energy. Suitable devices include the Pointer Plus Excel 11 , the Pointer Plus, and the Pointer Plus SP4, all available from Med Servi-Systems of Canada. Other devices include the GSR 120 manufactured by Biophysica Research of Oakville, Ontario, Canada, the Medipoint Electro-acupuncture unit, manufactured by Good Health Naturally of the United Kingdom and the Healthpoint Electro-acupuncture unit, manufactured by Good Health Naturally of the United Kingdom. These devices are capable of transmitting cyclical electrical energy in the preferred form of a positive square wave spike of 4 . 5 volts followed by a negative wave spike of 4.5 volts directly onto various acupuncture points on the body to stimulate and clear any blockages in energy. As used herein frequency refers to one complete cycle of a positive electrical polarity followed by negative electrical polarity. The frequency of the electrical energy could be, for example, in the range of 1 to 200 hertz.
[0006] To practice the method, the patient is exposed to the allergenic substance in containers such as glass vials. The allergenic substances used will depend on the particular allergy of the patient and may include foods such as nuts, seeds, milk products, wheat products, pollen, pet dander, dust, mold or chemicals, as well as many other potential allergens. The containers containing the allergens are preferably closed and placed on the abdomen of the patient, or on the witness plate of the GSR-120 BIE Unit at the start of the procedure. The probe and grounding bar of the electrical stimulation device are touched together and the probe sensitivity is set to the desired sensitivity, preferably to the level 10 . The polarity of the device should be set to bipolar and the frequency modulation should be turned on. The electrical stimulus device is set to the desired amperage and frequency. Preferably, the amperage is 0.5 micro amps and the frequency is around 10 Hz. During the procedure, it is desirable to have the patient hold a grounding bar to ensure that the electrical current passes through the patient. The electrical stimulus is applied to acupuncture meridian points at the same time that vials containing the allergens are in contact with the patient's body, or on the witness plate of the GSR-120 BIE Unit. The transmission of the electrical energy into the body through the meridian points clears blockages in the flow of life-energy. The electrical signal acts as a carrier for the natural frequency of the allergen. Thus, as the blockages are being cleared, simultaneously the cells are being exposed to the natural frequency of the allergen, carried by the electrical signal, therefore reprogramming the cell to accept the natural frequency of the allergen.
[0007] In one preferred method, the following steps are performed. The vials containing an allergen are placed near or on the patient's skin, preferably in the area of the abdomen. The device is set to the desired settings such as, for example, 4.5 volts, 0.5 micro amps and 10 Hz. Preferably, the device is first applied to the patient's first meridian point BL1 (near the eye). If using the Pointer Plus Excel II, or the Healthpoint/Medipoint, the meridian point's exact location is pinpointed when the device emits a high pitched tone. The electrical stimulus should be applied for at least twenty seconds at each meridian point. Next, the process is repeated for the opposite BL1 point. The stimulus is then applied to the L120 point (upper lip at side of nose) on both sides of the face. Next, the stimulus is applied for twenty seconds to each of the following pairs of points: SP1 points (big toe), ST45 points (2nd toe), BL67 points (little toe), KI1 points (plantar) KI27 points (chest) and SP21 points (midway between armpit and elbow on side of ribcage).
EXAMPLE 1
[0008] The procedure was performed on a male patient aged 34, from the town of Simcoe, Ontario, Canada. The patient was suffering from an allergy to wheat and baker's yeast. The patient was treated by the method of electrical stimulation of the meridian points according to the invention. His meridian points were stimulated with electrical energy of 0.5 micro amperes at a frequency of 10 Hz. His symptoms of allergy to wheat and baker's yeast were completely eliminated.
EXAMPLE 2
[0009] The procedure was also performed on a female patient aged 49, from the town of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada. The patient was suffering from an allergy to gluten. The patient was treated by the method of electrical stimulation of the meridian points according to the invention. Her meridian points were stimulated with electrical energy of 0.5 amperes at a frequency of 10 Hz. Her symptoms of allergy to gluten were completely eliminated.
DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a device used in connection with the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the device of FIG. 1 showing an allergen in the device;
[0012] FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of a second device used in connection with the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 4 is an illustration of a face of a patient showing two meridian points;
[0014] FIG. 5 is an illustration of a face of a patient showing two meridian points;
[0015] FIG. 6 is an illustration of a face of a patient showing two meridian points;
[0016] FIG. 7 is an illustration of a side of a patient showing a meridian point;
[0017] FIG. 8 is an illustration of a foot of a patient showing three meridian points;
[0018] FIG. 9 is an illustration of a foot of a patient showing a meridian point;
[0019] FIG. 10 is an illustration of a leg of a patient showing a meridian point;
[0020] FIG. 11 is an illustration of a hand of a patient showing a meridian point; and
[0021] FIG. 12 is an illustration of a patient showing meridian points.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0022] FIGS. 1-12 illustrate the method of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1 , the procedure is performed using a device 60 capable of generating and transmitting pulsed electrical energy of, preferably, 4.5 volts, 0.5 micro amps and cycled at 10 Hz, although other combinations will also work. The method is carried out using the device 60 , which generates and transmits low frequency, low voltage, and low amperage electrical energy directly onto various acupuncture points on the body to stimulate and clear any blockages in life-energy. The device 60 includes controls 62 , 64 and 66 to set the frequency, micro current intensity and probe sensitivity, respectively. The device 60 includes a base frequency toggle switch 61 , which allows the device to be set at 100 Hz or 200 Hz. Preferably, the device is set to 100 Hz. The device 60 also includes a frequency modulation toggle switch 63 which with on and off positions. The frequency modulation toggle switch 63 should be set to “on”. The device 60 also has a unipolar/bipolar toggle switch 65 which should be set to the bipolar setting. The device 60 also includes a display screen 72 for providing information about the settings of the device 60 . The operator (not shown) selects the desired settings for sub-frequency, micro current intensity, and probe sensitivity using the controls 62 , 64 and 66 , respectively. For example, the amperage may be set to 2 micro amps and the sub-frequency may be set to 10 Hz. The device 60 has a probe 68 which emits the electrical signal. The patient 10 holds a grounding bar 78 to ensure that the electrical current passes through the patient 10 ( FIG. 12 ). A foot petal 80 is depressed to start the generation of electrical energy. When the petal 80 is released, the electrical energy is no longer generated.
[0023] In a second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2 , an allergen 90 is placed on a witness plate 92 of the device 60 . The witness plate 92 is an aluminum plate on which the allergen 90 is placed.
[0024] In a third embodiment, a handheld device 100 is used, as shown in FIG. 3 . The operation of the handheld device 100 is similar to that of the device 60 . The controls 102 , 104 and 106 set the frequency, probe sensitivity and micro current intensity, respectively. The device 100 contains a probe 110 and an extension probe 112 . The device 100 also includes an on/off button 114 to start and stop the generation of electrical energy. The device 100 also includes a ground plate 116 to ground the device 100 .
[0025] The electrical stimulus is applied to acupuncture meridian points on the patient 10 . The transmission of the electrical energy into the body through the meridian points clears blockages in the flow of life energy. As the blockages are being cleared, simultaneously the cells are being exposed to the natural frequency of the allergens in a vial 12 , placed, preferably, on the abdomen 14 of the patient; the vial contains an allergen 18 having a natural frequency. The natural frequency of the allergen 18 is picked up by the electrical signal acting as a carrier for the natural frequency of the allergen 18 and reprogramming the cell to accept this frequency
[0026] The electrical stimulus may be applied to various acupuncture meridian points selected by the practitioner. In one preferred method, the following steps are performed. While the patient is holding the grounding bar 78 , the probe 68 of the device 60 is first applied to the patient's BL1 meridian point 20 ( FIG. 4 ). The BL1 meridian point's exact location is pinpointed when the device 60 emits a high pitched tone. The electrical stimulus should be applied for at least twenty seconds at this point 20 . Next, the process is repeated for the opposite BL1 meridian point 22 . The stimulus, through the probe 68 , is then applied to the L120 meridian point 24 ( FIG. 5 , upper lip at side of nose) and the opposite L120 meridian point 26 . Next, the stimulus, through the probe 68 , is applied for twenty seconds to each of the following points: left and right SP1 meridian points 28 and 30 ( FIGS. 8 and 12 , big toe), left and right ST45 meridian points 32 and 34 points ( FIGS. 8 and 12 , 2nd toe), left and right BL67 meridian points 36 and 38 ( FIGS. 8 and 12 , little toe), left and right KI1 meridian points 40 and 42 ( FIG. 9 and 12 , plantar), left and right KI27 meridian points 44 and 46 ( FIG. 6 , chest) and left and right SP2 meridian points 48 and 50 ( FIGS. 7 and 12 , midway between armpit and elbow on side of ribcage). To complete the process, the stimulus, through probe 68 can also be applied to the left and right SP9 meridian points 52 and 54 ( FIGS. 10 and 12 ) and the left and right triple warmer points 56 and 58 ( FIGS. 11 and 12 ).
[0027] It will be understood by those of skill in the art that it is possible to make variations in electrical current, voltage and frequency as well as variations in the selection of meridian points and still achieve the same results.
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A method of reducing the symptoms of allergy including exposing the patient to the allergenic substance in containers and applying an electrical stimulus device to acupuncture meridian points on the patient's body to clear blockages in the flow of life-energy of the patient. The electrical signal acts as a carrier for the natural frequency of the allergen, exposing the patient to the natural frequency of the allergen, carried by the electrical signal.
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This is a Divisional application of Ser. No. 647,544, filed Sept. 5, 1984, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,604,231.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to silicon fiber and its manufacturing method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In recent years carbon fiber having a (CH 2 ) m (where m>1) has been employed for various purposes.
However, the carbon fiber is electrically insulating, and hence is not used for utilization of electrical conductive, rectifying and amplifying properties.
Further, the carbon fiber is relatively poor in heat resistance, and hence is not used in atmospheres above 500° C.
For the reasons given above, there are severe limitations on the broadening of its application to the field of electronics engineering.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a novel silicon fiber the application of which can be broadened to the field of electronics.
The silicon fiber of the present invention has a structure expressed by (SiF 2 ) n (where n>1). Such a silicon fiber has higher heat resistance than does the above said carbon fiber.
The silicon fiber of the present invention permits the doping, to a high concentration, of a P-type impurity and/or N-type impurity which is widely used in the manufacture of a semiconductor device utilizing silicon. Therefore, the entire or a selected region of the fiber can be made electrically conductive or P- or N-type in the direction of its diameter along the entire or a selected length of the fiber.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The accompanying sheet of a drawing is a schematic diagram illustrating an apparatus for the fabrication of the (SiF 2 ) n fiber of the present invention, explanatory of the fiber and its manufacturing method according to present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawing, the (SiF 2 ) n fiber of the present invention will hereinafter be described in connection with its manufacturing method.
A number of silicon ingots 2 of high purity and each having a size of about 0.1 to 1.1 cm 3 are placed in a chamber 1 of a transparent ceramic material at one half portion lengthwise thereof. The region 3 in which the silicon ingots 2 are housed is defined by ceramic meshs 4 and 4'. The silicon ingot housing region 3 is heated up to a high temperature above 1000 C., for example, 1150 C., by a heater 5 disposed on the outside of the chamber 1.
The silicon ingot housing region 3 is connected through an external pipe 6, valve means 7 and a flowmeter 8 from the end of the chamber 1 on the side of the region 3 to a fluorine material gas source 9 and another hydrogen, SiCl 4 gas or like material or carrier gas source 10.
In the chamber 1 there is disposed a ceramic plate 12 having many 1 mm or less diameter pores 11 in a manner to define between it and the mesh 4 a central space region 21 for creating an (SiF 2 ) n .
The central space region 21 is held at a temperature in the range of 300 to -182 C., in particular, between room temperature and -77 C., by thermo control means 22, such as heating means, cooling means and temperature maintaining means, disposed around the chamber 1.
The central space region 21 is connected via an external pipe 24, a valve 25 and a flowmeter 26 to a P-type impurity material gas source 27, an N-type impurity material gas source 28 and a hydrogen or like carrier gas source 29.
The central space region 21 is supplied, as required, with high-frequency power from a high-frequency coil 23 disposed around the chamber 1 and connected to a high-frequency source 24.
A fiber forming space region 30 is defined in the chamber 1 adjacent to the space region 11 on the opposite side from the silicon ingot housing region 3. The fiber forming space region 30 is connected to exhaust means (a pump) 33 through extension pipe means 31 and valve means 32 extending from the space region 30 on the opposite side from the space region 21.
At first, hydrogen gas from the gas source 10 is introduced into the chamber 1 fron the side of the silicon ingot housing region 3 while evacuating the chamber 1 by means of the pump 33. By this, oxides on the surfaces of the silicon ingots 2 are removed by deoxidization, and at the same time, the interior of the chamber 1 is cleaned.
Next, SiF 4 gas from the fluorine gas source 9 is introduced into the chamber 1 from the side of the region 3 at a flow rate of 100 to 1000 cc/min. In this case, fluorine gas in the SiF 4 gas is decomposed and reacts with silicon of the silicon ingots 2, forming SiF 2 gas in the region 3. The SiF 2 gas is introduced into the central region 21, wherein (SiF 2 ) (where n>1) having a high molecular structure is created. The creation of the (SiF 2 ) is promoted by a high frequency having a 13.56 MHz frequency and a 0.001 to 20 W power, supplied from the high-frequency coil 23.
The (SiF 2 ) created in the central region 21 flows through the pores 11 into the fiber forming region 30. In this process, a long and 1 mm or less diameter (SiF 2 ) n fiber 40 is formed.
By introducing into the central region 21 the P-type impurity from the P-type impurity gas source 27, for example, diborane (B 2 H 6 ) gas, and/or the N-type impurity from the N-type impurity gas source 28, for example, phosphine (PH 3 ) gas, while controlling their quantities and the time for their introduction, it is possible to introduce the P-type and/or the N-type impurity into the (SiF 2 ) n fiber 40 throughout it or locally. Accordingly, the (SiF 2 ) fiber 40 can be made to be conductive or have a PN junction or PIN junction as in the case of a semiconductor device.
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A silicon fiber which has a structure expressed by (SiF 2 ) n where n is greater than 1 and where the fiber may be 1 mm or less in diameter.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application claims the benefits under 35 U.S.C. § 19(e) of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/393,180 filed Jul. 1, 2002, entitled NON-CONTACT SAFETY SYSTEM in the name of Bearge Miller, Norman K. Miller, Michael Anderson, Kenneth Mowrer, Timothy Castello, Gary Leigh, and Raymond Sipple.
[0002] U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/393,180, filed Jul. 1, 2002, is hereby incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0003] The present invention relates to a safety system for an automatic door or gate and, more particularly, to a non-contact switch and related circuitry for use in such a safety system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0004] Automatic doors that are opened and closed by an electric motor are well-known. It is desirable to have a safety system that stops or reverses the direction of travel of the door when an object is in the path of travel of the door.
[0005] Safety systems that utilize contact or pressure-activated switches located on the leading edge of an automatic door are also known in the industry. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,396,010 to Woodward et al. discloses a safety edge switch that extends longitudinally along the entire length of the leading edge of the door. The edge switch consists of an electrode array having a plurality of spaced apart electrically conductive bridging members. The edge switch is normally in the closed figuration. When the leading edge of the door (and thus the edge switch) engages an object, the conductive bridging members separate, thereby breaking electrical contact (in effect opening the switch) and sending a signal back to the motor that controls the door. When the motor receives this signal it reverses the direction of travel of the door.
[0006] Many of the edge or sensing switches that have been developed prior to the present invention rely on flexible covers and deformable foam located inside the flexible material. Over time, and because many doors are located outside, the weather and elements take its toll on the flexible material and the foam. In the aforementioned patent to Woodward, the switch is normally closed. If water is allowed to seep inside or if there is a deterioration of the outer flexible housing, the switch will stay closed even when the door engages an object. If the switch cannot open, no signal can be sent to the motor to reverse the direction of travel of the door which would negate the purpose of having a safety system.
[0007] Other safety systems have utilized an electric eye (i.e., light beam) system. The electric eye system is fixedly mounted on the tracks of the overhead door; a transmitter is positioned on one track while a receiver is positioned on the other track. A control circuit is usually positioned next to the door. The transmitter and receiver are located just inches off the floor.
[0008] A beam of light is transmitted from the transmitter to the receiver. If the beam of light is interrupted (e.g., by a person walking or placing an object in the beam), the control circuit senses the interruption and sends a signal to turn the motor off or to reverse the direction of travel of the motor, thereby stopping the door from hitting the person or object that broke the beam Some drawbacks of an electric eye system are that the transmitter and receiver are exposed. Because of the position of the transmitter and receiver proximate the ground, they are easy targets to be stepped on or kicked; at the very least, the transmitter/receiver become mis-aligned and, sometimes, are damaged. Further, a person may step over the light beam or an object may straddle the light beam without interrupting it, in which case the safety system is not triggered while the person or object is still in the path of the moving door.
[0009] U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,658 to Peelle et al. discloses an optical system mounted on the door. A transmitter and a receiver are mounted on T-shaped shoes. The shoes are designed to slide in C-shaped channels. A C-shaped channel is positioned and attached on each side of the door.
[0010] In the Peelle system, the transmitter and receiver are not protected, thereby increasing the possibility that they may be bumped. Also, dirt and grime may accumulate in the exposed C-shaped channels restricting the movement of the T-shaped shoes. Finally, the length of the T-shaped shoes limit the size and type of door on which this safety system may operate. If the system is to be used for large or heavy doors, the length of the C-shaped channels and T-shaped shoes may be prohibitive because they must be long enough to compensate for the overtravel of the door. (The “overtravel” is defined as the distance the door continues to travel after the motor controlling the movement of the door receives a signal to stop or reverse direction. The overtravel is caused by the inertia of the door.)
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention consists of two telescoping, spring-loaded legs—one each located along side of an automatic door. An optical sensing/detection system is located on the ends of the legs. The optical sensing system creates a light beam at a desired distance in front of the leading edge of the door. This distance is at least as great as the overtravel of the door. Before the leading edge of the door can physically engage an object, the beam is broken, a signal is sent to the controlling motor and the door either stops or reverses direction.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0012] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form a part of the specification, illustrate the embodiments of the present invention and, together with the following description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in the drawings embodiments which are presently preferred, it being understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific instrumentality or the precise arrangement of elements or process steps disclosed.
[0013] In the drawings:
[0014] FIG. 1A is a front plan view of the safety system in accordance with the present invention mounted on a overhead door;
[0015] FIG. 1B is a front plan view of the safety system illustrated in FIG. 1A with the overhead door fully closed;
[0016] FIG. 2A is a side view of a two-segment spring-loaded leg;
[0017] FIG. 2B is a fragmentary view of an adjacent side of the spring-loaded leg illustrated in FIG. 2A ;
[0018] FIG. 3A is a side view of the three-segment spring-loaded leg;
[0019] FIG. 3B is a fragmentary view of an adjacent side of the spring-loaded leg of FIG. 3A ;
[0020] FIG. 3C is a reduced scale view of the leg illustrated in FIG. 3A ;
[0021] FIG. 3D is a reduced scale view of the leg illustrated in FIG. 3B ;
[0022] FIG. 4A is a side view of a three-segment spring-loaded leg in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;
[0023] FIG. 4B is a fragmentary view of an adjacent side of the leg illustrated in FIG. 4A ;
[0024] FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the general operations performed by the control circuit;
[0025] FIG. 6 is an alternate embodiment adapted for use with elevator doors; and
[0026] FIG. 7 is an alternate embodiment adapted for use with a gate.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0027] In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention, specific terminology will be selected for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents that operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.
[0028] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which the non-contact safety edge system in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated at 10 .
[0029] The present invention is designed to be used with various automatic doors and gates and is adaptable so that it may be used with almost any automatic door or gate currently sold.
[0030] In an automatic door 90 , an electric motor 92 communicates with the door via a chain or wire rope. When the motor rotates in one direction, the door moves to a fully closed position; when the motor rotates in the opposite direction, the door moves to a fully open position. The motor 92 may include a switch to stop its rotation thereby stopping the door at a position somewhere between its fully open and fully closed positions.
[0031] It is known to connect a safety system to the motor 92 that drives the door. The motor 92 either stops or reverses direction when it receives a signal from a switch or other safety circuit that senses an object in the path of travel of the door.
[0032] Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B , the non-contact safety edge system 10 is illustrated in connection with a typical overhead door 90 . (In these drawings, the view is looking at the overhead door from the inside of the building.) First spring-loaded leg 12 is attached on the left side of the overhead door 90 and second spring-loaded leg 14 is attached to the right side of the door 90 . It will be apparent to those skilled in the art, after reading this detailed description, that the first and second legs may be mounted on either side of the door to accommodate a particular door or situation.
[0033] As illustrated in FIG. 1A , both legs are in their fully extended position when the door 90 is fully open or partially open. When the door 90 is completely closed (i.e., the leading edge of the door engages the floor, as shown in FIG. 1B ) the spring-loaded legs 12 , 14 are fully retracted. Depending on the actual length of the spring-loaded legs 12 , 14 , the type and size of door, and the proximity of the door to the floor, the spring-loaded legs may be partially extended when the door 90 is completely closed.
[0034] As illustrated, the extension of the spring-loaded legs are substantially equal as the door moves through its entire cycle. This allows the length of the first leg 12 to remain equal to the length of the second leg 14 , throughout the entire travel of the overhead door 90 . That is, the tip 42 of the first leg remains at the same distance in front of the leading edge of the door 90 as the tip 44 of the second leg—even if the legs are partially or fully retracted.
[0035] Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B , further details of the legs are shown. FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a two-segment leg. (The right leg 14 is actually illustrated, the left leg 12 being a mirror image.)
[0036] The legs 12 , 14 comprise a primary tube 16 and a secondary tube 18 . In one embodiment, both tubes 16 , 18 have a square cross-section; however, it would be clear to those skilled in the art that the shape of the tube is not particularly important and tubes having a circular, rectangular or other shaped cross-section may be used.
[0037] The outer dimension of the secondary tube 18 is slightly smaller than the inner dimension of the primary tube 16 . This allows the secondary tube 18 to slide into and out of the primary tube 16 and gives the legs a telescopic ability. As the automatic door 90 rises, the secondary tube 18 relies, at least partially, on gravity to extend outward from the primary tube 16 to achieve its full length.
[0038] Slot 32 in primary tube 16 communicates with pin 33 that is attached to secondary tube 18 . This pin/slot arrangement sets the minimum and maximum travel distance of secondary tube 18 with respect to primary tube 16 .
[0039] A compression spring 20 is located within the primary tube 16 and is of sufficient diameter that it does not enter the secondary tube 18 but can abut the end of the secondary tube 18 . The opposite end of the compression spring 20 engages a pin 13 . The compression spring 20 applies a positive pressure on the secondary tube 18 as it retracts and extends. The compression spring 20 needs only to be long enough to engage pin 13 and the end of secondary tube 18 when the door is completely closed and the legs 12 , 14 are fully retracted.
[0040] It is a feature of this invention that the secondary tube 18 is protected by the primary tube 16 . This ensures that the leg operation is smooth, resistant to dirt and other particles and virtually maintenance free. Although gravity is the primary force for keeping the legs extended and aligned, the spring(s) play an important role.
[0041] Over time, especially in industrial applications, dirt may accumulate on the secondary tube 18 and it may not slide as easily into primary tube 16 . If dirt does accumulate on the secondary tubes 18 , the springs ensure the operation of the telescoping legs by applying an initial force to move the retracted legs into their extended position.
[0042] The secondary tube 18 includes means 27 for mounting an optical system proximate the ends of each leg. The optical system comprises an optical transmitter 24 mounted on first leg 12 , an optical receiver 26 located on second leg 14 , both of which are electrically connected to an associated control circuit 28 . As illustrated, the mounting means 27 is a mounting hole through the secondary leg 18 . The hole allows wires to be threaded through the primary tube 16 and secondary tube 18 to be connected to the optical equipment.
[0043] Some embodiments of a spring-tensioned leg in accordance with the present invention may have a reinforced section 88 in which to mount the receiver or transmitter.
[0044] An advantage of using tubes 16 , 18 for the legs is that the electrical wires may be run through the middle of the legs to connect the transmitter 24 and the receiver 26 to the control circuit 28 . Also, the wires may be run through the interior of the compression springs 20 if desired. A more elaborate mounting means (including brackets, rubber holders, etc.) may be used when required.
[0045] In another embodiment, the optical transmitter and the optical receiver are both mounted on the first leg while a mirror is mounted on the second leg.
[0046] The primary tube 16 is fitted with brackets 22 as illustrated in FIG. 2A , for attaching the legs to the sides of the door 90 . (The brackets 22 may take the form of L-shaped pieces as shown, or rectangular bars having multiple mounting holes or slots to allow for more flexibility in attaching the leg to the door).
[0047] A feature of the present invention is that the mounting of the legs to the door is simple and inexpensive. Usually, a ruler and a screwdriver are the only tools needed to mount the legs (and sometimes not even a ruler is required). The simplicity of the mounting means virtually eliminates the need for aligning the receiver 26 with the transmitter 28 .
[0048] Hatch marks may be placed on both leg assemblies to help with aligning the transmitter/receiver (or the tip of the legs). The hatch marks may be etched into the outer surface of the legl assemblies or may be decals.
[0049] It may be desirable to cap the tips 44 of each leg with a plastic or rubber cap (not shown) to prevent damage to the floor as the legs engage the floor. The caps may also prevent damage or scratches to an object that is struck by a leg as the door descends.
[0050] Referring again to FIGS. 1A and 1B , the control circuit 28 is shown mounted on the door 90 . A coiled wire 94 provides the low power voltage to operate the control circuit 28 , the transmitter 28 and the receiver 26 ; the coiled wire also provides the electrical connection to allow the safety system to control the operation of the motor 92 .
[0051] The optical transmitter sends a light beam (preferably infrared) to the optical receiver. Depending on the length of the legs (i.e., the combined length of primary tube 16 and secondary tube 18 ), the light beam will precede the actual leading edge of the door 90 by a pre-determined distance. In the preferred embodiment, the predetermined distance is slightly longer than the overtravel of the door.
[0052] The light beam forms a constructive leading edge in front of the physical leading edge of the door. When an object breaks the light beam, the optical receiver 26 sends a signal to the control circuit which sends the appropriate signal to the motor 92 that controls movement of the door 90 . Depending on the situation, the motor 92 will then either stop immediately or reverse direction, thereby preventing the leading edge of the door from contacting the object. Note that even if the motor stops immediately, the inertia of the door will keep the door moving a certain distance (i.e., the overtravel).
[0053] In many industrial applications, the door is large and heavy. Once it begins moving, it has a relatively long overtravel when compared to smaller, lighter doors.
[0054] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate the basic operation of a two-segment telescoping leg. When the door 90 is open, gravity affects the secondary tubes 18 such that they are extended out from the primary tubes 16 . As the door closes and approaches the floor 95 , the tips 44 of the secondary tubes 18 engage the floor and the secondary tubes 18 retract inside the primary tubes 16 . Spring 20 provides the initial pressure to move the secondary tube 18 out from primary tube 16 . The springs and gravity continue acting on the secondary tubes until they are completely extended. This ensures the smooth deployment of secondary tubes 18 thereby ensuring that the optical transmitter in the first leg 12 remains aligned with the optical receiver in the second leg 14 .
[0055] Another feature of this invention is that the telescoping legs are not limited to two segments or sections. A three-segment, four segment, etc. telescoping leg can easily be developed. Each segment of the leg will have its own spring associated therewith. As explained previously, the springs ensure the smooth operation of each leg segment helping ensure that the ends of the legs (and thus the light beam) are always the same distance in front of the door.
[0056] A preferred embodiment utilizing three segments for each leg, is illustrated in FIGS. 3A-3D . In a three-segment leg, a middle tube 17 and a secondary tube 18 A telescopically nest within primary tube 16 A. A first compression spring 20 A ensures that middle tube 17 extends properly and a second compression spring 25 mounted within secondary tube 18 A ensures that secondary tube 18 A extends properly. As illustrated in FIG. 3D , the second compression spring 25 is squeezed between the interior end of secondary tube 18 A and set screw 50 . Set screw 50 communicates with slot 51 in secondary tube 18 A and has a length almost the entire diameter of secondary tube 18 A.
[0057] Set screw 50 serves two purposes; first, it determines the maximum travel of secondary tube 18 A (in conjunction with slot 51 ; and second, it provides a stop for compression spring 25 .
[0058] Similar to a two-segment telescoping leg, the tubes 16 A, 17 in a three-segment telescoping leg also act (i.e., extend) under the pull of gravity; however the springs 20 A, 25 also apply positive pressure on the telescoping tubes.
[0059] A feature of the present invention is that the legs 12 , 14 are designed sufficiently long to compensate for the overtravel of almost any door. If the overtravel of the door 90 is twelve inches, the tips 44 of both legs 12 , 14 should be the same distance in front of the leading edge of the door and, in this example, this distance should be greater than twelve inches when the door 90 is completely or partially opened. Therefore, in this example, a virtual leading edge would be created about thirteen inches in front of the actual leading edge. Only when the leading edge of the door comes within twelve inches of the floor will the legs 12 , 14 start to retract; however, the legs will retract in unison so that the tips of the legs will always remain the same distance before the leading edge of the door and the IR beam will not be broken as the legs retract (unless an object breaks the beam).
[0060] By designing the leg to have multiple segments, the physical profile of each leg (i.e., the primary tube 16 ) may be reduced. In one embodiment, it is desired to keep the primary tube 16 under eight inches in length. However, a three-segment leg may reach almost twenty-four inches when fully extended (i.e., primary tube 16 A is eight inches long, and middle tube 17 and the secondary tube 18 A are both approximately eight inches in length). This feature is important when considering the overtravel of the door. Since this safety system was designed to be used in industrial applications as well as residential applications, one size (e.g., an eight inch primary tube 16 A) will fit a majority of applications.
[0061] Similar to the function of the springs in a two-segment leg, an advantage of using compression springs is that if dirt accumulates on the primary surfaces of the telescoping tubes 17 , 18 A, the springs provide positive actuation to ensure that the legs extend and retract in unison.
[0062] Another embodiment of a three-segmented leg in accordance with the present invention is illustrated in FIGS. 4A and 4B . This embodiment of the leg is similar to the three-segment leg illustrated in FIGS. 3A and 3B . The receiver or transmitter is secured to opening 27 . The middle tube 67 and the secondary tube 68 telescopically slide inside primary tube 16 A. Compression spring 20 A abuts the end of middle tube 67 . Pin 33 is attached to middle tube 67 . Slot 44 in primary tube 16 A works in conjunction with pin 33 to guide middle tube 67 . The operation of middle tube 67 , pin 33 , slot 44 and primary tube 16 A is similar to corresponding elements illustrated in FIGS. 2A, 2B and 3 A through 3 D.
[0063] Compression spring 62 is located within middle tube 67 . When leg 14 C is compressed, compression spring 62 abuts against pin 33 and the top of secondary tube 68 .
[0064] Screw guide 61 communicates with slot 51 to limit the travel of secondary tube 68 . However, screw guide 61 does not extend the diameter of secondary tube 68 but only enough to guide and prevent secondary tube 68 from sliding completely out of middle tube 67 . In this manner, secondary tube 68 may be easily removed for maintenance, repair, cleaning, or exchange by removing one relatively short screw, namely screw guide 61 .
[0065] Since the secondary tubes 68 are the smallest in diameter, they would tend to wear out quicker than the larger diameter primary tubes 16 A. Repair and/or exchange of a secondary tube 68 is a simple matter of loosening one screw (i.e., screw guide 61 ), throwing the old or damaged secondary tube away, inserting a new tube and tightening the screw.
[0066] The control circuit 28 for the optical system may be mounted on the door (as illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B ) or on the wall proximate the door opening. The control circuit 28 is connected to the automatic door motor 92 via wire 94 , connected to the transmitter 24 via wire 35 , and connected to the receiver 26 via wire 36 . In a preferred embodiment, the wire 94 connecting the motor 92 to the control circuit 28 is coiled to allow the wire to contract when the control circuit 28 is close to the motor and to let the wire uncoil and stretch while the control circuit 28 moves farther away from the motor. When the light beam that extends between the transmitter and the receiver is interrupted, the control circuit 28 receives a signal from the receiver; the control circuit in turn sends a signal to the motor thereby stopping the motor or reversing the motor's direction (depending on how the system is set up).
[0067] There are a number of commercially available control systems that may be used in the present invention. However, it is desirable to have a control system that reduces EMF and IR noise that may accidentally trigger the control system especially in an industrial application. In particular, the present control system helps to reduce the number of incidents involving false positives and to increase the sensitivity of the safety system.
[0068] FIG. 5 is a flow chart indicating generally the commands carried out by a control circuit in accordance with the present invention. Upon startup, the control circuit is initialized. Signals are sent to the transmitter to set then to clear the transmitter. Once the transmitter is cleared, an infrared beam is sent by the transmitter to the receiver. The transmitter periodically transmits a train of pulses. The train consists of a pre-determined number of pulses. The pulse frequency must be fairly precise. The receiver responds by pulling the signal line low for the duration of the pulse train. A microprocessor checks to see if the signal line is low, if so a counter is decremented. If the pulse train is not detected (because of a system fault or because the IR beam has been occluded) the microprocessor increments a counter. Above a certain threshold, the microprocessor treats the event as an actual object in the path of the IR beam.
[0069] FIG. 6 is an alternative arrangement of the present system 10 used in connection with horizontally-moving doors as in an elevator. First door 96 and second door 97 each have their own non-contact safety system 10 . A pair of first legs 12 A, 12 B and a pair of second legs 14 A, 14 B are attached to the top and bottom of each door.
[0070] As illustrated in FIG. 6 , the length of the legs account for the overtravel of each door. The IR beams are positioned in front of the physical leading edge of the door by at least the distance of the overtravel of the door.
[0071] FIG. 7 is an alternative arrangement of the present system 10 used in connection with a vertical lift gate. If an object breaks the IR beam, the gate raises.
[0072] In most embodiments, the legs of the present invention are made of steel or aluminum. However, it would be evident to one skilled in the art, after reading this description, to replace certain elements with plastic, Teflon® or graphite parts. For example, by making secondary tube 68 out of plastic (see FIGS. 4A and 4B ), the manufacturing cost of each leg may be reduced. The selection of materials may also affect the sensitivity of the telescoping tubes. For example, Teflon or graphite tubes may more easily slide into and out of each other.
[0073] Although the leg assemblies are shown with the largest dimensioned tubes secured to the door, the transmitter/receiver attached to the smallest dimensioned tube, with the smaller dimensioned tubes moving into and out of the larger tubes, it may be desirable to have the smallest dimensioned tube connected to the door while the transmitter and receiver are attached to the largest dimensioned tubes (i.e., upside down from the leg assemblies illustrated in the attached Figures). For example, the smallest tube will be fitted with brackets 22 allowing the smallest tube to be attached to the door; the brackets may then also act as a stop to limit the telescopic nesting or distance the larger tubes slide over the smaller tubes.
[0074] Although this invention has been described and illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made which clearly fall within the scope of this invention. The present invention is intended to be protected broadly within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
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The present invention discloses a non-contact door safety system comprising two spring-loaded legs on either side of the door and a photo-optic system that creates a beam the desired distance in front of the leading edge of the door. The beam can be considered an imaginary leading edge of the door.
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This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §120 as a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/393,126, filed Sep. 10, 1999 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,023,833, entitled “Baseband Wireless Network for Isochronous Communication.”
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention pertains generally to network systems for exchanging data across a shared medium. More particularly, the invention is a wireless communication network system for isochronous data transfer between node devices of the network system that provides at least one master node device which manages the data transmission between slave node devices of the network system, and which further provides a time division multiple access frame definition which provides each node device on the network system a transmit time slot for communication.
THE PRIOR ART
Network systems for data communication exchange have been evolving for the past several decades. Particularly, computer network systems have been developed to exchange information and provide resource sharing. Network systems generally comprise one or more node devices which are interconnected and capable of communicating. The most common network systems today are “wired” local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WANs). Normally, node devices participating in such wired networks are physically connected to each other by a variety of transmission medium cabling schemes including twisted pair, coaxial cable, fiber optics and telephone systems including time division switches (T-1, (T-3), integrated services digital network (ISDN), and asymmetric digital subscriber line (ADSL). While wired solutions provide adequate bandwidth or data throughput between node devices on the network, users participating in such networks are generally restricted from mobility. Typically, users participating in a wired network are physically limited to a specific proximity by the length of the cable attached to the user's node device.
Many common network protocols in use today are asynchronous and packet based. One of the most popular is Ethernet or IEEE 802.3. These types of networks are optimized for bursts of packetized information with dynamic bandwidth requirements settled on-demand. This type of network works well for many data intensive applications in computer networks but is not ideal for situations requiring consistent delivery of time-critical data such as media streams.
Media streams typically require connection oriented real-time traffic. Most media stream applications need to establish a required level of service. Dedicated connections are required with a predictable throughput. Low traffic jitter is often a necessity and can be provided with the use of a common network clocking reference.
Fire wire, or IEEE 1394, is an emerging wireline network technology that is essentially asynchronous, but provides for isochronous transfers or “sub-actions”. Isochronous data is given priority, but consistent time intervals of data transfer is limited by mixing isochronous and purely asynchronous transfers.
Universal Serial Bus (USB) is a popular standard for computer peripheral connections. USB supports isochronous data transfer between a computer and peripheral devices. The computer serves as bus master and keeps the common clock reference. All transfers on USB must either originate or terminate at the bus master, so direct transfers between two peripheral devices is not supported.
Wireless transmission provides mobile users the ability to connect to other network devices without requiring a physical link or wire. Wireless transmission technology provides data communication through the propagation of electromagnetic waves through free space. Various frequency segments of the electromagnetic spectrum are used for such transmission including the radio spectrum, the microwave spectrum, the infrared spectrum and the visible light spectrum. Unlike wired transmission, which is guided and contained within the physical medium of a cable or line, wireless transmission is unguided, and propagates freely though air. Thus the transport medium air in wireless communication is always shared between various other wireless users. As wireless products become more pervasive, the availability of airspace for data communication becomes proportionally more limited.
Radio waves travel long distances and penetrate solid objects and are thus useful for indoor and outdoor communication. Because radio waves travel long distances, radio interference between multiple devices is a common problem, thus multiple access protocols are required among radio devices communicating using a single channel. Another common problem associated with wireless transmission is multi-path fading. Multipath fading is caused by divergence of signals in space. Some waves may be refracted off low-lying atmospheric layers or reflected off objects such as buildings and mountains, or indoors off objects such as walls and furniture and may take slightly longer to arrive than direct waves. The delayed waves may arrive out of phase with the direct waves and thus strongly attenuate or cancel the signal. As a result of multipath fading, operators have resorted to keeping a percentage of their channels idle as spares when multipath fading wipes out some frequency band temporarily.
Infrared communication is widely used for short-range communication. The remote controls used on televisions, VCRs, and stereos all use infrared communication. The major disadvantage to infrared waves is that they do not pass through solid objects, thus limiting communication between devices to “line of sight”. These drawbacks associated with the current implementation of wireless technology in network systems have resulted in mediocre performance and periodic disruption of operations.
In addition to the above noted drawbacks of Firewire and USB, there are currently no standards for wireless implementations of either. Of the wireless networks in use today, many are based at least in part on the IEEE 802.11 (wireless ethernet) extension to IEEE 802.3. Like wireless ethernet, this system is random access, using a carrier sense multiple access with collision detect (CSMA-CD) scheme for allowing multiple transmitters to use the same channel. This implementation suffers from the same drawback of wireline ethernet described above.
A similar implementation intended for industrial use is that of Hyperlan™. While still an asynchronous protocol, Hyperlan™ uses priority information to give streaming media packets higher access to the random access channel. This implementation reduces, but does not eliminate the problems of sending streaming media across asynchronous networks.
The Home-RF consortium is currently working on a proposal for a wireless network specification suitable for home networks. The current proposal specifies three types of wireless nodes, the connection points (CP), isochronous devices (I-nodes), and asynchronous devices (A-nodes). Isochronous transfers on the Home-RF network are intended for 64-kbps voice (PSTN) services and are only allowed between I-node devices and the CP device that is connected to the PSTN network. There is no allowance in the Home-RF specification for alternative methods of isochronous communication such as might be required for high quality audio or video.
The Bluetooth Special Interest Group™ has developed a standard for a short range low bit-rate wireless network. This network standard does overcome some of the shortcomings of random access networks, but still lacks some of the flexibility needed for broadband media distribution. The Bluetooth network uses a master device which keeps a common clock for the network. Each of the slave devices synchronizes their local clock to that of the master, keeping the local clock within +/−10 microseconds (/xsecs). Data transfer is performed in a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) format controlled by the master device. Two types of data links are supported: Synchronous Connection Oriented (SCO) and Asynchronous Connection-Less (ACL). The Master can establish a symmetric SCO link with a slave by assigning slots to that link repeating with some period Tsco. ACL links between the master and slave devices are made available by the Master addressing slave devices in turn and allowing them to respond in the next immediate slot or slots. Broadcast messages are also allowed originating only at the master with no direct response allowed from the slave devices.
Several limitations exist in the Bluetooth scheme. All communication links are established between the master device and the slave devices. There are no allowances for slave-slave communication using either point-to-point or broadcast mechanisms. Additionally, isochronous communications are only allowed using symmetric point-to-point links between the master device and one slave device. The TDMA structure used by Bluetooth is also limiting in that slot lengths are set at N*625 μsecs where N is an integer 0<=1<=5.
All of the above wireless network schemes use some form of continuous wave (CW) communications, typically frequency hopping spread spectrum. The drawbacks of these systems are that they suffer from multipath fading and use expensive components such as high-Q filters, precise local high-frequency oscillators, and power amplifiers.
Win et. al. have proposed using time-hopping spread spectrum multiple access (TH-SSMA), a version of Ultra-Wide Band (UWB), for wireless extension of Asynchronous Transfer Mode (ATM) networks which is described in the article to Win, Moe Z., et al. entitled “ATM-Based TH-SSMA Network for Multimedia PCS” published in “IEEE Journal on selected areas in communications”, Vol. 17, No. 5, May 1999. Their suggestion is to use TH-SSMA as a wireless “last hop” between a wireline ATM network and mobile devices. Each mobile device would have a unique connection to the closest base station. Each mobile-to-base connection would be supplied with a unique time hopping sequence. Transfers would happen asynchronously with each node communicating with the base at any time using a unique hopping sequence without coordinating with other mobile devices.
There are significant drawbacks to the TH-SSMA system for supporting media stream transfers between devices of the network. This method is designed to link an external switched wireline network to mobile nodes, not as a method of implementing a network of interconnected wireless nodes. This method relies on the external ATM network to control the virtual path and virtual connections between devices. Base stations must be able to handle multiple simultaneous connections with mobile devices, each with a different time hopping sequence, adding enormously to the cost and complexity of the base station. Transfers between mobile devices must travel through the base station using store and forward. Finally, all mobile nodes are asynchronous, making truly isochronous transfers impossible.
Accordingly, there is a need for a wireless communication network system apparatus which provides for isochronous data transfer between node devices of the network, which provides at least one master node device which manages the data transmission between the other node devices of the network, and which provides a means for reducing random errors induced by multipath fading, and which further provides communication protocol to provide a means for sharing the transport medium between the node devices of the network so that each node device has a designated transmit time slot for communicating data. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the background art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a wireless communication network system for isochronous data transfer between node devices. In general, the network system comprises a plurality of node devices, wherein each node device is a transceiver. Each transceiver includes a transmitter or other means for transmitting data to the other transceivers as is known in the art. Each transceiver also includes a receiver or other means for receiving data from the other transceivers as is known in the art. One of the transceivers is preferably structured and configured as a “master” device. Transceivers other than the master device are structured and configured as “slave” devices. The master device carries out the operation of managing the data transmission between the node devices of the network system. The invention further provides means for framing data transmission and means for synchronizing the network.
By way of example, and not of limitation, the data transmission framing means comprises a Medium Access Control protocol which is executed on circuitry or other appropriate hardware as is known in the art within each device on the network. The Medium Access Control protocol provides a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) frame definition and a framing control function. The TDMA architecture divides data transmission time into discrete data “frames”. Frames are further subdivided into “slots”. The framing control function carries out the operation of generating and maintaining the time frame information by delineating each new frame by Start-Of-Frame (SOF) symbols. These SOF symbols are used by each of the slave devices on the network to ascertain the beginning of each frame from the incoming data stream.
In the preferred embodiment, the frame definition comprises a master slot, a command slot, and a plurality of data slots. The master slot is used for controlling the frame by delineating the SOF symbols. As described in further detail below, the master slot is also used for synchronizing the network. The command slot is used for sending, requesting and authorizing commands between the master device and the slave devices of the network. The master device uses the command slot for ascertaining which slave devices are online, offline, or engaged in data transfer. The master device further uses the command slot for authorizing data transmission requests from each of the slave devices. The slave devices use the command slot for requesting data transmission and indicating its startup (online) or shutdown (offline) state. The data slots are used for data transmission between the node devices of the network. Generally, each transmitting device of the network is assigned one or more corresponding data slots within the frame in which the device may transmit data directly to another slave device without the need for a “store and forward” scheme as is presently used in the prior art. Preferably, the master dynamically assigns one or more data slots to slave devices which are requesting to transmit data. Preferably, the data slots are structured and configured to have variable bit lengths having a granularity of one bit. The present invention provides that the master device need not maintain communication hardware to provide simultaneous open links between itself and all the slave devices.
Broadcast is supported with synchronization assured. This guarantees that media can be broadcast to many nodes at the same time. This method allows, for example, synchronized audio data to be sent to several speakers at the same time, and allows left and right data to be sent in the same frame.
Asynchronous communication is allowed in certain slots of the frame through the use of either master polling or CSMA-CD after invitation from the master.
The means for synchronizing the network is preferably provided by a clock master function in the master device and a clock recovery function in the slave devices. Each node device in the network system maintains a clock running at a multiple of the bit rate of transmission. The clock master function in the master device maintains a “master clock” for the network. At least once per frame, the clock master function issues a “master sync code” that is typically a unique bit pattern which identifies the sender as the clock master. The clock recovery function in the slave devices on the network carries out the operation of recovering clock information from the incoming data stream and synchronizing the slave device to the master device using one or more correlators which identifies the master sync code and a phase or delayed locked loop mechanism. In operation, the clock master issues a “master sync code” once per frame in the “master slot”. A slave device trying to synchronize with the master clock will scan the incoming data stream for a master sync code using one or more correlators. As each master sync code is received, the phase or delayed locked loop mechanism is used to adjust the phase of the slave clock to that of the incoming data stream. By providing a common network clock on the master device, with slave devices synchronizing their local clocks to that of the master clock, support for synchronous and isochronous communication in additional to asynchronous communication is provided. Time reference between all device nodes is highly accurate eliminating most latency and timing difficulties in isochronous communication links.
As noted above, each transceiver carries out the operation of transmitting and receiving data. In wireless transmission, data is transmitted via electromagnetic waves, which are propagated through free space. In the preferred embodiment, the invention provides data transmission via baseband wireless technology. This method uses short Radio Frequency (RF) pulses to spread the power across a large frequency band and as a consequence reduces the spectral power density and the interference with any device that uses conventional narrowband communication. This method of transmitting short pulses is also referred to as Ultra Wide Band technology. This present implementation provides baseband wireless transmission without any carrier. Use of baseband wireless greatly reduces multipath fading and provides a cheaper, easier to integrate solution by eliminating a sinewave carrier. According to the invention, there is no carrier to add, no carrier to remove, and signal processing may be done in baseband frequencies.
Additionally, using short pulses provides another advantage over Continuous Wave (CW) technology in that multipath fading can be avoided or significantly reduced. and demodulation using a pulse amplitude modulation scheme. Here, the transmitting device modulates a digital symbol as a pulse amplitude. For example, a three bit symbol can be represented with eight levels of pulse amplitude. The receiver locks on to the transmitted signal to determine where to sample the incoming pulse stream. The level of the pulse stream is sampled, and the pulse amplitude is converted to a digital symbol.
The gain controlling means carries out the operation of adjusting the output gain of the transmitter and adjusting the input gain of the receiver.
The network system also includes a hardware interface within the Data Link Layer of the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model comprising a multiplexer/demultiplexer unit and a plurality of slot allocation units.
The master devices described herein, in addition to carrying out its functions as a master device, may also carry out functions as a slave device as described above. For example, the master device may also engage in data transfer of non-protocol related data with a slave device.
The present invention further provides a modulator or other means for modulating data as is known in the art, a demodulator or other means for demodulating data as is known in the art, and a gain controller or other means for controlling the gain of each of the transceivers. In the preferred embodiment, the means for modulating data comprises a modulator which converts the TDMA frames into streams of baseband pulses. The means for demodulating data comprises a demodulator which converts incoming baseband pulses into TDMA frames.
In a first embodiment, the invention provides pulse modulation and demodulation with on/off keying. The transmitting device modulates a “1” into a pulse. A “0” is indicated as the absence or lack of a pulse. The receiver locks on to the transmitted signal to determine where to sample in the incoming pulse streams. If a pulse appears where the signal is sampled, a “1” is detected. If no pulse appears, a “0” is detected.
An object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which overcomes the deficiencies in the prior art.
Another object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which provides isochronous data communication between at least two node devices on the network.
Another object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which provides a master device which manages network data communication between the other nodes devices of the network.
Another object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which provides a time division multiple access frame definition which provides each node device on the network at least one transmit time slot for data communication.
Another object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which provides a time division multiple access frame definition which provides means for sharing the data communication medium between the node devices on the network.
Another object of the invention is to provide a baseband wireless network system which provides baseband wireless data communication between the node devices of the network.
Further objects and advantages of the invention will be brought out in the following portions of the specification, wherein the detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the preferred embodiment of the invention without placing limitations thereon.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES
The present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only.
FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram showing a network system in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 2 is a functional block diagram of a transceiver node device in accordance with the invention;
FIG. 3 a is a functional block diagram of a master clock synchronization unit;
FIG. 3 b is a functional block diagram of a slave clock synchronization unit;
FIG. 4 is a time division multiple access frame definition in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a functional block diagram of the Medium Access Control hardware interface of the present invention; and
FIG. 6 is a functional block diagram of a slot allocation unit provided in the Medium Access Control hardware.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Persons of ordinary skill in the art will realize that the following description of the present invention is illustrative only and not in any way limiting. Other embodiments of the invention will readily suggest themselves to such skilled persons having the benefit of this disclosure.
Referring more specifically to the drawings, for illustrative purposes the present invention is embodied in the apparatus shown FIG. 1 through FIG. 6 . It will be appreciated that the apparatus may vary as to configuration and as to details of the parts, and that the method may vary as to details and the order of the steps, without departing from the basic concepts as disclosed herein. The invention is disclosed generally in terms of a wireless network for isochronous data communication, although numerous other uses for the invention will suggest themselves to persons of ordinary skill in the art.
Referring first to FIG. 1 , there is shown generally a wireless network system 10 in accordance with the invention. The network system 10 comprises a “master” transceiver device 12 and one or more “slave” transceiver devices 14 a through 14 n . The master device may also be referred to as a “base” transceiver, and slave devices may also be referred to as “mobile” transceivers. Master transceiver 12 and slave transceivers 14 a through 14 n include a transmitter or other means for transmitting data to the other transceivers of the network 10 via a corresponding antenna 18 , 20 a through 20 n . Transceivers 12 , 14 a through 14 n further include a receiver or other means for receiving data from the other transceivers via its corresponding antenna 18 , 20 a through 20 n . While the illustrative network 10 shows the transceiver devices 12 , 14 a through 14 n using a corresponding single shared antenna 18 , 20 a through 20 n for both transmission and reception, various arrangements known in the art may be used for providing the functions carried out by the antenna 18 , 20 a through 20 n , including for example, providing each of the transceiver devices 12 , 14 a through 14 n a first antenna for transmission and a second antenna for reception.
As described further below, the master transceiver 12 carries out the operation of managing network communication between all transceivers 12 , 14 a through 14 n of the network 10 . The master transceiver 12 includes means for managing the data transmission between the transceiver nodes of the network 10 as described further below.
Referring now to FIG. 2 as well as FIG. 1 , a functional block diagram of the “Physical layer” implementation of a transceiver node device 22 in accordance with the present invention is shown. The “Physical layer” as described herein refers to the Physical layer according to the Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Reference Model. This model is based on a proposal developed by the International Standards Organization (ISO) to deal with connecting systems that are open for communication with other systems.
Master transceiver 12 and slave transceivers 14 a through 14 n of the network 10 are structured and configured as transceiver device 22 as described herein. The transceiver node device 22 comprises an integrated circuit or like hardware device providing the functions described below. Transceiver device 22 comprises an antenna 24 , a transmitter 26 connected to the antenna 24 , a data modulation unit 28 connected to the transmitter 26 , and an interface to Data Link Layer (DLL) 30 connected to the data modulation unit 28 . The transceiver device 22 also includes a receiver 32 connected to the antenna 24 and a data demodulation unit 34 connected to the receiver 32 and to the interface to the interface to Data Link Layer (DLL) 30 . A receive gain control unit 36 a is connected to the receiver 32 , a transmit gain control unit 36 b is connected to the transmitter 26 . A framing control unit 38 is operatively coupled to the data modulation unit 28 and the data de-modulation unit 34 . A clock synchronization unit 40 is also operatively coupled to the data modulation unit 28 and the data demodulation unit 34 .
Antenna 24 comprises a radio-frequency (RF) transducer as is known in the art and is preferably structured and configured as a receiving antenna and/or a transmitting antenna. As a receiving antenna, antenna 24 converts an electromagnetic (EM) field to an electric current, and as a transmitting antenna, converts an electric current to an EM field. In the preferred embodiment, antenna 24 is structured and configured as a ground plane antenna having an edge with a notch or cutout portion operating at a broad spectrum frequency ranging from about 2.5 gigahertz (GHz) to about 5 GHz with the center frequency at about 3.75 GHz. It will be appreciated that antenna 24 may be provided with various geometric structures in order to accommodate various frequency spectrum ranges.
Transceiver node device 22 includes hardware or circuitry which provides an interface to data link layer 30 . The interface to data link layer 30 provides an interface or communication exchange layer between the Physical layer 22 and the “higher” layers according to the OSI reference model. The layer immediately “above” the Physical layer is the data link layer. Output information which is transmitted from the data link layer to the interface 30 is communicated to the data modulation unit 28 for further data processing. Conversely, input data from the data-demodulation unit 34 is communicated to the interface 30 , which then transfers the data to the data link layer.
Transceiver node device 22 includes hardware or circuitry providing data modulation functions shown generally as data modulation unit 28 . The data modulation unit 28 carries out the operation of converting data received from the interface 30 into an output stream of pulses. In the case of pulse amplitude modulation, the amplitude of the pulse represents a value for that symbol. The number of bits represented by a pulse depends on the dynamic range and the signal to noise ratio. The simplest case comprises on-off keying, where the presence of a pulse of any amplitude represents a “1”, and the absence of a pulse represents “0”. In this case, data modulation unit 28 causes a pulse to be transmitted at the appropriate bit time to represent a “1” or no pulse to be transmitted at the appropriate time to represents a “0”. As described further below, the pulse stream produced by transceiver 22 must be synchronous with a master clock of the network 10 and must be sent at the appropriate time slot according to a frame definition defined for the network. The pulse stream is then communicated to transmitter 26 for transmission via antenna 24 .
Transceiver node device 22 includes hardware or circuitry providing means for transmitting data to other transceivers on the network shown generally as transmitter 26 . The transmitting means of transceiver 22 preferably comprises a wide band transmitter 26 . Transmitter 26 is operatively coupled to the data modulation unit 28 and to the antenna 24 . Transmitter 26 carries out the operation of transmitting the pulse stream received from modulation unit 28 and transmitting the pulse stream as electromagnetic pulses via antenna 24 . In the preferred embodiment, information is transmitted via impulses having 100 picosecond (ps) risetime and 200 ps width, which corresponds to the 2.5 through 5 GHz bandwidth.
Transceiver node device 22 includes hardware or circuitry which provides means for receiving data from other transceivers shown generally as receiver 32 . The receiving means of transmitter 22 preferably comprises a wide band receiver 32 . Receiver 32 is operatively coupled to the antenna 24 and the data demodulation unit 34 . Receiver 32 carries out the operation of detecting electromagnetic pulse signals from antenna 24 and communicating the pulse stream to the data de-modulation unit 34 . The received signal does not necessarily have the same spectrum content as the transmitted signal, and the spectrum content for received and transmitted signals vary according to the receive and transmit antenna impulse response. Typically, the received signal is shifted toward a lower frequency than the transmitted signal.
Transceiver node device 22 further includes hardware or circuitry providing means for controlling the gain of signals received and transmitted shown generally as gain control units 36 a , 36 b . The transmit gain control unit 36 b carries out the operation of controlling the power output of the transmitter 26 and receive gain control unit 36 a carries out the operation of controlling the input gain of the receiver 32 .
As indicated above, the pulse stream produced by modulator 28 must be synchronous with the master clock of the network 10 . In order to maintain a synchronized network, one device must serve the function of being a clock master and maintain the master clock for the network. Preferably, the master device 12 carries out the operation of the clock master. All other slave devices must synchronize with the master clock. The invention includes means for synchronizing the network system 10 provided by the clock synchronization unit 40 in transceiver 22 .
Referring to FIG. 3 a as well as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a functional block diagram of a clock synchronization unit 40 a for the master device 12 is shown. In the master device 12 , the clock synchronization unit 40 a includes hardware or circuitry providing the functions described herein. Clock synchronization unit 40 a comprises a clock master function 42 which maintains a master clock 44 for the network 10 . The master clock 44 runs at a multiple of the bit rate. As described in further detail below, transmit time is divided into “frames”, and transceiver devices are assigned specific “slots” within each frame where the devices are permitted to transmit data. At least once per frame, the clock master function 42 issues a master sync code. The master sync code is a unique bit pattern that does not appear anywhere else in the frame which identifies the sender as the master device 12 .
Referring to FIG. 3 b as well as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a functional block diagram of a clock synchronization unit 40 b for the slave devices 14 a through 14 n is shown. In the slave devices 14 a through 14 n , the clock synchronization unit 40 b includes hardware or circuitry providing the functions described herein. Clock synchronization unit 40 b comprises a local or slave clock 46 and a clock recovery function 48 . The slave clock 46 also runs at a multiple of the bit rate.
The clock recovery function 48 carries out the operation of scanning the incoming data stream received by receiver 32 to detect or otherwise ascertain the master sync code using one or more correlators. When the clock recovery function 48 detects the master sync code, the clock recovery function 48 will predict when the next master sync code will be transmitted. If the new master sync code is detected where predicted, the transceiver 22 will be considered “locked” or otherwise synchronized with the clock master 42 and will continue to monitor and verify future incoming master sync codes. If the clock recovery function 48 fails to detect a threshold number of consecutive master sync codes, lock will be considered lost. As each master sync code is received by the transceiver, a phase or delayed locked loop mechanism is used to adjust the phase of the slave clock 46 to that of the incoming pulse stream.
The clock recovery function 48 includes a master sync code correlator 50 . A slave transceiver trying to achieve synchronization or “lock” with the master clock examines the incoming data stream to detect the master sync code, as described above. The master sync code correlator 50 carries out the operation of detecting the first incoming pulse and attempting to match each of the next arriving pulses to the next predicted or pre-computed pulse. After the initial master sync code is detected, the clock recovery function 48 of the slave transceiver device will perform a coarse phase adjustment of its bit-clock to be close to that of the incoming pulse stream. When the next master sync code is expected, a mask signal is used to examine the incoming pulse train stream only where valid pulses of the incoming master sync code are expected. The primary edge of the incoming pulse is compared with the rising edge of the local clock, and any difference in phase is adjusted using a phase-locked loop mechanism. If the incoming pulse stream matches the master sync code searched for, the correlator 50 signals a successful match. If the incoming pulse stream differs from the master sync code, the process is repeated. Multiple correlators may be used to perform staggered parallel searches in order to speed up the detection of the master sync code.
The clock recovery function 48 further includes a phase lock mechanism 52 . As each predicted master sync code is detected at the slave transceivers, the phase lock mechanism 52 carries out the operation of determining the phase difference between the local slave clock 46 and the incoming pulses. The phase lock mechanism 52 adjusts the phase of the slave clock 46 so that the frequency and phase of the slave clock 46 is the same as that of the incoming pulses, thereby locking or synchronizing the local slave clock 46 to master clock 44 of the master transceiver 12 .
Referring again to FIG. 2 , as well as FIG. 1 , the transceiver node device 22 includes hardware or circuitry which provides demodulating functions and is shown generally as data demodulation unit 34 . The data demodulation unit 34 carries out the operation of converting the input pulse stream from receiver 32 into a data stream for higher protocol layers. The data de-modulation unit 34 comprises a phase offset detector 54 and a data recovery unit 56 . In an isochronous baseband wireless network, data streams will be received from different transceivers with different phase offsets. The phase offset is due to path propagation delays between the transmitter, the receiver and the master clock 44 .
As described in further detail below, a transmitter will be assigned a data “slot” within a frame to transmit to another device. The phase offset detector 54 carries out the operation of ascertaining the phase delay between the expected zero-delay pulse location, and the actual position of the incoming pulses. Typically, a known training bit pattern is transmitted before the data is transmitted. The phase offset detector 54 in the receiving device detects or otherwise ascertains the training bit pattern and determines the phase offset of the incoming pulse from the internal clock. The phase determined is then communicated to the Data Recovery Unit 56 . In the case of pulse amplitude modulation, the training sequence is also used to provide a known pulse amplitude sequence against which the modulated pulse amplitudes can be compared in the data transmission.
The Data Recovery Unit 56 in a receiving device carries out the operation of converting the incoming pulse stream data into bit data during time slots that a transmitting device is sending data to the receiving device. In the case of on-off keying modulation, the data recovery unit 56 carries out the operation of examining the pulse stream during the designated time slot or “window” for the presence or absence of a pulse. In pulse amplitude modulation, the data recovery unit 56 carries out the operation of examining the pulse stream during the designated time slot or “window” to ascertain the amplitude of the pulse signal. The “window” or time slot in which the receiving device examines pulse stream data determined by the expected location of the bit due to the encoding mechanism and the offset determined by the phase offset detector 54 . The information converted by the data de-modulation unit 34 is then communicated to the interface to data link layer 30 for further processing.
Referring now to FIG. 4 as well as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA) frame definition is shown and generally designated as 58 . The TDMA frame definition 58 is provided and defined by the data link protocol software of the present invention. More particularly, the TDMA frame 58 is defined by the Medium Access Control (MAC) sublayer software residing within the Data Link Layer according the OSI Reference model.
The means for managing the data transmission between the transceiver nodes of the network 10 is provided by software algorithms running and executing in the Medium Access Control. The Medium Access Control protocol provides algorithms, routines and other program means for managing and controlling access to the TDMA frame definition 58 and its associated slot components. The architecture of TDMA frame definition 58 provides for isochronous data communication between the transceivers 12 , 14 a through 14 n of the network 10 by providing a means for sharing the data transmit time that permits each transceiver of the network to transmit data during a specific time chunk or slot. The TDMA frame architecture divides data transmission time into discrete data “frames”. Frames are further subdivided into “slots”.
In the preferred embodiment, the TDMA frame definition 58 comprises a master slot 60 , a command slot 62 , and a plurality of data slots 64 a through 64 n . The master slot 60 contains a synchronizing beacon or “master sync”. More preferably, the “master sync” is the same code as the “master sync code” as described earlier for clock synchronization unit 40 . The command slot 62 contains protocol messages exchanged between the transceiver devices of the network. Generally, each of the data slots 64 a through 64 n provides data transmission time for a corresponding slave device 14 a through 14 n of the network 10 . Preferably, each data slot assigned is structured and configured to have a variable bit width and is dynamically assigned by the master device. In an alternative arrangement, the slave devices 14 a through 14 n request the use of one or more of the data slots 64 a through 64 n for data transmission. In either arrangement, the master may also be assigned one or more slots to transmit data to slave devices. If random access devices are connected to the network, these devices may be assigned a common random access time slot by the master. These devices will communicate using a CSMA-CD or similar protocol within the allocated time slot.
As noted above, the transceiver device 22 includes a framing control function 38 . The framing control function 38 carries out the operation of generating and maintaining the time frame information. In the master device 12 the framing control function 38 delineates each new frame by Start-Of-Frame (SOF) symbols. The SOF symbols are unique symbols, which do not appear anywhere else within the frame and mark the start of each frame. In the preferred embodiment, the SOF symbols serve as the “master sync” and as the “master sync code” for the network and are transmitted in the master slot 60 of frame 58 . These SOF symbols are used by the framing control function 38 in each of the slave devices 14 a through 14 n on the network to ascertain the beginning of each frame 58 from the incoming data stream. For example, in one illustrative embodiment, the invention utilizes a 10-bit SOF “master sync” code of “0111111110”.
Various encoding schemes known in the art may be used to guarantee that the SOF code will not appear anywhere else in the data sequence of the frame. For example, a common encoding scheme is 4B/5B encoding, where a 4-bit values is encoded as a 5-bit value. Several criteria or “rules” specified in a 4B/5B code table, such as “each encoded 5-bit value may contain no more than three ones or three zeros” and “each encoded 5-bit value may not end with three ones or three zeros”, ensure that a pulse stream will not have a string of six or more ones or zeros. Other techniques known in the art may also be used including, for example, bit stuffing or zero stuffing.
The master transceiver 12 carries out the operation of managing network data communication via the exchange of “protocol messages” in the command slot 62 of frame 58 . The master transceiver 12 carries out the operation of authenticating slave transceivers 14 a through 14 n , assigning and withdrawing data time slots 64 a through 64 n for the slave transceivers 14 a through 14 n , and controlling power of the slave transceivers 14 a through 14 n.
Master transceiver 12 authenticates or registers each slave transceiver by ascertaining the “state” of each of the slave transceivers of the network 10 . Each transceiver operates as a finite-state machine having at least three states: offline, online, and engaged. When a transceiver is in the offline state, the transceiver is considered “unregistered” and is not available for communication with the other devices on the network 10 . Each slave transceiver must first be “registered” with master transceiver 12 before the slave transceiver is assigned or allocated a data slot within the TDM A frame 58 . Once a transceiver is registered with the master transceiver 12 , the device is considered “online”.
A slave transceiver that is in the “online” state is ready to send data or ready to receive data from the other devices on the network 10 . Additionally, an “online” transceiver is one which is not currently transmitting or receiving “non-protocol” data. Non-protocol data is data other than that used for authenticating the “state” of the transceiver devices.
A transceiver is “engaged” when the transceiver is currently transmitting and/or receiving “non-protocol” data. Each slave device maintains and tracks its state by storing its state information internally, usually in random access memory (RAM). The state of each slave device is further maintained and tracked by the master device 12 by storing the states of the slaves in a master table (not shown) stored in RAM.
In operation, the master transceiver 12 periodically broadcasts an ALOHA packet in the command slot 62 to ascertain or otherwise detect “unregistered” slave devices and to receive command requests from the slave transceivers of then network. More generally, an ALOHA broadcast is an invitation to slave transceivers to send their pending protocol messages. This arrangement is known as “slotted ALOHA” because all protocol messages including the ALOHA broadcast are sent during a predetermined time slot. In the preferred embodiment, the ALOHA broadcast is transmitted at a predetermined interval. Responsive to this ALOHA packet and in the next immediate TDMA frame, an “unregistered” slave device 14 n transmits a signal in command slot 62 identifying itself as slave device 14 n and acknowledging the master device with a registration or “discovery” (DISC) request indicating additional information, such as the bandwidth capabilities of the device. When the registration request is received by the master transceiver 12 , the master table records in the master table that device 14 n is “online”. The master transceiver 12 also transmits a confirmation in command slot 62 to the slave device 14 n that the state of slave device 14 n has changed to “online”.
When the slave device 14 n receives the confirmation command from the master device 12 , the slave device 14 n then changes its internal state to “online”. If more than one slave transceiver replies with an acknowledgement to an ALOHA broadcast in the same frame, a packet collision may occur because both transceivers are attempting to occupy the same command slot 62 within the frame 58 . When a collision is detected in response to an ALOHA broadcast, the master transceiver 12 transmits another ALOHA message directed to a subset of the slave devices based on a binary-search style scheme, a random delay scheme or other similar searching means known in the art.
The master transceiver 12 also periodically verifies each slave transceiver device that is “online” or “engaged” according the master table to ascertain whether any failures have occurred at the slave device using a “time-out” based scheme. According to this time-out scheme, the master transceiver 12 periodically transmits a POLL packet in command slot 62 to a specific “online” slave device 14 n from the master table to ascertain the state of the slave device 14 n . In the preferred embodiment, the master transceiver 12 transmits a POLL signal every ten seconds. Responsive this POLL packet, slave device 14 n transmits an acknowledgement signal in the command slot 62 of the next immediate frame identifying itself as slave device 14 n and acknowledging its state. Responsive to this acknowledgement signal, the master transceiver 12 confirms verification of device 14 n and continues with other tasks. In the event slave device 14 n is shutdown or otherwise unavailable, master transceiver 12 will not receive a return acknowledgement and master transceiver 12 will fail to verify device 14 n . After a predetermined number failed verifications from a slave device, a time-out is triggered, and the master transceiver 12 will change the state of such slave device to “offline”.
In the command slot 62 , the flow of protocol messages between the transceivers is preferably governed by a “sequence retransmission request” (SRQ) protocol scheme. The SRQ protocol framework provides confirmation of a protocol transaction after the entire protocol sequence is completed. Effectiveness and success of the transmission of a protocol sequence are acknowledged at the completion of the entire protocol sequence rather than immediately after the transmission of each message as in the traditional Automatic Retransmission request (ARQ) approach. Because a protocol sequence may include a plurality of protocol messages, the overhead associated with acknowledging each protocol message is avoided, and bandwidth use is improved thereby. The ARQ protocol scheme is described further detail in issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,597,683, entitled “MEDIUM ACCESS CONTROL PROTOCOL FOR CENTRALIZED WIRELESS NETWORK COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT,” filed on Sep. 10, 1999 which is expressly incorporated herein by reference.
Referring again to FIG. 3 as well as FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 , a plurality of data slots 64 a through 64 n is provided for each slave transceiver 14 a through 14 n of the network 10 which is registered as “online”. The master transceiver 12 further manages the transmission of information in slots 64 a through 64 n through traditional Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA). The command slot 62 operates in traditional TDMA mode in addition to the “slotted ALOHA” mode described above for inviting protocol messages from the slave transceivers as determined by the master transceiver 12 . The slotted ALOHA mode, which is active when the master invites a protocol message, continues until the slave protocol message is received without collision. Once the slave protocol messages is received or “captured” by the master transceiver, the command slot operates in a regular TDMA mode until the entire protocol exchange sequence between the master device and the “captured” slave device is completed. Traditional TDMA mode is used, for example, when a first slave transceiver makes a data link request to the master transceiver in order to communicate data to a second slave transceiver.
For example, a first slave transceiver 14 a (microphone) has audio data to transmit to a second slave transceiver 14 b (speaker). The master transceiver 12 manages this data transaction in the manner and sequence described herein. As indicated above, the master transceiver periodically sends an ALOHA broadcast to invite protocol messages from the slave devices of the network. Responsive to this ALOHA broadcast, slave transceiver 14 a transmits a data-link request (REQ) to master transceiver 12 identifying itself as the originating transceiver and identifying the target slave transceiver 14 b . Responsive to this REQ request, the master transceiver 12 verifies the states of originating or source transceiver 14 a and target transceiver 14 a according to the master table. If both originating transceiver and target transceiver are “online” according to the master table, the master transceiver transmits a base acknowledge (BACK) to the originating transceiver 14 a and a service request (SREQ) to the target transceiver indicating the identity of the originating transceiver 14 a and assigns a data slot to the originating transceiver 14 a within the TDMA frame 58 for data communication. If target transceiver is “offline”, the master transceiver 12 transmits a base negative acknowledge (BNACK) packet to the originating transceiver to confirm the unavailability of the target transceiver. If the target transceiver is “engaged” in communication with another device, the master transceiver 12 transmits a base busy (BBUSY) packet to the originating transceiver to indicate the unavailability of the target transceiver.
When the originating transceiver 14 a receives the BACK packet, the transceiver 14 a waits for a data-link confirmation from the master transceiver 1 , after which the transceiver 14 a begins transmitting data within a dynamically assigned data slot. Responsive to the SREQ packet from the master transceiver 12 , the target transceiver 14 b transmits a return acknowledge (ACK) to the master transceiver 12 indicating that transceiver 14 b is ready to receive data. The transceiver 14 b also begins to monitor the corresponding data slot assigned to the originating transceiver 14 a . Responsive to the return ACK from target transceiver 14 b , the master transceiver 12 transmits a data-link confirmation to originating transceiver 14 a to indicate that target transceiver is ready to receive data communication.
After originating transceiver 14 a completes its data transmission to the target transceiver 14 b , the transceiver 14 a terminates its data link by initiating a termination sequence. As indicated above, the master transceiver 12 will periodically transmit an ALOHA broadcast to find unregistered device nodes or to invite protocol requests from registered device nodes.
The termination sequence comprises communicating a terminate (TERM) process by the originating transceiver 14 a to the master transceiver 12 in response to an ALOHA message from the master transceiver 12 . In transmitting the TERM message, the originating transceiver may also identify the originating device 14 a and the target device 14 b . Responsive to this TERM message, the master transceiver 12 carries out the operation of checking the states of the originating transceiver 14 a and the target transceiver 14 b , and transmitting to transceiver 14 b a Service Termination (STERM) command.
The master transceiver verifies the state of the originating device and the target device to confirm that both devices are currently engaged for communication. If both devices are engaged, the master transceiver 12 transmits a reply BACK message to the originating transceiver to acknowledge its termination request and to indicate that the status of originating device has been changed to “online” in the master table. Additionally, master transceiver transmits a STERM message to target transceiver 14 b to indicate that originating transceiver 14 a is terminating data communication with target transceiver 14 b.
Responsive to the STERM message, the target transceiver 14 b carries out the operation of checking its internal state, terminating the reception of data, and replying with an acknowledgement (ACK). The target transceiver 14 b first checks its internal state to ensure that it is engaged in communication with originating transceiver 14 a . If target transceiver 14 b is engaged with a different transceiver, it replies with a NACK message to the master transceiver 12 to indicate target transceiver 14 b is not currently engaged with originating transceiver 14 a . If target transceiver 14 b is engaged with transceiver 14 a , then target transceiver 14 b stops receiving data from transceiver 14 a and sets its internal state to “online”. Target transceiver 14 b then transmits to master transceiver 12 an ACK message to indicate that it has terminated communication with transceiver 14 a and that it has changed it state to “online”.
When the master transceiver 12 receives the ACK message from the target transceiver 14 b , it changes the state of target transceiver 14 b in the master table to “online” and replies to target transceiver 14 b with a confirmation of the state change. The master transceiver 12 also considers the data slot which was assigned to originating transceiver 14 a as released from use and available for reallocation. When a NACK message is received by master transceiver 12 from target transceiver 14 b , a severe error is recognized by master transceiver 12 because this state was not previously registered with the master table. The master transceiver then attempts a STERM sequence with the remaining related slave devices until the proper target transceiver is discovered or otherwise ascertained.
When a user of a slave device terminates or interrupts power to the slave or otherwise makes the slave unavailable for communication, the device preferably initiates a shutdown sequence prior to such termination. The shutdown sequence comprises a shutdown (SHUT) message from the slave device 14 n to the master transceiver 12 , in response to an ALOHA broadcast from the master 12 . Responsive to the SHUT message, the master 12 replies to the slave device 14 n with a BACK message indicating that state of slave device 14 n has been changed to “offline” in the master table. Responsive to the BACK message, the slave device 14 n changes its internal state to “offline” and shuts down.
Referring now to FIG. 5 , a functional block diagram of the Medium Access Control hardware interface of the present invention is shown and generally designated as MAC 66 . In general, the MAC 66 is provided at the Data Link Layer between the Network Layer and the Physical Layer of the OSI reference model. More particularly, the MAC 66 provides the hardware circuitry within Medium Access Control (MAC) sublayer of the Data Link Layer according the OSI reference model. The Medium Access Control protocol provided by the present invention provides the software for controlling the processes of the various components of the MAC 66 as described below.
The MAC 66 comprises an integrated circuit or like hardware device providing the functions described herein. The MAC 66 provides means associated with each transceiver for connecting multiple data links received from the Logical Link Layer to a single physical TDMA link. The MAC 66 comprises a communication interface 68 for providing communication with the Medium Access Control Protocol 69 , a Physical Layer interface 70 for communication with the Physical layer, a plurality of slot allocation units (SAU) 72 a through 72 n each operatively coupled to the communication interface 68 , a Multiplexer/Demultiplexer (Mux/Demux) unit 74 operatively coupled to the Physical Layer interface 70 and each of the SAU 72 a through 72 n , and a Logical Link Control (LLC) interface 73 connected to each of the SAU 72 a through 72 n . A plurality of data interfaces 76 a through 76 n are also provided for transmitting data to and receiving data from the LLC interface 73 . Each data interface 76 a through 76 n is connected to a corresponding SAU 72 a through 72 n.
Data streams in the present invention will flow in both directions. For example, output data will be transmitted from higher level protocols through the DLL hardware 66 and out to the Physical Layer via interface 70 . Input data is received from the Physical Layer through interface 70 into the MAC 66 and then communicated to the higher level protocols. Within the MAC 66 the data path comprises the data interfaces 76 a through 76 n connected to the SAU 72 a through 2 n , the SAU 72 a through 72 n connected to the Mux/Demux 74 , and the Mux/Demux 74 connected to the Physical Layer interface 70 . The direction of data flow within each SAU 72 a through 72 n is controlled by the Medium Access Control protocol 69 via communication interface 68 . The communication interface 68 is preferably separated from the data path through MAC 66 . This arrangement provides simple data sources, such as audio streaming devices, a direct connection to the MAC 66 .
The Mux/Demux 74 carries out the operation of merging outgoing data streams from the SAU 72 a through 72 n into a single signal transmitted by the Physical Layer. In the preferred embodiment, a TDMA scheme is used for data transmission. Under the TDMA multiple access definition scheme, only one device may be transmitting at any given time. In this case, the Mux/Demux 74 is connected to the outputs of each SAU. The output of the Mux/Demux 74 is then operatively coupled to the Physical Layer interface 70 . The Mux/Demux 74 also carries out the operation of distributing incoming network data received from the Physical Layer via interface 70 into the SAU 72 a through 72 n . Generally, the currently active SAU will receive this incoming data.
Referring now to FIG. 6 as well as FIG. 5 , a block diagram of an SAU unit is shown and designated as 72 . Each SAU unit 72 a through 72 n are structured and configured as SAU 72 . SAU 72 comprises an output buffer unit 78 , an input buffer unit 80 , a control logic unit 82 connected to the output buffer unit 78 and the input buffer unit 80 , and control status registers 84 connected to the control logic unit 82 . The output buffer unit 78 stores data to be transmitted from a first device to another device in a First-In-First-Out (FIFO) buffer (not shown), encodes the buffer's output using a 4B/5B or similar encoding scheme and provides the resulting bit stream to the Mux/Demux unit 74 via line 86 a . The data to be transmitted is provided through the interface 73 via line 85 a . The input buffer unit 80 receives data from the Physical layer through the Mux/Demux unit 74 via line 86 b , decodes it according the same 4B/5B or similar encoding scheme, and stores the data in a FIFO buffer (not shown) which is connected to the data path interface 73 via line 85 b . Lines 85 a and 85 b are operatively coupled to data interfaces 76 a through 76 n for communication with interface 73 . Lines 86 a and 86 b are operatively coupled for communication with Mux/Demux unit 74 .
The control logic unit 82 comprises a state machine that controls the operation of the output buffer unit 78 and input buffer unit 80 as well as the communication between the MAC and the Logical Link Layer (LLC), and the MAC and the Physical Layer. The values of the control registers 84 are set by the LLC above the MAC layer via line 88 and control the operation of the SAU.
The control registers 84 comprise a SAU enable register 90 , a data transfer direction register 92 , a slot start time register 94 , and a slot length register 96 . The SAU enable register 90 determines whether the SAU 72 should transmit or receive data. The data transfer direction register 92 determines whether the SAU 72 is set up to transmit to the Physical Layer or to receive from the Physical Layer. The slot start time register 94 provides the SAU 72 with the time offset of the slot measured from the start of the frame, during which the SAU 72 transmits data to the Physical Layer.
The slot length register 96 determines the length of the slot. The status registers 84 provide the LLC with information about the current state of the SAU. The status registers comprise an input buffer unit empty flag, an input buffer unit full flag, an output buffer unit empty flag, an output buffer unit full flag, and an input decoder error counter. The buffer unit empty flag indicate whether the respective buffer units are empty (i.e., contain no data). The buffer unit full flag indicate whether the respective buffer units are full (i.e., cannot store additional data). The input decoder error counter indicates the number of error detected during the decoding of data arriving from the Physical Layer.
The SAU 72 transmits or receives data autonomously after being set up by the LLC. The setup consists of writing appropriate values into the data transfer direction register 92 , the slot start time register 94 , and the slot length register 96 and then enabling the SAU 72 by asserting the SAU enable register 90 . The slot start time and slot length values provided in registers 94 , 96 respectively are designated to the communicating device by the network master 12 . These values are determined by the master 12 in such a way that no two transmitters in the network transmit at the same time, a requirement of the TDMA communication scheme. During transmission, the SAU 72 will monitor the current time offset within the frame and compare it with the slot start time. When the two values are equal, the SAU 72 will provide the Physical Layer with encoded data bits from the output buffer 78 until the frame has reached the end of the time slot allocated to the SAU 72 as determined by the slot length register 96 . If the output FIFO buffer is empty during the allocated time slot, the SAU 72 will transmit special bit codes indicating to the receiver that there is no data being transmitted.
Likewise, the SAU 72 will monitor the current time offset within the frame during data reception and compare it to the slot start time register 94 . When the two values are equal, the SAU 72 will acquire data from the Physical Layer through the Mux/Demux Unit 74 , decode it and store the decoded data in the input FIFO buffer. If the decoder detects a transmission error, such as a bit code sequence not found in the 4B/5B encoding table, the data stored in the input FIFO buffer is marked as invalid and the input decoder error counter is incremented. If the decoder detects special bit codes indicating empty data, the latter are ignored and will not be stored in the input FIFO buffer.
Accordingly, it will be seen that this invention provides a wireless communication network system for isochronous data transfer between node devices of the network, which provides a master node device having means for managing the data transmission between the other node devices of the network system, which further provides means for framing data transmission and means for synchronizing the network communication protocol, thus providing a means for sharing the transport medium between the node devices of the network so that each node device has a designated transmit time slot for communicating data. Although the description above contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention but as merely providing an illustration of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention. Thus the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
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An ultra wide band communication network is provided. One embodiment ultra wide band network includes a master device and a plurality of slave devices structured to communicate with the master device using a plurality of ultra wide band pulses. The ultra wide band network also includes a medium access control protocol comprising a time division multiple access frame, the time division multiple access frame comprising a first mode for protocol exchange and a second mode for data exchange. This Abstract is provided for the sole purpose of complying with the Abstract requirement rules that allow a reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the disclosure contained herein. This Abstract is submitted with the explicit understanding that it will not be used to interpret or to limit the scope or the meaning of the claims.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the continuous casting of steel. It relates more particularly to preventing the casting nozzle from being blocked when casting a slab or strip made of killed steel, especially low-carbon steel or ultralow-carbon steel (called ULC steel or IFS).
PRIOR ART
It is known that the continuous casting of semi-finished products of wide cross section (slab, thin slab, strip, etc.) conventionally requires the use of a submerged nozzle to feed the casting mold with molten metal from the tundish placed above it.
It is also known that these nozzles are subject to fouling resulting, in the relatively long term, in them being completely blocked and, consequently, resulting in the casting run in progress being immediately stopped.
It will be recalled that fouling is a phenomenon involving the gradual narrowing, from the periphery toward the centre, of the pipe that the nozzle offers the liquid metal in order for it to pass into the mold. The origin of this phenomenon is the deposition of solid particles on the inner wall of the nozzle, these particles being non-metallic inclusions from the deoxidation of the liquid metal. These inclusions are already present within the molten metal following the metallurgical treatments undergone beforehand by the latter, or they form during actual flow through the nozzle if the latter is not sufficiently impervious to the oxygen from the ambient atmosphere. The number and the volume of these non-metallic inclusions vary with the steel grades cast, as does the extent to which they solidify at the temperature of the molten metal.
In this regard, it is known that serious castability difficulties may arise, particularly in the case of the casting of low-carbon steel or ultralow-carbon steel (of the IFS type, for example), and therefore in highly killed steel.
Conventionally, steels of this type are killed in the refining ladle by the addition of aluminum, this being a deoxidizing agent widely used in iron and steel manufacture. The deoxidation reaction produces aluminates which predominantly settle on the surface of the molten metal, firstly in the ladle and then in the tundish. However, some of these non-metallic inclusions inevitably remain suspended within the mass of liquid metal at the moment of casting. In particular, it is these particles which, during their transit through the nozzle, become attached to the wall of the pipe and, via an accretion phenomenon over time, end up by blocking the passage.
It is known to prevent these blockages by making a stream of inert flushing gas (especially argon) flow through the nozzle. The mechanism, or more probably the mechanisms, via which such a gas flush counteracts the fouling has not yet been fully elucidated, but the result is generally rather satisfactory if the bubbling is installed right from the onset of the casting run. Otherwise, clumps of inclusions may become detached and contaminate the metal in a dramatic fashion, making this practice a remedy worse than the disease.
However, the method, even correctly applied, is not without undesirable side effects. Defects of the “blister” type may appear on strip during subsequent rolling, which are known to result in the phenomenon of gas bubbles being trapped within the in-mold solidified metal.
It is also known to prevent nozzle blockages by means of preventative measures, the primary benefit of this being to be able to dispense with the “argon bubbling”. One of these measures consists in adding a flux, such as Ca (for example in the form of Si—Ca or Ca—Fe), to the molten metal before casting, and therefore in the tundish, or preferably already in the refining ladle, which flux will complex with the deoxidation aluminates to form more meltable inclusions, these therefore remaining in principle in the liquid state at the casting temperature. A preventative treatment of this type, by addition of calcium, is described for example in the document EP-A-0 512 118, the overall teaching of which will be considered as being incorporated into the present specification by reference.
However, such chemical treatment of the blocking does not always give the expected results. This is because it sometimes happens that the inclusions formed, even in the presence of calcium, are already in the solid state in the tundish, this being so even in the case of casting with significant overheating of the metal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the invention is specifically to achieve better fluidity of the oxidation inclusions that have formed by the calcium treatment of the molten metal before casting.
For this purpose, the subject of the invention is an in-ladle metallurgical treatment of a steel having to be continuously cast, in which calcium is added to a molten ultralow- or low-carbon steel which has been killed (or is in the process of being killed) with aluminum in order to achieve a given oxygen content, so as to form deoxidation inclusions having a melting point below the temperature at which the steel is cast in the mold, wherein the molten metal is maintained, within the treatment sequence going from the ladle to the casting mold, with a dissolved magnesium content close to at least 2 ppm, without exceeding the content, which depends on the oxygen content of the molten metal, above which solid magnesium-based spinels may form.
As will have been understood, at the basis of the invention is the discovery of the beneficial action of magnesium, in small amounts, in keeping the deoxidation inclusions in the liquid phase, whether these be present after killing or formed during casting in the presence of calcium. This is because it has been shown that the presence of magnesium in small amounts (namely at least about 2 ppm of Mg, and possibly up to 8-10 ppm for the oxygen contents usually encountered in aluminum-killed low-carbon or ultralow-carbon steels) within a calcium-treated molten metal has an influence on the physical nature of the inclusion population in the cast steel: the element magnesium considerably broadens the range of existence of liquid calcium aluminates at the casting temperature of the steel (approximately 1520-1570° C.). It should also be emphasized that such broadening is very sensitive to the presence of magnesium even in very small amounts, a small variation from a very low Mg content (a variation of less than 1 ppm) possibly resulting, as will be seen, in a consequent broadening of the meltability range.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
A clearer understanding of the invention will be gained and further aspects will become apparent in the light of the description which follows, given by way of example with reference to the appended single plate of drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a phase diagram showing the ranges of inclusion precipitation at 1560° C. (the casting temperature) in an ultralow-carbon grade steel as a function of the calcium content, plotted on the y-axis, and the total (dissolved and bound) oxygen content plotted on the x-axis, in this case without any magnesium, other than in trace amounts (less than 0.1 ppm);
FIG. 2 is a diagram similar to that in FIG. 1, showing the same situation but with a magnesium content of the molten metal of 2 ppm; (both these diagrams include symbols representative of casting sequences for which blockages have occurred (solid symbols) or have not occurred (open symbols));
FIG. 3 is a graph showing the change in the permitted maximum content of magnesium dissolved in the molten steel as a function of the total (dissolved and bound) oxygen content of the molten steel, it being understood that the calcium content in question corresponds to the minimum value required in order to have liquid oxides without addition of magnesium.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
The ULC steel considered here has the following composition by weight, given in thousandths of a per cent, except in the case of nitrogen (N) which is given in ppm:
C
Mn
P
S
Al
Si
Ti
Cr
Ni
N
<5
90-140
5-15
3-10
35-50
10-35
65-75
15-30
20
25-45 ppm
This molten steel, coming from an oxygen converter for example, firstly undergoes a “vacuum” decarburizing treatment (in a refining station furnace-ladle for making the steel to grade, fitted with equipment to create a vacuum, or in an RH unit). Next, the molten metal is killed by adding aluminum. This element is supplied in an amount sufficient to reach the desired residual total oxygen contents of the molten metal, namely, taking into account the time needed for the aluminate inclusions to settle, of about 20 to 30 ppm of total (dissolved and bound) oxygen within the tundish, and therefore just before casting.
At the same time, or just after the aluminum has been added, an addition of calcium is made by introducing a consumable Si—Ca cored wire into the molten metal. Depending on the requirements, and bearing in mind the low efficiency with which an element having a high vapor pressure of this type dissolves in the molten metal (an efficiency of about 10-15%, if care is taken), the addition of Ca is adjusted so as to obtain a total Ca (dissolved Ca and Ca bound in the form of aluminates and sulphides) of about 25 ppm.
As regards the magnesium, this may be introduced at any moment after deoxidation by the aluminum, either separately or simultaneously with the calcium if the latter is added after deoxidation.
The addition of magnesium in a small amount in accordance with the invention may be performed in the ladle, or possibly in the tuhdish, by means of a consumable cored wire, for example made of an Ni—Mg alloy, which melts in the molten steel as it is introduced thereinto.
The intended minimum dissolved Mg content of 2 ppm may also be achieved by metal-slag equilibrium using a slag of suitable composition which is to be formed on the in-ladle molten metal. For example, it will be suitable to use a basic slag containing up to 10% MgO by weight, an example of the composition of which is as follows (the values are percentages by weight): Al 2 O 3 : 56%; MgO: 3%; CaO: 41%.
The results obtained, at a casting temperature of 1560° C., on the broadening of the range of meltable inclusions thanks to the treatment with magnesium present with its minimum content of 2 ppm may be seen in FIG. 2 with respect to FIG. 1, the latter figure recording, all other things being equal, the situation without magnesium treatment.
Simple visual comparison between FIGS. 1 and 2 immediately shows the beneficial effect of the presence of a small amount of magnesium on the broadening of the meltability range I of the deoxidation inclusions (calcium aluminates) within a molten ULC steel. The broadening is in fact downward, that is to say toward the lowest contents of treatment calcium, or, expressed another way, for a given calcium content, toward the highest oxygen contents. Moreover, this shows, at the same time as an overall downward shift, a corresponding broadening of the lower neighboring range II (low % Ca) in which the oxides are partially liquid, whereas the upper neighboring range IV (high % Ca) remains the range in which the oxides are liquid, but together with a calcium sulfide precipitate. It will be noted that the upper limit on the meltability range (the transition from region I to region IV) depends, not on the Mg content, but on the sulfur content, all other things being equal of course.
In contrast, the entire region III of the diagrams, lying below the transition range II, namely that in which the deoxidation inclusions are in the solid phase, is substantially reduced by the effect of conjugate broadening of the liquid range I and of the lower adjacent transition range II.
Now focusing attention on the small circular symbols placed on each of these two figures, the good correlation existing between the broadening of the meltability range I, thanks to the small amount of magnesium, in accordance with the invention, and the phenomenon of blockage of the casting nozzle may be appreciated. The small empty geometrical symbols record the successful casting runs, therefore without blockage, while the solid black symbols indicate casting runs which have suffered from significant blockages. It should be explained that these symbols are the results of analytical determinations of the total calcium and oxygen contents of specimens removed for analysis from the tundish halfway through casting.
As may be seen, the level of dissolved calcium, above which liquid oxides form, corresponds well to the level of dissolved calcium above which the castability of the steel improves.
In accordance with the invention, achieving a low magnesium content and keeping it at this level, from the tapping ladle (the place where the secondary metallurgy for making adjustments to the final grade and the killing are carried out) right to the casting mold, consequently provide:
greater flexibility in the in-ladle calcium treatment, since the range of permissible contents is greater when magnesium is present, especially toward low calcium contents, as was seen; and
better reproducibility of the results: since the effect of the magnesium, even in very small amounts, is very sensitive over the inclusion precipitation range, it is possible easily to pass into the range in which the oxides are in the liquid phase, if this is not controlled.
It goes without saying that the invention should not be understood to be limited to the example described, but extends to numerous variants or equivalents provided that its definition given by the appended claims is respected.
In particular, it will have been understood that, although the results intended by the invention may be obtained already from implementing it with a minimum magnesium content of the molten metal of approximately 2 ppm, this value is merely a lower limit which, given the usual oxygen contents of the final molten metal, guarantees, without fail, improved castability. In other words, the invention can produce even better results with respect to the broadening of the meltability range I of the inclusions if care is taken to adjust the Mg content according to the actual oxygen content of the molten metal so as to approach, but taking care not to reach, the value at which the Mg starts to form solid spinels of MgO, the presence of which within the metal to be cast would then nullify the benefits of the invention with regard to the prevention of nozzle blockages.
FIG. 3 shows specifically, in the form of a graph, the upper limiting value of the Mg content as a function of the total oxygen content of the molten metal above which these undesirable spinels form within the molten steel at the casting temperature. It will be recalled that the Ca content in question corresponds to the minimum value for having oxides in the liquid state without addition of Mg. As may be seen, the curve representative of this upper limiting value increases uniformly with increasing oxygen content. Thanks to the characteristics of its low origin, it may be clearly seen that an Mg content of approximately 2 ppm makes it possible always to be below the limiting threshold for spinel formation, whatever the level of oxygenation of the molten metal. It may also be seen, turning one's attention to halfway along the curve, that at total oxygen contents of 20 to 30 ppm, which are values ordinarily achieved at the present time in the case of ultralow-carbon steels, the limiting value not to be exceeded lies around 6 ppm, plus or minus 2 ppm depending on whether the oxygen content is close to 30 ppm or close to 20 ppm.
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According to this treatment, calcium is added to ultra low molten steel or low carbon which is aluminum killed (or in the course of being killed) in order to form non-metallic deoxidation inclusions that have a melting point which is below the casting temperature; the molten metal is maintained in the chain of treatment ranging from the ladle refining installation to the copper mold with a low minimum low magnesium content of approximately 2 ppm. The inventive method increases the scope of fusibility of the inclusionary population of steels, thereby improving the castability of high aluminum-killed ultra low carbon grades without the need for argon bubbling.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a device for cutting, retaining and tucking the weft end to provide a selvedge along the yarn feeding side of a woven fabric.
Known are various devices for application to shuttleless looms, which are intended to cut and retain the weft yarn to allow successive tucking thereof in order to form the selvedge.
Such prior art devices substantially comprise a cutting assembly, between the blades whereof the weft yarn is brought by a driven gripper.
That cutting assembly cuts the yarn and retains it by means of an elastic device, usually a spring, until a hook picks it up and tucks it into the shed.
Other devices designed to perform that same operation employ pneumatic means, such as air suction nozzles, to retain the cut yarns.
Both approaches, however, are not free of operational drawbacks and constructional complexity.
In particular the last-mentioned devices, employing suction air, are not very effective and are hardly suitable for pneumatically separating the weft ends.
By contrast, the former while providing a satisfactory yarn cutting and retaining action, by the very reason of its retaining the yarn through the continued action of an elastic pressure means, has a tendency to foul very quickly.
In fact, particularly with hairy yarns, as the cut end is picked up by the hook, it is withdrawn from a retaining means which keeps exerting its pressure without opening.
The resulting effect is that part of the yarn remains jammed in the pick up member, thus forming within a short time a hair staple which impairs the device proper operation.
At this time, it becomes necessary to stop and clean the machine.
A further drawback comes from the fact that no provision is made for generally adjusting the cutting device to suit the type of yarn, the slay reed movement and the temple position.
Another difficulty originates from the fact that all the movements of these devices are normally actuated by means of spring biassed cams; owing to the high speed reached by modern looms, the biassing springs are in fact so highly strained that their operation is sometimes critical and unreliable, such as to undergo frequent failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a primary object of this invention to obviate the drawbacks mentioned above by providing a fully mechanical cutting device of simple and reliable operation.
It is another object of the invention to minimize any maintenance problems, by preventing the formation of an undesirable hair or thread build up in the retaining member.
A further object is to provide such a device allowing a most complete and simple positioning with respect to the fabric being woven.
A further object is to eliminate the biassing springs from the actuating cams, such as to provide a device permitting high processing speeds.
These and other objects, such as will be better understood hereinafter, are achieved by a device for cutting, retaining and tucking a weft end to form a selvedge, according to this invention, characterized in that it comprises two concurrently operated cutting blades, a shoe associated with said two cutting blades and releasably retaining the cut yarn, a pick up hook adapted to bring said yarn back through the weft shed, positive cam actuators and linkages operative to sequentially control the yarn cutting and re-insertion operations and means for independently positioning the cutting assembly.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Further features and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred but not restrictive embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of example and not of limitation in the accompanying drawings, where:
FIG. 1 is a side perspective view of the instant cutting device and of the housing or box containing the actuating system;
FIG. 2 shows the adjusting and positioning means for the instant cutting device;
FIG. 3 shows in perspective the cutting device proper;
FIG. 4 is a ghostline view of the housing containing the actuating mechanism; and
FIG. 5 shows a variation to the rotary movement of the pick up hook shaft.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Making reference to the cited figures, there is indicated at 1 the front of a loom whereto an inverted-"T" bracket, having a horizontal wing 2 and vertical wing 20, is attached, as by means of screws and joints not shown.
To the horizontally extending wing 2, 2, on the right-hand side when the device is viewed frontally, a second "L" bracket is attached, the horizontal portion 8a whereof is affixed to said horizontal wing 2 by means of set screws 3 penetrating slotted holes 4 such as to permit said "L" bracket to be positioned by effecting movements normal to the weaving direction.
Between said vertical wing 20 and the vertical portion 8b of said "L" bracket, there is inserted an actuating mechanism box or housing 5 also providing support for the cutting device 6 proper and the pick up hook 7.
To the vertical portion 8b of said "L" bracket is affixed, by means of a pin 9 and locking screw 10, the cover of the temple 11 which in its adjustment translatory movements is rigid with said "L" bracket.
In particular, said actuating mechanism box or housing 5 may be further adjusted through a cam 12 which rotates in a bore 13 and engages with a seat formed in the box or housing wall to impart a back-and-forth movement along a line extending normal to the loom.
In order to definitely lock said housing 5 onto said bracket 2, three screws 14 are provided which engage in said housing 5 and act with their heads on said bracket 2 and are passed through slotted holes 15 which allow for adjustment upon loosening the screws. A shaft 16, whereby the inner mechanism is driven, projects outwardly from said housing 5 and carries keyed thereto a driven gear 17 which is locked in place by a clamp device 18. A driving gear 19 is journaled to the bottom portion of the right-hand outer wall 20 of said inverted "T" bracket, to mesh from below with a pinion gear in the breast beam 1, not shown in the drawings.
In order to kinematically connect said driving gear 19 and driven gear 17, a jockey 21 is interposed the rotation axis whereof may be shifted by loosening and re-tightening the nut 23 of a bolt acting as the pivot pin, the head 22 whereof is movable in an arcuate seat 24 being curved concentrically with said driving gear 19.
Said temple 11 cover is supported by an arm 25 secured, as mentioned above, to a pin 9 and may be adjusted for distance away from the template by means of a through screw 26 located on said arm 25 at the cited locking screw 10 whereon it is active.
The cutting device 6 comprises two "L" levers, respectively a lower one 27 and upper one 28, journaled on a common shaft 29, one adjacent the other. Said shaft 29 may be displaced vertically, in that it terminates in a screw and nut 30 across the wall of said box or housing 5 through a vertical slot 31 with set screw 32.
The shaping of said "L" levers is such that their middle portions between the arms projecting out of said box 5 move in a common plane, being guided by a jutting support 33 associated with said box 5 and having a substantially vertical seat for the movements of the levers 34. The lower lever 27 has at its end portion a lower cutting blade 35 (FIG. 3) interacting with an upper cutting blade 36 associated with said lever 28.
Arranged between said lower blade 35 and said lever 27 is a bearing plate 37 substantially parallel to and adjacent said blade 35 whereon it bears, a mating retaining shoe 38 being effective to retain the cut yarn.
From the foregoing it will be understood that the bearing plate 37 and the lower cutting blade 35 have common supporting means 27. Said retaining shoe 38 moves vertically substantially parallel to said upper blade 36, its stem 39 being accomodated in a vertical seat formed in the head of said lever 28 and urged downwardly beyond the cutting edge of blade 36 (FIG. 3) by a spring 40 interacting between a jut 41 rigid with said lever 28 and a stop 42 associated with said stem 39. From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the shoe 38 and the upper blade 36 have common support means 28.
FIG. 4 shows the actuators for operating the device. In particular, the cited shaft 16 has within said box 5 several grooves 43 adapted to engage with a pair of positive cams, respectively 44a and 44b, for actuating the cutting device, and 45a, 45b for actuating said pick up hook 7. More specifically, the pair 44a and 44b, through two first straight levers, respectively 46a and 46b, which follow their respective cams by means of feelers, drive two connecting rods 47a and 47b the second end whereof is associated to the "L" levers of the cutting device, respectively 28 and 27.
Similarly, the motion is transferred to the pick up hook 7 via two kinematic trains, respectively comprising a first lever 48 directly actuated by the cam 45a, which through a connecting rod 49 and second lever 50 causes the supporting shaft 51 carrying said pick up hook 7 to move through a yoke 52, engaging floatingly in a groove 53 rigid with the shaft 51. To control the rotation of said pick up hook 7, the second kinematic train consists of a first lever 54 operating, through multiple linkages 55, 56, 57, an internally grooved sleeve 58 engaging floatingly without restricting movement on mating bosses 59 present on said supporting shaft 51.
FIG. 5 shows a variation to the actuators for rotating said pick up hook 7, where the lever 56 reciprocates, through a connecting rod 60 of small size, a rack 61 meshing with a pinion 62 keyed to said sleeve 58.
The operation of the inventive cutting device may be easily inferred from the above description: in particular, the yarn to be cut is caused to pass between the two open blades which, on moving simultaneously with a scissor-like movement, initially block it under the influence of the shoe 38 on the bearing plate 37 and then cut it. At this point, by concurrent action of the actuating cams, the cutting assembly is lowered, while retaining the yarn, until the latter is engaged by the pick up hook 7. Subsequent to this, the device opens fully to release the yarn which. Thus the yarn is no longer torn by the pick up member as in conventional devices and, leaves no hair deposit or the like.
It should be further noted that the adjusting devices allow a proper overall adjustment of each member, thereby the temple may be correctly positioned with respect to the slay reed, irrespective of the cutting device. Moreover the latter may be displaced back and forth as well as up and down depending on the yarn being used.
Thus, the invention objects have been achieved by providing a fully mechanical type of device equipped with positive cams, and avoiding the necessity for cam biassing springs, which accordingly allows high processing speeds and affords reduced maintenance time.
Obviously, based upon the same inventive concept, many modifications and variations become possible, as partly mentioned herein, all of which fall within the scope of this application.
In particular, the materials, dimensions and arrangements may be selected according to specific requirements.
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A device for cutting, retaining and tucking a weft end to form a selvedge comprises two concurrently operated cutting blades, a shoe associated with the blades and releasably retaining the cut yarn, a pick up hook adapted to tuck the yarn into the weft shed and cam actuators and linkages to sequentially control the yarn cutting and reinsertion operations.
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CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is the U.S. National Stage of International Application No. PCT/EP2013/003073, filed Oct. 12, 2013, which designated the United States and has been published as International Publication No. WO 2014/056624 and which claims the priority of German Patent Application, Serial No. 10 2012 020 265.2, filed Oct. 12, 2012, pursuant to 35 U.S.C. 119(a)-(d).
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an exterior door handle arrangement for a vehicle door of a vehicle.
Such exterior door handle arrangement is disclosed, for example. in EP 0 646 688 A1 and includes a door handle, a bearing bracket and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving this pivot pin for pivotally connecting the door handle with the bearing bracket. In this conventional door handle arrangement, the cylindrical pivot pin may be disposed at a bearing portion of the bearing bracket, so that an end-side of the bearing fork of the door handle surrounds the pivot pin which forms an axis of rotation for the door handle. In another embodiment, the cylindrical pivot pin is secured to an end-side bearing arm of the door handle and is inserted and held in a guide groove arranged on an end side of the bearing bracket, thus allowing pivoting movement of the door handle about the pivot pin which forms a rotation axis. In addition to this hinge assembly, which supports the door handle in the direction of travel of the vehicle, the door handle is connected with a drawbar at another support location opposite the direction of travel of the vehicle.
With such an exterior door handle arrangement, the hinge assembly arranged in the direction of travel of the vehicle must guide and stabilize the door handle, wherein the independent return of the door handle from the swivel-out position into the resting position must not be blocked by friction forces in the hinge assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide an exterior door handle arrangement of the aforementioned type that holds the door handle in the resting position without play and without impeding the return due to frictional forces. Furthermore, this exterior door handle arrangement should be easy to implement, especially without resulting in a complex assembly.
This object is solved by an exterior door handle arrangement.
Such an exterior door handle arrangement for a vehicle door of a vehicle, which includes a door handle, a bearing bracket and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving this pivot pin for pivotally connecting the door handle with the bearing bracket, wherein the pivot pin forms a pivot axis of the door handle for pivoting the door handle from a resting position into a swivel-out position in the guide groove, is characterized according to the invention is that the contour surfaces of the pivot pin and the guide groove which are operatively connected and define the pivot movement of the door handle are formed with a fit, in such a way that a clearance fit exists in the swivel-out position of the door handle, which transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit during a pivoting movement into the resting position.
This provides a simple, in particular cost-effective solution, namely by forming the hinge assembly with an asymmetrical support, so that during the pivoting movement from the extended position of the door handle, i.e. the swivel-out position, into the resting position of the door handle, the contour surfaces that determine the support and the pivotal movement produce a clearance fit that transitions during the pivotal movement into the resting position first into a transitional fit and thereafter into an interference fit.
The interference fit in the resting position of the door handle ensures support without play. In addition, buzzing sounds when closing the car door are eliminated.
According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is formed with an elliptical cross-section, wherein its outer surface forms a contour surface that is operatively connected with parallel surfaces forming contour surfaces of the guide groove. This continuously changes the profile of the fit during the pivotal movement of the vehicle door, which results in improved vibration damping when closing the vehicle door.
According to a further development, the pivot pin is arranged for forming the clearance fit, the transitional fit, and the interference fit so that upon pivoting of the door handle from the swivel-out position into its resting position the length of the chord of the elliptical cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin increases between the contact regions of the contour surfaces. By forming the pivot pin as an elliptical cylinder, the fits can be adapted to the respective requirements, because the range of values for the chord can be set between the small value of the minor axis and large value of the major axis of the shape of the ellipse.
In another embodiment of the invention, the flat contour surfaces of the guide groove extend in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (x-direction of the vehicle) when the door handle is in its resting position. In this case, the pivot is to be arranged so as to produce a chord length, which in conjunction with the contour surfaces of the guide groove results in an interference fit. This means that the pivot pin becomes twisted between the two contour surfaces of the guide groove by the relative rotation of the pivot pin and the guide groove.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the pivot may be connected to the door handle whereby the door handle can be produced in a simple and cost-effective manner.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is connected to the bearing bracket, wherein the door handle has at one end a bearing fork for forming the guide groove with flat contour surfaces.
According to another embodiment of the invention, the pivot pin is formed with a polygonal cross-section, wherein its outer surface forms a contour surface that is operatively connected to parallel faces forming contour surfaces of the guide groove.
In such embodiment, the pivot is arranged so that, when the door handle is pivoted from the swivel-out position to the resting position, the length of the chord of the polygonal cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin increases between the contact regions of the contour surfaces from a chord having the length for a clearance fit to a chord generating an interference press fit.
According to a further development with such a pivot pin, the pivot pin is connected to the bearing bracket and the door handle has on one end a bearing fork for forming the guide groove with the flat contour surfaces, wherein the bearing fork and the pivot pin are aligned relative to each other that the chord generating the interference fit between the contact regions of the contour surfaces is formed in the resting position, of the door handle.
Preferably, the pivot pin and the contour surfaces of the guide groove are aligned relative to each other such that in the swivel-out position of the door handle, the contour surfaces of the bearing fork extend essentially in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, while forming the chord between the contact regions of the contour surfaces that generates the clearance fit.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be described below in detail in connection with exemplary embodiments and with reference to the attached figures, which show in:
FIG. 1 a schematic perspective view of an exterior door handle arrangement according to the invention,
FIG. 2 a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as an exemplary embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 2 a a schematic representation of the detail B of FIG. 2 ,
FIG. 3 a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to FIG. 2 with a door handle in the resting position,
FIG. 4 a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as another exemplary embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 4 a a schematic representation of the detail C of FIG. 4 ,
FIG. 5 a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to FIG. 4 with a door handle in the resting position,
FIG. 6 a schematic perspective sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement along section A-A of FIG. 1 , with a door handle in extended position as another exemplary embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 6 a a schematic representation of the detail D of FIG. 6 , and
FIG. 7 a schematic sectional view of the exterior door handle arrangement according to FIG. 6 , with a door handle in the resting position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The exterior door handle arrangement 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a door handle 10 and a bearing bracket 20 with which the door handle 10 is pivotally connected. FIG. 1 shows the door handle 10 in a resting position I, i.e. in its stored position.
In the partial cross-sectional view of FIG. 2 along section A-A of FIG. 1 , the door handle 10 is in a swivel-out position II, i.e. in its extended position.
According to FIG. 2 , the bearing bracket 20 composed of a plastic material includes a central part 21 shaped like a recessed grip, which has at one end a bearing portion 22 and at the opposite end an end portion 23 . The bearing portion 22 forms in conjunction with a pivot pin 31 , which is connected to the door handle 10 , a hinge assembly 30 .
This hinge assembly 30 includes in addition to the pivot pin 31 a guide groove 32 which is formed in the bearing portion 22 of the bearing bracket 20 and receives the pivot pin 31 so that the pivot pin 31 forms a pivot axis of the door handle 10 for pivoting from its resting position I (see FIG. 1 ) into its swivel-out position II and vice versa.
The door handle 10 which is manufactured also from plastic is formed at one end with a bearing arm 11 and at the other end with a draw hook 13 . The support arm 11 carries at the end the pivot pin 31 oriented in the z-direction of the vehicle, wherein the bearing arm 11 is guided through a bearing opening 25 of the bearing bracket 20 . The draw hook 13 engages through an operational opening 24 in the end portion 23 of the bearing bracket 20 and is connected to an unillustrated drawbar.
The circumferential surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 is operatively connected as a contour surface with the two parallel and flat contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b forming the guide groove 32 , so that the pivot pin 31 is guided and rotatably supported by these two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b.
The cross-section of the pivot pin 31 has an elliptical shape with a minor diameter d 1 and a major diameter d 2 . This elliptical shape of the pivot pin 31 is oriented such that it generates in the swivel-out position II of the door handle 10 according to the diagram of FIGS. 2 and 2 a a clearance fit by way of the contour surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 and the contour of surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the guide groove 32 and that this clearance fit transitions, when the door handle 10 is pivoted into its resting position I, via a transitional fit into an interference fit, as shown schematically in FIG. 3 . During this movement, the pivot pin 31 rotates between the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b such that the length of the chord S 1 connecting the contact regions K 1 a and K 1 b of the contour surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 and the contact portions 32 a and 32 b in the swivel-out position II increases up to the length of the chord S 2 between the contact regions K 2 a and K 2 b of the contour surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 and the contour of surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the guide groove 32 .
The chord is S 1 between the contact regions K 1 a and K 1 b is here selected so that a clearance fit is realized in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 a , while the length of the chord S 2 between the contact regions K 2 a and K 2 b has a larger value, thus forming in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b an interference fit in the resting position I of the door handle 10 . Thus, the length of the chord S between the contact regions of the contour surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 and contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the guide groove 32 continuously increases during the pivoting movement of the door handle 10 from the swivel-out position II into its resting position I, i.e. from a length of the chord S 1 to the length of the chord S 2 .
The value of the length of the chord S 1 is hereby in the range of the value of the minor diameter d 1 of the elliptical shape of the pivot pin cross-section, whereas the value of the length of the chord S 2 is in the range of the value of the major diameter d 2 .
The exterior door handle arrangement 1 according to FIGS. 4, 4 a and 5 differs from that according to FIGS. 2, 2 a and 3 only by the hinge assembly 30 , while the other components are identical.
This hinge assembly 30 according to FIGS. 4, 4 a and 5 also includes a pivot pin 31 with an elliptical cross-section arranged in the region of the bearing portion 22 , at which a ridge 31 b is formed on the side facing away from the door handle. The associated guide groove 32 with parallel and flat contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b is formed of a bearing fork 12 , which supports the end of the bearing arm 11 of the door handle 10 .
The elliptical shape of the cross-section of the pivot pin 31 has also a minor diameter d 1 and a major diameter d 2 , wherein in this exemplary embodiment the pivot pin 31 and the guide groove 32 are also oriented with respect to one another such that the outer surface 31 a as a contour surface of the pivot pin 31 in conjunction with the contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the guide groove 32 form a clearance fit when the door handle is in the swivel-out position II shown in FIGS. 4 and 4 a . When the door handle 10 is pivoted back from this swivel-out position II into its resting position I, this clearance fit merges transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit.
To achieve this effect, the pivot pin 31 is disposed with its elliptical cross-sectional shape on the bearing portion 22 of the bearing bracket 20 in such a way that the direction of the major diameter d 2 forms an acute angle to the x-direction of the vehicle. In this way, in the swivel-out position II of the door handle 10 , the chord S 1 connecting the contact regions K 1 a and K 1 b of the contour surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 with the contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b has a value which realizes a clearance fit in conjunction with the distance a of the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the bearing fork 12 . The length of this chord S 1 increases continuously to the length of the chord S 2 between the contact regions K 2 a and K 2 b when the door handle 10 is pivoted back into its resting position I, wherein the length of this chord S 2 has a value which forms an interference fit in conjunction with the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the guide groove 32 . In this resting position I, the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b extend in the x-direction of the vehicle.
The last exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 6, 6 a and 7 also differs from the previous embodiments only by the joint assembly 30 .
The pivot pin 31 of this hinge assembly according to the FIGS. 6, 6 a and 7 is arranged on the bearing portion 22 of the bearing bracket 20 of the exterior door handle arrangement 1 and has a polygonal, i.e. a five-cornered cross-section, wherein a ridge 31 b is formed on the side facing away from the door handle. The door handle 10 has a support arm 11 with an end-side bearing bracket 12 , with encompasses the pivot pin 31 as a guide groove 32 with two parallel and flat contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b.
The outer surface 31 a of the pivot pin 31 forms a clearance fit in conjunction with the contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the bearing fork 12 in the swivel-out position II of the door handle 10 illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 6 a , which transitions via a transitional fit into an interference fit when the door handle 10 is pivoted back into its resting position I shown in FIG. 7 .
To achieve this effect, the contour of surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the bearing fork 12 are oriented such that the chord S 1 connecting the contact regions K 2 a and K 2 b of the contour surfaces 31 a , 32 a and 32 b in the resting position I of the door handle 10 has a length that produces a clearance fit in conjunction with the distance a between the two contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b of the bearing fork 12 . When the door handle 10 is pivoted back into the resting position I shown in FIG. 7 , the length of this chord increases up to the chord S 2 between the contact regions K 2 a and K 2 b that corresponds to the distance between two opposite corners of the pentagonal cross-sectional shape of the pivot pin 31 . In this resting position I, the contour surfaces 32 a and 32 b are oriented at an acute angle with respect to the x-direction of the vehicle and caused tilting of the pivot 31 in the guide groove 32 and thus an interference fit due to the pivoting back from the swivel-out position II.
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An exterior door handle arrangement for a motor vehicle door of a motor vehicle includes a door handle a bearing bracket, and a hinge assembly having a pivot pin and a guide groove receiving the pivot pin for the pivotable connection of the door handle to the bearing bracket, wherein for pivoting the door handle from a resting position into a swivel-out position the pivot pin located in the guide groove forms a pivot axis of the door handle. The contour surfaces of the pivot pin and the guide groove which are in operative connection and which determine the pivot movement of the door handle are designed with a fit, such that the door handle has in the swivel-out position a clearance fit which transitions via a transitional fit into a positive fit when a pivoting movement into to a resting position is made.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
This is a Divisional Application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/322,292 filed Nov. 23, 2011 and claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/316,426 filed on Mar. 23, 2010, the entire contents of which are incorporated by reference hereto.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed subject matter relates to ballistic protection for military personnel. More particularly, the disclosed subject matter relates to a body armor made of integrated, multi-functional components designed to reduce the overall weight while increasing agility and durability; and to a flexible, multi-functional, multi-ply material mix capable of providing ballistic protection.
2. Brief Description of Related Art
Current soldier body armors are made of multiple layers of ballistic fabric, such as KEVLAR® brand fabric, that protect the torso from pistol shots. The addition of ceramic ballistic plates into pockets in the soft armor front, back and sides provides protection to the torso from high velocity rifle ammunition. However, such body armor may be unavoidably cumbersome, weighing up to 30 lbs when fully fitted with the ballistic plates. Adding batteries, cabling, radios, computers, GPS, and sundry other electronic devices to such a soldier system would add a further weight burden and may add to the cumbersome nature of a soldier's equipage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A need exists, therefore, for improved ballistic protection and for a body armor system having layers of flexible materials that provide electronic and ballistic functionality integrated into a soft body armor solution.
In one embodiment, the disclosed subject matter relates to a flexible, multi-functional body armor device comprising an outer cover material facing a threat side, an inner cover material facing a skin of a user, the inner cover material being peripherally fastened to the outer cover material so as to form an inner compartment, non-conductive flexible ballistic outer layer disposed within, the inner compartment, the non-conductive flexible ballistic outer layer having a plurality of conductive ballistic antenna fibers weaved therein and at least one smart connector operatively connected to the plurality of conductive ballistic antenna fibers.
In another embodiment, the disclosed subject matter relates to a flexible, multi-functional, multi-ply material mix capable of providing ballistic protection, the flexible, multi-functional, multi-ply material mix having a first layer with antenna fibers weaved therein, a second layer of insulating fibers, the first layer overlaying the second layer. A third layer of ground plane EMI shield fibers, the second layer overlaying the third layer. A fourth layer of flexible electronics and hybrid power storage, the third layer overlaying the fourth layer. A fifth layer of insulating fibers, the fourth layer overlaying the fifth layer. A sixth layer of power and data distribution fibers, the fifth layer overlaying the sixth layer. A seventh layer of insulating fibers, the sixth layer overlaying the seventh layer. An eighth layer of ground plane EMI shield plies, the seventh layer overlaying the eighth layer. A ninth layer of ballistic fibers, the eighth layer overlaying the ninth layer and a tenth layer of thermal electric generator fibers, the ninth layer overlaying the tenth layer.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments will be better understood from the detailed description given below and by reference to the attached drawings in which:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the multi-ply material mix;
FIG. 2 is a schematical exploded view of a ballistic vest;
FIG. 3 a is a frontal view of a full body armor; and
FIG. 3 b is a dorsal view of a full body armor.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Current soldier equipage is federated, with individual stand-alone components. This federated architecture results in duplication of subcomponents, inefficiencies and added weight. A particular concern is the proliferation of electronic systems that have to be carried by the modern war fighter, each with batteries that are usually different in design and function, resulting in a significant weight burden in spare batteries alone.
Referring to FIG. 1 , a preferred arrangement of the multi-ply material mix 100 is shown. The multi-ply material mix 100 has a threat side which is closest to the outer plies 105 , and a skin side, which is farthest from the outer plies 105 . The outer plies 105 can be made of non-conductive, flexible ballistic fibers 105 a . Such fibers 105 a can include, but are not limited to, KEVLAR® brand fibers, DYNEEMA® brand fibers, and various ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMW-PE) fibers, including, but not limited to, TENSYLON® brand fibers. In addition to the preceding sample fibers, the outer plies 105 can also include Carbon Nano-Tube (CNT) fibers.
The outer plies 105 can also include conductive ballistic fibers 105 b weaved therein. It is preferred that these conductive ballistic fibers 105 b are weaved in such a way as to be closest to the threat side of the multi-ply material mix 100 . Such arrangement allows these conductive ballistic fibers 105 b to provide antennae reception and transmission capabilities. The conductive ballistic fibers 105 b can have multiple arrangements within, the outer plies 105 . For instance, in one embodiment the conductive ballistic fibers 105 b can be spread equally throughout the surface area of the outer plies 105 , while in other embodiments the conductive ballistic fibers 105 b can be localized within certain regions of the outer plies 105 , such as areas covering the shoulders and neckline of a garment such as, but not limited to, a vest.
Below the outer plies 105 , toward the skin side, the multi-ply material mix 100 can include at least one layer of insulator plies HO. These insulator plies 110 can be made using non-conductive ballistic fibers, which can include, but are not limited to, KEVLAR® brand fibers. DYNEEMA® brand fibers and TENSYLON® brand fibers. The insulator plies 110 can provide additional ballistic protection to a user. Furthermore, the arrangement of the insulator plies 110 , within the multi-ply material mix 100 can vary. For instance, in one embodiment there can be a single layer of insulator plies 110 , while in other embodiments there may be two or more layers of insulator plies 110 , thereby providing increased ballistic protection to a user.
Below the layer of insulator plies 110 , toward the skin side, the multi-ply material mix 100 can include a layer of shield plies 115 . The shield plies 115 functions as an EMI shield layer and can be made of conductive ballistic materials, including, but not limited to, CNT fibers. In some embodiments the multi-ply material mix 100 can have a single layer of shield plies 115 , while in other embodiments the multi-ply material mix 100 can have two or more layers of shield plies 115 .
Below the layer of shield plies 415 , toward the skin side, the multi-ply material mix 100 can include an electronics and power storage layer 120 . The electronics and power storage layer 120 can be made from a number of available flexible electronics. These applications include, but are not limited to RF electronics, general purpose processing electronics and power management electronics.
Below the layer of electronics and power storage 120 , toward the skin side, the multi-ply material mix 100 can include a layer of power and data distribution plies 125 . The power and data distribution plies 125 can be made of conductive ballistic materials, including but not limited to, TENSYLON® brand fiber and CNT fibers.
Below the layer of power and data distribution plies 125 , toward the skin side, the multi-ply material mix 100 can include a layer of thermal electric generator plies 130 . The layer of thermal electric generator plies 130 can be made of a mixture of both conductive ballistic and non-conductive ballistic fibers. The conductive ballistic fibers can include, but are not limited to, CNT fibers, while the non-conductive ballistic fibers can include, but are not limited to, KEVLAR® brand fibers, DYNEEMA® brand fibers and TENSYLON® brand fibers. Further, the ratio of conductive ballistic fibers to non-conductive ballistic fibers in the layer of the thermal electric generator plies 130 can vary.
The multi-ply material mix 100 can be used in the construction of body armor, such as the armored vest depicted in FIG. 2 and/or the full body armor depicted in FIG. 3 . However, the multi-ply material mix 100 is not limited in its use to such applications. In fact, the multi-ply material mix 100 can be used in the construction of other equipment including, but not limited to, tents, clothing, etc. Further, the ballistic properties of the multi-ply material mix 100 can be strengthened by adding additional ballistic plies 140 as desired.
The several layers of the multi-ply material mix 100 can be held together through different fastening mechanisms, including, but not limited to stitching and gluing.
Referring to FIG. 2 , a ballistic vest 200 embodiment of the multi-ply material mix is shown. In this embodiment, the multi-ply material mix (not shown) can be easily incorporated into a ballistic vest 200 , which in one embodiment can be shaped like a human torso, having a front side and a back side. The ballistic vest 200 includes an outer cover 205 and an inner cover (not shown), which are peripherally sewn to create an inner compartment (not shown) in which the multi-ply material mix (not shown) is disposed. Accordingly, the ballistic vest 200 is capable of providing a user ballistic protection, while at the same time providing a number of integrated capabilities.
For instance, the ballistic vest is capable of providing integrated antennae transmission and reception capabilities by incorporating antennae fibers 210 . In one embodiment, the antennae fibers 210 can be made out of conductive ballistic fibers located en the outer plies (not shown) multi-ply material mix (not shown), the antennae fibers 210 can be positioned near the shoulder area of the ballistic vest 200 , where they can most effectively provide the user, antennae transmission and reception capabilities. In other embodiments, the antennae fibers 210 can be positioned around the neck line of the ballistic vest, or wrap around the shoulder blade area of the ballistic vest 200 . Preferably, the antennae fibers 210 are placed directly below the outer cover 205 , so as to improve performance. Because the multi-ply material mix (not shown) incorporates a number ballistic fibers, the ballistic vest 200 is capable of providing 360® ballistic protection.
The arrangement of the fibers in the multi-ply mix can modified to meet the requirements of different applications. For instance, in the vest 200 embodiment, additional CNT fibers 220 , which provide increased ballistic protection, can be placed to protect sensitive areas, such as those covering the vital organs of user.
The ballistic vest 200 can also be equipped with a region of power and data distribution fibers 230 . These power and data distribution fibers 230 can be both conductive ballistic and non-conductive ballistic fibers. Additionally, the power and data distribution fibers 230 can be arranged virtually anywhere on the ballistic vest 200 , and are therefore not restricted in placement to any given region within the ballistic vest 200 . In other embodiments, additional ballistic protection can also be provided by incorporating non-conductive ballistic fibers tot shown). These non-conductive ballistic fibers can include, but are not limited to, KEVLAR® brand fibers, DYNEEMA® brand fibers and TENSYLON® brand fibers.
The ballistic vest 200 is also capable of harnessing and storing energy in a power storage unit 240 . For instance, in one embodiment conductive ballistic fibers can channel harnessed energy (i.e. thermal energy) for storage in a power storage unit 240 . Power and data distribution fibers 230 can then be used to access the power storage unit 240 and make this power available to external devices via smart connectors 270 . In some embodiments, the power storage unit 240 may be capable to store up to 96 hours of usable power.
As was noted above, data and power transfer to and from the ballistic vest 200 can be achieved by incorporating smart connectors 270 , including, but not limited to, SNAP Net® brand connectors. These smart connectors 270 come in a variety of snap geometries and therefore allow for the integration of a variety of applications, including, but not limited to, USB devices, RF antennas and various other electronic devices. Further, the placement of the smart connectors 270 is not limited to the shoulder area, as the smart connectors 270 may be placed virtually anywhere on the ballistic vest 200 .
Additionally, the ability to transmit power from the power storage unit 240 via the power and data distribution fibers 230 allows the ballistic vest 200 to be fitted with additional electronic devices, including but not limited to, small single-board computers 290 such as GUMSTIX® brand computers and SAINT® brand handheld devices 260 .
Further, the ballistic vest 200 can be equipped with any desired number of storage compartments 250 . These storage compartments 250 can be constructed out of the same materials as the ballistic vest 200 , and therefore provide a convenient means to store and transport cargo without compromising safety. The cargo can vary depending on the application and may include land mobile radio units 280 , handheld devices 260 , single-board computers 290 , etc. Additionally, the storage compartments 250 can be placed in any desired location on the ballistic vest 200 .
The ballistic vest 200 can also be equipped with an EMI shield 293 . The EMI shield 293 can be made of ballistic fibers, including, but not limited to, CNT fibers. These ballistic fibers provide a great degree of flexibility and exhibit reduced weight, compared to traditional metal EMI shield applications. Accordingly, the ballistic vest 200 can be fitted with an EMI shield 293 throughout the vest, thereby providing 360° magnetic radiation protection, without increasing ballistic vest 200 weight and while retaining ballistic vest 200 flexibility. In other embodiments, additional layers of EMI shield 293 can be disposed in areas of the ballistic vest 200 that protect vital organs. For example, in one embodiment, additional EMI shield 293 layers can be disposed in the frontal section of the ballistic vest 200 , while in other embodiments additional EMI shield 293 layers can be disposed in the dorsal section of the ballistic vest 200 .
The ballistic vest 200 can also be fitted with a layer of flexible electronics 295 . The flexible electronics 295 layer can be distributed through the ballistic vest 200 . The flexible electronics 295 , can include, but are not limited to RF electronics, general purpose processing and power management electronics.
Referring to FIGS. 3 a and 3 b , a full body ballistic armor 300 embodiment of the multi-ply material mix is shown. That is the in addition to protecting the anterior 310 and posterior 320 regions of the torso, the multi-ply material mix (not shown) can be use to provide full body ballistic protection including, the head 330 , upper limbs 340 and lower limbs 350 . Because of the high flexibility and reduced weight (compared to traditional federated ballistic materials) the bull body ballistic armor 300 provides improved mobility without compromising threat protection.
It is to be understood, that the above-described arrangements are intended solely to illustrate the application of the principles of the disclosed subject matter. Numerous modifications and alternative arrangements may be devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosed subject matter in the present Application. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover such modifications and alternative arrangements. Thus, while the disclosed subject matter of the present Application has been described above with particularity and detail in connection with what is presently deemed to be the most practical and preferred embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous modifications, including, but not limited to, variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use may be made without departing from the principles and concepts set forth herein.
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A flexible, multi-functional, multi-ply material mix and device, capable of providing ballistic protection are herein presented. The device and material herein presented provide multiple electronic and ballistic functionality integrated into a soft body armor that is lighter in weight and more comfortable to wear than previously available alternatives.
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TECHNICAL FIELD
The field of the invention is that of multi-port dynamic random access memory.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 illustrates a conventional 1T, 1C DRAM cell 10 that contains a capacitor 12 for storing the data and a pass transistor 11 controlled by a Word Line (WL) that connects the storage node to the Bitline (BL). The charge stored on the capacitor will, of course, leak away and the charge must be refreshed. The refresh cycle consists of a read operation that destructively reads the stored data followed by a write operation that writes the data back in the cell with the maximum charge that the apparatus allows. As is well known, the cell may not be written to or read from during the course of the refresh operation.
FIG. 2 shows a transistor level schematic of a multi-port 3T1C DRAM gain cell. These cells may be written to and read from independently, since they have separate read and write ports (a read port with a Read Word Line, RWL, and a Read Bitline, RBL, and a write port with a Write Word Line, WWL, and a Write Bitline, WBL). They also must be refreshed, since the data bit is also stored in a capacitor that has a finite leakage.
The NMOS transistor 24 couples the storage node 22 to the write bitline WBL for a write operation, when the write wordline WWL goes high. The storage node 22 may preferably have a capacitor 25 to keep the data bit. The data bit stored in a storage node 22 can be read out to the read bitline RBL when the read wordline RWL goes high. If the storage node 22 keeps a high data, two NMOS transistors 21 and 23 are both on, discharging the RBL. If the storage node keeps a low voltage, the NMOS transistor 23 is off, keeping the RBL at the precharged voltage.
The 3T gain cell can simultaneously realize a read operation by using RWL and RBL, and a write operation by using WWL and WBL, thereby providing a solution for a high performance memory system. It does, however, require a refresh to maintain the data. Unlike a conventional 1T cell in FIG. 1 , the 3T gain cell requires to read the data bit first by activating a RWL, and then rewrite a data bit to the cell by activating WWL. This results in a 2 cycle refresh, reducing memory availability.
The art could benefit from a 3T1C cell that has a single cycle refresh mode that improves the memory availability for normal read and write operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a single cycle refresh management for a 3T1C gain cell dual-port memory that defers the write back portion of the sequence until the next refresh cycle, thereby taking only one clock cycle by performing the write operation of the kth refresh during the same clock cycle as the read operation of the (k+1)th refresh.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a 1T1C DRAM cell.
FIG. 2 shows a schematic of a 3T1C DRAM cell for use with the invention.
FIG. 3 shows a peripheral circuit including sense amp, cell driver and refresh buffer.
FIG. 4 shows a detail of the counter arrangement for the refresh operation.
FIG. 5 shows timing relationships in the refresh sequence.
FIG. 6 shows row decoder and word line driver for RWL, REFWL and WWL.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 5 shows a set of pulse trains used with the invention that illustrates the times when the normal read and write operations and the refresh read and write operations take place.
On the top row, the CLK signals 50 - 1 , - - - 50 - 5 mark off a sample of clock pulses that illustrate the operations of the system. Lines 2 and 3 show the timing of normal read and write operations to the memory. Read operations (READ), denoted with numerals 1 , 3 and 5 representing read row addresses, and write operations (WE), denoted with 2 , 4 , 6 , representing write row addresses, may both take place during the same clock cycle. Arrows extending from lines 2 and 3 to lines 5 and 6 , respectively, denote that RWL and WWL are each activated within the same clock cycle as the corresponding read and write enable signals.
It is apparent on lines 5 and 6 that the refresh cycles are inserted among, the normal read and write cycles. It is also evident that the refresh cycle R 1 , which starts on clock cycle 50 - 2 is half completed within the same clock cycle, but is not fully completed until clock cycle 50 - 4 , when the second half of refresh cycle R 1 takes place.
Within clock cycle 50 - 2 , WWL is activated to write the contents of the RPBUF (Read Page Buffer, stores the read data temporarily) to the memory row flagged during the preceding refresh cycle R 0 preceding the row flagged in cycle R 1 . A slight skew, not shown in the figure, separates the write and read operations in time, so that the contents of RPBUF are read out into the appropriate row and the circuits have stabilized before the read operation loads the contents of the next row into RPBUF, thus avoiding contamination of the read-in data.
A single cycle refresh is realized by delaying a write function till the next cycle. A refresh row address counter (RAC) shown in FIG. 4 generates addresses n and n−1 for RWL and WWL respectively for each refresh cycle. When a refresh command is received, row n is read out and stored in RPBUF. Data conversion logic is included in RPBUF to keep the write back data polarity consistent with the read data polarity. The data bits are held in the RPBUF until the next refresh cycle, at which time the data in the RPBUF is written back to the appropriate row in the array. The non-destructive read feature of the memory cell allows for reading the data bits even if a read command is received for the row address of the data held in a RPBUF. The additional refresh interval required for the cell by this feature is less than 1% of the total retention requirement as long as distributed refresh is used.
When a write command is received for the data in the RPBUF, write data will be written for the corresponding row in the array and RPBUF avoiding the possible complexities when a read after write operation for the data held in RPBUF is performed. The data path from write data pad to RPBUF is controlled by the Hit signal in block 350 of FIG. 3 . The Hit signal is created as shown in FIG. 4 by comparing the refresh address with the write address of a normal write. Thus, even if a write command is executed during the refresh latency period of two clock cycles, the refresh write operation that is the second part of the refresh operation is suppressed, so that the new data in the memory array is not overwritten by the data from RPBUF. This assures data consistency when writing to an address that is in the midst of a refresh. The timing diagram in FIG. 5 shows that the write operation of refreshing address R 1 is separated from read operation by the refresh latency period (command interval) and done when the next refresh read operation of R 2 starts.
FIG. 4 shows the RAC 415 which increments the row number of the next row to be refreshed. In operation, the REF command will enable the transfer of the next row address to be read on line 434 and the next address to be written on line 432 . As discussed above, comparator 420 generates a hit signal when the next write address during the refresh latency period is the same as the next refresh write address (N−1) to be written during next refresh command cycle. The illustrative example is non-multiplexed column architecture. All cells with a particular wordline will be read or written at one cycle. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are many ways to preserve the data in the other columns; i.e. resetting the row address counter to repeat the read operation on row (N−1) and then read the recently read data into the (N−1)th row. This repeated read may be done at any convenient time, not necessarily on the next refresh cycle. Alternatively, straightforward logic may be used to keep track of the columns written to during the latency period and refresh only the columns that are not written to in that period.
Referring now to FIG. 3 , there is shown a combined peripheral circuit that connects to columns of the memory array. Most of the elements of FIG. 3 comprise a sense amplifier denoted with bracket 310 that further contains unit 312 that equalizes and precharges the bitlines RBL and RBLB, 314 and 316 , respectively. Cross coupled inverters 320 perform the usual function of responding to a difference on the bitlines to drive the lines to a higher voltage. Reference cell 360 maintains a reference voltage that is preferably half way between the bitline voltage associated with a logical 1 in the selected cell and the voltage associated with a logical 0 in the cell.
Unit 370 is a reference cell which provides a reference voltage level to the RBLB, which are the inputs to sense amplifier together with RBL. The reference cell consists of the same memory cell as normal 3T1C cell by skipping the write access transistor. The read head transistor (designated ZVT) gate is tied to VREF, which is an external voltage supply. The VREF is the average value of GND and VDD.
Unit 330 contains the Data Conversion Logic (DCL) and stores the data from the memory cell in question as part of RPBUF It manages the write back data polarity when we read and write back to the cells. Because the read bitline and write bitlines are twisted one and twice respectively, the read data in RPBUF needs to keep track of the data and address scramble to correctly maintain the data in the cells.
At the bottom of the Figure, unit 340 contains a conventional latch DOUT that stores and sends out the data that is read out in normal operation, and keeps the data to be fetched even after RBL and RBLB go back to the precharge state “High”.
On the left side of FIG. 3 , a driver circuit writes data to the cell that has been activated on bitlines WBL and WBLB. In the example illustrated here, only one WBL is used, but some memory architectures may use two bitlines for a purpose that is outside the scope of the present invention.
As discussed above, unit 350 maintains the data consistency between array and RPBUF by simultaneously writing the new write data in both array and RPBUF when the Hit signal is active. Ordinarily, the bitline driver will be fed by data from the Data pad when the WE signal is high and fed from unit 330 when the REF signal is high.
FIG. 6 shows a decoder that generates RWL, REFWL and WWL signals from the read row address and write row address, respectively. The decoding is done in subcircuit 305 , controlling node 310 .
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the ratio of refresh cycles to ordinary read and write operations will vary with different products and as the technology changes. In particular, the retention time of charge in a cell will determine the overall frequency of the interval between refresh operations.
While the invention has been described in terms of a single preferred embodiment, those skilled in the art will recognize that the invention can be practiced in various versions within the spirit and scope of the following claims.
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A multi-port DRAM having refresh cycles interleaved with normal read and write operations implements a single cycle refresh sequence by deferring the write portion of the sequence until the next refresh cycle. During a single clock cycle, the system writes stored data from a refresh buffer into a row in the memory array and then reads data from one row of the memory array into the buffer.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention generally concerns holders, removably mountable to ladders and step ladders, of paint cans and tools and like implements for use by painters and electricians and other individuals when, in the course of their work, these persons stand on ladders and step ladders. The present invention is directed at a convenient means for carrying and organizing and holding various work supplies and work implements in proximity to work conducted by a tradesman from a ladder or step ladder.
[0003] The present invention particularly concerns flexible tool and paint pail holders that removably mount atop step ladders so that a workman (i) may conveniently transport tools and supplies, including paint, to the ladder within a holder, (ii) may easily and securely mount a holder to the ladder, (iii) may have convenient access to tools and supplies held within the holder while standing on the ladder, and (iv) may at any time replenish any tools or supplies within the holder with minimum disruption.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] Ladders have been employed since their inception to place a worker into proximity to an elevated surface or article that needs be physically manipulated, such as for purposes of painting, plumbing, wiring etc. Of the several well-known styles of ladders available, a step-ladder consists of (i) a fixed ladder member which is joined to (ii) a supporting member having dimensions and construction similar to that of the fixed ladder portion but designed primarily as a support. The (i) fixed ladder member and the (ii) supporting member are joined by a suitable hinge, transverse to the long axis of both members, such that the ladder member and support member may be opened with respect to one another, forming thereby an essentially A-frame configuration. A top step is usually provided at the external apex of the “A”.
[0006] This step ladder provides the ability to elevate ones-self in the absence of a fence, wall or other structure normally required when using a fixed ladder alone. It is to users of the step-ladder which the present invention is directed, but the principles of the present invention, particularly in the aspect of its paint pail pouch, are anticipated to be useful on the other types of ladders as well, and it would be unnecessarily restrictive to view the particular application of the present invention to step ladders as is taught within this specification as being delimitive of the invention.
[0007] One of the problems individuals who find themselves on ladders regularly encounter is that they must prevent themselves from falling from the ladder while performing the task at hand. Additionally, a variety of hand-implements are often required to carry out various tasks to their completion. From a statistical standpoint, the probability of an individual having a mishap varies directly as the number of times an individual goes up and down from the ladder in connection with a job. Therefore, if it were possible to minimize the number of up-and-down trips an individual was required to make in the normal course of carrying out tasks from a ladder, then the probability of a mishap could be accordingly minimized.
[0008] One way to minimize the number of up-and-down trips required to carry out a task is to provide every tool and/or material needed for a given job in close proximity to the location atop the ladder where the worker is situated. However, while the prior art contains many different types of devices aimed at this end, none has been successful in design both so as to be (i) ergonomically effective, and (ii) sufficiently cost-effective of manufacture so as to be widely adopted.
[0009] A review of some of the criteria that a ladder, or step-ladder, tool holder would desirably realize is useful. Flexible and removable, fabric-type, holders seemingly offer a large holding capacity, but these holders tend not to maintain a defined volume, and are subject to collapsing inward. This is adverse in that even a loaded holder should be capable of being slipped into position on or atop a step ladder by use of but one hand, making that the holder must maintain itself open and ready to receive mounting upon the step ladder. Moreover, a holder removed from a ladder mounting should not slump or collapse so completely that held objects such as tools become dislodged.
[0010] An optimally commodious tool holder would seemingly best make good use of every one of the five exterior surfaces of defined by the volume in the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid at the top of a step ladder. Use of the substantially flat top surface to the step ladder is immediately problematic. Should this surface be left unencumbered so that it may be stood upon, or should it be adapted for holding objects or things?
[0011] Finally, the retention of paint cans and pails both large and small is potentially challenging to flexible fabric holders, especially as these containers and their contents would desirably be held level.
[0012] Attempts to solve these challenges are shown in various issued United States patents.
[0013] U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,419 to Campagna, et al. for a LADDER POUCH shows an elongate, flexible sheet having a first end, a midpoint, a second end, a first side, and a second side. A first engagement structure, such as hook and pile fastening material, is located on the first side of the elongate, flexible sheet between the midpoint and the first end. A second engagement structure, complimentary with the first engagement structure, is located on the second side of the sheet proximate its second end. Multiple pockets are disposed on or integral with the first side of the sheet. The pockets can be open-mouthed or include covering flaps.
[0014] U.S. Pat. No. 5,988,383 to Armstrong for a LADDER SADDLE DEVICE shows a holder device containing various work implements designed for use by workers who regularly use ladders. The device holds the implements in such fashion as to be ergonomically accessible while maintaining a reduced center of gravity and hence increased stability of the ladder/device combination as a whole. Use of this device is claimed to increase safety while being cost-effective enough in its construction to be readily employed by workers in various crafts and professions.
[0015] U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,101 to Taggart for an ADAPTABLE CARRIER APPARATUS shows a tool and material carrier adaptable for use on a variety of platforms such as four and three legged step ladders, extension ladders, universal or hinged ladders, platform ladders, scaffolding and the like. The carrier is made of a foldable body which conforms to various platform deigns. A multiple strap system having quick lock and release connectors secures the carrier to the various platforms. The front of the body includes a multi-tiered system of pouches and holders for tools and materials. The rear of the body includes additional pouches or holders. The carrier includes a holster for gun shaped tools. An electric cord holder provided with or separately from the carrier holds an electric cord close to the working elevation of the platform. The electric cord holder includes a foldable strap having two portions which are mated when the strap is folded to form an opening smaller than the head of an electric cord to secure the electric cord between the two portions. Modular, task specific, attachments to the carrier provide additional versatility such as an attachable mud pan and mud knife holder or an attachable butane torch holder.
[0016] U.S. Pat. No. 5,749,437 to Weller for a FREE-STANDING LADDER SUPPORTED TOOL HOLDER concerns a non-obstructive tool holder which holds tools on a free-standing ladder, e.g. a step-ladder. The tool holder is configured so avoid obstruction of normal use of the free-standing ladder. The tool holder has a skirt including a front side sheet, a rear side sheet, a left side sheet, and a right side sheet connected together at sides thereof to form a generally tubular structure having a top opening and a bottom opening. The skirt narrows towards the top thereof. The front side sheet, the rear side sheet, the right side sheet, and the left side sheet each are made of a substantially flat but flexible material. The sides include pockets, and/or other supports, for holding tools. The top opening exposes the top platform of the ladder. A handle extends across the top opening, the bottom of the handle rests on the top platform of the free-standing ladder so that the top platform will remain unobstructed in normal use of the free-standing ladder. In addition, the front side sheet is shortening and includes an elastic portion whereby the use of the ladder is further unobstructed.
[0017] Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,647,453 to Cassells for a MULTI-PURPOSE LADDER APRON shows a multi-purpose ladder utility apron having four side panels, each adapted with a plurality of tool and accessory receptacles. The apron further includes a fold up storage tray on the ladder's top providing additional temporary storage space. Closure flaps and straps secure the apron to the ladder whether in its open or closed position such that the subject invention may be secured to the ladder during use, transport and storage and may be quickly removed for laundering. An optional lid is also pivotally attached to the apron and folds out to provide a work shelf. The apron's design accommodates use of the ladder's own fold-down shelf and permits use of all steps without sacrificing storage space for tools and the like. The apron may still further be adapted with a power receptacle so that power tools can easily be interchanged without disengaging the extension cord.
[0018] The prior art in general variously shows ladder-mounted tool holders with various accommodations to holding and supporting various special things, mostly tools and materials. The mode and manner by which an economically-constructed flexible fabric-based tool holder might reliably function both on and off a ladder, and particularly a step ladder, could, however, use improvement.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0019] The present invention contemplates a flexible and collapsible multi-pocket truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder for removable use atop a step ladder. The holder removably fits to the top of a step ladder, there presenting (i) a large distended pouch suitable to receive and hold a paint can, (ii) a flat tray which doubles as the top step of the step ladder, and (iii) numerous other hooks, hangers, clips and the like from which various tools and materials may conveniently be hung. The step ladder tool and material holder is preferably made from canvas or cotton duck, nominally of 24 oz. weight, or from polyurethane coated cloth, by processes of sewing and/or gluing. So constructed with the five major surfaces of its main body in the shape of a truncated four-sided pyramid, the tool and material holder has adequate stability so that it (i) may be set upon a floor without collapsing, and (ii) may be picked up with but one hand to be set atop a step ladder.
[0020] The preferred tool and material holder, called a “ladder caddy”, has numerous attributes. It is characterized for having an extremely large number of pockets, cavities, loops, clips, hangers, hooks and the like which securely hold a great variety of power and hand tools, caulking guns, paint brushes and paint pads. Importantly, the holder has in particular a major loop—maintained open by an insert with a shape memory—for holding a paint bucket, most preferably of the two gallon size. A paint bucket—even when full—may be entered into, or withdrawn from, this supporting loop by use of but one hand. The bucket is held securely within the loop with its lip exposed—exactly as desired for painting.
[0021] There are preferably 39 or more pockets in the holder, a number more than 50% greater than the 24 pockets normally found in the most extensive riggers bag. This is in addition to, most preferably, 1 drill holster, 2 hammer/caulking gun holder loops, 1 electrical or masking tape roll holder, 1 key clip, 4 general purpose hooks and 4 general purpose tie tabs.
[0022] The stiffening member with shape memory for the loop, or pouch, that holds the paint bucket is normally a piece of plastic.
[0023] The plastic stiffening member causes the loop, or pouch, to distend when the receptacle is mounted to the top of a step ladder, making that a paint can may easily and reliably be entered into, and withdrawn from, the pouch by the use of but one hand.
[0024] This major loop is further, optionally, fitted with a downhanging skirt, and in this case the stiffening member also preferably has and presents a transverse extension which, when the receptacle is mounted to the top of step ladder, extends downwards into the skirt, holding neatly open a pouch thereby formed, with pockets to the pouch exterior being smartly presented. The downhanging skirt may also optionally have vertical strip of hook and loop material sewn on its interior wall roughly midway in its looping extension. This optional strip is matched to a like optional strip of complimentary hook and loop material that is located an a major surface positioned against the step ladder, The two complimentary strips are roughly opposite—180° across—the pouch of roughly circular cross-section. When the pouch is empty the two complimentary strips may be forced together, making the one, relatively larger, paint can pouch into a dual pouch for holding two relatively smaller paint cans, normally of one quart size. This “closure” or “constriction” of the pouch may be realized despite the presence of the stiffening member. The step ladder top receptacle of the present invention thus has a pouch that is optionally adaptably sized to two differently sized paint cans. As before, smaller paint cans can be entered into, and withdrawn from, the modified pouch with but one hand.
[0025] An area of the tool and material holder which is immediately over the top step of the step ladder, and which is relatively flat in use, is provided with a slightly raised rim, making a shallow tray feature where small objects such as screws and nails may be temporarily held without rolling off. Nonetheless to the presence of this shallow tray feature, the top surface of the holder may be stood upon, making that the top step of the step ladder is still available for use.
[0026] The top surface also presents mounting/un-mounting and carrying handles, preferably two such spaced-parallel on either elongate side of the shallow tray feature. When the two handles are grasped by the thumb and fingers of a one hand, it is possible to lift the entire receptacle, and all the contents thereof including any small items that may be within the tray, on and off the top of a step ladder, and to carry the receptacle and all its contents.
[0027] 1. A Holder Device With a Loop For a Paint Pail
[0028] Accordingly, in one of its aspects the present invention is embodied in a holder device for holding various things including a paint pail at an apex of a step ladder.
[0029] The device has a) a rectangular top panel having four edges; b) a trapezoidally-shaped first side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a first edge of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; c) a trapezoidally-shaped second side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a second edge, opposite to the top panel's first edge, of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; d) a step-side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a third edge of the top panel, and also to a second edge of both the first and the second side panels, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; e) a front panel, connected at its first edge to a fourth edge of the top panel and also to a third edge, opposite to the second edges, of both first and the second side panels. To this structure in the substantial shape of a truncated four-side pyramid is added f) a loop member extending substantially level with the top panel from (i) where the top panel joins with the first side panel and the front panel (ii) in an arc to (iii) where the top panel joins with the second side panel and the front panel, so as to form a loop into which a paint can is suitably entered and held.
[0030] The loop member preferably contains a shape memory stiffening element, preferably plastic, for maintaining the arc of the loop into which the paint can is suitably entered and held even when the paint can is not present.
[0031] The loop member further, optionally, includes a downhanging skirt protecting and securing a cylindrical surface of a paint can entered into, and held by, the loop member. This downhanging skirt may optionally incorporate a substantially vertical strip of a first type of hook-and-loop fabric, in which case the front panel also includes a substantially vertical strip of a second type of hook-and-loop fabric complimentary to the first type. By this construction the strips of the downhanging skirt and of the front panel may be manually pressed together, causing the strips to hold together along their lengths so as to divide the major arc of the loop member into two smaller arcs each of which is suitable to receive and to hold a paint can of appropriate size.
[0032] The top panel preferably includes a peripheral rim (i) sufficiently high so as to form a shallow reservoir in which can be placed nails and screws and other small things without jeopardy that they will role off the holder device and the step ladder, but (ii) insufficiently high so as to preclude that a person should not stand upon the top panel and its rim and its reservoir, obtaining good and secure footing like as the person would obtain standing directly upon the top step of the step ladder.
[0033] The preferred connection of all panels is by sewing.
[0034] 2. A Holder Device With a Top Tray
[0035] In another of its aspects the present invention is embodied in a holder device for holding various things at an apex of a step ladder, including on the level surface of the top step of the step ladder.
[0036] The holder device so functioning includes a) a rectangular top panel having (i) four edges and (ii) a peripheral rim sufficiently high so as to form a shallow reservoir in which can be placed nails and screws and other small things without jeopardy that they will role off the holder device and the step ladder, but insufficiently high so as to preclude that a person should not stand upon the top panel and its rim and its reservoir when the holder device is mounted at the top step of the step ladder.
[0037] The holder device further includes b) a trapezoidally-shaped first side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a first edge of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; c) a trapezoidally-shaped second side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a second edge, opposite to the top panel's first edge, of the top panel, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; d) a step-side panel (i) connected at its first edge to a third edge of the top panel, and also to a second edge of both the first and the second side panels, and (ii) having a plurality of receptacles; and e) a front panel, connected at its first edge to a fourth edge of the top panel and also to a third edge, opposite to the second edges, of both first and the second side panels.
[0038] By this construction the connected panels constitute the holder device that is suitably mounted at the top step of a step ladder. The top panel overlies the top step, with the step-side panel overlying an uppermost portion of a step side of the step ladder, with the front panel overlying an uppermost portion of a front side of the step ladder, and with each of the two side panels overlying regions between the step side and the front side of the step ladder.
[0039] This holder device with a shallow reservoir further preferably includes f) a loop member extending substantially level with the top panel from (i) where the top panel joins with the first side panel and the front panel (ii) in an arc to (iii) where the top panel joins with the second side panel and the front panel, so as to form a loop into which a paint can is suitably entered and held.
[0040] These and other aspects and attributes of the present invention will become increasingly clear upon reference to the following drawings and accompanying specification.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not to limit the scope of the invention in any way, these illustrations follow:
[0042] [0042]FIG. 1 is a first diagrammatic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention in operative position atop a step ladder.
[0043] [0043]FIG. 2 is a second diagrammatic perspective view, rotated 180° in azimuth, of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIG. 1.
[0044] [0044]FIG. 3 is a right side plan view of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0045] [0045]FIG. 4 is a left side plan view of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0046] [0046]FIG. 5 is a front side plan view of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 6 is a top side plan view of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 7 is a back side plan view of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 8, consisting of FIGS. 8 a and 8 b, are respective detail top, and side, plan views of the top panel (only) of the preferred embodiment of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention previously seen in FIGS. 1 and 2.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0050] The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for the carrying out of the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, and is not to be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims.
[0051] 1. Objects of the Invention
[0052] In accordance with the shortcomings contained in the prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a convenient device through the use of which laddermen may minimize the number of up-and-down trips required them on a given task.
[0053] It is an object of this invention to provide a means for caddying tools used by laddermen.
[0054] It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for caddying tools used by laddermen which is ergonomically enjoyable.
[0055] It is a further object of this invention to provide a means for caddying tools used by laddermen which is cost-effective enough in its manufacture to gain wide acceptance by industry.
[0056] Finally, it is yet another object of this invention to provide a means for caddying tools used by laddermen which is useful by tradesmen in all fields.
[0057] As an added advantage, the instant invention eliminates the need for the workman to carry heavy tools on his belt which might otherwise tend to contribute to a situation of imbalance, which could catalyze a mishap.
[0058] The objects of this invention are achieved by providing a novel fabric hood which is affixable to the top portion of the step-ladder. The uppermost two rungs (including the top rung) and the frame members of the ladder join together so as to form the framework of an essentially trapezoidally-shaped, or, more precisely, a truncated-pyramidally-shaped volume at the top of the step-ladder. The hood of the present invention is shaped so that it encloses this volume in the shape of a truncated four-side pyramid. The hood of the present invention also comprised pocket portions on its surfaces in which various tools and other implements such as screws, solder, nails, hammers, saws, wrenches, etc. may be securely housed.
[0059] An unexpected advantage of the present invention is that the hood contributes to the structural strength of the ladder and provides increased traction for the topmost step.
[0060] A further unexpected advantage of the present invention is that the center of gravity of the ladder to which the instant device is attached is reduced by virtue of the locations of the tools and implements held being lower than they would be if within a tool box resting on the top step of the ladder. This increased stability contributes to safety.
[0061] 2. Preferred Embodiment of the Invention
[0062] A diagrammatic perspective view of the preferred embodiment of a flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder 1 in accordance with the present invention in operative position atop a step ladder 2 (shown in phantom line, for not being part of the present invention) is shown at a first angular perspective in FIG. 1, and at a second, 180°-separated, angular perspective in FIG. 2.
[0063] The holder 2 is preferably made from fabric, cloth, canvas or cotton duck, nominally of 24 oz. weight, or from polyurethane coated cloth, by processes of gluing and/or, preferably, sewing. The holder thus has angles that are gradual, and that may be less sharp than is depicted in the drawings, which are rendered to show the holder 2 with all corners sharp, and extensions full, for purposes of explaining the present invention. Due to its construction from flexible material, the holder 1 assumes the substantial geometric configuration of the structure to which it is mounted, or the apex of the step ladder 2 . This makes that the holder 1 is in the substantial shape of a truncated four-side pyramid (although the pyramid is not regular, with all its angles equal).
[0064] The truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder 1 has (i) five major panels and (ii) one major loop, or pouch, that define its shape. A back panel 11 (best seen in FIG. 1) is connected along a first side edge to a corresponding first side edge of a first side panel 12 (best seen in FIG. 2) which is itself connected along its second side edge to a corresponding first side edge of a front panel 13 (best seen in FIG. 2) which is itself connected along its second side edge to a corresponding first side edge of the second side panel 14 (best seen in FIG. 1) which finally joins at its second side edge back with the second side edge of the first side panel 11 . The top edges of each of the first side panel 11 , the front panel 12 , the second side panel 13 , and the back panel 14 are connected to a corresponding four edges of the top panel 14 (seen in both FIGS. 1 and 2). The front panel 11 fits over and against uppermost regions of the rung, or step, or front portion of the stepladder 2 . The back panel 14 correspondingly fits over and against uppermost regions of the back portion of the stepladder 2 . Both side panels 12 , 14 bridge the trapezoidally-shaped area between the legs of the step ladder 2 , in other words between its front and rear portions at the apex. The top panel 15 fits on, over and against the top step of the step ladder.
[0065] The top panel 15 has and presents (i) a raised peripheral rim 151 and (ii) handles 152 , both of which will be further discussed in conjunction with FIG. 8.
[0066] The major loop, or pouch, of the truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder 1 is defined by the loop, or band, 16 . This loop 16 extends, as illustrated in both FIGS. 1 and 2, in an arc between, on a one side, (i) the connection of side panel 12 and front panel 13 and, on its other side, (ii) the connection of side panel 14 and front panel 13 . The loop 16 is itself stiff (more so than the fabric of which the holder 1 is mostly made), or is stiffened by incorporation of an internal member 161 (shown in dashed line) so as to reliably extend in an arc, or bow (as illustrated). There may be used as member 161 , for example, a length of unbreakable plastic strip which is normally positioned sewn into the loop 16 at its upper extremity, as illustrated, to impart stiffness.
[0067] A preferred configuration of the second side panel 14 is shown in detail plan view in FIG. 3; the configuration of the first side panel 12 in FIG. 4; the configuration of the combined back panel 13 and loop panel 16 in FIG. 5; the configuration of the front panel 11 in FIG. 7; and the configuration of the top panel 15 in FIGS. 8 a and 8 b.
[0068] The side panel 14 has and presents, by way of example, a drill holster 141 , normally of 5½″ by 6¾″ size; a first-level pocket 142 of nominal size 3″×4″; two second-level pockets 143 and 144 on the drill holster 141 each of nominal size 4″×3″; and a number of third-level pockets 145 each of nominal 3″×1½″ size on the second-level pocket 144 . There is additionally preferably provided a hammer or caulking gun loop 146 , a hook 147 , a tape hanger 148 , a clip 149 , and two tie tabs 140 .
[0069] Similarly, side panel 12 shown in FIG. 4 preferably has and presents a first/level pocket 121 or nominal size 6″×10″, the upper lip of which pocket 121 is joined with hook-and-loop fabric 1211 . A second-level pocket 122 is of nominal size 7″×10″. A third-level pocket 123 is of nominal size 7″×6″. Two fourth-level pockets 124 are of nominal size 3½″×5″ each; two fifth-level pockets 125 are of nominal size 3½″×4″ each; and two sixth-level pockets 126 are of nominal size 3½″×2″. A tie tab 127 is affixed to one of the sixth-level pockets 126 , and a hammer loop 128 to the other. As with the side panel 14 , two tie tabs 129 are presented.
[0070] The combination of the back panel 13 and loop panel 16 shown in FIG. 5 presents, as well as the major pouch 162 defined by the loop 16 itself, multiple pockets. Defined by the back panel 13 are a hierarchy of pockets: two first-level pockets 131 , optionally sealed at the lip with hook-and-loop fastener, of nominal size 14″×8″, two second-level pockets 132 of nominal size 6½″ by 6″ each, two third-level pockets 133 of nominal size 6½″ by 4″ each, and two fourth-level pockets 134 of nominal size 6½″ by 3″ each. The loop, or band, 16 has to its exterior preferably four first-level pockets 163 of nominal size 6″ by 5″ each.
[0071] There is optionally included a vertical strip 135 of a first-type of hook and loop material on the exterior wall of the back panel 3 , and a like strip 164 of complimentary, second-type, hook and loop material on the interior wall of the loop, or band, 16 , As illustrated in FIG. 6, the two strips 135 , 164 may be pressed together, drawing the major loop 16 inward so as to create two smaller arcuate loops. The plastic stiffening member 161 (see FIGS. 1 and 2), should it be present, is neither damaged nor permanently deformed by this operation, which may be reversed. The sub-pouches, or reservoirs, 162 a, 162 b thus created will hold small paint pails, or cans.
[0072] Continuing in FIG. 7, the front panel 11 has a plethora of pockets. Pocket 111 is of nominal size 14″×10″; two pockets 112 of nominal size 7″×8″; two pockets 113 of nominal size 4″×6″; two pockets 114 of nominal size 4″×4″; two pockets 115 of nominal size 4″×3″; one pocket 116 of nominal size 6″×6″; one pocket 117 of nominal size 6″×4″; and one pocket 118 of nominal size 6″×3″.
[0073] Finally, the top panel 15 is shown in top plan view in FIG. 8 a, and in side plan view in FIG. 8 b. The panel 15 has a raised peripheral rim 151 which is normally made from a puckered seam of sewn fabric. It is thus very tough and resilient, and may suitably support standing. Nonetheless that the raised peripheral rim 151 creates only a shallow reservoir 153 , it is sufficient to retain small nails, screws, bolts, nuts and the like within the reservoir 153 , and conveniently at the top step of the step ladder 2 (shown in FIGS. 1 and 2). The elongate handles 152 are commonly made from multiple layers of the same fabric or canvas from which the holer 1 is constructed. They are sufficiently strong so as to permit the entire holder 1 and its contents to be picked up by one hand. When the holder 1 is so picked up by its handles 1 , it will tend to closed and buckle along the elongate length of reservoir 151 , holding securely any contents thereof, while the panels 11 - 14 spread at the base, facilitating both that (i) the holder 1 may subsequently be set upright upon a floor or other surface, or (ii) that (ii) the holder 1 may be conveniently readily re-positioned atop a step ladder.
[0074] Although specific embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and are merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments to which the principles of the invention may be applied. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the invention as further defined in the appended claims.
[0075] For example, the pockets may be contoured to receive and retain specific wrenches, pliers, screwdrivers and other hand tools. For example, there may optionally be added a means for adjusting the tightness of at least one of the panels about the structural members of a step ladder, for example an elastic strap, or a pull cord.
[0076] For example, any of the pockets may optionally be sealed by any of (i) a hook-and-loop type fastener, (ii) a zipper and/or (iii) a conventional fastener selected from the group consisting of a button and a hole, a snap fastener, and a rivet.
[0077] In accordance with the preceding explanation, variations and adaptations of the flexible truncated-pyramidally-shaped tool and material holder in accordance with the present invention will suggest themselves to a practitioner of the mechanical design arts.
[0078] In accordance with these and other possible variations and adaptations of the present invention, the scope of the invention should be determined in accordance with the following claims, only, and not solely in accordance with that embodiment within which the invention has been taught.
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A tool and material holder fitting to the top of a step ladder has an extremely large number of pockets, cavities, loops, clips, hangers, hooks and the like which securely hold a great variety of power and hand tools, caulking guns, paint brushes and paint pads. A major loop maintained open by an insert with a shape memory holds a large paint pail, bucket or can, and is optionally re-sizable to hold one or two smaller cans. A shallow reservoir on a top panel overlying the top step of the step ladder holds small items but still permits standing on the top step.
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an automatic equipment intended for multi-reactor testing of chemical reactions, possibly in the presence of a catalyst. This equipment working under high pressure and high temperature conditions allows to use as the reagent heavy hydrocarbon cuts obtained from vacuum distillation of crude oil. This equipment comprises an elaborate automation system allowing fast and simultaneous evaluation of several sets of operating conditions. Acquisition of data on the progress of the reaction and on the performances of solid catalysts is thus possible.
The reaction products are separated at the outlet of the reactors into two phases (gas and liquid). The gas fractions are analyzed in line by chromatography, the liquid fractions are analyzed by simulated distillation. The performances are determined by automatic drawing up of a material balance. The elaborate automation of the assembly allows to carry out simultaneous cycles of all the reactors without the operator's intervention.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The development of industrial refining and petrochemistry processes requires acquisition of data on the chemical reactions that take place. When these reactions are catalyzed, research and development of the catalysts required involve evaluation of the performances thereof. In the laboratory, these data acquisitions and evaluations are performed in pilot plants which reproduce on a small scale the industrial operating conditions.
There are many types of equipments allowing to measure the rate of progress of chemical reactions or the activity of solid catalysts. In the field of petroleum refining and of petrochemistry, the operating conditions under which these measurements are performed are as follows:
pressure ranging between 1.10 5 and 3.10 7 Pa,
temperature ranging between ambient temperature and 800° C.,
liquid and/or gaseous reagent flow rates expressed in form of hourly volume flow rate per unit of volume of reactor or catalyst (hourly space velocity) ranging between 0.01 and 100 h −1 and by the ratio of the molar flow rate of gas (most often hydrogen) and the liquid reactive hydrocarbon (H 2 /HC) ranging between 0.01 and 50.
More precise selection of the operating conditions depends on the type of process or of catalyst considered. It can be, for example, one of the following industrial applications: reforming, isomerization, hydrocracking, hydrotreating, selective hydrogenation, conversion of aromatics or oxidation.
Solid catalysts are used as balls, extrudates or powder of variable grain size. The quantities of catalysts used in these pilot plants generally range between some grams and several ten or hundred grams. These quantities are relatively great and they can be a limitation to the use of these pilot plants. In particular, during research or development of a new catalyst, the quantities of solid catalyst available for testing are quite often limited (less than one gram) and there can be a great number of catalytic solid variants. All the available samples are therefore not necessarily tested.
The most isothermal operating conditions possible are sought for the reactors. This is generally obtained by placing the reactor in an oven consisting of several zones whose temperature is independently controlled (document U.S. Pat. No. 5,770,154). The dimensions of these reactors also receive particular attention. In particular, the length/diameter ratio of the catalyst bed is most often selected between 50 and 200 so as to ensure proper flow of the reagents and of the products through the catalyst, failing which diffusion or backmixing limiting phenomena disturb measurement of the progress rates and performances of the catalyst.
Catalysts generally require, prior to the reaction stage proper, an activation stage which changes one or more of their constituents into a really active element for catalysis. It may be an oxide reduction in hydrogen in the case of supported metal catalysts or sulfurization in the presence of a sulfur-containing forerunner for catalysts based on metal sulfides. In conventional pilot plants with large dead volumes and a great thermal inertia because of the size of the ovens, this activation stage is generally long (typically of the order of several hours to several ten hours).
The nature of the reagent used (most often a hydrocarbon or a mixture of hydrocarbons) depends on the application considered. It can be a pure hydrocarbon such as, for example, normal hexane, normal heptane or cyclohexane, or more or less heavy or more or less wide petroleum cuts such as, for example, gasolines, gas oils or distillates from crude oil distillation. The quantities of reagent consumed depend of course on the size of the reactor and on the operational time. Most often, however, the performances are calculated from inlet-outlet material balances performed over relatively long periods (some hours to several ten hours). These periods are necessary to allow to collect a sufficient amount (several liters to several ten liters) of products in order to draw up a precise material balance. Using a pure hydrocarbon-containing molecule whose manufacturing cost is high is not always possible under such conditions.
Furthermore, during the period of evaluation of the material balance, which can be long, the catalyst may undergo a certain deactivation. Since the activity of the catalyst is not the same between the beginning and the end of the material balance, the performances calculated in fine only reflect an average behaviour of the catalyst, far from the real evolution of the performances in time.
The effluents coming from the reactor are conventionally separated by expansion and cooling into two phases: liquid and gaseous, whose characteristics and compositions are analyzed separately. These separate separation and analysis operations inevitably lead to product losses which reduce the accuracy of the global material balance. In some cases, analysis of all of the products cannot be carried out at one go with a single chromatographic analyzer. It is then possible to perform an in-line analysis before liquid/gas separation together with an analysis of the gaseous fraction taken after separation. This allows to draw up accurate material balances in this case (document U.S. Pat. No. 5,266,270).
Automation of conventional pilot plants remains quite often underdeveloped. The size of these plants and observance of the safety regulations linked with automatic operation make this automation complex and expensive. In particular, the operating conditions determining the severity with which the reaction progresses (temperature or volume flow rate of the reagent) are most often manually adjusted by the plant operator.
To sum up, the conventional pilot plants commonly used for measuring the progress of chemical reactions and the performances of catalysts have a certain number of drawbacks, such as:
the necessity for a large quantity of catalyst and of reagent,
the length of the set-up time and the time required for drawing up the material balance required to determine the performances,
the performances reflect an average behaviour of the catalyst over a relatively long period,
the performance measurement frequency is relatively low,
complete operation automation is difficult and expensive.
On account of these drawbacks, conventional pilot plants are not very well suited for fast and precise screening, among many catalytic solids, of the most interesting solids for development of a new catalyst or study of a new reaction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention thus relates to an equipment for performing measurements on an effluent resulting from a chemical reaction taking place in a reactor containing a catalyst. It comprises in combination:
at least two reactors,
means for injecting at least one feedstock into each reactor,
means for separating the gas and liquid phases downstream from each reactor,
distribution means for sending the gas phase coming from the separation means to first analysis and measuring means while the other gas phases coming from the other separators are discharged,
second analysis and measuring means intended for the liquid phase coming from the separation means,
means intended for automatic monitoring and control of the chemical reaction in said reactors, of the cycle of analysis and measurement performed on the gas phase and of the cycle of analysis and measurement performed on the liquid phase.
The distribution means can comprise at least two inlet ways and two outlet ways, at least one closed-loop line divided in four sections by four controlled sealing elements; each one of said four ways can communicate with a single section so that the inlet ways are connected to two opposite sections and the outlet ways are connected to the other two sections.
The equipment can comprise four reactors.
The distribution means can comprise two closed-loop lines and the outlet ways can communicate with each other two by two so as to form a distribution device with four inlet ways and two outlet ways.
The inside diameter of the reactors can range between 0.5 and 3 cm, preferably between 1 and 2 cm, their length can range between 10 and 50 cm, preferably between 15 and 25 cm.
The present invention also relates to a method intended for analysis and measurement on an effluent produced by a chemical reaction taking place in a reactor containing a catalyst, wherein the following stages are carried out:
there are at least two reactors,
at least one feedstock is injected into each reactor,
the effluent produced by each reactor is separated into a liquid phase and a gas phase,
the gas phase is alternately sent to measuring and analysis means by distribution means,
analyses and measurements are carried out on the liquid phase,
the progress of the reaction, analysis and measurement cycles is controlled for each phase with the aid of automatic monitoring and control means.
The material balances of each reaction can be determined.
The temperature and the pressure of the gaseous effluents can be controlled between the outlet of the separation means and the measuring and analysis means, including the distribution means, so that said effluent remains gaseous.
The method and the equipment according to the invention can be advantageously applied for comparing the characteristics of different catalysts used in each reactor and/or for determining the optimum conditions of use of a catalyst for a determined reaction by varying the reaction parameters in each reactor.
The object of the equipment according to the invention is thus multiple. It notably allows:
automatic measurement of the progress of chemical reactions and of catalytic performances in parallel in several reactors,
use of small quantities of catalyst compatible with fast selection from a great number of samples,
isothermal use of the catalyst in the reactors,
automatic and in-line analysis of the gaseous reaction products of each reactor and simulated distillation analysis of the liquid fractions collected,
selective and frequent measurement of the reaction and catalytic performances,
complete progress of the operating cycles without the operator's intervention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Other features and advantages of the present invention will be clear from reading the description hereafter, given by way of non limitative example, with reference to the accompanying figures wherein:
FIG. 1 is the flowsheet of a device according to the invention,
FIG. 2 shows an example of an operational diagram of a reactor,
FIG. 3 illustrates the optimized operation of a device with four reactors,
FIGS. 4 a, 4 b, 4 c and 4 d show the principle of a selection valve of the equipment according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The equipment according to the invention, for which a flowsheet example for four reaction assemblies (suffix a, b, c and d) is given in FIG. 1, consists of the following various subassemblies:
a system for injecting gaseous ( 2 a to 2 d ) and liquid ( 1 a to 1 d ) reagents, connected to each reactor 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d,
a reaction section ( 3 a to 3 d ) comprising several microreactors and a heating system,
a liquid/gas separation system ( 4 a to 4 d ) at the outlet of each reactor,
means ( 5 ) intended for distribution of the gaseous effluents coming from the reactors,
an analysis system ( 7 ) with in-line extraction of the sample to be analyzed,
a system for collecting the liquid product samples ( 6 a to 6 d ),
a system ( 8 ) for analysing the liquid products by simulated distillation,
a monitoring/control unit ( 9 ) managing the assembly.
Each gaseous reagent injection system ( 2 a to 2 d ) consists of a pressure reducer-regulator, a safety valve, a pressure detector and a mass flow rate regulator. The gaseous reagent is most often hydrogen. The pressure reducer-regulator allows to maintain a constant pressure at the reactor inlet (ranging between 0 and 1.8 10 7 Pa in relative value) from the available supply pressure. The flow rate range provided by the mass flow rate regulator ranges from 5 to 500 l/h with a 1% relative precision. These regulators can be, for example, models 5850E marketed by BROOKS.
The liquid reagent is injected into each reactor by means of a pump ( 1 a to 1 d ) that can be a piston type pump with a total volume of at least 500 cm 3 such as, for example, the 500D pumps marketed by ISCO. This type of pump allows high-pressure and high-precision injection, without surges, of very small quantities of liquid (ranging between 0.05 and 100 cm 3 /h). If the viscosity at ambient temperature of the reagent is not sufficient to allow correct injection, this pump must be equipped with a system allowing to heat it to a moderate temperature (50 to 120° C.). Similarly, the supply vessel 10 of pump 1 a (or 1 b, 1 c, 1 d ) and the reagent circulation lines between supply vessel 10 , the pump and the reactor must be heated for liquid reagents whose viscosity is not sufficient at ambient temperature. Mixing of the liquid and gaseous reagents is performed upstream from the reactor.
In cases where activation of the catalyst requires the presence of a particular chemical compound, it is possible to feed the liquid reagent injection pump from another supply vessel containing this compound dissolved in a solvent.
The inside diameter of the reactors used or microreactors ranges between 0.5 and 3 cm, preferably between 1 and 2 cm for a length ranging between 10 and 50 cm, preferably between 15 and 25 cm. They are arranged vertically in an oven. The direction of flow of the reagents can be ascending or descending. These reactors are made of heat-resisting steel (of Inconel 625 type for example). The cylindrical catalyst bed is located in the central part thereof, it contains between 0.1 and 10 g catalyst. This bed is preceded by a bed of inert material (silicon carbide for example) having the same grain size as the catalyst, whose purpose is to provide preheating and vaporization of the reagents. These reactors are axially equipped with small-diameter thermocouples (0.5 mm for example) allowing to measure the temperature at different points along the longitudinal axis. The heating oven of these reactors consists of at least two (preferably four) zones that are independent as regards temperature control. The first zone corresponds to the reagent preheating and vaporization zone, the second one to the catalyst bed. The presence of various individually controlled zones guarantees isothermal operation of the reactor along the longitudinal axis thereof
The system ( 4 a to 4 d ) located at the outlet of each reactor consists of two successive liquid/gas separation cells. A pressure-reducing valve for expansion to atmospheric pressure is installed on the gas fraction outlet line. This valve can be, for example, a dome type overflow valve marketed by TESCOM. In order to provide total separation between the liquid and gas fractions, the lower part of the first separation cell is maintained at an average temperature (between 30 and 60° C.), whereas the upper part of this cell is cooled to between 0 and 25° C. The second cell is at ambient temperature.
Distribution means ( 5 ) comprise a series of valves allowing one of the gaseous streams coming from separators 4 a, 4 b, 4 c, 4 d to be sent to analyzer ( 7 ) or to be discharged, respectively through lines 12 and 11 . At a given time, only one outlet way of separators 4 is communicated with the way leading to the analyzer, the other ways being communicated with the discharge channel. A positive-displacement meter 13 intended for the gaseous stream is installed on the way leading to the analyzer.
An example of distribution means 5 is illustrated in FIGS. 4 a, 4 b, 4 c and 4 d.
FIG. 4 a shows the principle of the selection valve, which can have 2, 4, 6, . . . , 2 n inlet ways and two outlet ways. The two outlet ways bear reference numbers 20 and 21 . In the case shown here, i.e. with 6 inlet ways, the latter are designated by A, B, C, D, E and F. Reference number 22 designates a line sealing element, for example a needle cooperating with a conical seat, activated by a pneumatic or hydraulic piston type operator. The design of the present valve is based on one or more closed-loop lines ( 23 , 24 , 25 ). Each loop is divided into four line sections 23 a, 23 b, 23 c, 23 d; 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d; 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, 25 d. Each section is delimited by a sealing element 22 . Each loop 23 , 24 or 25 comprises two lines for two inlet ways A, B or C, D or E, F. These two inlet lines open each onto two opposite sections, 23 a, 23 c; 24 a, 24 c; 25 a, 25 c. The other two sections communicate each directly with one of the two outlet ways 20 , 21 .
Thus, if we consider the simplest case of such a valve with a single loop (two inlet ways), controlling one or the other of sealing elements ( 22 ) delimiting an inlet line allows to select communication of this inlet with one of these two outlets or the other.
If the measuring equipment comprises more than two reactors, the selection valve comprises at least two loops whose outlet lines are connected together, for example by lines 26 , 27 as shown in FIG. 4 a.
A selection valve of this type allows to use sealing elements 22 , for example marketed by NOVA SWISS, which can withstand both high pressures and high temperatures, as it is the case downstream from the reactors.
Furthermore, the configuration of the lines can be such that it constitutes a minimum dead volume, which is essential for the quality of the measurements and of the comparisons between the reaction cycles.
FIG. 4 b shows, in side view, a selection valve comprising a housing 30 containing a block 31 wherein the effluent passage lines have been pierced. Reference numbers 32 a, b, c and d (FIG. 4 c ) designate the pneumatic operators which actuate the sealing elements of the various line sections. Space 34 is filled with a thermal insulating material. FIG. 4 b shows a valve with two loops, i.e. according to the description above, with four inlet ways (for reactors 3 a, 3 b, 3 c and 3 d ) and two outlet ways. The staggered arrangement of the pneumatic operators allows to have a minimum distance between the two planes containing the two loops. The length of internal lines ( 26 , 27 notably) is thus reduced, which decreases the dead volumes.
FIG. 4 c is a cross-section along plane AA (FIG. 4 b ). The four line sections are made by means of four non-through bores provided in block 31 . Inlet ports ( 35 a, b, c, d ) are machined so as to receive the needle of the sealing element and the joint stuffing-box type packings. In order to withstand average temperatures of about 250° C., the packings can be made of PEEK (polyetheretherketone).
Bores 36 and 37 in block 31 are used for heating and/or regulating elements.
Reference numbers 38 and 39 show the lines connecting the loop sections to the two outlets of the selection valve.
FIG. 4 d is a view of section CC in the plane containing the second line loop. The structure is identical to that of the first loop illustrated by FIG. 4 c, but the sealing elements are arranged in another direction (at 90°) so that operators 33 a, b, c, d are arranged in staggered rows in relation to operators 32 a, b, c, d.
Analyzer ( 7 ) allows detailed analysis of the gaseous products resulting from the chemical reaction. This analyzer is equipped with a valve, for example marketed by VALCO, for taking samples of these products. The analyzer can be a gas phase chromatograph, i.e. equipped with one or more chromatographic columns, capillary or not, separating the reaction products by retention time difference and with flame ionization detectors. This analyzer can be, for example, a 5890 model marketed by HEWLETT PACKARD, or GC2000 marketed by THERMO QUEST. The capillary column can be, for example, an apolar 50-m long and 0.2-mm diameter PONA type column.
At the outlet of separation systems ( 4 a to 4 d ), the liquid product fractions are collected in several bottles (1 to 5 cm 3 in volume) in barrel-type arrangement at the outlet of a selection valve. This system ( 6 a to 6 d ) allows to measure, by weighing the bottles, the quantity of liquid collected during a given operating period and direct analysis of these liquid fractions by analyzer ( 7 ). This analyzer is a gas phase chromatograph equipped with an automatic sampler to which the collection bottles are fitted and with an assembly allowing to perform simulated distillations. This function is shown by connections 14 , 15 , 16 and 17 between liquid fraction collection means 6 a, 6 b, 6 c, 6 d.
The material balance required for performance calculation is made from analyses of the liquid and gas fractions and from measurement of the volume of gas and of the weight of liquid collected over a given period.
Control system ( 9 ) manages all the various temperature, pressure, flow rate regulations, valves and actuators. This system is built around a SIEMENS automaton S7-400 and a FIX-DEMACS control software marketed by Intellution.
This system allows to carry out complete cycles in parallel with reactors 3 a, 3 b, 3 c, 3 d. These cycles typically progress completely autonomously in several successive stages: pressure test of the assembly, flushing with an inert gas, activation of the catalyst if necessary, reaction with performance measurement and finally draining of the installation before it is stopped. An example of a cycle is shown in FIG. 2 . The progress of the cycle is shown by the evolution of the temperature T of the reactor as a function of time H. The periods of injection of the reagents and of analysis are given as a function of time. A vacuum distillate is injected from 9H at a flow rate of 1.5 cm 3 /h with 2 l/h hydrogen. Measuring stages M are carried out regularly, generally at a rate of at least one per temperature stage.
The cycles of each reactor progress simultaneously. An example of combination of these cycles is given in FIG. 3 . The effluents of each reactor Ra, Rb, Rc, Rd are analyzed in turn during stages Ma, Mb, Mc, Md. It can thus be noted that, despite the duration of each test cycle, it is possible to select one reactor after another to perform a measurement on an effluent, which allows to carry out four tests (in the present case) practically during the same time.
Example of Use
Four hydroconversion catalysts A, B, C and D contain Ni and Mo as the active metal phase and a zeolite of Y structure as the acid phase, but in different proportions. Fast evaluation of these four samples is sought in terms of activity and of global selectivity. A sample (1 g) of each one of these catalysts is therefore placed in one of the four reactors of the equipment according to the invention. A hydrotreated vacuum distillate having the following characteristics is used as the liquid reagent:
density:
0.871 g/cm 3
pour point:
45° C.
sulfur content:
10 ppm by weight
nitrogen content:
3 ppm by weight
viscosity at 50° C.:
25 cSt
initial boiling point:
340° C.
5% point:
379° C.
10% point:
397° C.
30% point:
429° C.
50% point:
446° C.
70% point:
462° C.
end boiling point:
501° C.
The operating conditions selected, identical for each reactor, are as follows:
inlet pressure:
9.0 10 6 Pa
flow rate of liquid reagent:
0.800 g/h
flow rate of gaseous reagent H 2 :
0.80 l/h
temperature:
5 successive stages
(365, 375, 385, 395 and 410° C.).
Prior to the reaction stage proper, an activation stage referred to as catalyst sulfuirization is carried out. This treatment consists in injecting into the reactor the sulfur-containing compound dimethyldisulfide dissolved (1.0% by weight) in normal heptane. The other conditions of this treatment are as follows:
inlet pressure:
6.0 10 6 Pa
flow rate of nC 7 H 16 /C 2 H 6 S 2 :
0.650 g/h
flow rate of gaseous regeant H 2 :
0.60 l/h
temperature:
350° C.
duration:
2 h.
During the temperature stages of the reaction phase, the volumes of gas and the weights of liquid produced are measured during ½ h periods. Analysis of these gaseous and liquid fractions is carried out at the same time. All these operating conditions are programmed in the automaton. The corresponding cycles are close to the examples shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. During this time, there is no intervention by the operator.
The analysis results obtained are used to calculate the conversion of the vacuum distillate to products with a boiling point below 380° C. and the selectivity for production of cuts distilling between 150 and 380° C., which are the wanted products. The conversions and selectivity thus obtained are given in the table hereafter:
Catalyst
A
B
C
D
Tempera-
365
conversion
60.0
54.4
28.0
52.3
% by weight
ture
selectivity
69.0
72.1
82.0
63.4
%
(° C.)
375
conversion
75.5
68.0
41.3
64.1
% by weight
selectivity
63.1
66.9
76.2
60.4
%
385
conversion
92.1
82.4
51.6
77.9
% by weight
selectivity
54.2
60.0
75.0
54.3
%
395
conversion
98.0
97.2
63.7
86.2
% by weight
selectivity
50.9
52.8
71.8
50.4
%
410
conversion
99.3
98.9
82.2
97.5
% by weight
selectivity
48.6
52.0
64.1
46.2
%
The activity of a catalyst is represented by the conversion level reached for a given temperature. The results clearly show great differences between these catalytic solids. Sample A is the most active whatever the temperature, whereas sample C is the most selective.
Applied to selection of catalytic solids, the equipment according to the invention thus allows fast, parallel and high-precision evaluation of several catalytic solids.
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A method and to an equipment carry out measurements on an effluent resulting from a chemical reaction taking place in a reactor containing a catalyst. The method includes, in combination, injecting at least one feedstock into each of at least two reactors, separating the gas and liquid phases downstream from each reactor, sending the separated gas phase to be measured and analyzed while the other gas phases coming from the other separators are discharged, sending the separated liquid phase to be analyzed and measured, and automatically monitoring and controlling the chemical reaction in the reactors, the analysis and measurement cycle performed on the gas phase and the analysis and measurement cycle performed on the liquid phase.
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CROSS REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/696,001, filed Jul. 1, 2005 (Jul. 1, 2005).
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT
Not applicable.
THE NAMES OR PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT
Not applicable.
INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC
Not applicable.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for monitoring patient movement, and more particularly to pressure pad for use on a chair, bed, or other surface typically occupied by a patient or resident and having an operably connected alarm system for alerting staff when the patient or resident has moved outside a defined area. Even more particularly, the present invention relates to a patient monitoring pressure pad having a time sensor and alarm that alerts hospital or residential care staff that the effective life of the pressure pad is nearing its end.
2. Discussion of Related Art including information disclosed under 37 CFR §§1.97, 1.98
Residential care facilities, particularly long-term residential care nursing facilities, must provide a considerable measure of protection to residents who may be impaired in their ability to care for themselves or to exercise sound judgment. Inherent in such care is the need to routinely confine residents to beds, chairs, showers, or other defined spaces or support apparatus, or alternatively to monitor patients and residents to ensure that the same do not wander into unsafe circumstances or outside the watchful care of the staff of the hospital or residential care facility. Accordingly, it is known to provide bed, chair, shower, and room occupancy monitoring systems to alert staff or attendants of inappropriate patient movement or mishaps.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,410,297 to Joseph teaches a bed monitoring system including a capacitive sensor pad for placement under a patient. The pad comprises a foam plastic pad and heavy aluminum foil plates laminated on opposite sides of the foam. The plates are then adhesively bonded to the inner surfaces of an outer cover. The capacitor of the pad is connected in circuit with an oscillator and produces a frequency-related output. A ripple counter establishes a frequency-related output proportional to the capacitance. A microprocessor reads the counter output and samples are averaged to establish a reference base and the true weight affect of the patient on the sensing pad. Other factors which might effect the signal are readily attended to by programmed compensation. Each subsequent sample is averaged and compared with the reference base. If within a permitted range, the latest and current signal is averaged with the reference base and establishes a new base, and continuously tracks changes in the sensing system. A selected change in a selected time delay system actuates an alert or alarm system, which requires positive resetting to terminate the alarm system. The system is positively reset to return to normal position monitoring. The system may be set to automatically reset the alarm system after an alarm condition is established and then removed by the continuous tracking of the patient movement.
Also illustrative of the art, U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,694 to Newham U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,694 to Newham discloses a mobile patient monitoring system. The system includes a load sensor which detects the presence of a patient on a device and further includes a microprocessor responsive to a resident program. A first circuit connected to the microprocessor and to the sensor automatically activates operation of the microprocessor to a “monitor” mode upon detection by the sensor of the patient's presence on the device; it maintains operation of the microprocessor for a predetermined time period at least equal to a running time of the program; and it terminates operation of the microprocessor at the expiration of the predetermined time period after detection by the sensor of termination of the patient's presence on the device prior to expiration of the predetermined time period. A second circuit operates the system in response to commands manually applied to the second circuit to deactivate the system to a “hold/reset” mode after activating of the system to the “monitor” mode. The first circuit will also activate the system to the “monitor” mode after the system has been deactivated to the “hold/reset” mode together with subsequent detection by the sensor of termination of the patient's presence on the device and resumption of the patient's presence on the device. Alternatively, the microprocessor is responsive to the manually operable switch in the second circuit to activate the system to the “monitor” mode after the system has been deactivated to the “hold/reset” mode. A third circuit connected to the microprocessor provides an audio alarm upon demand by the microprocessor.
Patient monitoring pressure pads have a limited time during which their operation is entirely reliable. Accordingly, it is a common practice to have caregivers physical mark the pad with a date to ensure timely replacement before the operation either becomes unreliable or before total device failure. This system of monitoring the patient monitoring pad is unreliable and calls for specific staff action to remember to initiate, and then initiate, an affirmative act to prevent an important care facility device from becoming ineffective. There thus remains a need for a patient monitor pressure pad that provides care facility staff with an indication that the pad is nearing the end of its useful life. Preferably, the indication would be in the form of an audible alarm, such that care facility staff would be required to replace the pressure pad to eliminate an annoying alarm output.
The foregoing patents reflect the current state of the art of which the present inventor is aware. Reference to, and discussion of, these patents is intended to aid in discharging Applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information that may be relevant to the examination of claims to the present invention. However, it is respectfully submitted that none of the above-indicated patents disclose, teach, suggest, show, or otherwise render obvious, either singly or when considered in combination, the invention described and claimed herein.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a patient monitor pressure pad for use in nursing homes, residential care facilities, hospitals, and other establishments that employ means to monitor the whereabouts of facility patients or residents. The pressure pad improves on prior art devices by providing a internal time sensor and alarm circuit that produces an audible or visible alarm output to alert facility care staff that the effective life of the pressure pad is nearing its end. It thus provides means to prevent use beyond the useful life of the pad and therefore to prevent needless accidents caused by unaccounted for patients or residents.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved patient monitor pressure pad.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved patient monitor pressure pad that provides a conspicuous, perceptible signal that the useful life of the pressure pad is near its end.
A further object or feature of the present invention is a new and improved patient monitor pressure pad that alerts care givers with such a signal in either audible or visible form.
An even further object of the present invention is to provide a novel patient monitor pressure pad having various means for measuring and counting the useful life of the pressure pad before issuing an alarm signal.
Other novel features which are characteristic of the invention, as to organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof will be better understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration and description only and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention. The various features of novelty that characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming part of this disclosure. The invention does not reside in any one of these features taken alone, but rather in the particular combination of all of its structures for the functions specified.
There has thus been broadly outlined 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 additional subject matter of the claims appended hereto. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which this disclosure is based readily may 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.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will be better understood and the objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:
FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing a first preferred embodiment of a circuit for providing a “timed” patient monitor pad, viz, a patient monitor pressure pad having a timing circuit that sends a signal to induce an alarm output to alert persons that the useful and effective life of the pressure pad is nearing its end and should be replaced to ensure reliable performance;
FIG. 2 is a second preferred embodiment of a circuit for the inventive apparatus;
FIG. 3 is yet another, third embodiment, of the circuit for the inventive apparatus;
FIG. 4 is still another, fourth embodiment, of the circuit for the inventive apparatus;
FIG. 5 shows a fifth preferred embodiment of a circuit for the inventive apparatus; and
FIG. 6 shows a sixth and final preferred embodiment for the inventive “timed” patient monitoring pressure pad.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6 , there is illustrated a number of preferred embodiments of electrical circuits that may be employed to provide new and improved patient monitor pressure pad having a timing circuit to provide an effective date warning alert. The first preferred embodiment of the circuit enabling the alert is shown in FIG. 1 and is generally denominated 100 therein. This view shows a pressure pad 110 having an internal circuit 120 activated by a switch 130 when a patient sits, lies down on, or otherwise puts pressure on the pad. The circuit includes a memory chip, such as a Microchip Technology Inc. 24AA02/24LC02B 2 Kbit electrically erasable PROM 140 , which is electrically and operatively connected to, and powered by, the pressure pad through a fixed multiple connector 150 . The memory chip automatically updates only as the pad is used and the available useful and or effective life diminishes. This device counts down from a pre-selected number of hours of use (programmed into the EEPROM), and when the number of hours of acceptable use of the pad has been reached, the circuit emits a signal to elicit an alert output.
FIG. 2 shows a second preferred embodiment 200 of a circuit employed in the present invention. In this embodiment, in addition to a microprocessor 210 (preferably with EEPROM) that performs the timing operation on a circuit and appropriately updates memory, the circuit also includes a time selection switch 220 (such as a ganged wafer switch) which allows the user to select among different periods of time that must elapse before an alarm is activated. Once again, when the pad 230 is used, switch 240 activates the circuit, and after the pre-determined time has passed, a perceptible alarm 250 is activated via the alarm circuit, which also issues a “pad replace” instruction output 260 .
FIG. 3 shows a battery powered embodiment 300 of a circuit for the present invention, which also employs a microprocessor 310 , but includes a battery 320 to power the circuit when electrical switch 330 is triggered by use of the pad 340 . This circuit resembles the circuit shown in FIG. 2 , but it can be employed as an aftermarket add-on to a pressure pad purchased separately in the market place. It will go into the alarm state when the predetermined time runs out.
FIG. 4 is yet another battery powered circuit 400 designed to emit an alarm 410 when the battery 420 runs low, rather than after use of the pad 430 . The circuit must be manually turned on via the pad enable switch 440 to enable alarm operation and turn off with the same switch to conserve battery power.
Each of the circuits shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 will work with numerous patient pressure pad monitors and will go into the alarm condition only when a patient is lying on a bed. Those responsible for replacing worn units will be alerted to a pad that is approaching or has exceeded its useful operational life.
FIG. 5 shows a fifth preferred embodiment 500 of a circuit that may be used in the present invention. This circuit employs a battery 510 in conjunction with a dedicated “smart” monitor having a manually operable pad enable switch 520 and provides a dedicated “change pad” alert 530 . Pads employing the circuits shown in each of FIGS. 4 and 5 must be switched off when not in use to conserve and extend battery life.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing a sixth preferred embodiment 600 of a circuit employed in the present invention. The foregoing circuits relied on the principle of timing pad use. The circuit of FIG. 6 is activated with a pad enable switch 610 and when on detects pad wear using a comparator 620 , which measures increased resistance differential in the effective date alarm circuit on signal 630 resulting from component wear. When a threshold differential is reached, a “pad change” output signal 640 is emitted. This is a less reliable means of alerting caregivers to the need to replace a pad. However, it has the advantage of indicating such a need well in advance of a warranty period, particularly in the case of a faulty pad, poor performance, or excessive pad wear over a short period of time.
The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like.
The above disclosure is sufficient to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the invention, and provides the best mode of practicing the invention presently contemplated by the inventor. While there is provided herein a full and complete disclosure of the preferred embodiments of this invention, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction, dimensional relationships, and operation shown and described. Various modifications, alternative constructions, changes and equivalents will readily occur to those skilled in the art and may be employed, as suitable, without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Such changes might involve alternative materials, components, structural arrangements, sizes, shapes, forms, functions, operational features or the like.
Therefore, the above description and illustrations should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, which is defined by the appended claims.
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A patient monitor pressure pad having a time sensor and alarm circuit that produces an audible or visible alarm output to alert facility care staff that the effective life of the pressure pad is nearing its end.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/513,809 filed on Oct. 14, 2014, which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/089,041 filed on Nov. 25, 2013, which is a divisional application of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/442,425 filed on Apr. 9, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,826,582 issued on Sep. 9, 2014, which claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Application 61/629,737 filed Nov. 26, 2011. The entire disclosure of each of the applications listed in this paragraph are incorporated herein by specific reference thereto.
FIELD OF INVENTION
[0002] This invention relates to precision pointing, in particular to devices, apparatus, systems and methods for providing accurate linear and angular positioning of a payload, such as a laser pointer and maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, with the capability of adjusting minute changes in beam orientation, where the beam supporting the payload can be a mathematical equation based conical shaped beam or non-equation based beam profile. The precision adjustments can be performed in a zero G, one G, or high G environment and maintains the adjustment during and after being exposed to a high G shock or vibration environment.
BACKGROUND AND PRIOR ART
[0003] Laser pointing devices have been widely used on firearms to allow the shooter to accurately aim the weapon without using the weapons sights, and are used in military type training systems to simulate an aimed shot. They have also been used in many commercial products and as aids in testing products, also range finders, laser designators, and the like.
[0004] The most common firearm application is to mount a laser on a weapon, providing adjustment so the laser can be aligned with the sights and use the laser beam to point the weapon at a target while the trigger is being pulled. Once the shot is fired, the alignment of the laser relative to the sights does not come into play since the bullet is on its trajectory to the target. The patents also claim the mounting and adjustments isolates the laser from the weapons shock which means the laser assembly is designed to move relative to the weapon during the high G shock event from firing the weapon.
[0005] The Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System (MILES) is a training system providing a realistic battlefield environment for soldiers involved in training exercises. The Army developed the original family of MILES devices in the late '70s and early '80s using state-of-the-art technology of that time. MILES is the primary training device for force-on-force training at Army home stations. A MILES system for a soldier includes a laser module (Small Arms Transmitter or SAT) mounted to the barrel of a real weapon, a blank firing adapter, and an integrated receiver with sensors on the helmet and load-bearing vests for the soldiers. The SAT's laser beam is aligned by the solder to the weapon's sights when the SAT is mounted to the weapon. During the training exercise, the soldier aims the weapon on the opposing force soldier using the weapon's standard sights. When a blank shot is fired by the weapon, it causes the laser to fire a coded laser burst in the direction the weapon was aimed. Information contained in the laser pulses includes the player ID and the type of weapon used. If that laser burst is sensed by the receiver of another soldier, the “hit” soldier's gear beacon makes a beeping noise to let them know they are “dead.”
[0006] When the weapon fires a blank in the MILES system, unique shock, flash and acoustic signatures are generated. Two of these signatures are decoded to determine a valid event and initiate MILES code transmissions Once a validated event is detected, the transmitter fires 4 Hit Words and 128 Near-Miss Words. Each word is ˜4 milliseconds (msec) long, the duration for 132 words is 484 msec or 0.484 seconds. The laser beam foot print (typical angular foot print size is 1 mrad to 3 mrad and the maximum size is limited by the specification) needs to illuminate the detector sensor for the full duration of a Hit or Near-Miss Word to be registered by the receiver software as a Kill or Near-Miss.
[0007] In the MILES system, there occurs a gross angular weapon movement after the blank has fired that moves the center of the laser foot print away from the sensor. During the time period from trigger pull to firing of the blank and firing the laser, the weapon moves in a semi-repeatable motion. See U.S. Published Patent Application 2004/0005531 for FIGS. 8, 9 & 10. For open bolt weapons like the M240 and M249, the movement and corresponding error is greater after the trigger pull due to the time required for the bolt to close and the impact of the bolt increases the gross angular weapon movement. The shock from the bolt closing and/or the blank firing causes the SAT housing and mounting components to flex and introduce an addition pointing error to the gross weapon movement error which is not repeatable. Also based on the internal construction, the adjustment mechanism can unload (bounce) during the high G event and introduce additional significant pointing errors which is not repeatable.
[0008] The sum of these angular pointing errors sources, (gross weapon movement, SAT component flexure and unloading) start at zero values for time zero (trigger pull) and increase over time. The SAT laser needs to be pointing at the opposing soldier's receiver and illuminating it for the 4 msec duration required to transmit the first hit word. The total angular pointing error movement has to less than half the laser angular footprint by the time the SAT has detected the event and finished transmitting the first hit word. The gross weapon angular pointing error is real and part of the normal system operation. The second and third error sources (flexure and unloading) are the problems. They are not part of the normal system operation and need to be minimized or cancelled. To the extent these are not reduced, the training system will depart from reflecting the actual accuracy of the soldier's performance, failing to register otherwise good hits.
[0009] The present SAT design approaches do not maintain the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments.
[0010] Various approaches have been proposed to deal with these types of problems. For example, U.S. Published Patent Application 2004/0005531 to Varshneya et al. describes an elaborate and complex system for calibrating misalignment of a weapon-mounted zeroed small arms transmitter (ZSAT) laser beam axis with the shooter line-of-sight (LOS) in a weapon training system, but fails to easily solve the problem. The proposed solution only addresses the repeatable error produced by the dynamic muzzle displacement from the gross weapon movement not the unrepeatable errors from the flexure and unloading errors.
[0011] Other types of devices have resulted in additional problems. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,189,766 to Unerti; U.S. Pat. No. 3,476,349 to Smith; U.S. Pat. No. 3,596,863 to Kaspareck; U.S. Pat. No. 4,079,534 to Snyder; U.S. Pat. No. 4,161,076 to Snyder; U.S. Pat. No. 4,212,109 to Snyder; U.S. Pat. No. 4,295,289 to Snyder; U.S. Pat. No. 4,313,272 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 4,686,440 to Nagasawa; U.S. Pat. No. 4,738,044 to Osterhout; U.S. Pat. No. 4,876,816 to Triplett; U.S. Pat. No. 4,916,713 to Gerber; U.S. Pat. No. 4,958,794 to Brewer; U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,219 to Johnson; U.S. Pat. No. 5,299,375 to Heinz; U.S. Pat. No. 6,378,237 to Matthews; U.S. Pat. No. 6,714,564 to Meyers; U.S. Pat. No. 6,793,494 to Deepak; U.S. Pat. No. 6,887,079 to Robertsson; U.S. Pat. No. 7,014,369 to Alcock; U.S. Pat. No. 7,331,137 to Hsu; U.S. Pat. No. 7,418,894 to Ushiwata; U.S. Pat. No. 7,558,168 to Chen; U.S. Pat. No. 7,726,061 to Thummel; U.S. Pat. No. 7,753,549 to Solinsky; U.S. Pat. No. 7,886,644 to Ushiwata; U.S. Pat. No. 7,922,491 to Jones; U.S. Pat. No. 7,926,218 to Matthews; and U.S. Published Patent Applications: 2001/0000130 to Aoki; 2003/0204959 to Hall; 2004/0161197 to Pelletier; 2006/0156556 to Nesch; and 2007/0240355 to Hsu.
[0012] Some of the proposed devices intentionally shock isolate by allowing movement of the laser beam axis relative to the weapon to prevent damage to the laser or associated electronics and therefore does not maintain alignment during the shock.
[0013] Other proposed devices include multiple parts that move relative to each other when the devices are aligned or boresighted. Due to manufacturing tolerances, there are clearances between mating surfaces that slide relative or mate to each other. There is friction at the sliding and spherical joints due to the preload forces. The tangential friction forces at the contacting surfaces produce bending in the components. During the high G shock or vibration event, the friction at the interface surfaces will go to zero and allow the components to slide and rotate to a force free state. This movement will produce a pointing error relative to the initial alignment. The larger the quality of interfaces, the larger the total pointing error after a shock.
[0014] Additional problems with the prior art have included devices having sliding or pivoting joints and geared interfaces that have clearance between the none contacting surfaces can become contaminated which will cause binding or increased friction which will increase the pointing angle error.
[0015] Prior art devices have included plural components, threaded rods that translate wedges used for alignment, due to clearances between the mating threaded parts, when the direction and adjustment is reversed, hysteresis will be introduced which is a source of error. After adjustment, during the shock, the stiction will be relieved and the wedge can move over the range of the thread clearance producing a pointing error.
[0016] Some of the prior art devices include large and heavy components for a 1G or manufacturing environment where there is no shock or vibration environment and there is no limitation on size, weight or adjustment type and are cumbersome for field use, difficult to adjust in the field, or the alignment is set at the factory.
[0017] Some of the prior art includes devices which cannot maintain alignment or boresight over the wide temperature operating range from the low −40° C. to the high temperature where the barrel of the M240 can exceed 350° C. Over this temperature range, any mismatch in the components CTE (coefficient of thermal expansion) will cause binding or increased clearances at the interfaces which will increase the pointing errors. The component's CTE mismatch will also introduce a bimetallic error as the temperature changes from the initial adjustment temperature.
[0018] Still other prior art devices use different types of springs to preload the system against the adjustment stops so a payload does not move away from the stop and produce a dynamic pointing error. The springs used cannot produce enough force in the limited volume to counteract the unloading force.
[0019] Thus, the need exists for solutions to the above problems with the prior art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0020] A primary objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods for maintaining accurate linear and angular positioning of a conical shaped cantilevered beam or S shaped cantilevered beam or center deflecting beam with free ends, with each beam with one of an equation drive beam profile or a non-equation based beam profile having one end with mounted payload, during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, with the capability of adjusting minute changes in beam orientation.
[0021] A secondary objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods for maintaining accurate linear and angular positioning of a conical shaped cantilevered beam or S shaped cantilevered beam or center deflecting beam with free ends, with each beam having one end with mounted payload, during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, with the capability of adjusting minute changes in beam orientation.
[0022] A third objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, and does not require joints which have errors.
[0023] A fourth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, that does not have any static friction (stiction) introduced deflections where the tangential friction forces at the contacting surfaces cause bending deflections of the mechanism's components when boresighted.
[0024] A fifth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, which does not allow contamination to occurs between any bearing or mating surfaces.
[0025] A sixth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, having a single element with no hysteresis, a non-reversing adjustment load and is kinematically stable.
[0026] A seventh objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, which is small, and light weight-by combining functions where the mass is reduced and the restraining force required and the associated mass is also reduced.
[0027] An eighth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, that does not show any pointing error over a wide temperature range, from −40° C. to approximately 350° C., and more.
[0028] A ninth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments that is immune from binding at the joints and pointing errors due to any CTE mismatch of the components.
[0029] A tenth objective of the present invention is for providing compact devices, apparatus, systems and methods which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments, having an adjustment point location that can cancel/reduce the dynamic pointing error introduced by the beams first and second modes of vibrations which are the major contributors to the dynamic pointing errors.
[0030] A preferred embodiment of the precision pointing mechanism can include five major components or assemblies. The first component is the base which supports the other components. The second component is the payload which is being positioned and/or pointed. The third component is the conical element that connects to the base and provides linear and/or angular flexure between the payload and the base. The conical element also provides preload force against the adjustment element(s) which are the fourth and fifth components. The fourth and fifth components are the adjustment element(s) that provide displacement of the payload end of the conical element relative to the base. The conical element performs multiple functions; is the structural member attaches the payload to the base, provides the kinematic rotation and linear displacement of the payload and the preload force so the payload does not unload (move away) from the adjustment points during the high G event.
[0031] The novel configuration for precision pointing of payloads can include multiple parts that move relative to each other. Given the manufacturing tolerances, there are no clearances between the mating surfaces that can introduce pointing errors after the initial adjustment and allows movement during the high G shock and vibration events that can produce a dynamic pointing error and does not maintain the initial adjustment. Also, stiction between the components can introduce static and dynamic pointing errors. There is no stiction between the components that will be removed during the dynamic environment and allow the components to move relative to each other and produce a static and or dynamic pointing error.
[0032] Further objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the presently preferred embodiments which are illustrated schematically in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0033] FIG. 1 is a perspective upper left front view of a single laser system with conical cantilevered beam supporting a laser.
[0034] FIG. 2 is a perspective upper right front view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0035] FIG. 3 is a front view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0036] FIG. 4 is a rear view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0037] FIG. 5 is a right side view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0038] FIG. 6 is a left side view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0039] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the laser system of FIG. 6 along arrow 7 B
[0040] FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the laser system of FIG. 1 .
[0041] FIG. 9 is an upper front right perspective view of a housing using the laser system of the previous figures mounted to a firearm.
[0042] FIG. 10 is a lower front right perspective view of the firearm mounted housing and laser system of FIG. 9 .
[0043] FIG. 11 is a top view of the firearm mounted housing and laser system of FIG. 9 .
[0044] FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the firearm mounted housing and laser system of FIG. 9 .
[0045] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a dual laser or laser & detector system.
[0046] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a mirror payload system.
[0047] FIG. 15 is an upper front left perspective view of another single laser system with an S shaped cantilevered beam supporting the laser.
[0048] FIG. 16 is an upper front right perspective view of the another single laser system with an S shaped cantilevered beam supporting the laser of FIG. 15 .
[0049] FIG. 17 is a top view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0050] FIG. 18 is a front view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0051] FIG. 19 is a right side view of the system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0052] FIG. 20 is a left side view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0053] FIG. 21 is a rear view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0054] FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the system with S shaped cantilevered beam of FIG. 15 .
[0055] FIG. 23 is an upper front right perspective view of another single laser system with a center deflecting beam supporting the laser.
[0056] FIG. 24 is an upper front left perspective view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0057] FIG. 25 is a top view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0058] FIG. 26 is a front view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0059] FIG. 27 is a left side view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0060] FIG. 28 is a right side view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0061] FIG. 29 is a rear view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser of FIG. 23 .
[0062] FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser along arrow 30 X of FIG. 25 with the beam in a non-deflected state and boresight pointed down
[0063] FIG. 31 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser module of FIG. 30 with the beam deflected down and boresight pointed straight ahead.
[0064] FIG. 32 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser module of FIG. 30 with the beam deflected down and boresight pointed partially down.
[0065] FIG. 33 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam supporting the laser module of FIG. 30 with the beam deflected fully down and boresight pointed up.
[0066] FIG. 34 is a graph showing the relationship between the preload forces over adjustment angle verses the peak forces due to the acceleration.
[0067] FIG. 35 shows the vertical pointing angle for unloading condition with the mill radians (mrad) pointing error in one axis for a system that unloads during the shock event.
[0068] FIG. 36 shows the pointing angle for correct preload condition with the mrad pointing error in one axis for a system that does not unload during the shock event.
[0069] FIG. 37 shows the pointing angle metric verses adjustment point location.
[0070] FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a cam version of the invention.
[0071] FIG. 39 is another perspective view of the cam version of FIG. 38 .
[0072] FIG. 40 a is a perspective view of the cylindrical shaped beam.
[0073] FIG. 40 b is a side profile of the cylindrical beam shown in FIG. 40 a.
[0074] FIG. 41 a is a perspective view of a non-straight cylindrical shaped beam.
[0075] FIG. 41 b is a side view of the non-straight cylindrical shaped beam shown in FIG. 41 a.
[0076] FIG. 42 a is a perspective view of another example of a non-straight shaped beam.
[0077] FIG. 42 b is a side profile of the non-straight beam shown in FIG. 42 a with an elliptical profile.
[0078] FIG. 43 a is a perspective view of another non-straight shaped beam with a parabolic profile.
[0079] FIG. 43 b is a side profile of the non-straight beam with a parabolic profile.
[0080] FIG. 44 a is a perspective view of another non-straight shaped beam with a hyperbolic profile.
[0081] FIG. 44 b is a side profile of the non-straight beam with a hyperbolic profile.
[0082] FIG. 45 a is a perspective view of another non-straight shaped beam with a catenary profile.
[0083] FIG. 45 b is a side profile of the non-straight beam with a catenary profile.
[0084] FIG. 46 a is a perspective view of another non-straight shaped beam with a non-equation based, non-straight profile.
[0085] FIG. 46 b is a side profile of the non-straight beam with a non-equation based, non-straight profile.
[0086] FIG. 47 a is a perspective view of a multi-step based shaped beam.
[0087] FIG. 47 b is a side profile of the multi-step shaped beam showing an example of a multi-stepped profile.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0088] Before explaining the disclosed embodiments of the present invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its applications to the details of the particular arrangements shown since the invention is capable of other embodiments. Also, the terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.
[0089] A listing of components will now be described.
1 . laser system with conical cantilevered beam 10 . base of housing 20 . rear wall of housing 25 . threaded opening for battery 30 . support housing portions for adjustment controls 32 . front top of housing 33 . cover of housing 34 . front side of housing 38 . front wall of housing 39 . cover mounting screws/washer 40 . cantilevered conical beam 42 . base wide end 43 . fastener (nut) 48 . narrow tip end 50 . payload 52 . laser housing 53 . laser diode 56 . lens 60 . lateral adjustment control 61 . o-ring for lateral adjustment 70 . vertical adjustment control 71 o-ring for vertical adjustment 80 . battery 85 . battery cover 87 . connector 90 . Circuit Card Assembly 92 . event sensor #1 94 . event sensor #2 96 . antenna cover 98 . on/off switch 100 . Firearm mounted application 110 . upper clamp 120 . pivotal clamp 123 . hinge pin 125 . screw/washer 190 weapon 200 . dual laser or laser and detector system 220 . dual laser or laser and detector payload 250 . single mirror system 270 . single mirror payload 300 . laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 . S shaped cantilevered beam 342 . tip end of cantilevered beam 348 . rear mounted end of S shaped cantilevered beam 400 . laser system with center deflecting beam 420 . rear wall of housing 425 . opening in rear wall with opening having curved interior surface portion(s) 430 . front wall of housing 435 . opening in front wall with opening curved interior surface 440 . center deflecting beam 442 . rear conical portion of center deflecting beam 445 . middle portion of center deflecting beam 448 . front conical portion of center deflecting beam 450 payload (laser) support housing on front end of center deflecting beam 460 . rear mount support on rear end of center deflecting beam 470 . C shaped housing support for vertical and lateral controls 500 . Cam embodiment 510 . Cam wheel 520 . Cam wheel
Conical Shaped Cantilevered Beam
[0149] FIG. 1 is a perspective upper left front view of a single laser system 1 . FIG. 2 is a perspective upper right front view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 3 is a front view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 4 is a rear view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 5 is a right side view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 6 is a left side view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 . FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 6 along arrow 7 B. FIG. 8 is an exploded view of the laser system 1 of FIG. 1 .
[0150] Referring to FIGS. 1-8 , the laser system can include basic components of an outer one-piece type housing to support the main components. The main components can include base 10 , with a rear solid wall 20 , and a support housing portions 30 for adjustment controls 60 , 70 , where the support portions can have an inverted C shaped configuration. A cantilevered conical beam 40 can have a wide base end 42 that can be mounted in the rear wall 20 by a fastener (nut) 43 at attaches about threaded ends of the wide base end 42 . Other types of mounting techniques can also be used The conical shaped beam can be hollow or solid. A narrow tip end 48 of the cantilevered beam 40 can pass through the middle of the C shaped support portions 30 and the narrow tip end 48 can be mounted to a payload 50 that can include a laser housing 52 with laser diode 53 and lens 56 .
[0151] The profile of the conical element's effective length can be a straight cylinder as shown in FIG. 40 a , but the conical or curved shape provides lower weight and reduced dynamic pointing error. The taper adds to the capacity of the conical element by increasing the area moment of inertia where the moments and stresses are largest at the fixed end and allows material to be removed at the simply support end where the moments and stresses are minimal. The taper also provides a more constant curvature of the conical elements' centerline for a given deflection at the simply supported end.
[0152] Eccentricity is a parameter associated with conic sections like circle, ellipse, hyperbola etc. It is a measure of how much a conic section varies from being a circle. Below is the table for the eccentricity of the different conic sections:
[0000]
Conic section
eccentricity (e)
Ellipse
0 < e < 1
Circle
e = 0
Parabola
e = 1
Hyperbola
e > 1
Line
e = ∞
[0153] FIG. 40 a is a perspective view of a conical beam with a cylindrical profile. As shown in the above table, the profile of the conic beam can vary, for example, the conic beam having an eccentricity of zero has a cylindrical conic profile as shown in FIG. 40 b . The cylindrical profile beam can be solid or can be hollow to reduce the weight of the cylindrical beam. FIG. 41 a is a perspective view of a non-straight cylindrical shaped beam prior to being displaced by the lateral and vertical adjustment controls and FIG. 41 b is a side view of the non-straight cylindrical beam. The non-straight cylindrical profile beam can be solid or can be hollow to reduce the weight of the cylindrical beam.
[0154] Equation Driven Beam Profile:
[0155] Alternative non-straight beams are shown in FIGS. 42 a and 42 b (elliptical); FIGS. 43 a and 43 b ((parabolic); FIGS. 44 a and 44 b (hyperbolic); FIGS. 45 a and 45 b (caternary); FIGS. 46 a and 47 a (non-equation driven); and FIGS. 46 a and 46 b (stepped). The different beams can be equation driven or non-equation driven.
[0156] Ellipsed profile beams shown in FIGS. 42 a and 42 b are the closed type of conic section: a plane curve that results from the intersection of a cone by a plane. The cross section of a cylinder is an ellipse if it is sufficiently far from parallel to the axis of the cylinder. Ellipses have many similarities with the other two forms of conic sections: the parabolas and the hyperbolas, both of which are open and unbounded.
[0157] The beam with a parabolic profile shown in 43 a and 43 b is another example of an equation driven profile. In mathematics, parabolic cylindrical coordinates are a three-dimensional orthogonal coordinate system that results from projecting the two-dimensional parabolic coordinate system in the perpendicular z-direction. Hence, the coordinate surfaces are confocal parabolic cylinders.
[0158] The hyperbolic profile beam shown in FIGS. 44 a and 44 b is yet another example of an equation driven beam profile. In mathematics, hyperbolic functions are analogs of the ordinary trigonometric, or circular, functions. Hyperbolic functions occur in the solutions of some important linear differential equations, for example the equation defining a catenary, of some cubic equations, and of Laplace's equation in Cartesian coordinates. The catenary profile beam shown in FIGS. 45 a and 45 b is another example of an equation-driven beam profile.
Non-Equation Driven Beam Profile
[0159] The beam profile an also be non-equation-driven. For example, a non-equation driven, non-straight beam profile is shown in FIGS. 46 a and 46 b . As shown, the non-straight beam can have one or more areas of expansion or contraction, or both, of the beam between the two ends.
[0160] Another example of a non-equation driven, non-straight beam is shown in FIGS. 47 a and 47 b . As shown, the beam can be configures with two or more different profile beams cascaded. The dashed lines are used to show alternate positions of parts, adjacent positions of related parts and repeated detail. The configuration shown is not intended to limit the example to a particular number of parts or placement of each different segment.
[0161] As described above, the profile of the conical beam can be equation drive, or non-equation driven, or any combination thereof. Likewise, each of the different conical configurations can be solid or hollow.
[0162] The conical element's spring constant and deflection shape (slope) vs. displacement distance by the adjustment elements in each axis can be tailored by the type of material (metal, plastic, composite), effective conical element length, cross section shape and conical element profile. The effective spring constant of the system can also be adjusted by the stiffness of the conical element's mounting surface geometry on the base and the mounting interface geometry on the payload housing.
[0163] The conical element's coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) can be adjusted to match the effective CTE of the base and the structure the base is mounted to. Damping material can also be incorporated in the conical element design to dampen the movement and associated pointing error over time.
[0164] The position of the outer end 48 of the cantilevered beam 40 can be adjustably positioned by both a lateral adjustment control 60 and vertical adjustment control 70 . The adjustment controls can be rotatable knobs, screws, and the like.
[0165] FIG. 9 is an upper front right perspective view of a housing 100 using the laser system 1 of the previous figures mounted to a firearm, such as a rifle barrel 190 . FIG. 10 is a lower front right perspective view of the firearm 190 mounted housing 100 and laser system 1 of FIG. 9 . FIG. 11 is a top view of the firearm 190 mounted housing 100 and laser system 1 of FIG. 9 . FIG. 12 is an exploded view of the firearm 190 mounted housing 100 and laser system 1 of FIG. 9 .
[0166] Referring to FIGS. 1-12 the laser system 1 can be mounted to a firearm 190 such as to a rifle barrel 190 . The rear end 42 of the conical beam 40 can be mounted through the rear wall 20 with the laser housing 50 attached as a payload to the tip end 48 of the cantilevered beam 40 . A SAT (small arms transmitter) cover 33 can be placed over an upper opening of a box shaped housing where vertical adjustment control 70 can threadably attach and pass through an opening in the front top 32 of housing, and a lateral adjustment control 60 can threadably attach and pass through an opening in the front side 34 of the housing. Laser tube housing 52 with rear mounted diode 53 and front mounted lens 56 can pass through a front opening in the front wall 38 of the housing. An antenna cover 96 can be mounted to the cover 33 , and the laser diode 53 can be controlled by on/off switch 98 which can be powered by battery 80 .
[0167] CCA is a Circuit Card Assembly, it contains the electronic components that runs the SAT, handles power management, has a processor that runs the software, signal conditions the output of the sensors, tells the laser diode to fire, contains an antenna for wireless communication.
[0168] Components 92 and 94 are two of the three different sensors, (the shock signature, flash signature or acoustic signature) that are decoded to determine a valid event
[0169] Diode 53 is a laser diode which is a semiconductor device that produces coherent radiation (in which the waves are all at the same frequency and phase) in the visible or infrared spectrum when current passes through it. The most common type of laser diode is formed from a p-n junction and powered by injected electric current. Due to diffraction, the beam diverges (expands) rapidly after leaving the chip, typically at 30 degrees vertically by 10 degrees laterally. A lens must be used in order to form a collimated beam like that produced by a laser pointer. If a circular beam is required, cylindrical lenses and other optics are used. For single spatial mode lasers, using symmetrical lenses, the collimated beam ends up being elliptical in shape, due to the difference in the vertical and lateral divergences Connector 87 provides for hooking up a cable to charge the battery and manually operate the SAT. The Switch 98 turns the SAT off and on and is used to set the different modes of operation.
[0170] Screws that thread into the housing hold the cover 33 in place. Battery power supply 80 can pass through a threaded opening 25 in the rear wall 20 of the housing and be held in place by a screwable battery cap 85 . The housing can be mounted to the rifle barrel 190 by an upper clamp 110 under the housing base 10 , and a pivotable clamp 120 having a hinge attached end 123 , and a free-moving end that is held in place by a screw and washer 125 that fastens to the housing base 10 .
[0171] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a dual laser or laser and detector payload system 200 . The payload 50 of the previous figures can be substituted for another payload being a dual laser or laser and detector payload 220 . The other components of the previous figures can be incorporated herein, such as the components 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 , 60 , 70 .
[0172] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a mirror payload embodiment system 250 . The payload 50 of the previous figures can be substituted for another payload being single mirror payload 270 . The other components of the previous figures can be incorporated herein, such as the components 10 , 20 , 30 , 40 , 60 , 70 .
S Shaped Cantilevered Beam
[0173] FIG. 15 is an upper front left perspective view of another single laser system 300 with an S shaped cantilevered beam 340 supporting the laser payload 50 . FIG. 16 is an upper front right perspective view of the another single laser system 300 with an S shaped cantilevered beam 340 supporting the laser payload 50 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 17 is a top view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 18 is a front view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 19 is a right side view of the system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 20 is a left side view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 21 is a rear view of the laser system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 . FIG. 22 is an exploded view of the system with S shaped cantilevered beam 340 of FIG. 15 .
[0174] Referring to FIGS. 15-22 , the S shaped cantilevered beam 340 can be solid or hollow, with on end 348 mounted to the rear wall 20 of the housing and a cantilevered front end 342 supporting a payload 50 , such as those previously described, wherein the lateral and vertical alignment can be adjustably controlled by rotatable knobs/screws 60 , 70 , as previously described.
Center Deflecting Cantilevered Beam
[0175] FIG. 23 is an upper front right perspective view of another single laser system 400 with a center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 . FIG. 24 is an upper front left perspective view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 25 is a top view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 26 is a front view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 27 is a left side view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 28 is a right side view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 29 is a rear view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser 450 of FIG. 23 . FIG. 30 is a cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser along arrow 30 X of FIG. 25 with the beam 440 in a non-deflected state and boresight pointed down
[0176] Referring to FIGS. 23-30 , the single laser system 400 with center deflecting beam 400 can include similar components to the previous embodiments. Here, the center deflecting beam 440 can have free ends that are not directly mounted to the rear wall 420 or to the front wall 430 . The beam 440 can have a middle portion 445 , and a rear conical portion 442 with the wide part of the conical portion adjacent to the middle portion 445 . The opposite side of the middle beam portion 445 can have a front conical portion 448 with the wide part of the conical portion adjacent to the middle portion 445 .
[0177] A rear mount support 460 attached to the narrow rear end of the conical portion 442 is freely supported within an opening 425 opening in rear wall 420 with the opening 425 having curved interior surface portion(s). The geometry of 460 prevents 440 from rotating about its axis. The front payload support 450 can be attached to the narrow end of the front conical portion 448 can be freely supported within and opening 435 in the front wall 430 of the housing, wherein the opening 435 can also have curved interior surface portion(s). The focus point of the payload can be located at the center of the spherical 450 geometry and there is not linear translation during alignment, only angular movement. A C shaped portion 470 of the housing can be located adjacent to the middle portion 445 of the beam 440 , wherein the lateral adjustment control 460 and vertical adjustment control 470 can each cause the beam 440 to deflect laterally and vertically when needed. The laser support module housing 450 can have at least a lower spherical surface that can slide within the curved interior surface of the opening 435 of the front wall.
[0178] FIG. 31 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser module housing 450 of FIG. 30 with the beam 440 deflected down by the vertical adjustment control 70 with the boresight pointed straight ahead. FIG. 32 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser module housing 450 of FIG. 30 with the beam 440 deflected down and boresight pointed partially down. FIG. 33 is another cross-sectional view of the center deflecting beam 440 supporting the laser module housing 450 of FIG. 30 with the beam 440 deflected fully down and boresight pointed up.
Housing Bias Angle and Preload
[0179] The bias angle can be driven by two design requirements. The first is the vertical and lateral adjustment range from the mechanical boresight when the payload's centerline(s) are parallel to the base centerline. The second is the lateral and vertical preload forces produced by the conical element acting on the housing over the full adjustment range are greater than the lateral and vertical forces produced by the acceleration level in each axis multiplied times the mass of the housing and the effective mass of the conical element.
[0180] The plus and minus adjustment range in each axis from mechanical boresight needs to take into accord any manufacturing tolerances in the SAT assembly, the angular mechanical offsets in the weapon and the angular error associated with the shooter's sight picture.
[0181] The maximum bias angle in each axis is greater than the deflection angle required by the conical element at minimum deflection of the housing from the free state that produces a force greater than the unloading force plus two times the plus/minus adjustment range from the mechanical boresight.
[0182] FIG. 34 shows an example of the relationship between the preload forces over adjustment angle vs. the peak forces due to the acceleration, actual values will vary from system to system.
[0183] FIG. 35 shows the milliradian (mrad) pointing error in one axis for a system that unloads during a shock event. The housing holding the laser moves away from the hard adjustment elements toward the spring and then unloads and starts bouncing and the error increases to unacceptable levels during the time period of interest, i.e when the laser needs to be fired.
[0184] FIG. 36 shows the mrad pointing error in one axis for the same system that does not unload during the same shock event, the preload has been increased above the G force level. The housing does not move away from the hard adjustment element and the pointing error is defined by the slope of the conical element at the attachment point to the housing. The slope is governed by the conical element bending between the fixed end at the base and the simply supported end at the housing due to the acceleration load.
[0185] The angular pointing error vs. time shown in FIG. 36 is when the adjustment element is located 45% of the housing length from the front of the housing. The pointing error can be reduced or minimized by moving the adjustment element location to 80% from the front of the housing, see FIG. 37 . When the Center of Gravity (CG) of the housing is in front of the adjustment point, the force from the housing mass multiplied times the acceleration level produces a bending moment and deflection in the cantilever element opposite the bending moment and deflection in the cantilever element produced by the same acceleration level acting only on the cantilever element.
[0186] FIG. 38 is a perspective view of a cam version 500 of the invention. FIG. 39 is another perspective view 500 of the cam version of FIG. 38 . The operator rotates the external knobs which rotate the cams 510 , 520 pushes against the payload, which moves the payload along the vertical and horizontal axis.
[0187] While the payload 50 has been described as a laser module, other types of payloads can be used, such as but not limited to a passive receiving elements such as television or electromagnetic spectrum detectors, reflective elements such as optical or electromagnetic spectrum reflectors, active elements such as electromagnetic spectrum transmitters, optical elements that can include refractive or diffractive or reflective optical elements, and indicator or probe components for measuring.
[0188] Although rotating knobs and screws can be used other types of vertical and lateral adjustment controls, can be used such other types of threaded elements, cams or levers, or wedges The adjustments could be manual or servo or remotely controlled. The activation could be by electrical, magnetic, thermal, hydraulic or pneumatic actuators. The linear adjustment for each axis(s) can increase or decrease the angular displace relative to the linear adjustment elements. The linear adjustment elements could be actuators, such as solenoids. The threaded elements can employ different thread pitches or differential threaded components to increase or decrease the angular displacement relative to the linear displacement. Bimetallic materials can be used in the adjustment mechanisms. The contact surface between the adjustment element and the housing is curved to minimize the friction and to minimize the pointing errors as the housing moves and rotates relative to the adjustment element.
[0189] Different kinematic interfaces can be used at the mating points to reduce errors as required by the system requirements. Typical types of kinematic interfaces include but not limited to; Kelvin clamp, trihedral cup, gothic arch, v-blocks, conical cup, split kinematics to minimize Abbe offset issues, canoe sphere and v-block, flat prismatic components, rose bud couplings and knife edge.
[0190] While the invention has been described, disclosed, illustrated and shown in various terms of certain embodiments or modifications which it has presumed 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 breadth and scope of the claims here appended.
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Devices, apparatus, systems and methods for providing accurate linear and angular positioning with a payload mounted to a beam having freely moveable ends. The payload can be a laser pointer mounted on a firearm, which maintains the initial precise pointing during and after exposure in high G shock and vibration environments. Vertical and lateral adjustment controls can adjust minute changes in beam orientation. Precision adjustments can be performed in a zero G, one G, or high G environment and maintains the adjustment during and after being exposed to a high G shock or vibration environment.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention is directed to wellbore drilling top drive systems; such systems including apparatus for sensing deflection of a top drive main shaft; and methods of their use.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] The prior art discloses a variety of top drive systems; for example, and not by way of limitation, the following U.S. patents present exemplary top drive systems and components thereof: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,768; 4,807,890; 4,984,641; 5,433,279; 6,276,450; 4,813,493; 6,705,405; 4,800,968; 4,878,546; 4,872,577; 4,753,300; 6,007,105; 6,536,520; 6,679,333; 6,923,254—all these patents incorporated fully herein for all purposes.
[0005] Certain typical prior art top drive drilling systems have a derrick with a top drive which supports and rotates tubulars, e.g., drill pipe. The top drive is supported from a travelling block beneath a crown block. A drawworks on a rig floor raises and lowers the top drive. In many cases, a top drive is secured to a dolly that moves on a guide track in the derrick.
[0006] A top drive has a main drive shaft that is rotated by one or more motors. This main drive shaft supports significant weights, including, during certain operations, the weight of a drill string. For effective and efficient operations, it is important that the top drive main shaft remain aligned with a load supported on the top drive main shaft and/or with a well center of a well above which the top drive is positioned. Misalignment can result from incorrect positioning of dolly guide tracks or incorrectly positioning a top drive on a dolly, either laterally or at an angle to a well center line. Misalignment can also result if a dolly retract system does not position the top drive over well center.
[0007] In the past, efforts to maintain alignment of a top drive main shaft have included various mechanical position or attitude adjustment apparatuses and arrangements of hydraulic cylinders to relieve bending loads caused by shaft misalignment. In the past, due to the relative high stiffness of a top drive main shaft, it has not been obvious to use a sensor to detect top drive main shaft deflection. This was also not obvious because the main shafts are so stiff that detecting damaging bending was beyond economical sensor resolution.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention, in certain aspects, provides a top drive system for wellbore operations above a well, e.g., above a well center of a well, the top drive system including: a main body; a motor (or motors) for rotating the main shaft; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system results in rotation of the main shaft; and sensing apparatus for sensing bending of the main shaft (which can be caused by misalignment between the main shaft and the direction of a load being supported by the main shaft). In one aspect (as may be the case in any system according to the present invention), the main shaft has a relatively long slender central section to allow bending deflection without damaging stress.
[0009] The present invention discloses, in certain aspects, a top drive system for wellbore operations above a well, the top drive systems including: a main body; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a main shaft flow bore therethrough from top to bottom through which drilling fluid is flowable; a main shaft housing enclosing a portion of the main shaft, the main shaft having a non-loaded position relative to the main shaft housing; and sensing apparatus located for sensing bending of the main shaft away from the non-loaded position. In one particular aspect, a top drive system's main shaft has been reduced (e.g. from one typical shaft that has an outer diameter of 13.75 inches) to a shaft with an diameter of 9 inches, rendering the shaft more flexible yet with sufficient strength to handle expected loads, e.g. a 2500 kps load.
[0010] The present invention discloses, in certain aspects, methods for sensing deflection of a main shaft of a top drive system, the top drive system as any described or referred to herein, the method including sensing with sensing apparatus position of the main shaft. In one particular aspect, a top drive system's main shaft has been reduced (e.g. from one typical shaft that has an outer diameter of 13.75 inches) to a shaft with an diameter of 9 inches, rendering the shaft more flexible yet with sufficient strength to handle expected loads, e.g. a 2500 kps load.
[0011] Certain embodiments of this invention are not limited to any particular individual feature disclosed here, but include combinations of them distinguished from the prior art in their structures, functions, and/or results achieved. Features of the invention have been broadly described so that the detailed descriptions that follow may be better understood, and in order that the contributions of this invention to the arts may be better appreciated. There are, of course, additional aspects of the invention described below and which may be included in the subject matter of the claims to this invention. Those skilled in the art who have the benefit of this invention, its teachings, and suggestions will appreciate that the conceptions of this disclosure may be used as a creative basis for designing other structures, methods and systems for carrying out and practicing the present invention. The claims of this invention are to be read to include any legally equivalent devices or methods which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
[0012] What follows are some of, but not all, the objects of this invention. In addition to the specific objects stated below for at least certain preferred embodiments of the invention, there are other objects and purposes which will be readily apparent to one of skill in this art who has the benefit of this invention's teachings and disclosures. It is, therefore, an object of at least certain preferred embodiments of the present invention to provide:
[0013] New, useful, unique, efficient, non-obvious top drive systems and methods of their use; and
[0014] Such systems with a sensor apparatus for sensing bending of a top drive main shaft which could cause damage to the main shaft or to related components.
[0015] The present invention recognizes and addresses the problems and needs in this area and provides a solution to those problems and a satisfactory meeting of those needs in its various possible embodiments and equivalents thereof. To one of skill in this art who has the benefits of this invention's realizations, teachings, disclosures, and suggestions, other purposes and advantages will be appreciated from the following description of certain preferred embodiments, given for the purpose of disclosure, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. The detail in these descriptions is not intended to thwart this patent's object to claim this invention no matter how others may later attempt to disguise it by variations in form, changes, or additions of further improvements.
[0016] The Abstract that is part hereof is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and scientists, engineers, researchers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent terms or legal terms of phraseology to determine quickly from a cursory inspection or review the nature and general area of the disclosure of this invention. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention, which is done by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting of the scope of the invention in any way.
[0017] It will be understood that the various embodiments of the present invention may include one, some, or all of the disclosed, described, and/or enumerated improvements and/or technical advantages and/or elements in claims to this invention.
[0018] Certain aspects, certain embodiments, and certain preferable features of the invention are set out herein. Any combination of aspects or features shown in any aspect or embodiment can be used except where such aspects or features are mutually exclusive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] A more particular description of embodiments of the invention briefly summarized above may be had by references to the embodiments which are shown in the drawings which form a part of this specification. These drawings illustrate certain preferred embodiments and are not to be used to improperly limit the scope of the invention which may have other equally effective or equivalent embodiments.
[0020] FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a top drive system in a derrick according to the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 2A is a side view of a top drive system according to the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 2B is a cross-section view of a top drive system of FIG. 2A .
[0023] FIG. 3 is a cross-section view of a top drive system according to the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 4A is a side view of a sensor system according to the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 4B is a cross-section view of the sensor system of FIG. 4A along line 4 B- 4 B of FIG. 4A .
[0026] FIG. 4C is a partial cross-section view of the sensor system of FIG. 4A along line 4 C- 4 C of FIG. 4A .
[0027] Presently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the above-identified figures and described in detail below. Various aspects and features of embodiments of the invention are described below and some are set out in the dependent claims. Any combination of aspects and/or features described below or shown in the dependent claims can be used except where such aspects and/or features are mutually exclusive. It should be understood that the appended drawings and description herein are of preferred embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention or the appended claims. 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. In showing and describing the preferred embodiments, like or identical reference numerals are used to identify common or similar elements. The figures are not necessarily to scale and certain features and certain views of the figures may be shown exaggerated in scale or in schematic in the interest of clarity and conciseness.
[0028] As used herein and throughout all the various portions (and headings) of this patent, the terms “invention”, “present invention” and variations thereof mean one or more embodiment, and are not intended to mean the claimed invention of any particular appended claim(s) or all of the appended claims. Accordingly, the subject or topic of each such reference is not automatically or necessarily part of, or required by, any particular claim(s) merely because of such reference. So long as they are not mutually exclusive or contradictory any aspect or feature or combination of aspects or features of any embodiment disclosed herein may be used in any other embodiment disclosed herein.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a top drive system 10 according to the present invention which is structurally supported by a derrick 11 . The system 10 has a plurality of components including: a swivel 13 , a top drive 14 according to the present invention (any disclosed herein), a main shaft 16 , a housing 17 , a drill stem 18 /drillstring 19 and a drill bit 20 . The components are collectively suspended from a traveling block 12 that allows them to move upwardly and downwardly on a dolly 26 on rails 22 connected to the derrick 11 for guiding the vertical motion of the components. Torque generated during operations with the top drive or its components (e.g. during drilling) is transmitted through the dolly 26 via the rails 22 to the derrick 11 . The main shaft 16 extends through the motor housing 17 and connects to the drill stem 18 . The drill stem 18 is typically threadedly connected to one end of a series of tubular members collectively referred to as the drillstring 19 . An opposite end of the drillstring 19 is threadedly connected to a drill bit 20 .
[0030] During operation, a motor apparatus 15 (shown schematically) encased within the housing 17 rotates the main shaft 16 which, in turn, rotates the drill stem 18 /drillstring 19 and the drill bit 20 . Rotation of the drill bit 20 produces an earth bore 21 with a well center 23 . Fluid pumped into the top drive system passes through the main shaft 16 , the drill stem 18 /drillstring 19 , the drill bit 20 and enters the bottom of the earth bore 21 . Cuttings removed by the drill bit 20 are cleared from the bottom of the earth bore 21 as the pumped fluid passes out of the earth bore 21 up through an annulus formed by the outer surface of the drill bit 20 and the walls of the bore 21 . Pipe handling apparatus 28 can be suspended from the top drive.
[0031] A shaft deflection sensing apparatus 24 connected to the housing 17 has a sensor 25 (or multiple sensors 25 ) to sense deflection of the main shaft 16 .
[0032] The sensor 25 (or sensors) can be (as is true for any embodiment herein) any known sensor for detecting bending of the main shaft away from the direction it assumes when it is not supporting a load (often this is a direction in which the main shaft is aligned with the well center). In one aspect, the sensor(s) are inductive proximity distance sensors. Optionally, the sensor(s) may be (but are not limited to) capacitative proximity sensors, ultrasonic distance sensors, photoelectric sensors, or laser distance-measuring devices. In certain cases, if the expected direction of an anticipated excessive load is known, a single sensor can be used to provide a sufficient warning of undesirable shaft bending deflection to an operator. If the direction of such a load is not known, two or more distance sensors are used. Alternatively, or in addition to these sensors, the sensor(s) may be a sensor (or sensors) 24 a , (shown schematically, FIG. 1 ) mounted on the outer surface of the main shaft, and/or a sensor (or sensors) 24 b within the main shaft, directly measuring main shaft deflection and transmitting this data, e.g. via telemetry, wirelessly or via electrical slip ring(s).
[0033] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate a top drive system 100 according to the present invention (which may be used as the top drive system 10 , FIG. 1 ) which has supporting bails 104 suspended from a becket 102 . Motors 120 which rotate a main shaft 160 are supported on a main body 130 . One motor may be used. A bonnet 110 supports a gooseneck 106 and a washpipe 110 a through which fluid is pumped to and through the system 100 and through a flow channel 163 through a main shaft 160 . Within the bonnet 110 are an upper packing box 115 (connected to the gooseneck 106 ) for the washpipe; and a lower packing box 117 for the washpipe. A main gear housing 140 encloses a bull gear 142 . A ring gear housing 150 encloses a ring gear 152 and associated components.
[0034] A drag chain system 170 encloses a drag chain 172 and associated components including hoses and cables. This drag chain system 170 can be used instead of a rotating head and provides rotation for reorientation of a link adapter 180 and items connected thereto.
[0035] Bolts releasably secure the bonnet 110 to the body 130 . Removal of these bolts permits removal of the bonnet 110 . Bolts 164 through a load shoulder 168 releasably secure the main shaft 160 to a quill 190 . The quill 190 is a transfer member between the main shaft 160 and the bull gear 142 and transfers torque between the bull gear 142 and the main shaft 160 . The quill 190 also transfers the tension of a tubular or string load on the main shaft to thrust bearings 191 (not to the bull gear 142 ). One or more seal retainer bushings 166 are located above the load shoulder 168 . Removal of the bonnet 110 and bolts through the load shoulder 168 securing the main shaft 160 to a quill 190 , permits removal of the main shaft 160 from the system 100 without exposing or disturbing the inner components of the gear box or the main thrust bearings 191 . Upper quill bearings 144 are above a portion of the quill 190 .
[0036] As shown in FIG. 2B , the system 100 is movable on a mast or part of a derrick 139 (like the derrick 11 and on its rails 22 ) by connection to a movable apparatus like a dolly 134 . Ends of links 133 are pivotably connected to arms 131 , 132 of a body 130 . The other ends of the links 133 are pivotably connected to the dolly 134 . This structure permits the top drive and associated components to be moved up and down, and toward and away from a well centerline (e.g. like a line in line with the well center 23 , FIG. 1 ), as shown by the structure in dotted line (toward the derrick when drill pipe is connected/disconnected while tripping; and to the well center during drilling). Known apparatuses and structures are used to move the links 133 and to move the dolly 134 .
[0037] Upper parts of the bails 104 extend over and are supported by arms 103 of the becket 102 . Each bail 104 has two spaced-apart lower ends 105 pivotably connected by pins to the body 130 . Such a use of two bails distributes the support load on the main body and provides a four-point support for this load, economically reducing bending moments within the main body and thus provide a more stable platform for the bearings 191 .
[0038] The quill 190 rests on main thrust bearings 191 which support the quill 190 , the main shaft 160 , and whatever is connected to the main shaft 160 (including whatever load is borne by the main shaft 160 during operations, e.g. drilling loads and tripping loads). The body 130 houses the main thrust bearings 191 and contains lubricant for the main thrust bearings 191 . An annular passage provides a flow path for lubricant from the gear housing 140 to the thrust bearings.
[0039] Shafts 122 of the motors 120 drive couplings 123 rotatably mounted in the body 130 which drive drive pinions 124 in the main gear housing 140 . The drive pinions 124 drive the bull gear 142 which is connected to the quill 190 with connectors 192 .
[0040] The bull gear 142 is within a lower portion 146 of the gear housing 140 which holds lubricant for the bull gear 142 and bearings and is sealed with seal apparatus 148 so that the lubricant does not flow out and down from the gear housing 140 . Any suitable known rotary seal 148 may be used.
[0041] The ring gear housing 150 which houses the ring gear 152 also has movably mounted therein two sector gears 154 each movable by a corresponding hydraulic cylinder apparatus 156 to lock the ring gear 152 . With the ring gear 152 unlocked (with the sector gears 154 backed off from engagement with the ring gear 152 ), items below the ring gear housing 150 (e.g. a pipe handler and a link adapter) can rotate. The ring gear 152 can be locked by the sector gears 154 to act as a backup to react torque while drill pipe connections are being made to the drillstring. The ring gear 152 is locked when a pipe handler is held without rotation (e.g. when making a connection of a drill pipe joint to a drillstring). An hydraulic motor (not shown), via interconnected gearing, turns the ring gear to, in turn, rotate the link adapter 180 and whatever is suspended from it; i.e., in certain aspects to permit the movement of a supported tubular to and from a storage area and/or to change the orientation of a suspended elevator, e.g. so that the elevator's opening throat is facing in a desired direction. Typical rig control systems are used to control this motor and the apparatuses 156 and typical rig power systems provide power for them.
[0042] In a variety of prior top drive systems a rotating head with a plurality of passageways therethrough is used between some upper and lower components of the system to convey hydraulic and pneumatic power used to control system components beneath the rotating head. Such a rotating head typically rotates through 360 degrees infinitely. Such a rotating head may, according to certain aspects of the present invention, be used with system according to the present invention; but, in other aspects, a drag chain system 170 is used below the ring gear housing 150 and above the link adapter 180 to convey fluids and signals to components below the ring gear housing 150 . The drag chain system 170 does not permit infinite 360 degree rotation, but it does allow a sufficient range of motion in a first direction or in a second opposite direction to accomplish all the functions to be achieved by system components suspended from the link adapter 180 (e.g. an elevator and/or a pipe handler), in one aspect with a range of rotative motion of about three-quarters of a turn total, 270 degrees.
[0043] Optionally, instead of a typical rotating head or a drag chain system according to the present invention, a variety of known signal/fluid conveying apparatuses may be used with systems according to the present invention; e.g., but not limited to, wireless systems or electric slip ring systems, in combination with simplified fluid slip ring systems.
[0044] A sensing apparatus 194 has sensors 196 for sensing the position of the main shaft 160 . The main shaft is above a well center 197 of a well 198 .
[0045] Drilling loads (the load of the drillstring, bit, etc.) pass through a threaded connection 160 a at the end of the main shaft 160 to the main shaft 160 . Tripping loads (the load, e.g., of tubular(s) being hauled and manipulated into and out of the well) pass through the link adapter 180 and through a load ring 161 , not through the threaded connection of the main shaft and not through any threaded connection so that threaded connections of the top drive are isolated from tripping loads.
[0046] FIG. 3 shows a top drive system 200 according to the present invention which has a main shaft 202 rotated by a gear system 204 driven by motors 206 (shown partially). Deflection sensors 210 secured to an extension of main shaft housing 212 are positioned to sense the location of the main shaft 202 with respect to a center line of the main shaft housing 212 .
[0047] A link adapter 218 is above an IBOP 219 . The IBOP 219 and a drill string 208 (shown schematically) are supported by the main shaft 202 at a threaded connection 202 a . Drilling loads pass through the threaded connection 202 a to the main shaft 202 . Tripping loads pass through the link adapter 218 and through a load ring 202 b (not through a threaded connection of the top drive).
[0048] FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate a sensor system 300 according to the present invention which can be used to sense top drive main shaft deflection from a normal un-loaded position relative to the housing, thus measuring bending deflection and stress. The systems 300 are mounted to an extension body 302 with an upper flange 304 to facilitate connection of the systems 300 to the main shaft housing 204 a ( FIG. 3 ).
[0049] The sensor systems 300 have bodies 312 disposed in channels 306 through the body 302 which house sensors 311 . Retainers 313 releasably secure the sensor bodies 312 to the body 302 .
[0050] As shown, six sensors 311 are spaced-apart roughly equally around the body 302 which encompasses a main shaft 320 of a top drive system. The holes 308 provide passages for hydraulic fluid for the rotating head.
[0051] A control system 330 has an electronic circuit 332 which is in communication with the sensors 311 and monitors outputs in real-time from the sensors 311 which can indicate, in real-time, acceptable deflection and undesirable deflection of the main shaft 320 . If undesirable deflection is detected, the control system 330 sends a warning to an operator (e.g., but not limited to, a visual and/or audible warning to a driller's console 340 ).
[0052] In one embodiment of the present invention, the system warns an operator of undesirable loading on the main shaft in any direction. Sensors are positioned in a radial array around the main shaft in an annular space between the main shaft and a main shaft support housing. In one aspect, the sensors 311 are inductive proximity distance sensors mounted with respect to the top drive main shaft so that they switch state when the top drive main shaft 320 is deflected (bent) beyond a pre-determined safe amount. The sensors can switch state from open-circuit to close-circuit, or vice-versa. The state of the sensors is monitored by an electronic circuit and, when a switched state of the sensors is detected (e.g. when an unsafe side load or bending moment is externally applied to the top drive main shaft), the control system 330 sends a warning to an operator allowing correction of the loading condition before significant damage can occur (including significant fatigue damage to main shaft material). Alternatively, the sensors 311 are analog distance sensors and the control system 330 evaluates and transmits the amount of shaft deflection to warn an operator of an unsafe condition and/or to calculate cumulative fatigue damage (for reporting and/or warning).
[0053] In one aspect, the positions of the sensors are adjusted radially relative to the main shaft until each detects the presence of the main shaft and then each is advanced an additional amount towards the main shaft that equates to a desired main shaft deflection alarm point. This alarm point is based on an allowable deflection of the main shaft at the elevation of the sensors. When the main shaft deflects beyond this alarm point, the sensor opposite the deflection direction will no longer detect the presence of the main shaft and will open the electrical circuit, causing the sensors' monitoring circuit to send the alarm to the top drive operator. Should a sensor or wire in the sensing system fail, the electrical circuit will open, again tripping the alarm. Because the allowable deflection of the main shaft is small, the sensors are, preferably, positioned and held in place with precision, without radial free-play or backlash. Each sensor, as shown in FIG. 4C , has an inductive proximity sensor head 311 a which will close a circuit when it detects the metal of the main shaft 320 within a sensing range, e.g. about 4 mm. The electrical circuit remains closed so long as the main shaft is within the pre-set sensing range.
[0054] A support adapter 312 rigidly supports the sensor member 311 and allows for fine radial adjustment of the relative position of the member 311 with respect to the main shaft 320 . Use of such an adapter 312 permits sensor removal and replacement while a top drive system with the main shaft 320 is fully assembled (which can reduce maintenance down time). A wave spring 315 which applies axial force on the adapter 312 reduces or eliminates radial backlash between a keeper 313 and the adapter 312 .
[0055] A swivel nut 314 is held by the keeper 313 and a snap ring 316 which restrain the swivel nut 314 from outward radial movement and assists in maintaining the adapter's and sensor's radial position relative to the normal unloaded position of the top drive main shaft. Rotation of the swivel nut 314 relative to the adapter 312 translates the inductive proximity sensor member 311 axially (toward or away from the main shaft 320 ). A jam nut 317 prevents the swivel nut 314 from rotating freely and reduces or eliminates backlash (unrestrained axial motion of a sensor) between the adapter 312 and the swivel nut 314 .
[0056] The present invention, therefore, provides in some, but not in necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations for a well with a well center on a well center line, the top drive system including: a main body; a motor apparatus; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a main shaft flow bore therethrough from top to bottom through which drilling fluid is flowable; a quill connected to and around the main shaft; a gear system interconnected with the quill, the gear system driven by the motor apparatus so that driving the gear system drives the quill and thereby drives the main shaft, the main shaft passing through the gear system; and sensing apparatus for sensing bending of the main shaft away from its normal (unloaded) position.
[0057] The present invention provides, therefore, in some, but in not necessarily all, embodiments a top drive system for wellbore operations above a well, the top drive system having: a main body; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a main shaft flow bore therethrough from top to bottom through which drilling fluid is flowable; sensing apparatus located for sensing bending of the main shaft away from the non-loaded position, in one aspect the sensing apparatus on or in a main shaft housing enclosing a portion of the main shaft, the main shaft having a non-loaded position relative to the main shaft housing. Such a system may, according to the present invention, have one, or some, in any possible combination, of the following: the sensing apparatus located on the main shaft housing; the sensing apparatus on the main shaft; the sensing apparatus including an apparatus body connected to the main shaft housing, a plurality of sensors extending through the apparatus body, each sensor having a sensor head adjacent an exterior surface of the main shaft, each sensor for sensing deflection of the main shaft with respect to the sensor head; each sensor is an inductive proximity distance sensor; wherein each sensor is removably located in the apparatus body; wherein each sensor is an analog distance sensor; wherein the sensors are spaced-apart around the apparatus body and each sensor is supported by a support which allows fine radial adjustment of the position of the sensor's sensor head with respect to the main shaft; a control system in communication with each sensor for monitoring sensor output; wherein the control system provides an operator with an indication of main shaft deflection in real-time; wherein the control system provides an operator with a warning of undesirable main shaft deflection in real-time; wherein the sensing apparatus has at least one sensor that is one of capacitative proximity sensor, ultrasonic distance sensor, photoelectric sensor, laser distance-measuring sensor, and inductive proximity distance sensor; wherein the sensing apparatus senses main shaft deflection in real-time; and/or wherein the main shaft has an outer diameter of about nine inches.
[0058] The present invention provides, therefore, in certain embodiments, a top drive system for wellbore operations above a well, the top drive system including:
a main body; a main shaft extending from the main body, the main shaft having a top end and a bottom end, the main shaft having a main shaft flow bore therethrough from top to bottom through which drilling fluid is flowable; a main shaft housing enclosing a portion of the main shaft, the main shaft having a non-loaded position relative to the main shaft housing; sensing apparatus located for sensing bending of the main shaft away from the non-loaded position; an apparatus body connected to the main shaft housing; a plurality of sensors extending through the apparatus body, each sensor having a sensor head adjacent an exterior surface of the main shaft; each sensor for sensing deflection of the main shaft with respect to the sensor head; each sensor is an inductive proximity distance sensor; wherein each sensor is removably located in the apparatus body; a control system in communication with each sensor for monitoring sensor output; wherein the control system provides an operator with an indication of main shaft deflection in real-time; and wherein the control system provides an operator with a warning of undesirable main shaft deflection in real-time.
[0071] The present invention provides, therefore, methods for sensing deflection of a main shaft of a top drive system, the top drive system as any described or referred to herein, the top drive system having a main body and a main shaft, the method including sensing with the sensing apparatus position of the main shaft. Such a method may include one or some, in any possible combination, of the following: wherein a control system in communication with each sensor for monitoring sensor output and wherein the control system provides an operator with an indication of main shaft deflection in real-time, the method further including providing, with the control system, in real-time an indication of main shaft deflection; wherein the control system provides an operator with a warning of undesirable main shaft deflection in real-time, the method further including providing such a warning; and/or wherein the sensing apparatus includes an apparatus body connected to the main shaft housing, a plurality of sensors extending through the apparatus body, each sensor having a sensor head adjacent an exterior surface of the main shaft, each sensor for sensing deflection of the main shaft with respect to the sensor head, wherein each sensor is removably located in the apparatus body, and wherein the sensors are spaced-apart around the apparatus body and each sensor is supported by a support which allows fine radial adjustment of the position of the sensor's sensor head with respect to the main shaft, the method further including radially adjusting the position of each sensor head with respect to the main shaft
[0072] In conclusion, therefore, it is seen that the present invention and the embodiments disclosed herein and those covered by the appended claims are well adapted to carry out the objectives and obtain the ends set forth. Certain changes can be made in the subject matter without departing from the spirit and the scope of this invention. It is realized that changes are possible within the scope of this invention and it is further intended that each element or step recited in any of the following claims is to be understood as referring to the step literally and/or to all equivalent elements or steps. The following claims are intended to cover the invention as broadly as legally possible in whatever form it may be utilized. The invention claimed herein is new and novel in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 102 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 102. The invention claimed herein is not obvious in accordance with 35 U.S.C. § 103 and satisfies the conditions for patentability in § 103. This specification and the claims that follow are in accordance with all of the requirements of 35 U.S.C. § 112. The inventor may rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the scope of the invention and of the claims that follow as they may pertain to apparatus not materially departing from, but outside of, the literal scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All patents and applications identified herein are incorporated fully herein for all purposes. It is the express intention of the applicant not to invoke 35 U.S.C. § 112, paragraph 6 for any limitations of any of the claims herein, except for those in which the claim expressly uses the words ‘means for’ together with an associated function. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.
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A top drive system for wellbore operations, the top drive system including motor apparatus, a main shaft driven by the motor apparatus, and sensing apparatus for sensing bending of the main shaft; and, in certain aspects, the system providing information regarding the extent of main shaft bending and/or for warning an operator of an undesirable amount of main shaft bending. This abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract which will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims, 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b).
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FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates generally to the field of chamber cleaning methods using fluorine-containing species. More specifically, the present invention relates to the use of F 2 gas as a process gas in chamber cleaning.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] Semiconductor chip manufacturers have long recognized the deleterious effects of deposits, such as, for example, oxide deposits on the reaction chamber walls from the various chemical reactions and deposition processes that take place during chip manufacture. As impurities build up on reaction chamber inner surfaces, such as interior chamber walls, the risk increases that such impurities may be co-deposited on target work pieces, such as computer chips. Therefore, such chambers must be periodically cleaned during down cycles in the chip manufacturing process.
[0003] One known method for cleaning unwanted deposits from interior reaction chamber surfaces is to produce a fluorine plasma in the reaction chamber, under sub-atmospheric chamber walls. While diatomic fluorine (F 2 ) is an excellent candidate as a source for the fluorine plasma, other gases, such as, for example, NF 3 , CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , SF 6 , etc. have been used as the fluorine radical source. In essence, any fluorine-containing gas that can be decomposed into active fluorine species potentially can be used for chamber cleaning. NF 3 has been a popular choice.
[0004] The dramatic surge in demand for NF 3 has resulted in a virtual global shortage of this relatively expensive material. In addition, most of the cleaning processes using NF 3 only consume about 15% of the fluorine contained within the NF 3 in the actual cleaning operation, with the remaining fluorine being exhausted, treated, neutralized and eventually discarded.
[0005] Cyclical adsorption processes are generally employed for use in fluorine recycling processes. Such preferred processes include pressure swing adsorption (PSA) and temperature swing adsorption (TSA) cycles, or combinations thereof. The adsorption can be carried out in an arrangement of two or more adsorption beds arranged in parallel and operated out of phase so that at least one bed is undergoing adsorption while another bed is being regenerated. However, single bed applications are known and widely used. Specific fluorine recycle applications into which the invention can be incorporated included vapor deposition and etching chamber cleaning processes, etc.
[0006] The fluorine-containing source compound, any other reagents, and inert gases used in the chamber cleaning process are typically supplied as compressed gases and are admitted into the chamber using a combination of pressure controllers and mass flow controllers to effect the cleaning process. The cleaning process itself requires that a plasma be maintained upstream of, or in the chamber, to break up the fluorine-containing source compound so that active fluorine ions and radicals are present to perform the cleaning chemistry. To maintain the plasma, the chamber is kept at a low pressure, typically between about 0.1 to 20 Torr absolute, by using a vacuum pump to remove the gaseous waste products and any unreacted feed gases that comprise the exhaust gas. The pressure in the chamber is typically controlled by regulating the flow of exhaust gas from the chamber to the chamber pump using a vacuum throttle valve and feedback controller to maintain the chamber pressure at the desired set point. The chamber cleaning operation is performed intermittently between deposition operations. Typically, one to five deposition operations are performed for every chamber cleaning cycle.
[0007] Unused radicals recombine to form fluorine, regardless of the fluorine source used. Such unused radicals are currently directed from the system as waste that must be treated and exhausted, such as to a facility abatement system. Therefore, an integrated fluorine source that improves the safe delivery of economical fluorine species to a chamber for cleaning cycles while recovering unused fluorine in the effluent, and reduces the demand of an abatement system while significantly conserving space would be advantageous.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention is directed to a combined F 2 feed, recycle and abatement system for chamber cleaning to optimize F 2 usage and abatement while simultaneously managing overall system size and F 2 storage and delivery constraints.
[0009] The present invention is further directed to a system that combines a safe, sub-atmospheric F 2 gas supply during the cleaning cycle, a recycle of the effluent gas through an absorber to absorb impurities (e.g. SiF 4 ), a recycle of the F 2 gas back to the cleaning process, and abatement of the gases once the cleaning cycle is complete. The present invention further contemplates the incorporation of an integrated gas analysis module to integrally determine the end point of the cleaning cycle.
[0010] The present invention is further directed to a method for cleaning a process chamber comprising a cleaning cycle utilizing fluorine gas from a fluorine source, a waste gas purification cycle, and an abatement system. An integral fluorine generator for producing a fluorine gas is provided with the generated fluorine gas directed to the process chamber. The contents of the process chamber are reacted with the fluorine gas and directed from the chamber as a fluorine waste stream under sub-atmospheric pressure to an adsorber for removing contaminants from the fluorine waste stream. The fluorine waste stream is converted into a recycled fluorine stream by directing recycled fluorine to an adsorber for impurity removal, and then directing the impurity-free recycled fluorine, on demand, to the process chamber or to a fluorine storage facility. An integral gas sensor can also be provided to the process to determine the presence of contaminants in the fluorine waste stream leaving the process chamber. The gas sensor uses the level of the contaminants generated in the cleaning cycle to control the chamber cleaning cycle.
[0011] According to a further embodiment, one method of the present invention is directed to incorporating an adsorber regenerating cycle to remove the collected impurities from the adsorber and direct the impurities to an abatement facility that is preferably integrated into the system.
[0012] The present invention is further directed to an apparatus for cleaning impurities from a process chamber comprising a process chamber having at least one inlet and at least one waste stream outlet, with the inlet in communication with a fluorine source. The apparatus further comprises a pump in fluid communication with the process chamber, a fluorine generator in communication with the process chamber or the pump as well as an integrated fluorine storage facility. The apparatus further comprises a purification chamber having an inlet and an outlet in communication with the process chamber and an abatement system for purifying a waste stream from the process chamber. An integrated gas sensor may also be provided to monitor the waste stream and determines the presence of contaminants in the fluorine waste stream leaving the process chamber. The sensor provides a signal to control the chamber cleaning cycle including directing the fluorine flow from the fluorine storage facility and fluorine generator.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0014] Recently, it has been discovered that fluorine (F 2 ) generation can be incorporated into many manufacturing processes to supply needed F 2 during the cleaning cycle. The presence of F 2 generators incorporated within manufacturing systems provides the supply of F 2 required for cleaning cycles in substantially real-time, greatly reducing the safety concerns as well as the cost of the system source gases. For large cleaning applications, waste F 2 can be excessive for a standard abatement system to handle. Therefore, the present invention facilitates reducing the total amount of F 2 using a recycle technique, such that the abatement system, and in turn, the entire F 2 delivery system can be appropriately reduced in size and cost.
[0015] With further regard to system safety improvement, according to the system of the present invention, fluorine is temporarily stored and transported to the processing chamber in a sub-atmospheric state. Therefore, even if a leak were to occur, air would leak inward rather than fluorine leaking out. According to the present invention, the system would be able to maintain a reservoir of sufficient fluorine without creating any accompanying hazard. Such advances further positively impact the space requirements of the system as the manifold through the lab that would route fluorine also would run at sub-atmospheric conditions and would not require a double containment configuration, thus simplifying the equipment constrains.
[0016] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram for one embodiment of the present invention. By-products and other impurities are produced in process chamber 1 during the process cycle. Exhaust gases are directed from the process chamber 1 to a process pump 2 . During the cleaning cycle the exhaust gases are diverted through a cleaning pump 3 . A purge gas source 4 provides a purge gas, such as argon, continuously into the cleaning pump 3 to provide ballast gas and to act as a purge for the dynamic seal needed in the cleaning pump 3 to prevent F 2 from seeping into the gear and motor housing. During the cleaning cycle, the process gas passes from the chamber 1 through an absorber 5 that absorbs the material cleaned from the chamber l, such as SiF 4 . The gas is predominantly F 2 with the added purge gas from the purge gas source 4 , coupled with contaminants from the chamber 1 . After removing impurities by passing the gas through the absorber 5 , the recycled gas is directed back to the Remote Plasma System (RPS) 7 .
[0017] In addition to the exhaust gas coming from the process chamber, a predetermined amount of fluorine produced within the system from a central production system 11 is safely stored in a process accumulator 6 . This fluorine can be introduced on demand with the exhaust gas from the process chamber 1 into cleaning pump 3 and added to the flow passing through RPS 7 . As the process recycles, gases accumulate in the closed “loop” of the system and can be stored in a recycled F 2 vessel 15 . During this recycle, the pressure in this loop will increase as more purge gas argon and F 2 are added. At a predetermined point, exhaust gases will be diverted to an abatement system 8 that will direct the fluorine and other gases in the exhaust and convert them to another form for effective disposal. The exhaust gas waste 9 treated to be of the quality required for emission into the atmosphere, such as through a house scrubbing system.
[0018] At the end of the cleaning cycle, the absorber 5 may be regenerated for the next cleaning cycle by flowing a regeneration gas, such as nitrogen, argon or mixtures thereof, from an inert gas source 10 , through the absorber 5 . The flow of regeneration gas is fed in reverse flow through the absorber 5 and desorbs the trapped contaminants, such as SiF 4 . The flow of regeneration gas and contaminants is sent to the abatement system 8 for further processing and disposal. In addition, during the cleaning process, a flow of purge gas, such as nitrogen, argon or helium, from the inert gas source 10 may be allowed to flow into the absorber 5 and then to the RPS 7 in order to purge the chamber 1 and process pump 2 .
[0019] To provide added control to this process, additional components can be added such as a cleaning gas analyzer 12 that analyzes the process gas either by Fourier Transform Infra-red (FTIR), atomic emission, mass spectroscopy, or other spectrographic methods. Once there is no SiF 4 , or other contaminant in this process gas, a signal 13 is sent to the process signaling that the cleaning cycle of the system has been completed. Another control signal 14 is sent from the process chamber that will signal the cleaning system to commence the next chamber cleaning cycle. According to one embodiment of the present invention, this signaling feature is the only control connection between the process chamber and the cleaning tool.
[0020] The process pump is preferably a large displacement vacuum pump that is compatible with the use of purified fluorine. The available displacement is designed to deliver the required vacuum levels in the process chamber during the cleaning cycle.
[0021] The preferred fluorine-compatible cleaning pump is different than those generally used in the semiconductor industry. In particular, most semiconductor processing pumps are made of cast iron, to provide thermal stability, noise attenuation, strength and materials capability. In addition, stainless steel diaphragm pumps are often used, but have a relatively high level of inherent vibration and a need to detect leakage through the diaphragm. In the present application, the high flow rates preclude the use of a stainless steel diaphragm pump. In general, aluminum pumps are thought to be inferior in thermal stability, noise attenuation, strength and materials capability, but are still used in applications where low weight is important and the commensurate problems can be discounted. Typically, such applications involve only pumping air or inert gases. However, in the present invention, involving high levels of fluorine in the gas stream, aluminum has several advantages. For example, aluminum is less reactive to fluorine than cast iron. In fact, aluminum advantageously reacts slowly with fluorine to form a desirable aluminum fluoride passivation layer that minimizes or prevents further reaction with the fluorine.
[0022] Therefore, the present invention preferably uses a cleaning pump that is made of aluminum impregnated with a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The PTFE forms a relatively low friction surface to resist galling and to provide a protective layer to the aluminum that minimizes the need to passivate the pump surfaces with fluorine.
[0023] For fluorine applications, the use of a single shaft pump is advantageous. A single shaft pump produces no gear-related noise and provides a low level of well-controlled vibration, making it suitable for on-tool mounting. The design of the pump eliminates the need for any direct contact rotary shaft seals or flexing diaphragms to seal the fluorine in the pump. Rather, all seals that function to contain fluorine are static and hence reliable and predictable.
[0024] In addition, for fluorine application, the use of a pump with no bearings in the vacuum system is advantageous. The absence of bearings in the vacuum system means that there is no potential contact between lubricants avoiding any adverse reaction of the pump lubricant with the fluorine and also avoiding possible contamination of the process chamber or recycled fluorine gas from the pump lubricant. This in turn means that no maintenance is required to repair or replace contaminated pump parts.
[0025] According to the present invention, the preferred cleaning pump is a vacuum pump having pumping speeds of from about 20 m 3 /h to about 100 m 3 /h and capable of achieving pressures of from about 0.01 mbar to about 1000 mbar. Known dry vacuum pump technologies use an inert gas delta P and close tolerances to limit gas flow to the drive casing. These designs rely on close geometric clearances to control the pressure drop across annular clearances around the shaft, and combined with a pressure regulation device, prevent fluorine from entering the pump drive casing with a minimum flow rate of inert gas.
[0026] A pressure transducer may be used to sense pressure (vacuum) on the inlet side of cleaning pump and mass flow controllers supply the inert gas used to purge portions of the cleaning pump. A further pressure transducer senses pressure (vacuum) on the outlet side of the cleaning pump and a check valve controls the venting of the cleaning pump exhaust to the abatement system, which preferably operates at about 1 atmosphere absolute. The check valve further prevents backflow from the abatement system when the pressure transducer senses a pressure value less than the abatement system pressure. The check valve can be a mechanical backpressure regulator or a throttle valve together with a feedback controller operating with the pressure transducer to maintain a pressure set point.
[0027] Mass flow controllers also control the feed of source fluorine from the fluorine generator to the process chamber during the cleaning cycle. Depending on the desired process start up requirements, inert gas may or may not be required. Generally, the flow rate of the fluorine source gas from the fluorine generator will be reduced as recycled fluorine is returned from the adsorber to the process chamber.
[0028] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the operation of the apparatus of FIG. 1 can be described as follows. When the process chamber 1 requires cleaning, a “start clean” signal 14 is sent and the cleaning cycle begins. The process pump 2 is closed off and the cleaning pump 3 is initiated. The purge gas (for purposes of this description; argon) from purge gas source 4 is supplied and passes through the cleaning pump 3 and is used to ignite the RPS 7 . Once the RPS 7 is started, fluorine from the process accumulator 6 that has been collecting F 2 from the central F 2 production system 11 , is introduced into the cleaning pump 3 , adding fluorine to the RPS mix. At this point, all process gases are going through the absorber 5 and will be recycled through the RPS 7 .
[0029] In the RPS, the F 2 is dissociated into energetic fluorine radicals and then a gas mixture containing amounts of fluorine radicals, nitrogen, argon, etc. is provided to the process chamber 1 . In the process chamber 1 , the fluorine radicals react with unwanted deposition products, such as silicon-containing oxides, etc. thereby cleaning the chamber of unwanted deposits. This reaction proceeds for a time period of from about one to several minutes until the unwanted deposition products are removed from the chamber. In typical cleaning operations only a small portion of the fluorine going to the process chamber 1 will remain in radical form and perform the cleaning. Fifty to eighty percent of the fluorine remains or recombines as F 2 and exits the process chamber 1 as F 2 . Also exiting the process chamber 1 , is SiF 4 that is formed as a cleaning process by-product. The SiF 4 is removed by the absorber 5 , and the fluorine is fed back to the RPS 7 . Once recycled fluorine is sent back to the RPS 7 , the F 2 supplied from the process accumulator 6 may be decreased and the pressure in the F 2 storage vessel 15 increases.
[0030] During the cleaning cycle, the amount of gas eventually exceeds the capacity of the recycle loop and F 2 storage vessel 15 , and some of the material is diverted into the abatement system 8 producing a stream that is directed to exhaust waste gas 9 . The system also continues to recycle F 2 during this stage and absorb SiF 4 in the absorber 5 . Because at least some of the fluorine is recycled, the total amount of fluorine sent to the abatement process can be reduced. In addition, much of the F 2 is held in the F 2 storage vessel 15 and can be abated slowly while the chamber 1 is running in wafer process mode. As a result, the operating cost and capital cost of the abatement system can be reduced, since the amount of abated gas is reduced by recycling some of the F 2 and since the abatement can be can carried out over a much greater time period requiring a significantly smaller abatement system than a conventional single pass approach. Moreover, the total amount of F 2 used in the cleaning cycle is significantly reduced also lowering the overall cost of operation.
[0031] In an optional embodiment, when the gas analyzer 12 senses an absence of SiF 4 , a signal 13 is sent to the cleaning system to stop all fluorine flow through both the absorber 5 and the process accumulator 6 . Alternatively, the clean cycle can simply be run for a predetermined time without the use of gas analyzer 12 . The process chamber starts to pump down through the cleaning pump 3 to prepare for the next wafer processing cycles. It is also possible to introduce hydrogen from a hydrogen source feed (not shown) into the RPS 7 in order to convert residual fluorine in the chamber 1 so that it will not affect subsequent wafer processes.
[0032] When the wafer processing is proceeding the exhaust is diverted to process pump 2 and cleaning system regenerates. Regeneration gas, such as nitrogen, argon or mixtures thereof, from inert gas source 10 , is fed to the absorber 5 in a reverse flow, and this regenerated gas passes into the feed of the cleaning pump 3 . This reduces the pressure of the absorber 5 to less than 5 Torr, which desorbs the contaminants, such as, SiF 4 . This is essentially a pressure swing absorption (PSA), process, during which all of the gases proceed to the abatement system 8 , and all residual fluorine and SiF 4 are treated and disposed. Argon continues to be fed from purge gas source 4 continuously into the cleaning pump 3 to maintain the bearing purge and to provide diluent gas for the desorption process.
[0033] When a new cleaning process is required by the process chamber 1 , a new signal 14 is sent and the cleaning cycle as described above begins anew.
[0034] The present invention provides a number of advantages. The recycle portion of the system reduces the total amount of fluorine needed for the cleaning cycle and also lessens the load on the abatement system. Because a vacuum pump drives the system, the process accumulator can safely store fluorine below atmospheric pressure and fluorine can be fed from the accumulator in a controlled manner corresponding with the amount of fluorine recycled from the process chamber. The reduction fluorine use and abatement system load allows a larger number of systems to be supplied from a single on-site F 2 generator than would be possible using conventional single pass processes.
[0035] One embodiment of various parameters for the operation discussed above and in accordance with the present invention follows. Initially, the purge gas flow rate is from about 1 slm (standard liters per minute) to about 6 slm. Pressure in the process chamber is kept between from about 0.1 Torr to about 20 Torr by a feedback loop established between a pressure reading instrument and a large throat vacuum valve and the cleaning pump. The flow of F 2 to the RPS is established from about 1 slm to about 20 slm. The argon flow may then be adjusted to meet process requirements but will normally be in the range of from about zero to about two times the F 2 flow rate. Once the flow rates have stabilized, pressure in the process chamber is maintained in the range of from about 0.1 Torr to about 20 Torr.
[0036] It is anticipated that other embodiments and variations of the present invention will become readily apparent to the skilled artisan in the light of the foregoing description and examples, and it is intended that such embodiments and variations likewise be included within the scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.
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Methods and apparatus for cleaning a process chamber using a fluorine gas, wherein the fluorine gas is at least partially recycled for further use in the cleaning cycle. The method includes generation of the fluorine, separation of fluorine from the waste gas of the process chamber and abatement of the waste. The apparatus includes a vacuum pump for moving the waste gas and fluorine gas to and from the process chamber and can further include a sensing unit to determine the cleaning cycle endpoint.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation application of non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 14/185,057, titled “TENT HAVING RETRACTABLE ROOF”, filed on Feb. 20, 2014 in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, which claims the priority of Chinese Patent Application No. 2013305988911, filed on Dec. 4, 2013 before the Chinese State Intellectual Property Office.
[0002] The specifications of the above referenced applications are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0003] The present invention relates to a tent, and more particularly, a tent having a retractable roof.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Tents have been widely used in nowadays, and as outdoor tents, tents having a retractable roof have been developed increasingly. But a conventional tent having a retractable roof has long non-foldable poles, which makes the package of the tent is big in size and thus is inconvenient to be transported.
SUMMARY
[0005] Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to at least partially overcome the shortcomings of the prior art and to provide a tent having a retractable roof that can be easily folded so as to decrease the size of the package, thereby facilitating transportation of the tent.
[0006] To achieve at least some of the objectives, the present invention provides a tent having a retractable roof, comprising a plurality of poles extending substantially perpendicular to the ground, a roof frame fastened to the plurality of poles and a tarpaulin attached on the roof frame. At least one of the plurality of poles comprises an upper pole and a lower pole, and the tent further comprises a connection mechanism detachably connecting the upper pole and the lower pole.
[0007] Preferably, the connection mechanism comprises a connection plate, a plurality of bolts and a plurality of second through holes disposed on a lower end of the upper pole, a lower end of the connection plate is received in and fastened to an upper end of the lower pole, an upper end of the connection plate is received in the lower end of the upper pole, the connection plate has a plurality of first through holes, the plurality of bolts are inserted into the second through holes and the corresponding first through holes respectively so that the connection plate and the upper pole are fixedly connected.
[0008] Preferably, the upper pole and the lower pole are formed in a shape of a hollow rectangular tube, and the connection plate is formed in a shape of a beam channel. The connection plate has a wall with a thickness being greater than a thickness of walls of the upper pole and a thickness of walls of the lower pole.
[0009] Preferably, a sleeve is further disposed on the lower end of the upper pole, and the sleeve is formed in a shape of a tube adapted to slide along the upper pole. An inner diameter of an upper part of the sleeve is substantially the same as an outer diameter of the upper pole, and an inner diameter of a lower end of the sleeve is greater than an outer diameter of the upper pole.
[0010] Preferably, a collar is further fixedly disposed on the upper end of the lower pole, the sleeve comprises a concave portion recessed inward at a lower end of an inner wall of the sleeve, the collar comprises a convex portion adapted to engage with the concave portion of the sleeve on an outer wall of the collar.
[0011] Preferably, the collar further comprises a retainer ring on an inner wall of the collar, the retainer ring is protruded toward the center axis of the collar, a bottom surface of the retainer ring abuts a top surface of the lower pole, and a top surface of the retainer ring contacts and supports a bottom surface of the upper pole. Both of the sleeve and the collar are made of rubber or plastic material.
[0012] Preferably, the lower end of the connection plate is fastened to the upper end of the lower pole through welding. The connection plate is made of metal.
[0013] Alternatively, the connection mechanism comprises a plurality of first connection holes disposed on a lower end of the upper pole, a plurality of second connection holes disposed on an upper end of the lower pole and a plurality of bolts which are inserted into the first connection holes and the corresponding second connection holes respectively so that the upper pole and the lower pole are fixedly connected.
[0014] Preferably, the roof frame comprises a front supporting rod, a rear supporting rod and a plurality of guiding rods, the number of the plurality of poles is four and each of the plurality of poles comprises an upper pole and a lower pole. The front supporting rod and the rear supporting rod are disposed to be extended along a first direction which is substantially parallel to the ground, both ends of the front supporting rod and both ends of the rear supporting rod are fixed to upper ends of the upper poles respectively, the plurality of guiding rods are disposed to be extended along a second direction which is substantially parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the first direction.
[0015] Preferably, the number of the plurality of guiding rods is three, both ends of the outmost two guiding rods are fastened to the upper ends of the upper poles respectively, and both ends of the middle guiding rod is fastened to the front supporting rod and the rear supporting rod respectively. The middle guiding rod has the same interval to each of the outmost two guiding rods.
[0016] Preferably, the roof frame further comprises a plurality of reinforcement rods extended along the second direction. The number of the plurality of reinforcement rods is two, each of the two reinforcement rods is disposed between adjacent guiding rods, with a same interval to the adjacent guiding rods.
[0017] Preferably, the roof frame further comprises a plurality of sliding rods on which the tarpaulin is attached, wherein the plurality of sliding rods are disposed to be extended along the first direction. A plurality of sliding blocks may be further disposed on the plurality of sliding rods, and the guiding rods may have a plurality of sliding grooves extended in the second direction, the plurality of sliding blocks may be slidably received in the plurality of sliding grooves.
[0018] Preferably, a plurality of feet attached on lower ends of the plurality of poles is further provided.
[0019] According to the present invention, since at least one of the poles has two parts and a connection mechanism is provided between the two parts, the pole can be folded and thus the package is relatively small in size compared with the conventional tents having a retractable roof. Therefore, the tents according to the present invention are convenient to be transported.
[0020] In addition, a sleeve and a collar may be further provided, so that the connection mechanism may be hidden in the sleeve, which makes the poles have a beautiful appearance.
[0021] Further and other features of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0022] Reference may now be made to the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawings in which:
[0023] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a tent according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
[0024] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view illustrating a pole of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0025] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of Part A shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0026] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of Part B shown in FIG. 2 ;
[0027] FIG. 5 is a schematic partial perspective view illustrating a pole and a connection plate of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a collar and a sleeve of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention;
[0029] FIG. 7 is a schematic partial perspective view illustrating a guiding rod of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention; and
[0030] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view illustrating a pole of the tent according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0031] Various embodiments of the present invention will be described hereinafter. The following description provides specific details for a thorough understanding and enabling description of these embodiments. Those skilled in the art will understand, however, that the present invention may be practiced without many of these details. Likewise, those skilled in the art will also understand that the present invention can include many other obvious features not described in detail herein. Additionally, some well-known structures or functions may not be shown or described in detail below, so as to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the relevant description.
[0032] This invention may, however, 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 be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Among other things, the present invention may be embodied as systems, methods or devices. The following detailed description should not to be taken in a limiting sense.
[0033] Throughout the specification and claims, the following terms take the meanings explicitly associated herein, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The phrase “in one embodiment” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, though it may. Furthermore, the phrase “in another embodiment” as used herein does not necessarily refer to a different embodiment, although it may. Thus, as described below, various embodiments of the invention may be readily combined, without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.
[0034] In addition, as used herein, the term “or” is an inclusive “or” operator, and is equivalent to the term “and/or,” unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The term “based on” is not exclusive and allows for being based on additional factors not described, unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. In addition, throughout the specification, the meaning of “a,” “an,” and “the” include plural references. The meaning of “in” includes “in” and “on”. Further reference may be made to an embodiment where a component is implemented and multiple like or identical components are implemented.
[0035] While the embodiments make reference to certain events this is not intended to be a limitation of the embodiments of the present invention and such is equally applicable to any event where goods or services are offered to a consumer. The detail structures will be described to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. Apparently, the implementation of the present invention is not limited by the specific details well known by those skilled in the art. A preferred embodiment will be described as follows; however, there are many other embodiments.
[0036] The terminology used below is to be interpreted in its broadest reasonable manner, even though it is being used in conjunction with a detailed description of certain embodiments of the present invention. Indeed, certain terms may even be emphasized below; however, any terminology intended to be interpreted in any restricted manner will be overly and specifically defined as such in this Detailed Description section.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a tent according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIG. 1 , a tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a plurality of poles 2 extending substantially perpendicular to the ground, a roof frame 3 fastened to the upper ends of the poles 2 and a tarpaulin 1 attached on the roof frame 3 . In this embodiment, the number of the poles 2 is four, but the prevent invention is not limited thereto. In addition, a plurality of feet 10 attached on lower ends of the poles 2 may be further provided to increase contact area with the ground.
[0038] At least one of the poles 2 includes an upper pole 21 and a lower pole 22 . Preferably, each of the poles 2 includes an upper pole 21 and a lower pole 22 . The lower pole 22 is supported on the ground, for example, via the foot 10 .
[0039] The roof frame 3 includes a front supporting rod 31 , a rear supporting rod 32 and a plurality of guiding rods 33 . In this embodiment, the number of the guiding rods 33 is three, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The front supporting rod 31 and the rear supporting rod 32 are disposed to be extended along a first direction which is substantially parallel to the ground, i.e., perpendicular to the direction in which the poles 2 are extended. Both ends of the front supporting rod 31 and both ends of the rear supporting rod 32 are fixed to the upper ends of the four upper poles 21 , respectively. The guiding rods 33 are disposed to be extended along a second direction which is substantially parallel to the ground and perpendicular to the first direction. Both ends of the outmost two guiding rods 33 are fastened to the upper ends of the upper poles 21 respectively, and both ends of the middle guiding rod 33 is fastened to the front supporting rod 31 and the rear supporting rod 32 respectively. Preferably, the middle guiding rod 33 has the same interval to each of the outmost two guiding rods 33 .
[0040] The roof frame 3 may further include a plurality of reinforcement rods 34 extended along the second direction. The number of the reinforcement rods 34 may be two and each of the two reinforcement rods 34 may be disposed between adjacent guiding rods 33 , preferably with the same interval to the adjacent guiding rods 33 .
[0041] The roof frame 3 may further include a plurality of sliding rods 4 on which the tarpaulin 1 is attached. The plurality of sliding rods 4 are disposed to be extended along the first direction. The guiding rods 33 have a plurality of sliding grooves 33 a (referring to FIG. 7 ) extended in the second direction, the plurality of sliding blocks 9 are slidably received in the plurality of sliding grooves 33 a so that the sliding rods 4 is adapted to slide along the guiding rods 33 .
[0042] When lighting is needed, all of the sliding rods 4 can be slid to be together, thus the tarpaulin 1 is shrunk, so that the roof frame 3 is opened and light can go into the tent. If an edge of the tarpaulin 1 is dragged to expand the tarpaulin 1 , the sliding rods 4 can be slid along the guiding rods 33 and can be stopped at any position, so that the area shaded by the tarpaulin 1 can be adjusted. When the tarpaulin 1 is fully expanded, the inside space of the tent is fully shaded.
[0043] FIG. 2 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view illustrating a pole of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic partial perspective view illustrating a pole and a connection plate of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a collar and a sleeve of the tent according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 5 and 6 , the upper ends of the upper poles 21 are fastened to the roof frame 3 . For example, the upper ends of the upper holes 21 are fastened to the intersection points of the front supporting rods 31 and the guiding rods 33 and the intersection points of the rear supporting rods 32 and the guiding rods 33 respectively, but the present invention is not limited thereto.
[0044] Hereinafter, one upper pole 21 and one corresponding lower pole 22 are taken as example. In this embodiment, the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 are formed in a shape of a hollow rectangular tube. The tent according to the first embodiment further includes a connection mechanism comprising a connection plate 5 , a plurality of bolts 6 and a plurality of second through holes 21 a disposed on lower end of the upper pole 21 . The connection plate 5 formed in a shape of a beam channel is disposed between the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 . The connection plate 5 extended vertically is disposed inside the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 . In detail, a lower end of the connection plate 5 is received in and fastened to, for example, through welding, an upper end of the lower pole 22 . An upper end of the connection plate 5 is received in a lower end of the upper pole 21 . The connection plate 5 has a plurality of first through holes 51 with the same number as the second through holes 21 a. The plurality of bolts 6 are inserted into the second through holes 21 a and the corresponding first through holes 51 respectively, so that the connection plate 5 and the upper pole 21 are fixedly connected.
[0045] The connection plate 5 may be formed of metal and thus has a good strength, and may have a wall with a thickness being greater than a thickness of walls of the upper poles 21 and a thickness of walls of the lower poles 22 . Since the connection plate 5 is disposed between the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 , the robustness of the connection of the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 can be improved.
[0046] FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of Part A shown in FIG. 2 . FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of Part B shown in FIG. 2 . Referring to FIGS. 2, 3, 4 and 6 , a sleeve 7 for covering the bolts 6 is disposed on the lower end of the upper pole 21 . The sleeve 7 is formed in a shape of a tube adapted to slide along the upper pole 21 . An inner diameter of an upper part of the sleeve 7 is substantially the same as an outer diameter of the upper pole 21 so that the sleeve 7 is radially supported by the upper pole 21 , and an inner diameter of a lower end of the sleeve 7 is greater than an outer diameter of the upper pole 21 so that a gap is formed there between. The sleeve 7 includes a concave portion 71 recessed inward at a lower end of an inner wall of the sleeve 7 .
[0047] A collar 8 is fixedly disposed on the upper end of the lower pole 22 . The collar 8 includes a convex portion 81 which is adapted to engage with the concave portion 71 of the sleeve 7 on an outer wall of the collar 8 . In operation, the sleeve 7 can be slid in the first direction, and be stopped when the concave portion 71 of the sleeve 7 engages with the convex portion 81 of the collar 8 .
[0048] The collar 8 may further include a retainer ring 82 on an inner wall of the collar 8 . The retainer ring 82 is protruded toward the center axis of the collar 8 . A bottom surface of the retainer ring 82 abuts a top surface of the lower pole 22 , and a top surface of the retainer ring 82 contacts and supports a bottom surface of the upper pole 21 . Both of the sleeve 7 and the collar 8 may be made of rubber or plastic material.
[0049] In addition, since there is a gap between the lower end of the inner wall of the sleeve 7 and the outer wall of the upper pole 21 , the sliding of the sleeve 7 is not interfered by the heads of the bolts 6 . Such design enables the bolts 6 be hidden inside the sleeve 7 and makes the pole 2 have a beautiful appearance.
[0050] In order to assemble the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 , the sleeve 7 is firstly mounted on the upper pole 21 , then the collar 8 is mounted to the connection plate 5 so that the bottom surface of the retainer ring 82 abuts the top surface of the lower pole 22 and the positions of the second through holes 21 a of the upper pole 21 correspond to those of the first through holes 51 . Next, the bolts 6 are inserted into the second through holes 21 a and the first through holes 51 respectively to fixedly connect the connection plate 5 and the upper pole 21 . At this point, the connection of the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 is completed.
[0051] In an embodiment of the present invention, after the connection of the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 is completed, the sleeve 7 is further moved downward so that the concave portion 71 of the sleeve 7 engages with the convex portion 81 of the collar 8 . At this point, the sleeve 7 is fixed and the bolts 6 are hidden inside the sleeve 7 .
[0052] FIG. 8 is a schematic partial cross-sectional view illustrating a pole of the tent according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment and only different parts will be described hereinafter.
[0053] Referring to FIG. 8 , unlike the connection plate 5 according to the first embodiment, the connection mechanism according to the second embodiment includes a plurality of first connection holes 11 , a plurality of second connection holes 12 and a plurality of bolts. In detail, the first connection holes 11 are disposed on a lower end of the upper pole 21 and the second connection holes 12 are disposed on an upper end of the lower pole 22 . And the positions of the first connection holes 11 correspond to those of the second connection holes 12 . The plurality of bolts are inserted into the first connection holes 11 and the corresponding second connection holes 12 respectively, so that the upper pole 21 and the lower pole 22 are fixedly connected.
[0054] The connection manner of the front supporting rod 31 , the rear supporting rod 32 , the guiding rods 33 and the reinforcement rods 34 may be similar as that of the poles 2 . That is, each of the front supporting rod 31 , the rear supporting rod 32 , the guiding rods 33 and the reinforcement rods 34 may include two parts which may be connected by a connection mechanism according to the first embodiment or the second embodiment. The repeated description thereof will be omitted herein.
[0055] Those skilled in the art can understand that even though there are a lot of terms, such as tarpaulin 1 , pole 2 , upper pole 21 , second through holes 21 a, lower pole 22 , a roof frame 3 , front supporting rod 31 , rear supporting rod 32 , guiding rod 33 , sliding grooves 33 a , reinforcement rods 34 , sliding rods 4 , connection plate 5 , first through holes 51 , bolt 6 , sleeve 7 , concave portion 71 , collar 8 , convex portion 81 , retainer ring 82 , sliding block 9 , feet 10 etc., other terms may also be used, and those terms are only used to describe and explain the nature of the invention, and should be used to limit the scope of the present invention.
[0056] It should be understood that the above description just displays preferred embodiments of the present invention and is in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Any modifications, equivalents, improvements and the like made within the spirit and principle of the present invention should be encompassed in the scope of the present invention.
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The present invention provides a tent having a retractable roof. A plurality of poles extend substantially perpendicular to the ground. A roof frame is fastened to the plurality of poles and a tarpaulin is attached on the roof frame. At least one of the plurality of poles is divided into an upper pole and a lower pole, and a connection mechanism detachably connects the upper pole and the lower pole.
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BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Technical Field
[0002] The present application is related to a lens module, and particularly to a lens module in a portable electronic device.
[0003] 2. Description of Related Art
[0004] Digital cameras are widely applied to portable electronic devices, such as cell phones, notebooks and personal digital assistants (PDA). However, a lens module for a digital camera capable of producing high definition pictures may need at least three lenses. In the three lenses, the diameter of one of the lenses proximal to an image sensor is larger than the diameter of other two lenses to meet optical requirements. Therefore, the internal diameter of the barrel must be the diameter of the lens proximal to the image sensor, resulting in a large volume of the barrel, and accordingly, of the portable electronic device. Thus, a small lens module for a portable electronic device is required.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] FIG. 1 is a cross-section of a first embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device.
[0006] FIG. 2 is a top view of a third lens of a second embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device.
[0007] FIG. 3 is a top view of a third lens of a third embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device.
[0008] FIG. 4 is a top view of a third lens of a fourth embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device.
[0009] FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a fifth embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0010] Please refer to FIG. 1 , which shows an exemplary lens module 10 disclosed by the present disclosure. The lens module 10 comprises a barrel 20 having a male thread, a first lens 24 and a second lens 26 received in the barrel 20 , a third lens 30 at one end of the barrel 20 , a view stop 40 received in the barrel 20 and positioned between the second lens 26 and the third lens 30 , a holder 50 having a female thread engaged with the male thread of the barrel 20 , and an image sensor device 60 received in the holder 50 .
[0011] The barrel 20 has a first end 202 and a second end 204 opposite to the first end 202 . The first end 202 has an aperture stop 206 to control the luminous flux of light injecting into the barrel 20 .
[0012] An engaging member 208 is positioned on the periphery of the second end 204 of the barrel 20 . The third lens 30 has an optical member 302 and a non-optical member 304 surrounding the optical member 302 . A fastening member 306 positioned on the periphery of the non-optical member 304 engages the engaging member 208 of the barrel 20 to compactly couple the third lens 30 with the barrel 20 . The diameter of the third lens 30 is less than or equals the outer diameter of the barrel 20 , and exceeds the internal diameter of the barrel 20 to protect the third lens from damage when the holder 50 receives the barrel 20 .
[0013] The engaging member 208 comprises annular rectangle-shaped protrusions, and the fastening member 306 comprises annular rectangle-shaped recesses. A contact surface between the engaging member 208 and the fastening member 306 is vertical. The third lens 30 can be formed as a dual aspheric surface plastic lens. An infrared filter film 31 is provided on one surface of the third lens opposite to the second lens 24 to prevent infrared light from injecting into the image sensor device 60 when a user takes a picture.
[0014] When assembling the lens module 10 , the engaging member 208 of the barrel 20 and the fastening member 306 of the third lens 30 contact each other closely to fasten the barrel 20 and the third lens. For better stability, gel can be applied between the engaging member 208 and the fastening member 306 . The contact surface of the engaging member 208 and the fastening member 306 can also be provided as an inclined plane. Because the third lens 30 is fastened on an end surface of the second end 204 of the barrel 20 instead of being provided inside the barrel 20 , the volume of the barrel 20 is reduced. The third lens can be a spherical surface lens or an aspherical lens, in one example.
[0015] The first lens 24 and the second lens 26 can be spherical, aspherical, or bi-aspherical surface plastic lenses, depending on the embodiment. The first lens 24 and the second lens 26 can be separate from each other, or contact each other and form an integral body. The number of lenses received here inside the barrel 20 in the embodiment are only illustrated as an example, and not a limitation to the present disclosure.
[0016] The view stop 40 is annular and provided between the third lens 30 and the second lens 26 . The view stop 40 can limit light passing through the third lens 30 and into the image sensor device 60 , and prevents ghost images and light spots resulting from light scattering and light reflection.
[0017] FIG. 2 is a top view of a third lens 30 a of a second embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device. The third lens 30 a comprises an optical member 302 a and a non-optical member 304 a. The third lens 30 a differs from the third lens 30 in that the non-optical member 304 a includes an annular recess 306 a surrounding the optical member 302 a. The second end of the barrel has an annular protrusion matching the annular recess 306 a to compactly couple the barrel with the third lens 30 a. Accordingly, the annular recess 306 a can be a fastening member of the third lens 30 a. It is understood that the non-optical member 304 a can be an annular protrusion surrounding the optical member 302 a, and the second end of the barrel has an annular recess matching the optical member 302 a correspondingly.
[0018] FIG. 3 is a top view of a third lens 30 b of a third embodiment of a lens module for a portable electronic device. The third lens 30 b comprises an optical member 302 b and a non-optical member 304 b. The third lens 30 b differs from the third lens 30 in that the non-optical member 304 b includes two curved recesses 306 b surrounding the optical member 302 b, spaced apart. The second end of the barrel has two curved protrusions matching the curve recess 306 b to compactly couple the barrel with the third lens 30 b. It is understood that the curve shape can be modified to a rectangle, a triangle, a pentagon, or other geometric shapes. In the illustrated embodiment, the curve recess 306 b can be a fastening member of the third lens 30 b. The curve recess 306 b also can be a through hole. It is understood that the number of recesses in this embodiment are presented as an example only, and not as a limitation to the disclosure, and the second end of the barrel has protrusions in a quantity corresponding to the number of curved recesses, to match the optical member 302 b.
[0019] FIG. 4 is a top view of a third lens of a fourth embodiment of a lens module 30 c for a portable electronic device. The third lens 30 c comprises an optical member 302 c and a non-optical member 304 c. The third lens 30 c differs from the third lens 30 in that the non-optical member 304 c includes three round recesses 306 c surrounding the optical member 302 c, spaced apart. The second end of the barrel has three round protrusions matching the round recesses 306 c to compactly couple the barrel with the third lens 30 c.
[0020] FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a fifth embodiment of a lens module 10 ′ for a portable electronic device. The lens module 10 ′ comprises a barrel 20 ′, a second end 204 ′ provided on the barrel 20 ′, and a third lens 30 d provided on the second end 20 ′. The lens module 10 ′ differs from the lens module 10 in that the barrel 20 d has no engaging member, and the third lens 30 d has no fastening part. The third lens 30 d is fixed to the second end 204 ′ of the barrel 20 ′ by an adhesive.
[0021] While the invention has been described by way of example and in terms of preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements (as would be apparent to those skilled in the art). Therefore, the scope of the appended claims should be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and similar arrangements.
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A lens module used in a portable electronic device, including a barrel with two ends, and a first lens and a second lens received in the barrel. A third lens is positioned proximal to one end of the barrel, which has a fastening member and an engaging member, wherein the engaging member is accommodated with the fastening member to compactly couple the third lens with the end of the barrel. The third lens is fastened on the one end of the barrel to reduce the overall volume of the lens module.
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[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of International Application No. PCT/JP2010/005444, filed Sep. 3, 2010.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention relates to a control device that connects to a control terminal, various sensors, an operation unit, and the like for controlling components of a vending machine to integrally control the vending machine.
BACKGROUND ART
[0003] This type of control device of vending machine includes a microcomputer, a ROM storing a control program, a RAM used as a work area in operation, an interface circuit for connection to various devices and a vending machine LAN, and the like. The microcomputer executes the control program on the ROM to operate the control device. In this type of control device of vending machine, an electrically rewritable nonvolatile memory, such as a flash memory, is used as a storage medium of the control program to handle an upgrade after the shipment. A rewriting process of the control program is executed by moving the process of the microcomputer from the control program on the ROM to a rewriting process program expanded to the RAM. In the rewriting process program, a new control program acquired from a memory card or a communication line is written into the ROM. Once the writing process is completed, the control device is rebooted to start a control process based on the new control program (for example, see Patent Literature 1).
PATENT LITERATURE 1: Japanese Patent Publication 2001-34822
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
Problems to be Solved by the Invention
[0005] However, in the conventional control device, there is a problem that other control processes usually executed in the control program cannot be executed while the rewriting process of the control program is executed. The rewriting process time largely depends on the writing time to an electrically rewritable ROM, such as a flash memory, and the time is usually several tens of seconds. Since the control program cannot be executed during the rewriting process, there is a problem that the temperature management and the like in the vending machine cannot be performed, as well as a problem that an abnormality and the like cannot be detected. If the working hours are long, the operation time of the vending machine is reduced. Therefore, there are problems that the sales opportunities are lost and that the work efficiency of the worker is reduced.
[0006] Meanwhile, in a production line of the control device, there is a demand for writing, on the line, the control program in a ROM in which the control program is not written, instead of installing a ROM in which the control program is written in advance. This is derived from a demand for reducing the cost by standardizing the control device before the installation, regardless of the model of the vending machine. There is also a demand for reducing, as much as possible, the waiting time of the worker that would be generated during writing of the control program, from the perspective of improving the efficiency of the production line.
[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the circumstances, and a first object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can reduce rewriting time of a control program and that can perform a control operation even during a rewriting process.
[0008] A second object of the present invention is to provide a control device that can reduce operations during writing of a control program in a production line.
Means for Solving the Problems
[0009] To attain the objects, the present invention provides a control device of vending machine for controlling various devices of the vending machine by executing a control program with a microcomputer, comprising an electrically rewritable nonvolatile first memory for storing an initial processing program and a control program, and a volatile second memory, and wherein in the initial processing program, the control program is transferred from the first memory to the second memory, and then the process is moved to the control program transferred to the second memory.
[0010] According to the present invention, the microcomputer executes the control program stored in the second memory, not the first memory. Therefore, the microcomputer can rewrite or newly write the control program stored in the first memory in parallel with the process of the control program. As a result, the control process of the vending machine can be executed even during the writing process of the control program to the first memory. This can substantially reduce the rewriting time of the control program for the worker.
[0011] In a suitable aspect of the present invention, to rewrite the control program, the control program collectively acquires a new control program from an external storage medium or through a communication line to store the new control program in the second memory and sequentially overwrites the control program stored in the first memory with the new control program stored in the second memory in parallel with a control process of the vending machine.
[0012] In a suitable aspect of the present invention, if the control program is not stored in the first memory, the initial processing program collectively acquires the control program from the external storage medium or through the communication line to store the control program in the second memory and then moves the process to the control program transferred to the second memory, and the control program writes, in the first memory, the control program stored in the second memory in parallel with the control process of the vending machine.
[0013] In this way, the process of writing the control program from the second memory to the first memory is executed in the present invention, and the writing process is executed in the control program of the second memory. Therefore, as described, the control process of the vending machine can be executed even during the writing process of the control program to the first memory, and this can substantially reduce rewriting time of the control program for the worker.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
[0014] As described, according to the present invention, the microcomputer executes the control program stored in the second memory, not the first memory. Therefore, the microcomputer can rewrite or newly write the control program stored in the first memory in parallel with the process of the control program. As a result, the control process of the vending machine can be executed even during the writing process of the control program to the first memory. This can substantially reduce the rewriting time of the control program for the worker.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a control device of vending machine.
[0016] FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a connection mode of a main circuit board and a sub circuit board.
[0017] FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the main circuit board.
[0018] FIG. 4 is a flow chart of an initial processing program for explaining an operation of the control device.
[0019] FIG. 5 is a flow chart of a main control program for explaining an operation of the control device.
DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS
[0020] A control device of vending machine according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the control device of vending machine. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a connection mode of a main circuit board and a sub circuit board. FIG. 3 is a functional block diagram of the main circuit board.
[0021] As shown in FIG. 1 , the control device of vending machine according to the present embodiment includes a box-shaped case 10 with an open lower surface (upper surface in FIG. 1 ) and a main circuit board 100 as well as a sub circuit board 200 accommodated in the case 10 . Attachment pieces 11 for attachment to the vending machine protrude at edges of the opening of the case 10 . The main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board 200 are arranged on top of each other in a thickness direction. A female first connector 110 is provided on a surface of the main circuit board 100 opposing the sub circuit board 200 . Meanwhile, a male second connector 210 is provided on a surface of the sub circuit board 200 opposing the main circuit board 100 . The second connector 210 is fitted to a fitting section of the first connector 110 to electrically connect the main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board 200 without involving a connection cable or the like, and the main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board 200 are mechanically held and combined. The main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board are arranged in parallel to each other when the boards are connected. It is suitable if the main circuit board 100 has common, general-purpose functions of main vending machines, and the sub circuit board 200 has functions specific to a certain vending machine. Therefore, it should be noted that the sub circuit board 200 can be mounted according to the type, the functions, and the like of the vending machine, and the sub circuit board 200 is not necessarily essential.
[0022] As shown in FIG. 2 , a system LSI 120 is mounted on the main circuit board 100 . The system LSI 120 is a type of a microcomputer with integrated functions of a CPU, a memory, a timer, an I/O, and the like, and a gate array IC is used in the present embodiment. A bus line 121 as part of bus lines of the system LSI 120 is connected to the first connector 110 . An I/O port 122 as part of I/O ports of the system LSI 120 is also connected to the first connector 110 . Details of the main circuit board 100 will be described later.
[0023] A control circuit 220 is mounted on the sub circuit board 200 , and the control circuit 220 is connected to the bus line 121 of the system LSI 120 through the second connector 210 and the first connector 110 . The control circuit 220 is implemented in accordance with the functions of the sub circuit board 200 , and various circuit configurations are possible. Specifically, a bus line that connects the second connector 210 and the control circuit 220 may be implemented as a system bus or may be implemented as an input/output bus. In the former case, it is suitable if a sub control program 235 for the sub circuit board 200 is stored as necessary in a flash memory 230 as nonvolatile storage means connected to the system bus. As described later, the system LSI 120 of the main circuit board 100 executes the sub control program 235 . The sub circuit board 200 includes an identifier holding unit 240 that holds an identifier for identifying the type of the sub circuit board 200 . The identifier holding unit 240 is connected to the I/O port 122 of the system LSI 120 through the second connector 210 and the first connector 110 . In the identifier holding unit 240 , for example, a nonvolatile memory that holds an identifier or a DIP switch that can set an identifier may be used to allow changing the value of the identifier, or the identifier holding unit 240 may be implemented as hardware to indicate a fixed value.
[0024] The details of the main circuit board 100 will be described with reference to the functional block diagram of FIG. 3 . Only details related to the concept of the present invention will be described here. As shown in FIG. 3 , the system LSI 120 includes a main computation unit 301 , a bus interface unit 302 , a bus function switching unit 303 , a sub circuit board determination unit 304 , an input/output port unit 305 , and a USB (Universal Serial Bus) host unit 306 . A system bus 310 in the system LSI 120 connects the main computation unit 301 , the bus interface unit 302 , the input/output port unit 305 , and the USB host unit 306 . The USB host unit 306 , which is connected to a USB connector 111 , functions as a USB host for an external device (USB client), such as a computer connected to the connector 111 .
[0025] An SRAM 320 and an SDRAM 330 as volatile storage means and a flash memory 340 as nonvolatile storage means are mounted on the main circuit board 100 . The memories 320 to 340 are connected to the system bus 310 of the system LSI 120 . The memories are arranged in an address space, and particularly, the flash memory 340 is arranged at a position starting from a predetermined start address.
[0026] An initial processing program 341 executed in an initial operation of the control device and a main control program 342 are stored in the flash memory 340 . A program according to the model and the like of the vending machine is written as the main control program 342 when the control device is installed on the vending machine. Meanwhile, the initial processing program is common to all vending machines and is written in advance in the control device before the installation. The initial processing program is arranged at a position starting from a predetermined start address, and the system LSI 120 executes the initial processing program when the control device is turned on or rebooted.
[0027] The SRAM 320 holds various data during operations of the control device and is backed up by a battery not shown. As described later, the SDRAM 330 stores the main control program 342 transferred by the initial processing program 341 from an external device through the flash memory 340 or the USB host unit 306 and stores the sub control program 235 transferred from the sub circuit board 200 . As described later, the SDRAM 330 temporarily stores a new main control program 342 a when the main control program 342 stored in the flash memory 340 is rewritten.
[0028] The bus interface unit 302 arbitrates the control circuit 220 on the sub circuit board 200 as an external circuit, the functional units in the system LSI 120 , and the memories 320 to 340 , when the sub circuit board 200 is mounted and the sub circuit board 200 is connected through the system bus. More specifically, the access speed to the control circuit 220 on the sub circuit board 200 as an external circuit is often slower than the access speed to the functional units in the system LSI 120 and the memories 320 to 340 . Therefore, the bus interface unit 302 controls the wait for the external circuit to slow down the access speed in the system bus 310 .
[0029] The sub circuit board determination unit 304 detects the attachment of the sub circuit board 200 to the first connector 110 and detects the identifier from the identifier holding unit 240 of the sub circuit board 200 to determine the type of the sub circuit board 200 . The sub circuit board determination unit 304 at least determines whether the mode of the connection with the sub circuit board 200 is the system bus or the input/output bus.
[0030] If the connection mode determined by the sub circuit board determination unit 304 is the system bus, the bus function switching unit 303 executes a switching process to connect the bus line 121 of the system LSI 120 to the system bus 310 . On the other hand, if the connection mode determined by the sub circuit board determination unit 304 is the input/output bus, the bus function switching unit 303 executes a switching process to connect the input/output bus 311 , which is connected with the input/output port unit 305 , to the bus line 121 of the system LSI 120 .
[0031] Operations of the control device of vending machine according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to flow charts of FIGS. 4 and 5 . FIG. 4 is a flow chart of the initial processing program for explaining an operation of the control device. FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the main control program for explaining an operation of the control device.
[0032] When the control device is turned on or rebooted (reset operation), the main computation unit 301 executes the initial processing program 341 stored at the predetermined start address of the flash memory 340 to start the control device. In the process of the initial processing program 341 , the main control program 342 is transferred from the flash memory 340 to the SDRAM 330 if the main control program 342 is stored in the flash memory 340 (steps S 1 and S 2 ). Meanwhile, if the main control program 342 is not stored in the flash memory 340 , the main control program 342 is acquired from an external device through the USB host unit 306 , and the main control program 342 is transferred to the SDRAM 330 (steps S 1 and S 3 ). The initial processing program 341 executes initial processing of the sub circuit board 200 (step S 4 ). Specifically, the type of the mounted sub circuit board 200 is identified to control the bus function switching unit 303 according to the type. If the sub control program 235 is stored on the sub circuit board 200 , the sub control program 235 is transferred to the SDRAM 330 . After the process, the main computation unit 301 moves the process to the main control program 342 stored in the SDRAM 330 (step S 5 ).
[0033] A normal control process of the vending machine is started in the main control program 342 (step S 11 ). The control process is the same as the conventional control process, and the process will not be described here. Meanwhile, in the main control program 342 , if the main control program 342 is not stored in the flash memory 340 (step S 12 ), a process of writing the main control program 342 into the flash memory 340 is executed (step S 13 ). It should be noted that the writing process is executed in parallel with the control process of the vending machine. Specifically, an interrupt is set to execute a writing process routine when the control process is idled (step S 13 ). In the interruption process, a process of sequentially writing the main control program 342 into the flash memory 340 is started (step S 13 - 1 ), and the interruption setting is cancelled when the writing process is completed (steps S 13 - 2 and S 13 - 3 ).
[0034] In the main control program 342 , if update of the main control program is requested from a predetermined operation button, from a remote control, or from an external device connected to the USB host unit 306 (which are not shown) (step S 14 ), the new main control program 342 a is acquired from the external device connected to the USB host unit 306 and stored into the SDRAM 330 (step S 15 ). Next, a process of writing the acquired new main control program 342 a into the flash memory 340 is executed (step S 16 ). It should be noted that the writing process is executed in parallel with the control process of the vending machine. Specifically, an interrupt is set to execute a writing process routine when the control process is idled (step S 16 ). In the interruption process, a process of sequentially writing the main control program 342 a into the flash memory 340 is started (step S 16 - 1 ), and the control device is rebooted when the writing process is finished (steps S 16 - 2 and S 16 - 3 ). The reboot cancels the interruption setting. After the reboot, the initial processing program 341 is executed, and a process by the new main control program 342 a is started.
[0035] As described in detail, according to the control device of vending machine of the present embodiment, the main computation unit 301 executes the control process of the vending machine by executing the main control program transferred from the flash memory 340 to the SDRAM 330 , not the main control program 342 stored in the flash memory 340 . As a result, the writing process to the flash memory 340 , such as new writing and subsequent rewriting of the main control program 342 , and the control process of the vending machine can be executed in parallel. Therefore, a conventionally required uncontrollable period during the writing time of the flash memory 340 can be eliminated. This can substantially reduce the writing time of the control program for the worker. This is suitable because the work efficiency significantly improves, and particularly, the writing process and the performance test of the vending machine can be performed in parallel in the installation line.
[0036] Although an embodiment of the present invention has been described in detail, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the main control program 342 is first written in the SDRAM 330 , and then the interruption setting is just canceled in the embodiment (step S 13 - 3 ). However, the rebooting may also be performed as in the rewriting process.
[0037] Although the USB host unit 306 is used as the means for acquiring the main control program 342 from an external device in the embodiment, other means may be used. For example, an interface that allows mounting an attachable and detachable portable storage medium may be provided to the control device to acquire the main control program 342 from the portable storage medium. Furthermore, for example, a memory storing the main control program 342 may be installed on the sub circuit board 200 , or an interface circuit may be provided to the sub circuit board 200 to acquire the main control program 342 from an external device through the sub circuit board 200 .
[0038] Although the main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board 200 are arranged on top of each other in the embodiment, a parallel connection mode is also possible. Although the main circuit board 100 and the sub circuit board 200 are directly connected through the connectors in the embodiment, a connection through a cable is also possible. Although the gate array IC is used as the microcomputer in the embodiment, other types of ICs may be used.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
[0039] The present invention is suitable for a control device that connects to a control terminal, various sensors, an operation unit, and the like for controlling components of a vending machine to comprehensively control the vending machine.
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS
[0040] 100 . . . main circuit board, 120 . . . system LSI, 301 . . . main computation unit, 306 . . . USB host unit, 320 . . . SRAM, 330 . . . SDRAM, 340 . . . flash memory, 341 . . . initial processing program, 342 . . . main control program, 200 . . . sub circuit board
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[PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED]
To provide a control device of vending machine that can reduce rewriting time of a control program and can perform control process during the rewriting of the control program.
[SOLUTION]
The device of vending machine comprises an electrically rewritable nonvolatile flash memory ( 340 ) for storing an initial processing program ( 341 ) and a control program ( 342 ), and a volatile SDRAM ( 330 ). The initial processing program ( 341 ) transfers the control program ( 342 ) from the flash memory ( 340 ) to the SDRAM ( 330 ), and a control process of the vending machine is performed via execution of the control program ( 342 ) in the SDRAM ( 330 ). The writing process to the flash memory ( 340 ) is executed in parallel with the control process.
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This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/912,976, filed Aug. 6, 2004, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,126,979.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to advanced military grade communications jamming systems and, more specifically, to a Method, System and Apparatus for Maximizing a Jammer's Time on Target. This unique state-of-the-art invention will have use in any modern military organization that wants to achieve communications dominance and information superiority over any battlefield. The invention will add an essential, and much needed, communications and electronic warfare capability to any respective governments' national defense program.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern military grade communication systems today employ short, burst type transmissions that constantly cycle through a secret sequence of frequencies in order to prevent detection and jamming. Such systems are commonly known as frequency hoppers. Typically, these systems (both foreign and domestic) only transmit on a particular frequency for no more than a few milliseconds at the most. This creates a problem for those who want to detect and jam such transmissions as they happen so quickly. Practically, it is not feasible to simply “splash” the radio frequency spectrum with random noise in order to jam such transmissions. The reasons are that it requires an unpractical amount of power to apply sufficient RF energy to wash out all transmissions. In addition, there may be friendly transmissions that should not be jammed. Also, since the duration of the target transmissions is so short, it is not practical to have (for instance) a CPU that is programmed to evaluate signals, make a determination, and then command transmitters to jam. There is simply not enough time to engage the frequency hopping signals before they have moved on to a new frequency.
The jammer device described by U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/912,976 is sometimes referred to in the Electronic Warfare industry as a “wideband reactive jammer”, “surgical follower jammer,” or a “surgical reactive jammer” because it has the ability to quickly find enemy signals and then apply energy right on targets so as to jam those enemy communication signals. It has this capability because it uses a wideband digital reception technique to instantaneously detect the presence of enemy signal energy. Once the enemy signals are detected, they are then immediately jammed by using fast direct digital synthesizers (“DSS's”) to output RF energy right on those detected enemy signal frequencies.
The use of low cost frequency hopping radios, radio controlled improvised explosive devices (RCIED's), and low cost burst transmitters in military/non-military theaters is growing. These communications devices are perfect for insurgents or terrorist groups due to their low cost and availability. Thus, the need for a super fast reactive jamming technology in order to deny the operation of one or multiple devices occurring simultaneously is critical. This is especially true for U.S. and Coalition forces in theater today.
In order to address multiple targets appearing suddenly (and on any frequency), a jammer system must be fast enough to scan for and react to those new targets. In addition, the jammer system must have an efficient time-on-target technique to optimize the number of simultaneous targets it can be effective against by not wasting any time or energy. Furthermore, the jammer system must apply speed-up techniques in order to perform “look-throughs ” (the time the jammer system stops jamming temporarily and scans for additional targets) more frequently. And finally, the jammer system must do this in real time.
FIG. 1 is a prior art drawing that depicts the conventional surgical reactive jamming system's attack cycle process 200 (i.e. the repetitive attack cycles of a surgical reactive jammer). For the first attack cycle 200 period, the jammer first tunes to frequency range segment 1 . The RX input is then turned on and the first “collection period” (for segment 1 data) commences. The first collection period is completed by turning off the tuner (tuners are synonymous with HF/VHF/UHF receivers) input. The jamming system then processes the received segment 1 data and turns on the jammer TX output on the desired frequency for a “TX Dwell Period”, and then stops jamming to do a quick “look-through” to receive and analyze the RF spectrum to see if there are additional targets appearing and also to determine if the earlier detected targets are still transmitting. The combination of TX Dwell, Collection period, and the analysis process is one single “attack cycle”. This cycle is repeated over and over again until the jammer is turned off. The problem with this prior art process and method is that during the tuning, collection, and processing periods, active jamming is not occurring. This is not an optimal approach to increasing time-on-target.
What is needed therefore in order to feasibly maximize a jammer's time-on-target (that can be radiating on any frequency) as efficiently as possible, is a System that has the following attributes: 1) The abilities stated in the aforementioned U.S. patent application to do extremely fast wideband scanning for signal energy across wide ranges of the RF spectrum; 2) The real time ability to do pipelining of System functions; 3) The real time ability to jam one or more targets within each TX Dwell period; and 4) The real time ability to calculate the most optimal DDS firing solutions, given the targets presently detected. The sum of these system invention capabilities is unique.
In addition to being applied for military tactical operations, such a technology invention would be extremely useful to the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service, the Central Intelligence Agency, etc. as the need to disrupt sudden, multiple enemy communications, on any frequency, has always been desired. Furthermore, with the recent threat of Radio Controlled Improvised Explosive Device type weaponry this invention is even more required today.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In light of the aforementioned problems associated with the prior devices and methods used by today's military organizations, it is an object of the present invention to provide a Method, System and Apparatus for Maximizing a Jammer's Time on Target and Power on Target.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an enhanced and more efficient jamming system that can address multiple simultaneous targets, such that the time-on-targets are maximized given a fixed amount of available system power. Such an enhanced surgical reactive jamming system will then allow users to more intelligently and efficiently address all targets that suddenly appear, without having to replicate more jamming system hardware which drastically raises the total overall cost, size, and weight. These enhancements for surgical reactive jammers are very applicable to jam multiple sudden transmissions. Examples of such sudden, frequency agile targets are multiple military grade frequency hopping nets (commonly known as “hoppers”) and multiple radio controlled improvised explosive devices (known as “RCIED's”).
The preferred system needs to have the ability to do fast wideband scanning of the RF spectrum looking for RF signals such as those emitted by frequency hoppers and RCIED's, and then jamming them instantaneously. Secondly, the preferred system needs to have the ability to pipeline the major functions so that more time can be spent putting energy on target (extends the TX Dwell Period effectively by allowing the jammer more time to apply energy, as opposed to spending time on calculations and re-tuning). Third, the preferred system needs to have the ability to change the output jamming frequencies midstream (mid TX Dwell Period), so as to further maximize time-on-target. Fourth and finally, the preferred system needs to have the ability to perform a real time evaluation of the DDS firing solutions such that the signals going to multiple DDS's in a jammer system can be multiplexed in a fashion that maximizes the utilization of the available jammer transmitter power.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, of which:
FIG. 1 depicts the attack cycle process of a conventional prior art jamming system;
FIG. 2 depicts the pipelined attack cycle process of the system and method of the present invention;
FIG. 3 depicts the preferred DDS firing solution lookup table process of the present invention;
FIG. 4 depicts the pipelined attack cycle process of the present invention in even greater detail including the hyper fast, midstream enactment of the DDS firing solution; and
FIGS. 5A-5D depict a detailed flowchart of the operational method of the present invention for each attack cycle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventor of carrying out his invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the generic principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide a Method, System and Apparatus for Maximizing a Jammer's Time and power on multiple Targets.
“Time-on-target” is defined as the amount of time a jamming signal is applied on an enemy transmission, expressed as a percentage of the total enemy transmission's time. The present invention provides enhanced efficiency by maximizing a surgical reactive jammer's time-on-target through the three major methods. Each method in itself enhances the time-in-target independent of the other two. The invention of this patent application employs all three unique methods. One of these methods is a set of algorithms for pipelining and algorithm speed optimization. Another method is the use of a fast DDS lookup table to determine the most optimal “firing solution” of the digital synthesizers to attack multiple targets. The last method is the extremely fast enactment of newly calculated firing solutions midstream in every TX dwell period. Basically, it applies the new solution instantly without waiting for the next attack cycle, which is how it is done today in prior art systems.
The present invention can initially be understood by the side by side comparison of FIGS. 1 and 2 . FIG. 1 depicts a standard prior art attack cycle process. The linear process of tuning, detecting enemy signals, processing data, and then subsequently jamming them is a well known method. But FIG. 2 depicts a preferred pipelined attack cycle approach employed by the present invention. This “Pipelining” of the system means that functions are performed in parallel in time to optimize speed of jammer reaction. For the first attack cycle period, the jammer already has a firing solution from a previous segment and is programmed to jam (TX dwell period). During this TX dwell period, the jammer in parallel retunes the tuner so that it is ready by the time the Collection period starts (the process of gathering new data on a different portion of the RF spectrum looking for new targets). In addition to that, the data that was collected in the previous attack cycle is calculated and a new firing solution is obtained. This new (and more up to date) firing solution is then ready to be applied. At the end of the TX dwell period the Collection period starts. Then the cycle repeats over and over again.
As should be apparent, the critical distinction between this method and that of the prior systems is that the method of the present invention sets the cycle generator such that the tuner is tuned to the next frequency segment -during- when the jammer is outputting the jamming signals. In addition, the processing of what the previous look-through period detected is analyzed, and the DDS firing solution is determined also at the same time. This pipelining of the various major processes is one of the unique techniques that this algorithm invention employs. A far more detailed description of the entire algorithm process of this invention is outlined in the discussion of FIGS. 4 and 5 .
Now turning to FIG. 3 , we can examine how the direct digital synthesizer (DSS) firing solutions are optimized during each and every TX dwell period to further maximize the time-on-target of the present system. This is the second, independent method by which the invention maximizes time-on-target and power on target. FIG. 3 shows an example decision table of the invention showing how the most efficient DDS firing solutions are determined to maximize time-on-target, each attack cycle. The system goes through the list of predetermined criterion with the signals detected or predetermined and then makes the proper DDS firing solution based upon the number of simultaneous targets, and the available power of the system. This is the most efficient method to automatically determine the best DDS firing solution, by look up table. This process is repeated for every single Attack Cycle 202 .
In this example FIG. 3 drawing, there is one DDS available to be used for jamming. There can be multiple DDS's in any system though, but FIG. 3 is presented with only one DDS for simplicity. The number of targets that are detected during each Collection Period, and determined to be jammed, is represented in the left column. In the DDS columns, are representative drawings of the TX Dwell Period outputted from the DDS over three successive attack cycles. If the TX Dwell Period is broken up into several boxes, each box represents jamming on a target frequency (F 1 , F 2 , F 3 , F 4 . . . ) for a period of time. This example assumes that the maximum number of “timing slots” during a single TX Dwell Period is three. In that case, the algorithm will optimize and time-share the jamming of targets into “time slots”. This intelligent technique of time-slotting the jammer's energy over the various target frequencies through a programmable high speed lookup table greatly enhances the respective time-on-targets. If we now turn to FIG. 4 , we can examine the pipelined jamming method in even greater detail.
As mentioned, FIG. 4 further depicts the method of FIG. 2 in greater detail. It outlines the last major method of this invention to maximize time-on-target.
This method implements the DDS firing solution as fast as theoretically possible, thereby also increasing the time-on-target. After signals are detected in a Collection Period 16 A, the jammer must process the data 18 A in order to determine what the jamming firing solution is. Once determined, the jammer will immediately stop jamming on the previous target(s) and will instead jam on the new targets. This process is done extremely fast due to the fact that direct digital synthesizers are used which can switch frequencies in less than a microsecond. Such a speed-up process increases the effective time-on-target as well.
As should be clear from the drawing, the TX dwell periods are actually broken up (potentially) into transmissions on two different sets of frequencies based on previous segment data, and segment 1 data. While the first portion of TX dwell period 10 B- 1 is ongoing, the tuner are being tuned to new segment 2 . In addition, the segment 1 data is being processed 18 A. Once 18 A is complete, a new DDS firing solution is output and the DDS's can be instantly retasked with the newer more updated programming. Thus, the TX dwell period 10 B is actually broken up into 10 B-I and 10 B- 2 . Where the 10 B- 1 period is for the previous DDS firing solution, and 10 B- 2 is for the new DDS firing solution calculated from processing stage 18 A. In this way, the invention does not have to wait until that particular cycle is complete to enact the new programming. The new programming can occur midstream which enhances time-on-target.
To describe the process of FIG. 4 , the jamming (TX dwell) period 10 A begins with the turning on of the TX PIN switch 104 A, the turning on of the PA 106 A, and the triggering of the TX dwell period 108 A. It is assumed, for simplicity, that the jamming of targets is already known from the previous attack cycle. For further simplicity, the tuning to segment 1 and the processing of segment N (previous segment) pipelined steps are not shown on this drawing, they are only shown during the next pipelined attack cycle 202 .
Continuing forward, at the completion of TX dwell period 10 A, the PA output is turned off 110 A, and the TX PIN switch turned off 112 A. Then the RX input is turned on 114 A. And then finally the collection period is triggered 116 A. The collection period 16 A for the segment 1 data then commences (as will become clear, the receiving system has already been tuned to segment 1 ). Upon completion of the collection period 16 A, the tuner input is turned off 102 A, the TX PIN switch turned on 104 B, the PA turned on 106 B, and the next TX dwell period is triggered 108 B.
While the data received during segment 1 collection period 16 A is being processed 18 A, the tuner is/are being tuned 20 B to the next frequency range segment of interest (segment 2 ). Once segment 1 data processing period 18 A is complete (and the data is processed), the transmitter(s), already jamming at the frequency from the previous TX dwell period are rapidly reprogrammed to the new jamming frequency in the middle of the new TX dwell period 10 B.
Repeating the previous steps, after the TX dwell period 10 B is complete, the TX output is then turned off 10 B, the TX PIN switch turned off 112 B. Then nearly immediately the RX input is nearly immediately turned on 114 B, the collection period is triggered 116 B, after which the collection period for segment 2 data 16 B is commenced. This once again leads to the RX input tuned off 102 B, the TX PIN switch turned on 104 C, the PA turned on 106 C, and the next TX dwell period is triggered 108 C, and followed virtually immediately by the TX output re-commencing 10 C.
If we finally turn to FIGS. 5A-5D , we can examine the flow chart detailing the method executed by the present invention. This diagram shows the decision tree process throughout one single Attack Cycle series (where the jammer moves from tuner segment/band to tuner segment/band before starting the process over). A “segment” or “frequency band” is one stare bandwidth of the front end tuner. An attack cycle is the process of the jammer applying energy, switching, and then opening the tuner to do a “look through” to determine what target signals have appeared.
Each cell of the flow diagram indicates the action of the jammer as it goes through a single attack cycle series. The process starts at event A on FIG. 5A and goes through several sub-stages before returning again to A at termination of the process chart in FIG. 5D .
If programmed to jam, the TX PIN switch is switched on 104 A; if not programmed to jam, the system will jump to event F ( FIG. 5C ). At nearly the same time, the power amplifier will turn on 106 A, and the TX dwell timer will be started 108 A.
FIG. 5B depicts how then the TX dwell period 10 A begins on the first jamming frequency. If more frequencies do not have to be jammed with the same power amplifier, it means that only a single frequency will be jammed, and there will be a wait period of T 1 microseconds (the transmit dwell time) while jamming continues on that first frequency.
But if there is more than one frequency to jam, but less than three frequencies, the system will wait T 1 /2 microseconds (i.e. jamming on the first frequency for the wait time one half the T 1 period), and then switch to output/transmit on the second transmitting frequency and will wait another T 1 /2 microseconds (i.e jamming on the second frequency during this second wait time).
If there are three frequencies to jam, the system will wait T 1 /3 microseconds (i.e. transmitting on the first jamming frequency for one third the T 1 period), will switch to the second jamming frequency and wait for another T 1 /3 microseconds (transmitting on the second jamming frequency), and then finally switch to the third jamming frequency and wait the last T 1 /3 microseconds. Event C is the completion of the TX dwell period; FIG. 5C describes the ensuing steps.
First, the power amplifier is turned off 110 A and the TX PIN switch is also turned off 112 A. The system will wait for period of T 2 microseconds 22 A, until the PA has powered down and all reflected energy from the immediate surrounding terrain has died out. When the tuner is ready, the RX PIN switch is turned on 114 A. If the system is not equipped with GPS, then a backup pulse is used to substitute for the timing interval that is normally received from the GPS. If systems are equipped with GPS, the system will await for a GPS synchronization pulse so that jamming systems in close proximity to one another will cooperatively synchronize their respective collection periods to prevent them from jamming each other (since all of the collection periods are of the same microsecond length).
Next, the system waits for a period of T 3 microseconds 14 A to allow the received signals to propagate through the tuner's filters, after which data collection is triggered 116 A. Event D is the commencement of the collection period and continues to be described in FIG. 5D .
While in the collection period, the system will wait for period T 4 microseconds 16 A, a period of time adequate to allow the system to perform the necessary FFT calculations to detect and identify new arriving signals. The RX PIN switch is then turned off 102 A to protect the jammer's tuner from saturation due to the outgoing jamming signal. This ends the pipelined attack cycle 202 and the process begins again with events 104 B, 106 B and 108 B. The spectrum data just received is processed 18 A while the tuner is tuned 20 B to the next frequency segment. Both of these events occur while the jammer is in the next TX dwell period 10 B.
Again, this entire process is depicted in FIG. 4 which pictorially shows the step by step processes and when they occur.
DIAGRAM REFERENCE NUMERALS
10 A T 1 Period (TX dwell—attack cycle A)
10 B T 1 Period (TX dwell—attack cycle B)
10 B- 1 Attack cycle B TX dwell using previous attack cycle's DDS firing solution
10 B- 2 Attack cycle B TX dwell using updated DDS firing solution
12 A T 2 Period (wait period for PA to shut down—attack cycle A)
12 B T 2 Period (wait period for PA to shut down—attack cycle B)
14 A T 3 Period (wait period for signal propagation—attack cycle A)
14 B T 3 Period (wait period for signal propagation—attack cycle B)
16 A T 4 Period (collection period—attack cycle A)
16 B T 4 Period (collection period—attack cycle B)
18 A Process Segment 1 Data taken during 16 A
20 B Tune to Frequency Segment 2 , during process 10 B
102 A Turn OFF the RX PIN switch—attack cycle A
102 B Turn OFF the RX PIN switch—attack cycle B
104 A Turn ON the TX PIN switch—attack cycle A
104 B Turn ON the TX PIN switch—attack cycle B
106 A Turn ON the PA—attack cycle A
106 B Turn ON the PA—attack cycle B
108 A Start TX Dwell Timer—attack cycle A
108 B Start TX Dwell Timer—attack cycle B
110 A Turn OFF the PA—attack cycle A
110 B Turn OFF the PA—attack cycle B
112 A Turn OFF the TX PIN switch—attack cycle A
112 B Turn OFF the TX PIN switch—attack cycle B
114 A Turn ON the RX PIN switch—attack cycle A
114 B Turn ON the RX PIN switch—attack cycle B
116 A Trigger Collections—attack cycle A
116 B Trigger Collections—attack cycle B
200 Prior Art (Non-Pipelined) Attack Cycle
202 Pipelined Attack Cycle
Operational Summary
For surgical reaction jammers, the key is to reduce the attack cycle to as short a possible time. This is because by making the attack cycle short, the jammer can scan and pick up targets in other areas of the spectrum much faster. The heart of all jammer systems is how fast it can pick up targets and then jam on them. In addition, the governing criterion is how much power is available to feasibly jam all the targets. In real world systems, the power available is finite and thus some level of time-sharing of targets has to occur. Otherwise, one would simply just apply as many power amplifier chains as possible to account for the presence of multiple targets. But this is not feasible in the real world. Thus, the algorithm of this invention aims to do several things in order to solve these issues, it optimizes the process of jamming, it optimizes the firing solution by using predetermined time-sharing of multiple targets under certain scenarios, and finally it optimizes the speed with which that firing solution is actually enacted.
There are several timers in the jamming cycle generator that are adjustable, and regulate exactly when (to the precise microsecond), that each process should occur so that the entire process is as efficient as possible. These various steps are outlined in detail in FIGS. 5A-5D . The basic timers (T 1 through T 4 periods) are explained as well in those figures.
First, the algorithm pipelines the jamming process so that an attack cycle is reduced to its minimum length of time. The tuning of the tuner is done in parallel while the jammer is in its TX Dwell Period. In addition, processing of data is done in parallel. The timing of these actions must be precisely coordinated so that the system is synchronized. The cycle generator function, described by the previous patent application Ser. No. 10/912,976, performs these functions with microsecond timing accuracy.
Another way that the invention enhances efficiency and time-on-target is to have the jammer automatically apply the most optimal DDS firing solution based upon the number of targets encountered. It does so by the jammer employing a DDS firing solution lookup table. For surgical reactive jammers with more than one DDS, this innovation is critical to enhance the efficiency of the jammer. If, for example, 3 targets are detected simultaneously, the jammer will go to this truth table and instantly apply maximum power on an optimized time-sharing basis between the available DDS's and transmitters. It does so knowing the power capabilities of the system. Thus, it will not overextend its available primary power subsystem. Essentially this is a fast implementation of time-sharing and power-sharing of the available transmit assets in the jammer system.
If additional targets appear, then the jammer is programmed to rotate through the various signals given the available PA power that can be applied, as shown in the example of FIG. 3 . Thus, the time-sharing is optimized so that as many targets as possible are hit with the available power. This optimization table is installed inside the dedicated hardware logic of the jammer. It must be there to handle the microsecond timing of the entire jammer.
The final way that the invention enhances efficiency and time-on-target is to speed with which a DDS firing solution is applied. Jamming signals can be adjusted on the fly, midstream while in a TX Dwell Period. As the reader can see by FIG. 2 , the pipelining of the process now allows the system to evaluate what signals were detected on the previous Collection Period. While this process is calculating, the jammer will apply energy exactly on the last known frequencies of the enemy targets. This maximizes the time-on-target by making the assumption that the enemy signals are still there.
Once the Collection Period processing is complete, and the DDS firing solutions are determined, the algorithm of this invention will instantly command the DDS's to their new firing solution. Thus, the jamming signals may or may not be changed mid TX Dwell Period. This process is unique and provides the user with the maximum theoretical time-on-target capabilities, giving maximum utilization of the available system power. Again, this invention aims to improve the efficiency and speed of reactive jamming given real world constraints.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.
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A system and method of electronic signal jamming employ a jamming signal transmitter, an electronic signal tuner and a controller. During a first time period, the transmitter transmits a jamming signal in a first frequency segment comprising first frequencies. In a subsequent second time period, the transmitter stops transmitting, while the tuner collects signals in a second frequency segment comprising second frequencies. In a subsequent third time period, the transmitter resumes transmitting the jamming signal in the first frequency segment, while at a same time the controller processes the signals collected by the tuner in the second frequency segment and the tuner tunes to a third frequency segment comprising third frequencies. Then, before any further signals are collected by the tuner, the transmitter transmits the jamming signal in the second frequency segment responsive to the signals collected in the second frequency segment and processed by the controller.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to connectors and other devices where it is desirable to have a ring, collar, seal or other member retained in association with a body member or nut.
While the invention has particular application to connectors used in the electrical and plumbing industries it will be understood that a much broader range of applications are contemplated for the invention. The connectors used in the electrical and plumbing industries are typically used to seal and mechanically connect electrical conduit, pipes or cable to junction boxes. These connectors typically incorporate rubber or plastic seals compressed by a nut that is part of the connector. It is advantageous, for the person completing the assembly of the device at a work site, to have a minimum number of discrete parts to handle. This will minimize assembly time and will minimize the risk of misplacement of the seal.
The prior art includes the structures shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,088,377 which issued to one of the present applicants. That patent describes a sealing ring having discrete tabs on a split or discontinuous ring. The tabs engage a mating helical thread when installed and thus the split ring will be skewed. For some applications this is undesirable. This patent does also suggest the use of tabs in parallel planes. Separately, this patent also suggests a continuous ring instead of discrete tabs. While the invention described therein is useful for many applications the present invention is more suited for other applications.
A subsequently issued United States patent relating generally to the same type of structure is U.S. Pat. No. 4,241,491.
Captive sealing ring designs have generally involved an assembly that often requires a press fit. Typically, the force to assemble a sealing ring into a threaded nut requires a force equal to the axial retaining force holding the seal in place. The assembly of such seals with a threaded nut in an assembly plant has typically been done by hand. The person who is performing the assembly operation in an assembly plant is thus exposed to wrist and other injuries because of the repetitive nature of the work. Mechanized assembly of seal and nut assemblies is not satisfactory because of the necessity for costly machinery.
It is an object of the invention to provide an assembly that includes a captive nut assembly that can be assembled with substantially less physical effort than known apparatus.
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus which is inexpensive to manufacture as well as requires a minimum of labor to install.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It has now been found that these and other objects of the invention may be attained in a seal apparatus which includes a generally annular member having an outer surface and an inner surface and a plurality of tabs extending generally radially from at least one of the surfaces. The tabs are disposed to engage axially spaced portions of an associated helically shaped threaded surface.
In some forms of the invention the tabs extend radially outward from the annular member and may be dimensioned and configured to cause deformation of the annular member intermediate the tabs. The tabs may be disposed at equal angular intervals about the annular member and may be dimensioned and configured to cause deformation of the annular member intermediate the tabs that causes bowing out of the seal. In some forms of the invention the annular member has a thickness that is less than the diameter thereof. The annular member may be a continuous ring having no discontinuity about the extent thereof.
Another form of the invention is a connector apparatus for an associated conduit that includes a tubular body including an externally threaded first portion connected to an externally threaded second portion. The first and second portions form respective first and second bores which mutually communicate though the tubular body from a first end to a second end of the body. The body includes a conduit receiving means. A nut surrounds the conduit receiving means and has internal threads which are in threaded engagement with the first portion. An inside surface of the nut and a surface of the first end form an annular compression space therebetween. The annular compression space surrounds the conduit receiving means and a generally annular member is disposed in the annular compression space. The member has an outer surface and a plurality of tabs extending generally radially outward from the outer surface. The tabs are disposed to engage axially spaced portions of the internal threads.
The connector may include various forms of the seal as described above.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:
FIG. 1 is a partial section view showing the sealing ring in place in a complete assembly.
FIG. 2 is a view of the sealing ring itself, showing the three tabs enables the ring to be captured in a nut.
FIG. 3 is a side view of the ring. This illustrates how the tabs are displaced axially so as to conform to the helix of the internal thread in the nut.
FIG. 4 is a section view thru one of the tabs.
FIG. 5 is a section view similar to that in FIG. 1, but to a larger scale, and showing the ring entering the nut, and with the tabs passing easily past the first few threads which are truncated.
FIG. 6 is an axial view of the ring and nut shown in FIG. 5. Since there is substantially no diametral interference between the tabs and the first few threads, the ring is still circular in shape, with no distortion.
FIG. 7 is a section similar to FIG. 5 but with the tabs passing over the full (non-truncated) thread.
FIG. 8 is an axial view of the ring and nut shown in FIG. 7. Since there is diametral interference between the tabs and the threads, the ring is not circular in shape.
FIG. 9 is a view of an alternate embodiment of the sealing ring itself, showing three tabs for engaging external threads.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to FIGS. 1-7 there is shown a seal or sealing ring 10. On the exterior surface of the seal or sealing ring 10 are a plurality of radially extending tabs 12, 14, 16. The tabs 12, 14, 16 as best seen in FIG. 2 are spaced in the preferred embodiment at equal angular intervals about the periphery of the ring 10. As best seen in FIG. 3 the tabs 12, 14, 16 are axially spaced so that they will mesh with a mating helical thread. Stated another way, the respective tabs 12, 14, 16 coincide with portions of an imaginary helical thread that is dimensioned and configured to engage a cooperating helical thread 18 of a machined nut 20.
As best seen in FIG. 1 the sealing ring 10 is assembled in a assembly that includes the nut 20 and a body 22. The body 22 includes helical threads 24 that also cooperate with the threads 18 of the nut 20. The geometry of all the individual tabs 12, 14, and 16 are ordinarily all the same. FIG. 4 illustrates the tab 16 in greater detail.
Referring now to FIG. 5, the helical thread 18 of the nut 20 is characterized by an axial portion thereof being truncated. More particularly, the truncated threads 18A are disposed on the first few threads of the nut 20. In other words the threads 18A are on the axial portion of the nut 20 which first pass over the seal 10 as it is positioned inside the nut 20. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the nut 20 has an "open" end 30 and a "closed" end that compresses the seal 10 against both a piece of tubing 32 and the body 22 as best seen in FIG. 1.
As also best seen in FIG. 5 as the ring 10 initially enters the nut 20 the tabs 12, 14, 16 passing easily past the first few truncated threads 18A. The geometric relationship with the seal 10 in the position shown in FIG. 5 is further illustrated in FIG. 6 illustrating an axial view of the ring 10 and nut 20. Since there is substantially no diametral interference between the tabs 12, 14, and 16 and the first few truncated threads 18A, the ring 10 is circular in shape, with no distortion. In other words, the shape of the ring 10 is the same as that shown in FIG. 2.
As best seen in FIGS. 7 and 8 upon further movement of the ring 10 into the nut 20 the tabs 12, 14, and 16 engage the respective troughs of fully formed threads 18 and capture the seal 10 within the nut 20. Since there is now definite interference between the outer diameter of the tabs 12, 14, 18 and the inner diameter of the threads 18, the portions of the ring 10 at the tabs 12, 14, 16 are forced radially inward to allow the tabs 12, 14, 18 to pass. This causes the portions of the ring 10 midway between the adjacent tabs 12, 14, 18 to bow outward, as shown in FIG. 8. Since there is clearance between the ring outer diameter and the thread inside diameter as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6 this distortion is allowed to take place.
Ordinarily, the outer diameter 10A of the seal 10 does not touch the minor diameter of the threads 18. If greater stiffness is required the seal and the tabs 12, 14, 16 may be dimensioned to provide contact between the outer diameter 10A of the seal 10 and the minor diameter of the threads 18. The spring constant of the seal 10 is a function of the force required to bend the portions of the seal intermediate adjacent tabs 12, 14, 16. The spring constant is also a function of the distance between the tabs 12, 16, and 18, the modulus and dimensions of the sealing ring 10. Those skilled in the art will recognize that the number of tabs 12, 14, 18 may be varied for specific applications.
The axial retaining force of the seal 10 is a function of the radial forces which are a function of the spring constant and the geometry of the thread 18 form. More particularly, it is a function of the slope of the threads 18. The radial forces critical to this axial force is equal to the distance the tabs have to move in an inward radial direction (to move over the crest of the thread form and the spring constant of the seal 10).
In FIGS. 6 and 8 the major diameter of the threads 18 is indicated by the reference numeral 18B. The minor diameter of the truncated threads 18A is indicated by the numeral 18C. The minor diameter of the internal threads 19 is indicated by the numeral 18D. The outer diameter of the seal 10 is indicated by the numeral 10A.
The seal 10 will ordinarily be manufactured of a material which is elastic enough to seal and stiff enough to act as a spring member. Although the invention has been described in term of tabs 12, 14, and 16 that extend radially outward it will be understood by those skilled in the art that radially inward extending tabs 112, 114, and 116 as shown in FIG. 9 are also contemplated by the invention. For example, a seal might have tabs that extend inwardly to grip external threads such as on spark plugs.
The invention has been described with reference to its illustrated preferred embodiment. Persons skilled in the art of such devices may upon exposure to the teachings herein, conceive other variations. Such variations are deemed to be encompassed by the disclosure, the invention being delimited only by the following claims.
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A seal or connector and seal apparatus which includes a generally annular member having an outer surface and an inner surface and a plurality of tabs extending generally radially from at least one of the surfaces. The tabs are disposed to engage axially spaced teeth of an associated helically shaped threaded surface.
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FIELD
The present application relates to a method and an arrangement in telecommunication systems, and in particular to an arrangement and a method for handling handovers in a telecommunication system.
BACKGROUND
A key feature in most cellular communication systems is the ability to handoff an ongoing communication service from one cell to another. Handover (HO) methods and algorithms can be classified in many different ways, e.g. as soft handover where a mobile station is connected to several base stations, softer handover where a mobile station is connected to several cells or sectors belonging to the same base station, and hard handover where the mobile station disconnects from the old base station before connecting to the new base station. Methods for handover decisions can be also be classified as being network controlled HO (NCHO), in which the mobile is passive, mobile assisted HO (MAHO), in which the mobile e.g. measures the strengths of received signals and reports the measured values to the network where a handover decision is then taken, and mobile controlled HO (MCHO), in which the mobile e.g. measures the strengths of received signals and makes a handover decision based on the measured values.
One important class of handover algorithms is the radio-signal-measurement (RSM) triggered schemes. Most RSM triggered handover schemes perform averaging or low-pass filtering of measured data. Furthermore, the handover decision algorithms belonging to this class typically include, at least, a hysteresis margin and a time-to-trigger threshold that the filtered data samples are compared against during the handover decision process. The 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) is a collaboration agreement that brings together a number of telecommunications standards bodies. Within the 3GPP workgroups a new system concept denoted Long Term Evolution (LTE) and System Architecture Evolution (SAE) are being standardized. The architecture of the 3GPP LTE/SAE system (denoted LTE here after), which is schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 , is flat compared to e.g. GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) and WCDMA (Wideband Code Division Multiple Access) based systems. FIG. 1 shows that the LTE radio base stations 100 a , 100 b , 100 c (denoted eNodeBs, or eNBs, in 3GPP terminology) are directly connected to the core network nodes 101 a , 101 b MME/S-GWs (mobility management entity/serving gateway) via the S1 interfaces 102 a , 102 b , 102 c , 102 d . The S1 interface supports a many-to-many relation between MMEs/Serving Gateways and eNBs. There is no central radio network controller in the Evolved UMTS Terrestrial Radio Access Network (E-UTRAN). Instead the eNBs are connected to each other via the direct logical X2 interfaces 103 a , 103 b , 103 c . The handover method that will be used in the 3GPP LTE/SAE system is RSM triggered and the mobile assisted (MAHO) hard handover. In LTE the mobile station, also referred to as the user equipment (UE), performs measurements of the downlink and the network makes the handover decisions. Compared to legacy cellular systems, as stated above, the LTE system does not have any central radio network controller (like the BSC in GSM and the RNC in WCDMA) where the handover algorithm is located. Instead the handover decisions in LTE will be performed in the base stations (referred to as eNBs in LTE). The decision to initiate a handover from a source cell to a target cell will be made in the source cell by the radio base station.
The UEs are configured by a radio resource control (RRC) entity in the source cell to perform measurements on handover candidate cells and to report these measurements to the source eNB during active mode. The details of how these measurements are configured are not yet decided in 3GPP. The handover measurement configuration is sent as dedicated messages to each individual UE.
The RRC messages for configuration of handover measurements as well as the corresponding UE measurements will be standardized and will not be subject to vendor specific interpretation or implementation. A typical configuration is that the UE will start to report periodically to the radio base station of a handover candidate cell once the filtered reference symbol received power (RSRP) of the candidate has reached a certain level compared to the RSRP level of the source cell during a configurable time. Alternatively, the UE could send a single report stating that prerequisites for a handover are fulfilled.
FIG. 2 shows a diagram that illustrates a conventional handover procedure from a source cell to a target cell in LTE. The vertical axis shows signal level and the horizontal axis shows time. The UE is configured by the source cell RRC to perform measurements on the source cell RSRP (RSRP1) and on candidate cells RSRP, i.e. possible target cells to which handover might be likely to occur. It should be noted that only one candidate cell measurement RSRP2 is shown. The measurement command contains information about how the UE shall process, e.g. by filtering or averaging, the measured data and when the UE shall start to report measurements to the source eNB. In this example the UE is configured to start to perform periodic reporting once the candidate RSRP2 value is larger than the source cell RSRP1 plus a hysteresis margin 21 during a certain time period 22 (time-to-trigger, or TTT). This occurs at a time denoted Ta. The purpose of the hysteresis margin is to prevent that action is taken prematurely. The hysteresis margin is defined as a predefined minimum difference between measurement values. In the example in FIG. 2 the hysteresis margin 21 defines a minimum difference between RSRP1 and RSRP2. After the source eNB1 has received one or several reports from the UE a decision to initiate handover to the target eNB2 is taken by eNB1. The eNB1 sends a handover request to eNB2 at a time denoted Tb, and when the handover is prepared the eNB1 sends at a time denoted Tc a handover command instructing the UE to perform the handover to eNB2.
The simplest handover decision process in the source eNB is to instigate a handover immediately after it has received the triggered measurement report from the UE. More sophisticated algorithms could process, e.g. by means of low-pass filtering, the UE measurements and by comparing the processed values with a hysteresis margin and with a time-to-trigger threshold. The eNB may use different handover related parameters (in the UE measurement configuration or the decision algorithm) when considering handover to different target cells.
Furthermore the eNB may classify UEs based on the speed or their handover history and the eNB may use different parameters for different UE classes. In this way the eNB may e.g. use a particular set of handover related parameters for UEs that are classified as high speed UEs. For high speed UEs the time-to-trigger might need to be reduced compared to low speed UEs. Alternatively, the eNB in a first cell may know that UEs that enter from a second cell will almost always perform handover to a third cell. To ensure that such UEs, that might be moving in a train or along a road, end up in the correct target cell the hysteresis margin to the desired target cell may be reduced for this particular class of UEs.
The fact that the handover algorithm in LTE is performed by the eNB, and not in a central node controlling several base stations, as e.g. in an RNC in the WCDMA based UMTS, results in several problems that need to be addressed. To begin with, there is no simple way to ensure that handovers within a geographical area are performed based on the same algorithm. This becomes particularly difficult in a multi vendor scenario since it is likely that different eNB vendors will implement different proprietary handover algorithms. Consequently, the criteria for when to perform a handover between two cells of the same type may be completely different depending on which cell that acts as source cell. Furthermore, within an area the criteria for when to perform a handover from an LTE system to a system having a different radio access technology (e.g. WCDMA) may also differ depending on which cell that currently is serving a particular UE. Another problem is related to the planning and optimization of the handover related parameters that control the behaviour of the handover algorithm(s). In case of network planning the operator may be faced with the difficult task of setting a large number of handover related parameters corresponding to the particular algorithm implementations of different vendors. Each parameter will have its own definition and impact on the handover behaviour. According to the 3GPP the handover preparation phase is initiated when the source eNodeB sends a HANDOVER REQUEST (HO_REQUEST) message to a target eNB via the X2 or the S1 interface. It has been proposed but not agreed in 3GPP to add an optional information element denoted HO_RRM_CONTAINER into the HO_REQUEST message. The content of this container is proposed not to be subject to standardization and hence an eNB vendor may put proprietary information into it. In case both the source and the target eNB are manufactured by the same vendor this optional container can be useful for support of more advanced handover methods. To have some consistency in the handover behaviour in the network the operator may then decide to only employ eNBs from one vendor in a certain area. However also this might be problematic, since in different types of base stations (macro, micro, pico) it can make sense to implement different handover algorithms. Macro-cells, micro-cells, and pico-cells, respectively, refer to cells of different sizes, whereby a macro-cell, which is a normal cell, is the largest, and a pico-cell is the smallest. For example, a pico-cell may not have to handle handover of high speed UEs.
As mentioned above, existing solutions for handover parameter optimization rely on the handover being performed in a central controller node. This is not applicable for LTE. Instead the handover decisions are distributed to the radio base station where different vendors may implement their own proprietary algorithms. The complexity of the problem of manually optimizing handover parameters in a single or multi-vendor scenario is large. Handover parameter auto-tuning, or auto-adjusting, methods are complex but are facilitated by standardized signaling related to handover failure events. This allows eNBs from different vendors to work alongside each other even though they employ different decision algorithms and may employ different measurement configurations.
Radio Link Failures, RLFs, may occur due to Too Early or Too Late Handovers, or Handover to Wrong Cell. Therefore it is of importance to be able to detect such events at the original source cell and this can be done through the following procedures:
[Too Late HO] If the UE attempts to re-establish the radio link at eNB B after a RLF at eNB A then eNB B may report this RLF event to eNB A by means of the RLF Indication Procedure.
[Too Early HO] eNB B may send a HANDOVER REPORT message indicating a Too Early HO event to eNB A when eNB B receives an RLF Indication from eNB A and if eNB B has sent the UE Context Release message to eNB A related to the completion of an incoming HO for the same UE within the last Tstore_UE_cntxt seconds.
[HO to Wrong Cell] eNB B may send a HANDOVER REPORT message indicating a HO To Wrong Cell event to eNB A when eNB B receives an RLF Indication from eNB C, and if eNB B has sent the UE Context Release message to eNB A related to the completion of an incoming HO for the same UE within the last Tstore_UE_cntxt seconds. The indication may also be sent if eNB B and eNB C are the same and the RLF report is internal to this eNB.
The detection of the above events is enabled by the RLF Indication and Handover Report procedures.
The RLF Indication procedure may be initiated after a UE attempts to re-establish the radio link at eNB B after a RLF at eNB A. The RLF INDICATION message sent from eNB B to eNB A shall contain the following information elements:
Failure Cell ID: PCI of the cell in which the RLF occurred; Reestablishment Cell ID: ECGI of the cell where RL re-establishment attempt is made; C-RNTI: C-RNTI of the UE in the cell where RLF occurred. shortMAC-I (optionally): the 16 least significant bits of the MAC-I calculated using the security configuration of the source cell and the re-establishment cell identity.
eNB B may initiate RLF Indication towards multiple eNBs if they control cells which use the PCI signaled by the UE during the re-establishment procedure. The eNB A selects the UE context that matches the received Failure cell PCI and C-RNTI, and, if available, uses the shortMAC-I to confirm this identification, by calculating the shortMAC-I and comparing it to the received IE.
The Handover Report procedure is used in the case of recently completed handovers, when an RLF occurs in the target cell (in eNB B) shortly after it sent the UE Context Release message to the source eNB A. The HANDOVER REPORT message contains the following information:
Type of detected handover problem (Too Early HO, HO to Wrong Cell) ECGI of source and target cells in the handover ECGI of the re-establishment cell (in the case of HO to Wrong Cell) Handover cause (signaled by the source during handover preparation).
The international application WO2009123512 discloses methods and arrangements for handling handover-related parameters. A radio base station of a mobile communications network is arranged to serve at least a first cell, and to make handover decisions based on handover-related parameters. The radio base station comprises means for receiving handover related feedback from a radio base station serving a second cell after handover of a UE from said first cell to said second cell; means for using the handover related feedback received from the base station serving said second cell to adjust the handover-related parameters; and further by means for sending handover related feedback to a radio base station serving a second or another cell after handover of a UE to said first cell from said second or another cell. In these methods and arrangements measurements are taken after handover to determine whether the parameters for initiating a handover should be modified or not.
Other methods are available using the 3GPP detection procedures described above, but they focus on handover failures and due to the relatively low frequency of such failures the resulting adaptation would be slow and a system using such an update scheme will not be able to react to quick changes in handover environment which can change within 15 minutes due to for example cell loading or traffic speed changes.
Thus an alternative manner of adjusting the parameters for handovers leading to a faster update would thus be useful.
SUMMARY
On this background, it would be advantageously to provide an apparatus, a computer program stored on a storage medium and a method that overcomes or at least reduces the drawbacks indicated above by providing an apparatus configured to operate in a telecommunications network comprising a first base station configured to serve at least a first cell and a second base station configured to serve at least a second cell, wherein said apparatus comprises a controller configured to receive measurements related to a successful handover of a user equipment from a first cell to a second cell, wherein said measurements relate to measurements being taken before and/or during said handover.
Such an apparatus is thus able to introduce or re-use existing measurements in a base station or a user equipment and utilize these to get an understanding of how close to handover failure the current communication channel is operating. The apparatus is configured to estimate the handover failure probability which can be compared with a handover failure rate target, and also to identify the probable failure mechanisms for the handover. Measurements are performed on successful handovers.
Such an apparatus is also able to determine how close the handover was to failure as the apparatus is configured to assess the performance of the RRC procedures of the handover procedure itself.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are also directed to providing a method for execution on an apparatus configured to operate in a telecommunications network comprising a first base station configured to serve at least a first cell and a second base station configured to serve at least a second cell and comprising a processor, wherein said processor is configured to execute said method, said method comprising receiving measurements related to a successful handover of a user equipment from a first cell to a second cell, wherein said measurements relate to measurements being taken before and/or during said handover.
The aspects of the disclosed embodiments are also directed to providing a computer readable medium including at least computer program code for controlling an apparatus configured to operate in a telecommunications network comprising a first base station configured to serve at least a first cell and a second base station configured to serve at least a second cell, said computer readable medium comprising software code for receiving measurements related to a successful handover of a user equipment from a first cell to a second cell, wherein said measurements relate to measurements being taken before and/or during said handover.
Further objects, features, advantages and properties of device, method and computer readable medium according to the present application will become apparent from the detailed description.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
In the following detailed portion of the present description, the teachings of the present application will be explained in more detail with reference to the example embodiments shown in the drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is an overview of a telecommunications system in which a device according to the present application is used according to an embodiment,
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of signal strength from different base stations for a user equipment in motion over time,
FIG. 3 is a schematic view of a partial network in accordance with the present application,
FIG. 4 is a flow chart describing a method according to an embodiment, and
FIG. 5 is a flow chart describing a method according to an embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
In the following detailed description, the apparatus, the method and the software product according to the teachings of this application will be described by the embodiments. It should be noted that although only a mobile phone, a base station and a server are described the teachings of this application can also be used in any electronic device operating in a telecommunications network such as portable electronic devices such as media players, game consoles, laptops, Personal Digital Assistants, electronic books and notepads.
In the prior art systems the systems are designed to adjust the parameters for a handover upon detection of a handover failure. As the handover failure rates are relatively low, as the systems are designed to keep them to a minimum, the input is very sparse and thus it is difficult to determine an accurate failure rate if the measurements are not being made over a long time. A consequence of this is that the parameters should be adjusted slowly to prevent unnecessary updates, and this further slows down the update procedure.
In such systems an update period is in the order of 24 hours. Such systems are also not able to track short term fluctuations in the handover environment, for example due to increase in the speed at which an UE travels at the end of a rush hour or an increase in the interference during a busy hour.
To overcome these drawbacks and allow for a faster update a handover probability is determined upon each or at least some handovers. This probability can then be compared to the handover failure rate.
To determine a handover probability the apparatus is arranged to perform measurements of parameters relevant to the handover.
In one embodiment such measurements are made for a successful handover. In one embodiment such measurements are made for each successful handover. In one embodiment such measurements are made for a failed handover. In one embodiment such measurements are made for each failed handover. In one embodiment such measurements are made for a successful and a failed handover.
An embodiment of a user equipment UE in the form of a mobile phone 300 is illustrated in FIG. 3 . The mobile phone 300 is currently in an area covered by two cells 310 a and 310 b each served by a base station or node, eNB1 and eNB2.
In this example embodiment the cell 310 a is the source cell and the call 310 b is the target cell.
As the UE 300 moves from an area in source cell 310 a to an area in target cell 310 b a handover will be effectuated by the two base stations eNB1 and eNB2. How this handover is performed is well-known to a skilled person and will thus not be described in detail herein.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to collect measurements from a handover and based on these measurements determine a probability of handover success. The controller is further configured to compare the probability of handover success with the target handover failure rate and if there is a significant divergence the parameters which indicate when a handover is to be effectuated are changed or modified through a Mobility Robustness Optimisation algorithm, an MRO.
As is known to a skilled person a handover failure, also denoted Radio Link Failure or RLF can be of here different types.
Too Early HO (HO=Hand Over) which denotes when an HO is effectuated before it is necessary. Such HOs can lead to a RLF or to a UE bouncing back and forth between two cells thus creating unnecessary HOs.
Too late HO events which denotes that a UE tried to establish contact with another cell too late and the connection is therefore lost due to an RLF.
To the wrong cell HO which denotes that a UE has established contact events with the wrong target cell, and a RLF has occurred.
There is a conflicting relationship between the HO failure rate for an MRO and the number of handovers executed in a system. To maintain a very small failure rate the system will execute a large number of handovers which leads to increased traffic unnecessarily. Thus, a target failure rate that is not too low is preferable. In one embodiment such a target failure rate is 1%.
During a handover radio link failure can result from different reasons:
RLF declared by the UE as a result of out-of-sync indications passed from Layer 1 (physical layer) to Layer 3 (Radio Resource Control RRC) RLF declared by the UE in the RLC (Radio Link Control) layer when the maximum number of transmissions has been reached but an Up Link UL RRC message has still not been delivered. RLF declared by the eNB in the RLC layer when the maximum number of transmissions has been reached but an Down Link DL RRC message has still not been delivered. Random access failure when the UE attempts to send the HO confirm message to the target cell (this is called “Handover Failure” by 3GPP).
Radio Link Failure (RLF) as a result of layer 1 measurements by the UE is shown schematically in FIG. 4 . In a first time span a UE is working in normal operation 410 . A Radio problem is then detected 420 by RRC when a number of consecutive out-of-sync messages are received from Layer 1, and the count exceeds a threshold (N310 in 3GPP). A timer which in 3GPP is called T310, is then started 430 . If the number of consecutive in-sync messages reaches a certain threshold (N311) while the timer is running, the timer is stopped and the UE returns to normal operation 410 . If the timer expires a radio link failure is detected and communicated 440 .
A controller according to the present application is configured to retrieve and/or receive measurements already during steps 410 and 420 and also 430 and does not wait until step 440 before collecting necessary data.
Thus a controller according to the embodiments herein is configured to enable adapting the parameters based on measurement readings even though no radio link failure has occurred.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive the count of out-of-sync indications.
If this number is high it is indicative that a RLF was highly probable and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive the count of in-sync indications.
If this number is low it is indicative that a RLF was highly probable and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive the value of the timer.
If the timer value is high it is indicative that a RLF was highly probable as the timer only runs when the UE has generated at least N310 out-of-sync indications and less than N311 in-sync indications, and that the parameters should be changed. The timer value is indicative of the time during the handover in which poor downlink radio conditions occurred. Since T310 may be stopped, reset and restarted in the time just before or during the handover, the reported value could be a set of values or the maximum value of the set. A suitable window to make an assessment over would be from the generation of a triggered measurement report until the end of the handover.
If a signal in a cell is weak this will lead to that some errored transmissions resulting in retransmit requests. In a 3GPP or LTE network such requests can be Hybrid Automatic Repeat Requests, HARQ. Another type of retransmission is RLC retransmissions for AM bearers (AM=Acknowledged Mode).
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive a number of retransmissions.
If this number is high it is indicative that a UE is close to an edge of a cell in where the signal strength or signal quality is usually low and that a RLF is highly probable and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive a number of access attempts. In one embodiment such access attempts are part of a Random Access Channel RACH procedure.
If this number is high it is indicative that a UE is close to an edge of a cell in where the signal strength or signal quality is usually low and that a RLF is highly probable and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment a controller is configured to receive a measurement of the power headroom for UL RRC signaling during the handover.
If the power headroom is low it is indicative that a UE is close to an edge of a cell in where the signal strength or signal quality is usually low and that a RLF is highly probable and that the parameters should be changed.
When sending an RRC message the scheduler typically only issues a grant sufficient to deliver the RRC message without any user plane (Dedicated Traffic Channel DTCH) traffic. The power headroom indicates the remaining available power in the UE—if this is small or zero the UE is operating at or close to its maximum power level. When the UE hits the maximum power level it may not be able to reach the Signal to Interference Ratio SIR required at the eNB.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive a modulation and coding Scheme (MCS).
In LTE the scheduler at the eNB dictates the modulation and coding scheme (MCS) used by the UE, for both downlink and uplink. When the SIR of a transmission is low the MCS is low. MCS values range from 1 to 15 on the downlink (1 represents (Quadrature Phase Shift Keying) QPSK at code rate 0.076).
A low MCS is therefore indicative of that there is an increased probability of radio link failure and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive the downlink transmit power used since power control on the downlink will influence MCS selection.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive the interruption time. During Handover, the UE will stop communicating with the source cell and set-up a connection to the target cell—during this interval no user plane communication is possible.
The interruption time for successful handovers is correlated with the handover failure rate. One definition of handover interruption time is the time from the first transmission of the handover command to the reception of the HO Confirm. This time could be reported from the UE after a completed HO or calculated in the source cell by comparing the time for sending the handover command until receiving the context release from the target cell.
A high interruption time is indicative of a probable radio link failure because it may demonstrate that there are some difficulties in delivering the handover RRC messaging and there is increased risk of T310 expiry, and that the parameters should be changed.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive a delay time between receiving the HO Confirm from the UE until the UE context release is sent to the source cell and deduct this delay time from the calculated interruption time. The controller is further arranged to estimate the interruption time by subtracting the expected delay over X2 for the context release message.
This delay is typically 10 ms whilst the interruption time is of the order of >20 ms. With the UE reporting approach the interruption time received by the target cell can be passed over X2 to the source cell. Signaling over S1 is also possible.
In one embodiment the interruption time includes counting the time when the timer T310 is running during a handover. In one such embodiment the controller is configured to include in the interruption time the time from the generation of a triggered measurement report until the end of the handover.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive multiple measurements and determine the probability for radio link failure based on a combination of the received measurements.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to receive multiple measurements and determine whether the parameters for handovers should be changed or not based on a combination of the received measurements.
In one such embodiment the controller is configured to combine the measurements and their respective thresholds in a logical AND operation.
In another such embodiment the controller is configured to combine the measurements and their respective thresholds in a logical OR operation.
In another such embodiment the controller is configured to combine the measurements and their respective thresholds in a logical AND/OR operation.
In another such embodiment the controller is configured to combine the measurements and their respective thresholds according to a priority scheme.
An apparatus according to above is thus configured to estimate a probability for handover failure and adjust the parameters accordingly.
This leads to a faster update of the parameters than in the prior art.
As the update is faster the update can also be steeper to further speed up the update as if an update is incorrect, it will be updated again shortly anyhow.
It is thus possible to maintain a target handover failure rate with fewer handovers which saves data traffic and ensures a more reliable connection.
In one embodiment the controller is comprised within a base station.
In order to support detection of “too early HO”, in which the communication between UE and target cell is crucial, the controller is configured to exchange the information between with other eNBs, more specifically that the target cell 310 b reports information related to random access and Handover Confirm transmission to the source cell 310 a.
Further, it is advantageous to control if this information should be reported from target to source or not. Therefore, it is suggested that the source cell 310 a should include either an indication in the HO Request message whether the target cell should collect and forward this information or a criteria for when the measurement should be reported to the source cell 310 a.
In one such embodiment the base station controls the source cell 310 a . In such an embodiment the controller is configured to detect “Too late HO” problems and handle them.
In another such embodiment the base station controls the target cell 310 b . In such an embodiment the controller is configured to detect “Too early HO” problems and handle them.
Thus there may in some cases be necessary to send information between the base station eNB1 of the source cell 310 a.
One solution is to define a new information message from the target to the source.
Another solution is to re-use an existing message and include one or more of the measurements proposed in previous subsections.
Examples of existing messages from eNB handling target cell to eNB handling the source cell are UE context release and Handover report.
In one embodiment the controller is configured to handle a handover report message having a Handover Report Type (for example “almostTooEarly”) and that a conditional information element containing the measurement(s) described above is added to the message.
To avoid sending too many messages a controller in one embodiment is configured to determine if a certain threshold or criterion which is relative to the requested measurement has been reached and only if so send the necessary information.
In one embodiment the source cell includes a flag to signal whether the source cell is interested in receiving measurements at all.
FIG. 5 shows a flowchart of a method according to an embodiment. The method relates to the retrieval of measurements which are used to estimate a probability for handover failure (or success) and compare this to the target failure rate and depending on the estimate adjust the handover parameters.
In a first step 510 measurements are taken during normal handover. The measurements are used to determine or estimate a probability of failure for a handover ( 520 ). The probability is compared to the target failure rate ( 530 ) and an MRO algorithm is then used to determine the correct or updated handover parameters ( 540 ).
In one embodiment a further step of retrieving measurements from failed handovers is performed 550 . In one embodiment these measurements are used to determine the update parameters in step 540 (indicated by the dashed line). In one embodiment these measurements are used to estimate the probability in step 520 (indicated by the dashed line).
Thus an apparatus according to the teachings herein provides an increased update rate of HO parameters thus allowing short term handover environment changes to be tracked.
It should be noted that even though the description herein have focused on EUTRAN and 3GPP networks the teachings herein also find use in other networks where handovers occur.
The various aspects of what is described above can be used alone or in various combinations. The teaching of this application may be implemented by a combination of hardware and software, but can also be implemented in hardware or software.
The teaching of this application can also be embodied as computer readable code on a computer readable storage medium. Such storage mediums may be a random access memory, a read-only memory, a compact disc, a digital video disc, an EEPROM memory or other computer readable storage mediums.
Although the teaching of the present application has been described in detail for purpose of illustration, it is understood that such detail is solely for that purpose, and variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the teaching of this application.
Features described in the preceding description may be used in combinations other than the combinations explicitly described.
The term “comprising” as used in the claims does not exclude other elements or steps. The term “a” or “an” as used in the claims does not exclude a plurality. A unit or other means may fulfill the functions of several units or means recited in the claims.
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An apparatus configured to operate in a telecommunications network comprising a first base station configured to serve at least a first cell and a second base station configured to serve at least a second cell, wherein said apparatus comprises a controller configured to receive measurements related to a successful handover of a user equipment from a first cell to a second cell, wherein said measurements relate to measurements being taken before and/or during said handover.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation of Ser. No. 10/436,630, filed May 13, 2003, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,971,239, and entitled Augmentor Pilot Nozzle, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein as if set forth at length.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to turbine engines, and more particularly to turbine engine augmentors.
Afterburners or thrust augmentors are known in the industry. A number of configurations exist. In a typical configuration, exhaust gases from the turbine pass over an augmentor centerbody. Additional fuel is introduced proximate the centerbody and is combusted to provide additional thrust. In some configurations, the augmentor centerbody is integrated with the turbine centerbody. In other configurations, the augmentor centerbody is separated from the turbine centerbody with a duct surrounding a space between the two. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,685,140 and 5,385,015 show exemplary integrated augmentors.
The augmentor may feature a number of flameholder elements for initiating combustion of the additional fuel. Piloting devices are used to stabilize the flame on the flameholders which, in turn, distribute the flame across the flow path around the centerbody.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, one aspect of the invention involves a turbine engine. A centerbody is positioned within a gas flowpath from upstream to downstream and has a downstream tailcone and a pilot proximate an upstream end of the tailcone. A number of vanes are positioned in the flowpath outboard of the centerbody. A number of fuel injectors are at inboard ends of associated spray bars extending through associated vanes. Each injector has an inlet, an outlet, and a passageway between the inlet and the outlet. The passageway has a first portion directing fuel to impact a transversely extending downstream divergent surface portion and be deflected by said surface portion to be discharged from the injector. A number of igniters are positioned within associated ones of the vanes to ignite the fuel discharged from associated ones of the fuel injectors.
In various implementations, the passageway may have a second downstream divergent portion facing and spaced apart from the downstream divergent surface portion and at an angle of less than 5° thereto. The pilot may comprise a channel having upstream and downstream rims and a base. Each injector may be oriented so that a centerline of a jet of fuel discharged from such injector is directed toward the base of the channel. The downstream divergent surface portion may be an inboard surface of a transversely-extending slot. The slot may have a pair of lateral surface portions at lateral extremes of the divergent surface portion and diverging at an angle of 55°-95°.
Another aspect of the invention involves a turbine engine augmentor nozzle. The nozzle has a proximal inlet for connection to an augmentor fuel conduit. A nozzle has a distal outlet for expelling a spray of fuel. A passageway extends from upstream to downstream between the inlet and outlet, the passageway being bounded by outlet end surface portions including lateral portions diverging downstream. In various implementations, the lateral portions may diverge downstream at an angle of 55°-95°. The lateral portions may diverge downstream at an angle of 60°-80°.
Another aspect of the invention involves a gas turbine engine augmentor nozzle wherein a passageway is bounded by outlet end surface portions defining a laterally elongate slot. The surface portions may include lateral surface portions diverging from each other at an angle of 55°-95° and transverse surface portions extending between the lateral surface portions and diverging from each other at angle of 0°-5°.
Another aspect of the invention involves a method for remanufacturing a turbine engine augmentor having a vane and a centerbody. A first fuel nozzle is removed and replaced with a second fuel nozzle. The second fuel nozzle is configured to direct a centerline of a fuel jet in a more radial orientation than a jet of the first fuel nozzle and is configured so that the jet of the second fuel nozzle is more diffuse in at least one direction than the jet of the first fuel nozzle. In various implementations, the second fuel nozzle is configured so that its jet is asymmetric whereas the jet of the first fuel nozzle is symmetric around its centerline.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an aircraft powerplant.
FIG. 2 is a partial semi-schematic longitudinal cutaway view of a first augmentor for use in the powerplant of FIG. 1
FIG. 3 is an upstream end view of a nozzle of the augmentor of FIG. 2 .
FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the nozzle of FIG. 3 , taken along line 4 - 4 .
FIG. 5 is an enlarged view of a distal portion of the nozzle of FIG. 4 .
FIG. 6 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle of FIG. 5 , taken along line 6 - 6 .
FIG. 7 is a side view of the distal portion of the nozzle of FIG. 5 .
FIG. 8 is a forward-looking view of a trailing end of a vane of the augmentor of FIG. 2 .
Like reference numbers and designations in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIG. 1 shows a powerplant 20 having a central longitudinal axis 500 . From fore to aft and upstream to downstream in an aftward direction 501 , the powerplant includes a turbine engine 22 having a downstream turbine exhaust case (TEC) 24 . A duct extension 26 extends from the TEC 24 to join with a housing 30 of an augmentor 32 . A thrust vectoring nozzle assembly 34 extends downstream from the housing 30 . The augmentor 32 includes a centerbody 38 centrally mounted within the gas flowpath by means of vanes 40 having trailing edge flameholders 42 .
The centerbody 38 is generally symmetric around the axis 500 . The centerbody has a forward tip 50 from which a continuously curving convex forebody or ogive 52 extends rearward until reaching a longitudinal or nearly longitudinal transition region 54 adjacent the flameholders 40 . Aft of the transition region, the centerbody surface defines a pilot channel 56 . A tailcone surface 58 extends aft from the pilot to an aft extremity of the centerbody.
FIG. 2 shows further details of an exemplary pilot. The annular pilot channel 56 is formed by a frustoconical surface 60 extending rearward and radially inward from a junction with the transition region 54 of FIG. 1 . The surface 60 forms the fore (upstream) wall of an annular channel, with the junction forming the fore rim. A longitudinal surface 62 extends aft from a junction with the inboard extremity of the surface 60 and forms a base of the channel. A frustoconical aft wall surface 64 extends rearward and radially outward from a junction with the surface 62 and forms an aft wall of the channel. A longitudinal rim surface 66 extends aft from a junction with the surface 64 that defines a channel aft rim. The surface 66 provides a transition to the tailcone surface 58 . A jet 70 of fuel is delivered to the pilot via nozzle 72 in an appropriate conduit. An exemplary conduit is shown as a spraybar 80 mounted within a vane body 82 ahead of the flameholder 42 . The spraybar 80 has a plurality of lateral nozzles (not shown) delivering jets of fuel from the two sides of the body 82 . The nozzle 72 is positioned at the end of the spraybar. In operation, the pilot channel serves to divert the generally recirculating pilot flow 600 from a principal (main) flow 602 . The jet 70 of fuel is introduced to the pilot flow 600 and combustion is induced by electric spark from an associated igniter 84 . Fuel is also delivered to the principal flow 602 via the spraybar lateral nozzles noted above. The combusted/combusting fuel/air mixture in the flow 600 propagates around the pilot channel 56 stabilize and propagate flame radially outward to the flameholder bodies 82 . Optionally, the centerbody may be provided with several conduits (not shown) for ejecting air jets. There may be a ring of such conduits. The conduits may be supplied from one or more supply conduits (not shown) extending through or along the vanes to the centerbody ahead of the pilot.
FIGS. 3-7 show further details of the nozzle 72 . The nozzle extends from a proximal (upstream) end 100 ( FIG. 3 ) to a distal (downstream) end 102 ( FIG. 5 ). The nozzle has an inlet 104 at the upstream end and an outlet 106 ( FIG. 7 ) at the distal end. A passageway 110 extends between the inlet and outlet and has a stepped longitudinal portion extending from the upstream end and including a series of progressively smaller diameter bores 112 , 114 , 116 and 118 . The distal (downstream) end of the final/smallest bore 118 merges with a proximal (upstream) end of a slot 120 , the downstream portion of which forms the outlet 106 . The slot 120 has a pair of generally flat transversely-extending distal and proximal walls 122 and 124 joined at their sides by lateral walls 126 and 128 ( FIG. 6 ). The walls 122 and 124 are at an angle θ 1 to each other and the lateral walls 126 and 128 are divergent at an angle θ 2 to each other. In the exemplary embodiment, θ 1 is relatively shallow (e.g., between about 0 and 5°, whereas θ 2 is substantially greater (e.g., between about 55° and 95° (more narrowly 60° and 80° with an exemplary nominal 75°±2°). The slot 120 opens on a circumferential surface 130 of the distal portion of the nozzle having a radius R ( FIG. 6 ). In the exemplary embodiment, the center of curvature of this surface 130 is approximately coincident with the center 132 of the opening of the distal bore 118 to the slot 120 . FIG. 3 further shows the nozzle as having a fuel pad 140 for lateral injection of fuel. In a basic method of manufacture, the overall shape of the nozzle may be cast and the bores then drilled and the slot machined such as via an end mill.
In operation, the downstream-moving fuel exiting the distal bore 118 impacts the surface 122 and fans outward, constrained by the walls 126 and 128 . This deflection creates a relatively flat fan spray. The surface 124 may also help define the fan but is not as important as the surface 122 . When compared with a similar flow jet emitted from a circular outlet having a cylindrical wall upstream thereof, the jet 70 is more spread out, at least in the direction of divergence of the slot. The filming effect of the deflection by the surface 122 contributes to further reduced droplet size. Returning to FIG. 2 , the jet is shown having a centerline 150 and approximate inboard and outboard extremes 152 and 153 . The centerline 150 is at a projected angle θ 3 relative to the longitudinal aftward direction 602 . The projection is associated with the centerline 150 being oriented slightly skew to the engine axis and having a projected angle θ 4 relative to a radial direction. FIG. 8 further shows the lateral extremes 154 and 155 of the jet fanning out at an angle θ 5 which may be slightly more than θ 2 . In an exemplary implementation, θ 3 is approximately 40° (more broadly 30°-50°) and θ 4 is 25° (more broadly 20°-30°). Referring to FIG. 2 , the angle θ 6 between inboard and outboard extremes 152 and 153 will reflect more dispersion relative to its associated surface angle θ 1 than does the angle θ 5 to the relatively larger θ 2 . An exemplary θ 6 is in the vicinity of 20°-40°.
Advantageously, the slot configuration is selected in view of the position and orientation of the nozzle and dimensions of the pilot so as to provide reliable augmentor lighting. It is desirable to provide an appropriate mist of fuel within the pilot flow 600 . Reliable ignition of this fuel involves having sufficient quantity and fineness of droplets in proximity to the operative (e.g., inboard) end 160 of the igniter 84 . This operative end protrudes from a longitudinally oriented inboard aft surface 162 of the vane spaced aft of the nozzle outlet and along with the nozzle through one or more apertures (e.g., a common aperture 164 ) in such surface. Flameholder cooling air may also pass radially inward through such aperture(s). The angle θ 4 of FIG. 8 is selected in view of local tangential velocity components of the air flowing over the vanes so as to inject fuel on either side of the igniter circumferentially. In the exemplary embodiment, the jet centerline 150 is directed toward a midportion of the surface 62 (e.g., in the central 50% thereof). This is in distinction to the prior art circular cylindrical outlets oriented at much shallower angles so as to be directed aft of such a surface. This redirection facilitates greater recirculation of the fuel in the flow 600 . This is facilitated because the more defuse spray places appropriate amounts of fuel in proximity to the igniter operative end 160 with the centerline 150 at an orientation facing farther away from such end.
One or more embodiments of the present invention have been described. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, although the illustrated outlet surfaces are shown as straight in section, other configurations such as curved horn-like configurations are possible. In such curved configurations, identified angles could refer to local angles or average angles of portions of the surfaces. Although the illustrated slot is asymmetric about its centerline, symmetric outlets (e.g., outlets producing a conical jet of relatively high included angle (e.g., 80°-120° or, more narrowly, 90°-110°), are also possible to provide alternate divergence. The inventive pilot may be applied in a retrofit or redesign of an otherwise existing engine. In such cases, various properties of the pilot would be influenced by the structure of the existing engine. While illustrated with respect to an exemplary remote augmentor situation, the principles may be applied to non-remote augmentors. Accordingly, other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims.
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A gas turbine engine augmentor nozzle has an inlet for connection to an augmentor fuel conduit and an outlet for expelling a spray of fuel. A passageway between the inlet and outlet is at least partially bounded by outlet end surface portions diverging from each other. The nozzle may be used as a replacement for a non-divergent nozzle and may reorient a fuel jet centerline toward radial.
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CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/655,186 filed on Jun. 4, 2012 entitled “Exit and Entrance Ramps.” The patent application identified above is incorporated here by reference in its entirety to provide continuity of disclosure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a traffic safety system. More specifically, it pertains to an automated motion detection system installed at the entrance to one way streets and highway ramps. If a car begins to enter the one-way street going the wrong way, a barrier rises out of the road, blocking the automobile's path. Other visual and audible alerts may sound, to further deter the driver from continuing. If the driver collides with the barrier, or does not retreat, notification is sent to local authorities, and warning placards placed further down the one-way street will illuminate, thereby notifying other motorists of the danger ahead.
[0004] Cities are often full of one-way streets that enable traffic flow in a single direction along their length. Road signs are posted along these streets to indicate the proper flow of traffic. Despite the warnings, motorists occasionally find themselves driving the wrong way down a one-way road. Tourists, impaired persons, and those who are inebriated, may be particularly susceptible to driving against the flow of traffic.
[0005] Like one-way streets, highway exit and entrance ramps usually enable traffic flow in only one direction. Exit ramps provide motorists with a thoroughfare for leaving the high-speed traffic of a highway, while entrance ramps provide a stretch of road where motorists can increase their speed prior to entering a highway area. Because of the high speed of travel maintained on highways, exit and entrance ramps are usually occupied by motorists gathering speed or slowing down from a high speed. Serious injury and even death can result from collisions with automobiles and persons on exit and entrance ramps.
[0006] Concrete barriers, arm gates, road spikes, and other deterrents are common in restricted areas, to reduce the likelihood that unauthorized users will enter the premises. But these methods are not employed on common through-fares or on highway ramps because the deterrents block a portion of the path, thus slowing the flow of traffic. Such restrictions may be dangerous in high speed areas, as the user has little warning of the impending blockades.
[0007] A safety system is needed that warns motorists that they are proceeding the wrong way down a one-way thoroughfare, and then erects a barrier if the motorist fails to stop or retreat from the area.
[0008] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0009] The present invention relates to an automated safety system for one-way thoroughfares. A motion detection sensor placed at the entrance of the thoroughfare detects vehicles entering the road from the wrong direction. When a motorist is detected, a barrier is raised or a hinged arm lowered. Audible and visual signals such as flashing lights and alarm whistles are activated to alert the motorist. If the motorist does not cease driving, a camera is activated, photographs the vehicle license plate and transmits the images to local law enforcement. The following list of safety systems is a representative of prior art deemed relevant to the present disclosure. The prior art is presented herein for the purpose of highlighting the benefits of the present invention and differentiating it from the failings of the known art.
[0010] Roadblocks come in a variety of sizes and configurations. Some are large solid barriers, others are pivoting arms that can be raised and lowered, some are spikes that rise out of the ground and some are merely collections of brightly colored objects used for visual signaling These devices can be manually operated or automatically positioned depending on the type of barrier and the need for a permanent deterrent. An example is disclosed in Hensley, U.S. Pat. No. 6,997,638. The Hensley device is one or more underground ballards that can be raised via a human operator's interaction with a spring based extension system or may be raised automatically by the system. Unlike the present invention, the Hensley device does not disclose a means for notifying local authorities nor does it contemplate photographing of a vehicle license plate for identification purposes. A similar device with the same drawbacks is disclosed in Pepe et al, U.S. Pat. No. 6,099,200.
[0011] Non-destructive vehicle impediments are also used in the art. These devices employ netting, tire spikes, foam, and other means for slowing a vehicle without causing serious damage to the structural integrity of the automobile. Ousterhout, U.S. Pat. No. 6,312,188 discloses a non-destructive roadblock system having two supports disposed on opposing sides of a road, and a mesh barrier stretched therebetween. When traffic flow is permit, the mesh barrier is lowered into a trench, permitting cars to pass over. When a vehicle is out of control, the barrier is raised so that it can catch the front of the vehicle and slow its momentum. Deceleration may also be aided by deployment of tire spikes from the trench area. This system does not disclose a camera for photographing license plates, or the notification of local authorities.
[0012] Another non-lethal vehicle impediment system is discloses in Thompson et al, U.S. Pat. No. 7,950,870. The Thompson device has a pair of flexible gates that can be deployed one after the other. Impact between a vehicle and the gates transfers energy to the flexible gates, thereby slowing the vehicle. When not in use, the gates are lowered onto the road surface or stored in a trench. The present invention provides additional benefits in that it notifies law enforcement of gate breaches and photographs the license plate of motorists stopped by the system.
[0013] These prior art devices have several known drawbacks. They do not notify authorities of collisions with the barrier, nor do they collect any photographic evidence of such collisions. Nor do these devices teach a means for notifying motorists at other points on the road that an accident has occurred ahead. The present invention addresses these shortcomings and provides solutions to each. It substantially diverges in design elements from the prior art and consequently it is clear that there is a need in the art for an improvement to existing traffic safety systems. In this regard the instant invention substantially fulfills these needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0014] In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of vehicle barrier systems now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new safety and notification functionality wherein the same can be utilized for providing convenience for the user when stopping vehicles from travelling the wrong way down one-way roads and ramps.
[0015] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved traffic safety system that has all of the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.
[0016] It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a traffic safety system that alerts motorists that they are going the wrong way on a one-way thoroughfare.
[0017] Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic safety system that automatically deploys barriers, and deterrent measures upon detecting the entrance of a motor vehicle into a one-way area.
[0018] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic safety system that signals motorists at a far end of the one-way thoroughfare that a barrier has been deployed and the way ahead is blocked.
[0019] Still another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic safety system that notifies local authorities regarding deployment of barriers, and any collisions therewith.
[0020] A further object of the present invention is to provide a traffic safety system that collects photographic evidence of the license plates of vehicles that activate the system.
[0021] Another object of the present invention is to provide a traffic safety system that promotes safety and reduces head-on collisions between motorists, rather than simply preventing entry into restricted areas.
[0022] Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTIONS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0023] Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.
[0024] FIG. 1A shows a perspective view of the motion detection unit of the present invention and an arm-style barrier in use.
[0025] FIG. 1B shows a perspective view of the camera and notification unit of the present invention in conjunction with a column style barrier.
[0026] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the traffic safety system in use and prior to activation.
[0027] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the traffic safety system in use and activated by an oncoming vehicle.
[0028] FIGS. 4A-4B show general schematic diagrams of the motion detection unit and camera unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0029] Reference is made herein to the attached drawings. Like reference numerals are used throughout the drawings to depict like or similar elements of the traffic safety system. For the purposes of presenting a brief and clear description of the present invention, the preferred embodiment will be discussed as used for stopping vehicles from proceeding the wrong way down one-way roads and ramps. The figures are intended for representative purposes only and should not be considered to be limiting in any respect.
[0030] Referring now to FIG. 1A , there is shown a motion detection unite and an exemplary barrier. The motion detection unit 100 is positioned in front of and to the side of the hinged-arm barrier 300 , and near a series of rumble strips 320 . The motion detection unit has a support 110 that provides connection between the detector housing 120 and the ground. Alternatively, the housing may be mounted in a tree, or on a road sign or other structure. In either implementation, the motion detection unit should be positioned such that the internal motion detection sensor has a clear and unobstructed line of sight to the road it monitors.
[0031] The assembly is placed at the entrance to a one-way road or highway entrance or exit ramp, to detect motorists going the wrong way on the road. A sensor disposed within the motion detection unit 100 identifies traffic entering the road and activates a barrier 300 , as well as lights 305 and an audible alert. In the depicted example the barrier is a hinged arm that pivots about a post. This arm is raised when no oncoming traffic is detected and lowered when the motion sensor detects traffic. It is preferred that the barrier and the motion detection unit are electrically connected via an underground wire. Wireless communication means may also be employed to signal the barrier that activation is required.
[0032] Turning now to FIG. 1B , there is shown a camera unit disposed behind an exemplary barrier. The camera unit 200 has a housing 220 with a window 240 on at least one side, so that the camera has an open visual field to photograph license plates. Indicator lights 240 on the camera unit housing provide quick visual reference as to when the camera is properly operating. In the depicted configuration the camera is positioned behind a cylindrical barrier 310 m such that the camera faces the direction from which system activators approach. The system is configured to take a photograph as soon as the system is activated, and again if the vehicle advances past a predetermined point. The predetermined point is located at a distance close to the barrier, such that a collision between the vehicle and barrier is highly likely or imminent. Precise location of the predetermined point will vary according to the average rate of speed on the road and the size of vehicles utilizing the road.
[0033] Like the motion detection unit featured in FIG. 1.A the camera unit 200 has a support stand 210 . This support structure may be a post, as shown in FIG. 2B or any other permanent or semi-permanent structure. The support height is sufficient to place the camera unit above the barrier, so that the camera has a clear visual field. Alternatively the camera may be placed close to the motion detector and faced in an opposing direction so that it can photograph rear license plates of approaching cars.
[0034] The camera unit has a communication interface so that it can transmit collected photographs to local law enforcement, and can send activation signals to warning signs further down the road. Communication links may be coaxial cable buried underground and running from the camera unit to a junction, and the warning signs. Alternatively, wireless signals may be used. Bluetooth communication may be particularly effective for communication between the camera unit and warning signs when placed on a highway exit or entrance ramp, because the relatively short length of such ramps implies that the units will not be positioned far apart. Warning signs may consist of standard road signs with lights, or text made of lights that illuminate upon activation. These precautions notify motorists travelling along the road in the proper direction, that there is a blockage ahead, due to activation of the safety system.
[0035] Referring to FIG. 2 there is shown an overhead view of the system when it is not activated. The motion detection unit 100 and camera 200 are positioned along one side of a road 400 . A series of rumble strips 320 are disposed along the road near the position of the motion detection unit. Ruble strips are made of a durable material that is mounded or adhered to the upper surface of a road, and create a loud noise when a vehicle drives over them. These strips are an indicator that the motorist is no longer heading the correct way down the road. Warning signs in the form of standard traffic signs 410 , or illuminated placards may also be placed near the motion detection and camera units.
[0036] Barriers, or ballards, may be retracted into the ground, as shown in the figure, when the system is passive. Apertures 330 in the road receive the barriers during storage. Trenches, and other storage compartments may be used. The use of retractable ballards is known in the art the selection and installation of an appropriate roadblock will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art. As previously discussed herein, the form of the roadblock may vary, including such devices as hinged arms, netting, and solid ballards of different shapes and sizes.
[0037] The activated system is shown in FIG. 3 . An automobile is shown driving the wrong way down the one way road 40 . The motion detection unit 100 identifies the presence of a vehicle approaching from the wrong direction and sends electrical pulses or wireless communication signals to the camera unit 200 and the barrier 310 . Upon receiving the signals, the barrier deploys, rising up out of the road, and the camera begins photographing the vehicle. Similarly, lights on the opposing warning signs, those located at the other entrance to the road, will begin to flash, indicating that it is not safe to enter the road due to blockage.
[0038] If the car does not stop moving, or collides with the barrier, the camera unit transmits images of the scene along with the vehicle's license plate to nearby authorities. Transmission may occur via wireless signals such as cellular signals, satellite, or may occur via a landline telephone connection, or coaxial/digital cable connection. In this way, authorities are notified that an accident has occurred or that a driver is in distress, or inebriated and is incapable of retreating from the area.
[0039] In a preferred embodiment the motion detection unit also identifies retreat of the car from the one-way road. Once the car moves backward past the motion detection unit, the barrier is signaled to initiate retraction. This system reset functionality reduces the amount of time that law-abiding motorists are prevented from traveling down the road, because the barrier is lowered once the threat of collision has passed. Alternatively, the system may be manually reset by proper authorities, via an interaction with input on one or both of the motion detection and camera unit.
[0040] A view of the components of an exemplary camera unit are shown in FIG. 4A . The camera unit 200 has a digital camera 260 a central processing unit 280 , a memory 290 , a storage media 230 , a communications means such as a transceiver 250 , and optionally an input means 240 for interacting with eh traffic safety system. These components are stored within the camera unit housing 220 and are powered by a battery 270 or in ground electrical connection.
[0041] Activation signals are received into memory, and processed by the CPU, which then initiates photographing. Images taken with the digital camera are stored on the storage media, and may be transferred via the communication link as needed. By way of example, the images may be immediately transferred upon the occurrence of a collision, or failure to stop. Alternatively, the images may be stored until law enforcement or other authorities pair a wireless device with the camera unit and transfer the images to the wireless device for review. Physical transfer means such as universal serial bus (USB) connections are also contemplated.
[0042] Turning finally to FIG. 4B there is shown a collection of components in an exemplary motion detection unit. The motion detection unit 100 has a central processing unit 160 , a memory 170 , a motion detection sensor 130 , and may optionally include a transmitter 140 if wireless transmission of activation signals is desired. Components are bowered by a battery 150 and stored within the motion detection unit housing 120 .
[0043] The motion detector may be optical having infra-red sensors or laser beam sensors. Alternatively, acoustic motion detectors may be used. It is generally not preferred that camera based motion detection be used due to the high rate of speed at which motorists travel, and because the camera should be free to collect photographs for evidentiary purposes. But, in low-speed zones, a camera based motion detection system may be employed so long as it is separate from the camera in the camera unit.
[0044] In an alternative embodiment, the system may employ two motion detection units. The second motion detection unit may be combined with the camera unit to reduce clutter, or may be separate. This embodiment uses a first motion detection unit to identify a vehicle entering a one-way road from the wrong direction and initiates audio or visual feedback. If the motorist does not stop the vehicle and passes the second motion detection sensor, the second sensor initiates barrier deployment and vehicle photographing. In some areas, such as on straight, one-way roads, the use of two motion detection units may be necessary to determine flow of traffic and prevent false positives from vehicles travelling in the proper direction. Thus, the first motion detection unit identifies movement along the road, and the second unit confirms that the motion is in the wrong direction. Only positive motion detection from the first and then the second unit will set off the system, while positives from the second then the first unit will not activate the barrier or signs, because this order implies proper direction of travel.
[0045] The exact configuration of the system will depend upon the specific landscape of the roadway, along with the average rate of speed and size of vehicles utilizing the roadway. Those of ordinary skill in the art will be able to position the herein described components in such a way that motion is detected when coming from the importer direction of travel, and photographs are taken of license plates when a motorist fails to stop or collides with the barrier. Thus, the present system provides a safe and easy to implement traffic control and safety system that reduces the likelihood of collisions on highway exit and entrance ramps as well as one-way roads.
[0046] To this point, the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.
[0047] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
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A traffic safety system is provided for controlling the entry of motorists onto one way roads. The system has a motion detection unit which identifies the presence of motor vehicles travelling the wrong direction on one way roads, highway exit ramps and entrance ramps. Upon detection of a vehicle, the system activates audible and visual warnings. If the motorist does not stop moving, a barrier will deploy and a camera unit will photograph the license plate of the vehicle before transmitting same to local authorities. Additionally, a set of warming indicators positioned at a far end of the road are provided, which illuminate when the system is deployed, notifying travelers of a road blockage.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to power saving of a measuring system having a wireless communication function.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] There is a system including a measuring device that has a wireless communication function and transmits data when receiving a wireless request from the outward, for saving power. Further, there is an intermittent receiving method for saving power of a mobile communication system.
[0005] In a system where a measuring device transmits data when receiving a wireless transmission request from the outside, for saving power, though the power can be saved by holding a circuit of sampling data within the measuring device turn off until receiving the wireless transmission request, it is always necessary to turn on the power of a receiver for receiving the wireless transmission request, which consumes the power, thereby failing to save the power of a portion around the receiver. Further, while the measuring device is moving and measuring, it is always necessary to turn on the power of a receiver so that the measuring device can receive a data transfer request command even when after having got out of range of the radio waves from the data collecting device and the like, during which it couldn't receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device, and it enters within range of the radio wave again, and therefore, the power is consumed for the above.
[0006] Further, since it is impossible to change the sampling intervals of the sensor data in the above case, the power consumption by a sensor circuit and the consumption of a temporary storing memory for the sensor data are great.
[0007] Further, when it returns in a position to receive the data transfer request command thereafter, the sampling data during the interval when it could not receive the data transfer request command, cannot be transferred to the data collecting device.
[0008] In the intermittent receiving method used in a mobile communication system, since the intermittent receiving interval is determined regardless of the tendency of the measurement data of the measuring device, when data is deviated from the correct value, the data reaches the data collecting device so late and it can't perform the minute monitoring at a necessary time disadvantageously. Further, there occurs a transfer delay of the urgent data at the data abnormal time.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] In consideration of the above situation, the present invention provides a measuring system capable of closely monitoring the data on the side of the data collecting device in case of necessity and preventing from a transfer delay of the data in case of an emergency with a little consumption power in a wireless device, by including the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” in the data transfer request command from the data collecting device, varying the calculated value of the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” according to the tendency of the data transferred to the data collecting device and the time zone, and cutting off the power of the receiver in the measuring device, until the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command”, after wireless transmission of the requested data.
[0010] In order to realize the above, in the measuring system of the invention, the data collecting device has the command transfer schedule time calculating means for calculating the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” and the command creating means for including the value of the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” in the this data transfer request command, while the measuring device has the controlling means for cutting off the power of the receiver of the measuring device until the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command”, after transmitting the data requested by this data transfer request command.
[0011] The command transfer schedule time calculating means calculates the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command”, according to the tendency of the data transferred to the data collecting device.
[0012] Concretely, the command transfer schedule time calculating means sets the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” at a time closer to this data transfer request command transmission time, according as the data transferred to the data collecting device approaches the predetermined upper limit or lower limit, and sets it at a time far away therefrom according as it approaches the medium value of the upper limit and the lower limit.
[0013] The command transfer schedule time calculating means sets the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” at a time closer to this data transfer request command transmission time according as the dispersion of the data transferred to the data collecting device is larger, and sets it at a time far away therefrom according as the dispersion of the data is smaller.
[0014] The command transfer schedule time calculating means sets the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” at a time closer to this data transfer request command transmission time according as the variation rate of the data transferred to the data collecting device is larger, and sets it at a time far away therefrom according as the variation rate of the data is smaller.
[0015] The command transfer schedule time calculating means varies the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” according to the time zone in a day.
[0016] The measuring device has the judging means for transmitting the urgent information data to the data collecting device, at arbitrary timing, not according to the data transfer request command transmitted from the data collecting device, when the data detected by the sensor is abnormal value.
[0017] The measuring device has the judging means for transmitting the urgent information data to the data collecting device, at arbitrary timing, not according to the data transfer request command transmitted from the data collecting device, when the data detected by the sensor exceeds the predetermined upper limit or lower limit.
[0018] When the measuring device cannot receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device for a predetermined period of time, the measuring device can save the power consumption and the memory consumption when it is out of range of the radio wave from the data collecting device, sample the sensor data in the above case, and transfer the data after return into range of the radio wave, by changing the operation of the receiver of the measuring device to the intermittent receiving operation and lengthening the sampling intervals of the sensor.
[0019] Therefore, the measuring system of the invention has the operation change judging means for changing the operation of the receiver of the measuring device to the intermittent receiving operation and lengthening the sampling intervals of the sensor when it cannot receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device for a predetermined period of time, and the storing means for storing the sampling data during the period where it cannot receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device, into a memory.
[0020] Further, it has the operation return judging means for changing the operation of the receiver to the continuous receiving operation and returning the sampling intervals of the sensor to the ordinal state, when the measuring device can receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device, during the intermittent receiving operation because of the above factor, and the transmitting means for transmitting the current sampling data and the data sampled during the intermittent receiving operation and stored in the memory, to the data collecting device.
[0021] Further, it has the changing means for changing the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sampling intervals of the sensor according to the tendency of the data detected by the sensor, during the intermittent receiving operation because of the above factor.
[0022] Concretely, the changing means sets the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sampling intervals of the sensor at shorter periods than the predetermined reference values at the intermittent receiving time, according as the data detected by the sensor approaches the predetermined upper limit or lower limit, and sets the above intervals close to the reference values at the intermittent receiving time according as the above data approaches the medium value of the upper limit and the lower limit.
[0023] The changing means sets the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sampling intervals of the sensor at shorter periods than the predetermined reference values at the intermittent receiving time, according as the dispersion of the data detected by the sensor is larger, and sets the above intervals close to the reference values at the intermittent receiving time according as the dispersion of the data is smaller.
[0024] The changing means sets the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sampling intervals of the sensor at shorter periods than the predetermined reference values at the intermittent receiving time, according as the variation rate of the data detected by the sensor is larger and sets the above intervals close to the reference values at the intermittent receiving time, according as the variation rate of the data is smaller.
[0025] The changing means varies the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sampling intervals of the sensor depending on the time zone in a day.
[0026] Instead of creating the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” in the data collecting device, there is a mode of creating the corresponding schedule time value on the side of the measuring device and therefrom transmitting it to the data collecting device. This schedule time value is, hereinafter, referred to as “next data transmission schedule time”.
[0027] The data collecting device determines the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” based on the “next data transmission schedule time” transmitted from the measuring device.
[0028] Namely, the data collecting device can transmit the data transfer request command to the measuring device at the “next data transmission schedule time” value and later.
[0029] The measuring device can cut off the power of the wireless transmitter/receiver, until the “next data transmission schedule time”, after the data transmission, hence to realize the power saving.
[0030] The measuring device calculates the “next data transmission schedule time” according to the tendency of the data detected by the sensor.
[0031] According as the data detected by the sensor approaches the predetermined upper limit or lower limit, the “next data transmission schedule time” is set at a time close to this data transmission time, and according as the data approaches the medium value of the upper limit and the lower limit, it is set at a time far away therefrom.
[0032] According as the dispersion of the data detected by the sensor is larger, the “next data transmission schedule time” is set at a time close to this data transmission time, while according as the dispersion of the data is smaller, the above time is set at a time far away therefrom.
[0033] According as the variation rate of the data detected by the sensor is larger, the “next data transmission schedule time” is set at a time close to this data transmission time, while according as the variation rate of the data is smaller, the above time is set at a time far away therefrom.
[0034] Further, the “next data transmission schedule time” is varied depending on the time zone in a day.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0035] [0035]FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the construction of the hardware of the measuring device according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0036] [0036]FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the construction of the hardware of the data collecting device according to one embodiment of the invention;
[0037] [0037]FIG. 3A is a view showing the outline of the wireless transmitter/receiver according to the invention;
[0038] [0038]FIG. 3B is a view showing the data transfer request command packet according to the invention;
[0039] [0039]FIG. 3C is a view showing the data packet according to the invention;
[0040] [0040]FIG. 4 is a timing chart of wireless transmission/reception and receiver's power control according to the invention;
[0041] [0041]FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the processing of the data collecting device according to the invention;
[0042] [0042]FIG. 6 is a flow chart of the data reading processing of the data collecting device according to the invention;
[0043] [0043]FIG. 7 is a flow chart of the data sampling processing of the measuring device according to the invention;
[0044] [0044]FIG. 8 is a flow chart of the data transmitting/receiving processing of the measuring device according to the invention;
[0045] [0045]FIG. 9A is a timing chart of transition between continuous reception and intermittent reception of a receiver of the measuring device according to the invention;
[0046] [0046]FIG. 9B is a timing chart of the measuring device receiving operation according to the invention.
[0047] [0047]FIG. 9C is a timing chart of the measuring device receiver's power on/off operation according to the invention.
[0048] [0048]FIG. 9D is a timing chart of the measuring device sampling operation to the invention.
[0049] [0049]FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the judgment processing of transition to the intermittent receiving operation of the measuring device according to the invention;
[0050] [0050]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the changing processing of intermittent receiving interval of the measuring device and sensor sampling interval according to the invention;
[0051] [0051]FIG. 12 is a view showing the data packet in case of providing the measuring device with the function of calculating the next data transmission schedule time according to the invention; and
[0052] [0052]FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the processing of the measuring device in the case of providing the measuring device with the function of calculating the next data transmission schedule time according to the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0053] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. However, this invention is not restricted to the form of the embodiment.
[0054] [0054]FIG. 1 is a view showing a hardware structure of a measurement device according to one embodiment of the invention. Here, a thin line indicates a signal line and a heavy line indicates a power line.
[0055] The measurement device of this embodiment is to be attached to an animal and a human body so as to detect living body information, which includes various sensors for detecting the living body information. Here, the case of providing it with a pulse sensor 101 for detecting pulse and an acceleration sensor 104 for detecting acceleration of a person to be tested is shown by way of example. Besides, there are the other sensors for respectively detecting breathing rate, body temperature, blood flood, and the like.
[0056] The pulse detected by the pulse sensor 101 is converted into digital data of pulse rate for one minute by a pulse sensor processing circuit 102 .
[0057] Power is supplied from a battery 110 to the pulse sensor 101 and the pulse sensor processing circuit 102 via a constant voltage circuit 111 for keeping the voltage constant and a first power on/off circuit 103 . The first power on/off circuit 103 can turn on and off the power of the pulse sensor 101 and the pulse sensor processing circuit 102 , according to a control of a CPU 112 . Thus, the power of the portion concerned with the pulse sensor can be cut off when detecting no pulse.
[0058] The acceleration detected by the acceleration sensor 104 is converted into digital data of acceleration by the acceleration sensor processing circuit 105 .
[0059] The power is supplied from the battery 110 to the acceleration sensor 104 and the acceleration sensor processing circuit 105 via the constant voltage circuit 111 for keeping the voltage constant and a second power on/off circuit 106 . According to a control of the CPU 112 , the second power on/off circuit 106 can turn on/off the power of the acceleration sensor 104 and the acceleration processing circuit 105 . Thus, the power of the portion concerned with the acceleration sensor can be cut off when detecting no acceleration.
[0060] The above sensor data is temporarily stored in a memory 114 according to a control of the CPU 112 controlling the whole measurement device in accordance with a program stored in a ROM 113 . The sensor data temporarily stored in the memory 114 is transmitted by wireless by using a wireless transmitter/receiver 107 and an antenna 108 . An instruction command for the measurement device is received by using the wireless transmitter/receiver 107 and the antenna 108 .
[0061] The power is supplied from the battery 110 to the wireless transmitter/receiver 107 via the constant voltage circuit 111 for keeping the voltage constant and a third power on/off circuit 109 . The third power on/off circuit 109 can turn on/off each power of a transmitter and a receiver, of the power supplied to the wireless transmitter/receiver 107 , according to a control of the CPU 112 .
[0062] Thus, the power of the wireless transmitter/receiver can be cut off when transmitting or receiving no data.
[0063] The current time can be called for from timer 115 by the CPU 112 and it can be used for storing the data sampling time of each sensor together with the sampling data or for judgment about transition to an intermittent receiving operation and the like described later.
[0064] [0064]FIG. 2 is a view showing the hardware structure of a data collecting device according to one embodiment of the invention. The data collecting device is controlled by a CPU 201 operating according to a program stored in a ROM 204 . It transmits an instruction command to the measurement device or receives the data transmitted from the measurement device, by using a wireless transmitter/receiver 202 and an antenna 203 . The data received from the measurement device is temporarily stored in a memory 205 once and then stored in a storage 206 . A hard disk and the like is used as the storage 206 .
[0065] The current time can be read out from timer 207 by the CPU 201 and it is used for temporal synchronization with wireless communication, and the like.
[0066] In order to transfer the collected data further outward, the data collecting device is provided with an external line interface 208 , which is connected to an external line 209 . The external line includes a LAN, a public circuit, and the like and it is connected to a center server 210 via the above line. The center server puts the sensor data and the like from the data collecting device together, so to perform various analysis and services for the external.
[0067] [0067]FIG. 3(A) is a view showing the outline of wireless transmission/reception between the data collecting device and the measurement devices. The data collecting device 301 collects data from a plurality of measuring devices 302 , 303 , 304 , and 305 . Here, it shows the case of calling for data from the respective measuring devices in the order of the measuring device 302 , the measuring device 303 , the measuring device 304 , and the measuring device 305 , at regular intervals of time.
[0068] At first, the data collecting device 301 transfers a data transfer request command packet 306 to the measuring device 302 . Thereafter, the measuring device 302 returns the requested data packet 307 .
[0069] Next, the data colleting device 301 transfers a data transfer request command packet 308 to the measuring device 303 . Thereafter, the measuring device 303 returns the requested data packet 309 .
[0070] Next, the data collecting device 301 transfers a data transfer request command packet 310 to the measuring device 304 . Thereafter, the measuring device 304 returns the requested data packet 311 .
[0071] Next, the data collecting device 301 transfers a data transfer request command packet 312 to the measuring device 305 . Thereafter, the measuring device 305 returns the requested data packet 313 .
[0072] A series of the above operations will be repeated. Actually, since the temporal intervals for calling for the data of the measuring device varies depending on the characteristics of the respective measuring devices, the respective data transfer request command packets are transferred to the respective measuring devices at the respective temporal intervals for calling for the data of the respective measuring devices and the respective data packets corresponding to the above command packets are transferred to the data collecting device.
[0073] [0073]FIG. 3(B) is a view showing the structure of the data transfer request command packet ( 306 , 308 , 310 , 312 ) transferred from the data collecting device to the measuring device. The structure of the data transfer request command packet includes a destination ID 314 , a sender ID 315 , a request data type 316 , a next request command transfer schedule time 317 , and an FCS 318 .
[0074] The destination ID 314 is the ID of a measuring device requested to transfer data and each of the measuring devices has the ID (number of two bytes and the like) for identification.
[0075] The sender ID 315 is the ID of the data collecting device.
[0076] The request data type 316 is the number for identifying the type of the data the data collecting device requests the measuring device to transfer, and for example, “0” is assigned to the pulse rate and “1” is assigned to the acceleration speed.
[0077] The next request command transfer schedule time 317 is the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” to the measuring device after the transmission of this data transfer request command packet. The data collecting device will not transfer the next data transfer request command to the measuring device until the schedule time. The measuring device receiving the data transfer request command packet turns off the power of the receiver of the wireless transmitter/receiver 107 until the transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command, after the requested data transfer.
[0078] The FCS 318 is a code for detecting an error of a packet, and a CRC code of 16 bits which is calculated from the head of a packet to the last of the next request command transfer schedule time 317 , and the like is used.
[0079] [0079]FIG. 3( c ) is a view showing the structure of the data packet ( 307 , 309 , 311 , 313 ) transferred from the measuring device to the data collecting device. The data packet includes a destination ID 319 , a sender ID 320 , sampling data 321 , and an FCS 322 .
[0080] The destination ID 319 is the ID of a data collecting device requesting the data transfer.
[0081] The sender ID 320 is the ID of a measuring device transferring the data packet.
[0082] The sampling data 321 is the data requested by the request data type 316 of the data transfer request command packet.
[0083] The FCS 322 is a code for detecting an error of a packet and the CRC code of 16 bits which is calculated the head of a packet to the last of the sampling data 321 , and the like is used.
[0084] [0084]FIG. 4 is a timing chart of wireless transmission/reception between the data collecting device and the measuring device and power control of the receiver of the wireless transmitter/receiver 107 of the measuring device. A data transfer request command packet is transmitted from the data collecting device and received by the measuring device ( 401 , 405 ). A data packet is transmitted from the measuring device and received by the data collecting device ( 406 , 402 ). The data collecting device checks whether the received data packet is correct by using the FCS and the like, and when it is correct, it transfers an ACK packet. The measuring device receives the ACK packet, hence to complete a series of communication ( 403 , 407 ). The ACK packet is a packet to be returned to the measuring device when the data collecting device has received the correct data packet, using a code of one byte. The measuring device cuts off the power of the receiver after receiving the ACK packet (timing of 408 ).
[0085] The measuring device turns on the power of the receiver (timing of 409 ) at the next request command transfer schedule time ( 317 of FIG. 3(B)) of the data transfer request command packet. The data collecting device transmits the next data transfer request command packet 404 at a time later than the next request command transfer schedule time (timing of 409 ).
[0086] [0086]FIG. 5 is a flow chart showing the processing of the data collecting device. Here, it shows the case of reading out the sampling data from four measuring devices from the measuring device 1 to the measuring device 4 .
[0087] In Step S 501 , the initial value of the data reading time increment is set in every measuring device. The data reading time increment means a difference in time from a transfer of the data transfer request command packet to the next transfer of the data transfer request command packet to a measuring device.
[0088] In Step S 502 , it is checked whether it becomes the data reading time from the measuring device 1 . When it becomes the data reading time, the step proceeds to Step S 503 , where the data reading processing of the measuring device 1 is performed. The data reading processing of the measuring device will be described in FIG. 6.
[0089] In Step S 504 , it is checked whether it becomes the data reading time from the measuring device 2 . When it becomes the data reading time, the step proceeds to Step S 505 , where the data reading processing of the measuring device 2 is performed.
[0090] In Step S 506 , it is checked whether it becomes the data reading time from the measuring device 3 . When it becomes the data reading time, the step proceeds to Step S 507 , where the data reading processing of the measuring device 3 is performed.
[0091] In Step S 508 , it is checked whether it becomes the data reading time from the measuring device 4 . When it becomes the data reading time, the step proceeds to Step S 509 , where the data reading processing of the measuring device 4 is performed.
[0092] The step returns to Step S 502 , where a series of the processing is repeated. When the number of the measuring devices is increased, the same processing from Step S 508 and Step S 509 can be added after Step S 508 , for the additional measuring device, hence to cope with the above situation.
[0093] [0093]FIG. 6 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing of reading data from the measuring device by the collecting device(Steps S 503 , S 505 , S 507 , and S 509 in FIG. 5).
[0094] In Step S 601 , a data transfer request command packet is transmitted to a target measuring device. The time obtained by adding the reading time increment initial value set in Step S 501 in FIG. 5 to the current time is first used as the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” 317 of the data transfer request command packet. Thereafter, the time calculated in Step S 614 will be used.
[0095] In Step S 602 , it is checked whether the data packet has been received from the measuring device to which the data transfer request command packet has been transmitted. When the data packet has not been received, the step proceeds to Step S 604 , where it is checked whether there is the urgently-received data packet. The urgently-received data packet is a packet to be transmitted from the measuring device to the data collecting device at any timing when various sensor data detected by the measuring device becomes abnormal. When there is the urgently-received data packet in Step S 604 , the step proceeds to Step S 605 , where the urgent processing such as sounding the alarm or alerting the outside by using the LAN 209 , is performed, and the step moves to the waiting processing of receiving a data packet in Step S 602 again.
[0096] When the data packet has been received in Step S 602 , the step proceeds to Step S 603 , where the received data is stored in the storage 206 . Since the data packet transmitted from the measuring device includes the detection time as well as the data detected by a sensor, the detection time is also stored in the storage 206 together with the data. Next, the step proceeds to Step S 616 , and Step S 616 proceeds to Step S 606 , Step S 608 , or Step S 610 , respectively depending on the type of the living body information sensor.
[0097] In Step S 606 , the dispersion of the pulse rate data stored in the storage 206 within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present is calculated. The dispersion is obtained by calculating the standard deviation and the like.
[0098] In Step S 607 , the reading time increment 1 is defined by subtracting the product of the dispersion and a predetermined proportional multiplier J from the reading time increment initial value set in Step S 501 in FIG. 5. Accordingly, when the dispersion is large, the reading time increment 1 is decreased, while when the dispersion is small, the reading time increment 1 is increased.
[0099] In Step S 608 , the abnormal access level of the pulse rate data stored in the storage 206 within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, is calculated. For the abnormal access level, the absolute value and the like of the value obtained by subtracting the medium value between the predetermined upper limit of the pulse rate and lower limit of the pulse rate from the average value of the pulse rate is adopted.
[0100] In Step S 609 , the reading time increment 2 is defined by the value of subtracting the product of (1/abnormal access level) and a predetermined proportional multiplier K from the reading time increment initial value set in Step S 501 of FIG. 5. Accordingly, when the abnormal access level is large, the reading time increment 2 is decreased, while when the abnormal access level is small, the reading time increment 2 is increased.
[0101] In Step S 610 , the variation rate of the acceleration data stored in the storage 206 within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present is calculated. For the variation rate of acceleration, a difference and the like between the maximum acceleration and the minimum acceleration within the above period of time is adopted.
[0102] In Step S 611 , the reading time increment 3 is defined by the value of subtracting the product of the variation rate of acceleration and a predetermined proportional multiplier L from the reading time increment initial value set in Step S 501 of FIG. 5. Accordingly, when the variation rate of acceleration is large, the reading time increment 3 is decreased, while when the variation rate of acceleration is small, the reading time increment 3 is increased.
[0103] In Step S 612 , the minimum one of the reading time increment 1 , the reading time increment 2 , and the reading time increment 3 is defined as the reading time increment used in the steps thereafter.
[0104] In Step S 613 , the reading time increment is defined by multiplying the reading time increment obtained in Step S 612 by the time correction coefficient. The value of the time correction coefficient is obtained by analyzing the temporal tendency of the data collected by the data collecting device with the analytical software operating in the CPU 201 . For example, it is set at a small value during the daytime when a large change occurs in the sensor detection data and at a large value during the night when little change occurs in the sensor detection data.
[0105] In Step S 614 , the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” ( 317 in FIG. 3(B)) specified in the data transfer request command packet is defined by the value obtained by adding the reading time increment calculated in Step S 613 to the current time read from the timer 207 .
[0106] In Step S 615 , the time to transfer the data transfer request command packet to the measuring device actually is defined by the value obtained by adding a predetermined time allowance C to the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” calculated in Step S 614 .
[0107] As mentioned above, although the case of using the pulse sensor and the acceleration sensor as the sensor of the measuring device has been shown, the processing for the data dispersion (S 606 , S 607 ), the processing for the data abnormal access level (S 608 , S 609 ), and the processing for the data variation rate (S 610 , S 611 ) can apply to the other sensors (breathing rate, body temperature, blood flow, and the like).
[0108] [0108]FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 are flow charts showing the processing of the measuring device. FIG. 7 shows the processing of sampling data from a sensor, and FIG. 8 shows the processing of transmitting and receiving data by wireless. The data sampling processing of FIG. 7 and the data transmission/reception processing of FIG. 8 are simultaneously performed according to the operation system run by the CPU 112 . Although the case of using the pulse sensor and the acceleration sensor as the sensor of the measuring device has been shown, the same algorithm can apply to the other sensors (breathing rate, body temperature, blood flow, and the like).
[0109] In Step S 701 of FIG. 7, it is checked whether it is the pulse rate detection time or not. When it is the pulse rate detection time, the step proceeds to Step S 706 , and otherwise, it proceeds to Step 702 . The pulse rate is read out from the pulse sensor ( 101 in FIG. 1) via pulse rate calculating means ( 102 in FIG. 1) in Step S 706 and it is stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1) together with the current time read from the timer ( 115 in FIG. 1).
[0110] The pulse rate dispersion within the predetermined time period, of the pulse rate so far stored in the memory 114 , is calculated in Step S 707 . The pulse rate dispersion is obtained by calculating the standard deviation and the like.
[0111] In Step S 708 , it is checked whether the pulse rate dispersion exceeds the upper limit or not. When it exceeds the upper limit, the step proceeds to Step S 709 , where the urgent communication for pulse rate abnormal dispersion is required in the data transmission/reception processing described in FIG. 8. When it does not exceed the upper limit, the step proceeds to Step 710 .
[0112] In Step S 710 , it is checked whether the pulse rate exceeds the upper limit or not. When it exceeds the upper limit, the step proceeds to. Step S 711 , where the urgent communication for the pulse rate over-limit is required in the data transmission/reception processing described in FIG. 8. When it does not exceed the upper limit, the step proceeds to Step 712 .
[0113] In Step 712 , it is checked whether the pulse rate is below the lower limit or not is checked. When it is below the lower limit, the step proceeds to Step S 713 , where the urgent communication for the pulse rate under-limit is required in the data transmission/reception processing described in FIG. 8.
[0114] In Step S 702 , it is checked whether it is the detection time of acceleration. The acceleration is detected at regular intervals. When it is the detection time of acceleration, the step proceeds to Step S 703 . The acceleration is read out from the acceleration sensor ( 104 in FIG. 1) via acceleration processing means ( 105 in FIG. 1) in S 703 , and it is stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1) together with the current time read from the timer ( 115 in FIG. 1).
[0115] It is checked whether the acceleration detected in Step S 704 exceeds the upper limit. When it exceeds the upper limit, the step proceeds to Step S 705 , where the urgent communication for the acceleration over-limit is required in the data transmission/reception processing described in FIG. 8.
[0116] [0116]FIG. 8 is a flow chart showing the data transmission/reception processing of the measuring device.
[0117] In Step S 801 , it is checked whether the receiver of the wireless transmitter/receiver is on the power. When it is on the power, since the measuring device is in a state of waiting for a command from the data collecting device, the step proceeds to Step S 804 , where the reception of the data transfer request command packet is checked. Otherwise, the step proceeds to Step S 802 .
[0118] In Step S 802 , it is checked whether the current time exceeds the reception schedule time of the data transfer request command. For the reception schedule time of the data transfer request command, the value of the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” ( 317 in FIG. 3(B)) of the data transfer request command packet having been received last time is adopted. When the current time exceeds the reception schedule time of the data transfer request command in Step S 802 , the step proceeds to Step S 803 , where the receiver of the wireless transmitter/receiver ( 107 in FIG. 1) is turned on, and then it proceeds to Step S 804 , where it waits for receipt of the data transfer request command packet from the data collecting device.
[0119] When the current time does not pass the reception schedule time of the data transfer request command in Step S 802 , the step proceeds to Step S 810 .
[0120] When the data transfer request command packet has been received in Step S 804 , the step proceeds to Step S 805 , where the value of the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” ( 317 in FIG. 3(B)) of the received data transfer request command packet is stored. When the data transfer request command packet has not been received, the step proceeds to Step S 810 .
[0121] In Step S 806 , the transmitter of the wireless transmitter/receiver is turned on, and in Step S 807 , the data packet specified by the “request data type” ( 316 in FIG. 3(B)) of the data transfer request command packet is transmitted. In Step S 808 , the transmitter of the wireless transmitter/receiver is turned off, and in Step S 809 , the receiver of the wireless transmitter/receiver is turned off.
[0122] In Step S 810 , it is checked whether there is the urgent communication request from the data sampling processing described in FIG. 7. When there is no urgent communication request, the step returns to Step S 801 . When there is the urgent communication request, the step proceeds to Step S 811 .
[0123] In Step S 811 , the transmitter of the wireless transmitter/receiver is turned on. In Step S 812 , the urgent communication data requested from the data sampling processing of FIG. 7 is transmitted. In Step S 813 , the transmitter of the wireless transmitter/receiver is turned off. In Step S 814 , the receiver is turned on because there is a possibility of receiving a command packet from the data collecting device as for the urgent communication data having transmitted in Step S 812 , the step returns to Step S 801 , and in Step S 804 , it waits for a command from the data collecting device.
[0124] [0124]FIG. 9 is a timing chart showing a transition between continuous reception and intermittent reception in the receiver and a change in the sampling intervals of the sensor, when the measuring device moves out of range of the radio wave from the data collecting device.
[0125] [0125]FIG. 9(A) is a timing chart of transmission of the data transfer request command from the data collecting device to the measuring device, in which 1001 to 1012 indicate the data transfer request commands respectively. Here, the data transfer request commands 1001 , 1011 , and 1012 shown by the solid line are the data transfer request commands transmitted when the measuring device is within range of the radio wave from the data collecting device, while 1002 to 1010 shown by the dotted line are the data transfer request commands transmitted when the measuring device is out of range of the radio wave from the data collecting device.
[0126] [0126]FIG. 9(B), (C) is a view showing the relationship between the receiving operation of the measuring device and the power on/off of the receiver. In the state of 1012 in FIG. 9(B), although it shows the continuous receiving operation, the receiver moves to the intermittent receiving operation when it cannot receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device for a predetermined period of time.
[0127] During the intermittent receiving operation, the receiver is intermittently turned on, so to perform the receiving operation for a predetermined period of time, as shown in the state from 1013 to 1017 in FIG. 9(B). In the state of 1013 , the receiver is turned off for the predetermined period of time, and in the state of 1014 , the receiver is turned on, so to perform the receiving operation for the predetermined period of time. In the state of 1015 , the receiver is again turned off for the predetermined period of time, and in the state of 1016 , the receiver is turned on, so to perform the receiving operation for the predetermined period of time. The above operations will be repeated in the state of 1017 and the later.
[0128] When it can receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device at the receiving time during the intermittent receiving operation, the operation turns to the continuous receiving operation (state of 1018 ).
[0129] [0129]FIG. 9(D) is a view showing the timing of the data sampling from the sensor of the measuring device. The receiver shifts to the intermittent receiving operation because the measuring device receives no data transfer request command from the data collecting device for the predetermined period of time, and simultaneously, the sampling intervals of the sensor are lengthened. Here, in an interval between one sampling and another sampling of the sensor, the sensor and its related part are turned off and the electric power consumed in the sensor and its related part is saved and the memory consumption for storing the data detected by the sensor is saved.
[0130] When it receives the data transfer request command from the data collecting device again during the intermittent receiving operation of the receiver, the sampling intervals of the sensor is returned to the ordinary intervals and the corresponding data including the data sampled during the receiver's intermittent receiving operation is transmitted to the data collecting device.
[0131] [0131]FIG. 10 is a flow chart showing the judgment processing of transition to the intermittent receiving operation of the measuring device.
[0132] In Step S 1108 , the receiver judges whether it is under the intermittent receiving operation. The transition to the intermittent receiving operation is performed at the last execution in Step S 1114 described later. When it is not under the intermittent receiving operation, the step proceeds to Step S 1109 , where it is judged whether the data transfer request command from the data collecting device is received or not. When the data transfer request command is received, the step proceeds to Step S 1110 , where the time of receiving the data transfer request command is stored into the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), and then, proceeding to Step S 1111 , the data requested by the data transfer request command is transmitted to the data collecting device. When there is the data sampled from the sensor during the intermittent reception described later, the same data is also transmitted there.
[0133] When it could not receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device in Step S 1109 , the step proceeds to Step S 1112 , where it is checked whether the current time exceeds the time obtained by adding the predetermined judgment time to the last receiving time of the data transfer request command. This judgment time is the time for turning the receiver to the intermittent receiving operation when it fails to receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device for the predetermined period of time. This step S 1112 is the judging means of operation change to the intermittent receiving operation.
[0134] When the current time does not exceed the time obtained by adding the judgment time to the last receiving time of the data transfer request command, the step returns to Step S 1109 , where the reception of the data transfer request command from the data collecting device is again checked.
[0135] When the current time exceeds the time obtained by adding the judgment time to the last receiving time of the data transfer request command, it is judged that the measuring device moves out of range of the radio wave of the data collecting device, and therefore, in order to save the electric power of the receiver, the processing for turning the receiver to the intermittent receiving operation is performed in Step S 1114 . Since the data sampled by the sensor cannot be transmitted to the data collecting device, the sampling intervals are lengthened in Step S 1115 , the number of the sampling data per unit of time is lessened, and the storing amount of the sampling data into the memory is decreased, hence to prevent from overflow of the memory. In the actual processing here, a reference value of the sampling intervals described in FIG. 11 is changed to a predetermined reference value of the sampling intervals under the intermittent receiving operation. The reference value under the intermittent receiving operation is fixed in advance at a larger value than the reference value of the-continuous receiving operation.
[0136] When it is judged that the receiver is under the intermittent receiving operation in Step S 1108 , the step proceeds to Step S 1101 . The case where it is under the intermittent receiving operation means the case where it cannot receive the data transfer request command from the data collecting device for the predetermined time period and more, and this is checked in the above step S 1112 and the shifting processing is performed in Step S 1114 .
[0137] In Step S 1101 , it is checked whether it is the time of receiving the radio wave from the data collecting device. The time of receiving is decided in Step S 1213 of FIG. 11 described later. At the intermittent receiving operation of the receiver, generally the receiver is turned off and at the regular intervals, the receiver is turned on, so to perform the receiving operation for the predetermined period of time.
[0138] When it is judged that it is the time of receiving the radio wave from the data collecting device in Step S 1101 , the step proceeds to Step S 1102 , where the receiver is turned on while controlling the third power on/off circuit 109 of FIG. 1, then proceeding to Step S 1103 , it is checked whether the data transfer request command from the data collecting device is received or not. When it is judged that it is not the time of receiving the radio wave from the data collecting device, the step proceeds to Step S 1108 .
[0139] In Step S 1103 , when it can receive the data transfer request command, since it can be judged that the receiver is within range of the radio wave from the data collecting device, the finishing processing of the intermittent receiving operation of the receiver is performed in Step S 1106 , and the sampling intervals of the sensor is returned to the ordinary intervals in Step S 1107 , hence to shift to the ordinary operation. This step S 1103 is the operation return judging means toward the ordinary operation.
[0140] When it cannot receive the data transfer request command in Step S 1103 , it is checked whether the predetermined receiving time has elapsed or not in Step S 1104 .
[0141] When the predetermined receiving time does not have elapsed in Step S 1104 , the step returns to Step S 1103 , where the reception about the data transfer request command is checked again.
[0142] When the predetermined receiving time has elapsed in Step S 1104 , the step proceeds to Step S 1105 , where the receiving operation is finished and the receiver is turned off until the next receiving time.
[0143] In Step S 1116 , the changing processing of the intermittent receiving time intervals and the sensor sampling intervals is performed according to the sensor detection data. (described in FIG. 11).
[0144] [0144]FIG. 11 is a flow chart showing the details of the processing of changing the intermittent receiving interval and the processing of changing the sensor sampling interval in Step S 1116 of FIG. 10.
[0145] In Step S 1201 , it is checked whether it is the detection time of the pulse rate. When it is the detection time of the pulse rate, the step proceeds to Step S 1203 . The detection time of the pulse rate is determined by the last execution of Step S 1211 described later. When it is not the detection time of the pulse rate, the step proceeds to Step S 1202 .
[0146] In Step S 1203 , the pulse sensor and its related part are turned on. The power is turned on by the CPU 112 controlling the first power on/off circuit 103 in FIG. 1.
[0147] In Step S 1204 , the pulse rate is detected and it is stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1) together with the time, and in Step S 1205 , the pulse sensor and its related part are turned off.
[0148] In Step S 1206 , the abnormal access level of the data within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the pulse rate data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. For the abnormal access level, the absolute value of the value obtained by subtracting the medium value between the predetermined upper limit of the pulse rate and lower limit of the pulse rate from the average value of the pulse rate and the like is adopted.
[0149] In Step S 1207 , the pulse sampling interval 1 is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of (1/anbormal access degree) and the predetermined proportional multiplier K from the reference value of the pulse sampling interval 1 previously set. Thus, when the abnormal access level is large, the pulse sampling interval 1 becomes small, while when the abnormal access level is small, the pulse sampling interval 1 becomes large.
[0150] In Step S 1208 , the dispersion of the data within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the pulse rate data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. The dispersion is obtained by calculating the standard deviation and the like.
[0151] In Step S 1209 , the pulse sampling interval 2 is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of the dispersion and the predetermined proportional multiplier J from the predetermined reference value of the pulse sampling interval 2 . Thus, when the dispersion is large, the pulse sampling interval 2 becomes small, while when the dispersion is small, the pulse sampling interval 2 becomes large.
[0152] In Step 51210 , the product obtained by multiplying the smaller one of the pulse sampling interval 1 required in Step S 1207 and the pulse sampling interval 2 required in Step S 1209 by time correction coefficient is defined as the pulse rate sampling interval. The value of the time correction coefficient is obtained by analyzing the tendency of the data detected by the pulse sensor in a period of time. For example, it is set at a small value during the daytime when a large change occurs in the pulse sensor detection data and at a large value during the night when little change occurs in the pulse sensor detection data.
[0153] In Step S 1211 , the next pulse rate detection time is calculated by adding the pulse rate sampling interval required in Step S 1210 to the current time. This pulse rate detection time is used for judgment at the next execution of Step S 1201 .
[0154] In Step S 1202 , it is checked whether it is the detection time of acceleration or not. When it is the detection time of acceleration, the step proceeds to Step S 1214 . The detection time of acceleration is determined by the last execution of Step S 1220 described later. When it is not the detection time of acceleration, the processing of FIG. 11 is finished.
[0155] In Step S 1214 , the acceleration sensor and its related part are turned on. The power is turned on by the CPU 112 controlling the second power on/off circuit 106 of FIG. 1.
[0156] In Step S 1215 , the acceleration is detected and it is stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1) together with the time, and in Step S 1216 , the acceleration sensor and its related part are turned off.
[0157] In Step S 1217 , the variation rate of acceleration of the data within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the acceleration data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. For the variation rate of acceleration, a difference between the maximum acceleration and the minimum acceleration and the like within the period of time, is adopted.
[0158] In Step S 1218 , the acceleration sampling interval is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of the variation rate of acceleration and the predetermined proportional multiplier L from the predetermined reference value of acceleration sampling intervals. Thus, when the variation rate of acceleration is large, the acceleration sampling intervals become small, while when the variation rate of acceleration is small, the acceleration sampling intervals become large.
[0159] In Step S 1219 , the product obtained by multiplying the acceleration sampling intervals required in Step S 1218 by the time correction coefficient is defined as the acceleration sampling intervals. The value of the time correction coefficient is obtained by analyzing the tendency of the data detected by the acceleration sensor in a period of time. For example, it is set at a small value during the daytime when a large change occurs in the acceleration sensor detection data and at a large value during the night when only a little change occurs in the acceleration sensor detection data.
[0160] In Step S 1220 , the next acceleration detection time is obtained by adding the acceleration sampling intervals required in Step S 1219 to the current time. The obtained acceleration detection time is used for judgment at the next execution of Step S 1202 .
[0161] In Step S 1212 , the intermittent receiving time intervals of the receiver are defined by the product obtained by multiplying all additions of the product of the pulse sampling interval 1 and the proportional constant A, the product of the pulse sampling interval 2 and the proportional constant B, and the product of the acceleration sampling interval and the proportional constant C, by the proportional multiplier D. The proportional multipliers A, B, C, and D are predetermined.
[0162] In Step S 1213 , the next receiving time is defined by adding the intermittent receiving time intervals required in Step S 1212 to the current time. The receiving time value is used for judgment at the next execution of Step S 1101 of FIG. 10.
[0163] As mentioned above, although the case of using the pulse sensor and the acceleration sensor as the sensor of the measuring device has been shown, the processing for the abnormal access level of the data detected by the sensor (S 1206 , S 1207 ), the processing for the data dispersion (S 1208 , S 1209 ), the processing for the variation rate of data (S 1217 , S 1218 ), and the processing concerned with the time correction (S 1210 , S 1219 ) and the like can apply to the other sensors (breathing rate, body temperature, blood flow, and the like).
[0164] [0164]FIG. 12 is a view showing the structure of the data packet in the case of installing a function of calculating the “next data transmission schedule time” in the measuring device. In the case of this installation, the schedule time value corresponding to the above “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” is calculated on the side of the measuring device and transmitted to the data collecting device.
[0165] The data collecting device determines the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” based on the “next data transmission schedule time” sent from the measuring device.
[0166] The data packet includes the destination ID 1301 , the sender ID 1302 , the next data transmission schedule time 1303 , the sampling data 1304 , and the FCS 1305 .
[0167] The destination ID 1301 is the ID of the data collecting device to which the measuring device transmits the data packet.
[0168] The sender ID 1302 is the ID of the measuring device which transfers the data packet.
[0169] The next data transmission schedule time 1303 is the “next data transmission schedule time”, and after transmission of this data packet, the wireless transmitter/receiver ( 107 in FIG. 1) of the measuring device is turned off the power until the next transmission schedule time of the data packet, hence to save the power of the measuring device.
[0170] Since the wireless transmitter/receiver of the measuring device is turned on at about the “next data transmission schedule time” of the data packet sent from the measuring device, the data collecting device transmits the instruction information to the measuring device in accordance with the above time.
[0171] The sampling data 1304 is the data sampled by the measuring device for a period from the last data packet transmission to this data packet transmission.
[0172] The FCS 1305 is the code for detecting an error of a packet, and the CRC code of 16 bits which is calculated the head of a packet to the last of the sampling data 1304 and the like is adopted for the FCS 1305 .
[0173] [0173]FIG. 13 is a flow chart showing the processing on the side of the measuring device when installing the function of calculating the “next data transmission schedule time” in the measuring device.
[0174] In Step S 1401 , the pulse rate is detected and stored into the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1).
[0175] In Step S 1402 , the acceleration is detected and stored into the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1).
[0176] In Step S 1403 , it is checked whether it is the time to transmit the data on the pulse rate and the acceleration stored in the memory to the data collecting device. For the data transmitting time in this case, the next data transmission schedule time calculated in the last execution of Step S 1413 described later is adopted. When it is judged that it is not the data transmitting time in Step S 1403 , the step proceeds to Step S 1404 , and after waiting for a predetermined period, it returns to Step S 1401 again. The predetermined period in Step S 1404 means the sampling intervals for detecting the pulse-rate and the acceleration.
[0177] When it is judged that it is the data transmitting time in Step S 1403 , the step proceeds to Step S 1417 , and from Step S 1417 , it further proceeds to Step S 1405 , Step S 1407 , and Step S 1409 , depending on the type of the living body information sensor.
[0178] In Step S 1405 , the dispersion of the data within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the pulse rate data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. The dispersion is obtained by calculating the standard deviation and the like.
[0179] In Step S 1406 , the data transmitting time increment 1 is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of the dispersion and the predetermined proportional multiplier J from the predetermined transmitting time increment initial value Thus, when the dispersion is large, the data transmitting time increment 1 becomes small, and when the dispersion is small, the data transmitting time increment 1 becomes large.
[0180] In Step S 1407 , the abnormal access level of the data as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the pulse rate data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. For the abnormal access level, the absolute value of the value obtained by subtracting the medium value between the predetermined upper limit of the pulse rate and lower limit of the pulse rate from the average of the pulse rate and the like, is adopted.
[0181] In Step S 1408 , the data transmitting time increment 2 is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of (1/abnormal access level) and the predetermined proportional multiplier K from the transmitting time increment initial value previously set. Thus, when the abnormal access level is large, the data transmitting time increment 2 becomes small, while when the abnormal access level is small, the data transmitting time increment 2 becomes large.
[0182] In Step S 1409 , the variation rate of acceleration of the data within the time as far back as a predetermined period from the past to the present, of the acceleration data stored in the memory ( 114 in FIG. 1), is calculated. For the variation rate of acceleration, it adopts a difference between the maximum acceleration and the minimum acceleration in the above period of time, and the like.
[0183] In Step S 1410 , the data transmitting time increment 3 is defined by the value obtained by subtracting the product of the variation rate of acceleration and the predetermined proportional multiplier L from the transmitting time increment initial value previously set. Thus, when the variation rate of acceleration is large, the data transmitting time increment 3 becomes small, while when the variation rate of acceleration is small, the data transmitting time increment 3 becomes large.
[0184] In Step S 1411 , the smallest one of the data transmitting time increment 1 , the data transmitting time increment 2 , and the data transmitting time increment 3 is defined as the data transmitting time increment used for the following steps.
[0185] In Step S 1412 , the product obtained by multiplying the data transmitting time increment obtained in Step S 1411 by the time correction coefficient is defined as the transmitting time increment. The value of the time correction coefficient is obtained by analyzing the tendency of the collected data in a period of time according to the analytic software running on the CPU ( 112 in FIG. 1). For example, it is set at a small value during the daytime when a large change occurs in the sensor detection data and at a large value during the night when only a small change occurs in the sensor detection data.
[0186] In Step S 1413 , the “next data transmission schedule time” specified in the data packet ( 1303 in FIG. 12) is defined by the value obtained by adding the transmitting time increment calculated in Step S 1412 to the current time read out from the timer ( 115 in FIG. 1).
[0187] In Step S 1414 , the wireless transmitter/receiver ( 107 in FIG. 1) is turned on. In Step S 1415 , the data packet including the “next data transmission schedule time” and the sampling data is transferred to the data collecting device.
[0188] In Step S 1416 , the wireless transmitter/receiver ( 107 in FIG. 1) is turned off.
[0189] As mentioned above, although the case of using the pulse sensor and the acceleration sensor as the sensor of the measuring device has been shown, the processing for the data dispersion (S 1405 , S 1406 ), the processing for the data abnormal access level (S 1407 , S 1408 ), and the processing for the data variation rate (S 1409 , S 1410 ) can apply to the other sensors (breathing rate, body temperature, blood flow, and the like).
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A Living Body Information Measuring System comprising a data collecting device and a measuring device, for saving the power consumed in the measuring device and preventing a data transmission delay of the measuring device in an emergency, is described. The data collecting device calculates the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” in the data transfer request command, and varies the value of the “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command” according to the tendency of the transferred data and the time zone. The measuring device controls to cut off the power of the receiver, until this “transfer schedule time of the next data transfer request command”, after transferring the requested data.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In known weaving machines, every heald shaft or heddle of such machine is moved by a pair of lever elements, wherein these lever elements engage the respective heald shafts in the proximity of the two lateral ends thereof. The two lever elements belonging to a heald shaft are in that case connected by transmission elements in such a manner, that they both perforce execute the same motion and exert a pulling or pushing force on the heald shaft parallel to the healds. This construction is however relatively expensive because of the transmission elements necessary for the simultaneous movement of the two lever elements.
There is further already known a web machine with several heald shafts arranged one behind the other, in which only a single lever engages with each heald shaft. In this construction, the pivot axes of the lever elements extend perpendicularly to the healds but parallel to the general planes of the respective heald shaft assembly. Since the lever elements in such a known arrangement are arranged next to one another, they cannot all engage with the heald shafts in the middle thereof. This has the consequence, that the lever elements generate turning moments with respect to the centres of the respective heald shaft assemblies, whereby excessive loading of the lateral guides of the heald shafts may arise. This causes, particularly at great weaving speeds, on the one hand excessive wear of such guides and on the other hand the generation of excessive noise.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided a web weaving machine comprising a plurality of heald shafts disposed to have a plane of symmetry common to one another and a plurality of tension transmitting elements, at least one of the elements being flexible and being guided by at least one roller, each tension transmitting element being connected to a respective heald shaft at a portion thereof which is disposed in the plane of symmetry and each element being so disposed as, in use, to transmit a force to the respective heald shaft which is directed substantially parallel to the healds thereof.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Embodiments of the present invention will now be more particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:
FIG. 1 shows an elevational view, in a direction parallel to the warp threads, of a web weaving device which includes a plurality of heald shafts and in which the pivot axes of transmission levers for imparting displacement to such heald shafts extend parallel to the general planes of the respective heald shaft assemblies;
FIG. 2 shows a side elevational view of the device shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 shows a representation of a heald shaft, in which a tensioning element and a restoring element engage on the same side of the heald shaft assembly, and
FIG. 4 shows a simplified representation of a heald shaft assembly in which the pivot axis of the transmission lever extends perpendicularly to the general plane of the heald shaft frame.
DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 is part of a weaving loom including two heald shaft assemblies designated generally by the reference numerals 1 and 21, respectively, wherein the heald shaft 21 has been omitted in FIG. 1 in the interest of clarity of illustration. The heald shaft assembly 1 includes a heald shaft frame 2, which is provided with two horizontal shaft rods 2a and 2b, respectively, which are connected with one another by two side members each designated by the reference 2c. Parallel to the shaft rods 2a and 2b are arranged two heald carriers 3, on which several vertically extending healds 4 are supported. As shown in FIG. 1, each heald 4 is provided with a respective central eyelet 4a. During weaving, the warp threads 13 are guided through these eyelets 4a.
At each of the heald shafts 1 and 21, a tension element 5 and 25, respectively, engages with the lower shaft rod in such a way that the respective heald shaft assembly must inevitably follow any movement of the tension element 5 or 25. Both tension elements 5 and 25 are connected to the heald shafts 1 and 21, respectively, in the plane of shaft symmetry which is common to both the heald shafts 1 and 21. Thus, each tensioning element 5 and 25 extends in a direction parallel to the healds 4 and each is so arranged that the tension force exerted on the respective heald shaft at the point of engagement operates in a direction parallel to the healds 4. The tension elements 5 and 25, formed somewhat like ropes, are flexible and are each guides over at least one deflecting roller 6, 7 and 27, respectively.
Associated with each of the heald shafts 1 and 21 is a transmission lever 8 and 28, respectively, of which in FIG. 1 only the one lever arm end 8b and 28b, respectively, is illustrated. The lever arms 8b and 28b are connected to the tension elements 5 and 25, respectively. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the levers 8 and 28 are arranged side-by-side and are pivotable about a common pivot axis 15 extending perpendicularly to the plane of symmetry of the heald shafts 1, 21. As shown best in FIG. 2, the lever arms 8a and 28a -- when in their central positions -- each extend substantially perpendicularly to the healds 4. At the other ends of the transmission levers 8 and 28 are mounted rollers 9 and 29, respectively. The rollers 9 and 29 serve as sensing elements, which rest upon the camming profiles of cam discs 10 and 30, respectively.
Each of the heald shafts 1 and 21 is guided in such a manner by guide means (not shown) that the respective heald shafts may each be moved in a vertical direction, but are restrained from twisting or lateral displacement. At each of the heald shafts 1 and 21 there engages a respective restoring spring 12 and 32, respectively. As shown best in FIG. 1, each of these restoring springs engages a part of the respective heald shaft which is disposed opposite to the point of engagement of the tension elements 5 and 25, respectively. These springs 12 and 32 are so arranged, that the force generated by them is directed parallel to the healds 4 and operates on the heald shafts 1 and 21, respectively, in the plane of symmetry of the respective heald shafts. Instead of one, several restoring springs can also be engaged with each of the heald shafts, provided that such a plurality of springs are so arranged that the resultant force generated operates in the plane of symmetry so as not to tend to twist the heald shafts.
When now bearing shaft 11, with which the cam discs 10 and 30 are connected to be rotationally secure, turns during weaving, the levers 8 and 28, respectively, execute periodical pivot movements, which are transmitted by the tension elements 5 and 25, respectively, to the shafts 1 and 21, respectively. Since the lever arm 28a of the lever 28 is somewhat longer than the lever arm 8a of the lever 8, the deflection of the heald shaft 21 is somewhat larger than that of the heald shaft 1. Since the heald shaft 21 is somewhat more remote from the edge of the woven fabrics 14 than the heald shaft 1, the angle between the woven fabric 14 and the warp threads 13 guided through the heald eyelets of the heald shaft 1 in both end positions of the heald shaft 1 is about the same as the angle between the woven fabric 14 and the warp threads 33 guided through the eyelets of the heald shaft 21.
Due to the fact that the tension element 5 is deflected by two deflecting rollers 6 and 7 and the tension element 25 is deflected by the deflecting roller 27, both tension elements 5 and 25 can be connected to the respective heald shafts in the plane of shaft symmetry, although the transmission levers 8 and 28 are arranged side-by-side and their lateral spacing D (FIG. 1) is larger than the spacing d (FIG. 2) between the respective heald shafts. The embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 thus makes it possible to impart motion to the heald shafts without the different forces operating on each heald shaft -- namely the force transmitted by the tension element, the force generated by the restoring spring and the frictional forces generated by the guide elements -- producing a turning moment with respect to the centre of the respective heald shafts. Thus, frictional losses, the wear of the guides and generation of noise are appreciably reduced compared to those of some known arrangements.
More than two heald shafts can of course be arranged one behind the other and each may be connected, in the manner illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2, by flexible tension transmitting elements to respective transmission levers. It is in that case also possible, that one of the transmission levers is disposed in the plane of symmetry of the respective heald shaft. Such a lever may be connected directly, that is to say without a deflecting roller, to the respective heald shaft, or may be connected thereto via a rigid or flexible tension transmitting element. It is further possible to arrange the transmission levers corresponding to the respective heald shafts above one another instead of arranging them side-by-side next to one another and mounting them by means of a common shaft. Similarly, the respective cam discs may be arranged above one another instead of being mounted side-by-side on a common shaft. Furthermore, movement of the heald shafts can be controlled by any suitable camming means. Thus, for example, reciprocatably displaceable camming elements may be employed instead of rotatable cam discs.
Illustrated in FIG. 3 is a heald shaft 41, at which a flexible tension element 45 and a restorer engage on the same side of the shaft in a plane of shaft symmetry. The tension element 45, of which only the uppermost end portion has been illustrated, is connected to a vertical rod 44, which is attached to the heald shaft 41. The restorer consists of a resetting lever 51 and a tension spring 52. The free end 51a of the resetting lever 51 engages a peg 44a attached to the rod 44 and urges the heald shaft 41 upwardly in FIG. 3. In such an arrangement, the transmission lever and the cam disc which are not shown in FIG. 3 are constructed and arranged in a manner similar to that illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2. As in FIGS. 1 and 2, a plurality of heald shafts and associated transmission levers and cams may be provided. It is of course also possible to omit the tension spring 52 and to load each resetting lever 51 with a weight, in order to provide a restoring force for the corresponding heald shaft.
Illustrated in FIG. 4 is an embodiment, in which associated with each heald shaft 61 is a transmission lever 68, the pivot axis 75 of which extends parallel to the plane of the heald shaft 61 symmetry, the one end 68b of which is connected to the tension transmitting element 65 which is connected to the shaft 61 and at the other end of which is mounted a roller 69 serving as cam follower. The roller 69 rests on the curve of camming surface of a cam disc 70, which is connected to be rotationally fast with a shaft 71. This embodiment has the advantage, that only one deflecting roller is necessary per tension element 65 for all the heald shafts, such as the heald shaft 61, arranged one behind the other, whilst, when the transmission levers of a heald shaft displacement device with more than two heald shafts are so arranged as in the example of embodiment illustrated in the FIGS. 1 and 2, two deflecting rollers for deflection of the tension transmitting element are necessary for most of the heald shafts. Since the transmission levers and cam discs are relatively broad, the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 4 has however the disadvantage, that the heald shafts likewise must be arranged to be correspondingly spaced far apart from one another or that the transmission levers must be divided into two groups. In the latter case, the two trasmission lever groups can be arranged substantially above one another and the shafts following one upon the other can be connected by a respective tension element alternatingly with a respective lever of the one or the other group.
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A web weaving machine is disclosed. The machine comprises a plurality of heald shafts disposed to have a plane of symmetry common to one another and a plurality of tension transmitting elements. At least one of the elements is flexible and is guided by at least one roller. Each tension transmitting element is connected to a respective heald shaft at a portion thereof which is disposed in the plane of symmetry and each element is so disposed as, in use, to transmit a force to the respective heald shaft which is directed substantially parallel to the healds thereof.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a film running device for handling long films in a step of producing, for example, magnetic recording media, photographic films, film capacitors, collector films of film electrodes in the secondary cells, etc.
[0003] 2. Prior Art
[0004] In the production of, for example, magnetic recording media, photographic films, film capacitors and collector films in the secondary cells, use is made of long films such as various resin films or metal films as base films for constituting the above films. While the long films are running at a predetermined speed, various operations are executed such as applying a magnetic coating material, evaporating a metal magnetic material, sputtering, calender treatment, heat treatment, forming a surface protection layer, forming a back layer, applying a photographic emulsion, depositing an electrode layer, and applying an activated depolarizing mix for cell of an electrode-constituting agent.
[0005] The film running device usually includes a delivery roll for delivering and feeding a film, a take-up roll for taking up the film, and regions for varying the running speed or the tension along a passage where the film runs in order to accomplish a running speed or a tension adapted to executing various treatments along the passage between the above rolls. In this case, a feed roll is often arranged between the regions to cut the tension or to execute a so-called connection cutting. There are further provided many rolls such as pinch rolls, touch rolls and guide rolls.
[0006] It is desired that these rolls are rotated at a peripheral speed in agreement with the running speed of the film from the standpoint of controlling the running speed of the film, and avoiding damages to the surfaces of the films or to the coated films formed on the surfaces of the films, that may be caused by slip between the films and the rolls.
[0007] When the film running device is so constituted that the individual rolls rotate by themselves, provision is made of electric motors for the rolls to rotate them, and their rotational motions are transmitted to the rolls by pulley-belt mechanisms.
[0008] This, however, is accompanied by many problems such as noise due to the pulley-belt mechanisms, dispersion in the rotational speed due to slipping causing a change in the tension of the running film and developing wrinkles.
[0009] Further, large space is required for arranging the electric motors and rotation transmission mechanisms, the number of parts increases, the device as a whole becomes bulky occupying increased areas and space, and requiring cumbersome maintenance.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The present invention is to provide a film running device which enables the film to run stably, features a decrease in the size of the device as a whole, simplicity and easy maintenance avoiding the above inconvenience.
[0011] The present invention is concerned with a film running device for running a long film delivered from a delivery roll, wherein a rotary shaft of the delivery roll is a drive rotor which incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor therein, and the drive rotor is rotated by the motor.
[0012] The invention is further concerned with a film running device for running a long film delivered from a delivery roll so as to be taken up by a take-up roll, wherein a rotary shaft of the take-up roll is a drive rotor which incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor therein, and the drive rotor is rotated by the motor.
[0013] The invention is further concerned with a film running device in which a region where a long film runs at a different speed is arranged via a feed roll on a passage along which the long film runs, wherein the feed roll is a drive rotor which incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor therein, and the drive rotor is rotated by the motor.
[0014] The invention is further concerned with a film running device in which a pinch roll is disposed on a passage along which a long film runs, wherein the pinch roll is a drive rotor which incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor therein, and the drive rotor is rotated by the motor.
[0015] The invention is further concerned with a film running device for running a long film delivered from a delivery roll so as to be taken up by a take-up roll, and including a touch roll so disposed as to come into rotational contact with the film taken up by the take-up roll, wherein the touch roll is a drive rotor which incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor therein, and the drive rotor is rotated by the motor.
[0016] According to the film running device of the present invention, the motor is controlled by controlling the frequency to control the rotational speed of the drive rotor in order to bring the circumferential speed of the delivery roll, circumferential speed of the take-up roll or circumferential speed of the feed roll, pinch roll or touch roll into nearly agreement with the predetermined film running speed.
[0017] As described above, the present invention deals with a film running device having at least any one of a delivery roll for delivering the film, a take-up roll, a feed roll, a pinch roll or a touch roll, wherein the drive rotor of these rolls is rotated by an electric motor incorporated therein, avoiding a structure in which a motor is arranged at a position separate from the roll and the rotational motion thereof is transmitted via a rotation transmission mechanism.
[0018] The rotational speed of the roll is controlled by controlling the drive motor relying upon the frequency, so that the rotation of the roll is brought into agreement with the film running speed at all times to stably run the film.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] [0019]FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating the constitution of a film running device according to the present invention;
[0020] [0020]FIG. 2 is a sectional view schematically illustrating the constitution of a drive rotor in the film running device according to the present invention;
[0021] [0021]FIG. 3 is a sectional view schematically illustrating a roll for delivering or taking up a long film in the film running device according to the present invention;
[0022] [0022]FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating the constitution of a control circuit device in the device of the present invention;
[0023] [0023]FIG. 5 is a flowchart of the control circuit device in the device of the present invention;
[0024] [0024]FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the control circuit device in the device of the present invention; and
[0025] [0025]FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the constitution of the control circuit device in the device of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0026] The film running device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used in a form of executing various production line works by running various long films such as resin films or metal films which are base films in the production of, for example, magnetic recording media, photographic films, film capacitors and collector films in the secondary cells, and applying a magnetic coating material, evaporating a metal magnetic material, effecting the sputtering, calender treatment, heat treatment, forming a surface protection layer, forming a back layer, applying a photographic emulsion, depositing an electrode layer, and applying an activated depolarizing mix for cell of an electrode-constituting agent.
[0027] [0027]FIG. 1 is a view schematically illustrating the constitution of a film running device according to an embodiment of the present invention to which only, however, the invention is in no way limited.
[0028] In a step of producing a magnetic recording medium according to this embodiment, a long film 1 constituting a magnetic recording medium having, for example, a magnetic coating material formed on a nonmagnetic film such as PET (polyethylene terephthalate) film, is delivered from a delivery roll 2 on which the long film 1 is wound and runs toward a take-up roll 3 being guided by a plurality of guide rollers 4 .
[0029] The delivery roll 2 and the take-up roll 3 have rotary shafts that are constituted by drive rotors R 1 and R 2 .
[0030] On a passage along which the long film 1 runs, a treating unit 5 is provided to execute various treatments such as calender treatment for the long film 1 to produce the magnetic recording medium.
[0031] The treating unit 5 has a pair of elastic rolls 15 that come into rotational contact with, for example, a metal roll 14 , and the long film 1 runs passing through the metal roll 14 and the elastic rolls 15 being pressed thereby so as to be calender-treated.
[0032] In a running portion between, for example, the treating unit 5 and the take-up roll 3 , there are provided a drive rotor R 3 constituting a so-called feed roll 6 which execute the so-called connection cutting of tension of the long film 1 and a drive rotor R 4 constituting a pinch roll 7 that comes into rotational contact therewith to nip the long film 1 .
[0033] On the subsequent stage of the drive rotor R 3 which is the feed roll, there are provided a pair of guide rolls 4 and a tension-adjusting roll 8 between them.
[0034] Further, a so-called touch roll 9 , i.e., a drive rotor R 5 that constitutes the touch roll 9 is provided to come into rotational contact with the take-up peripheral surface of the take-up roll 3 , so that the long film 1 is taken up by the take-up roll 3 under a predetermined take-up pressure without developing slackness.
[0035] In the film running device, the drive rotors R (R 1 to R 5 ) are rotated by outer rotor type motors incorporated therein, and their rotational speeds are controlled by controlling the frequency so as to come into agreement with the film running speed.
[0036] Referring to FIG. 2 which is a sectional view schematically illustrating the constitution, each of the drive rotors R (R 1 to R 5 ) is constituted by a cylinder 20 having a fixed shaft 21 along the center axis thereof.
[0037] Rotary bearings 22 , 23 and 24 which are ball bearings, for example, are provided between the cylinder 20 and the fixed shaft 21 at both ends and, as required, at an intermediate portion thereof, enabling the cylinder 20 to rotate about the fixed shaft 21 .
[0038] Outer rotor-type electric motors 25 M ( 25 M 1 to 25 M 5 ) are disposed on the fixed shafts 21 of the drive rotors R (R 1 to R 5 ). That is, a stator or a coil 26 of the motor 25 M is secured onto the fixed shaft 21 , and a rotor or a magnet 27 along the outer circumference thereof is secured to the cylinder 20 .
[0039] The coil terminals of the motor 25 M in the drive rotor R are connected to the inner ends of a power cable 28 that is guided from an end of the cylinder 20 running through a hole perforated in the fixed shaft 21 in the axial direction thereof. The outer end of the power cable 28 is electrically connected to a power cable connector 29 c ( 29 c 1 to 29 c 5 ).
[0040] The fixed shaft 21 of the drive rotor R (R 1 to R 5 ) is provided with a pulse generator 30 PG ( 30 PG 1 to 30 PG 5 ) to generate pulses in a required number depending upon the rotation of the cylinder 20 . The pulse generator 30 PG is a known one placed in the market, and has, for example, a source of light and a light detector element, and shuts off light and transmits light depending upon the rotation of the cylinder 20 , so that electric signals of a required frequency are picked up from the light detector element. The pulse generator 30 PG is guided to an external unit through a cable (PG cable) 31 guided along the fixed shaft 21 and is connected to a PG cable connector 32 c ( 32 c 1 to 32 c 5 ).
[0041] As required, further, a gas introduction port 37 is formed at one end of the cylinder 20 to introduce the external air or the cooling gas into the cylinder 20 , and a gas outlet port 38 is formed at the other end, so that heat generated by the motor 25 M and the pulse generator 30 PG can be radiated.
[0042] Referring to FIG. 3 which schematically illustrates the constitution, the roll 2 or 3 for delivering or taking up the long film 1 is detachably attached to the drive rotor R 1 or R 2 , and rotates, in its mounted state, together with the drive rotor R 1 or R 2 constituting a chucking mechanism.
[0043] For example, the drive rotor R 1 or R 2 is chucked on at least the one end of the delivery roll 2 or the take-up roll 3 . The drive rotors R 1 and R 2 incorporate outer rotor-type motors 25 M 1 and 25 M 2 in a manner as described with reference to FIG. 2, and include pulse generators 30 PG 1 and 30 PG 2 .
[0044] Here, the drive rotor R of a similar constitution may be chucked on the ends on the other side of the delivery roll 2 and the take-up roll 3 . Here, however, rotary shafts that freely rotate without rotary drive function may be fitted to the ends on the other side.
[0045] There are provided chucking mechanisms 36 for detachably and rotatably coupling the delivery roll 2 and the take-up roll 3 , the rotary drive shaft R provided for at least either one of them, and the freely rotating shaft.
[0046] The chucking mechanism 36 may be constituted by spline shafts 34 provided at the ends of the drive rotor R or of the rotary shaft at both ends of the delivery roll 2 or of the take-up roll 3 , and bosses 35 that fit to the spline shafts 34 at both ends of the delivery roll 2 or of the take-up roll 3 .
[0047] In the constitution of FIG. 1, some or all guide rolls 4 may incorporate the outer rotor-type motor as explained with reference to FIG. 2.
[0048] According to the present invention as described above, the delivery roll 2 , take-up roll 3 , feed roll 6 , pinch roll 7 , touch roll 9 and, depending upon the cases, guide rolls 4 have drive motors 25 M incorporated in the drive rotors R thereof, and the drive rotors R are directly rotated by the motors 25 M, avoiding slipping, vibration and increased space for arrangement that are inherent in the rotation transmission mechanism in which motors are arranged separately from the rotary members to drive them, i.e., that are inherent in the rotation transmission mechanism in which the rotary members are rotated relying upon the belt-pulley mechanisms.
[0049] In the present invention, in particular, a control circuit device is provided for controlling the rotational speed of the drive rotor R by controlling the frequency so as to be brought into agreement with the desired running speed of the long film 1 .
[0050] [0050]FIG. 4 is a view schematically illustrating the constitution of the control circuit device 300 , and FIG. 5 is a control flowchart thereof. The invention, however, is in no way limited thereto only.
[0051] For simplicity, FIGS. 4 and 5 representatively illustrate three drive rotors R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , i.e., delivery roll 2 , take-up roll 3 and feed roll 6 . By using this control circuit device, however, it is allowable to control many drive rotors R, e.g., fourteen drive rotors R.
[0052] The control circuit device 300 includes a controller (CPU) 100 , an analog input device (analog input module) 80 , first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 for driving the motors 25 M of the drive rotors R, and encoder signal converters 71 to 73 .
[0053] Except the motors 25 M and the drive rotors R, the circuitries may be those placed in the market.
[0054] Outputs of the first to third amplifiers 61 to 63 are fed to power cable connectors 29 c 1 to 29 c 3 of the motors 25 M 1 to 25 M 3 through power cables 41 to 43 .
[0055] The encoder signal converters 71 to 73 are connected to the PG cable connectors 32 c 1 to 32 c 3 of the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 through the PG cables 51 to 53 .
[0056] The controller 100 , analog input device and amplifiers 61 to 63 are connected together through a communication cable LC, and the encoder signal converters 71 to 73 and the corresponding amplifiers 61 to 63 are connected together through connection cables 91 to 93 .
[0057] The operation of the control circuit device 300 will now be described with reference to FIG. 5 wherein the portions corresponding to those of FIG. 4 are denoted by the same reference numerals but their description is not repeated.
[0058] The operation instruction, stop instruction and speed adjustment instruction are issued from the controller 100 of FIG. 4. In case an abnormally occurs, an abnormal signal detecting this fact is transmitted from the controller 100 to the host controller 200 , then, host controller 200 issues predetermined operation instruction such as on/off instruction or emergency stop.
[0059] Thus, a so-called multi-axis control is executed in which an operation instruction issued from the controller 100 and data signals representing the contents of instructions such as speed instructions as a result of operating changes in the outer diameter caused by the running of the long film 1 in relation to the delivery roll 2 and take-up roll 3 , are transmitted to their respective addresses of the first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 through the communication cable LC. Accordingly, the motors 25 M 1 to 25 M 3 of the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 are driven by the outputs of the drive amplifiers 61 to 63 , and the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 are rotated.
[0060] When the operator wishes to suitably set reference speeds of the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 , he sets desired numerical data as reference speeds through the analog input device 80 .
[0061] Then, the numerical data that are input are fed to the controller 100 and are, then, sent, through the communication cable LC to the first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 to drive the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 .
[0062] As described above, predetermined signal data are sent to execute desired operation.
[0063] The rotational speeds or the rotational peripheral speeds from the pulse generators 30 PG 1 to 30 PG 3 provided in the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 , i.e., detection pulse signals based on the rotational speeds of the motors 25 M 1 to 25 M 3 , are input to the first to third encoder signal converters 71 to 73 and are converted, usually, through commercially available amplifiers into signals that are adapted as inputs to the first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 , and are input to the first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 .
[0064] The outputs from the first to third drive amplifiers 61 to 63 are fed back as, for exmaple, abnormal signals and are transmitted to the controller 100 .
[0065] Thus, the drive rotors R 1 to R 3 can be controlled to rotate at desired speeds.
[0066] [0066]FIGS. 4 and 5 have illustrated the case of driving three drive rotors R 1 to R 3 , i.e., delivery roll 2 for feeding the long film 1 , take-up roll 3 , and feed roll 6 . When the drive rotors R 4 and R 5 of the pinch roll 7 and touch roll 9 are to be driven or when the guide rolls 4 , too, are to be driven in addition to those described above, the drive amplifiers and encoder converters may be connected to the controller 100 through the cable LC to realize four-stage or more-stage constitution. Or, conversely, only one or more of these drive members may be controlled.
[0067] In the above-mentioned constitution, further, the controller 100 may be provided with a graphic panel GP to make it possible to visually monitor the rotational speeds of the drive rotors R, to set the draw and to display abnormal condition, so that the setpoint value can be quickly transmitted to the controller 100 and that manual operation signals can be transmitted.
[0068] That is, the plural drive rotors R can be separately operated, and a difference in the speed of the drive rotors R can be set by setting the draw in operating the line. In operating the line, however, it is desired that the speed that serves as a reference is given from the analog input module as described above.
[0069] As a control circuit device for the drive rotor R, a commercially available inverter 400 may be used as shown in, for example, FIG. 6.
[0070] In this case, a pulse generator may or may not be used.
[0071] Referring, for example, to FIG. 7, the inverter 400 includes a converter 401 and an inverter 402 , inputs an alternating current from an AC power source S which may be a commercial power source of 50 Hz or 60 Hz, controls the inverter 402 by a voltage-frequency instruction signal based on a preset speed of the drive rotor R, produces an output of which the voltage and frequency are controlled, and controls the motor 25 M of the drive rotor R, i.e., controls the rotational speed by controlling the frequency.
[0072] [0072]FIG. 1 has dealt with the case where the long film 1 was a magnetic recording medium and the treating unit 5 has executed the calender treatment. Not being limited to the case of executing the calender treatment, however, the film running device can be used for forming, for example, magnetic layer, i.e., for applying a magnetic coating material, evaporating a metal magnetic material, for effecting the sputtering, for forming a surface layer, a protection layer, a back layer, or for executing the drying. Not being limited to the production of magnetic recording medium, further, the running device of the invention can be used for executing various works such as applying a photographic emulsion, depositing an electrode layer or applying an activated depolarizing mix for cell of the electrode-constituting agent in the step of producing, for example, photographic films, film capacitors, collector films of film electrodes in the secondary cells and the like.
[0073] As described above, the present invention deals with a film running device having at least any one of a delivery roll for delivering the film, a take-up roll, a feed roll, a pinch roll or a touch roll, wherein the drive rotor which is the roll is rotated by an electric motor incorporated therein, avoiding a structure in which a motor is arranged at a position separate from the roll and the rotational motion thereof is transmitted via a rotation transmission mechanism. This saves space for providing motors and rotation transmission mechanisms, makes it easy to design the facilities and installation thereof, to decrease the number of parts, to eliminate vibration and slipping caused by the rotation transmission mechanism and, hence, to accomplish stable drive.
[0074] Besides, the rotation of the drive rotors such as delivery roll, take-up roll, feed roll, pinch roll and touch roll are controlled by controlling the frequency, and the long film is brought into agreement with the running speeds that are suitably set in each of the operation regions. Accordingly, the long film is not damaged and can be stably worked at optimum speeds in each of the working portions.
[0075] The frequency can be easily controlled by using a commercially available inverter, and the device can be simply constructed and produced at a reduced cost, offering a great industrial effect.
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A film running device which enables the film to run stably, which as a whole is small in size, simple in construction and requires easy maintenance. A long film 1 is delivered from a delivery roll 2. A drive rotor R of the delivery roll incorporates an outer rotor-type electric motor 25 M therein, and is rotated by the motor.
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This is a division of application Ser. No. 918,154, filed Oct. 14, 1986 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,257.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to nozzles for use in obtaining a fixing in a wall.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventionally wall fixings are made by drilling a hole of the appropriate size in a wall, inserting a plug of fibrous or plastics material into the hole, and driving a screw into the plug.
In order to obtain a good fixing it is essential that the hole should be of the correct diameter to accommodate the plug. Thus, it is necessary for the handyman to carry a range of masonry drills and a range of plugs of different diameters to make satisfactory fixings with different gauge screws.
Even with a comprehensive range of drills the situation occasionally arises that the masonry surrounding the drill spalls and falls away thus leaving an irregular cavity usually of considerably greater size than that originally intended and totally unsuitable for the insertion of a plug. In such situations it has been proposed, for example in UK - PS No. 470,761 to ram a moist mixture of fibers and a settable material, such as cement, into the irregular cavity. A screw may be inserted in the mixture either before or after it has set. The material may be bored axially with a sharp instrument before the screw is inserted.
This procedure has several disadvantages. Firstly, great care must be taken to ensure that the mixture of fibers and settable material is rammed into the interior of the cavity and does not simply form a shallow plug immediately adjacent the entrance to the cavity. Secondly, when spalling does occur it frequently extends to one or other side of the original hole. Once the cavity has been filled and the mixture set it is often difficult to relocate the site of the initial hole with the result that an attempt may be made to locate a screw through a surface layer of the mixture and brickwork rather than into a hole filled with mixture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention, at least in its preferred embodiments, aims to reduce the above disadvantages.
According to the invention in the parent application Ser. No. 918,154 there is provided a method of obtaining a fixing in a wall which method comprises the steps of making a hole in the wall, placing a pin in said hole, inserting a viscous setable material into the space between said pin and said hole, withdrawing said pin from said hole, and driving a screw into said material.
The hole is ideally made with a drill which is greater in diameter than the diameter of the screw. However, because the viscous material will conform to the shape of the hole the hole can be formed in other ways, for example using a cold chisel and a hammer.
The screw may be driven into the viscous setable material either when it is partially set or when it is fully set.
Preferably, the screw is driven into the bore left on removal of the pin, this is not however essential.
The material is preferably a thermoplastics material, for example polypropylene which may conveniently be heated until it is extrudable and extruded into the space. A hot melt gun can conveniently be used for this purpose.
The present invention provides a nozzle for use in a method as above. The nozzle comprises a base, a pin which extends from said base and can be inserted into a hole in a wall, a passageway for conducting, in use, viscous setable material to the space between said pin and said hole, and a resilient member circumjacent said pin which, when said pin is inserted in said hole, forms a seal which inhibits the egress of viscous setable material from said hole.
In one embodiment, the passageway extends along said pin and opens at or adjacent the tip thereof.
In another embodiment, the passageway opens adjacent the root of said pin. This embodiment may also include a further passageway which extends along said pin and opens at or adjacent the tip thereof.
The resilient member may be arranged to form, in use, a seal with the surface of said wall circumjacent said hole.
Preferably, the resilient member is provided with one or more grooves through which, in use, material can escape when said space between said pin and said hole is full.
Preferably, the resilient member is mounted on a collar which is slidably mounted on the base of said nozzle.
Advantageously, means are provided which bias the collar towards the tip of the pin.
If desired, the arrangement may be such that the collar can move relative to the base to an extent that when the resilient member is urged against a wall circumjacent a hole part of the base enters the hole. This is particularly useful where it is desired that the finished wall plug should not extend flush with the surface of the wall.
The passageway may open in a plane substantially parallel or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pin. In the former case when the nozzle is not in use, the collar is preferably arranged to overlie the passageway and inhibit the flow of material therefrom.
If desired, the pin may be removably mounted on the base of the nozzle.
The pin itself is preferably tapered towards its free extremity to facilitate removal from the hole as the material sets and may be coated, if desired, with a release agent. Alternatively it may comprise a material such as polytetrafluoroethylene.
In another embodiment, the resilient member comprises a layer of compressible material circumjacent said pin.
Preferably, the base comprises a threaded portion for threaded engagement with a hot melt gun, said resilient member grips said pin, and the periphery of said resilient member is provided with ribs to facilitate the rotation of said nozzle about the axis of said threaded portion.
Preferably, the ribs extend parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pin.
Advantageously, the base includes a pressure plate which extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said pin and which abuts one end of said resilient member.
Preferably, the resilient member is generally conical.
Advantageously, said pin is provided with a conical portion which expands towards the root of said pin and protects the forward portion of said resilient member.
It will be appreciated that in order to accommodate screws of different gauges and lengths a set of different pins is desirable. For this purpose each nozzle could be provided with a set of different pins. However, it is more practical to provide a set of nozzles having pins of differing lengths and/or mean diameter.
The present invention also provides a hot melt gun provided with a nozzle in accordance with the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
For a better understanding of the invention reference will now be made, by way of example, to the accompanying drawings in which:
FIGS. 1 to 3 show steps in accordance with use of the invention for obtaining a fixing;
FIG. 4 is a side elevation of one embodiment of a nozzle in accordance with the invention mounted on a hot melt gun;
FIG. 5 is a view, mainly in cross section, showing the nozzle ready for use;
FIG. 6 is a view, mainly in cross section, showing a second embodiment of a nozzle in accordance with the invention mounted on a hot melt gun;
FIG. 7 shows the nozzle of FIG. 6 in use; and
FIG. 8 is a view, partly in section, of a third embodiment of a nozzle in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a wall 1 of, for example, lightweight blocks in which it is desired to obtain a fixing.
Firstly, as shown in FIG. 1, a hole 2 is drilled in the wall 1.
Secondly, as shown in FIG. 2, a pin 3 of a nozzle 4 is inserted in the hole 2 and polypropylene in its melt state is injected into the space between the pin 3 and the inside of the hole 2.
Finally, after the space between the pin 3 and the inside of the hole has been filled, the polypropylene is allowed to solidify. The pin 3 is then withdrawn leaving a bore 5 for the insertion of a screw 6.
Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, polypropylene in its melt state is injected into the space between the pin 3 and the inside of the hole 2 using a conventional hot melt gun 7 provided with a novel nozzle 4. In particular, a rod 8 of polypropylene is advanced by a trigger 9 into a heater 10 where it is heated to approximately 175° C. The polypropylene melts and further pressure on the trigger 9 extrudes the viscous polypropylene through the nozzle 4.
The nozzle 4 comprises a base 11 and a pin 3 which are made of aluminium. The base 11 comprises a hollow threaded portion 12 which engages a corresponding thread in the tip of the hot melt gun 7.
Five passageways 13 are disposed around the root of the pin 3 and communicate with the interior of the hot melt gun 7.
The radial outer surface of the base 11 of the nozzle 4 comprises a portion 14 of reduced diameter. A collar 15 is slidingly mounted on this portion 14 and is biased towards the tip 16 of the pin 3 by a spring 17 circumjacent the portion 14 of the base 11. A pin (not shown) prevents the collar 15 sliding off the portion 14.
A flexible seal 18 of thermoplastic rubber is mounted on the collar 15.
It will be noted that the pin 3 is tapered towards its tip 16.
As can clearly be seen from FIG. 5, the hole 2 is made slightly longer than the length of the pin 3. As the pin 3 is inserted into the hole 2 the flexible seal 18 comes into contact with the wall 1 surrounding the hole 2. As the pin 3 is inserted further the collar 15 compresses the spring 17. The spring 17 is fully compressed when the leading face 19 of the base 11 is flush with the wall surrounding the hole 2.
When the trigger 9 is depressed the viscous polypropylene, which is typically at 175° C., passes through the passageways 13 at a pressure of approximately 7×10 5 Pa. The viscous polypropylene enters and substantially fills the space between the pin 3 and the hole 2. The seal between the wall 1 and the flexible seal 18 is sufficient to ensure that the viscous polypropylene penetrates substantially all the available space. Heat from the heater 10 is transmitted to the base 11 of the nozzle 4 via the hollow threaded portion 12 thereby ensuring that the polypropylene does not solidify in the passageways 13. Injection of molten polypropylene is continued until the hole 2 is full. This can be detected by the appearance of plastics material from around the periphery of the flexible seal 18. For this purpose the leading face 20 of the flexible seal 18 is provided with six small radially extending grooves, one of which (groove 21) is shown.
The polypropylene starts to solidify after about 5 seconds and the nozzle 4 is then withdrawn leaving a bore 5 corresponding to the pin 3 which is ready after a further minute or so to receive a screw 6 to make a firm and secure fixing.
Various modifications to the nozzle 4 are envisaged. For example, the pin 3 could be threadedly mounted to the base 11. In such an embodiment the pin could be made of a different material, for example, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The nozzle 4 could comprise one of a set of similar nozzles, each with the same hollow threaded portion 12 for attachment to the hot melt gun 7 but having different pins to provide bores for screws of different lengths and/or gauges.
In addition, the flexible seal 18 and associated structure could be dispensed with although this is not recommended.
Materials other than polypropylene are also suitable, for example elastomers and synthetic rubber, for example neoprene. Such materials should not shrink appreciably on cooling. Polyamide 6 may be particularly suitable.
If desired, the nozzle may be adapted so that hot polypropylene is inhibited from passing through the passageways when the nozzle is not in use. Such an arrangement is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. In particular, the nozzle 4' comprises a base 11' having a first portion 22, a second portion 14' and a threaded portion 12'. A stepped collar 15' is slidably mounted on the second portion 14' and is urged towards an abutment formed by the side 23 of the first portion 22 by a spring 17' which acts between the stepped collar 15' and a flange 24 force fitted on the base 11'. A bore 25 extends through the threaded portion 12' and the second portion 14' and terminates in the first portion 22 immediately adjacent the root of the pin 3'. Five passageways 13' extend radially outwardly from the bore 25 and open in the periphery of the first portion 22.
When the nozzle 4' is not in use, (FIG. 6) the spring 17' urges the stepped collar 15' towards the tip 16' of the pin 3'. One part 26 of the stepped collar 15' engages the side 23 of the first portion 22 whilst the other part 27 covers the outlets of the passageways 13'.
When the nozzle 4' is in use, (FIG. 7) insertion of the pin 3' in the hole 2' causes the flexible seal 18' and the collar 15' to be displaced relative to the base 11' to open the passageways 13'. Hot polypropylene can then be injected via the passageways (which are typically 1 to 3 mm in diameter) into the space between the pin 3' and the hole 2'. Since the bore 25 extends to a position immediately adjacent the base of the pin 3', the pin 3' can be kept relatively hot which inhibits the polypropylene setting before the space between the pin 3' and the hole 2' is filled.
Where the wall comprises blocks covered with plaster it is desirable that the fixing should be made in the block rather than in the plaster. In such a situation a hole is drilled through the plaster and the block. However, only the block is filled with plastics material. To inhibit plastics material being present in the plaster the nozzle is shaped so that when the flexible seal is urged against the wall the leading face of the base penetrates the hole until it is flush with the face of the block. Naturally, a small amount of plastics material around the periphery of the hole in the plaster will not be harmful provided that the screw does not exert appreciable radial forces on it which might otherwise crack the plaster.
As mentioned earlier, hot, viscous plastics material can be introduced through the tip of the pin provided that solidification will not occur.
FIG. 8 shows a particularly inexpensive nozzle which is generally identified by reference numeral 4". The nozzle 4" comprises a base portion 11" and a pin 3" which is formed integrally therewith. A pressure plate 30 is mounted on the base 11" and extends in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the pin 3". The pin 3" has a conical portion 31 which expands towards the root of the pin 3" and protects the leading portion of a flexible seal 18" made of a resilient high temperature silicon rubber.
The outer surface of the flexible seal 18" is provided with a plurality of ribs 33 which extent parallel to the longitudinal axis of the pin 3".
The base 11" has a hollow threaded portion 12" which contains a stainless steel ball 34 which is biased against a valve seat formed by one end of an insert 35 by a spring 36.
In use, the nozzle 4" is mounted on a hot melt gun via the hollow threaded portion 12". The ribs 33 facilitate this operation, torque being transmitted via frictional engagement between the flexible seal 18" and the pin 3".
When the pin 3" is inserted into a hole the flexible seal 18" engages the side wall of the hole and forms an adequate seal therewith. Molten polypropylene is then delivered from the hot melt gun through the passageway 13" of nozzle 4" by repeatedly actuating the trigger on the hot melt gun. In the case of a large hole part of the ribs 33 may enter the hole. However, it has been found that this barely impairs the seal because of the resilient nature of the flexible seal 18" and the inherently irregular surface of the hole.
When the space between the pin 3" and the hole is filled the trigger on the hot melt gun is released. The nozzle 4" is then withdrawn leaving a bore ready to receive a screw. The stainless steel ball 34 returns against the insert 35 under the influence of spring 36 and inhibits molten glue dripping from the nozzle 4".
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A fixing in a wall is made by drilling a hole, inserting the pin of a nozzle mounted on a hot melt gun into the hole and injecting molten polypropylene into the space between the pin and the hole. The polypropylene is allowed to solidify and the nozzle is removed leaving a wall plug ready for the insertion of a screw. Three embodiments of a nozzle especially adapted for use in this process are described. nozzle has a hollow screw-threaded base with a pin extending forwardly therefrom. Passageways in the base each communicate at one end with the interior of the base and at another end externally of the base and the pin in the vicinity of the junction between the pin and the base. A flexible seal is slidably mounted on the base and resiliently biased towards the pin.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to U.S. provisional applications Ser. No. 60/518,939 filed Nov. 10, 2003 and Ser. No. 60/542,986 filed on Feb. 9, 2004, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
FIELD OF INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of anti-inflammatory substances, and more particularly to novel compounds that act as antagonists of the mammalian adhesion proteins known as selectins.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
During the initial phase of vascular inflammation, leukocytes and platelets in flowing blood decrease velocity by adhering to the vascular endothelium and by exhibiting rolling behavior. This molecular tethering event is mediated by specific binding of a family of calcium dependent or “C-type” lectins, known as selectins, to ligands on the surface of leukocytes. There are also several disease states that can cause the deleterious triggering of selectin-mediated cellular adhesion, such as autoimmunity disorders, thrombotic disorders, parasitic diseases, and metastatic spread of tumor cells.
The extracellular domain of a selectin protein is characterized by an N-terminal lectin-like domain, an epidermal growth factor-like domain, and varying numbers of short consensus repeats. Three human selectin proteins have been identified, including P-selectin (formerly known as PADGEM or GMP-140), E-selectin (formerly known as ELAM-1), and L-selectin (formerly known as LAM-1). E-selectin expression is induced on endothelial cells by proinflammatory cytokines via its transcriptional activation. L-selectin is constitutively expressed on leukocytes and appears to play a key role in lymphocyte homing. P-selectin is stored in the alpha granules of platelets and the Weibel-Palade bodies of endothelial cells and therefore can be rapidly expressed on the surface of these cell types in response to proinflammatory stimuli. Selectins mediate adhesion through specific interactions with ligand molecules on the surface of leukocytes. Generally the ligands of selectins are comprised, at least in part, of a carbohydrate moiety. For example, E-selectin binds to carbohydrates having the terminal structure:
and also to carbohydrates having the terminal structures:
where R is the remainder of the carbohydrate chain. These carbohydrates are known blood group antigens and are commonly referred to as Sialyl Lewis x and Sialyl Lewis a, respectively. The presence of the Sialyl Lewis x antigen alone on the surface of an endothelial cell may be sufficient to promote binding to an E-selectin expressing cell. E-selectin also binds to carbohydrates having the terminal structures:
As with E-selectin, each selectin appears to bind to a range of carbohydrates with varying affinities. The strength of the selectin mediated adhesive event (binding affinity) may also depend on the density and context of the selectin on the cell surface.
Structurally diverse glycoprotein ligands, including GlyCAM-1, CD34, ESL-1 and PSGL-1 can bind to selectins with apparent high affinity. PSGL-1 is a mucin-like homodimeric glycoprotein expressed by virtually all subsets of leukocytes and is recognized by each of the three selectins. However PSGL-1 appears to be unique in that it is the predominant high affinity P-selectin ligand on leukocytes. High affinity P-selectin binding to PSGL-1 requires both a SLex containing O-glycan and one or more tyrosine sulfate residues within the anionic N-terminus of the PSGL-1 polypeptide (See Sako, D., et al. Cell 1995; 82(2): 323-331; Pouyani, N., et al., Cell 1995; 82(2): 333-343; Wilkins, P. P., et al., J. Biol. Chem. 1995; 270:39 22677-22680, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). L-Selectin also recognizes the N-terminal region of PSGL-1 and has similar sulfation-dependent binding requirements to that of P-selectin. The ligand requirements of E-selectin appear to be less stringent as it can bind to the SLex containing glycans of PSGL-1 and other glycoproteins. Despite the fact that P-selectin knockout and P/E selectin double knockout mice show elevated levels neutrophils in the blood, these mice show an impaired DTH response and delayed thioglycolate induced peritonitis (TIP) response (See Frenette, P. S., et al., Thromb Haemost 1997; 78:1, 60-64, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Soluble forms of PSGL-1 such as rPSGL-Ig have shown efficacy in numerous animal models (See Kumar, A., et. al., Circulation. 1999, 99(10) 1363-1369; Takada, M., et. al. J. Clin. Invest. 1997, 99(11), 2682-2690; Scalia, R., et al., Circ Res. 1999, 84(1), 93-102, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In addition, P-selectin ligand proteins, and the gene encoding the same, have been identified. See U.S. Pat. No. 5,840,679, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. As demonstrated by P-selectin/LDLR deficient mice, inhibition of P-selectin represents a useful target for the treatment of atherosclerosis (See Johnson, R. C., et al., J. Clin. Invest. 1997 99 1037-1043, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). An increase in P-selectin expression has been reported at the site of atherosclerotic lesions, and the magnitude of the P-selectin expression appears to correlate with the lesion size. It is likely that the adhesion of monocytes, mediated by P-selectin, contributes to atherosclerotic plaque progression (See Molenaar, T. J. M., et al., Biochem. Pharmacol. 2003 (66) 859-866, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety). Given the role of selectins in numerous important biological processes, including inflammation and adhesion processes, and in disorders such as atherlosclerosis, it can be seen that there is a continuing need for new selectin inhibitors that can be useful in the treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders that are characterized by, or that involve selectin activity. This invention is directed to these, as well as other, important ends.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention provides compounds and methods for treating mammals having conditions characterized by selectin mediated intercellular adhesion processes. In one aspect, the invention provides compounds useful in the methods, that have the Formula I:
wherein:
W 1 and W 2 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 5 or 6 member carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring that can be saturated, partially saturated or aromatic, and that can be substituted with up to three groups independently selected from hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, halogen, thioalkyl, CN, OH, SH, (CH 2 ) n OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 6 , OSO 3 R 6 , SO 3 R 6 , SO 2 R 6 , PO 3 R 6 R 7 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) n C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , C(═O)R 12 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and NHCOR 8 , wherein any of said alkyl, Oalkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, O—C(═O)aryl, O—C(═O)heterocyclo, O-aryl, O-heterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, O—C(═O)arylalkyl, O-arylalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN;
L is CO 2 H, an ester thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid mimetic;
Y is O, (CR 3 R 4 ) p or NR 5 ;
n′ is 0 or 1;
p is 1 to 3;
X is hydrogen, OH, OR 3 , OC 1-6 alkyl, OC(═O)-aryl, OC(═O)C 1-6 alkyl, OC(═O)OC 1-6 alkyl, or NR 3 R 3′ ;
each R 1 , R 3 , and R 4 is independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, halogen, thioalkyl, CN, OH, SH, (CH 2 ) n OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 6 , OSO 3 R 6 , SO 3 R 6 , PO 3 R 6 R 7 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) n C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , C(═O)R 12 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or NHCOR 8 , wherein any of said alkyl, Oalkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, O—C(═O)aryl, O—C(═O)heterocyclo, O-aryl, O-heterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, O—C(═O)arylalkyl, O-arylalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN;
each R 6 and R 7 is independently hydrogen or C 1-6 alkyl that is optionally substituted with up to three substituents selected from OH, CF 3 , SH and halogen;
each R 5 , R 8 and R 9 is independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, thioalkyl, OH, (CH 2 ) l OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) l SO 3 R 10 , (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 10 , SO 3 R 10 , PO 3 R 10 R 11 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 (CH 2 ) n NR 10 R 11 , (CH 2 ) n CONR 10 R 11 , COR 10 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl, wherein any of said alkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN;
each n is an independently selected integer from 0 to 6;
each l is an independently selected integer from 1 to 6;
each R 10 and R 11 is independently selected from hydrogen and C 1-6 alkyl that is optionally substituted with up to three substituents selected from OH, CF 3 , SH and halogen;
each R 12 is independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, thioalkyl, OH, (CH 2 ) l OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) l SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) l CO 2 R 6 , (CH 2 ) l SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) l C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , alkenyl, alkynyl, or NHCOR 8 , wherein any of said alkyl, Oalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN; and
Z is aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl or heterocyclo, wherein each of said aryl, heteroaryl, arylalkyl and heterocyclo is optionally substituted.
In some preferred embodiments, the compounds have the Formula II:
wherein:
bond a and bond b can each independently be a single bond or a double bond;
Q 1 , Q 2 , Q 3 and Q are each independently CR 2′ , CHR 2′ , N or NR 13 ;
k is 0 or 1;
each R 2′ is independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, halogen, thioalkyl, CN, OH, SH, (CH 2 ) n OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 6 , OSO 3 R 6 , SO 3 R 6 , PO 3 R 6 R 7 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) n C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , C(═O)R 12 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or NHCOR 8 , wherein any of said alkyl, Oalkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, O—C(═O)aryl, O—C(═O)heterocyclo, O-aryl, —O-heterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, O—C(═O)arylalkyl, O-arylalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN; and
each R 13 is each independently hydrogen, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 haloalkyl, thioalkyl, OH, (CH 2 ) l OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) l SO 3 R 10 , (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 10 , SO 3 R 10 , PO 3 R 10 R 11 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 (CH 2 ) n NR 10 R 11 , (CH 2 ) n CONR 10 R 11 , COR 10 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, or alkynyl, wherein any of said alkyl, aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, arylalkyl, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl or alkynyl can optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and CN;
each R 20 is independently selected from the group consisting of C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl and NR 6 R 7 ;
and R 1 , L, X, Y, n′, and Z have the meaning described above.
In some preferred embodiments, substituents (Y) n -Z, X and L are attached at the 2-, 3- and 4-positions of the quinoline, respectively, as shown below in Formula III:
In some embodiments, k is 1, and bonds a and b are each single bonds. In further embodiments, k is 1, bonds a and b are each single bonds, and Q, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each independently CHR 2′ , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 0, bond a is a single bond, and Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each independently CHR 2′ , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 0, bond a is a single bond, and Q, is NR 13 , preferably NH, preferably wherein Q 2 and Q 3 are each CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 1, bond a and bond b are each double bonds, and Q, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each CR 2 , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are CH 2 ; k is 1, and Q is NR 13 .
In some embodiments, n′ is 0. In other embodiments, n′ is 1. In some embodiments wherein n′ is 1, Y is CR 3 R 4 , preferably CH 2 , preferably wherein X is OH. Preferably, L is CO 2 H or an ester thereof.
In some embodiments, n′ is 0 and X is OH, preferably wherein L is CO 2 H or an ester thereof.
In some embodiments, Z is selected from:
(a) a five-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O; wherein said five-membered heterocyclic ring is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , and CO 2 H;
(b) a six-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O; wherein said six-membered heterocyclic ring is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, CHO, CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 and OH;
(c) a bicyclic ring moiety optionally containing from 1 to 3 ring heteroatoms selected from N or O; wherein said bicyclic ring moiety is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, CHO, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , and OH; and
(d) a benzyl, naphthyl, or phenyl ring, each of which is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, Ophenyl, Obenzyl, SO 2 NH 2 , SO 2 NH(C 1-16 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1-16 alkyl) 2 , CH 2 COOH, CO 2 H, CO 2 Me, CO 2 Et, CO 2 iPr, C(═O)NH 2 , C(═O)NH(C 1-6 alkyl), C(═O)N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 , OH, SC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , and CN.
In further embodiments, R 1 and each R 2 are independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, halogen, thioalkyl, CN, OH, SH, (CH 2 ) n OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 6 , OSO 3 R 6 , SO 3 R 6 , PO 3 R 6 R 7 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) n C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)R 12 , C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or NHCOR 8 .
In some preferred embodiments, Z is phenyl or substituted phenyl.
In further preferred embodiments, the compounds of the invention have the Formula IV:
wherein:
n′ is 0 or 1;
R 1 is hydrogen, halogen, OH, CN, SH, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C 1-6 thioalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl;
wherein said aryl and said heteroaryl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl; and wherein said C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl;
R 23 is aryl or heteroaryl, wherein said aryl and said heteroaryl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl; and
wherein R 24 and R 25 together form —(CH 2 ) 3 —, —(CH 2 ) 4 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—-(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 — or —CH═CH—CH═CH—, any of which can be substituted with up to three substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , OC 1-1 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 and C 1-6 thioalkyl.
In some embodiments, R 23 is optionally substituted aryl, preferably optionally substituted phenyl. Preferably, the phenyl is substituted at the 4-position thereof, preferably by a substituent selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , CH 3 , OCH 3 , CF 3 and OCF 3 , preferably halogen and OCF 3 , more preferably Cl and OCF 3 .
In some embodiments, R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 3 —, —(CH 2 ) 4 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 — or —CH═CH—CH═CH—.
In some preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 3 —. In further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 4 —. In further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—. In still further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —CH═CH—CH═CH—. In some further embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form optionally substituted —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 —.
In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides the compounds 2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(4-trifluoromethoxy-benzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 8-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-aza-cyclopenta[a]naphthalene-6-carboxylic acid; 8-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-h]quinoline-6-carboxylic acid; f 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; Triethylammonium 7,8-benzo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxyquinoline-4-carboxylate; 2-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(3-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-ylmethyl)]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(5-Chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-phenyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Cyano-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7, 8, 9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Carboxy-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Carbamoyl-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-Benzyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-phenethyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-isopropyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-9-ethyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Acetyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Carbamoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzoyl-3-benzoyloxy-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-methanesulfonyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-ethoxycarbonyloxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-phenylacetyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-(propane-2-sulfonyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-methoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-piperidin-4-yl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; or 2-(1-acetyl-piperidin-4-yl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid.
Also provided in accordance with the present invention are compositions comprising a pharmaceutically effective amount of a compound according of the invention, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier or excipient.
The present invention also provides methods for using the compounds disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the invention provides methods of inhibiting selectin-mediated intracellular adhesion in a mammal comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of the invention.
In further embodiments, the invention provides methods of inhibiting selectin-mediated intracellular adhesion associated with a disease, disorder, condition or undesired process in a mammal, the method comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of the invention.
In some preferred embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is inflammation, infection, metastasis, an undesired immunological process, or an undesired thrombotic process.
In some preferred embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is atherosclerosis, restenosis, myocardial infarction, Reynauld's syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, osteoarthritis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, emphysema, delayed type hypersensitivity reaction, thermal injury, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, multiple organ injury syndrome secondary to trauma, neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's disease), glomerulonephritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, cytokine-induced toxicity, gingivitis, periodontitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease, immunological-mediated side effects of treatment associated with hemodialysis or leukapheresis, granulocyte transfusion associated syndrome, deep vein thrombosis, unstable angina, transient ischemic attacks, peripheral vascular disease, metastasis associated with cancer, sickle syndromes, including but not limited to sickle cell anemia, or congestive heart failure.
In some embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is an undesired infection process mediated by a bacteria, a virus, or a parasite, for example gingivitis, periodontitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, or granulocyte transfusion associated syndrome.
In further embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is metastasis associated with cancer.
In further embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is a disease or disorder associated with an undesired immunological process, for example psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease and immunological-mediated side effects of treatment associated with hemodialysis or leukapheresis.
In further embodiments, the disease, disorder, condition or undesired process is a condition associated with an undesired thrombotic process, for example deep vein thrombosis, unstable angina, transient ischemic attacks, peripheral vascular disease, or congestive heart failure.
In further embodiments, the invention provides methods of ameliorating an undesired immunological process in a transplanted organ comprising administering to the organ a compound of the invention.
In some embodiments, the invention provides methods for treating, or ameliorating a symptom of a sickle syndrome, for example sickle cell anemia, comprising administering a compound of the invention to a patient in need thereof.
In some further embodiments, the invention provides methods comprising
identifying a human, mammal or animal as having a biomarker for a disease or disorder involving selectin-mediated intracellular adhesion; and administering to said human, mammal or animal a therapeutically effective amount of a compound as disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the biomarker is one or more of CD 40, CD 40 Ligand, MAC-1, TGF beta, ICAM, VCAM, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, Eotaxin, RANTES, MCP-1, PIGF, CRP, SAA, and platelet monocyte aggregtates.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The present invention provides, in some embodiments, methods and compounds for antagonizing selecting-mediated intercellular adhesion. Interfering or preventing such intercellular adhesion is useful both in the treatment of a variety of diseases and disorders, as well as for ameliorating one or more symptoms of such diseases or disorders. Thus, in some embodiments, the present invention provides methods of inhibiting selectin-mediated intracellular adhesion in a mammal, particularly where such selectin-mediated intracellular adhesion is associated with a disease, disorder, condition or undesired process in a mammal, comprising administering to the mammal an effective amount of a compound of the invention.
Diseases, disorders, conditions and undesired processes amendable to the methods of the invention include all those that are wholly or in part characterized by undesired selectin-mediated intercellular adhesion, for example inflammation, infection (for example mediated by a bacteria, a virus, or a parasite, including for example gingivitis, periodontitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and granulocyte transfusion associated syndrome), metastasis (for example associated with cancer), undesired immunological processes, and undesired thrombotic processes. Nonlimiting examples of the foregoing include atherosclerosis, restenosis, myocardial infarction, Reynauld's syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, osteoarthritis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, asthma, emphysema, delayed type hypersensitivity reaction, thermal injury such as burns or frostbite, experimental allergic encephalomyelitis, multiple organ injury syndrome secondary to trauma, neutrophilic dermatosis (Sweet's disease), glomerulonephritis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, necrotizing enterocolitis, cytokine-induced toxicity, gingivitis, periodontitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease, immunological-mediated side effects of treatment associated with hemodialysis or leukapheresis, granulocyte transfusion associated syndrome, deep vein thrombosis, unstable angina, transient ischemic attacks, peripheral vascular disease, stroke and congestive heart failure.
The infection process involves selectin-mediated intercellular adhesion. Thus, the present invention also provides methods of treating or preventing an undesired infection process in a mammal, comprising administering to said mammal a compound of the invention. The infection can be mediated by a bacteria, a virus, or a parasite, and examples of such infection processes include gingivitis, periodontitis, hemolytic uremic syndrome, and granulocyte transfusion associated syndrome.
Further examples of diseases and disorders that involve selectin-mediated intercellular adhesion include metastasis in cancer, and diseases or disorders associated with an undesired immunological processes, for example psoriasis, systemic lupus erythematosus, autoimmune thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, Grave's disease and immunological-mediated side effects of treatment associated with hemodialysis or leukapheresis.
A further example is in organ transplantation, wherein patients generally receive immunosupressive therapy to minimize the possibility of rejection of the organ. Typical immunosupressive agents used for such therapeutic regimes include cyclosporine, rapamycin and tacrolimus. In some embodiments of the invention, a compound of the invention can be administered to the patient to receive the organ transplant in conjunction with one or more such immunosupressive agents. Thus, in some embodiments, the compound of the invention can be administered to an organ for transplant, by, for example, administering the compound to the patient prior to transplant, to the patient after transplant, or directly to the transplanted organ itself either before or after transplant (for example by perfusion), or in any combination. Thus, in preferred embodiments, the compound of the invention can be administered to an organ in conjunction with one or more immunosupressive agents; i.e., the compound can be administered at the same time as an immunosupressive agent, or at any time during which an immunosupressive agent is present in effective amounts in the organ or patient.
Further examples of processes involving selectin-mediated intercellular adhesion which are amenable to the methods of the invention include conditions associated with an undesired thrombotic process, for example deep vein thrombosis, unstable angina, transient ischemic attacks, peripheral vascular disease, or congestive heart failure.
The compounds of the invention also find use in the treatment of sickle syndromes, for example sickle cell anemia, and in ameliorating one or more symptoms of such disorders.
In some embodiments, the compounds of the invention find use in treatment of then aforementioned diseases and/or disorders when administered in combination with other therapeutic agents. For example, in some embodiments, the compounds of the invention can beneficially be administered to patients with vascular diseases, for example CAD (coronary artery disease, including but not limited to acute coronary syndrome (e.g., MI and stroke)), peripheral vascular disease including PAD (peripheral artery disease), and deep vein thrombosis, along with an anti-platelet agent, such as Plavix or aspirin, and/or lipid modulators such as, for example statins. Other suitable anti-platelet agents and lipid modulators will be apparent to those of skill in the art.
The compounds of the invention further find use in the treatment of diseases and disorders implicated by biomarkers as are known in the art. Nonlimiting biomarkers include, for example, CD 40, CD 40 Ligand, MAC-1, TGF beta, ICAM, VCAM, IL-1, IL-6, IL-8, Eotaxin, RANTES, MCP-1, PIGF, CRP and SAA, as well as platelet monocyte aggregtates.
Generally, the methods include the administration to a mammal in need of treatment a compound of Formula I, Formula II, Formula III, Formula IV, or a composition comprising a compound of Formula I, Formula II, Formula III or Formula IV. In accordance with some preferred embodiments, methods of the invention include administration of one or more compounds having the Formula I:
wherein the constituent variables are as defined herein.
In some embodiments, W 1 and W 2 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 5 member carbocyclic ring or a 6 member carbocyclic ring optionally substituted as described above. In further embodiments, W 1 and W 2 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a 5 member or 6 member heterocyclic ring that is optionally substituted as above, e.g., having up to 3 or 4 heteroatoms, in which the heteroatom or heteroatoms are independently selected from O, N, S and NR 13 , such as pyrrolidine, pyrroline, tetrahydrothiophene, dihydrothiophene, tetrahydrofuran, dihydrofuran, imidazoline, tetrahydroimidazole, dihydropyrazole, tetrahydropyrazole, oxazoline, piperidine, dihydropyridine, tetrahydropyridine, dihydropyran, tetrahydropyran, dioxane, piperazine, dihydropyrimidine, tetrahydropyrimidine, morpholine, thioxane, thiomorpholine, pyrrole, porphyrin, furan, thiophene, pyrazole, imidazole, oxazole, oxadiazole, isoxazole, thiazole, thiadiazole, isothiazole, pyridine, pyrimidine, pyrazine, pyran and triazine. It should be noted that wherein W 1 and W 2 taken together with the atoms to which they are attached form a saturated ring, such as a piperidine ring, it is understood that the bond between W 1 and W 2 remains unsaturated.
In accordance with some preferred embodiments, methods of the invention include administration of one or more compounds having the Formula II:
wherein the constituent variables are as defined herein.
In some embodiments of the compounds and methods of the invention, Y is CR 3 R 4 , preferably CH 2 , and more preferably where X is OH. In some particularly preferred embodiments, Y is CH 2 , X is OH and Z is aryl, more preferably phenyl or substituted phenyl. In some especially preferred embodiments, Z is phenyl substituted at the 4′-position. In some embodiments, such 4′-substitutents are small hydrophobic groups such as halogens, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C 1-6 thioalkyl, CN, alklysulfonamides, and mono- and di-alkylamines.
In some preferred embodiments, preferably but not limited to those wherein Y is CH 2 , X is OH, and Z is phenyl or substituted phenyl as described above, R 1 is a small hydrophobic group such as halogens, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C 1-6 thioalkyl, CN, C 1-6 alklysulfonamides, C 1-6 mono- and di-alkylamines, or aryl or substituted aryl having up to 8 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, CHO, CO 2 H, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 and —OH.
In some preferred embodiments, substituents (Y) n -Z, X and L are attached at the 2-, 3- and 4-positions of the quinoline, respectively, as shown below in Formula III:
In some embodiments, k is 1, and bonds a and b are each single bonds. In further embodiments, k is 1, bonds a and b are each single bonds, and Q, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each independently CHR 2′ , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 0, bond a is a single bond, and Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each independently CHR 2′ , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 0, bond a is a single bond, and Q 1 is NR 13 , preferably NH, preferably wherein Q 2 and Q 3 are each CH 2 .
In some embodiments, k is 1, bond a and bond b are each double bonds, and Q, Q 1 , Q 2 and Q 3 are each CR 2′ , preferably CH 2 .
In some embodiments, n′ is 0. In other embodiments, n′ is 1. In some embodiments wherein n′ is 1, Y is CR 3 R 4 , preferably CH 2 , preferably wherein X is OH. Preferably, L is CO 2 H or an ester thereof.
In some embodiments, n′ is 0 and X is OH, preferably wherein L is CO 2 H or an ester thereof.
In some embodiments, Z is selected from:
(a) a five-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O; wherein said five-membered heterocyclic ring is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , and CO 2 H;
(b) a six-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O; wherein said six-membered heterocyclic ring is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, CHO, CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 and OH;
(c) a bicyclic ring moiety optionally containing from 1 to 3 ring heteroatoms selected from N or O; wherein said bicyclic ring moiety is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, CHO, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , and OH; and
(d) a benzyl, naphthyl, or phenyl ring, each of which is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, Ophenyl, Obenzyl, SO 2 NH 2 , SO 2 NH(C 1-6 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 , CH 2 COOH, CO 2 H, CO 2 Me, CO 2 Et, CO 2 iPr, C(═O)NH 2 , C(═O)NH(C 1-6 alkyl), C(═O)N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 , OH, SC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , and CN.
In further embodiments, R 1 and each R 2′ are independently hydrogen, C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 perhaloalkyl, halogen, thioalkyl, CN, OH, SH, (CH 2 ) n OSO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n SO 3 H, (CH 2 ) n CO 2 R 6 , OSO 3 R 6 , SO 3 R 6 , PO 3 R 6 R 7 , (CH 2 ) n SO 2 NR 8 R 9 , (CH 2 ) n C(═O)NR 8 R 9 , NR 8 R 9 , aryl, heterocyclo, C(═O)R 12 , C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, OC(═O)aryl, OC(═O)heterocyclo, Oaryl, Oheterocyclo, C(═O)arylalkyl, OC(═O)arylalkyl, Oarylalkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, or NHCOR 8 .
In some preferred embodiments, Z is phenyl or substituted phenyl.
In further preferred embodiments, the compounds of the invention have the Formula IV:
wherein:
n′ is 0 or 1;
R 1 is H, halogen, OH, CN, SH, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C 1-6 thioalkyl, aryl or heteroaryl;
wherein said aryl and said heteroaryl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl; and wherein said C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl;
R 23 is aryl or heteroaryl, wherein said aryl and said heteroaryl can each optionally be substituted with up to three substituents selected from halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl and C 1-6 thioalkyl; and
wherein R 24 and R 25 together form —(CH 2 ) 3 —, —(CH 2 ) 4 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 — or —CH═CH—CH═CH—, any of which can be substituted with up to three substituents selected from the group consisting of halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , OC 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 perhaloalkyl, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 and C 1-6 thioalkyl.
In some embodiments, R 23 is optionally substituted aryl, preferably optionally substituted phenyl. Preferably, the phenyl is substituted at the 4-position thereof, preferably by a substituent selected from the group consisting of halogen, OH, CN, SH, NH 2 , CH 3 , OCH 3 , CF 3 and OCF 3 , preferably halogen and OCF 3 , preferably by Cl and OCF 3 .
In some embodiments, R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 3 —, —(CH 2 ) 4 —, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—, —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 — or —CH═CH—CH═CH—.
In some preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 3 —. In further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 4 —. In further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—. In still further preferred embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form unsubstituted —CH═CH—CH═CH—. In some further embodiments, R 1 is H; and R 24 and R 25 together form optionally substituted —(CH 2 ) 2 —NH—CH 2 —.
In some preferred embodiments, the present invention provides the compounds 2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-phenyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(4-trifluoromethoxy-benzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 8-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-aza-cyclopenta[a]naphthalene-6-carboxylic acid; 8-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-h]quinoline-6-carboxylic acid; f) 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; Triethylammonium 7,8-benzo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxyquinoline-4-carboxylate; 2-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(3-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-ylmethyl)]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(5-Chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-phenyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Cyano-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Carboxy-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Carbamoyl-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-Benzyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-phenethyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-isopropyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-9-ethyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Acetyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Carbamoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 9-Benzoyl-3-benzoyloxy-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-methanesulfonyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-ethoxycarbonyloxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-phenylacetyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-(propane-2-sulfonyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid; 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-methoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; 3-Hydroxy-2-piperidin-4-yl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid; or 2-(1-acetyl-piperidin-4-yl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid.
It will be understood that compounds of Formulas I, II, III and IV can have one or more chiral centers, and exist as enantiomers or diastereomers. The invention is to be understood to extend to all such enantiomers, diastereomers and mixtures thereof, including racemates.
It is contemplated that the present invention also include all possible protonated and unprotonated forms of the compounds described herein, as well as solvates, tautomers and pharmaceutically acceptable salts thereof.
In some embodiments, substituent L is CO 2 H, an ester thereof, or a pharmaceutically acceptable acid mimetic. As used herein, the term “acid mimetic” is intended to include moieties that mimic acid functionality in biological molecules. Examples of such acid mimetics are known in the art, and include without limitation —OH and those shown below:
wherein:
R a is selected from —CF 3 , CH 3 , phenyl or benzyl, where the phenyl or benzyl is optionally substituted by up to three groups selected from C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 thioalkyl, —CF 3 , halogen, —OH or COOH;
R b is selected from —CF 3 , —CH 3 , —NH 2 , phenyl or benzyl, where the phenyl or benzyl is optionally substituted by up to three groups selected from C 1-6 alkyl, C 1-6 alkoxy, C 1-6 thioalkyl, —CF 3 , halogen, —OH or COOH; and
R c is selected from —CF 3 and C 1-6 alkyl.
Ester forms of the present compounds (for example compounds where L is an ester of CO 2 H) include the pharmaceutically acceptable ester forms known in the art including those which can be metabolized into the free acid form, such as a free carboxylic acid form, in the animal body, such as the corresponding alkyl esters (e.g., alkyl of 1 to 10 carbon atoms), cycloalkyl esters, (e.g., of 3-10 carbon atoms), aryl esters (e.g., of 6-20 carbon atoms) and heterocyclic analogues thereof (e.g., of 3-20 ring atoms, 1-3 of which can be selected from oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur heteroatoms) can be used according to the invention, where alkyl esters, cycloalkyl esters and aryl esters are preferred and the alcoholic residue can carry further substituents. C 1 -C 8 alkyl esters, preferably C 1 -C 6 alkyl esters, such as the methyl ester, ethyl ester, propyl ester, isopropyl ester, butyl ester, isobutyl ester, t-butyl ester, pentyl ester, isopentyl ester, neopentyl ester, hexyl ester, cyclopropyl ester, cyclopropylmethyl ester, cyclobutyl ester, cyclopentyl ester, cyclohexyl ester, or aryl esters such as the phenyl ester, benzyl ester or tolyl ester are particularly preferred.
As used herein, the term alkyl as a group or part of a group is intended to denote hydrocarbon groups including straight chain, branched and cyclic hydrocarbons, e.g., of 1-20, such as 1-6, carbon atoms, including for example but not limited to methyl, ethyl, n-propyl, isopropyl, cyclopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, tert-butyl, cyclobutyl, cyclopropylmethyl, n-pentyl, isopentyl, tert-pentyl, cyclopentyl, cyclopentylmethyl, n-hexyl, cyclohexyl, and the like. Throughout this specification, it should be understood that the term alkyl is intended to encompass both non-cyclic hydrocarbon groups and cyclic hydrocarbon groups. In some embodiments of the compounds of the invention, alkyl groups are non-cyclic. In further embodiments, alkyl groups are cyclic, and in further embodiments, alkyl groups are both cyclic and noncyclic.
Alkyl groups of the compounds and methods of the invention can include optional substitution with from one halogen up to perhalogenation. In some embodiments, perfluoro groups are preferred. Examples of alkyl groups optionally substituted with halogen include CF 3 , CH 2 CF 3 , CCl 3 , CH 2 CH 2 CF 2 CH 3 , CH(CF 3 ) 2 , and (CH 2 ) 6 —CF 2 CCl 3 .
As used herein, the term alkenyl is intended to denote alkyl groups that contain at least one double bond, e.g., 2-20, preferably 2-6 carbon atoms, including for example but not limited to vinyl, allyl, 2-methyl-allyl, 4-but-3-enyl, 4-hex-5-enyl, 3-methyl-but-2-enyl, cyclohex-2-enyl and the like.
As used herein, the term alkynyl is intended to denote alkyl groups that include at least one triple bond, e.g., 2-20, preferably 2-6 carbon atoms, including for example but not limited to but-1-yne, propyne, pent-2-yne, ethynyl-cyclohexyl and the like.
Alkyl, alkenyl and alkynyl groups as defined above may also be optionally substituted i.e., they can optionally bear further substituent groups. Some preferred substituent groups include hydroxy, alkoxy (i.e., O-alkyl, preferably O—C 1-6 alkyl), mono-, di- or trihaloalkoxy (e.g., —O—CX 3 where X is halogen), —(CH 2 ) n NH 2 , and —(CH 2 ) n NHBoc.
At various places in the present specification substituents of compounds of the invention are disclosed in groups or in ranges. It is specifically intended that the invention include each and every individual subcombination of the members of such groups and ranges. For example, the term “C 1-6 alkyl” is specifically intended to individually disclose methyl, ethyl, propyl, isopropyl, n-butyl, sec-butyl, isobutyl, etc. As used herein, the term halogen has its normal meaning of group seven elements, including F, Cl, Br and I.
As used herein, the term “carbocyclic ring” is intended to denote a saturated, partially saturated or aromatic ring system in which the ring atoms are each carbon.
As used herein the term aryl as a group or part of a group is intended to mean an aromatic hydrocarbon system, for example phenyl, naphthyl, phenanthrenyl, anthracenyl, pyrenyl, and the like, e.g., of 6-20, preferably 6-10 carbon atoms. In some embodiments, aryl groups are a naphthyl or phenyl ring, respectively, each of which is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1 -C 6 alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, O-phenyl, O-benzyl, —SO 2 NH 2 , —SO 2 NH(C 1-6 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 , CH 2 COOH, CO 2 H, CO 2 Me, CO 2 Et, CO 2 iPr, C(═O)NH 2 , C(═O)NH(C 1 -C 6 ), C(═O)N(C 1 -C 6 ) 2 , OH, SC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 and CN.
As used herein, the term arylalkyl is intended to mean a group of formula -alkyl-aryl, wherein aryl and alkyl have the definitions above. In some embodiments, the arylalkyl group is a benzyl group that is optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, phenyl, benzyl, Ophenyl, Obenzyl, SO 2 NH 2 , SO 2 NH(C 1-6 alkyl), SO 2 N(C 1-16 alkyl) 2 , CH 2 COOH, CO 2 H, CO 2 Me, CO 2 Et, CO 2 iPr, C(═O)NH 2 , C(═O)NH(C 1-6 alkyl), C(═O)N(C 1-6 alkyl) 2 , OH, SC 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CF 3 , OCF 3 and CN.
As used herein, the term heterocyclo as a group or part of a group is intended to mean a mono- or bi-cyclic ring system that contains from one to three hetero (i.e., non-carbon) atoms selected from O, N and S and for example 3-20 ring atoms. Heterocyclo groups include fully saturated and partially saturated cyclic heteroatom-containing moieties (containing for example none, or one or more double bonds). Such fully and partially saturated cyclic non-aromatic groups are also collectively referred to herein as “heterocycloalkyl” groups. Heterocyclo groups also include cyclic heteroatom-containing moieties that contain at least one aromatic ring. Such fully and partially aromatic moieties are also collectively referred to herein as “heteroaryl” groups. In some embodiments, heterocyclo groups are:
(a) a five-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O exemplified by, but not limited to, furan, imidazole, imidazolidine, isothiazole, isoxazole, oxathiazole, oxazole, oxazoline, pyrazole, pyrazolidine, pyrazoline, pyrrole, pyrrolidine, pyrroline, thiazoline, or thiophene, the five-membered heterocyclic ring being optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, preferably C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, preferably OC 1-6 alkyl, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , CO 2 H; or
(b) a six-membered heterocyclic ring containing one to three ring heteroatoms selected from N, S or O exemplified by, but not limited to morpholine, oxazine, piperazine, piperidine, pyran, pyrazine, pyridazine, pyridine, pyrimidine, thiadizine, or thiazine, the six-membered heterocyclic ring being optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl, CHO, CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 or OH; or
(c) a bicyclic ring moiety optionally containing from 1 to 3 ring heteroatoms selected from N or O exemplified by, but not limited to, benzodioxine, benzodioxole, benzofuran, chromene, cinnoline, indazole, indole, indoline, indolizine, isoindole, isoindoline, isoquinoline, napthalene, napthyridine, phthalazine, purine, quinazoline, quinoline, or quinolizine, the bicyclic ring moiety being optionally substituted by from 1 to 3 substituents selected from halogen, C 1-6 alkyl, OC 1-6 alkyl, CHO, NO 2 , NH 2 , CN, CF 3 , CO 2 H, C(═O)R 20 , SO 2 R 20 , or OH.
The compounds according to the invention can exist as pharmaceutically acceptable salts, including pharmaceutically acceptable acid addition salts prepared from pharmaceutically acceptable acids, including inorganic and organic acids. Such acids include acetic, benzenesulfonic, benzoic, camphorsulfonic, citric, ethenesulfonic, dichloroacetic, formic, fumaric, gluconic, glutamic, hippuric, hydrobromic, hydrochloric, isethionic, lactic, maleic, malic, mandelic, methanesulfonic, mucic, nitric, oxalic, pamoic, pantothenic, phosphoric, succinic, sulfuric, tartaric, oxalic, p-toluenesulfonic and the like. Further representative examples of pharmaceutically acceptable salts can be found in, Journal of Pharmaceutical Science, 66, 2 (1977), incorporated herein by reference. Reacting compounds of this invention with one or more equivalents of an appropriately reactive base may also prepare basic salts. Both mono and polyanionic salts are contemplated, depending on the number of acidic hydrogens available for deprotonation. Appropriate bases can be either organic or inorganic in nature. For example, inorganic bases such as NaHCO 3 , Na 2 CO 3 , KHCO 3 , K 2 CO 3 , Cs 2 CO 3 , LiOH, NaOH, KOH, NaH 2 PO 4 , Na 2 HPO 4 , Na 3 PO 4 as well as others are suitable. Organic bases including amines, alkyl amines, dialkylamines, trialkylamines, various cyclic amines (such as pyrrolidine, piperidine, etc) as well as other organic amines are suitable. Quaternary ammonium alkyl salts may also prepared by reacting a compound of the invention with an appropriately reactive organic electrophile (such as methyl iodide or ethyl triflate). The compounds described herein can also be administered in the form of liposomes. As is known in the art, liposomes are generally derived from phospholipids or other lipid substances, and are formed by mono or multilamellar hydrated liquid crystals that are dispersed in an aqueous medium. Any nontoxic, pharmacologically acceptable lipid capable of forming liposomes can be used.
Liposome-containing compositions in accordance with the present invention can contain, in addition to the compound of Formula I, II, III or IV, stabilizers, preservatives, excipients and the like. The preferred lipids include phospholipids, including phosphatidyl cholines (lecithins), both natural and synthetic. Methods for liposome formation are well known in the art, and will be apparent to the skilled artisan.
The present invention also includes compounds of Formulas I, II, III and IV in prodrug form. In general, the inclusion of a physiologically labile group on a compound of the invention will result in the regeneration of the desired compound when exposed to gastric juice, plasma, or in any tissue or compartment where the appropriate endogenous enzymes or reactive substances are present. One non-limiting example of such a physiologially labile group includes an alkyl ester of the carboxylic acid of the compound of Formulas I, II, III or IV. Such esters are known to undergo hydrolysis to the free acid either in the gut by gastric juice or in the plasma by various endogenous esterases. A further non-limiting example is replacement of the group X in Formula II or III with a group of formula O-G, where G is an alkyl group that is removed by metabolizing enzymes in the liver or gut, or with the moiety remaining after removal of the alpha carboxyl or amino group from a naturally occurring amino acid. Any such structure that imparts physiologically labile functionality is within the definition of prodrug as used herein.
The acid or base addition salts can be obtained as the direct products of compound synthesis. In the alternative, the free base can be dissolved in a suitable solvent containing the appropriate acid or base, and the salt isolated by evaporating the solvent or otherwise separating the salt and solvent. The compounds of this invention may form solvates with standard low molecular weight solvents using methods known to the skilled artisan.
Compositions of the invention may conveniently be administered in unit dosage form and can be prepared by any of the methods well known in the pharmaceutical art, for example, as described in Remington's Pharmaceutical Sciences (Mack Pub. Co., Easton, Pa., 1980), incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
The compounds of the invention can be employed as the sole active agent in a pharmaceutical or can be used in combination with other active ingredients, which could facilitate the therapeutic effect of the compound.
Compounds of the present invention or a solvate or physiologically functional derivative thereof can be used as active ingredients in pharmaceutical compositions, specifically as selectin inhibitors. The term “selectin inhibitor” is intended to mean a compound that interferes with (i.e., antagonizes) the normal physiological function of selectins in intercellular adhesion.
The term active ingredient in the context of pharmaceutical compositions of the invention is intended to mean a component of a pharmaceutical composition that provides the primary pharmaceutical benefit, as opposed to an inactive ingredient, which would generally be recognized as providing no pharmaceutical benefit. The term pharmaceutical composition is intended to mean a composition comprising at least one active ingredient and at least one ingredient that is not an active ingredient (for example and not limitation, a filler, dye, or a mechanism for slow release), whereby the composition is amenable to use for a specified, efficacious outcome in a mammal (for example, and not limitation, a human).
The compounds of Formulas I, II, III and IV are useful for the treatment or prophylaxis multiple disorders in mammals, including, but not limited to, human. Compounds of the present invention can be administered by oral, sublingual, parenteral, rectal, topical administration or by a transdermal patch. Transdermal patches dispense a drug at a controlled rate by presenting the drug for absorption in an efficient manner with a minimum of degradation of the drug. Typically, transdermal patches comprise an impermeable backing layer, a single pressure sensitive adhesive and a removable protective layer with a release liner. One of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the techniques appropriate for manufacturing a desired efficacious transdermal patch based upon the needs of the artisan.
Different amounts of the compounds of the present invention will be required to achieve the desired biological effect. The amount will depend on factors such as the specific compound, the use for which it is intended, the means of administration, and the condition of the treated individual and all of these dosing parameters are within the level of one of ordinary skill in the medicinal arts. A typical dose can be expected to fall in the range of 0.001 to 200 mg per kilogram of body weight of the mammal. Unit doses may contain from 1 to 200 mg of the compounds of the present invention and can be administered one or more times a day, individually or in multiples.
Pharmaceutical compositions, including at least one compound disclosed herein, and/or a pharmacologically acceptable salt or solvate thereof can be employed as an active ingredient combined with one or more carriers or excipients. Such compositions can be used in the treatment of clinical conditions for which a selectin inhibitor is indicated. The active ingredient or ingredients can be combined with the carrier in either solid or liquid form in a unit dose formulation. Formulations can be prepared by any suitable method, typically by uniformly mixing the active compound(s) with liquids or finely divided solid carriers, or both, in the required proportions, and then, if necessary, forming the resulting mixture into a desired shape.
Conventional excipients, such as binding agents, fillers, acceptable wetting agents, tabletting lubricants, and disintegrants can be used in tablets and capsules for oral administration. Liquid preparations for oral administration can be in the form of solutions, emulsions, aqueous or oily suspensions, and syrups. Alternatively, the oral preparations can be in the form of dry powder that can be reconstituted with water or another suitable liquid vehicle before use. Additional additives such as suspending or emulsifying agents, non-aqueous vehicles (including edible oils), preservatives, and flavorings and colorants can be added to the liquid preparations. Parenteral dosage forms can be prepared by dissolving the compound of the invention in a suitable liquid vehicle and filter sterilizing the solution before filling and sealing an appropriate vial or ampoule. These are just a few examples of the many appropriate methods well known in the art for preparing dosage forms.
It is noted that when the selectin inhibitors are utilized as active ingredients in a pharmaceutical composition, these are not intended for use only in humans, but in non-human mammals as well. Those of ordinary skill in the art are readily credited with understanding the utility of such compounds in such settings.
This invention also provides a process for preparing a compound of formula I which comprises one of the following:
a) reacting a compound of formula
wherein R 1 , W 1 and W 2 are as defined herein, with a compound of formula:
wherein Ac is acetyl and n′, Y and Z are as defined herein to give a corresponding compound of formula I wherein L is CO 2 H in the 4 position and X is OH in the 3 position; or
b) converting a compound of formula I to a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof or vice versa; or
c) converting a compound of formula I having a reactive substituent group or site to a different compound of formula I;
e.g., acylating a compound of formula I wherein W 1 and W 2 together form a heterocyclic ring having at least one NH heteroatom with an acylating agent containing an acyl or sulfonyl R 13 group, such as C(═O)R 20 , —SO 2 R 20 , SO 3 R 10 , C(═O)aryl, C(═O)heterocyclo, C(═O)arylalkyl, and R 20 is selected from the group consisting of C 1-10 alkyl, OC 1-10 alkyl and NR 6 R 7 , (for example see Schemes 29, 30 and 31 below);
or alkylating or acylating a compound of formula I having an —OH or —NH-moiety, see for example Schemes 27, 29 and 32.
The compounds of the present invention can be readily prepared according to a variety of synthetic manipulations, all of which would be familiar to one skilled in the art. A representative general synthesis is set forth below in the General Scheme below:
General Synthetic Scheme for the Preparation of Compounds of the Invention.
Those of skill in the art will appreciate that a wide variety of compounds of the invention can be prepared according to the General Scheme. For example, by starting with an appropriately substituted phenacetyl chloride one could prepare numerous differently substituted benzyl groups at the quinoline 2-position. Likewise, on skilled in the art also recognizes that variously substituted anilines can be purchased or prepared and used for the construction of variously substituted quinoline rings as described in, for example, Formula I. Additionally, protection of the carboxylic acid via esterification or some other masking reaction would allow for selective alkylation or functionalization of the 3-hydroxy group located on the quinoline ring.
In the synthesis of many compounds of the invention, protecting groups can be required to protect various functionality or functionalities during the synthesis. Representative protecting groups suitable for a wide variety of synthetic transformations are disclosed in Greene and Wuts, Protective Groups in Organic Synthesis, 2d ed, John Wiley & Sons, New York, 1991, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
While the present invention has been described with specificity in accordance with certain of its preferred embodiments, the following examples serve only to illustrate the invention and are not intended to limit the same.
EXAMPLES
Synthesis of Compounds
The compounds of Formula I included as examples herein can be prepared according to the following schemes and procedures from commercially available starting materials.
Preparation of Compound 1
Example 1
Preparation of Compound 1
Intermediate 1: 1-Chloro-3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-propan-2-one
A solution of 30 g (158.7 mmol) of p-chlorophenacetyl chloride in 200 ml of ether was added over 30 min to 420 ml of diazomethane in ether (0.57 mmol/ml) while stirring in an ice bath. [Diazomethane was prepared using the procedure described in Org. Syn. Coll. Vol. II pages 165-167]. The reaction was stirred in ice for 3 h, then overnight at room temperature. Next, a gentle stream of anhydrous HCl gas was passed through the solution of the diazoketone at 0-4° C. for ca. 5-8 min, till the evolution of nitrogen ceased. After an additional hour in the ice bath, the reaction was poured into 700 ml crushed ice-water. The mixture was stirred 15 min. diluted with 400 ml ether and the organic phase was washed with 750 ml of a 5% sodium carbonate solution, then 500 ml semi-saturated brine. The combined organic layers dried (sodium sulphate) ether solutions were evaporated to yield 25.5 g of crude intermediate 1 as a pale yellow solid. A solution of the crude was dissolved in 30-35 ml of methylene chloride was purified by flash chromatography on 500 g silica gel 60 (Merck 0.04-0.063 mm). Elution of the column (40×6 cm) with ethyl acetate-hexanes 20:80 gave 21.1 g (65.3% yield) of the pure intermediate 1 as colorless crystals. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz), δ ppm 3.88 (s, 2H) 4.11 (s, 2H) 7.16 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.32 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H).
Intermediate 2: Acetic acid 3-(4-chloro-phenyl)-2-oxo-propyl ester
To a gently refluxing solution of 21.1 g (103.9 mmol) of intermediate 1 in 200 ml ethanol was added in one portion 21.94 g (114.3 mmol, 1.1 equiv.) cesium acetate in 100 ml water and 10 ml glacial acetic acid. After refluxing for 3 h the reaction reached an optimal stage (TLC: ethyl acetate:hexanes 20:80, ammonium molybdate spray). Most of the ethanol was removed by evaporation and the resulting oily mixture was distributed between 2×800 ml portions of ethyl acetate and 2×500 ml ice cold semi saturated sodium bicarbonate solution. The organic layers were washed in sequence with 500 ml brine, dried sodium sulfate, and evaporated in vacuo. A solution of the residue in 30 ml methylene chloride was purified by flash chromatography on 500 g silica gel. Elution of the column with ethyl acetate:hexanes 20:80 to 30:70 afforded 12.09 g (51.3%) of the intermediate 2 as a colorless crystalline solid. Recrystallization from ether:hexanes provided 11.7 g of pure intermediate 2. 1.88 g of starting material was also recovered. 1 H NMR (CDCl3, 300 MHz), δ ppm 2.16 (s, 3H) 3.72 (s, 2H) 4.69 (s, 2H) 7.15 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.31 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H).
Intermediate 3: 6,7,8,9-Tetrahydro-1H-benzo[g]indole-2,3-dione
The isatin synthesis described by Yang et al. ( J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1996, 118, 9557) was used. Chloral hydrate (3.28 g, 19.8 mmol), hydroxylamine hydrochloride (4.13 g, 59.4 mmol) and sodium sulfate (23 g, 165 mmol) were placed in a 500 mL round-bottomed flask, and 120 mL water were added. The suspension was heated to 55° C. under a N 2 balloon until all the solids had dissolved, and an emulsion of 5,6,7,8-Tetrahydro-naphthalen-1-ylamine (Aldrich, 2.43 g, 16.5 mmol) in 2 M aqueous hydrochloric acid was then added. Heating was continued overnight. After 18 hours, the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature. The brown, lumpy precipitate was collected by filtration, washing with water, and dried overnight to give isoniirosoacetanilide (3.4 g). Isonitrosoacetanilide (3.4 g) was added in small portions, with stirring, to 12.4 mL concentrated sulfuric acid which had been heated to 65° C. in a round bottom flask. The isonitroso was added slowly. After all the isonitroso had been added, the purplish-black solution was allowed to stir at 85° C. for 10 minutes, and was then poured onto crushed ice in a beaker. Additional ice was added until the outside of the beaker felt cold to the touch. The orange-brown precipitate was then collected by filtration and dried overnight to yield isatin 3, which was purified by extraction. Intermediate 3 (5.7 g) was extracted with 3×400 ml hot ethyl acetate and the insoluble was discarded. Evaporation of ethyl acetate gave 3.83 g of pure material. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ ppm 1.74 (m, 4H) 2.50 (m, 2H) 2.74 (t, J=5.81 Hz, 2H) 6.79 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 1H) 7.23 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 1H) 10.95 (s, 1H).
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 1)
Addition of 6.8 g (33.8 mmol) of isatin 3 to 60 ml of 6N KOH at 100° C. afforded after stirring for 5 minutes a clear yellow brown solution of hydrolyzed isatin. To this was added in small portions while stirring at 100° C., a solution of 13.7 g (60.83 mmol, 1.8 equiv.) of the acetate 2 in 120 ml lukewarm ethanol over a period of 1.5 h. The clear solution was refluxed 1 h longer. After cooling to room temp., the reaction was diluted with 300 ml water under vigorous stirring then acidified by very slow addition of diluted HCl (1:4 conc. HCl:water) over 1.5 h to pH<0. The reaction was stirred overnight and filtered. The crude material was purified by column chromatography eluting with ethyl acetate:acetonitrile:methanol:water 70:5:2.5:2.5+0.5% triethylamine followed by ethyl acetate:acetonitrile:methanol:water 70:10:5:5+0.5% triethylamine. The triethyl amine salt was converted to the free acid by dissolving the salt (0.625 g) in 500 ml ethyl acetate and 220 ml water containing 20 ml dil. HCl (1:5). The organic layer was washed with brine, dried (sodium sulfate) and concentrated to a small volume when the free acid just crashed out to give canary yellow crystals of pure Compound 1 (0.512 g). Total yield was 40.8%. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) □ ppm 1.82 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=5.56 Hz, 2H) 3.16 (t, J=5.68 Hz, 2H) 4.31 (s, 2H) 7.29 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H) 7.34 (s, 4H) 8.18 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Preparation of Compound 2
Example 2
Preparation of Compound 2
Intermediate 4: 4-chlorophenacyl acetate
This compound was prepared as described by Cragoe et al. ( J. Org. Chem., 1953, 18, 561), except that the phenacyl bromide was used instead of the phenacyl chloride. A suspension of 2-bromo-4′-chloroacetophenone (Aldrich, 50 g, 0.21 mol) in 220 mL ethanol was prepared in a 1 L round-bottomed flask, and a solution of sodium acetate trihydrate (32 g, 0.24 mol) in 110 mL water and 11 mL acetic acid was added. The mixture was heated at reflux for 2.5 hours, then cooled to room temperature and refrigerated overnight. The white crystalline material which precipitated was collected by filtration, washing once with a cold solution of 50% aqueous ethanol, and dried under vacuum to give pure phenacyl acetate 4 (38 g, 83% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ ppm 2.22 (s, 3H) 5.28 (s, 2H) 7.46 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.85 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H).
2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 2)
The procedure described by Cragoe et al. ( J. Org. Chem., 1953, 18, 561) was followed. A suspension of 6,7-cyclohexanoisatin (intermediate 3, 15.0 g, 74.3 mmol) in 80 mL 6 M aqueous potassium hydroxide was prepared in a 1 L 3-necked round-bottomed flask fitted with a reflux condenser, and heated to 100° C. A solution of 4-chlorophenacyl acetate (intermediate 4, 19.7 g, 92.9 mmol) in 80 mL warm ethanol was added in small portions over the course of 1 hour. After all this solution had been added, the reaction mixture was heated at reflux for an additional 4 hours. It was then cooled to room temperature, and the ethanol removed under reduced pressure. The residue was diluted with 385 mL water, chilled for 30 minutes, filtered, and acidified to pH 1 with 1 M aqueous hydrochloric acid. The crude acid precipitate was collected by filtration and dried under vacuum. To purify the acid, it was first eluted over a silica gel column (flash chromatography, 70 ethyl acetate:5 acetonitrile:2.5 methanol:2.5 water [+0.5% triethylamine]) to remove most of the highly colored impurities. The triethylammonium salt obtained was then suspended in 20% acetonitrile/water and converted back to the free acid by addition of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The acid precipitate was collected once again by filtration, dried under vacuum, and recrystallized in several batches from chloroform/ethanol to give pure Compound 2 as a pale yellow powder (3.03 g, 12% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ ppm 1.84 (m, 4H) 2.85 (t, J=5.56 Hz, 2H) 3.25 (t, J=5.56 Hz, 2H) 7.33 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H) 7.58 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 8.15 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 8.26 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Preparation of Compound 3
Example 3
Preparation of Compound 3
Intermediate 5:1H-Benzo[g]indole-2,3-dione
The procedure described above for the synthesis of intermediate 3 was followed, reacting 1-aminonaphthalene (10.0 g, 69.8 mmol) with chloral hydrate (13.9 g, 83.8 mmol) and hydroxylamine hydrochloride (17.5 g, 0.251 mol) in the presence of sodium sulfate (99 g, 0.70 mol). Isonitrosoacetanilide was obtained as a brownish-black solid (7.09 g, 47% yield).
Cyclization was also carried out as described above. After pouring the reaction mixture onto ice and chilling it in the fridge overnight, a small amount of black precipitate had appeared. This was collected by filtration, washed with water (3 x), and dried under vacuum. The filtrate was extracted into ethyl acetate as described to give more black solid. Both samples contained some of the desired isatin 5, but were very impure (2.19 g, 34% yield).
Triethylammonium 7,8-benzo-2-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-hydroxyquinoline-4-carboxylate (Compound 3)
The procedure described above for the synthesis of Compound 2 was followed, reacting intermediate 5 (2.19 g, 11.1 mmol) with 4-chlorophenacyl acetate (intermediate 4, 2.95 g, 13.9 mmol). The crude acid was purified by flash chromatography over silica gel (70 ethyl acetate: 5 acetonitrile: 2.5 methanol: 2.5 water [+0.5% triethylamine]). The product was not pure enough and therefore purified again by Discovery Analytical Chemistry (preparative HPLC, acetonitrile/water/triethylamine). After lyophilization, product Compound 3 was obtained as the triethylammonium salt, a yellow solid (54 mg, 1.1% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 1.17 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 9H) 3.09 (m, 6H) 7.57 (m, 3H) 7.65 (m, 1H) 7.80 (d, J=9.1 Hz, 1H) 7.89 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H) 8.55 (dt, J=9.1, 2.5, 2.3 Hz, 2H) 9.13 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H) 9.53 (d, J=9.4 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 20 H 13 ClNO 3 350.0579, found 350.0580.
Preparation of Compound 4
Example 4
Preparation of Compound 4
Intermediate 6: N-(1-Acetyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-indol-7-yl)-2-hydroxyimino-acetamide
Intermediate 6 was synthesized according to the procedure described by Yang et al. ( J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1996, 118, 9557). Hydroxylamine hydrochloride (7.10 g, 0.102 mol) and sodium sulfate (40 g, 0.28 mol) were taken up in 200 mL water and 10 mL 2 M aqueous hydrochloric acid in a 1 L round-bottomed flask, and 1-acetyl-7-amino-2,3-dihydro-(1H)-indole (5.0 g, 28 mmol) was added. Chloral hydrate (5.63 g, 34.0 mmol) was then added, and the flask covered with a rubber septum and nitrogen balloon and heated at 55° C. overnight. After cooling to room temperature, the isonitrosoacetanilide 6 was collected by filtration and dried under vacuum to give product of sufficient purity that it could be used in the next step (5.74 g, 82% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 2.30 (s, 3H) 3.07 (t, J=8.0 Hz, 2H) 4.13 (t, J=7.8 Hz, 2H) 7.09 (dd, J=7.3, 1.3 Hz, 1H) 7.14 (t, 1H) 7.48 (s, 1H) 7.73 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H) 10.76 (s, 1H) 12.33 (s, 1H).
Intermediate 7: 8-acetyl-1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,8-diaza-as-indacene-2,3-dione
The cyclization step was carried out as described by Marvel and Hiers ( Org. Synth. Coll. Vol. I, 327). In a 125 mL Erlenmeyer flask, 20 mL concentrated sulfuric acid was heated to 55° C. The isonitrosoacetanilide 6 was then added in small portions, with stirring, keeping the temperature of the solution below 70° C. Upon completion of the addition, the reaction mixture was heated at 80° C. for an additional 10 minutes, then cooled to room temperature and poured onto 100 mL crushed ice. It was allowed to stand for ½ hour, and then the precipitate was collected by filtration, washing with water (3×), and dried under vacuum to give isatin 7 as a bright red, crystalline solid, of sufficient purity to be used in the next step (2.49 g, 46% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 2.24 (s, 3H) 3.20 (t, J=8.3 Hz, 2H) 4.15 (t, J=8.3 Hz, 2H) 7.02 (d, J=7.3 Hz, 1H) 7.32 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 10.22 (s, 1H).
8-(4-chlorobenzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-h]quinoline-6-carboxylic acid Compound 4
This compound was synthesized by the procedure described above for Compound 1, reacting 8-acetyl-1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1,8-diaza-as-indacene-2,3-dione (intermediate 7, 1.20 g, 5.21 mmol) with 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (intermediate 2, 1.48 g, 6.52 mmol). The crude product was purified by flash chromatography over silica gel, eluting with 70 ethyl acetate:5 acetonitrile:2.5 methanol:2.5 water (+0.5% triethylamine), and lyophilized to yield the pure triethylammonium salt. To convert the salt back to the free acid form, it was taken up in 1:1 acetonitrile/water, acidified with concentrated hydrochloric acid, and then diluted with additional water to 20% acetonitrile in water. The acid was further purified by triturating with boiling ethanol to give pure Compound 4 as a beige powder (0.249 g, 13% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 3.27 (t, J=8.1 Hz, 2H) 3.75 (t, J=8.1 Hz, 2H) 4.27 (s, 2H) 7.36 (m, 5H) 8.77 (s, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 19 H 16 ClN 2 O 3 (MH + ) 355.0844, found 355.0846.
Preparation of Compound 5
Example 5
Preparation of Compound 5
Intermediate 8: 4-aminoindane
In a 500 mL Parr shaker vessel, 4-nitroindane (10 g, 61 mmol) was dissolved in 50 mL ethanol. A slurry of 10% Pd/C (1 g) in ethanol was added. The mixture was then placed on a Parr shaker under a hydrogen atmosphere (50 psi) for 1 hour, at which point t.l.c. (20% ethyl acetate in hexanes) showed that all the starting material had disappeared. To work up the reaction, the mixture was filtered twice through Celite, washing with a large amount of ethanol, and once through filter paper. The ethanol was evaporated under reduced pressure, and the crude product purified by flash chromatography over silica gel (10% ethyl acetate in hexanes) to give 8 as a viscous, faintly colored oil (7.04 g, 86% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 1.95 (m, 2H) 2.61 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 2H) 2.76 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H) 4.77 (s, 2H) 6.36 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H) 6.42 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H) 6.80 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H).
Intermediate 9: 2-Hydroxyimino-N-indan-4-yl acetamide
This was synthesized according to the procedure described above for intermediate 6. The isonitrosoacetanilide was prepared by reacting 4-aminoindane 8, (7.04 g, 52.9 mmol) with chloral hydrate (10.5 g, 63.4 mmol) and hydroxylamine hydrochloride (13.2 g, 0.190 mol) in the presence of sodium sulfate (75 g, 0.53 mol). Pure product 9 was obtained as a brown solid (7.18 g, 66% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 2.00 (m, 2H) 2.80 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 2H) 2.88 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 2H) 7.05 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 1H) 7.12 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.45 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H) 7.71 (s, 1H) 9.49 (s, 1H) 12.19 (s, 1H).
Intermediate 10: 1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1-aza-as-indacene-2,3-dione
The cyclization step was also carried out as described for intermediate 7. However, after pouring the cooled reaction mixture onto ice, only a very small amount of precipitate appeared, even after chilling the mixture overnight. Thus, this black precipitate was filtered out and thrown away (<200 mg was isolated in this fashion), and the filtrate extracted into ethyl acetate (3×). The ethyl acetate solution was washed with brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered, and evaporated under reduced pressure to yield pure isatin 10 as a bright orange powder (0.36 g, 5.5% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 2.07 (m, 2H) 2.76 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H) 2.88 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H) 6.95 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.30 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 11.10 (s, 1H).
8-(4-chlorobenzyl)-7-hydroxy-2,3-dihydro-1H-9-aza-cyclopenta[a]naphthalene-6-carboxylic acid (Compound 5)
This compound was synthesized by the procedure described above for Compound 1, reacting 1,6,7,8-tetrahydro-1-aza-as-indacene-2,3-dione 10 (0.36 g, 1.92 mmol) with 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate 2 (0.54 g, 2.40 mmol). The crude acid was purified as described above for Compound 4 to give pure product Compound 5 as a bright yellow powder (94 mg, 14% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ 2.15 (quint., 2H) 3.05 (t, J=7.3 Hz, 2H) 3.28 (t, J=7.5 Hz, 2H) 4.32 (s, 2H) 7.33 (s, 4H) 7.49 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H) 8.36 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 20 H 17 ClNO 3 (MH + ) 354.0892, found 354.0898.
Preparation of Compound 6
Example 6
Preparation of Compound 6
Intermediate 11: 1-Chloro-3-(4-trifluoromethoxy phenyl)propan-2-one
A solution of 14.58 g (66.23 mMol) of 4-trifluoromethoxy phenyl acetic acid in 75 mL thionyl chloride was refluxed 1.5 hours, cooled, and the excess reagent was evaporated in vacuo. The resulting crude acid chloride was re-evaporated twice from dry toluene and used as such in the following step. To 175 mL diazomethane in Et 2 O (ca. 0.57 mMol/mL) in an ice bath was added over 30 minutes a solution of the crude acid chloride in 85 mL Et 2 O. The reaction was stirred 2 hours in the cold, then overnight at room temperature. Through the cooled (0° C.) solution was passed a gentle stream of Cl 2 gas for 5 minutes. After one more hour in the ice bath the reaction was diluted with 500 mL Et 2 O, poured into 350 mL crushed ice-water, and the layers were separated. The aqueous layer was extracted with a second portion of Et 2 O. The organic phases were washed with 5% NAHCO 3 (2×200 mL) and semi-saturated brine (400 mL), combined, dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in 30 mL CH 2 Cl 2 , and the solution purified by flash chromatography on silica gel 60 (Merck) using AcOEt-cyclohexane 20:80 and 30:70 as the eluent. Pooling and evaporation of the appropriate fractions gave 6.97 g (44.1% overall) of the intermediate 11 as a colorless oil. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ ppm 3.85 (s, 2H) 4.12 (s, 2H) 7.18 (m, J=21.98 Hz, 4H).
Intermediate 12: Acetic acid 2-oxo-3-(4-trifluoromethoxyphenyl)propyl ester
To a stirred, gently refluxing solution of the chloride 11 (6.80 g, 26.92 mMol) in 50 mL EtOH was added in one portion 5.68 g 29.6 mMol, 1.1 equiv.) CsOAc dissolved in 25 mL water and 2.5 mL glacial AcOH, and the reaction was refluxed 3 hours longer. Most of the EtOH was evaporated in vacuo, the concentrate was diluted with 100 mL water and the mixture extracted with AcOEt (2×400 mL). The organic phases were washed in sequence with ice cold, semi saturated NaHCO 3 (300 mL) and semi saturated brine (300 mL), combined, dried (Na 2 SO 4 ), and evaporated in vacuo. The residue was crystallized from Et2O and excess hexanes to afford 3.15 g of 12 (42.4%) of the acetate as colorless flakes. (More product present in the mother liquors). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) 2.16 (s, 3H) 3.75 (s, 2H) 4.71 (s, 2H) 7.23 (m, 4H).
3-Hydroxy-2-(4-trifluoromethoxybenzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 6)
To 1.00 g (4.97 mMol) intermediate 3 dissolved in 9 mL 6N KOH at 100-2° C. was added over one hour in several portions under stirring a solution of 2.26 g (8.18 mMol, 1.65 equiv.) acetate 12 in 18 mL lukewarm EtOH. At the end of the addition the solution was stirred one hour longer under gentle reflux, cooled, slowly diluted with 150 mL water, then acidified with 35 mL 2.5N HCl, added dropwise over 1.5 hours. The gummy precipitate was separated from the clear supernatant (pH<0) by decantation after standing 2 hours. The gum was dissolved in 600 mL AcOEt, the resulting solution was washed with 200 mL semi saturated brine, dried (Na2SO4), and evaporated in vacuo. Separation of the quinoline salicylate from unreacted cyclohexylisatin (27% recovery) and a variety of other impurities could only be achieved by gravity chromatography on silica gel 60 (Merck) of the triethylammonium salt, using a gradient of AcOEt-MeCN-MeOH—H 2 O 70:5:2.5:2.5 to 70:10:5:5, containing 0.5% NEt 3 . Pooling of the appropriate fractions afforded pure product as the partial NEt 3 salt. The salt was the converted to the free acid by treatment with 1N HCl (aqueous) in a diluted AcOEt solution, which was quickly washed with semi saturated brine, dried, and evaporated in vacuo. Crystallization of the residue by slurring with a small volume of AcOEt-MeCN-MeOH—H 2 O 70:10:5:5 (no NEt 3 ) afforded 566 mg (27.3%) of the canary yellow quinoline salicilate as the free acid Compound 6. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D 6 ) δ1.81 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=5.56 Hz, 2H) 3.13 (T, J=5.56 Hz, 2H) 4.35 (s, 2H) 7.28 (t, J=7.71 Hz, 3H) 7.45 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 8.21 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Example 7
Preparation of Compound 7
Intermediate 13: 1-Chloro-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one
The organozinc species was generated as described by S. Huo ( Organic Letters 2003, 5 (4), 423-5). In a flame-dried 25 mL 2-necked round-bottomed flask, under an inert atmosphere, iodine (65 mg, 0.26 mmol) was taken up in 6 mL anhydrous N,N-dimethylacetamide. Zinc dust (0.502 g, 7.67 mmol) was added, and the suspension stirred until the red color of the iodine disappeared. Then, 3,4-dichlorobenzyl chloride (0.71 mL, 1.0 g, 5.1 mmol) was added via syringe, and the mixture heated at 80° C. until the t.l.c. of a hydrolyzed aliquot (5% ethyl acetate in hexanes, visualized by cerium molybdate staining) showed that the starting material had been consumed. The reaction vessel was placed in a water bath to cool it, and Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.118 g, 0.102 mmol) was added, followed by dropwise addition, via syringe, of chloroacetyl chloride (0.61 mL, 0.87 g, 7.7 mmol). The brown suspension was allowed to stir overnight at room temperature. To work up the reaction, 12 mL 1 M HCl was added, and the mixture extracted into ethyl acetate (4×12 mL). The combined organic layers were washed with brine, dried over anhydrous MgSO 4 , filtered, and evaporated. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography over silica gel (1-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes), to give material of sufficient purity to be used in the next step (0.545 g, 45% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 3.89 (s, 2H) 4.13 (s, 2H) 7.06 (dd, J=8.2, 2.6 Hz, 1H) 7.33 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H) 7.42 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H).
Intermediate 14: 3-(3,4-Dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate
In a round-bottomed flask, 1-chloro-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one (0.545 g, 2.30 mmol) was taken up in 2 mL acetone, and acetic acid (0.26 mL, 0.28 g, 4.6 mmol) was added. The solution was cooled in an ice water bath, and triethylamine (0.64 mL, 0.47 g, 4.6 mmol) added dropwise via syringe over 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was then stirred overnight. Precipitated triethylammonium chloride was removed by filtration, and the filtrate was evaporated, taken up in 10 mL ethyl acetate, washed twice with brine, dried over anhydrous MgSO 4 , filtered, and evaporated. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography over silica gel (10-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes) to give a pure product (0.200 g, 33% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.17 (s, 3H) 3.71 (s, 2H) 4.71 (s, 2H) 7.05 (dd, J=8.2, 2.2 Hz, 1H) 7.32 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H) 7.41 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H).
2-(3,4-Dichlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 7)
The Pfitzinger reaction was used. In a 2-necked 25 mL round-bottomed flask, 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.119 g, 0.590 mmol) was taken up in 1 mL ethanol and 3 mL 10 M NaOH, and the mixture heated to reflux temperature. A solution of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.200 g, 0.767 mmol) in 3 mL ethanol was added in small portions over the course of 1 hour, by syringe. Refluxing was continued for an additional hour after the addition was complete, and the reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature and acidified with glacial acetic acid, and the yellow precipitate collected by filtration. This crude product was purified by preparative HPLC (acetonitrile/water/triethylamine), and the pure salt thus obtained was converted back to the free acid by acidification of a 5% acetonitrile in water solution with concentrated HCl. The bright yellow precipitate was collected by filtration and dried under vacuum (47.8 mg, 20% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.73-1.86 (m, 4H) 2.81 (t, J=6.1 Hz, 2H) 3.12 (t, J=5.9 Hz, 2H) 4.30 (s, 2H) 7.28 (t, J=8.7 Hz, 2H) 7.53 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H) 7.59 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H) 8.19 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 21 H 18 Cl 2 NO 3 (MH+) 402.0658, found 402.0661.
Example 8
Preparation of Compound 8
Intermediate 15: 1-Chloro-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one
The chloride was synthesized by Arndt-Eistert homologation of the acid chloride. A solution of 2-thiopheneacetyl chloride (3.8 mL, 5.0 g, 31 mmol) in 60 mL ether was added dropwise, with stirring, from an addition funnel to a 1 L Erlenmeyer flask containing 85 mL of an ethereal diazomethane solution, cooled in an ice water bath. Upon completion of the addition (which was done over 30 minutes), the solution was allowed to stir overnight, gradually warming to room temperature. It was then cooled in an ice water bath once again, and a gentle stream of dry HCl gas was passed through, until nitrogen evolution ceased. The mixture was stirred for 1 hour, then poured into 150 mL ice water, stirred for 20 minutes, and extracted twice into 180 mL portions of ether. The combined ether extracts were washed with 5% Na 2 CO 3 (150 mL) and brine (120 mL), then dried over anhydrous MgSO 4 , filtered, and evaporated. Purification by flash chromatography over silica gel (5% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave a clear, yellow oil, which turned into a black solid upon standing overnight, unless it was stored in the freezer, under nitrogen (2.33 g, 43% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.11 (s, 2H) 4.17 (s, 2H) 6.93-6.96 (m, 1H) 7.00 (dd, J=5.2, 3.4 Hz, 1H) 7.24-7.28 (m, 1H).
Intermediate 16: 3-(Thiophen-2-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one (1.00 g, 5.73 mmol) with acetic acid (0.66 mL, 0.69 g, 12 mmol) and triethylamine (1.60 mL, 1.16 g, 11.5 mmol). Purification by flash chromatography over silica gel (1040% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave an orange oil (0.144 g, 13% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.17 (s, 3H) 3.95 (s, 2H) 4.74 (s, 2H) 6.92-6.94 (m, 1H) 6.99 (dd, J=5.2, 3.4 Hz, 1H) 7.25 (dd, J=5.1, 1.3 Hz, 1H).
3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-2-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 8)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.112 g, 0.557 mmol) with 3-(thiophen-2-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.144 g, 0.724 mmol). Product was obtained as a dark yellow powder (9.1 mg, 4.8% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.75-1.88 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=5.7 Hz, 2H) 3.17-3.25 (m, 2H) 4.49 (s, 2H) 6.89-6.94 (m, 1H) 6.94-6.98 (m, 1H) 7.27 (d, J=9.1 Hz, 1H) 7.32 (dd, J=5.3, 1.3 Hz, 1H) 8.18 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 19 H 18 NO 3 S (MH+) 340.1002, found 340.1011.
Example 9
Preparation of Compound 9
Intermediate 17: 1-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-3-chloropropan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-chloro-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one was followed. To prepare the acid chloride, 2-(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)acetic acid (1.00 g, 5.20 mmol) was added to 6 mL thionyl chloride in a 25 mL round-bottomed flask. The mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, and the thionyl chloride then removed in vacuo and the residue azeotroped twice with toluene. The acid chloride was then reacted with diazomethane and HCl. The crude product was purified by flash chromatography over silica gel (2-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes) to give pure material (0.661 g, 56% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.12 (s, 2H) 4.14 (d, J=1.0 Hz, 2H) 7.36-7.44 (m, 3H) 7.67-7.71 (m, 1H) 7.87-7.90 (m, 1H).
Intermediate 18: 3-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-3-chloropropan-2-one (0.661 g, 2.94 mmol) with acetic acid (0.34 mL, 0.35 g, 5.9 mmol) and triethylamine (0.82 mL, 0.59 g, 5.9 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (10-40% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (0.372 g, 51% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.14 (s, 3H) 3.98 (s, 2H) 4.71 (s, 2H) 7.34-7.44 (m, 3H) 7.67-7.70 (m, 1H) 7.86-7.89 (m, 1H).
2-(Benzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 9)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.232 g, 1.15 mmol) with 3-(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.372 g, 1.50 mmol). Product was obtained as a bright yellow powder (30.6 mg, 6.8% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.71-1.85 (m, 4H) 2.80 (t, J=5.2 Hz, 2H) 3.11 (t, J=5.1 Hz, 2H) 4.53 (s, 2H) 7.25 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H) 7.30-7.45 (m, 3H) 7.94 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H) 8.11 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H) 8.19 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 23 H 20 NO 3 S (MH+) 390.1159, found 390.1167.
Example 10
Preparation of Compound 10
Intermediate 19: 1-Chloro-3-(2-chlorophenyl)propan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-chloro-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one was followed, reacting 2-chlorobenzyl chloride (1.6 mL, 2.0 g, 12 mmol) with zinc dust (1.22 g, 18.6 mmol) in the presence of iodine (0.157 g, 0.620 mmol), then with chloroacetyl chloride (1.5 mL, 2.1 g, 19 mmol) in the presence of Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.287 g, 0.248 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (10% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave product of sufficient purity to be used in the next step (0.556 g, 22% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.03 (s, 2H) 4.19 (s, 2H) 7.19-7.29 (m, 3H) 7.38-7.42 (m, 1H).
Intermediate 20: 3-(2-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-(2-chlorophenyl)propan-2-one (0.556 g, 2.74 mmol) with acetic acid (0.31 mL, 0.33 g, 5.5 mmol) and triethylamine (0.76 mL, 0.56 g, 5.5 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (5-40% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (0.251 g, 43% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.17 (s, 3H) 3.88 (s, 2H) 4.75 (s, 2H) 7.24-7.27 (m, 3H) 7.38-7.42 (m, 1H).
2-(2-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 10)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.183 g, 0.908 mmol) with 3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.251 g, 1.18 mmol). Product was obtained as a bright yellow powder (79.5 mg, 24% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.74 (br. s, 4H) 2.80 (br. s, 2H) 2.92 (br. s, 2H) 4.42 (s, 2H) 7.22-7.32 (m, 4H) 7.43-7.50 (m, 1H) 8.23 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 21 H 19 ClNO 3 (MH+) 368.1048, found 368.1047.
Example 11
Preparation of Compound 11
Intermediate 21: 3-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate
A flame-dried 50 mL round-bottomed flask, under an inert atmosphere, was charged with Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.30 g, 0.26 mmol). Anhydrous THF (7 mL) was added, then a 0.5 M THF solution of 3-chlorobenzylzinc chloride (26 mL, 13 mmol). The flask was cooled in an ice bath, and chloroacetyl chloride was added via syringe, over 1 hour. The solution went from a very dark brown (almost black), to a clear, light yellow. The mixture was stirred overnight at room temperature, then quenched by addition of 5 g ice, stirred for an additional hour, diluted with ethyl acetate, washed twice with brine, dried over anhydrous MgSO 4 , filtered, and evaporated.
This crude material was reacted with acetic acid (1.42 mL, 1.49 g, 24.8 mmol) and triethylamine (3.46 mL, 2.51 g, 24.8 mmol), as described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one. Flash chromatography over silica gel (20% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (1.22 g, 46% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.16 (s, 3H) 3.72 (s, 2H) 4.69-4.71 (m, 2H) 7.08-7.11 (m, 1H) 7.21-7.23 (m, 1H) 7.26-7.29 (m, 2H).
2-(3-Chlorobenzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 11)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.495 g, 2.46 mmol) with 3-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.680 g, 3.20 mmol). Product was obtained as a bright yellow powder (186 mg, 20% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.74-1.88 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=4.3 Hz, 2H) 3.15 (t, J=4.6 Hz, 2H) 4.32 (s, 2H) 7.24-7.35 (m, 4H) 7.39 (s, 1H) 8.20 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 21 H 19 ClNO 3 (MH+) 368.1048, found 368.1046.
Example 12
Preparation of Compound 12
Intermediate 22: 1-Chloro-3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-(benzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-3-chloropropan-2-one was followed, except that in this case the acid chloride was generated by dropwise addition of oxalyl chloride (1.2 mL, 1.7 g, 13 mmol) to a cold THF solution (18 mL) of 2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)acetic acid (2.5 g, 12 mmol), containing catalytic DMF. After the addition was complete, the solution was allowed to stir at room temperature for 1 hour, then added to an ethereal diazomethane solution, as previously described. Work-up and purification by flash chromatography over silica gel (10% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave product of sufficient purity to be used in the next step: 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.35 (s, 3H) 4.13 (s, 2H) 4.17 (s, 2H) 7.30-7.42 (m, 2H) 7.67 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.79 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H).
Intermediate 23: 3-[2-(3-Methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)]-2-oxopropyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one (0.754 g, 3.16 mmol) with acetic acid (0.54 mL, 0.57 g, 9.5 mmol) and triethylamine (1.3 mL, 0.96 g, 9.5 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (16-36% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (0.109 g, 13% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.17 (s, 3H) 2.35 (s, 3H) 3.97 (s, 2H) 4.73 (s, 2H) 7.31-7.41 (m, 2H) 7.64-7.68 (m, 1H) 7.76-7.80 (m, 1H).
3-Hydroxy-2-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-ylmethyl)]-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 12)
The procedure described above for the synthesis of WAY-278932 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (64 mg, 0.318 mmol) with 3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)]-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.109 g, 0.414 mmol). Preparative HPLC purification (water/acetonitrile/triethylamine), followed by lyophilization gave product as a fluffy, light yellow solid (186 mg, 20% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.76-1.88 (m, 4H) 2.50 (s, 3H) 2.80 (t, J=5.3 Hz, 2H) 3.20 (t, J=5.8 Hz, 2H) 4.52 (s, 2H) 7.16 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H) 7.25 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.33 (t, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.68 (d, J=7.8 Hz, 1H) 7.79 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H) 8.68 (s, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 24 H 22 NO 3 S (MH+) 404.1315, found 404.1312.
Example 13
Preparation of Compound 13
Intermediate 24: 1-Chloro-3-(thiophen-3-yl)propan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-chloro-3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one was followed, reacting thiophene-3-acetic acid (5.32 g, 37.4 mmol) with oxalyl chloride (3.6 mL, 5.2 g, 41 mmol, then ethereal diazomethane, then dry HCl gas. Work-up gave pure product, a brown oil which solidified upon refrigeration to a golden-brown, waxy solid (6.52 g, 100% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 3.94 (s, 2H) 4.13 (s, 2H) 6.99 (d, J=5.1 Hz, 1H) 7.16 (dd, J=1.5, 0.8 Hz, 1H) 7.33 (dd, J=4.9, 2.9 Hz, 1H).
Intermediate 25: 2-Oxo-3-(thiophen-3-yl)propyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-(thiophen-3-yl)propan-2-one (6.53 g, 37.4 mmol) with acetic acid (4.3 mL, 4.5 g, 75 mmol) and triethylamine (10.4 mL, 7.57 g, 74.8 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (20% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product, a golden-yellow oil (3.85 g, 52% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.16 (s, 3H) 3.77 (s, 2H) 4.70 (s, 2H) 6.98 (dd, J=4.8, 1.3 Hz, 1H) 7.14 (dd, J=1.8, 1.0 Hz, 1H) 7.32 (dd, J=4.9, 2.9 Hz, 1H).
3-Hydroxy-2-(thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 13)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.500 g, 2.48 mmol) with 2-oxo-3-(thiophen-3-yl)propyl acetate (0.640 g, 3.23 mmol). Product was obtained as a bright yellow powder (187 mg, 22% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.73-1.89 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=4.9 Hz, 2H) 3.18 (t, J=5.7 Hz, 2H) 4.32 (s, 2H) 7.10 (d, J=4.8 Hz, 1H) 7.23 (s, 1H) 7.27 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H) 7.40-7.47 (m, 1H) 8.22 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 19 H 18 NO 3 S (MH+) 340.1002, found 340.1006. Anal. Calcd for C 19 H 17 NO 3 S.2H 2 O: C, 60.78; H, 5.64; N, 3.73. Found: C, 63.01; H, 5.60; N, 3.76.
Example 14
Preparation of Compound 14
Intermediate 26: 1-(Benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl acetic acid
Indole-3-acetic acid (13 g, 74 mmol) was taken up in 130 mL anhydrous THF in a flame-dried, 2-necked 1 L round-bottomed flask, under an inert atmosphere, and cooled to −78° C. (dry ice/acetone bath). A 1.0 M THF solution of LHMDS (163 mL, 0.163 mol) was added via syringe over 30 minutes, and the reaction mixture allowed to stir for an additional 30 minutes at −78° C. once the addition was complete. Next, benzyl chloroformate (11.7 mL, 13.9 g, 81.6 mmol) was added dropwise via syringe. Stirring was then continued for 1 hour. To work up the reaction mixture, it was quenched with 2 M HCl, and partitioned between 2 M HCl and ethyl acetate. The aqueous layer was extracted with additional ethyl acetate, and the combined organic layers washed with brine, dried over anhydrous MgSO 4 , filtered, and evaporated to give a white solid with a pinkish tinge (22.49 g, 98% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 3.71 (s, 2H) 5.47 (s, 2H) 7.27 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 1H) 7.32-7.47 (m, 4H) 7.54 (d, J=6.8 Hz, 2H) 7.58 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H) 7.68 (s, 1H) 8.08 (d, J=8.1 Hz, 1H) 12.43 (s, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 18 H 16 NO 4 (MH+) 310.1074, found 310.1080.
Intermediate 27: 3-[1-(Benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl]-1-chloropropan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-chloro-3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one was followed, reacting 1-(benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl acetic acid (22.49 g, 72.7 mmol) with oxalyl chloride (7.0 mL, 10 g, 80 mmol, then ethereal diazomethane, then dry HCl gas. Flash chromatography over silica gel (15-20% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (21.64 g, 87% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 3.97 (d, J=1.0 Hz, 2H) 4.15 (s, 2H) 5.45 (s, 2H) 7.27-7.30 (m, 1H) 7.33-7.51 (m, 7H) 7.63 (s, 1H) 8.19 (br. s, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 19 H 17 ClNO 3 (MH+) 342.0892, found 342.0900.
Intermediate 28: 3-[1-(Benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl]-2-oxopropyl acetate
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 3-[1-(benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl]-1-chloropropan-2-one (19.28 g, 56.4 mmol) with acetic acid (6.5 mL, 6.8 g, 0.11 mol) and triethylamine (15.7 mL, 11.4 g, 0.113 mol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (25% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product as an orange oil that solidified under vacuum to a yellow solid (9.06 g, 44% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 2.15 (s, 3H) 3.81 (d, J=0.8 Hz, 2H) 4.73 (s, 2H) 5.45 (s, 2H) 7.26-7.30 (m, 1H) 7.32-7.51 (m, 7H) 7.62 (s, 1H) 8.18 (s, 1H).
3-Hydroxy-2-(indol-3-ylmethyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 14)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.294 g, 1.46 mmol) with 3-[1-(benzyloxycarbonyl)indol-3-yl]-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.693 g, 1.90 mmol). Product was obtained as a brownish-orange powder (93 mg, 17% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.65-1.93 (m, 4H) 2.83 (br. s, 2H) 3.24 (br. s, 2H) 4.41 (s, 2H) 6.90-7.08 (m, 2H) 7.13-7.36 (m, 3H) 7.75 (d, J=7.1 Hz, 1H) 8.19 (s, 1H) 10.84 (s, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 23 H 21 N 2 O 3 (MH+) 373.1547, found 373.1548. Anal. Calcd for C 23 H 20 N 2 O 3 . H 2 O: C, 70.75; H, 5.68; N, 7.17. Found: C, 71.04; H, 5.64; N, 7.01.
Example 15
Preparation of Compound 15
Intermediate 29: 1-Chloro-3-(5-chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-propan-2-one
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 1-chloro-3-[2-(3-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one was followed, reacting 5-chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl acetic acid (4.00 g, 17.6 mmol) with oxalyl chloride (1.7 mL, 2.5 g, 19 mmol), then ethereal diazomethane, then dry HCl gas. Work-up of the reaction mixture gave pure product as a light golden-yellow solid (4.43 g, 97% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ 4.12 (s, 2H) 4.15 (s, 2H) 7.35 (dd, J=8.6, 2.1 Hz, 1H) 7.43 (s, 1H) 7.65 (d, J=2.1 Hz, 1H) 7.79 (d, J=8.6 Hz, 1H).
Intermediate 30: 3-(5-Chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-(5-chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-propan-2-one (4.43 g, 17.1 mmol) with acetic acid (2.0 mL, 2.1 g, 35 mmol) and triethylamine (4.9 mL, 3.6 g, 35 mmol). Flash chromatography over silica gel (20% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product, a pale yellow solid (2.76 g, 57% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl 3 ) δ2.16 (s, 3H) 3.94 (d, J=1.0 Hz, 2H) 4.73 (s, 2H) 7.34 (ddd, J=8.6, 2.0, 0.5 Hz, 1H) 7.39-7.42 (m, 1H) 7.65 (d, J=2.0 Hz, 1H) 7.78 (dd, J=8.6, 0.5 Hz, 1H).
2-(5-Chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-ylmethyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydrobenzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 15)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of compound 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.200 g, 0.994 mmol) with 3-(5-chlorobenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.365 g, 1.29 mmol). It was not possible to convert the triethylammonium salt obtained by preparative HPLC (basic modifier) back to the free acid by the usual method. Thus, the final product, a sunflower-yellow powder, was a triethylammonium salt with 6:5 acid:base stoichiometry (108 mg, 21% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-d 6 ) δ 1.17 (t, J=7.2 Hz, 7.5H) 1.72-1.87 (m, 4H) 2.77 (t, J=5.9 Hz, 2H) 3.10 (dq, 5H) 3.18 (t, J=5.7 Hz, 2H) 4.46 (s, 2H) 7.08 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H) 7.35 (dd, J=8.7, 2.2 Hz, 1H) 7.59 (s, 1H) 7.96 (d, J=8.3 Hz, 1H) 8.41 (d, J=2.1 Hz, 1H) 8.94 (d, J=8.8 Hz, 1H); HRMS (ESI+) calcd for C 23 H 19 ClNO 3 S (MH+) 424.0769, found 424.0770. Anal. Calcd for [C 23 H 19 ClNO 3 S] 6 [C 6 H 15 N] 5 [H 2 O]: C, 65.60; H, 5.78; N, 4.72. Found: C, 64.75; H, 6.01; N, 4.56.
Example 16
Preparation of Compound 16
3-hydroxy-2-phenyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 16)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.294 g, 1.46 mmol) with phenacyl acetate (0.338 g, 1.90 mmol). Product was obtained as a yellow powder (116 mg, 25% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.75-1.93 (m, 4H) 2.86 (t, J=5.68 Hz, 2H) 3.25 (t, J=5.81 Hz, 2H) 7.33 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H) 7.44-7.56 (m, 3H) 8.09 (dd, J=8.08, 1.52 Hz, 2H) 8.28 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Example 17
Preparation of Compound 17
Intermediate 31: Acetic acid 3-(4-cyano-phenyl)-2-oxo-propyl ester
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 0.5 M THF solution of 4-cyanobenzylzinc bromide (26 mL, 13 mmol), Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.30 g, 0.26 mmol) with chloroacetyl chloride (26 mL, 13 mmol). Work-up of the reaction mixture gave crude product as a yellow oil.
This crude material was reacted with acetic acid (1.42 mL, 1.49 g, 24.8 mmol) and triethylamine (3.46 mL, 2.51 g, 24.8 mmol), as described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one. Flash chromatography over silica gel (10-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (0.71 g, 25% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.09 (s, 3H) 3.96 (s, 2H) 4.88 (s, 2H) 7.40 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 7.79 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H).
2-(4-Cyano-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 17)
In a 25 mL round-bottomed flask, 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.119 g, 0.590 mmol) was taken up in 1 mL ethanol and 3 mL 10 M NaOH, and the mixture heated at reflux temperature for 3 minutes. A solution of acetic acid 3-(4-cyano-phenyl)-2-oxo-propyl ester (0.167 g, 0.767 mmol) in 3 mL ethanol was then added and the reaction further heated for 10 minutes. The reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature and acidified with glacial acetic acid, and the yellow precipitate collected by filtration. The procedure described above for the purification of example 7 was followed. Product was obtained as a bright yellow powder (42 mg, 20% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.74-1.87 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=5.31 Hz, 2H) 3.12 (t, J=5.43 Hz, 2H), 4.40 (s, 2H), 7.28 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H) 7.51 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.75 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 8.23 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Examples 18 and 19
Preparation of Compound 18 and 19
2-(4-Carboxy-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 18) and 2-(4-Carbamoyl-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 19)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.495 g, 2.46 mmol) with acetic acid 3-(4-cyano-phenyl)-2-oxo-propyl ester (0.694 g, 3.20 mmol). Two products were isolated as bright yellow powders. Compound 18 was obtained in 15% yield (139 mg): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.76-1.88 (m, 4H) 2.84 (t, J=6.69 Hz, 2H) 3.16 (t, J=6.32 Hz, 2H) 4.39 (s, 2H) 7.30 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H) 7.42 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.77 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 8.43 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H). Compound 19 was obtained in 10% yield (92 mg): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.77-1.89 (m, 4H) 2.84 (t, J=6.44 Hz, 2H) 3.16 (t, J=5.81 Hz, 2H) 4.39 (s, 2H) 7.30 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H) 7.42 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 2H) 7.77 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 8.43 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Example 20
Preparation of Compound 20
Intermediate 32: Acetic acid 2-oxo-3-phenyl-propyl ester
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 0.5 M THF solution of benzylzinc bromide (26 mL, 13 mmol), Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.30 g, 0.26 mmol) with chloroacetyl chloride (26 mL, 13 mmol). Work-up of the reaction mixture gave crude product as a yellow oil.
This crude material was reacted with acetic acid (1.42 mL, 1.49 g, 24.8 mmol) and triethylamine (3.46 mL, 2.51 g, 24.8 mmol), as described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one. Flash chromatography over silica gel (10-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave pure product (0.83 g, 33% yield). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.08 (s, 3H) 3.80 (s, 2H) 4.85 (s, 2H) 7.17-7.36 (m, 5H).
2-Benzyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 20)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 207 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.294 g, 1.46 mmol) with acetic acid 2-oxo-3-phenyl-propyl ester (0.364 g, 1.90 mmol). Product was obtained as a yellow powder (171 mg, 35% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.75-1.89 (m, 4H) 2.83 (t, J=6.06 Hz, 2H) 3.17 (t, J=6.10 Hz, 2H) 4.31 (s, 2H) 7.13-7.21 (m, 1H) 7.23-7.36 (m, 5H) 8.24 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H).
Example 21
Preparation of Compound 21
Intermediate 33: Acetic acid 2-oxo-4-phenyl-butyl ester
The procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3-Chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 0.5 M THF solution of phenylethylzinc bromide (26 mL, 13 mmol), Pd(PPh 3 ) 4 (0.30 g, 0.26 mmol) with chloroacetyl chloride (26 mL, 13 mmol). Work-up of the reaction mixture gave crude product as a yellow oil.
This crude material was reacted with acetic acid (1.42 mL, 1.49 g, 24.8 mmol) and triethylamine (3.46 mL, 2.51 g, 24.8 mmol), as described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)propan-2-one. Flash chromatography over silica gel (10-30% ethyl acetate in hexanes) gave an impure mixture, which was used as such for the next step.
3-Hydroxy-2-phenethyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 21)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7 was followed, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.294 g, 1.46 mmol) with acetic acid 2-oxo-4-phenyl-butyl ester (0.391 g (75% purity), 1.90 mmol). Product was obtained as a yellow powder (76 mg, 15% yield): 1 H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.76-1.91 (m, 4H) 2.85 (t, J=5.95 Hz, 2H) 3.16 (t, J=7.80 Hz, 2H) 3.22 (t, J=6.10 Hz, 2H) 3.29 (t, J=7.78 Hz, 2H) 7.18 (t, J=7.02 Hz, 1H) 7.23-7.35 (m, 5H) 8.27 (d, J=7.93 Hz, 1H).
Example 22
Preparation of Compound 22
Intermediate 34: 1-(8-Amino-3,4-dihydro-1H-isoquinolin-2-yl)-ethanone (a Mixture of Two Isomers in a 2:3 Ratio)
To a solution of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydro 5-aminoisoquinoline (2.1 g, 14.1 mmol) in 125 mL dichloromethane and 100 mL saturated NaHCO3 (aq.) at 0° C. was added acetyl chloride (1 mL, 14.1 mmol) in 25 mL dichloromethane dropwise. The resulting mixture was stirred at 0° C. for 30 min. The organic layer was separated quickly so that the organic layer remained relatively cool. To the organic layer was immediately added methylamine hydrochloride (1 g, 14.2 mmol) and diisopropylamine (2 mL, 14.1 mmol) to scavenge the unreacted acetyl chloride. Removal of the solvent followed by flash chromatography (silica gel, ethyl acetate:hexane=5:1) gave the desired amide 34 as a light yellow oil (2 g, 74%). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.04 (s, 1.2H), 2.07 (s, 1.8H), 2.41 (dd, J=6.06, 6.19 Hz, 1H), 2.52 (m, 1H), 3.66 (dd, J=6.06, 6.19 Hz, 2H), 4.48 (s, 1.2H), 4.51 (s, 0.8H), 4.85-4.93 (bs, 2H), 6.36 (dd, J=7.33, 7.33 Hz, 1H), 6.47 (d, J=7.33 Hz, 0.6H), 6.49 (d, J=7.33 Hz, 0.4H), 6.85 (d, J=7.33 Hz, 0.6H) 6.88 (d, J=7.33 Hz, 0.4H).
Intermediate 35: N-(2-Acetyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinolin-8-yl)-2-imino-acetamide (a Mixture of Two Isomers in a 2:3 Ratio)
The isatin synthesis described by Yang et al. ( J. Am. Chem. Soc., 1996, 118, 9557) was used. A mixture of chloral hydrate (2.4 g, 14.9 mmol), hydroxylamine hydrochloride (3.3 g, 47.8 mmol), sodium sulfate (19 g, 133.8 mmol), intermediate 34 (2.4 g, 12.6 mmol), aq. HCl (10 mL, 1N), and 90 mL water was stirred at 55° C. overnight. The reaction mixture was cooled to 25° C. The precipitate was collected by filtration, washed with water, and dried under vaccum overnight to provide the intermediate 35 (2.8 g, 85%) as a beige solid which was used without further purification in the next step. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.07 (s, 1.8H), 2.08 (s, 1.2H), 2.62 (dd, J=5.94, 5.94 Hz, 0.8H), 2.72 (dd, J=5.94, 5.94 Hz, 1.2H), 3.63 (dd, J=6.06, 6.06 Hz, 2H), 4.61 (s, 1.2H), 4.66 (s, 0.8H), 7.07 (s, 0.4H), 7.09 (s, 0.6H), 7.19 (d, J=8.00 Hz, 0.4H), 7.21-7.25 (d, J=8.00 Hz, 0.6H), 7.30 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 0.4H), 7.33 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 0.6H), 7.66 (s, 1H), 9.61 (s, 1H), 12.19 (s, 1H).
Intermediate 36: 8-Acetyl-6,7,8,9-tetrahydro-1H-pyrrolo[3,2-h]isoquinoline-2,3-dione (a Mixture of Two Isomers in a 2:3 Ratio)
Intermediate 35 from above was mixed with 11 mL concentrated sulfuric acid at 25° C. The resulting dark purple solution was heated to 85° C. gradually and stayed at this temperature for 10 min. The reaction mixture was then cooled to 25° C. 50 mL crushed ice was added, and the reaction mixture was allowed to stay at 0° C. for 30 min. The precipitate was collected by filtration, washed with water, and dried under vacuum overnight to give isatin 36 (1.7 g, 65%) as an orange solid, which was used for the next step without further purification. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.08 (s, 1.2H), 2.10 (s, 1.8H), 2.58 (dd, J=5.81, 6.06 Hz, 0.8H), 2.69 (dd, J=5.81, 6.06 Hz, 1.2H), 3.70 (dd, J=6.23, 6.23 Hz, 2H), 4.63 (s, 1.2H), 4.69 (s, 0.8H), 6.91 (d, J=7.58 Hz, 0.4H), 6.92 (d, J=7.58 Hz, 0.6H), 7.33 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 0.4H), 7.37 (d, J=7.83 Hz, 0.6H), 11.12 (s, 0.4H), 11.15 (s, 0.6H).
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 22)
The procedure described by Cragoe et al. ( J. Org. Chem., 1953, 18, 561) was used. To a mixture of isatin 36 (0.85 g, 3.48 mmol) in 2 mL EtOH and 4 mL aq. 6 M KOH at 100° C. was added warm 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate (0.9 g, 3.98 mmol) in 2 mL EtOH in small portions over 1 hour period. After the addition was completed, the reaction mixture was refluxed for additional 1 h. Removal of the solvent, the resulting yellow gum was acidified with aq. 1 N HCl to pH˜1. HPLC of the yellow precipitate under basic conditions afforded white solid, which was acidified at 0° C. with 1N aq. HCl to pH˜1. The precipitate was collected by centrifuge, washed with water, and dried under vacuum to yield compound 22 (0.144 g, 16%) as a yellow solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.51-2.56 (m, 2H), 3.37-3.42 (m, 2H), 4.23 (s, 2H), 4.33 (bs, 2H), 7.18 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H), 7.27-7.33 (m, 2H), 7.33-7.39 (m, 2H), 8.95 (bs, 2H), 9.31 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H).
Example 23
Preparation of Compound 23
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-isopropyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 23)
A mixture of compound 22 (0.12 g, 0.297 mmol), triethylamine (46 uL, 0.30 mmol), acetone (26 uL, 0.446 mmol), sodium cyanoborohydride (23 mg, 0.36 mmol), 3 mL methanol, and 3 drops of acetic acid was stirred at 25° C. overnight. LC/MS showed that about half of the starting material left. Water and triethylamine were added dropwise to dissolve the precipitate. HPLC of the clear reaction mixture afforded a white solid, which was acidified with aq. 1N HCl to pH ˜1. The precipitate was collected by centrifuge, washed with water, and dried under vacuum to yield compound 23 (8.4 mg, 32% based on consumed starting material) as a white solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.43 (d, J=6.57, 1.77 Hz, 3H), 1.43 (d, J=6.57, 3H), 3.30-3.48 (m, 2H), 3.61-3.92 (m, 3H), 4.38-4.61 (m, 4H), 7.21-7.32 (m, 3H) 7.39 (d, J=8.34 Hz, 2H) 9.32 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H).
Example 24
Preparation of Compound 24
9-Benzyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 24)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 23 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.12 g, 0.297 mmol) with benzaldehyde to give compound 24 (24.1 mg, 40%). White solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 3.32-3.54 (m, 2H), 3.67-3.96 (m, 2H), 4.29 (s, 2H), 4.38-4.47 (m, 2H), 4.52 (s, 2H), 7.21 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H), 7.24-7.33 (m, 2H), 7.34-7.43 (m, 2H), 7.48-7.57 (m, 3H), 7.56-7.67 (m, 2H), 9.31 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Example 25
Preparation of Compound 25
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-9-ethyl-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 25)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 23 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.12 g, 0.297 mmol) with acetaldehyde to give compound 25 (2.2 mg, 3.4% based on consumed starting material). Light yellow solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.38 (t, J=7.33 Hz, 3H), 2.55-2.60 (m, 1H), 2.66-2.76 (m, 1H), 3.34 (q, J=7.33 Hz, 2H), 3.64-3.93 (m, 2H), 4.30 (s, 2H), 4.40 (d, J=15.16 Hz, 1H), 4.62 (d, J=15.16 Hz, 1H), 7.26-7.34 (m, 3H), 7.34-7.41 (m, 2H), 9.08 (d, J=8.08 Hz, 1H).
Example 26
Preparation of Compound 26
9-Acetyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 26) (Mixture of Two Isomers)
To 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.14 g, 0.346 mmol) in 2 mL pyridine was added triethylamine (60 uL, 0.43 mmol) and acetic anhydride (0.18 mL, 2.07 mmol) at 0° C. The reaction mixture was warmed to 25° C. and stirred overnight. HPLC of the reaction mixture afforded the acetamide ester (90 mg, 0.20 mmol) as a white solid, which was treated with LiOH (36 mg, 0.80 mmol) in 1 mL water. The mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 5 h. DMSO and triethylamine were added to the reaction mixture dropwise to dissolve the precipitate. HPLC of the clear solution gave compound 26 (20.7 mg, 25%) as a yellow solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.24 (s, 3H), 3.21-3.42 (m, 2H), 3.77-3.87 (m, 2H), 4.34 (s, 2H), 4.73-4.84 (m, 2H), 7.27-7.42 (m, 5H), 8.49-8.57 (m, 1H).
Example 27
Preparation of Compound 27
9-Carbamoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid
A mixture of 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-(1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.213 g, 0.53 mmol), acetic acid (0.6 mL, 5.3 mmol), triethylamine (0.146 mL, 1.06 mmol), KOCN (43 mg, 0.53 mmol), and pyridine (0.84 mL, 5.3 mmol) was stirred at 25° C. overnight. The solid was removed by filtration. HPLC of the mother liquor gave pure product (49.1 mg, 22%) as a beige solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 3.25 (m, 2H), 3.68 (m, 2H), 4.34 (s, 2H), 4.63 (s, 2H), 7.22-7.45 (m, 5H), 8.47 (d, J=9.09 Hz, 1H).
Examples 28 and 29
Preparation of Compound 28 and Compound 29
9-Benzoyl-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid and 9-Benzoyl-3-benzoyloxy-2-(4-chloro-benzyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid
To 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.132 g, 0.32 mmol) in 2 mL dichloromethane 0° C. was added benzoyl chloride (57 uL, 0.48 mmol) and triethylamine (0.10 mL, 0.74 mmol). The mixture was stirred at 25° C. overnight. HPLC of the mixture gave compound 28 (14.6 mg, 9.7%) as a yellow solid, and compound 29 (4.0 mg, 2.3%) as a white solid. Compound 28: 1 H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 3.32 (dd, J=5.80, 5.80 Hz, 2H), 3.81-3.83 (m, 2H), 4.34 (s, 2H), 4.81 (s, 2H), 7.27-7.34 (m, 3H), 7.35-7.41 (m, 2H), 7.43-7.54 (m, 5H), 8.52 (d, J=8.85 Hz, 1H). Compound 29: 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 3.37-3.46 (m, 2H), 3.56-3.60 (m, 2H), 4.28 (s, 2H), 5.00 (s, 2H), 7.15-7.34 (m, 4H), 7.45-7.57 (m, 6H), 7.64 (dd, J=7.71, 8.21 Hz, 2H), 7.80 (dd, J=7.71, 8.21 Hz, 1H), 7.88-7.98 (m, 1H), 8.10 (d, J=7.07 Hz, 2H).
Example 30
Preparation of Compound 30
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-methanesulfonyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 30)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 28 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.219 g, 0.54 mmol) with methanesulfonyl chloride (1 eq.) to give compound 30 (19 mg, 7.9%). 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 2.97 (s, 3H), 3.34 (dd, J=5.68, 6.06 Hz, 2H), 3.53 (dd, J=5.68, 6.06 Hz, 2H), 4.27 (s, 2H), 4.45 (s, 2H), 7.25 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H), 7.31 (m, 2H), 7.37 (m, 2H), 8.97 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Examples 31 and 32
Preparation of Compound 31 and Compound 32
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester (Compound 31) and 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-ethoxycarbonyloxy-7,10-dihydro-8H-[1,9]phenanthroline-4,9-dicarboxylic acid 9-ethyl ester (Compound 32)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 28 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.13 g, 0.32 mmol) with ethyl chloroformate to give compound 31(23.2 mg, 16.5%) as a yellow solid, and compound 32 (8.5 mg, 5.2%) as a white solid. Compound 31: 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.24 (t, J=7.07 Hz, 3H), 3.25 (dd, J=5.68, 6.19 Hz, 2H), 3.73 (dd, J=5.68, 6.19 Hz, 2H), 4.12 (t, J=7.07 Hz, 2H), 4.32 (s, 2H), 4.67 (s, 2H), 7.30-7.42 (m, 5H), 8.37 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H). Compound 32: 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.22 (t, J=7.16 Hz, 3H), 1.26 (t, J=7.07 Hz, 3H), 3.29 (dd, J=5.05, 5.81 Hz, 2H), 3.76 (dd, J=5.05, 5.81 Hz, 2H), 4.12 (q, J=7.16 Hz, 2H), 4.22 (q, J=7.07 Hz, 2H), 4.26 (s, 2H), 4.74 (s, 2H), 7.28 (m, 2H), 7.35 (m, 2H), 7.54 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H), 7.85 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H).
Example 33
Preparation of Compound 33
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-phenylacetyl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 33) (Mixture of Two Isomers)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 28 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.13 g, 0.32 mmol) with phenylacetyl chloride to give compound 33 (27.2 mg, 17.5%, mixture of two isomers in a 2:1 ratio) as a yellow solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 3.06-3.16 (m, 2H), 3.75-3.92 (m, 4H), 4.28 (s, 2H), 4.74 (s, 1.3H) 4.80-4.88 (m, 0.7H), 7.14-7.40 (m, 10H), 8.37-8.64 (m, 1H).
Example 34
Preparation of Compound 34
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-9-(propane-2-sulfonyl)-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 34) (Mixture of Two Isomers in a 2:1 Ratio)
The procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 28 was followed, reacting 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-[1,9]phenanthroline-4-carboxylic acid (0.13 g, 0.32 mmol) with isopropylsulfonyl chloride (1 eq.) to give compound 34 as a yellow solid (5.2 mg, 3.4%, mixture of two isomers in a 2:1 ratio). 1 H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.23 (d, J=7.02 Hz, 6H), 3.11-3.14 (m, 2H), 3.23-3.32 (septlet, J=5.00 Hz, 1H), 3.56 (dd, J=5.95, 5.95 Hz, 0.6H), 3.63 (dd, J=5.95, 5.95 Hz, 1.4H), 4.25 (s, 2H), 4.46 (s, 0.6H), 4.53 (s, 1.4H), 7.23-7.27 (m, 1H), 7.28 (d, J=10.00 Hz, 2H) 7.33 (d, J=10.00 Hz, 2H) 8.78-8.87 (m, 1H).
Example 35
Preparation of Compound 35
2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-methoxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 35)
To 2-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (0.117 g, 0.32 mmol) in 2 mL acetone at room temperature was added potassium carbonate (0.132 g, 0.96 mmol) and iodomethane (0.136 g, 0.96 mmol). The mixture was stirred overnight. HPLC of the mixture gave compound 35 (90 mg, 75%) as a white solid. 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.69-1.94 (m, 4H), 2.76-2.88 (m, 2H), 3.11-3.19 (m, 2H), 3.80 (s, 3H), 4.21 (s, 2H), 7.15 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 1H), 7.31 (s, 4H), 7.49 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 1H).
Example 36
Preparation of Compound 36 and 37
3-Hydroxy-2-piperidin-4-yl-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 36) and 2-(1-acetyl-piperidin-4-yl)-3-hydroxy-7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-benzo[h]quinoline-4-carboxylic acid (Compound 37)
Intermediate 37 was synthesized by Arndt-Eistert homologation of the acid chloride using the procedure described for 1-Chloro-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one (intermediate 15). Reacting acid chloride (1.35 g, 7.1 mmol) with 40 ml of an ethereal diazomethane solution followed by passing HCl gas. The crude material was used as such in the next step. Synthesis of intermediate 38 was done using the procedure described above for the synthesis of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-oxopropyl acetate was followed, reacting 1-chloro-3-(thiophen-2-yl)propan-2-one (1.16 g, 5.73 mmol) with acetic acid (0.66 mL, 0.69 g, 12 mmol) and triethylamine (1.60 mL, 1.16 g, 11.5 mmol). The crude intermediate 40 was used as such in the next step.
Compounds 36 and 37 was synthesized using the procedure described above for the synthesis and purification of example 7, reacting 6,7,8,9-tetrahydrobenzo[g]indoline-2,3-dione (0.112 g, 0.557 mmol) with acetic acid 2-(1-acetyl-piperidin-4-yl)-2-oxo-ethyl ester (intermediate 40, 0.165 g, 0.724 mmol). Two products were isolated as white solids. Compound 36 (18.1 mg, 10% yield): 1 H NMR (400 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.72-1.89 (m, 4H) 1.96-2.19 (m, 4H) 2.69-2.87 (m, 2H) 3.06-3.16 (m, 2H) 3.19 (t, J=5.81 Hz, 2H) 3.38-3.50 (m, 2H) 3.52-3.67 (m, 1H) 7.07 (d, J=8.84 Hz, 1H) 8.28 (br s, 1H) 8.54 (br s, 1H) 9.17 (d, J=8.59 Hz, 1H); Compound 37 (10 mg, 5% yield): 1 H NMR (500 MHz, DMSO-D6) δ ppm 1.65-1.73 (m, 1H) 1.77-1.99 (m, 7H) 2.06 (s, 3H) 2.77 (t, J=11.44 Hz, 1H) 2.84 (t, J=6.10 Hz, 2H) 3.15-3.30 (m, 3H) 3.54 (t, J=11.14 Hz, 1H) 3.98 (d, J=13.73 Hz, 1H) 4.51 (d, J=13.73 Hz, 1H) 7.26 (d, J=8.85 Hz, 1H) 8.31 (d, J=8.85 Hz, 1H).
Example 37
Assay of Compounds of the Invention
Compounds of the invention can be assayed for selectin inhibitory activity using any of the procedures known in the art. One convenient procedure is the determination of IC50 values for inhibition of P-selectin binding to P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 (PSGL-1) using Biacore.
The Biacore 3000 is an instrument that uses surface plasmon resonance to detect binding of a solution phase analyte to an immobilized ligand on a sensor chip surface. The analyte sample is injected under flow using a microfluidic system. Binding of analyte to ligand causes a change in the angle of refracted light at the surface of the sensor chip, measured by the Biacore instrument in resonance units (RUs).
SGP-3 is a purified sulfoglycopeptide form of human PSGL-1 that contains the P-selectin binding determinants (See Somers et al., 2000 , Cell 103, 467-479). SGP-3 was biotinylated via amine chemistry at a unique C-terminal lysine residue and immobilized on streptavidin-coated SA sensor chip. A solution containing a soluble recombinant truncated form of human P-selectin comprised of the lectin and EGF domains (P-LE) was delivered to the SGP-3 coated sensor chip. The P-LE solution contains 100 mM HEPES, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM CaCl 2 , 1 mM MgCl 2 , 0.05% P40, 10% DMSO. K D values were typically calculated to be approximately 778+/−105 nM using this Biacore assay format (Somers et al., supra).
Small molecule P-selectin inhibitors are incubated for 1 hour in 100 mM HEPES, 150 mM NaCl, 1 mM CaCl 2 , 1 mM MgCl 2 , 0.05% P40, 10% DMSO, prior to introducing them into the Biacore 3000. Solutions are filtered if formation of precipitate is visible. Soluble P-LE is added to the small molecule solution at final concentrations 500 nM and 500 uM respectively. Sample injections are run in duplicates, and each compound is assayed at least twice.
The Biacore assay measures the signal in RU produced by binding of P-LE to SGP-3 in the presence and absence of inhibitors. Percent inhibition of binding is calculated by dividing the inhibited signal by the uninhibited signal subtracting this value from one then multiplying by one hundred. Inhibitors, with greater than 50% inhibition at 500 uM, are assayed again using a series of two fold dilutions. The data from this titration are plotted, RU values vs. concentration, and the IC50 is determined by extrapolation from the plot. All RU values are blank and reference subtracted prior to percent inhibition and IC50 determination. Glycerrhizzin is used as a positive control, inhibiting 50% at 1 mM.
Compounds 1-6 were assayed as described above. IC50 values for four of the compounds ranged from 125 μM to 500 μM. One compound showed 17% inhibition at 500 μM, and one compound showed 11% inhibition at 125 μM.
Compounds 7-10,17-20 and 22-33 also were tested as above. Six of the compounds displayed IC50 values ranging from 100 μM to 1250 μM. The percentage inhibition at 250 μM for an additional three compounds ranged from 46% to 58%. The percentage inhibition at 500 μM for an additional ten compounds ranged from 5% to 55%, with three of the compound showing no significant percentage inhibition at that concentration. One further compound displayed 24% inhibition at 1000 μM.
It is intended that each of the patents, applications, and printed publications including books mentioned in this patent document be hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, numerous changes and modifications may be made to the preferred embodiments of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention. It is intended that all such variations fall within the scope of the invention.
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The present invention relates to the field of anti-inflammatory substances, and more particularly to novel compounds that act as antagonists of the mammalian adhesion proteins known as selectins. In some embodiments, methods for treating selectin mediated disorders are provided which include administration of compound of Formula I:
wherein the constituent variables are defined herein.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Invalid feeding mechanisms as presently known to the industry are cumbersome and complicated mechanisms, expensive to the user, and difficult to maintain and to clean. It is an object of this invention to provide a portable mechanism that can be easily operated by the person to be fed, and that can be easily maintained and will be relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An invalid feeding device having means for selectively transporting food from a container to the person being fed, said transporting means being movable in cycles, terminating said movement at the completion of each cycle and having means for moving food from said containers to said transporting means under pressure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side elevational, cross sectional, view of the device.
FIG. 2 is a top plan view, taken on the line 2--2 of FIG. 1, and
FIG. 3 is a side elevational view, in cross section, illustrating the position of the transporting means when in fully extended position.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a housing of stainless steel, or the like, upon which is rotatably mounted the turn-table 2, rotated by the motor 3 and gear 4, said gear 4 meshing with the peripheral gear 5 on the turn table 3. Food containers 6, 6 are mounted on the turn table 3, with a flexible conduit as 7 extending into the top there of, and into a port in the housing 1, as 8, and a port 9 in the top of the housing 1 provides passageway therethrough for food from the containers 6, which passes through the ports 10 in the turntable, when brought into alignment with the port 9.
A reciprocable table 11 is mounted in the housing 1 immediately beneath the top wall of said housing 1, riding on the tracks 12 and over the fixed table 13. Seals, such as o-rings 14, 15, 16, confine the food passage to the respective ports, including the port 18 in the table 11. A downwardly extended arm 17 projects from the table 11, and a spring 19 is mounted on said projecting arm 17.
A hydraulic cylinder 20 is mounted in the housing 1, and extends rearwardly therefrom. A piston 21 is reciprocably mounted in said cylinder, and has the shaft 22 extending therefrom. An upwardly projecting arm 23 is mounted on the extended end of said piston shaft 22 and the transporting means 24 is mounted on the upper end of said arm 23, and moves into and out of the housing 1 through the port 25. A spill tray 26 is seated in the bottom of the housing 1, and maintained in position by the stop member 27. The tray 26 has an upwardly extending wall 28 adjacent one peripheral margin. Switches 29, 30 control the flow of hydraulic fluid through the valve 31, and cylinder 20.
Hot food is placed in the containers 6, and the device set over the person to be fed, the legs 32, 32 supporting the housing 1. One of the switches, as 30, is actuated by the chin of the invalid 34, which sends a circuit through the line 35 into the timer, and from the timer 33, through the line 37, moving the valve 31 to provide a flow of hydraulic fluid through line 38, starting the cycle of the transport, the piston 21 moving the shaft 22 outwardly against the arm 17, and moving the table 11 rearwardly to the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 3, whereupon the port 18 will be in alignment with the port 9, and the slight pressure maintained on the container through the line 7 will move a charge of food downwardly into the port 18. The movement of the arm 23 rearwardly brings the transport 24 rearwardly, and the switch 29 will be tripped by contact with the marginal wall of the spill tray 26, reversing the flow of hydraulic fluid through the cylinder 20, by means of the current flow through line to the timer 33, and thence through the line 37. Upon reversing the flow of hydraulic fluid in the cylinder 20, the shaft 22, and transport 24 will move forwardly by the spring 19, until the table 11 reaches its maximum forward movement, at which point the spoon 39 of the transport 24 will be in alignment with the port 18, and the pressure from the line 7 will move the food into the spoon 39, and the transport will continue its forward movement until the switch 29 is tripped by the wall 28. The transport will remain in extended position, where the patient may take the food from the spoon 39, until the timer 33 again reverses the flow of hydraulic fluid, and the cycle is completed when the transport returns to the position shown in FIG. 1, and to repeat the cycle, the switch 30 must be again actuated. If the invalid requires food from a different container, the invalid actuates the switch 36, which sends a current to the motor 3 through line 40, which will rotate the turntable 3. When the desired container is aligned with the port 9, the switch is released and the rotation of the turntable ceases.
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An invalid feeding device for persons unable to feed themselves in the usual manner, having a selective means for transporting food from containers to the mouth of the person being fed, the transporting means being controlled and having self contained means for reversing the movement of the transport, and for disengaging the same upon completion of each cycle.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a signal output circuit of a push-pull type, and more particularly to a data output circuit employed in a semiconductor memory equipped with multistage sense amplifiers.
A signal output circuit of a push-pull type comprises first and second transistors connected in series between power supply terminals. The connection point of the first and second transistors is connected to a signal output terminal. True and complementary data signals to be outputted are supplied to the first and second transistors in such a manner that these transistors attain a push-pull operation. In a steady condition, one of the first and second transistors is a nonconducting state, and hence no penetrating current flows between the power supply terminals.
However, in response to change in a logic level of the data signals, one of the first and second transistors is brought from a nonconducting state to a conducting state, whereas the other of them is brought from a conducting state to a nonconducting state. In other words, both of the first and second transistors are made conducting at a transition time when the data signal changes its logic level, so that a penetrating current flows between the power terminals. The current ability of the first and second transistors is designed to be large to obtain a sufficient load driving capability. For this reason, the penetrating current is considerably large.
Such a large penetrating current increases a power consumption and further supplies a large noise signal to a signal processing section due to the impedance in power supply lines, thereby causing a misoperation and/or a data destruction.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an improved signal output circuit of a push-pull type.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a signal output circuit operable with a reduced penetrating current without lowering of an operation speed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a semiconductor memory equipped with an improved data output circuit.
An output circuit according to the present invention comprises first and second transistors attaining a push-pull operation in response to a data signal, and means responsive to a signal which is used for changing a logic level of the data signal for supplying to control electrodes of the first and second transistors a logic level such that these transistors are made nonconducting to bring a signal output terminal into a high impedance state when the logic level of the data signal is changed.
Thus, both of the first and second transistors are made nonconducting at a transition time when the logic level of the data signal is changed, so that an extremely small or no penetrating current flows. The first and second transistors respond to the data signal after the transition time when its logic level changes, and therefore only a charging or discharging current to a load flows.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will be more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a first embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a timing chart representing an operation of a circuit shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a block diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a timing chart representing a circuit operation of the second embodiment;
FIG. 5 is a circuit diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a timing chart representing a circuit operation of the third embodiment; and
FIG. 7 is a circuit diagram of a one-shot pulse generator shown in FIG. 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the present invention and FIG. 2 is a time chart for explaining its circuit operation.
A block represented as a signal processing circuit 1 is a micro processor, a logic gate circuit, or a semiconductor memory. This circuit 1 receives a signal Sl and attains the processing based on this signal to generate a data signal S2. The data signal S2 is supplied to an amplifier 2. The amplifier 2 has one pair of output terminals A 1 and A 2 and outputs therefrom true and complementary signals SA and SA of the data signal S2. These signals SA and SA are supplied to an output circuit 3. The output circuit 3 includes a P-channel MOS (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor) transistor Q 1 connected between a first power terminal (Vcc) and an signal output terminal 7 and an N-channel MOS transistor Q 2 connected between a second power terminal (GND) and the output terminal 7. The signal SA is supplied to the gate of the transistor Q 1 , and the signal SA is supplied via an inverter 5 to the gate of the transistor Q 2 . In this embodiment, the first power terminal is supplied with a positive voltage of Vcc, and the second power terminal is grounded.
As shown in FIG. 2, assuming that the data signal S2 is a low level and thus the signals SA and SA are a high level and a low level, respeotively, the transistor Q 2 is in a conducting state to produce a low level output signal OUT from the output terminal 7. When the signal S1 changes, the signal processing responsive to this change is carried out by the circuit 1. As a result of the signal processing, the circuit 1 changes the data signal S2 from the low level to the high level.
If a penetrating current preventing circuit 4 is absent, the output signal SA of the amplifier 2 is changed from the high level to the low level and the other output signal SA is changed from the low level to the high level in response to the level chage of the data signal S2, as represented by a dotted line 100 in FIG. 2. In a transition period of this change, both of the transistors Q 1 and Q 2 are made conductive. The current ability of the transistors Q 1 and Q 2 are made large to drive a load coupled to the terminal 7. For this reason, a considerably large penetrating current I DC represented by a dotted line 110 in FIG. 2 flows between the power terminals due to the conduction of both transistors Q 1 and Q 2 .
Such a large current is prevented by the circuit 4 which comprises a P-channel MOS transistor Q 3 connected between the first power terminal (Vcc) and the output terminal A 1 of the amplifier 2, a P-channel MOS transistor Q 4 connected between the first power terminal and the second output terminal A 2 of the amplifier 2, and a one-shot pulse generator 6 generating a one-shot pulse signal φ supplied to the gates of the transistors Q 3 and Q 4 . The generator 6 responds to a signal S3 produced from the signal processing circuit 1 before the level change of the data signal S2 and generates the pulse signal φ in synchronism substantially with the level change of the output signals SA and SA of the amplifier 2. The pulse width of the one-shot signal φ is designed to be approximately equal to a time required to complete the level change of the signals SA and SA. The pulse width may be longer, but in that case the generation of the output data is delayed.
The one-shot signal φ turns the transistors Q 3 and Q 4 ON when the amplifier 2 intends to change the levels of the signals SA and SA in response to the data signal S2. Accordingly, as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2, the gate level of the transistor Q 1 is maintained at the high level and the input level of the inverter 5 is inverted to the high level, thereby inverting the gate level of the transistor Q 2 to the low level. Both of the transistors Q 1 and Q 2 are made nonconducting. When the one-shot signal φ disappears, only the signal SA is inverted to the low level to turn the transistor Q 1 ON, so that the data output terminal 7 is changed to the high level. At this time, the transistor Q 2 is in the substantially nonconducting state. As a result, the penetrating current I DC is reduced extremely as shown by a solid line in FIG. 2. The large current shown by the line 110 is prevented.
As shown by a dotted line in FIG. 1, the one-shot pulse generator 6 can respond to the input signal Sl in place of the signal S3 to generate the one-shot signal φ. In other words, the generator 6 generates the one-shot signal φ in response to a signal which is used for changing the data signal.
The signal processing circuit 2 can supply a control signal to the gates of the transistors Q 3 and Q 4 independently of the one shot signal, whereby a so-called tri-state circuit is realized.
FIG. 3 shows a semiconductor memory, in particular a static type random access memory, as a second embodiment of the present invention. Address signals A 0 to A i are supplied to address terminals 20 to 21 and then introduced into an address buffer 10. Row address signals are supplied to a row decoder 11. The row decoder 11 selects one of word lines W l to W n in a memory cell array 12. The cell array 12 further includes a plurality of pairs of bit lines (BL 1 and BL 1 ) to (BL m to BL m ) and a plurality of static type memory cells MC 11 to MC nm .
In a data-write operation mode, a write-enable signal WE supplied to a write-control terminal 22 assumes the low level, and a data write/read control circuit 14 activates a data-write control circuit 15 by a signal WE. As a result, the control circuit 15 produces true and complementary signals D and D of an input data signal D IN supplied to a data input terminal 24. These data signal D and D are supplied through a selected bit line pair (BL and BL) to a memory cell MC connected to the selected word line W to write the input data D IN therein. The detailed data-write circuit construction is omitted in FIG. 3, since it is not related directly to the present invention.
In a data-read operation mode, the signal WE takes the high level, and the data-write control signal 15 is inactivated. The data stored in memory cells MC which are connected to the word line W selected by the row decoder 11, appear on the bit line pairs BL's and BL's, respectively, and are then supplied to first-stage sense amplifiers 16. The first-stage sense amplifiers 16 are divided into eight blocks, and the output terminal of the sense amplifiers in each block are connected in common. A column decoder 13 energizes one of first-sense-enable signals SY 11 to SY lj in response to column address signals. The signals SY ll to SY lj are supplied to every block of the first-stage sense amplifiers 16. Accordingly, one sense amplifier in every block is activated by the energized first-sense-enable signal. In total, eight sense amplifires in the first-stage are activated. The true and complementary output signals of the first stage sense amplifiers in every block are supplied to eight second-stage sense amplifiers SA 21 to SA 28 , respectively. The second-stage sense amplifiers are divided into two blocks, and the output terminals of the sense amplifiers in each block (i.e., SA 21 to SA 24 and SA 25 to SA 28 ) are connected in common. Each block in the second-stage are supplied with four second-sense-enable signals SY 21 to SY 24 . The column decoder 13 energizes one of the signals SY 21 to SY 24 . Accordingly, one second-stage sense amplifier in every block is activated.
The true and complementary output signals (2A 1 , 2B 1 ) and (2A 2 , 2B 2 ) of the activated two second-stage sense amplifiers are supplied to two third-stage sense amplifiers SA 31 and SA 32 , respectively. The sense amplifier SA 31 includes N-channel MOS transistors Q 17 to Q 19 and the amplifier SA 32 includes N-channel MOS transistors Q 21 to Q 23 . P-channel MOS transistors Q 20 and Q 24 are provided as a common load of these two sense amplifiers SA 31 and SA 32 . The transistors Q 19 and Q 23 are supplied at their gates with third-sense-enable signals SY 31 and SY 32 . The column decoder 13 energizes one of the signals SY 31 and SY 32 in response to the column address signals. As a result, one of the memory cells MC 11 to MC nm is selected by the address signals A 0 to A i , and the true and complementary signals of the data stored in the selected memory cell are outputted as output signals 3A and 3B of the third-stage sense amplifier.
P-channel MOS transistors Q 25 and Q 26 provided in accordance with the present invention are coupled in parallel to the transistors Q 20 and Q 24 , respectively. The gates of the transistors Q 25 and Q 26 are supplied with a one-shot pulse signal φ from a one-shot pulse generator 18. These functions and effects will be described hereinafter in detail.
The output signals 3A and 3B of the third-stage sense amplifier are supplied to a first output amplifier OA 1 whose output signals are in turn supplied to a second output amplifier OA 2 . The first output amplifier OA 1 includes N-channel MOS transistors Q 27 to Q 29 and P-channel MOS transistors Q 30 and Q 31 , and the second output amplifier OA 2 includes N-channel MOS transistors Q 32 to Q 34 and P-channel MOS transistors Q 35 and Q 36 . The gates of the transistors Q 29 and Q 34 operating as a current source are supplied with read-enable signal RE from the data write/read control circuit 14. This signal RE is held at the high level during a whole data-read period to maintain the transistors Q 29 and Q 34 into the conducting state. The output amplifiers OA 1 and OA 2 are thereby activated. The signal RE assumes the low level during a data-write period to inactivate the amplifiers OA 1 and OA 2 .
The true and complementary output signals 4A and 4B of the second output amplifier OA 2 are supplied to an output circuit. The output circuit includes a P-channel MOS transistor Q 39 and an N-channel MOS transistor Q 40 connected in series between a power potential Vcc and a ground GND, and the connection point thereof is connected to a data output terminal 25. The gate of the transistor Q 39 is supplied with the signal 4A and that of the transistor Q 40 is supplied with the signal 4B via an inverter composed of a P-channel MOS transistor Q 37 and an N-channel MOS transistor Q 38 . In the data-write operation, the signal RE assumes the low level to turn the transistor Q 34 OFF, and hence both of the output signals 4A and 4B of the second output amplifier OA 2 take the high level. As a result, both of the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 are brought into the nonconducting state. The data output terminal 25 thereby takes a high impedance stage.
In the data-read operation, since the transistors Q 29 and Q 34 are in the conducting state, the output amplifier OA introduces the output of the sense amplifier SA. As shown in FIG. 4, assuming that address information (1) selects the memory cell MC 11 disposed at the intersection of the first word line W 1 and the first bit line pair (BL 1 and BL 1 ) and that the selected memory cell MC 11 stores the data "0", the bit lines BL 1 and BL 1 takes the high level and the low level, respectively. The output signals 3A and 3A of the third-stage sense amplifier SA 31 thereby assumes the high level and the low level, respectively. As a result, the second output amplifier OA 2 produces the high level output 4A and the low level output 4B to derive the low level output data D OUT from the terminal 25. When the address signal varies to the information (2) which changes only the selected word line from W 1 to W 2 , the first bit line pair (BL 1 and BL 1 ) are maintained to be in the selected state. That is, the sense-enable signals SY 11 , SY 21 and SY 31 are continued to be energized. The memory cell MC 21 is thereby selected. This memory cell MC 21 stores the data "1" therein, and therefore the bit lines BL 1 and BL 1 are changed to the low level and the high level, respectively.
The static type memory cell includes two transistors connected in a flip-flop form, and the current capabilities of them are frequency different from each other. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 4 as level changes of the bit lines BL 1 and BL 1 , the BL 1 is changed to the low level at a relatively high rate, whereas the BL 1 is changed to the high level at a relatively small rate. Such level changes appear as those of the outputs 3A and 3B of the sense amplifier SA 31 represented by a dotted line in FIG. 4. In other words, both of the outputs 3A and 3B take a level near the low level at a transition time. As a result, the output amplifier OA 2 produces the output signals 4A and 4B whose levels are both near the low level. Both of the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 are thereby turned ON. Since the current ability of the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 are large, a considerably large penetrating current I DC flows as represented by a dotted line 201 in FIG. 4.
In order to prevent such a large penetrating current, the transistors Q 25 and Q 26 and the one-shot pulse generator 18 are provided. The one-shot pulse generator 18 receives a signal A x from the address buffer 10 and generates the one-shot pulse signal φ when any one of the address signals A 0 to A i changes. There is no necessity to generate the one-shot signal φ in a chip-unselected state and in a data-write operation. Therefore, the operation of the generator 18 is controlled by a signal C x from a chip-select control circuit 17 as well as a signal W x from the data write/read control circuit 14. As shown in FIG. 4, the one-shot pulse generator 18 generates the one-shot signal φ in synchronism substantially with the level change time point of the output signals of the third-stage sense amplifier SA 3 . The pulse width of the one-shot signal φ is designed to be approximately equal to a time required to complete the level change of the signals 3A and 3B.
Accordingly, the one-shot pulse signal φ turns the transistors Q 25 and Q 26 ON when the sense amplifier SA 31 intends to change the levels of its outputs 3A and 3B in response to the variation of the address signals to the information (2). As shown in FIG. 4, the output 3A continues to take the substantially high level and the output 3B is inverted to the high level. The transistors Q 27 and Q 28 are thus turned ON and the transistors Q 32 and Q 33 are turned OFF to cause the second output amplifier OA 2 to produce the high level outputs 4A and 4B. As a result, both of the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 are turned OFF. The penetrating current I DC is reduced remarkably as represented by a solid line in FIG. 4.
At a time when the one-shot signal φ disappears, the gates of the transistors Q 17 and Q 18 are substantially in the high level and the low level, respectively. Therefore, the output 3A is inverted into the low level. On the other hand, the output 3B is held at the high level. As a result, the output 4A turns the transistor Q 39 ON to produce the high level output data D OUT . At this time, since the transistor Q 40 is in the nonconducting state, no penetrating current I DC flows.
FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is also a semiconductor static memory, but only one part including a third-stage sense amplifier, an output amplifier and an output circuit is shown. The same constituents as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same characters to omit their further explanation. This semiconductor memory has only one output amplifier OA 1 . Therefore, when both of the outputs 3A and 3B of the third-stage sense amplifier SA 3 are near the low level as described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4, the outputs 4A' and 4B' of the output amplifier OA 1 go to the high level. The large penetrating current I DC is thus prevented.
However, when the selected bit line pair is changed in response to the variation of the address signal, in particular when the energization of the third-sense-enable signal is changed from SY 31 to SY 32 , a large penetrating current would flow. More specifically, the energization of the signal SY 31 responsive to the address information (3) causes the third-stage sense amplifier SA 31 to output the high level signal 3A and the low level signal 3B, as shown in FIG. 6. Accordingly, the output amplifier OA 1 produces the low level output 4A' and the high level output 4B' to generate the high level output data D OUT . The address signal changes thereafter to the address information (4) which energizes the signal SY 32 . It is noted that the activation of both third-stage sense amplifiers SA 31 and SA 32 should be avoided in order to prevent the destruction of the data stored in the memory cell. For this purpose, the column decoder 13 (FIG. 3) changes the signal SY 31 to the low level and thereafter energizes the signal SY 32 to the high level. As a result, both of the sense amplifiers SA 31 and SA 32 are brought into the inactivated state during a transition period in which the activated sense amplifier is changed from SA 31 to SA 32 . Since the transistors Q 25 and Q 26 provided as a common load of the sense amplifiers SA 31 and SA 32 are in the conducting state, both of the output signals 3A and 3B assume the high level during that transition period, as shown in FIG. 6. For this reason, the output amplifier OA 1 changes both of its outputs 4A' and 4B' to the low level, so that the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 are turned ON. A large penetrating current I DC represented by a dotted line 301 in FIG. 6 thus flows.
In order to prevent such a large current, P-channel MOS transistors Q 50 and Q 60 are connected in parallel to the transistors Q 30 and Q 31 , respectively, and the one-shot pulse φ is supplied to the gates of Q 50 and Q 60 in accordance with the present invention. The one-shot signal φ is generated in synchronism substantially with the output level change of the sense amplifier SA 3 in response to the address variation, as described with reference to FIG. 3. As a result, both of the outputs 4A' and 4B' of the output amplifier OA 1 assume the high level during the transition period to turn the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 OFF. The large penetrating current is thereby prevented. When the one-shot signal φ disappear, one of the transistors Q 39 and Q 40 is turned ON in response to the read-out data. In this description, the transistor Q 40 is turned ON to produce the low level output data D OUT .
In FIG. 1, the one-shot pulse generator 6 can be constituted a delay circuit and a logic gate such as an NAND gate or an AND gate as well-known in the art, and therefore its detailed construction will be omitted. The one-shot pulse generator 18 shown in FIG. 3 will be described below with reference to FIG. 7.
Since the signal A x is produced in response to the level change of any one of the address signals A 0 to A i , level change detection circuits 50-1 to 50-i are provided for the address terminals 21 to 22, respectively. Each of the detection circuits 50-1 to 50-i includes two delay circuits 51 and 52, an exclusive OR circuit 53, and an N-channel MOS transistor Q 50 . Accordingly, the transistor Q 50 is turned ON to invert the signal A x to the low level when any one of the address signals A 0 to A i varies. The timing point at which the transistor Q 51 is turned ON is determined by the delay time of the circuit 51. Since the signal C x assumes the low level during the chip-unselected period, the signal φ is held at the low level by four inverters 57 to 60. In the data-write operation, the signal W x is in the low level, and thus an N-channel MOS transistor Q 52 is in the nonconducting state. Therefore, the one-shot pulse φ is not generated irrespective of the address change during the chip-unselected period and the data-write operation period. In the data-read operation, the signals C x and W x are in the high level, and the signal A x assumes the high level except for the address change. The signal φ is thus in the high level. When the signal A x is inverted to the low level in response to the address change, the signal φ changes to the low level. The output of an inverter 54 is changed to the high level, and this high level is supplied through a delay time 55 to an NAND circuit 56. An P-channel MOS transistor Q 51 is thereby turned ON to return the signal φ to the high level. The delay time of the circuit 55 determines the pulse with of the one-shot signal φ. Thus, the one-shot pulse φ is generated with a desired timing responsive to the address change and with a desired pulse width by presetting the delay times of the delay circuits 51 and 55.
The present invention is not limited to the above embodiments, but may be modified and changed without departing form the scope and spirit of the invention. For example, the transistors Q 3 , Q 4 , Q 25 , Q 26 , Q 50 and Q 60 can be replaced by an N-channel MOS transistor. In this case, the one-shot pulse φ is changed to the high level. Moreover, it is possible to generate the one-shot pulse φ in response to the input level change of the sense amplifier.
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An output circuit of a push-pull type is disclosed. The output circuit includes first and second transistors connected in series, means responsive to a data signal for producing true and complementary signals of the data signal, and means for supplying the true and complementary signals to the first and second transistors. The output circuit further includes means for generating one-shot pulse at a transition time when the true and complementary signals are changed in their logic levels and means response to said one-shot pulse for turning said first and second transistors OFF. A large current flowing at the transition time is thereby prevented.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to sizings for glass fibers and particularly to the sized glass fibers which are combined with aqueous media, such as cementitious products, including sodium silicate, calcium silicate, cement, concrete and gypsum to form reinforced inorganic matrices and to form paper products, such as sheet material.
The prior art has employed glass fibers at low concentrations to reinforce inorganic media but these glass fibers were generally sized with starch-containing materials. These sized glass fibers however, were not without their problems, such as lack of filamentization of the glass fibers from their bundles, whereby the potential of the available surface area of the glass fibers to serve as a reinforcement could not be attained. Furthermore, attempts to use glass fibers as a reinforcement in aqueous media in the form of textured yarn, which did not filamentize but which had greater surface area per unit length exposed to the media than untextured yarn in order to overcome the above problems, were expensive. However, these textured yarns, although providing loops and voids for mechanical locking of the glass fibers into the matrix, were not realizing their effective potential surface area, because of lack of filamentization of the textured yarns.
The above problems are overcome by the concepts of this invention, wherein the sized glass fibers remain integral during processing operations, such as drying, chopping, packaging and shipping. Further processing steps which the sized glass fibers may be exposed to include the steps of running a strand from a package and combining the same with a multiplicity of other strands from other packages and forming a roving, followed by a subsequent collection of the roving on a package and/or chopping the roving to length. The roving, even though it comprises a multiplicity of bundles of glass fibers, has the capability of complete filamentization during blending and mixing with the aqueous inorganic medium to maximize its reinforcement potential. The sized glass fibers of this invention are used at relatively high concentrations of from about 1 percent to about 99 percent by weight as compared to the prior art, without clumping of the glass fibers occurring upon mixing the glass fibers into the media.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,716,386, issued on Feb. 13, 1973, discloses a process for preparing a fibrous cementitious mix, wherein fibers (glass) of the mix are immersed in a solution of polyethylene oxide or methyl cellulose prior to incorporation of the glass fibers into the mix. In this teaching, however, the fiber treatment is not a sizing applied at the time of forming the glass fibers, but rather is a post-treatment or secondary treatment, thereby indicating that the glass fibers have a sizing thereon in addition to the post-treatment. It is not known whether that sizing is water soluble, although the post-treatment is water soluble.
The concepts of the present invention, however, require that the sizings comprise a water soluble polymer, and that the glass fibers be preferably dried prior to use. Upon incorporation of the sized glass fibers of this invention into an aqueous media, time is required for the polymer to absorb sufficient water to cause solvation, which thereby induces filamentization of the glass fibers from the strands.
The sizings of this invention provide processing and end-product properties to the sized glass fibers so that the glass fibers may be collected on a package, dried, chopped, or be combined with other strands to form a roving. Additionally, upon incorporation into an aqueous media, the sized glass fibers in the form of strands, bundles, and rovings, undergo instantaneous or delayed filamentization, whichever is desired for a particular process. In either situation, filamentization of the sized glass fibers is achieved without clumping.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention discloses the use of water soluble polymers as essential components in coatings for glass fibers, which glass fibers, especially upon chopping into small unit lengths of from 1/8 inch to about 1 inch, remain integral during processing. However, the sized glass fibers, after incorporation into and mixing in an aqueous inorganic medium fully filamentize from their bundles, strands and rovings, so that the maximum glass fiber surface is available to reinforce the inorganic medium.
The water soluble polymers used in this invention function as a film former and/or lubricant for the glass fibers in order to impart processability characteristics to the glass fibers. In addition, the polymers impart desirable end-product properties to the glass fibers to improve the performance of the glass fibers as a reinforcement in inorganic matrices.
The water soluble polymers should be capable of a relatively high rate of solution in the aqueous medium which rate of solution is either characteristic of the polymers themselves or is realized by at least partial neutralization of the polymers by the addition of acids or bases thereto. Furthermore, the sizing composition itself can be modified by the addition of other materials which will increase the polymers' solution rates by reducing the interaction of the polymer chains among themselves, such as with a plasticizer.
The practice of this invention yields advantages which are not obtainable by prior art teachings. Specifically, under the concepts of this invention, sized glass fiber strands, or bundles of strands, can withstand processing operations and are able to undergo filamentization when combined with aqueous inorganic media. The rate of filamentization of the individual glass fibers from the glass fiber strands or bundles is based upon the rate of solution of the dried sizing or coating on the glass fibers into the aqueous media. The rate of solution of the dried coating can be altered by modifying the polymer used in the sizings and/or by at least partially neutralizing the sizing composition, such as by controlling the pH of the sizing composition, or by adding a material such as a plasticizer thereto. In some instances, the particular water soluble polymer will possess the desired solution rate for the particular process conditions without having to adjust its solution rate.
The rate of filamentization of the glass fibers from the glass fiber bundle and/or the rate of solution of the dried sizing into the aqueous matrix is dependent upon the particular matrix to be reinforced and/or upon the particular end-use of the sized glass fibers. Specifically, when the sized glass fibers are to be used as a reinforcement in cementitious products such as in calcium silicate matrices, it is desired to have a relatively fast rate of solution. However, the rate of solution must not be so fast as to inhibit sufficient dispersion of glass fiber bundles throughout a matrix. That is, filamentization of the glass fibers from the bundles prior to the bundles being fully mixed into the matrix is undesirable, otherwise clumping of the glass fibers can occur.
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide glass fibers in the form of strands, bundles, and rovings with the capability of remaining integral during processing and with the capability of filamentization upon, or preferably after being incorporated, with mixing, into an aqueous inorganic medium, to increase the potential or efficiency of the glass fibers as a reinforcement.
It is another object of this invention to be able to control the rate of filamentization of the sized glass fibers from the strands, bundles, and rovings after the strands, bundles, and rovings are combined with aqueous inorganic media in order to work within established processing procedures inherent with the inorganic media.
It is yet another object of this invention to provide sizing compositions comprising as essential ingredients, water soluble polymers, which polymers, after being dried in situ on the glass fibers, are capable of going into solution with the aqueous inorganic media with controlled rates of solution.
It is still another object of this invention to provide glass fiber reinforced inorganic matrices wherein the glass fibers are uniformly and fully dispersed within the inorganic matrices.
Generally, any polymers that are water soluble can be used with the concepts of this invention. However, the polymers must have a rate of solution in the particular aqueous medium slow enough to allow the sized glass fibers to remain in integral bundles upon incorporation into an aqueous matrix to obtain a uniform dispersion of the bundles therein, but fast enough to thereafter obtain rapid filamentization of the glass fibers from the bundles with minimum agitation. Upon agitating the glass fiber bundles in the matrix, filamentization of the glass fibers from the bundles occurs when the polymer goes into solution, thereby allowing the glass fibers to fully disperse upon continued agitation.
The rate of solution of the polymers is generally dependent upon their molecular weight and solubility characteristics, both of which can be modified to obtain the desired rate of solution. In the latter case, the solubility of the polymer can be modified by neutralization of the acidic or basic groups on the polymers and/or by variation in the choice of the particular counterion of the acid or base used in the neutralization. For example, variation of such counterions as tetramethylammonium, alkyl benzyl dimethylammonium, sodium, potassium, ammonium, chloride, bisulfate and nitrate ions affects the solubility of the polymer.
The polymers may be cationic, anionic or nonionic. Generally, cationic and anionic polymers are preferred because of the greater latitude afforded to modify the solubility factors of the polymers. However, combinations of anionic and nonionic or cationic and nonionic polymers in the sizing system are sometimes desirable.
When the solubility factor of the polymers is modified by neutralization of the acidic or basic groups on the polymers, this refers to the extent of the neutralization. When the solubility factor of the polymers is modified by variation of the counterions, generally acids such as sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or acetic acid are sufficient and various bases such as potassium hydroxide, tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide, or sodium hydroxide are sufficient. Generally, it is preferred to use monovalent counterions because of the potential of the polymer to gel with the use of divalent and trivalent counterions.
Some of the nonionic polymers useful within the concepts of this invention include: dextrinized starches, poly(ethylene oxide), poly(acrylamide), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) and poly(vinyl methylether). As stated above, the nonionic polymers do not have the latitude of the anionic and cationic polymers regarding adjusting the solubility factors thereof. Generally, varying the molecular weight distributions of the nonionic polymers to obtain the proper rate of solution is the best approach since their solution rates are not as sensitive to pH changes as are the anionic or cationic polymers.
Some of the cationic polymers useful within the concepts of this invention include: poly(ethylene imine), ethoxylated and propoxylated poly (ethylene imine), poly(N, N, N-trimethylaminoethylmethacrylate methylsulfate), and homopolymers and copolymers of N, N-dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate.
Some of the anionic polymers useful within the concepts of this invention include: poly(acrylic acid), poly(methacrylic acid), poly(sodium vinyl sulfonate) and copolymers of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid. Examples of copolymers of acrylic acid include poly(2-sulfoethyl methacrylate-co-acrylic acid) and poly(ethylene-co-acrylic acid).
The polymers useful within the concepts of this invention have solution rates which can be adjusted according to the needs of a particular process and/or according to the specific aqueous inorganic medium. The solubility characteristics of the polymers are tailor-made by altering the molecular weight of the polymers, neutralizing acidic or basic groups on the polymers, adjusting the pH of polymer solutions and by plasticizing the polymer.
It is preferred to use alkali resistant glass fibers, especially calcium hydroxide resistant glass fibers, with the concepts of this invention. Indicative of alkali resistant glass compositions, are those found in British patent specification No. 1,243,973 filed Aug. 4, 1967, and published Aug. 25, 1971, and those found in U.S. Pat. No. 3,499,776 issued on Mar. 10, 1970. Preferred alkali resistant glass fibers consist essentially by percent weight of: SiO 2 , 60-62%; CaO, 4-6%, Na 2 O, 14-15%; K 2 O, 2-3%; ZrO 2 , 10-11%; and TiO 2 , 5.5-8%.
Although it is preferred to use alkali resistant glass fibers, use may be made of other commercially available glass fibers, such as those produced from E-glass. E-glass fibers are used in the practice of this invention when alkali attack is not a problem, such as in the manufacture of glass fiber sheets, mats and paper and in reinforcing gypsum.
In the past, asbestos fibers have been very successful as a reinforcement for many types of inorganic matrices because of the characteristics and ability of the asbestos fibers to disperse and to provide some entangled network. The entangled network is generally thought to be due to the non-uniformity of the length of the asbestos fibers, ranging anywhere from 1/4 inch to 4 inches in length. In order to employ glass fibers as a suitable replacement for asbestos fibers, it is generally thought that some of the characteristics possessed by the asbestos fibers should be obtained with glass fibers. For this reason the length of the glass fibers may range from 1/8 inch to about 2 inches in length and preferably from 1/2inch to 1 inch in length in order to obtain some entanglement of the glass fibers upon dispersion of the glass fibers in the inorganic matrix. Furthermore, many inorganic matrices are susceptible to crack propagation. By the use of these longer fibers the fibers traverse the cracks thereby adding strength to the matrix. Blends of various lengths of glass fibers are also desirable in order to obtain a multitude of properties.
The polymeric materials described above are formulated into sizings for application to glass fibers immediately after the glass fibers are formed to prevent the glass fibers from mutual abrasion and to provide a capability to the glass fibers, in the form of strands, bundles and rovings to be further processed. Subsequently, the sized glass fibers are gathered into a strand and collected onto a rotating collection package.
However, the sized glass fibers can be routed directly to a chopping apparatus, thereby eliminating the collection package, where the glass fibers are chopped into lengths ranging from about 1/8 inch to about 2 inches. When the strands are fed directly to the chopper, the chopper strands may be used immediately, without drying, in the aqueous media, or the chopped strands may be dried prior to or subsequent to chopping. When the strands are gathered onto a collection package, it is preferable to dry the package for about 10-30 hours at about 225°-275°F prior to positioning the package on a creel with numerous other packages so that a plurality of sized strands may be gathered to form a roving which may either be taken up on a collection package or fed directly to a chopping machine. Subsequent to chopping, the chopped strands can either be packaged for later use or be combined and mixed with an aqueous inorganic matrix to form a reinforced product.
The molecular weight of the water soluble polymer is not particularly critical to the concepts of this invention, except to the extent that molecular weight has a bearing upon the selection and amount of a "solution rate modifier." A solution rate modifier is defined as an additive to the water-soluble polymer, which alters the solution rate of the polymer in aqueous media. However, molecular weight is a design parameter to tailor the water soluble polymers with respect to solution rate and/or film-forming capability.
In most instances it is preferred to delay filamentization of the glass fibers from their strands until the strands have been uniformly mixed and distributed within the aqueous inorganic matrix, such as in the production of glass fiber reinforced cementitious products. However, there are instances when it is desired to have the glass fibers substantially instantaneously filamentize from a strand or bundle or roving upon incoporation of the glass fiber strand, bundle, or roving into an aqueous inorganic matrix, such as in the production of glass fiber sheets.
The sized glass fibers of this invention have been successfully used as a reinforcing material in various cementitious products or matrices including cement, Portland cement, concrete, mortar, gypsum, and hydrous calcium silicate.
The term hydrous calcium silicate denotes crystalline compounds formed by the reaction of lime (CaO), silica (SiO 2 ) and water. Two hydrous calcium silicates generally of interest are: tobermorite, having the formula 4 CaO . 5 SiO 2 . 5 H 2 O; and xonotlite, having the formula 5 CaO . 5 SiO 2 . 5 H 2 O. Hydrous calcium silicate products often are used as heat insulation materials.
Methods for reacting and drying a molded aqueous slurry of reactive cementitious constituents and reinforcing fibers to form hydrous calcium silicate insulation products are known in the art. One such method includes placing a molded slurry of the reactive cementitious constituents and reinforcing fibers in an autoclave, introducing pressurized saturated steam into the autoclave to indurate the slurry, simultaneously indurating and drying the slurry with superheated steam to convert this slurry to a final product and reducing the pressure in the autoclave to atmospheric pressure prior to removal of the product.
The sized glass fibers of this invention may be used alone or in combination with organic fibers, such as wood fibers in the production of cementitious products, especially calcium silicate products.
With specific reference to calcium silicate products, the principal slurry constituents, i.e., calcareous and siliceous materials, reinforcement fibers and water are mixed to form a slurry which is then molded to impart a predetermined shape to the slurry and final product. The slurry is molded or shaped in any convenient manner. Generally, however, one of two types of molds is employed, i.e., pan molds or filter press molds. In pan molds the slurry remains in the mold while the cementitious materials are reacted to convert them to a hydrous calcium silicate insulation. A pan mold generally defines a mold cavity of a particular shape and dimension; e.g., a flat rectangular pan is used to form flat ware or blocks, while an arcuate, generally U-shaped mold forms sectional insulation pieces which are later combined to form molded pipe coverings for insulating pipes, ducts, and the like. The filter press mold generally comprises a perforated mold over which the slurry is poured. A perforated mechanical piston complementary in shape to the mold, compresses the slurry to remove water to the point that the article is self-supporting. The filter press molding technique is described in U.S. Pat. No. 2,699,097 and is used to form pipe covering and flat ware. The slurry is maintained in the autoclave until a predetermined percentage of moisture of the ware has been removed by evaporation into a superheated steam atmosphere.
The specific lime to silica ratio of the slurry is dependent primarily upon the desired type of crystalline hydrous silicate desired in the final product. For example, it if is desired to obtain a crystalline product predominately composed of a crystalline matrix structure of the type commonly referred to as xonotlite, a CaO/SiO 2 mol ratio of approximately 1/1 would be utilized in the slurry. Control of the density of the resultant pan product is primarily accomplished by controlling the relative amount of water utilized in the make-up of the slurry. For example, an apparent density of 11 pounds per cubic foot, which is considered a nominal apparent density, would be obtained utilizing a slurry having a ratio of water to total dry solids of approximately 6:1.
The siliceous materials include Portland cement, siliceous sand, quartz, diatomaceous earth, clays, silica gel, perlite, and the like and mixtures thereof.
The calcareous materials include Portland cement, quicklime, slaked lime, and the like and mixtures thereof.
The organic materials are generally cellulosic materials, such as pulp fiber, cotton, straw, bagasse, wood flour, hemp, rayon, and the like and mixures thereof. A preferred pulp fiber is bleached soft wood pulp.
The organic materials generally have a diameter less than 30 microns as in the case of cotton fibers and may average less than 1 micron as in the case of wood pulp. The glass fibers generally have a diameter less than 0.001 inch, and are preferably dispersed in the insulation material as chopped individual fibers.
A crystalline hydrous calcium silicate insulation product is made from the following materials:Materials (Pan Batch) Dry Weight Percent______________________________________Glass Fibers 1.4Wood Pulp 8.5Quicklime 32.0Silica Flour 22.0Diatomaceous Earth 16.1Filler (Calcium Silicate Dust) 9.6Bentonite Clay 3.9Limestone 3.9Liquid Sodium Silicate 2.6 100.0______________________________________
A dispersion of the various materials is made in water with a water-to-solids ratio of about 4.80/1. The dispersion is produced in a hydrapulper, placed in U-shaped mold forms and prehardened in a steam atmosphere at a temperature of about 190°F. These sectional insulation pieces are used as pipe covering and have a thickness of about 2 inches. The U-shaped molds filled with the dispersion then are placed in an autoclave. After the autoclave is sealed, the pressure in the autoclave is raised to about 250 psi over about a 15 minute cycle, and the molds are subjected to saturated steam at this pressure for about 60 minutes to indurate the dispersion. The temperature in the autoclave then is raised by heating coils to about 575°F to produce superheated steam which slowly indurates and dries the insulation over about a 175-minute period. The autoclave then is depressurized over about a 1/2 hour period, and the molds are then removed from the autoclave. The insulation so produced has a free-moisture content of about 15 percent by weight solids and a modulus of rupture of about 70 psi.
A crystalline hydrous calcium silicate insulation product is made from the following materials:
Materials (Filter Press) Dry Weight Percent______________________________________Glass Fibers 1.3Wood Pulp 8.7Hydrated Lime 45.0Diatomaceous Earth 45.0 100.0______________________________________
A dispersion of the various materials is made in water at a temperature of about 200°F with a water-to-solids ratio of about 14.3/1. The dispersion is made in a hydrapulper and thereafter added to a gel tank and thoroughly mixed. The resulting slurry then is allowed to remain quiescent with slow stirring over short periods of time. The gel so produced then is allowed to stand for about 1 hour. The gel is charged to a precision type filter mold shaped to make pipe insulation with a wall thickness of about 1 inch. A ram in the mold compresses the gel to force the water out through a cylindrical filter forming the inside surface of the pipe insulation. The pipe insulation now has a water-to-solids ratio of about 4.0 to 4.5/1, which can be handled. The insulation is placed in an autoclave. After the autoclave is sealed, the pressure in the autoclave is raised to about 250 psi over about a 15 minute cycle. The insulation is then subjected to saturated steam at this pressure for about 90 minutes to indurate the insulation. The temperature in the autoclave then is raised by heating coils to about 540°F to produce superheated steam, which slowly indurates and dries the insulation over about a 125-minute period. The autoclave then is depressurized over about a 1/2-hour period and the insulation is removed from the autoclave. The insulation so produced has a free-moisture content of about 15 percent by weight solids and a modulus of rupture of about 97 psi.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
EXAMPLE I
Ingredients Percent by Weight______________________________________Water soluble polymer 0.5 - 50.0Solution rate modifier to a pH of 2.0 - 10.0Water Balance______________________________________
Coupling agents such as organo silanes or chrome complexes, are not required for the sizings of this invention, although they may be included therein. Likewise, lubricants, such as polyethylene glycol, are not required for the sizings of this invention, although they may be included therein. The lack of a need to use a lubricant may be due to the high solids content of the polymer in the sizing and to the solvation of the polymer in aqueous media, which provides a slippery surface to the glass fibers.
After the sizing is applied to glass fibers and the sized glass fibers are dried, the amount of dried coating on the glass fibers ranges from about 0.2 - 2.0 percent by weight solids and more preferably ranges from about 0.6 to about 0.8 percent by weight solids.
EXAMPLE II
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Poly(ethylene imine) 5.0 - 15.0Sulfuric acid (technical grade) to a pH of 5.0 - 7.0Water (deionized) Balance______________________________________
One poly(ethylene imine) is commercially available under the trade designation, "PEI-18" from Dow Chemical Corporation.
EXAMPLE III
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Poly(acrylic acid) 5.0Tetramethylammonium hydroxide to a pH of 8.0 to 10.0Water Balance______________________________________
EXAMPLE IV
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________High molecular weight 2.0poly(ethylene oxide)Low molecular weight 5.0poly(ethylene oxide)Sulfuric acid (technical grade) to a pH of 4.0 - 5.0Water Balance______________________________________
One high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) is commercially available under the trade designation, "Poly-ox WSR-301" from Union Carbide Corporation. A low molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) is commercially available under the trade designation, "CARBOWAX" from Union Carbide Corporation.
EXAMPLE V
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Poly(methacrylic acid) 4.0Low molecular weight 2.0poly(ethylene oxide)Potassium hydroxide to a pH of 8.0 to 10.0Water Balance______________________________________
EXAMPLE VI
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Poly(N,N,N-trimethylamino- 3.0ethylmethylacrylatemethylsulfate)High molecular weight 2.0poly(ethylene oxide)Water Balance______________________________________
EXAMPLE VII
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Low molecular Weight 15.0poly(ethylene oxide)Water Balance______________________________________
Upon occasion, it is desirable to use a material other than an acid or base to alter the rate of solution of polymers in aqueous systems. An example of such a material is a plasticizer, such as glycerol. The following example is illustrative of this approach.
EXAMPLE VIII
Ingredients Percent by Weight (Solids)______________________________________Poly(acrylic acid) 3.0Glycerol 1.0Water Balance______________________________________
The mixing procedure for the above examples comprises adding water to a mix tank followed by the addition of the polymer(s) to the tank, with agitation until the polymer(s) has completely dissolved. Thereafter, the solids and the pH of the sizing composition is adjusted within specifications. Alterations of the above-described mixing procedure may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.
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Glass Fibers sized with water soluble polymeric compositions to maintain strand integrity during processing and to induce complete filamentization of the glass fibers from a bundle during blending and mixing of the glass fiber bundle with an aqueous medium.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] Recently, as performance of an image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine is improved, integrated digital equipment having not only a copying function but also a function as a printer is developed and becomes widespread. Usually, in PPC and multi-function peripherals (MFP), because density and gradation characteristics of an output image fluctuate by an environmental change (temperature and humidity), a calibration pattern according to a built-in pattern is outputted, the calibration pattern is read by placing the outputted calibration pattern image on a document glass, and the calibration is performed to correct the output image. Therefore, even if the environment is changed, the stable density and gradation characteristics can be obtained.
[0002] Jpn. Pat. Appln. KOKAI Publication No. 2001-180090 discloses a calibration pattern accompanied by an identification code for identifying which calibration pattern is printed to correspond to which printer when a PC or the like outputs plural calibration patterns to plural printers. The identification code is used when the one calibration pattern corresponds to one printer.
[0003] However, for example, in the MFP, the calibration for a printer is required in addition to the calibration for a copying machine, and there is a problem that the image correction cannot always be performed by the common calibration in the printer and the copying machine.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0004] An embodiment of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising: a recording unit which records a plurality of calibration data; an image forming unit which reads the plurality of calibration data from the recording unit, and forms images of a plurality of calibration patterns on a recording medium according to the plurality of calibration data; a reading unit which reads the formed images of the plurality of calibration patterns to output image data; a computing unit which receives a plurality of image data according to the plurality of calibration patterns read by the reading unit, and computes a plurality of image correction amounts by comparing the plurality of image data to a plurality of reference image data previously prepared; an image processing unit which performs image correction to document image data newly read by the reading unit, according to the plurality of image correction amounts computed by the computing unit; and a control unit which controls each unit so as to cause the image forming unit to form the plurality of calibration patterns in a calibration operation mode; to cause the reading unit to read the plurality of calibration patterns; to cause the computing unit to compute the plurality of image correction amounts based on the image data of the read calibration pattern to store the plurality of image correction amounts in a storage area; to cause the image processing unit to perform a correction process of the document image data newly read by the reading unit in a normal image forming operation mode based on the image correction amount; and to cause the image forming unit to form an image on the recording medium according to the image data to which the correction process has been performed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0005] FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0006] FIG. 2 is a graph explaining a correction data computing process during a calibration operation of the image forming apparatus;
[0007] FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a calibration operation of the image forming apparatus;
[0008] FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a selection screen of a calibration pattern output of the image forming apparatus;
[0009] FIG. 5 is a flowchart showing a calibration operation of the image forming apparatus;
[0010] FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing a selection screen of the calibration pattern output of the image forming apparatus;
[0011] FIGS. 7A and 7B are explanatory views each showing a calibration start direction screen of the image forming apparatus;
[0012] FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a calibration operation using a pattern determining unit in the image forming apparatus;
[0013] FIG. 9 is a flowchart showing another calibration operation using the pattern determining unit in the image forming apparatus;
[0014] FIG. 10 shows a calibration pattern of the image forming apparatus;
[0015] FIGS. 11A and 11B each show a calibration pattern to which mode information of the image forming apparatus is added;
[0016] FIGS. 12A and 12B each show a calibration pattern to which the mode information of the image forming apparatus is added; and
[0017] FIGS. 13A and 13B each show a calibration pattern to which the mode information of the image forming apparatus is added.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0018] Referring now to the accompanying drawings, an image forming apparatus and an image forming method according to embodiments of the invention will be described in detail.
[0019] In the following embodiments of the invention, a multi-function peripheral (MFP) is illustrated as an example of the image forming apparatus according to one embodiment of the invention. In the MFP, different calibrations are required for a copy mode and a printer mode. Further, different calibrations are also required for different page description languages such as PS and PCL. Therefore, it is necessary that the calibration is performed by using plural calibration patterns.
[0020] As described below in detail, calibration processes in the plural modes are efficiently performed by utilization of an auto document feeder (ADF), a layout of the calibration pattern, identification information added to the calibration pattern, and the like.
[0021] <Image Forming Apparatus of the Embodiment of the Invention>
[0022] (Configuration)
[0023] FIG. 1 shows a configuration of the image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. In FIG. 1 , an image forming apparatus 1 includes an interface (I/F) unit 8 , a print data image processing unit (RIP: Raster Image Processor) 9 , an auto document feeder (ADF) unit 10 , a scanner unit 11 , a color conversion unit 12 , a filter unit 13 , an black generating unit 14 , a gamma correction unit 15 , a halftoning processing unit 16 , a calibration pattern generating unit 22 , a correction data computing unit 18 , a CPU 19 , a ROM 20 , and a RAM 21 . The I/F unit 8 receives image information and the like from a PC 2 . The print data image processing unit 9 performs an image conversion process of converting the image information so that printing can be performed. The ADF unit 10 automatically conveys a document. The scanner unit 11 scans a document image. The color conversion processing unit 12 converts RGB image signals outputted from the scanner 11 into CMY image signals. The filter unit 13 performs a filtering process. The black generating unit 14 generates black signals from the CMY image signals to output CMYK signals. The gamma correction unit 15 performs gamma correction of the CMYK signals based on correction data stored in the RAM 11 . The halftoning processing unit 16 performs a gradation process. The calibration pattern generating unit 22 generates and supplies a calibration pattern under control of the CPU 19 . The correction data computing unit 18 is connected to the scanner unit 11 . The CPU 19 controls the whole of the image forming apparatus. The ROM 20 and the RAM 21 are connected to the CPU 19 . The CPU controls each unit included in the image forming apparatus. An output of the calibration pattern generating unit 22 is supplied to an input of the halftoning processing unit 16 . Further, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the invention includes a print unit 17 , a pattern determining unit 23 , a hard disk driver (HDD) 25 , and an operation and display unit 31 . The print unit 17 receives print data to perform an image. The pattern determining unit 23 determines the pattern on the image based on the image information supplied from the scanner unit 11 . The HDD 25 is controlled by the CPU 19 , and is connected to the print data image processing unit 9 and the like. The operation and display unit 31 is connected to the CPU 19 , and has various operation switches and an operation display screen.
[0024] (Basic Operation)
[0025] The image forming apparatus 1 having the above configuration has at least encoding functions such as a printer function and a copier function as the MFP. With reference to the printer function, when the I/F unit 8 receives the image information and the like from the external PC 2 or the like, the print data image processing unit 9 performs the image processing under the control of the CPU 19 so that the image information is formed in a signal format which can be printed by the print unit 17 , and the image is formed on a recording medium. At this point, in the print data image processing unit 9 , the image processing is performed to the supplied image signals according to the calibration result.
[0026] With reference to the copier function in the image forming apparatus 1 , when a user places plural documents on the ADF unit 10 to press a start button or the like through the operation and display unit 31 , under the control of the CPU 19 , the ADF unit 10 sequentially conveys the documents to a document glass (not shown) and the image information is read by the scanner unit 11 . Then, the color conversion unit 12 converts the image information such as the RGB image signals into the CMY signals which are of the recording color, the filter unit 13 performs the filtering process, and the black generating unit 14 generates the black signal from the CMY image signals to output the CMYK signals. Further, the gamma correction unit 15 performs the gamma correction affected by the calibration result, and the gradation unit 16 performs the gradation process to supply the CMYK signals to the print unit 17 , and the image is formed on the recording medium.
[0027] The calibration process performed by the image forming apparatus 1 with respect to plural modes will be described in detail referring to the drawings.
[0028] <Calibration Process>
FIRST EMBODIMENT: FIG. 3
[0029] A first embodiment of the invention specifies a image forming apparatus which performs a calibration process with respect to plural modes. FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing an example of a calibration operation of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.
[0030] A series of calibration executing operation for a copy operation and a printer operation is divided into a correction pattern output operation and a correction pattern read and correction data computing operation.
[0031] In the image forming apparatus 1 , when the calibration operation is specified in the operation and display unit 31 by the selection of the user, the CPU controls the operation and display unit 31 to display mode specifying screens D 1 and D 2 which performs the calibration as shown in FIG. 4 in order to perform the correction pattern output operation. Namely, first, it is determined whether the calibration patterns for all the modes are displayed or not (S 10 ). When the user directs that all the modes are outputted, the calibration pattern generating unit 22 supplies calibration data for all the modes (for example, PPC, PRINT (PS 600 dpi), PRINT (PS 1200 dpi), PRINT (PCL 600 dpi), and PRINT (PCL 1200 dpi)) to the halftoning processing unit 16 (or the HDD 25 supplies the calibration data to the print unit 17 ) (S 11 ).
[0032] On the other hand, when the user presses “to selection screen” in an operation screen D 1 of FIG. 4 , an operation screen D 2 is displayed. When the user specifies the particular (plural) calibration modes such as PPC, PRINT (PS 600 dpi), PRINT (PS 1200 dpi), PRINT (PCL 600 dpi), PRINT (PCL 1200 dpi), similarly the calibration pattern generating unit 22 supplies the calibration data to the halftoning processing unit 16 (in the case of the printer function, the HDD 25 supplies the calibration data to the print unit 17 ) (S 12 ).
[0033] The calibration pattern is outputted by the print unit 17 according to the data supplied from the calibration pattern generating unit 22 (in the case of the printer function, the HDD 25 supplies the calibration data to the print unit 17 ) (S 13 ). At this point, the collectively selected calibration patterns or the plural simultaneously selected calibration patterns are continuously outputted as the plural calibration patterns by the print unit 17 .
[0034] Then, the user sets the printed calibration pattern on the document glass to press a start button of the operation and display unit 31 (S 14 ). The calibration pattern is scanned by the scanner unit 11 (S 15 ), a pattern read value of the image information on the scanned calibration pattern is supplied to the correction data computing unit 18 (S 16 ). As shown in a graph of FIG. 2 , a correction curve (correction data) is computed based on the correction pattern read value and the target value, the correction curve is supplied to a control unit in the CPU 19 or the like, and the correction curve is stored in the RAM 21 which is of a storage area in each specified mode (S 17 ). When the next correction is performed, the flow returns to Step S 12 again (S 18 ).
[0035] In the printer function in the normal image forming operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 , the print data image processing unit 7 appropriately corrects the image information supplied from the PC 2 or the like according to the correction curve stored in the RAM 21 , and the print unit 17 forms the image on the recording medium. In the copier function in the normal image forming operation mode of the image forming apparatus 1 , the color conversion, the filtering process, the inking and the like are performed to the image information of the document which is placed on and scanned by the scanner unit 11 . Then, the image is corrected by the gamma correction using the correction curve stored in the RAM 21 according to the calibration. The corrected image information to which the calibration result is added is supplied to the print unit 17 , and the image is formed on the recording medium.
[0036] Thus, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the invention, the calibration patterns corresponding to the plural image forming modes are printed, the correction curves are computed by reading the calibration patterns, and the gamma correction or the RIP process is performed according to the corresponding correction curve. Accordingly, even in the integrated type image forming apparatus, the calibration can easily be performed corresponding to each image forming mode, and the image can easily be formed according to the calibration.
SECOND EMBODIMENT: FIG. 5
[0037] A second embodiment of the invention specifies an image forming apparatus which performs a calibration process by reading plural calibration patterns with the ADF unit. In the image forming apparatus such as an MFP which acts as a copier and a printer, when it cannot be determined which image forming mode corresponds to which correction pattern in reading the plural calibration patterns according to the plural image forming modes, it is necessary that the output and reading of the correction pattern and the correction data computation are integrated into a series of operations, and the series of actions are repeated by the number of calibrations. Even if it is determined which image forming mode corresponds to the correction pattern, it is necessary that the reading operation is performed by the replacing the correction pattern in each time. Because the correction data computing operation is simplified from the reading operation, the case in which the ADF unit is used will be described below.
[0038] In C 1 of Case 1 in the flowchart of FIG. 5 , when one image forming mode is selected from a selection screen D 3 of FIG. 6 (S 21 ), the calibration pattern generating unit 22 or the HDD 25 output one piece of corresponding calibration data (S 13 ). When another calibration mode is also performed (S 21 ), the flow returns to Step S 12 , i.e. to the selection screen D 3 from a screen D 4 . Then, in the selection screen D 3 , one desired image forming mode is selected, and the image of corresponding calibration pattern is formed (S 13 ).
[0039] It is also preferable that the plural image forming modes are selected at once. In C 2 of Case 2 , when the plural image forming modes are selected from an operation screen D 5 of FIG. 5 (S 31 ), the calibration pattern generating unit 22 or the HDD 25 supplies the calibration pattern, and the plural calibration patterns are printed (S 32 ). Further, it is also possible that the calibration patterns are collectively printed by using the collective selection screen D 1 of FIG. 4 in Step S 10 of FIG. 3 .
[0040] In this case, in the storage area of the CPU 19 and the like, it is preferable that a printout sequence of the plural calibration patterns is stored to utilize a later-mentioned mode determination of the calibration pattern.
[0041] Then, the user sets the plural calibration patterns on the ADF unit 10 , and presses, for example, the start button of the operation and display unit 31 (S 22 ). The plural calibration patterns are sequentially conveyed from the ADF unit 10 , and the scanner unit 11 sequentially reads the calibration patterns by placing the calibration patterns on the document glass (not shown) (S 23 ). Unlike the first embodiment, since the ADF unit 10 is used, it is not necessary that the plural calibration patterns are placed on the document glass again. Therefore, the smooth calibration process can be performed for the plural image forming modes.
[0042] In reading the calibration pattern with the ADF unit 10 , as shown in FIG. 7A , it is preferable that a message such as “Set outputted pattern on ADF to press start key” is displayed on the operation and display unit 31 or the like. It is also further preferable to display a warning message such as “Set outputted pattern on ADF without changing sequence, and press start key”. It is preferable that the calibration patterns are securely set on the ADF unit 10 in the order of, for example, “PPC, PRINT (PS 600 dpi), PRINT (PS 1200 dpi), PRINT (PCL 600 dpi), and PRINT (PCL 1200 dpi)”.
[0043] As described later referring to FIGS. 10 to 13 B, it is possible that the calibration pattern is securely read by the scanner unit 11 by attaching the identification information indicating which image forming mode corresponds to the calibration pattern to the image of the calibration pattern. At this point as well, in the case of the calibration patterns shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B , the user can determine the calibration patterns by the naked eyes.
[0044] Then, the calibration patterns are sequentially conveyed to the document glass by using the ADF unit 10 , and the calibration patterns are continuously scanned to sequentially output the image information. At this point, which calibration pattern corresponds to which image information is preferably determined by the printout sequence of the plural calibration patterns stored in the storage area of the CPU 19 and the like. Namely, it is determined that the sequence of the plural read calibration patterns are similar to the printout sequence of the printed calibration patterns. Therefore, it is preferable that the following processes are performed according to the determination result.
[0045] The read image information (pattern read values) are supplied to the correction data computing unit 18 (S 25 ). The correction curves (correction data) are computed based on the correction pattern read value and the target value shown in the graph of FIG. 2 , and the correction curves are stored in the RAM 21 through, for example, the control unit of the CPU 19 in each specified mode (S 26 ). In the operation and display unit 31 , it is preferable to show which calibration is ended for the image forming mode.
[0046] Thereafter, as with the first embodiment, in the printer function of the image forming apparatus 1 , the print data image processing unit 7 appropriately corrects the image information supplied from the PC 2 or the like according to the correction curve stored in the RAM 21 , and forms the image on the recording medium. Further, in the copier function, the color conversion, the filtering process, the inking and the like are performed to the image information of the document which is placed on and scanned by the scanner unit 11 . Then, the image is corrected by the gamma correction using the correction curve stored in the RAM 21 according to the calibration. The image information to which the calibration result is added for image correction is supplied to the print unit 17 , and the image is formed on the recording medium.
[0047] Thus, in the second embodiment, the calibration processes can smoothly be performed in the plural modes by using the warning message and the like in the ADF unit 10 and the operation and display unit 31 .
THIRD EMBODIMENT: FIG. 8
[0048] A third embodiment of the invention specifies an image forming apparatus having a function of determining plural calibration patterns. Namely, in the second embodiment, assuming that the sequence of the calibration patterns set on the ADF unit 10 is previously known, the calibration (pattern read and correction data computation) is performed, which allows the process to be efficiently realized for the plural modes. However, when correction data for different patterns are computed such that the sequence is mistakenly changed, there is a possibility that the correction is of the original purpose cannot be reflected, and a density balance and a color balance are lost.
[0049] On the contrary, in the image forming apparatus 1 of the third embodiment, the sequence of the calibration patterns is identified and managed by using both the pattern determining unit 23 and the calibration pattern with the identification information shown in FIGS. 10 to 13 B.
[0050] When the image forming apparatus 1 performs the calibration process, the correction pattern output operation is performed in the same manner as for Steps S 10 to S 13 in the first embodiment or for Steps S 12 to S 21 in the second embodiment, and the plural calibration patterns are generated and outputted.
[0051] Before the calibration data in each embodiment is supplied to the halftoning processing unit 16 or the print unit 17 , the identification information on each image forming mode such as PPC, PRINT (PS 600 dpi), PRINT (PS 1200 dpi), PRINT (PCL 600 dpi), and PRINT (PCL 1200 dpi) is previously added into the calibration data supplied from the calibration pattern generating unit 22 or the HDD 25 .
[0052] Identification Information
[0053] Various modes of the identification information according to the calibration data will be described referring to the drawings.
[0054] One piece of identification information used in the third embodiment (or fourth embodiment) is a rectangular position-detection bar PB which is provided in a calibration pattern PT 1 shown in FIGS. 10 to 11 B. The position-detection bar PB specifies which image forming mode corresponds to which calibration pattern. Specifically, in a layout of the calibration pattern PT 1 shown in FIG. 10 , the calibration pattern PT 1 includes gradation patches of each toner color (black, yellow, magenta, and cyan) and the position-detection bar (solid black) PB.
[0055] In a layout of a calibration pattern PT 2 shown in FIG. 11A , the coordinates of the position-detection bar PB are arranged at (x 11 , y 11 ) and (x 12 , y 12 ), and the calibration pattern PT 2 is defined as a PPC calibration pattern.
[0056] In a layout of a calibration pattern PT 3 shown in FIG. 11B , the coordinates of the position-detection bar PB are arranged at (x 21 , y 21 ) and (x 22 , y 22 ), and the calibration pattern PT 3 is defined as a “PS 600 dpi” calibration pattern. Namely, the calibration data is previously prepared such that the coordinates of the position-detection bars PB differ from one another according to the type of the image forming mode. That the coordinates are arranged at different positions according to the image forming mode is not always limited to the position-detection bar PB. In any image on the calibration pattern, it is also possible that the coordinates are arranged at different positions.
[0057] In layouts of calibration patterns PT 3 and PT 4 shown in FIGS. 12A and 12B , the calibration data is previously prepared such that the user can identify the calibration pattern which indicates the identification information such as “PPC” identification information and “PS 600 dpi” identification information as the image information. Therefore, even if the user does not have knowledge about the coordinate of the position-detection bar PB, the user can visually understand which image forming mode corresponds to the calibration pattern by the identification information. Accordingly, even if the sequence of the printed calibration patterns is lost, the user can re-arranged the sequence of the plural calibration patterns in a desired sequence to cause the ADF unit 10 to read the calibration patterns.
[0058] In layouts of calibration patterns PT 6 and PT 7 shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B , the same layouts are formed while being independent of the image forming mode, and the calibration patterns PT 6 and PT 7 differ from each other in the density of the position-detection bar PB or the balance (combination) of the toner amount while corresponding to the image forming mode. Namely, the calibration pattern is used for the “PPC” identification information when black is 100% in the position-detection bar PB, and the calibration pattern is used for the “PS 600 dpi” identification information when magenta is 100% in the position-detection bar PB.
[0059] Calibration Process Associated with Pattern Determining Process
[0060] The image forming apparatus 1 of the third embodiment in which the pattern determining unit 23 performs the above determining process will be described in detail referring to a flowchart shown in FIG. 8 . In the image forming apparatus 1 , the calibration pattern is conveyed to the scanner unit 11 by the ADF unit 10 , and the data read by the scanner unit 11 is sent to the pattern determining unit 23 (S 41 ). The calibration pattern is discharged to a discharge unit (not shown) by the ADF unit 10 (S 42 ). The pattern determining unit 23 determines the type of the calibration pattern in a later-mentioned way (S 43 ) An ordinal rank and the determined image forming mode of the calibration pattern are recorded in the RAM 21 (S 44 ). The processes from Step S 41 to Step S 44 are performed to all the calibration patterns (S 45 ).
[0061] When the image forming modes of all the calibration patterns are found, the plural calibration patterns located on the discharge unit are reset on the ADF unit 10 (S 46 ). The calibration patterns are conveyed to the scanner unit 11 , and the image data read by the scanner unit 11 is supplied to the correction data computing unit 18 (S 47 ). The correction curve is computed by the mode information corresponding to the read ordinal rank recorded in the RAM 21 , and the correction curve is stored in the RAM 21 (S 48 ). When the process in Step S 48 is performed for all the calibration patterns, the calibration process is completed (S 49 ). Then, as with the first and second embodiments, the image forming processes such as the gamma correction and the print data image processing according to the amount of correction by the calibration process are performed in the normal image forming operation mode.
[0062] Pattern Determining Process
[0063] (Pattern Determination by Coordinate)
[0064] The pattern determining process in Step S 43 will be described, particularly the determining process by the coordinate of the position-detection bar PB and the determining process by the density of the position-detection bar PB with respect to the calibration patterns shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B will be described.
[0065] It is assumed that, as shown in FIG. 10 , the layout of the calibration pattern includes the gradation patches of each toner color (black, yellow, magenta, and cyan) and the position-detection bar (solid black) PB. As shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B , when the arrangements can be changed according to the image forming modes to detect the coordinates, each image forming mode can be determined. It is assumed that a proceeding direction of the scanner unit 11 (line scan) with respect to the calibration pattern is set at an x-direction of FIG. 11 . Two points P 0 and P 1 shown in FIG. 11A indicate a measurement start position for computing the coordinates of the position-detection bars. At the two points, front-end coordinates of the position-detection bar are determined in each one line data transmitted from the scanner unit 11 in the following manner. Assuming that y 11 <y 0 , and y 1 <y 12 ,
(x, y 0 ): if (R 0 <THR && G 0 <THG && B 0 <THB) then P 0 x=cx 0
else cx 0 ++
(x, y 1 ): if (R 1 <THR && G 1 <THG && B 1 <THB) then P 1 x=cx 1
else cx 1 ++,
where (R 0 , G 0 , G 0 ) is an RGB read value of one line data in the y 0 coordinate of P 0 , (R 1 , G 1 , B 1 ) is the RGB read value of one line data in the y 1 coordinate of P 1 , THR, THG, and TBB are thresholds for detecting the position-detection bar, and cx 0 and cx 1 are counters for determining the x-coordinates P 0 x and P 1 x of the front-end positions in the x-direction of the position-detection bar. Further, the start positions P 0 y and P 1 y in a line direction (y-direction) are determined in the same manner at the time when both P 0 x and P 1 x are confirmed. Assuming that the x-coordinate is set at Px when both P 0 x and P 1 x are confirmed,
if (Rx 0 <THR && Gx 0 <THG && Bx 0 <THB) then P 0 y=cy 0
else cy 0 ++
if (Rx 1 <THR && Gx 1 <THG && Bx 1 <THB) then P 1 y=cy 1
else cy 1 ++
In the above expressions, the start coordinate of (Rx 0 , Gx 0 , Bx 0 ) is set at (Px, 0 ), and the start coordinate of (Rx 1 , Gx 1 , Bx 1 ) is set at (Px+w, 0 ). At this point the expressions satisfy 0 <w<x 12 −x 11 .
[0074] It is determined that the position-detection bar can be identified by confirming the four-point coordinates. However, when P 0 x and P 1 x differ largely from each other, or when Py 0 and Py 1 differ largely from each other, there is a high possibility that the calibration pattern is conveyed while largely deformed or the calibration pattern is not the prepared calibration pattern. Therefore, it is determined that the position-detection bar cannot be identified, and the determination is corrected. In the case where not only the coordinate closest to the detected coordinate exists in the set of the coordinates of each image forming mode stored in the ROM 20 , but also a distance between the detected coordinate and the coordinate closest to the detected coordinate exists within a predetermined range, it can be determined that the detected coordinate is used for the image forming mode. When the image forming mode cannot be identified, an error message is displayed on the operation and display unit 31 .
[0075] (Pattern Determination by Density)
[0076] On the contrary, the image forming mode is not determined by detecting the coordinate information, but the same layouts are formed in any image forming mode, and the density of the position-detection bar or the color balance of the toner amount constituting the position-detection bar is given in each image forming mode as shown in FIG. 12 . Therefore, the image forming mode can also be determined. With reference to the procedure, in determining the position-detection bar in the above manner, THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes are prepared respectively, and the determination result is obtained by the confirmation of the combination of THR, THG, and THB. Determination accuracy is improved by verifying correctness for the computed coordinate values.
if (Rx 0 <THR && Gx 0 <THG && Bx 0 <THB) then P 0 y=cy 0
mode0=PPC
else if (Rx 0 >THR 2 && Gx 0 >THG 2 && Bx 0 <THB 2 ) then P 0 y=cy 0
mode0=PS600
similarly for THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes,
else cy 1 ++ if (Rx 1 <THR && Gx 1 <THG && Bx 1 <THB) then P 1 y=cy 1
mode1=PPC
else if (Rx 1 >THR 2 && Gx 1 >THG 2 && Bx 1 <THB 2 ) then P 1 y=cy 1
mode1=PS600
. . . , similarly for THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes, else cy 1 ++.
[0082] Where mode0 and mode1 indicate the image forming mode determined based on the RGB value when the front-end coordinate can be detected for P 0 and P 1 .
[0083] Similarly the values are also computed with respect to the y-direction.
[0084] That the modes detected as mode0x=mode1x=mode0y=mode1y correspond to one another is preferably added to the conditions of the image forming mode determination.
[0085] Pattern Determining Process
[0086] (Pattern Determination by Density)
[0087] The pattern determining process in Step S 43 will be described, particularly the determining process by the coordinate of the position-detection bar PB and the determining process by the density of the position-detection bar PB with respect to the calibration patterns shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B will be described. Namely, the image forming mode is not determined by detecting the coordinate information, but the same layouts are formed in any image forming mode, and the density of the position-detection bar PB or the color balance of the toner amount constituting position-detection bar PB is given in each image forming mode as shown in FIGS. 13A and 13B . Therefore, the image forming mode can also be determined.
[0088] With reference to the procedure, in determining the position-detection bar in the above manner, THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes are prepared respectively, and the determination result is obtained by the confirmation of the combination of THR, THG, and THB. The determination accuracy is improved by verifying correctness for the computed coordinate values.
if (Rx 0 <THR && Gx 0 <THG && Bx 0 <THB) then P 0 y=cy 0
mode0=PPC
else if (Rx 0 >THR 2 && Gx 0 >THG 2 && Bx 0 <THB 2 ) then P 0 y=cy 0
mode0=PS600
similarly for THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes,
else cy 1 ++ if (Rx 1 <THR && Gx 1 <THG && Bx 1 <THB) then P 1 y=cy 1
mode1=PPC
else if (Rx 1 >THR 2 && Gx 1 >THG 2 && Bx 1 <THB 2 ) then P 1 y=cy 1
mode1=PS600
. . . , similarly for THRs, THGs, and THBs corresponding to the number of modes, else cy 1 ++
[0094] Where mode0 and mode1 indicate the image forming mode determined based on the RGB value when the front-end coordinate can be detected for P 0 and P 1 .
[0095] Similarly the values are also computed with respect to the y-direction.
[0096] That the modes detected as mode0x=mode1x=mode0y=mode1y correspond to one another is preferably added to the conditions of the image forming mode determination.
FOURTH EMBODIMENT: FIG. 9
[0097] A fourth embodiment of the invention specifies an image forming apparatus which reads the plural calibration patterns at least twice using the ADF unit. In the image forming apparatus of the third embodiment, due to the structure of the ADF unit, the calibration pattern is conveyed to the scanner unit once to read the calibration pattern, and it is necessary that the calibration pattern read by the scanner unit is discharged to the discharge unit. However, the calibration pattern is not discharged to the discharge unit after the calibration pattern is conveyed to the scanner unit, but the calibration pattern is automatically conveyed to the scanner unit with the ADF unit again, which allows operability to be remarkably improved.
[0098] As shown in the flowchart of FIG. 9 , in the image forming apparatus 1 , the calibration pattern is conveyed to the scanner unit 11 with the ADF unit 10 , and the image data read by the scanner unit 11 is supplied to the pattern determining unit 23 (S 51 ). The pattern determining unit 23 determines the image forming mode of the calibration pattern by the above-described manner and the like (S 52 ). Then, the ADF unit 10 automatically conveys the calibration pattern to the scanner unit 11 again, and the data read by the scanner unit 11 is transmitted to the correction data computing unit 18 (S 53 ). Alternatively, in order that the scanner unit 11 performs the second-time reading process after the ADF unit 10 conveys the calibration pattern, the control unit causes the operation and display unit 31 to display a message encouraging the user to press the start button, and waits the press-down of the start button by the user. When the user presses the start button, preferably the calibration pattern is conveyed to the scanner unit 11 again, and the data read by the scanner unit 11 is transmitted to the correction data computing unit 18 . Then, the correction data from the correction data computing unit 18 is stored in the RAM 21 in each specified mode (S 54 ). The ADF unit 10 discharges the calibration pattern to the discharge unit (S 55 ). The processes are repeated until the next pattern does not exist (S 56 ).
[0099] Other Modifications
[0100] In Step S 52 , when a part of the modes of the plural calibration patterns cannot be identified after the calibration patterns are read once, it is preferable that the operation and display unit 31 displays the message encouraging the user to press the start button in order to return only the calibration pattern which can be identified to the ADF unit 10 to perform the second-time reading process by the scanner unit 11 in Step S 53 .
[0101] Namely, it is preferable that the second-time calibration process is performed by automatically returning only the calibration pattern, in which the corresponding mode can be identified, to the ADF unit 10 to perform the reading process with the scanner unit 11 . Therefore, the invalid calibration pattern can be rejected, and the calibration can be performed with high reliability.
[0102] Under the control of the control unit 19 , when the mode corresponding to a part of the plural calibration patterns cannot be identified after the calibration patterns are read once, it is preferable that the calibration pattern which cannot be identified is discharged by the operation of the AFD unit 10 .
[0103] Under the control of the control unit 19 , when the mode corresponding to the calibration pattern cannot be identified, it is preferable to output the signal for indicating that the mode corresponding to the calibration pattern cannot be identified, or it is preferable that the operation and display unit 31 displays the message that the mode corresponding to the calibration pattern cannot be identified.
[0104] When the process of calibrating the modes corresponding to the plural calibration patterns read by the scanner unit 11 is completed under the control of the control unit 19 , it is preferable to output the signal for indicating the completion of the calibration process at each time, or it is preferable that the operation and display unit 31 displays the message of the completion of the calibration process at each time.
[0105] When all the processes of calibrating the modes corresponding to the plural calibration patterns are completed under the control of the control unit 19 , it is preferable to output the signal for indicating a list of all the completed modes and the completion of the calibration process for all the modes, or it is preferable that the operation and display unit 31 displays the list of all the completed modes and the completion of the calibration process for all the modes.
[0106] Thus, in image forming apparatus of the fourth embodiment, the plural calibration patterns are read at least twice using the ADF unit. Therefore, the calibration process can be performed for the plural image forming modes with no user's operation.
[0107] As described above, those skilled in the art can realize the invention by the various embodiments. However, it is further understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be easily made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and that the invention may be applied to various changes and modifications without any inventive ability. Accordingly, the invention covers the broad scope consistent with the disclosed principle and novel features, and the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments.
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An image forming apparatus comprising a recording unit which records a plurality of calibration data, an image forming unit which reads said plurality of calibration data and forms images of a plurality of calibration patterns on a recording medium according to said plurality of calibration data, a reading unit which reads the images of said plurality of calibration patterns to output image data, a computing unit which receives said plurality of image data, and computes a plurality of image correction amounts by comparing the plurality of image data to a plurality of reference image data previously prepared, and an image processing unit which performs image correction to document image data newly read by the reading unit according to said plurality of image correction amounts.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shield assembly for a computer enclosure and a pressing machine for making the shield assembly, and particularly to a shield assembly for ready attaching to a computer enclosure and a pressing machine for pressing the shield assembly together.
2. Related Art
A support bracket in a computer enclosure often defines a number of cavities for accommodating data storage devices therein. A front panel of the computer enclosure accordingly defines a number of openings for insertion of the data storage devices. A number of metal shields is attached in the openings of the front panel, to prevent electromagnetic radiation generated by the computer from coming out of the computer. Such metal shields are commonly integral with the front panel. When a data storage device is required to be installed, a metal shield is removed from the front panel using a tool.
However, removing this kind of metal shield from the front panel with a tool is unduly inconvenient. Furthermore, the metal shield cannot be reused. Thus when a data storage device is removed from the support bracket, the opening of the front panel cannot be covered back over again with the shield. This allows electromagnetic radiation to come out of the computer, or necessitates use of a replacement shield.
It is strongly desired to provide a shield assembly for a computer enclosure which overcomes the above problems encountered in the related art.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a shield assembly for covering an opening defined in a computer enclosure, to prevent electromagnetic radiation from coming out of the computer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pressing machine which can readily make the shield assembly.
To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a shield assembly of the present invention comprises a plastic member and a metal member attached on the plastic member. The plastic member forms a tab with a projection and a plurality of cross protrusions. The metal member has a gap for extension of the tab therethrough, an inclined plate defining an aperture for engaging with the projection to prevent the metal member from moving relative to the plastic member in a vertical direction, and a plurality of cross cuts for engaging with the cross protrusions to prevent the metal member from moving relative to the plastic member in a horizontal direction.
The pressing machine for combining the metal member and the plastic member of the shield assembly together comprises a workbench, a cylinder, a guide device, a pressing device and a coupling bar connected between the cylinder and the pressing device. The workbench comprises a position board defining a plurality of channels for receiving the corresponding plastic members thereon. The pressing device comprises a pair of pressing blocks and a pressing bar between the pressing blocks. Each pressing block defines a plurality of cross indentions for receiving the protrusions of the plastic members. This allows the metal member to be downwardly pressed, thereby causing the cross cuts of the metal member to engage with the cross protrusions of the plastic member. The pressing bar comprises a plurality of pressing feet for downwardly pressing the inclined plates of the metal members, to allow the inclined plates to engage with the projections of the plastic member in the apertures thereof.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be drawn from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the attached drawings, in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an assembled view of a shield assembly in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of the circled portion II of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a pressing machine for combining the shield assembly of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a base of a guide device of the pressing machine of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a pressing block of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a bottom planar view of FIG. 5; and
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a pressing bar of FIG. 3 .
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shield assembly 12 in accordance with the present invention comprises a plastic member 14 and a metal member 16 attached on an inner side of the plastic member 14 .
The plastic member 14 is rectangular. A tab 22 extends upwardly from a central portion of the inner side of the plastic member 14 . A projection 24 is formed on one side wall of the tab 22 . Four cross protrusions 20 respectively extend upwardly from the inner side of the plastic member 14 , two on each side of the tab 22 . A pair of spaced fasteners 26 extends upwardly from one end of the inner side of the plastic member 14 . A pair of hooks 28 extends upwardly from the other end of the inner side of the plastic member 14 , opposite to the fasteners 26 . Four cross cuts 34 are defined in the metal member 16 for receiving the four cross protrusions 20 of the plastic member 14 , to prevent the metal member 16 from moving relative to the plastic member 14 in a horizontal direction. A gap 38 is defined in a central portion of the metal member 16 , for extension of the tab 22 of the plastic member 14 therethrough. An inclined plate 40 extends from an edge of the metal member 16 , adjacent the gap 38 . An aperture 42 is defined in a free end of the inclined plate 40 for receiving the projection 24 of the plastic member 14 , to prevent the metal member 16 from moving relative to the plastic member 14 in a vertical direction. A pair of first arms 48 extends from one end of the metal member 16 . A first cutout 46 is defined between the pair of first arms 48 . Each first arm 48 defines a cutaway 50 in a free end thereof, for extension of the corresponding fastener 26 of the plastic member 14 therethrough. A pair of second arms 58 extends from the other end of the metal member 16 . A second cutout 56 is defined between the pair of second arms 58 . Each second arm 58 defines a hole 59 therein, for extension of the corresponding hook 28 of the plastic member 14 therethrough.
In use, the shield assembly 12 is embedded in an opening defined in a front panel of a computer enclosure (not shown). The fasteners 26 and the hooks 28 of the shield assembly 12 are respectively engaged with the computer enclosure. The first and second arms 48 , 58 are resiliently retained against the enclosure such that the metal member 16 covers the opening. Thus electromagnetic radiation is prevented from coming out of the opening.
Referring to FIG. 3, a pressing machine 10 combines corresponding metal members 16 and plastic members 14 together to form shield assemblies 12 of the present invention. The pressing machine 10 comprises a cylinder 54 , a workbench 60 , a guide device 100 , a pressing device 200 , and a coupling bar 205 connected between the cylinder 54 and the pressing device 200 .
The workbench 60 comprises four side walls 62 and a top wall 64 disposed on the four side walls 62 . A mounting board 66 is secured on the top wall 64 . A position board 68 is mounted on the mounted board 66 . A plurality of channels 70 is defined in a top surface of the position board 68 , for receiving the plastic members 14 of the shield assemblies 12 . Three through holes 72 are defined in a front portion of the top wall 64 of the workbench 60 , for mounting three buttons 74 therein. A pair of support plates 76 is secured on a rear portion of the top wall 64 , opposite to the buttons 74 . A vertical plate 78 is connected between side walls of the pair of the support plates 76 , forming a space (not labeled) for receiving a control circuit (not shown) therein.
Referring also to FIG. 4, the guide device 100 comprises a base 110 , a pair of guide bushings 112 , and a pair of guide posts 114 . A recess 116 is defined in a central portion of a top surface of the base 110 , forming a pair of shoulders 124 on opposite sides of the recess 116 . A passageway 118 is defined in the base 110 , below the recess 116 . Four first shoulder holes 120 are defined in the base 110 , below the recess 116 and around the passageway 118 . Each shoulder 124 forms a connecting portion 126 extending upwardly from one end thereof. A second shoulder hole 130 is defined in each shoulder 124 . Each connecting portion 126 defines a screw hole 128 , for extension of a bolt (not shown) therethrough to engage with the vertical plate 78 and thereby secure the base 110 on the workbench 60 .
The cylinder 54 is secured on the base 110 with a chassis (not labeled) thereof received in the recess 116 . Four screws 122 are extended through the shoulder holes 120 of the base 110 to engage with threaded holes (not labeled) defined in the cylinder 54 . The guide bushings 112 interferentially engage with the base 110 in the second shoulder holes 130 . The guide posts 114 respectively extend through the corresponding guide bushings 112 .
Referring also to FIGS. 5-7, the pressing device 200 comprises a connecting plate 210 , a bottom plate 212 , a pair of pressing blocks 220 , and a pressing bar 222 . The connecting plate 210 is secured on a top surface of the bottom plate 212 . The guide posts 114 of the guide device 100 are secured on opposite sides of the connecting plate 210 . The pressing bar 222 is secured under a central portion of a bottom surface of the bottom plate 212 . The pair of pressing blocks 220 is respectively secured under the bottom surface of the bottom plate 212 , on opposite sides of the pressing bar 222 . Each pressing block 220 defines a longitudinal groove 224 in a center of a bottom surface thereof. A plurality of spaced slots 226 is defined in the bottom surface of the pressing block 220 , perpendicular to the longitudinal groove 224 , thereby forming a plurality of cross indentions 228 . A pair of stanchions 230 is formed on opposite sides of the bottom surface of the pressing block 220 . The pressing bar 222 forms a plurality of press feet 232 , corresponding to the channels 70 of the position board 68 .
In operation, the plastic members 14 of the shield assembly 12 are respectively placed on the channels 70 of the position board 68 . The corresponding metal members 16 are placed on the plastic members 14 , with the cross cuts 34 of the metal members 16 above the corresponding cross protrusions 20 of the plastic member 14 . The fasteners 26 of the plastic members 14 respectively extend through the corresponding cutaways 50 of the metal members 16 , and the hooks 28 of the plastic members 14 extend through the corresponding holes 60 of the metal members 16 . The power supply button of the buttons 74 is then turned on. The coupling bar 205 is pushed downwardly by air pressure of the cylinder 54 . The pressing device 200 is accordingly downwardly moved. The cross indentions 228 of the pressing block 220 respectively receive the corresponding cross protrusions 20 of the plastic member 14 therein, and the bottom surface of the pressing block 220 downwardly presses the metal members 16 near the cross openings 340 of the metal members 16 . The press feet 232 of the pressing bar 222 respectively downwardly press the inclined plates 40 of the metal members 16 , thereby causing the inclined plates 40 to downwardly snap on the corresponding projections 24 . The coupling bar 205 continues to move downwardly until the stanchions 230 of the pressing block 220 abut the position board 68 of the workbench 60 . At this time, the cross protrusions 20 of the plastic members 14 are completely received in the cross cuts 34 of the metal members 16 , and the apertures 42 of the metal member 16 engage with the projections 24 of the plastic member 16 .
It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit thereof. Thus, the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, and the invention is not to be limited to the details given herein.
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A pressing machine ( 10 ) for combining metal members ( 16 ) and plastic members ( 14 ) of shield assembles ( 12 ) includes a workbench ( 60 ), a cylinder ( 54 ), a guide device ( 100 ), and a pressing device ( 200 ). The workbench defines channels ( 70 ) for receiving the corresponding plastic members thereon. The pressing device includes two pressing blocks ( 220 ) defining cross indentions ( 228 ) for receiving protrusions formed in the plastic members to allow the metal members to be downwardly pressed thereby causing the cross cuts defined in the metal member to engage with the cross protrusions of the plastic member, and a pressing bar ( 222 ) forming pressing feet ( 232 ) for downwardly pressing inclined plates ( 40 ) formed in the metal members to allow apertures ( 42 ) defined in the inclined plates to engage with projections ( 24 ) formed in the tabs ( 22 ) of the plastic members.
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REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a PCT of U.S. Provisional Patent Appln. Ser. No. 61/847351 filed on Jul. 17, 2013 and titled PROCESS FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE AND GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES FROM SO-CALLED GREENHOUSE GASSES AND OTHER CARBONACEOUS WASTE PRODUCTS, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. This application is further related to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/538,528, filed Sep. 23, 2011, entitled “LUBRICATING ADDITIVES, POLISHING COMPOSITIONS, NANOPARTICLES, AND TRIBOLOGICAL COATINGS, AND USES THEREOF, AND METHODS OF NANOPARTICLE, GRAPHENE, AND GRAPHENE OXIDE SYNTHESIS”; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/541,637, filed Sep. 30, 2011, entitled “LUBRICATING ADDITIVES, POLISHING COMPOSITIONS, NANOPARTICLES, AND TRIBOLOGICAL COATINGS, AND USES THEREOF, AND METHODS OF NANOPARTICLE, GRAPHENE, AND GRAPHENE OXIDE SYNTHESIS”; U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/546,368, filed Oct. 12, 2011, entitled “COMBUSTION SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE OXIDE AND GRAPHENE”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/568,957, filed Dec. 9, 2011 and entitled “SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE, GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES, CARBON-ENCAPSULATED METALLIC NANOPARTICLES, AND NANO-STEEL, AND THE USE OF SEQUESTERED CARBONACEOUS WASTES AND GREENHOUSE GASSES IN SUCH SYNTHESIS METHODS”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/579993, filed Dec. 23, 2011 and entitled “GRAPHENE AND GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES SYNTHESIS BY DEHYDRATION OR PYROLYSIS OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS, VAPOR EXFOLIATION OR PAH FORMATION, AND SUBSEQUESTNT HYDROPHOBIC SELF-ASSEMBLY”; U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/596936, filed Feb. 9, 2012 and entitled “TRIBOLOGICALLY BENEFICIAL CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS AND NANO-ABRASIVE LUBRICANT MOLECULES FROM INTENTIONAL IN-SITU PYROLYSIS OF SACRAFICIAL CYCLIC CARBON CONSTITUENTS”; PCT Application Serial Number PCT/US2012/29276, filed Mar. 15, 2012 and entitled “FACILE SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE, GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES AND ABRASIVE NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR VARIOUS USES, INCLUDING AS TRIBOLOGICALLY-BENEFICIAL LUBRICANT ADDITIVE”; U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/583,507, filed Sep. 7, 2012 and entitled “FACILE SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE, GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES AND ABRASIVE NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR VARIOUS USES, INCLUDING AS TRIBOLOGICALLY-BENEFICIAL LUBRICANT ADDITIVE”; and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/264,360, filed Apr. 29, 2014 and entitled “FACILE SYNTHESIS OF GRAPHENE, GRAPHENE DERIVATIVES AND ABRASIVE NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR VARIOUS USES, INCLUDING AS TRIBOLOGICALLY-BENEFICIAL LUBRICANT ADDITIVE” (the “Related Applications”). The aforementioned Related Applications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The invention pertains to the field of the use of environmentally destructive or otherwise undesirable waste fumes, gasses and streams for economically constructive purposes. More specifically, the invention pertains to the use of such waste fumes, gasses and streams in the production of graphene, graphene derivatives and other nanoparticles.
[0004] 2. Description of Related Art
[0005] There are currently methods known to the art for producing graphene and other useful graphitic nanoparticles through the use of both solid carbon dioxide (“dry ice”) and gaseous carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), (see, for example in the first case, Chakrabati et al., “Conversion of carbon dioxide to few-layer graphene,” J. Mater. Chem., Vol. 21, pp. 9491-9493, 2011; Jeon et al., “Edge-carboxylated graphene nanosheets via ball milling,” Proc. of the Nat. Acad. of Sci., Vol. 109, No. 15, pp. 5588-5593, 2012; and in the second case, U.S. Pat. No. 8,420,042, entitled “Process for the production of carbon graphenes and other nanomaterials” by Dickenson et al., Apr. 16, 2013). Those methods employing gaseous CO 2 as a substrate aspire to use potentially environmentally harmful industrial emissions of CO 2 as the feedstock, thereby helping to reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Although well-intentioned, these methods currently known to the art either employ expensive reactants or use potentially dangerous catalyst materials (such as violently reactive elemental earth metals), but all produce end-products themselves of little commercial value. In the case of U.S. Pat. No. 8,420,042 supra, the reduction of CO 2 is accomplished using highly reactive and unstable elemental magnesium. These current efforts at chemical reduction of CO 2 to useful precursor materials are also universally marred by significant economic challenges.
[0006] Other troublesome so-called greenhouses gasses include methane, ethane and propane. Copious amounts of methane-related gasses are released into the atmosphere as a result of natural gas exploration, drilling, extraction and processing; most notably from the process of induced hydraulic fracturing (a/k/a “hydrofracking” or more commonly “fracking”), see Jeff Tollefson, “Air sampling reveals high emissions from gas field,” Nature, 482, pp. 139-140, 2012; Mark Fischetti, “Fracking Would Emit Large Quantities of Greenhouse Gasses,” Scientific American, Jan. 20, 2012. It is also known that both methane and ethane can be used as a starting material in the production of graphene. See Wassei et al., “Chemical Vapor Deposition of Graphene on Copper from Methane, Ethane and Propane: Evidence of Bilayer Selectivity,” Small, vol. 8, issue 9, pp. 1415-1422, 2012.
[0007] Although there are many carbon dioxide sequestration/utilization methods known to the art, such as those described in: Hydrogenation of CO 2 to synthetic methanol (see Wesselbaum, et al., “Hydrogenation of Carbon Dioxide to Methanol by Using a Homogeneous Ruthenium-Phosphate Catalyst,” Angewante Chemie, Vol. 51, Issue 30, pp. 7499-7502, 2012, Yang et al., “Fundamental studies of methanol synthesis from CO 2 hydrogenation on Cu(111), Cu clusters, and Cu/ZnO(0001),” Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., Vol. 12, pp. 9909-9917, 2010, and Meyer Steinberg, Brookhaven National Lab Report Number 63316: The Carnol Process System for CO 2 Mitigation and Methanol Production, Department of Advanced Technology, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, N.Y.; M. Steinberg, “The Carnol Process for CO 2 Mitigation and Methanol Production,” Energy, Vol. 22, Issues 2-3, pp. 143-149, 1997; M. Hallmann and M. Steinberg, Greenhouse Gas Carbon Dioxide Mitigation: Science and Technology, CRC Press, LLC, Boca Raton, Fla., 1999; C. Creutz and E. Fujita, Carbon Management: Implications for R & D in the Chemical Sciences and Technology: A Workshop Report to the Chemical Sciences Roundtable, National Academies Press, Washington, D.C., 2001); Conversion of CO 2 to methanol via specialized algae; Conversion of CO 2 to methanol via enzymes; Solar conversion of CO 2 to methanol; Conversion of CO 2 to salicylic acid (see T. Lijima and T. Yamaguchi, “K 2 CO 3 -Catalyzed direct synthesis of salicylic acid from phenol and supercritical CO2,” Applied Catalysis A: General, Vol. 345, Issue 1, pp. 12-17, 2008); Conversion of CO 2 to ethylene carbonate (see, North et al., “A Gas-Phase Flow Reactor for Ethylene Carbonate Synthesis from Waste Carbon Dioxide,” Chemistry—A European Journal, Vol. 15, Issue 43, pp. 11454-11347, 2009), etc, widespread implementation of all of these methods is marred by a financial hurdle owing to the low economic value of the most common end-product—synthetic methanol—an otherwise abundant and cheap material.
[0008] Besides traditional CO 2 emissions from smokestacks, there are many other potentially harmful environmental releases of carbonaceous gasses or hydrocarbon-laden waste water from processes such as concrete asphalting, roof tarring, oil well drilling, natural gas well drilling, natural gas processing, torrefaction of biomass, gassification of coal, wood gassification and virtually any process involving the complete or partial hydrothermal carbonization of carbonaceous material.
[0009] Carbonaceous waste streams are also created when materials such as shale gas, tight gas, tight oil, and coal seam gas are extracted from the earth during fracking in which water and chemical additives are pumped into a geologic formation at high pressure. When the pressure exceeds the rock strength, the fluids open fractures and a propping agent is pumped into the fractures to keep them from closing when the pumping pressure is released. The internal pressure created within the geologic formation causes the injected fracturing fluids to rise to the surface where it can be recovered and stored in tanks or pits. Currently, flowback is typically discharged into surface water or injected underground. VOCs believed to be released as a result of fracking and natural gas processing are reported to include the following, all of which are believed to be excellent feedstock for graphene production using the invention:
[0000] 1,2-Cyclohexane Dicarboxylic Acid Diisononyl Ester (Hexamoll ® DINCH ®) 1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene 1,3,5 Trimethylbenzene 2-methyl-4-isothiazolin-3-one 5-chloro-2-methyl-4-isothiazotin-3-one Aromatic Hydrocarbon Aromatic Ketones Dazomet Diesel Di-2-ethylhexyl Phthalate (DEHP) Diethylbenzene Diisodecyl Phthalate (DIDP) Diisononyl Phthalate (DINP) Doclecylbenzene Sulfonic Acid Ethoxylated Octylphenol Ethylbenzene Kerosene Naphthalene Oil Mist Petroleum Distillate Blend Petroleum Distillates Petroleum Naphtha Polysaccharide Propargyl Alcohol Sucrose Toluene Xylene
See, e.g., Chemicals Used by Hydraulic Fracturing Companies in Pennsylvania For Surface and Hydraulic Fracturing Activities, prepared by the U.S. Department of Environmental Protection, Bureau of Oil and Gas Management, Washington D.C., Jun. 30, 2010.
[0010] It is believed that many, if not all, of these aforementioned processes create waste vapors and streams that already contain some quantity of recoverable and useful graphene, graphene derivatives (such as graphene oxide) or polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that may be used (collected) without further processing, or may require minimal processing, to produce a commercially-viable product stream.
[0011] The Related Applications disclose economical dehydration reactions and/or reflux pyrolysis methods to form graphitic carbon from a carbonaceous material carbon source. The disclosed reactions and methods subject carbonaceous materials to reflux pyrolysis, oxidation/reduction, incomplete combustion or acid dehydration to form graphitic carbon reactant starting materials wherein, following refluxing, graphene/graphene oxide (GO) is emitted as nanoscopic scales or “nanoscales” suspended in a vapor/steam. The resulting graphene/GO scales can travel in the vapor and be collected either by direct deposition onto a solid substrate in physical contact with the emitted vapor, or by applying the particle-containing vapor to an aqueous solution or liquid used to promote “hydrophobic self-assembly” of the scales into larger graphene/GO sheets. In one embodiment, the reaction environment is controlled to limit the amount of ambient oxygen (O2) in the chamber, discouraging complete combustion of the reactants during heating. In one embodiment, the reaction is carried out in the presence of an added solvent. In one embodiment, the produced GO is converted to reduced graphene oxide (rGO) or graphene sheets suspended in a heated or unheated liquid collection medium.
[0012] As disclosed in the Related Applications, the carbonaceous starting material may be subjected to a dehydration reaction or pyrolysis to form graphitic carbon, and/or the carbonaceous starting material may be in whole or in part graphitic.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] In one embodiment, the method of the invention utilizes greenhouse and other carbonaceous waste gasses and streams to create carbonaceous starting material for use as a feedstock for the reactions and methods disclosed in the Related Applications to produce highly useful and valuable graphene and its derivatives from those otherwise low value materials.
[0014] In one embodiment of the invention, waste vapors from processes such as concrete asphalting, roof tarring, oil well drilling, natural gas well drilling, natural gas processing, torrefaction of biomass, gassification of coal, wood gassification and virtually any process involving the complete or partial hydrothermal carbonization of carbonaceous material can be used as a feedstock for the reactions and methods disclosed in the Related Applications to produce highly useful and valuable graphene and its derivatives from those otherwise low value materials.
[0015] In one embodiment of the invention, waste vapors from processes such as concrete asphalting, roof tarring, oil well drilling, natural gas well drilling, natural gas processing, torrefaction of biomass, gassification of coal, wood gassification and virtually any process involving the complete or partial hydrothermal carbonization of carbonaceous material can be directed to an aqueous solution or liquid used to promote “hydrophobic self-assembly” of the scales into larger graphene/GO sheets.
[0016] In one embodiment of the invention, waste streams from extraction techniques such as fracking can be used as a feedstock for the reactions and methods disclosed in the Related Applications to produce highly useful and valuable graphene and its derivatives from those otherwise low value materials.
[0017] By producing highly valuable graphene, graphene derivatives and other valuable nanoparticles (including nano-abrasives), the invention seeks to shift the economics of many of these existing technologies by producing valuable end-products while simultaneously allowing widespread implementation to meaningfully curb harmful carbonaceous gas emissions into the atmosphere.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0018] FIG. 1 shows a schematic of a synthesis process according to one embodiment of the present invention.
[0019] FIG. 2 shows a flowscheme of a synthesis and collection system in an embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0020] As disclosed in the Related Applications, cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecules with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms (like sucrose) appear particularly well-suited for hydrothermal carbonization via reflux synthesis to form graphene/GO and their various derivatives.
[0021] For example, cis-cyclohexene carbonate and sucrose each comprise both a six-membered and five-membered ring with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms within at least one of the rings, and an absence of other potentially contaminating heteroatoms such as nitrogen, fluorine, sulfur, chlorine, phosphorus or metals.
[0000]
[0022] It is believed that when this class of molecules (cyclic carbonates) are combined in a reflux chamber with water and alcohols of the reactions and methods disclosed in the Related Applications, they will perform substantially similar to sucrose and other cyclic carbonaceous feedstocks in the facile production of graphene/GO and their derivatives. As cyclic carbonates are capable of being produced from CO 2 via a number of processes already known to the art, use of those carbonates as feedstock according to the invention should overcome the current hurdles in the state of the art and make economically-viable carbon sequestration a reality.
[0023] In one embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) is reacted with a highly-reactive epoxide known to the art for such purpose, such as readily available 1,2-propylene oxide, to produce a cyclic carbonate, including but not limited to Cis-cyclohexene carbonate.
[0024] The aforementioned reaction to produce a precursor (feedstock) cyclohexene carbonate for the present invention is known to the art (see, for example, Darensbourg, et al., “The Catalytic Activity of a Series of Zn(II) Phenoxides for the Copolymerization of Epoxides and Carbon Dioxide,” J. Amer. Chem. Soc., Vol 121, pp. 107-116, 1999), and proceeds as essentially represented in Equation 1:
[0000]
[0025] The resulting Cis-cyclohexene carbonate (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) can then be combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0026] In another related embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) can be reacted with a propargyl alcohol to produce a carbonate, such as a methylene cyclic carbonate (see Gu et al., “Ionic Liquid as an Efficient Promoting Medium for Fixation of CO 2 : Clean Synthesis of r-Methlene Cyclic Carbonates from CO 2 and Propargyl Alcohols Catalyzed by Metal Salts under Mild Conditions,” J. Org. Chem., Vol. 69 (2), pp. 391-394, 2004). The resulting cyclic carbonate (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) is then combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution of the present invention and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0027] There are likewise chemical and structural similarities between styrene carbonate and sucrose:
[0000]
[0028] In another embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) is reacted with a styrene oxide to produce a styrene carbonate. The aforementioned reaction to produce a precursor (feedstock) styrene carbonate for the invention is known to the art (see, for example, Zhu, et al., “Catalytic activity of ZIF-8 in the synthesis of stryrene carbonate from CO 2 and styrene oxide, ” Catalysis Communications, Vol 32, pp. 36-40, 2013), and proceeds as essentially represented in Equation 2:
[0000]
[0029] The resulting styrene carbonate (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) can then be combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0030] In another embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) can be reacted with a highly-reactive epoxide known to the art for such purpose to produce a salicylate, including but not limited to salicylic acid. The resulting salicylic acid (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) can then be combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that can then be collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0031] In another embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) can be reacted with a highly-reactive epoxide known to the art for such purpose to produce a cyclic carbonate, including but not limited to ethylene carbonate. The resulting ethylene carbonate (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) can then be combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution of the present invention and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that can then be collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0032] In another embodiment of the invention, CO 2(g) can be reacted with a highly-reactive epoxide known to the art for such purpose to produce a styrene carbonate. The resulting styrene carbonate (a cyclic carbon-containing hydrocarbon molecule with incorporated oxygen heteroatoms) can then be combined (as carbonaceous feedstock) with a liquid boiling solution of the present invention and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0033] Today, in processes involving the complete or partial hydrothermal carbonization of carbonaceous material, hydrocarbon vapors may be destroyed in a device such as a flare, combustor or a thermal oxidizer as an alternative to recovery. In such devices, the vapor mixture flows into a vapor collection system at a loading facility and through a vapor header connecting the loading facility with a vapor combustion unit (“VCU”). The vapor mixture flows to burner elements where the combustible vapors are ignited by a pilot and burned.
[0034] As an alternative to “flaring,” vapor recovery units (“VRUs”) are known that can be used to collect vapors. For example, VRUs are used today in the oil and gas industry for purposes of “casing head gas capture,” as a means of recovering natural gas vapor (i.e., “fugitive methane”) escaping from wellheads. A VRU typically comprises a scrubber, a compressor and a switch which recover vapors, compress the gas and convert the recovered vapors into a usable product. Alternatively, the recovered vapors can be stored for later use.
[0035] In one embodiment of the invention, torrefaction waste gasses (that is to say the vapors created from the removal of moisture and volatiles from wood and other biomass to create a fuel char) can be collected according to methods known today (such as and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0036] In another embodiment, torrefaction waste gasses containing the moisture and volatiles removed from wood and other biomass, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0037] In another embodiment, soot containing waste emissions from industrial or other processes can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0038] In another embodiment, soot containing waste emissions from industrial or other processes, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0039] In another embodiment, gasses resulting from wood or other biomass gassification (the process by which wood or other biomass is converted into a synthetic fuel gas of methane and hydrogen) can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0040] In another embodiment, partially combusted gassification gasses, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0041] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from tar production or processing can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0042] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from tar production or processing, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0043] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from tar sands processing can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0044] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from tar sands processing, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0045] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from oil shale processing can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0046] In another embodiment, oil shale processing waste gasses, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0047] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from coal gassification can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0048] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from coal gassification, believed to contain certain amounts of already formed graphene and graphene derivatives in the resulting vapor stream, can be collected and directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool as described in the Related Applications to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired.
[0049] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from oil and gas drilling can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications. Where the gasses include non-aromatic compounds such as methane, ethane and propane, hydrogen gas may be introduced as a reactant to the reaction chamber to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, according to the methods disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0050] In another embodiment, waste gasses and vapors resulting from fracking can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
[0051] In another embodiment, waste streams such as flowback resulting from fracking can be collected and then combined with a liquid boiling solution and refluxed under mild vacuum conditions to produce a PAH-rich vapor, that is then collected and either directed to a substrate or channeled to a hydrophobic self-assembly pool to produce graphene, graphene derivatives or other nanoparticles as desired, as disclosed in the Related Applications.
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Methods and processes are disclosed that utilize carbonates produced as a result of the conversion of carbon dioxide that are heated under conditions inhibiting complete combustion to produce vapors promoting polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation in the formation of graphene, graphene derivatives and other useful nanoparticles as desired. In some embodiments, the waste gasses and streams from processes of extracting or processing carbonaceous materials are collected and refluxed with at least one solvent to promote polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation under conditions that inhibit complete combustion of the carbonaceous material can be used in the production of graphene, graphene derivatives and other useful nanoparticles. In some embodiments, waste gasses from processes of extracting or processing carbonaceous materials are collected and used in the production of graphene, graphene derivatives and other useful nanoparticles.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/CN2011/070688, filed on Jan. 27, 2011, which claims priority to Chinese Patent Application No. 201010104939.4, filed on Jan. 29, 2010, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of processing video images, and more particularly to a method and a device for processing multi-picture video images.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
With the development of coding and information compressing technologies and the rapid development of digital networks, the videoconferencing system has started to enter the market. With the rapid development of IP networks, the videoconferencing system that is based on H.323 Videoconferencing Standard has been increasingly widely applied. Governments, and enterprises have generally deployed videoconferencing systems of their own, so as to enhance the efficiency of conferences and to lower the cost of conferences.
Video conference has developed from the simple modes of point-to-point session and display of the other parties' videos by a single screen to the currently sophisticated modes of one conference held simultaneously in several conference halls, multi-picture displays, or multi-screen displays at the same time. When pictures coming from different conference halls form a single multi-picture display, or when several conference halls are simultaneously outputted for display by a plurality of display devices, because the different conference halls are subjected to influences of site environments and such conferencing equipments as lightings and camera pickups, video environments are rendered different, particularly in terms of chroma and luminance that would exhibit differences, in which case, if pictures of different conference halls are formed into a single multi-picture or outputted and displayed via a plurality of display devices, the conventioneers would have the feeling of not uniform and harmonious, and visual experience would be reduced.
In order to reduce the aforementioned influences and improve the visual experience of conventioneers, the related art provided the following two solving schemes.
Scheme A:
Picture Adjustment at the Source Terminal—whereby before a picture of a certain conference hall is outputted to target conference halls, effect is adjusted at the conference hall input terminal. For instance, each of conference halls A, B, C and D individually adjusts parameters of its respective video collecting devices, for example by adjusting the color and luminance parameters of the camera pickups, or by improving the effects of respective conference hall pictures through automatically adjusting functions supported by the camera pickups, to thus ensure that the pictures be outputted to the target conference halls to be spliced as a multi-picture only after the effects of respective conference halls become optimal.
However, there are differences in video collecting devices of the conference halls, and site environments of the conference halls are also not identical due to influences such as strong and weak lights and colors of lightings—for instance, a certain conference hall uses lamps of cold tone, and the lights of the entire conference hall will assume the cold tone; a certain conference hall uses lamps of warm tone, and the lights of the entire conference hall will assume the warm tone. According to technical means provided by Scheme A, when conference halls separately adjust their picture effects, environment differences with respect to other conference halls will not be taken into full consideration, and thus, when pictures of the various conference halls are gathered to be spliced into a single multi-picture, luminance and color characteristics of various sub-pictures in the multi-picture will be starkly different from one another, thus deteriorating visual experience.
Scheme B:
Adjustment of Outputted Picture—whereby effect is adjusted at the conference hall output terminal. For instance, when a single multi-picture is received at a multi-picture conference, various sub-pictures are simultaneously modified by adjusting the output modes (parameters such as color and luminance) of the display device, to uniformly adjust the output effect of the entire multi-picture.
Since image characteristics of various sub-pictures outputted from the multi-picture have already been fixed, the aforementioned uniform adjustment of the output effect of the entire multi-picture by adjusting the output modes of the display device is not a type of differential adjustment, and it is usually impossible to provide all the sub-pictures with excellent visual experience because the effects of other sub-pictures are affected while the effect of one sub-picture is satisfied.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention provide a method and a device that relate to multi-picture video image processing, and that solve the problem of the related art technical solution in which visual experience of conventioneers is deteriorated due to the incapability to simultaneously satisfy characteristics of various sub-pictures at the same time, when the multi-picture is adjusted.
Provided is a method for processing a multi-picture video image, which method comprises: receiving a data code stream of sub-picture video images from several channels; equalizing effect of the multi-channel sub-picture video images with control parameters respectively according to image characteristics of the sub-picture video images; and synthesizing the equalized sub-picture video images from several channels to a multi-picture video image.
Further provided is a device for processing a multi-picture video image, which device comprises: an equalizing module, for receiving a data code stream of sub-picture video images from several channels, and equalizing effect of the sub-picture video images from several channels with control parameters respectively according to image characteristics of the sub-picture video images; and a synthesizing module, for synthesizing the sub-picture video images equalized by the equalizing module to a multi-picture video image.
Embodiments of the present invention obtain image characteristics of sub-picture video images from several channels, independently calculate adjustment coefficients according to the obtained image characteristics of the sub-picture video images, and make use of identical control parameters and independently calculated adjustment coefficients to equalize sub-picture video images coming from respective conference halls before these images form a multi-picture video image. Since the present invention separately calculates adjustment coefficients with respect to the various independent sub-picture video images according to identical control parameters, after equalization by means of the adjustment coefficients and the identical control parameters, it is possible to uniformly adjust the various sub-picture video images to the effect of having the same image characteristics, so that the sub-picture video images exhibit identical picture characteristics during display, to thereby achieve harmony in whole style during display of a multi-picture video image formed by the sub-picture video images, and to improve visual experience of the conventioneers.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
To make clearer the explanation of technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention or of the related art, drawings needed in the description of the embodiments or the related art are briefly illustrated below. Apparently, the drawings illustrated below are merely directed to some embodiments of the present invention, and it is possible for persons ordinarily skilled in the art to deduce other drawings from these drawings without creative effort.
FIG. 1 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating the method provided by Embodiment 1 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 2 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating the effect method provided by Embodiment 2 of the present invention of using control parameters respectively to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels;
FIG. 3 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating the method provided by Embodiment 3 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 4 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating the effect method provided by Embodiment 4 of the present invention of using control parameters respectively to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels;
FIG. 5 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 5 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 6 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 6 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 7 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 7 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 8 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 8 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 9 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 9 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 10 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 10 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 11 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 11 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 12 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 12 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 13 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 13 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 14 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 14 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 15 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 15 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 16 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 16 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 17 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 17 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 18 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 18 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image;
FIG. 19 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 19 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image; and
FIG. 20 is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 20 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The technical solutions according to the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the drawings. Apparently, the embodiments as described below are merely partial, rather than entire, embodiments of the present invention. On the basis of the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtainable by persons ordinarily skilled in the art without creative effort shall all fall within the protection scope of the present invention.
Different from related art technologies, in the embodiments of the present invention, sub-picture video images coming from respective conference halls are equalized by means of identical control parameters and independently calculated adjustment coefficients before these images form a multi-picture video image, whereby effects of these sub-picture video images in the finally formed multi-picture video image exhibit the same characteristics.
Referring to FIG. 1 , which is a basic flowchart exemplarily illustrating the method provided by Embodiment 1 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, the method mainly comprises the following steps.
S 101 —receiving a data code stream of sub-picture video images from several channels, and equalizing effect of the sub-picture video images from several channels with control parameters respectively according to image characteristics of the sub-picture video images.
In this embodiment, the sub-picture video images from several channels refer to a set of sub-picture video image from one channel which is coming from a single conference hall (also referred to as conference hall unit) in a videoconference.
S 102 —synthesizing the equalized sub-picture video images from several channels to a multi-picture video image.
Implementation of the embodiment of present invention is explained below with an example in which a control parameter is used to equalize one channel sub-picture video image.
Referring to FIG. 2 , which is a basic flowchart exemplarily illustrating the effect method provided by Embodiment 2 of the present invention of using control parameters respectively to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels, the method mainly comprises the following steps.
S 201 —obtaining image characteristics of a current sub-picture video image.
In the embodiments of the present invention, although the whole effect of a sub-picture video image is the result of combined action of all pixel points in the sub-picture, for obtaining image characteristics of the sub-picture video image, it does not require parameters of all the pixel points; that is to say, for one frame of sub-picture video image, it suffices to make statistics about limited number of pixel points to determine image characteristics of the image.
Out of considerations for simplicity and easy realization, a histogram statistical method can be used in the embodiments of the present invention to make statistics about pixel points with luminance values within an interval [Alum, Blum] in one frame of sub-picture video image, where Alum is greater than or equal to 0, Blum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is the maximum value used to describe luminance standard. For instance, with respect to a typical representation method where a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to describe luminance values, Lm can be set as 255 to correspond to the maximum value used to describe luminance standard; with respect to a representation method where a decimal system corresponding to 16 bits is used to describe luminance values, Lm can be set as 65535 to correspond to the maximum value used to describe luminance standard. The present invention does not make any restriction thereto.
Thereafter, it is possible to construct pixel point (to which the control parameter and the adjustment coefficient will be applied to equalize an effect of the current sub-picture video image)-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image from pixel points with luminance values within the interval [Alum, Blum] and luminance values, to which the pixel points in this range correspond, and luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image can be determined from the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart. For instance, suppose that luminance values of great quantities of pixel points (exceeding 80% of the total pixel points, for example) in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart are smaller than the luminance value (of 100, for example) of a frame of image having normal luminance, it is determinable that the luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image indicate that “the image is relatively dark”, and it is necessary to adequately increase the luminance of the current sub-picture video image by certain means; to the contrary, if luminance values of great quantities of pixel points (exceeding 80% of the total pixel points, for example) in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart are greater than the luminance value (of 100, for example) of a frame of image having normal luminance, it is determinable that the luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image indicate that “the image is relatively bright”, and it is necessary to adequately decrease the luminance of the current sub-picture video image by certain means.
Likewise, it is also possible to use the histogram statistical method to make statistics about pixel points with chroma values within a certain range in a frame of sub-picture video image to determine the chroma characteristics of the sub-picture video image. For instance, the chroma characteristics of the sub-picture video image are determined by making statistics about pixel points with chroma red (CR) values or chroma blue (CB) values within a certain range in a frame of sub-picture video image. Since the white color is a basic color and has a relatively large luminance value of usually 200 and more (a value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent chroma values), for example, different from the statistics about the luminance values of images, statistics about CR values or CB values in the embodiments of the present invention is so carried out that pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in the current sub-picture video image are made statistics about, a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart is constructed from the pixel points with chroma values close to the chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof, and the chroma characteristics of the current sub-picture video image are then determined from the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
For instance, for the white region, both the CR values and CB values are close to 128 (a value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent chroma values); in view thereof, it is possible in the embodiments of the present invention to make statistics about pixel points with chroma values within [128−T2, 128+T2]. Since T2 is a relatively small value (smaller than or equal to 10, for example), pixel points with chroma values within [128−T2, 128+T2] are precisely the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region. Accordingly, if chroma values (CR values or CB values) of most pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart constructed by making statistics about the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region in the current sub-picture video image are smaller or greater than 128, it is determinable that the chroma characteristics of the current sub-picture video image indicate chroma offset, for example, offset to blue, offset to green or offset to red, etc., and it is necessary to adequately adjust the chroma of the current sub-picture video image through certain means.
S 202 —calculating an adjustment coefficient according to a control parameter and the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image.
As previously mentioned, the received sub-picture video image might have luminance offset or chroma offset.
It is possible in the embodiments of the present invention to calculate an adjustment coefficient according to the control parameter and the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image, and to use the adjustment coefficient and the control parameter to modify chroma offset or luminance offset of the sub-picture video image, so as to equalize the effect of the sub-picture video image.
For instance, for the luminance of the current sub-picture video image, it is possible to calculate a first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and a second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 of the current sub-picture video image according to the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image and a predetermined or preset control parameter. The control parameter can be a reference value used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to a target luminance value, and is represented as Lo in this embodiment. By the use of the reference value Lo, it can be guaranteed that the current sub-picture video image is neither brighter nor darker after modification. Calculation of the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 of the current sub-picture video image can specifically be carried out as follows.
S 2021 —counting from a pixel point with a pixel value of Apix of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Apix, Bpix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart, and obtaining a pixel value P 0 of a k th pixel point when counting to the k th pixel point, wherein the Apix and Bpix are respectively equal to the Alum and Blum in numerical value.
Preferably, for pixel points within the interval [Apix, Bpix], it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 0 of an N/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart, namely when counting to the N/2 th (when N/2 is not an integer, N/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein N represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
S 2022 —calculating to obtain a first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and a second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 from the Apix, Bpix, P 0 and Lo, wherein both the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 are of a linear relationship to the Lo.
For instance, it is possible to obtain from Apix, Bpix, P 0 and Lo the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 as Lo/(P 0 −Apix) and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 as Lo/(Bpix−P 0 ), and it is obvious that both CL 1 and CL 2 are of a linear relationship to Lo. A more concrete example is taken below.
For instance, if the reference value Lo used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to the target luminance value is 128, there are N pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the sub-picture video image, the pixel values thereof are within [0, 255] (255 is the maximum pixel value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent pixel values), and counting begins from the pixel point with the pixel value of 0. The pixel value P 0 of the N/2 th pixel point is obtained when counting to the N/2 th pixel point, and the pixel value P 0 is within the interval [0, 255]. The value of 128/P 0 is calculated to obtain the first luminance adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image as CL 1 =128/P 0 , and the value of 128/(255−P 0 ) is calculated to obtain the second luminance adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image as CL 2 =128/(255−P 0 ).
For the chroma of the current sub-picture video image, it is also possible to calculate a first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and a second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 of the current sub-picture video image according to the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image and a predetermined or preset control parameter. The control parameter can be a reference value used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to a target chroma value, and is represented as Co in this embodiment. By the use of the reference value Co, it can be guaranteed that the current sub-picture video image has no color offset after modification. Calculation of the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 of the current sub-picture video image can specifically be carried out as follows.
S′ 2021 —counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Jpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Jpix, Kpix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart, and obtaining a pixel value P 1 of a J th pixel point when counting to the J th pixel point, wherein Jpix is greater than or equal to 0, Kpix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value, such as 255 or 65535, used to describe pixel value standard.
Preferably, for pixel points within the interval [Jpix, Kpix], it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 1 of an M/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart, namely when counting to the M/2 th (when M/2 is not an integer, M/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein M represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
S′ 2022 —calculating to obtain a first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and a second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 from the Jpix, Kpix, P 1 and Co, wherein both the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 are of a linear relationship to the Co.
For instance, it is possible to obtain from Jpix, Kpix, P 1 and Co the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 as Co/(P 1 −Jpix) and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 as Co/(Kpix−P 1 ), and it is obvious that both CC 1 and CC 2 are of a linear relationship to Co.
A concrete example is taken below to make explanation.
If the reference value Co used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to the target chroma value is 128, there are N pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image, the pixel values thereof are within [0, 255] (255 is the maximum pixel value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent pixel values), and counting begins from the pixel point with the pixel value of 0. The pixel value P 1 of the N/2 th pixel point is obtained when counting to the N/2 th pixel point, and the pixel value P 1 is within the interval [0, 255]. The value of 128/P 1 is calculated to obtain the first luminance adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image as CL 1 =128/P 1 , and the value of 128/(255−P 1 ) is calculated to obtain the second luminance adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image as CL 2 =128/(255−P 1 ).
Since each frame of sub-picture video image is equalized by calculating different luminance or chroma adjustment coefficients according to image characteristics and by using the same control parameter, in comparison with related art technologies, the adjustment mode in this embodiment enables the sub-picture video image to exhibit the same picture characteristics during display.
S 203 —equalizing effect of the current sub-picture video image by using the control parameter and the adjustment coefficient.
For the equalization of the luminance effect of the current sub-picture video image, it is possible to use the reference value Lo and the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 calculated in S 202 to linearly modify luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Apix, P 0 ], to obtain a luminance value L 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Apix, P 0 ], and to use the reference value Lo and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 to linearly modify luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 0 , Bpix], to obtain a luminance value L 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 0 , Bpix]. The so-called linear modification refers to increase or decrease the luminance values of the pixel points within the interval [Apix, P 0 ] by the same proportion; since each pixel point is increased or decreased by the same proportion, visual effect of the entire linearly modified sub-picture image is coordinated, and there will be no such phenomenon as being darker at certain portion and being brighter at certain portion.
For instance, if the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 calculated in the foregoing embodiment is Lo/(P 0 −Apix), when the luminance effect of the current sub-picture video image is equalized, it is possible to modify the luminance values of pixel points within the interval [Apix, P 0 ] in the current sub-picture video image as CL 1 ×(P−Apix) and then output the result, and to modify the luminance values of pixel points within the interval [P 0 , Bpix] in the current sub-picture video image as Blum−(CL 2 ×(Bpix−P)) and then output the result, wherein P is the pixel value of the pixel points in the current sub-picture video image before the equalization.
For the equalization of the chroma (including CB or CR) effect of the current sub-picture video image, it is possible to use the reference value Co and the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 calculated in S 202 to linearly modify chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Jpix, P 1 ], to obtain a chroma value C 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Jpix, P 1 ], and to use the reference value Co and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 calculated in S 202 to linearly modify chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 1 , Kpix], to obtain a chroma value C 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 1 , Kpix].
For instance, if the first luminance adjustment coefficient CC 1 calculated in the foregoing embodiment is Co/(P 1 −Jpix) and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CC 2 is Co/(Kpix−P 1 ), when the chroma effect of the current sub-picture video image is equalized, it is possible to modify the chroma values of pixel points within the interval [Jpix, P 1 ] in the current sub-picture video image as CC 1 ×(P−Jpix) and then output the result, and to modify the chroma values of pixel points within the interval [P 1 , Kpix] in the current sub-picture video image as Kchr−(CC 2 ×(Kpix−P)) and then output the result, wherein P is the pixel value of the pixel points in the current sub-picture video image before the equalization, and Kchr is the chroma value of pixel points with pixel values within the interval [Jpix, Kpix], and is equivalent to Kpix in numerical value.
As should be noted, the control parameter (namely the reference value Lo or the reference value Co) does not always remain invariant. If the control parameter remains invariant, this indicates that the control parameter is fixed during a relatively long period of time in which the sub-picture video image is processed. For instance, it is possible in the embodiments of the present invention to fix at 128 the reference value Lo or Co used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to the target chroma value. If the processing flow of this embodiment is modified, namely in the case of Embodiment 3 according to the present invention as shown in FIG. 3 , after the control parameter and the adjustment coefficients are used to equalize the effect of the current sub-picture video image, an operation is carried out to update the control parameter, indicating that the control parameter can be obtained by detecting the whole characteristics of the sub-picture video image during a relatively long period of time in which the sub-picture video image is processed. For instance, the control parameter can be controlled to a range close to a plurality of sub-picture video images—that is to say, if the inputted sub-picture video images all exhibit similar Lum/CB/CR characteristics (for example, the plurality of inputted sub-picture video images all exhibit as being relatively dark) to be at about 100 for a relatively long period of time, the reference value Lo in the control parameter can be controlled at about 100, so as to retain image characteristics of most sub-picture video images having similar styles, and to merely adapt image characteristics of few sub-picture video images having dissimilar styles to the whole picture characteristics.
As can be known from the aforementioned embodiment according to the present invention, since the present invention separately calculates adjustment coefficients with respect to the various independent sub-picture video images according to identical control parameters, after equalization by means of the adjustment coefficients and the identical control parameters, it is possible to uniformly adjust the various sub-picture video images to the effect of having the same image characteristics, so that the sub-picture video images exhibit identical picture characteristics during display, to thereby achieve harmony in whole style during display of a multi-picture video image formed by the sub-picture video images, and to improve visual experience of the conventioneers.
Referring to FIG. 4 , which is a basic flowchart exemplarily illustrating the effect method provided by Embodiment 4 of the present invention of using control parameters respectively to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels, the method mainly comprises the following steps.
S 401 —receiving a current sub-picture video image Fn, equalizing effect of the received current sub-picture video image Fn and simultaneously obtaining image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn by using a control parameter and a weighted adjustment coefficients of m frame(s) sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
Since video images usually assume a kind of temporal similarity in time, especially so in a videoconference, where the environment of an inputted video image is essentially fixed, and temporal similarity thereof is very high; that is to say, image characteristics of the current frame of sub-picture video image are extremely similar to image characteristics of the immediately following frame of sub-picture video image. Therefore, different from the use of a control parameter to equalize the current sub-picture video image as provided by Embodiment 2 of the present invention, it is possible in this embodiment to use a control parameter and a weighted adjustment coefficient of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn to equalize effect of the received current sub-picture video image Fn and simultaneously obtain image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn.
While calculating the weighted adjustment coefficient of the m (which is a natural number greater than or equal to 1) frames of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn, image characteristics of each frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images are required as basis to weight adjustment coefficients of each frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn. Obtainment of the weighted adjustment coefficient of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps.
S 4011 —obtaining image characteristics of each frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
In this embodiment, obtainment of image characteristics of each frame of the m frame of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn is similar to obtainment of the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. For instance, out of considerations for simplicity and easy realization, the histogram statistical method can also be used to make statistics about pixel points with luminance values within an interval [Slum, Tlum] in each frame of the m frame of sub-picture video image that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn, where Slum is greater than or equal to 0, Tlum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is identically defined as in the foregoing embodiment, namely the maximum value used to describe luminance standard. For instance, with respect to a typical representation method where a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to describe luminance values, Lm can be set as 255 to correspond to the maximum value used to describe luminance standard; with respect to a representation method where a decimal system corresponding to 16 bits is used to describe luminance values, Lm can be set as 65535 to correspond to the maximum value used to describe luminance standard. The present invention does not make any restriction thereto.
Thereafter, it is possible to construct a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of each frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn from pixel points with luminance values within the interval [Slum, Tlum] and luminance values, to which the pixel points correspond, and luminance characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn can be determined from the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart. For instance, suppose that luminance values of great quantities of pixel points (exceeding 80% of the total pixel points, for example) in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart are smaller than the luminance value (of 100, for example) of a frame of video image having normal luminance, it is determinable that the luminance characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn indicate that “the image is relatively dark”, and it is necessary to adequately increase the luminance of the sub-picture video image by certain means; to the contrary, if luminance values of great quantities of pixel points (exceeding 80% of the total pixel points, for example) in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart are greater than the luminance value (of 100, for example) of a frame of video image having normal luminance, it is determinable that the luminance characteristics of the sub-picture video image indicate that “the image is relatively bright”, and it is necessary to adequately decrease the luminance of the sub-picture video image by certain means.
Likewise, it is also possible to use the histogram statistical method to make statistics about pixel points with chroma values within a certain range in each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn to determine the chroma characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn. For instance, the chroma characteristics of the sub-picture video image are determined by making statistics about pixel points with chroma red (CR) values or chroma blue (CB) values within a certain range in each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn. Since the white color is a basic color and has a relatively large luminance value of usually 200 and more (a value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent chroma values), for example, different from the statistics about the luminance values of images, statistics about CR values or CB values in the embodiments of the present invention is so carried out that pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn are made statistics about, a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart is constructed from the pixel points with chroma values close to the chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof, and the chroma characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn are then determined from the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
For instance, for the white region, both the CR values and CB values are close to 128 (a value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent chroma values); in view thereof, it is possible in the embodiments of the present invention to make statistics about pixel points with chroma values within [128−T2, 128+T2]. Since T2 is a relatively small value (smaller than or equal to 10, for example), pixel points with chroma values within [128−T2, 128+T2] are precisely the pixel points close to chroma values of the white region. Accordingly, if chroma values (CR values or CB values) of most pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart constructed by making statistics about the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region in each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn are smaller or greater than 128, it is determinable that the chroma characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn indicate chroma offset, for example, offset to blue, offset to green or offset to red, etc., and it is necessary to adequately adjust the chroma of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn through certain means.
S 4012 —calculating the weighted adjustment coefficient of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn according to the control parameter and the image characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
In this embodiment, the weighted adjustment coefficient of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn is calculated and obtained by weighting the adjustment coefficients of each of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
For instance, it is possible to calculate a first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 and a second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 of the m frame of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn, according to the control parameter and the image characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn. The control parameter can be a reference value L′o used to equalize each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn to a target luminance value, and is used to guarantee that the current sub-picture video image Fn is neither brighter nor darker after modification. Calculation of the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 and the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps.
S 40121 —counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value, of Spix of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Spix, Tpix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video image before the current sub-picture video image Fn, wherein the Spix and Tpix are respectively equal to the Slum and Tlum in numerical value.
S 40122 —obtaining a pixel value P 0j ′ of a Q th pixel point when counting to the Q th pixel point for a j th sub-picture video image in the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s), wherein j is 1, 2, . . . m.
Preferably, for the j th sub-picture video image in the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s), it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 0j ′ of an Nj/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the j th sub-picture video image, namely when counting to the Nj/2 th (when Nj/2 is not an integer, Nj/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein Nj represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the j th sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
S 40123 —summing P 0j ′ to obtain
P
′
0
=
∑
j
=
1
m
P
0
j
′
m
.
S 40124 —calculating to obtain a first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 and a second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 from the Spix, Tpix, P′ 0 and L′o, wherein both the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 and the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 are of a linear relationship to the L′o.
For instance, it is possible to calculate to obtain from Spix, Tpix, P′ 0 and L′o the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 as L′o/(P′ 0 −Spix), wherein
P ′ 0 = ∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m ,
and to calculate to obtain the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 as L′o/(Tpix−P′ 0 ), wherein likewise
P ′ 0 = ∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m ,
and it is obvious that both C′L 1 and C′L 2 are of a linear relationship to L′o.
For instance, if the reference value L′o used to equalize each of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn to the target luminance value is 128, there are Nj′ pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the j th frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn, the pixel values thereof are within [0, 255] (255 is the maximum pixel value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent pixel values), and counting begins from the pixel point with the pixel value of 0 for the j th sub-picture video image. The pixel value P 0j ′ of the Nj′/2 th pixel point is obtained when counting to the Nj′/2 th pixel point (namely the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the j th sub-picture video image). The pixel value P oj ′ is within the interval [0, 255].
∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m
is calculated to obtain
P ′ 0 = ∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m ,
128/P′ 0 is calculated to obtain the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn as
C ′ L 1 = 128 / ( ∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m ) ,
and 128/(255−P′ 0 ) is calculated to obtain the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient of the m frame of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn as
C
′
L
2
=
128
/
(
255
-
(
∑
j
=
1
m
P
0
j
′
m
)
)
.
Likewise, for the chroma of the current sub-picture video image Fn, it is also possible to calculate a first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 and a second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 of the current sub-picture video image Fn according to the image characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn and a predetermined or preset control parameter. The control parameter can be a reference value C′o used to equalize the current sub-picture video image to a target chroma value, and is used to guarantee that the current sub-picture video image Fn has no color offset after modification. Calculation of the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 and the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps.
S′ 40121 —counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Upix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Upix, Vpix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of each frame of sub-picture video image in the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s), where Upix is greater than or equal to 0, Vpix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value used to describe pixel value standard.
S′ 40122 —obtaining a pixel value P 1k ′ of a W th pixel point when counting to the W th pixel point for a k th sub-picture video image in m frames of sub-picture video images, wherein k is 1, 2, . . . m.
Preferably, for the k th sub-picture video image in the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s), it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 1k ′ of an Nk/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the k th sub-picture video image, namely when counting to the Nk/2 th (when Nk/2 is not an integer, Nk/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein Nk represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the k th sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
S′ 40123 —summing P 1k ′ to obtain
P
′
1
=
∑
k
=
1
m
P
1
k
′
m
.
S′ 40124 —calculating to obtain a first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 and a second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 from the Upix, Vpix, P′ 1 and C′o, wherein both the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 and the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 are of a linear relationship to the C′o.
For instance, when the preferred embodiment is used in S′ 40122 , it is possible to calculate to obtain from Upix, Vpix, P′ 1 and C′o the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 as C′o/(P′ 1 −Upix), wherein
P ′ 1 = ∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m ,
and to calculate to obtain the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 as C′o/(Vpix−P′ 1 ), wherein likewise
P ′ 1 = ∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m ,
and it is obvious that both C′C 1 and C′C 2 are of a linear relationship to C′o.
For instance, if the reference value C′o used to equalize each of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn to the target chroma value is 128, there are Nk′ pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the k th frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn, the pixel values thereof are within [0, 255] (255 is the maximum pixel value determined when a decimal system corresponding to 8 bits is used to represent pixel values). Counting begins from the pixel point with the pixel value of 0 for the k th sub-picture video image. The pixel value P 1k ′ of the Nk′/2 th pixel point is obtained when counting to the Nk′/2 th pixel point. The pixel value P 1k ′ is within the interval [0, 255].
∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m
is calculated to obtain
P ′ 1 = ∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m ,
128/P′ 1 is calculated to obtain the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image Fn as
C ′ C 1 = 128 / ( ∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m ) ,
and 128/(255−P′ 0 ) is calculated to obtain the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient of the sub-picture video images that are m frame(s) before the current sub-picture video image Fn as
C
′
L
2
=
128
/
(
255
-
(
∑
k
=
1
m
P
1
k
′
m
)
)
.
Different from the use in Embodiment 2 of the present invention of the adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image Fn to equalize the effect of the current sub-picture video image Fn, this embodiment uses the adjustment coefficient of a sub-picture video image Fn−1 that is m frame(s) before the current sub-picture video image Fn to equalize the effect of the current sub-picture video image Fn. For instance, equalization of the luminance of the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps.
S 11 —making statistics about pixel points with luminance values in the current sub-picture video image Fn within an interval [Mlum, Nlum], where Mlum is greater than or equal to 0, Nlum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is the maximum value used to describe luminance standard.
S 12 —constructing a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points within the interval [Mlum, Nlum] and the luminance values to which the pixel points correspond.
S 13 —counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Mpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Mpix, Npix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn, and obtaining a pixel value P 2 of a P th pixel point while counting to the P th pixel point, wherein the Mpix and Npix are respectively equal to the Mlum and Nlum in numerical value.
Preferably, for pixel points within the interval [Mpix, Npix], it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 2 of an N/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart, namely when counting to the N/2 th (when N/2 is not an integer, N/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein N represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
S 14 —linearly modifying luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Mpix, P 2 ] by using the reference value Lo and the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 , and obtaining a luminance value L′ 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Mpix, P 2 ]; and linearly modifying luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 2 , Npix] by using the reference value Lo and the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 , and obtaining a luminance value L′ 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 2 , Npix].
For instance, if the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 calculated in the foregoing embodiment is L′o/(P′O-Spix), when the luminance effect of the current sub-picture video image is equalized, it is possible to modify the luminance values of pixel points within the interval [Mpix, P 2 ] in the current sub-picture video image as C′L 1 ×(P−Mpix) and then output the result, and to modify the luminance values of pixel points within the interval [P 2 , Npix] in the current sub-picture video image as Nlum−(C′L 2 ×(Npix−P)) and then output the result, wherein P is the pixel value of the pixel points in the current sub-picture video image before equalization.
Equalization of the chroma of the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps.
S′ 11 —making statistics about pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in the current sub-picture video image Fn.
S′ 12 —constructing a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof.
S′ 13 —counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Xpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Xpix, Ypix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn, and obtaining a pixel value P 3 of a T th pixel point while counting to the T th pixel point, wherein Xpix is greater than or equal to 0, Ypix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value used to describe pixel value standard.
Preferably, for pixel points within the interval [Xpix, Ypix], it is possible to obtain a pixel value P 3 of an M/2 th pixel point when counting to the half of the pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart, namely when counting to the M/2 th (when M/2 is not an integer, M/2 can be rounded up to the closest integer) pixel point, wherein M represents the number of pixel points in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image, namely the number of pixel point samples about which statistics is made in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
S′ 14 —linearly modifying chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Xpix, P 3 ] by using the reference value C′o and the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 , and obtaining a chroma value C′ 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Xpix, P 3 ]; and linearly modifying chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 3 , Ypix] by using the reference value C′o and the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 , and obtaining a chroma value C′ 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 3 , Ypix].
For instance, if the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 calculated in the foregoing embodiment is C′o/(P′ 1 −Upix) and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CC 2 is C′o/(Vpix−P′ 1 ), when the chroma effect of the current sub-picture video image is equalized, it is possible to modify the chroma values of pixel points within the interval [Xpix, P 3 ] in the current sub-picture video image as C′C 1 ×(P-Xpix) and then output the result, and to modify the chroma values of pixel points within the interval [P 3 , Ypix] in the current sub-picture video image as Ychr−(C′C 2 ×(Ypix−P)) and then output the result, wherein P is the pixel value of the pixel points in the current sub-picture video image before equalization, and Ychr is the chroma value of pixel points with pixel values within the interval [Xpix, Ypix], and is equivalent to Ypix in numerical value.
As should be noted, obtainment of image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn in this embodiment is similar to obtainment of the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn in Embodiment 1 of the present invention. For instance, obtainment of luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps:
making statistics about pixel points with luminance values in the current sub-picture video image Fn within an interval [Alum, Blum], where Alum is greater than or equal to 0, Blum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is the maximum value used to describe luminance standard;
constructing a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the Fn from the pixel points within the interval [Alum, Blum] and the luminance values to which the pixel points correspond; and determining luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
Obtainment of chroma characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn includes the following steps:
making statistics about pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in the current sub-picture video image Fn;
constructing a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the Fn from the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof; and
determining chroma characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
S 402 —calculating an adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image Fn before equalization according to the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn before equalization.
To calculate the adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image before equalization Fn is to weight this adjustment coefficient together with adjustment coefficients of sub-picture video images before the current sub-picture video image Fn for use in a sub-picture video image Fn+1 next to the current sub-picture video image Fn, so that steps S 401 and S 402 can be cyclically carried out.
Calculation of the luminance adjustment coefficients and chroma adjustment coefficients of the current sub-picture video image Fn before equalization is completely the same as that of Embodiment 2 of the present invention (see the foregoing embodiments), and is hence not redundantly described here.
As can be known from the use of control parameters to respectively equalize the effect of sub-picture video images from several channels as provided by Embodiment 4 of the present invention, since the present invention separately calculates adjustment coefficients with respect to the various independent sub-picture video images according to identical control parameters, after equalization by means of the adjustment coefficients and the identical control parameters, it is possible to uniformly adjust the various sub-picture video images to the effect of having the same image characteristics, so that the sub-picture video images exhibit identical picture characteristics during display, to thereby achieve harmony in whole style during display of a multi-picture video image formed by the sub-picture video images, and to improve visual experience of the conventioneers.
As should be explained, although the aforementioned embodiments are all directed to a single channel sub-picture video image to explain how to use control parameters to equalize effect thereof, it is comprehensible to persons skilled in the art that the methods provided by the embodiments of the present invention can be used separately to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels, and can also be used in combination to equalize sub-picture video images from several channels.
Refer to FIG. 5 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 5 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image. To facilitate explanation, shown are only those parts that are relevant to the embodiments of the present invention. Functional modules included in the device may be software modules, hardware modules, and modules in which software is combined with hardware.
An equalizing module 51 is used for receiving a data code stream of sub-picture video images from several channels, and equalizing effect of the sub-picture video images from several channels with control parameters respectively according to image characteristics of the sub-picture video images.
A synthesizing module 52 is used for synthesizing the sub-picture video images equalized by the equalizing module 51 to a multi-picture video image.
The equalizing module 51 may further include a first image characteristics obtaining sub-module 61 , a first calculating sub-module 62 and a first equalizing sub-module 63 , as shown in FIG. 6 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 6 of the present invention, in which for processing a multi-picture video image:
the first image characteristics obtaining sub-module 61 is used for obtaining image characteristics of a current sub-picture video image;
the first calculating sub-module 62 is used for calculating an adjustment coefficient according to a control parameter and the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image obtained by the first image characteristics obtaining sub-module 61 ; and
the first equalizing sub-module 63 is used for equalizing effect of the current sub-picture video image by using the control parameter and the adjustment coefficient calculated by the first calculating sub-module 62 .
The first image characteristics obtaining sub-module 61 may further include a first statistical unit 71 , a first statistical chart constructing unit 72 and a luminance characteristics determining unit 73 , as shown in FIG. 7 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 7 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the first statistical unit 71 is used for making statistics about pixel points in the current sub-picture video image with luminance values within an interval [Alum, Blum], where Alum is greater than or equal to 0, Blum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm corresponds to the maximum value used to describe luminance standard;
the first statistical chart constructing unit 72 is used for constructing a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart from the pixel points within the interval [Alum, Blum] and the luminance values to which the pixel points correspond; and
the luminance characteristics determining unit 73 is used for determining luminance characteristics of the current sub-picture video image from the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
The first calculating sub-module 62 may further include a first counting unit 81 and a luminance adjustment coefficient calculating unit 82 , as shown in FIG. 8 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 8 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the first counting unit 81 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Apix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Apix, Bpix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart, and obtaining a pixel value P 0 of a k th pixel point when counting to the k th pixel point, wherein the Apix and Bpix are respectively equal to the Alum and Blum in numerical value; and
the luminance adjustment coefficient calculating unit 82 is used for calculating to obtain a first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and a second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 from the Apix, Bpix, P 0 and Lo, wherein both the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 are of a linear relationship to the Lo.
The first equalizing sub-module 63 may further include a first luminance equalizing subunit 91 and a second luminance equalizing subunit 92 , as shown in FIG. 9 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 9 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the first luminance equalizing subunit 91 linearly modifies luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Apix, P 0 ] by using the reference value Lo and the first luminance adjustment coefficient CL 1 , and obtains a luminance value L 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Apix, P 0 ]; and
the second luminance equalizing subunit 92 linearly modifies luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 0 , Bpix] by using the reference value Lo and the second luminance adjustment coefficient CL 2 , and obtains a luminance value L 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 0 , Bpix].
The first image characteristics obtaining sub-module 61 may further include a second statistical unit 101 , a second statistical chart constructing unit 102 and a chroma characteristics determining unit 103 , as shown in FIG. 10 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 10 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the second statistical unit 101 is used for making statistics about pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in the current sub-picture video image;
the second statistical chart constructing unit 102 is used for constructing a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart from the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof; and
the chroma characteristics determining unit 103 is used for determining chroma characteristics of the current sub-picture video image from the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart.
The first calculating sub-module 62 may further include a second counting unit 111 and a chroma adjustment coefficient calculating unit 112 , as shown in FIG. 11 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 11 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the second counting unit 111 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Jpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Jpix, Kpix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart, and obtaining a pixel value P 1 of a J th pixel point when counting to the J th pixel point, wherein Jpix is greater than or equal to 0, Kpix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value used to describe pixel value standard; and
the chroma adjustment coefficient calculating unit 112 is used for calculating to obtain a first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and a second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 from the Jpix, Kpix, P 1 and Co, wherein both the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 are of a linear relationship to the Co.
The first equalizing sub-module 63 may further include a first chroma equalizing subunit 121 and a second chroma equalizing subunit 122 , as shown in FIG. 12 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 12 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the first chroma equalizing subunit 121 linearly modifies chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Jpix, P 1 ] by using the reference value Co and the first chroma adjustment coefficient CC 1 , and obtains a chroma value C 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Jpix, P 1 ]; and
the second chroma equalizing subunit 122 linearly modifies chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 1 , Kpix] by using the reference value Co and the second chroma adjustment coefficient CC 2 , and obtains a chroma value C 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 1 , Kpix].
The equalizing module 51 may further include a second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 and a second calculating sub-module 132 , as shown in FIG. 13 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 13 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 is used for equalizing effect of a received current sub-picture video image Fn and obtaining image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn by using a control parameter and a weighted adjustment coefficient of m frame of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn while receiving the current sub-picture video image Fn; and
the second calculating sub-module 132 is used for calculating an adjustment coefficient of the current sub-picture video image Fn before equalization according to the image characteristics of the current sub-picture video image Fn before equalization obtained by the second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 , where m is a natural number greater than or equal to 1.
The second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 may further include a previous m frame(s) image characteristics obtaining sub-module 141 and a previous m frame(s) weighted adjustment coefficient calculating sub-module 142 , as shown in FIG. 14 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 14 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the previous m frame(s) image characteristics obtaining sub-module 141 is used for obtaining image characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn; and
the previous m frame(s) weighted adjustment coefficient calculating sub-module 142 is used for calculating the weighted adjustment coefficient of the sub-picture video images that are m frame(s) before the Fn according to the control parameter and the image characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
The previous m frame(s) image characteristics obtaining sub-module 141 may further include a previous m frame(s) first statistical unit 151 , a previous m frame(s) first statistical chart constructing unit 152 and a previous m frame(s) luminance characteristics determining unit 153 , as shown in FIG. 15 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 15 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the previous m frame(s) first statistical unit 151 is used for making statistics about pixel points in each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn with luminance values within an interval [Slum, Tlum], where Slum is greater than or equal to 0, Tlum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is the maximum value used to describe luminance standard;
the previous m frame(s) first statistical chart constructing unit 152 is used for constructing a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points with luminance values within the interval [Slum, Tlum] and the luminance values to which the pixel points correspond; and
the previous m frame(s) luminance characteristics determining unit 153 is used for determining luminance characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart.
The previous m frame(s) weighted adjustment coefficient calculating sub-module 142 may further include a previous m frame(s) first counting subunit 161 , a previous m frame(s) first summing subunit 162 and a previous m frame(s) luminance weighted adjustment coefficient calculating unit 163 , as shown in FIG. 16 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 16 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the previous m frame(s) first counting subunit 161 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Spix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Spix, Tpix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of each frame of sub-picture video image in the m frame(s) before the current sub-picture video frame, and obtaining a pixel value P 0j ′ of a Q th pixel point when counting to the Q th pixel point for a j th sub-picture video image in m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s) before the current sub-picture video image, wherein j is 1, 2, . . . m, and the Spix and Tpix are respectively equal to the Slum and Tlum in numerical value;
the previous m frame(s) first summing subunit 162 is used for summing P 0j ′ to obtain
P ′ 0 = ∑ j = 1 m P 0 j ′ m ;
and
the previous m frame(s) luminance weighted adjustment coefficient calculating unit 163 is used for calculating to obtain a first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 and a second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 from the Spix, Tpix, P′ 0 and L′o, wherein both the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 and the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 are of a linear relationship to the L′o.
The second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 may include a current sub-picture video image first statistical unit 171 , a current sub-picture video image first statistical chart constructing unit 172 , a current sub-picture video image first counting unit 173 , a previous m frame(s) first luminance equalizing subunit 174 and a previous m frame(s) second luminance equalizing subunit 175 , as shown in FIG. 17 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 17 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the current sub-picture video image first statistical unit 171 is used for making statistics about pixel points in the current sub-picture video image Fn with luminance values within an interval [Mlum, Nlum], where Mlum is greater than or equal to 0, Nlum is smaller than or equal to Lm, and Lm is the maximum value used to describe luminance standard;
the current sub-picture video image first statistical chart constructing unit 172 is used for constructing a pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points within the interval [Mlum, Nlum] and the luminance values to which the pixel points correspond;
the current sub-picture video image first counting unit 173 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Mpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Mpix, Npix] in the pixel point-luminance value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn, and obtaining a pixel value P 2 of a P th pixel point while counting to the P th pixel point, wherein the Mpix and Npix are respectively equal to the Mlum and Nlum in numerical value;
the previous m frame(s) first luminance equalizing subunit 174 linearly modifies luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Mpix, P 2 ] by using the reference value Lo and the first luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 1 , and obtains a luminance value L′ 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Mpix, P 2 ]; and
the previous m frame(s) second luminance equalizing subunit 175 linearly modifies luminance values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 2 , Npix] by using the reference value Lo and the second luminance weighted adjustment coefficient C′L 2 , and obtains a luminance value L′ 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 2 , Npix].
The previous m frame(s) image characteristics obtaining sub-module 141 may include a previous m frame(s) second statistical unit 181 , a previous m frame(s) second statistical chart constructing unit 182 and a previous m frame(s) chroma characteristics determining unit 183 , as shown in FIG. 18 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 18 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the previous m frame(s) second statistical unit 181 is used for making statistics about pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn;
the previous m frame(s) second statistical chart constructing unit 182 is used for constructing a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof; and
the previous m frame(s) chroma characteristics determining unit 183 is used for determining chroma characteristics of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of each frame of m frame(s) of sub-picture video images that are before the current sub-picture video image Fn.
The previous m frame(s) weighted adjustment coefficient calculating sub-module 142 may further include a previous m frame(s) second counting subunit 191 , a previous m frame(s) second summing subunit 192 and a previous m frame(s) chroma weighted adjustment coefficient calculating unit 193 , as shown in FIG. 19 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device provided by Embodiment 19 of the present invention for processing a multi-picture video image, in which:
the previous m frame(s) second counting subunit 191 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Upix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Upix, Vpix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of each frame of the m frame(s) of sub-picture video image before the current sub-picture video image, obtaining a pixel value P 1k ′ of a W th pixel point when counting to the W th pixel point for a k th sub-picture video image in previous m frame(s) of sub-picture video image(s), wherein k is 1, 2, . . . m, and Upix is greater than or equal to 0, Vpix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value used to describe pixel value standard;
the previous m frame(s) second summing subunit 192 is used for summing P 1k ′ to obtain
P ′ 1 = ∑ k = 1 m P 1 k ′ m ;
and
the previous m frame(s) chroma weighted adjustment coefficient calculating unit 193 is used for calculating to obtain a first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 and a second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 from the Upix, Vpix, P′ 1 and C′o, wherein both the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 and the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 are of a linear relationship to the C′o.
The second image characteristics obtaining sub-module 131 may include a current sub-picture video image second statistical unit 201 , a current sub-picture video image second statistical chart constructing unit 202 , a current sub-picture video image second counting unit 203 , a previous m frame(s) first chroma equalizing subunit 204 and a previous m frame(s) second chroma equalizing subunit 205 , as shown in FIG. 20 , which is a view exemplarily illustrating the structure of the device for processing a multi-picture video image provided by Embodiment 20 of the present invention, in which:
the current sub-picture video image second statistical unit 201 is used for making statistics about pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of a white region in the current sub-picture video image Fn;
the current sub-picture video image second statistical chart constructing unit 202 is used for constructing a pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn from the pixel points with chroma values close to chroma values of the white region and the corresponding chroma values thereof;
the current sub-picture video image second counting unit 203 is used for counting, from a pixel point with a pixel value of Xpix, of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Xpix, Ypix] in the pixel point-chroma value statistical chart of the current sub-picture video image Fn, and obtaining a pixel value P 3 of a T th pixel point while counting to the T th pixel point, wherein Xpix is greater than or equal to 0, Ypix is smaller than or equal to Y, and Y is the maximum value used to describe pixel value standard;
the previous m frame(s) first chroma equalizing subunit 204 linearly modifies chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [Xpix, P 3 ] by using the reference value C′o and the first chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 1 , and obtains a chroma value C′ 1 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [Xpix, P 3 ]; and
the previous m frame(s) second chroma equalizing subunit 205 linearly modifies chroma values of pixel points with pixel values within an interval [P 3 , Ypix] by using the reference value C′o and the second chroma weighted adjustment coefficient C′C 2 , and obtains a chroma value C′ 2 of the current sub-picture video image within the interval [P 3 , Ypix].
As should be explained, since the information interaction among, execution processes of and technical effects of the various modules/units of the aforementioned devices are based on the same principles of the method embodiments of the present invention, see the relevant explanations in the method embodiments of the present invention for details, while no repetition is made here.
To more clearly explain the aforementioned embodiments of the present invention, application scenarios of the device for processing a multi-picture video image according to the embodiments of the present invention are given below.
Application Scenario A: a plurality of terminal conference halls, such as conference halls A, B, C and D as shown in the drawings, simultaneously participate during convention of a videoconference. Each terminal conference hall compresses video images of the instant conference hall by using a video compression protocol, and transfers the compressed video code stream to a multipoint controlling unit (MCU) via the network. After the multipoint controlling unit receives the video compressed code stream from each terminal conference hall, a decoding module makes use of the corresponding video compression protocol to decode each code stream to obtain sub-picture video images needed for reconstructing a multi-picture video image (as compared with a multi-picture video image formed by reorganizing). The sub-picture video images are inputted into the device for processing a multi-picture video image. After processing by the device for processing a multi-picture video image, the multipoint controlling unit recombines the sub-picture video images outputted from the device for processing a multi-picture video image to synthesize the sub-picture video images into a multi-picture video image. Each sub-picture video image of the multi-picture video image corresponds to one conference hall picture. An encoding module recodes the multi-picture video image and sends the encoded code stream to a receiving terminal, and the receiving terminal decodes the multi-picture video image and outputs the image to a display device, whereupon the multi-picture conference process is realized.
Application Scenario B: a plurality of terminal conference halls, such as conference halls A, B, C and D as shown in the drawings, simultaneously participate during convention of a videoconference. Each terminal conference hall compresses video images of the instant conference hall by using a video compression protocol, and transfers the compressed video code stream to a multipoint controlling unit via the network. After the multipoint controlling unit receives the video compressed code stream from each terminal conference hall, a decoding module makes use of the corresponding video compression protocol to decode each video compressed code stream to obtain sub-picture video images needed for reconstructing a multi-picture video image (as compared with a multi-picture video image formed by reorganizing). The sub-picture video images are inputted into the device for processing a multi-picture video image. After processing by the device for processing a multi-picture video image, an encoding module makes use of the video compression protocol again to encode each sub-picture video image and sends the encoded code stream to different receiving terminals, and the receiving terminals decode the stream code and output it to a display device, whereupon a multi-point conference process is realized.
Application Scenario C: a plurality of terminal conference halls, such as conference halls A, B, C and D as shown in the drawings, simultaneously participate during convention of a videoconference. Each terminal conference hall compresses video images of the instant conference hall by using a video compression protocol, and transfers the compressed video code stream to a multipoint controlling unit via the network. After the multipoint controlling unit receives the video compressed code stream from each terminal conference hall, a decoding module makes use of the corresponding video compression protocol to decode each video compressed code stream according to the format of the conference to obtain sub-picture video images needed for reconstructing a multi-picture video image (as compared with a multi-picture video image formed by reorganizing). Thereafter, an encoding module makes use of the video compression protocol again to encode each sub-picture video image and sends the encoded code stream to a receiving terminal that contains the device for processing a multi-picture video image. After processing by the device for processing a multi-picture video image and decoding by the receiving terminal, the sub-picture video images are outputted to different display devices, whereupon a multi-point conference process is realized. The encoding module may as well be dispensed with in this application scenario, in which case a code stream from several channels is directly transferred to the receiving terminal after decoding by the decoding module, and is then decoded and processed by the device for processing a multi-picture video image contained in the receiving terminal to be subsequently outputted to different display devices, whereupon a multi-point conference process is realized.
As comprehensible to persons ordinarily skilled in the art, the entire or partial steps in the various methods of the foregoing embodiments can be realized by a program that instructs relevant hardware, and the program can be stored in a computer-readable storage medium, which may include a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a magnetic disk or an optical disk.
The methods and devices for processing a multi-picture video image provided by the embodiments of the present invention are described in detail above, and concrete examples are used in this paper to enunciate the principles and embodiments of the present invention. The above explanations of the embodiments are merely meant to help understand the methods of the present invention and essential principles thereof. To persons ordinarily skilled in the art, there may be variations both in terms of specific embodiments and scopes of application without departing from the principles of the present invention. In summary, contents of the Description shall not be understood as restrictive of the present invention.
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The embodiments of the present invention provide a method and device relating to multi-picture video image processing, which solve the problem in related art of the deterioration of the vision experience of the conventioneer as the characteristics of each sub-picture can not be satisfied simultaneously. Said method includes: receiving the data code stream of the sub-picture video images from several channels; equalizing the effect of said sub-picture video images with control parameters respectively according to the image characteristics of the sub-picture video images; synthesizing said equalized sub-picture video images to a multi-picture video image. This invention can uniformly adjust each sub-picture video image to the effect with the same image characteristics, which enables the sub-picture video images exhibit the same picture characteristic when be displayed. The display of the multi-picture video image constituted by sub-picture video images achieves whole style harmony and the vision experience of the conventioneer is improved.
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PRIORITY
[0001] This application corresponds to the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/RU2012/000405 filed May 21, 2012, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
SEQUENCE LISTING
[0002] The instant application contains a Sequence Listing that has been submitted in ASCII format via EFS-Web and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. Said ASCII copy, created on May 12, 2015, is named LNK — 157US_SL.txt and is 10,981 bytes in size.
FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0003] The present invention refers to proteins and bioactive peptides with immunomodulating and antiviral activity.
BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0004] Peptide, polypeptide and protein-based compounds used in medicine as antiviral drugs are known. Among type I interferon inducers (IFI) they are known as high-molecular compounds [F. I. Yershov, O. I. Koselev. Interferons and their inducers from the molecule to the drug —, M.: Publ. House. Geotar—Media, 2005-P. 356], [Berg K., Bolt G., Andersen H., Owen T C. Zink potentiates the antiviral action of human IFN-alpha tenfold. J. Interferon Cytokine Res, 2001, July; 21(7):471-4], as low-molecular inducers. From the latter, first of all, native drug cycloferon and American drug imiquimod should be noted. These drugs refer to acridone and benzimidazole derivatives, respectively. For imiquimod and close derivatives, Toll-like type of receptors is known, with which this group of drugs interacts causing IFN-α synthesis induction in various cells [F. I. Yershov., O. I. Kiselev. Interferons and their inducers (from the molecule to the drug) M.: Publ. House. Geotar—Media, 2005.-P. 356].
[0005] Bioactivity of low-molecular peptides is widely known. First of all, this refers to animal and plant origin peptides with antibacterial activity [Boman H. Peptide antibiotics and their role in innate immunity. Anu. Rev. of Immunol., 1995, Vol. 13, p. 61-92]. However, a number of peptides possessing direct antiviral and antitumour action has been described [Akiyama N., Hijikata M., Kobayashi A., Yamori T., Tsuruo T., Natori S. Anti-tumor effect of N-β-alanyl-5-S-glutathionyl dihydroxyphenylalanine (5-S-GAD) a novel anti-bacterial substance from an insect. Anticancer Research, 2000, Vol. 20, p. 357-362].
[0006] Peptides of amphibians and insects take a special place here [Bulet P., Hetru C., Diamarcq J., Hoffmann D. Antimicrobial peptides in insects: structure and function. Devel. Comp. Immunol., 1999, Vol. 23, p. 329-344, Chinchar V. G., Wang J., Murti G., Carey C., Rolling-Smith L. Inactivation of frog virus 3 and channel catfish virus by esculentin-2P and ranatuerin-2P, two antimicrobial peptides isolated from frog skin. Virology, 2001, Vol. 288, p. 351-357].
[0007] Immunomodulating peptides—alloferons are known (patent of the RF No. 2172322). Treatment of viral infections is the main area of application for alloferons. Alloferons are the closest analogues of the present invention regarding chemical structure and mode of action.
[0008] It should be noted, that inventors of the U.S. Pat. No. 2,172,322 only consider variations of primary alloferon structure and do not place key value to histidine residues distribution.
[0009] Moreover, alloferons should be referred to quite “weak” interferon inducers, which is evident when comparing their activity with cycloferon.
[0010] At the same time, alloferons structure stands out with regular histidine residues arrangement and frequent glycine residues. Enhancement of alloferons structure is possible towards giving them tertiary structure elements, for instance, by introduction of metal ions.
[0011] Hemin-peptide and its pharmaceutically acceptable salts with virucidal and antiviral action, containing metal ions, where Zn, Cu, Fe, Mn can be used, is also known. (patent of the RF 2296131). However, this compound refers to the second class of peptides and is not an immune modulator.
[0012] Peptide complexes with Zn ++ ion, with elements of organized tertiary structure and activity of first type interferon inducers, are not described in the literature.
[0013] Need for modification of histidine-containing peptides with Zn ++ ion is driven by the following causes:
[0014] 1. Bioactive short peptides have disorganized type of secondary structure inevitably reducing their bioactivity, interactability with other macromolecules, metabolic stability.
[0015] 2. Biological and pharmacological activity of peptides largely depends on transport efficiency to cells. Making peptide structure compact increases effectiveness of their translocation through membranes and, subsequently, pharmacological activity [Leng Q., Mixson J. Modified branched peptides with histidine-rich tail enhance in vitro gene transfection. Nucl. Acids. Res., 2005, Vol. 33, e40].
[0016] 3. Formation of histidine-containing peptide complexes with Zn ++ ion results in fundamental changes of peptides properties, making them identical with domains of transcriptional activators of viruses and cells.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
[0017] The objective of the present invention is to develop peptide complexes organized in three-dimensional structure. The designed complexes possess high binding ability with other molecular groups and display wide spectrum of pharmacological action, including type I IFN induction and act on various levels of cellular functions, allowing to create new drugs for prevention and treatment of viral infections based on them.
[0018] The new family of bioactive peptides has been developed based on the known peptides, enriched with histidine residues, alloferons and their homologues using Zn-finger of protein domains with known functions as a prototype. Alloferons are used as a peptide matrix 6 to 35 amino acid residues long. In this way engineered peptides are able to form complexes with Zn ++ ion, creating oligomers and aggregates, and regarding structural and biological properties they meet the requirements of immune modulators.
[0019] Present peptide complexes have three-dimensional structure and are described by the following structural formula (SEQ ID NO: 23):
[0000]
[0000] where: X 1 is absent or contains not less than 1 amino acid; R1 and R2—peptide chains, containing amino acid residues, interactable with transition metal ions, with R1 containing up to 5 amino acid residues or absent; R2 contains up to 3 amino acid residues or absent.
[0020] Ability of natural peptides, enriched with histidine residues, to bind with metal ions has been proved in a number of studies [Hua Zhao H., and Waite J. H. Proteins in Load-Bearing Junctions: The Histidine-Rich Metal-Binding Protein of Mussel Byssus, Biochemistry. 2006, 45(47): 14223-14231].
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0021] Essence of invention is explained with the data from the schemes and figures:
[0022] FIG. 1 . Consensus sequence analysis of alloferon family peptides. FIG. 1 discloses SEQ ID NOS 1-21, 25, 1-21, 26, 1-21, and 25, respectively, in order of appearance.
[0023] FIG. 2 . A1 polypeptide computer model. FIG. 2A discloses SEQ ID NO: 1.
[0024] FIG. 3 . Theoretical options of structures of A1 complexes with Zn ++ ion. FIG. 3A discloses SEQ ID NO: 1 and FIG. 3B discloses SEQ ID NOS 28 and 28, respectively, in order of appearance.
[0025] FIG. 4 . Binding kinetics of alloferon A1 with Zn ++ by light-scattering method.
[0026] FIG. 5 . Peptide A1 binding analysis with Ni ++ balanced HiTrap adsorbent.
[0027] FIG. 6 . Type I interferons induction.
[0028] FIG. 7 . Protective effect of the studied drugs in case of lethal grippal infection in mice.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0029] Alloferon 1 (SEQ ID NO 1) peptide, presented in the Table 2, has been used as a base structure during development of the present invention. Alloferon 1 was synthesized by solid-phase synthesis method and used to study bioactivity of the present peptides. The studies, the findings of which were presented in examples below, demonstrated that this peptide has ability to form complexes with transition metals, is interferon inducer and possesses antiviral activity.
[0030] Databases computer analysis of the proteins and peptides structure and properties found that this compound refers to the novel family of bioactive peptides. Histidine and glycine-rich polypeptides with introduced metal ions possess immune modulating and antiviral activity with zinc ions potentiating their bioactivity.
[0031] Synthesis of the present sequence of peptides has been performed in solid-phase peptides synthesis using Boc/Bzl strategies of phenyl acetamide methyl polymer (PAM). Peptides were isolated on Coupler-250 and Applied Biosystems 430A peptide synthesizers.
[0032] Tert-Butoxycarbonilamino group was used for temporary protection of α-amino groups removed with trifluoroacetic acid. Benzyl and acyl types safety groups have been used for suppression of lateral radicals of trifunctional amino acids: dinitrophenyl for histidine, mesitylenesulfonyl for arginine, 2-chlorbenzyloxycarbonyl for lysine, fromyl for tryptophan, 2,6-dychlorbenzyl for tyrosine, O-benzyl ethers for threonine and serine. Methionine was administered in condensation in the form of sulphoxy derivative.
[0033] Removal of temporary protection groups was performed with undiluted trifluoroacetic acid, and neutralization—by in situ method, adding N,N′-diisopropylethylamine at condensation stage directly into reaction mixture.
[0034] The program for addition of one amino acid residue during peptidyl-polymer chain elongation in an amount of total content of acylamino acid on the 0.2 mmol polymer is given in the table. Preactivation of carboxy component was performed within 30 minutes using hydroxybenzotriazole and diisopropylcarbodiimide. Under such conditions of synthesis in all the cases after addition of needed volume of amino acid residues, relevant to peptide fragment sequence, satisfactory peptidyl-polymer increment was reached.
[0035] Removal of side protection groups and peptide elimination from resin was performed under the action of anhydrous hydrogen fluoride in the presence of scavengers, mainly, m-cresol. During such treatment, all the side protection groups were removed and peptide was eliminated from high-molecular matrix, release time fluctuated from one to one and a half hour.
[0036] To prevent from adverse reactions during methionine-containing peptides synthesis, (in particular, sulphur alkylation with tert-butyl radical, and its partial oxidation during peptide chain elongation) methionine residues are smoothly added into peptidylpolymer sequence in the form of sulphoxy derivative, which at the end stages of peptide release was recovered to methionine. This recovery reaction had satisfactory results when treated with ammonium iodide or with completely released peptide, or at the stage, when peptide was still at the resin.
[0000]
TABLE 1
Program for addition of one amino acid residue
Reagents
Repetition
Time,
volume,
No.
Operation
Reagents
factor
min
mL
1.
Removal of
Trifluoroacetic
1
2
5
Rec-protection
acid
(release)
2.
Metronomic
Trifluoroacetic
1
2
5
release
acid
3.
Washing
Dymethyl-
3
1
10
formamide
4
Condensation
1.0 mmol of
1
20
5
oxybenzotrisol
ether of the
relevant amino
acid derivative +
Diisopropyl-
ethylamine
(0.7 mmol in
dymethyl-
formamide)
5.
Washing
Dymethyl-
3
1
10
formamide
6.
Washing
Methylene
3
1
10
dichloride
7.
Ninhydrin
test*
*condensation was repeated in case of positive ninhydrin test
[0037] All synthesized peptide drugs were purified using preparative reverse-phase liquid chromatography at the column Dynamax 60 A, 22.5×250 mm (liquid chromatograph Gilson, France) and are characterized by findings of hydrolysate peptides amino acid analysis after hydrolysis with methanesulfonic acid in the presence of tryptamine (amino acid analyzer Alpha Plus, LKB, Sweden).
EXAMPLES
[0038] The following examples prove the possibility to accomplish the object of invention.
Example 1
Analysis of Structure and Consensus Sequences of Alloferon Family Peptides
[0039] BioEdit v.7.09 Ibis Biosciences (US) software was used for consensus sequence analysis of alloferon peptides families. Alloferon amino acid sequences homology is presented in the table 2.
[0000]
TABLE 2
Alloferon sequence homology
peptide
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
SEQ ID NO 1
His
Gly
Val
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
His
Gly
Alloferon 1
SEQ ID NO 2
Cys
Val
Val
Thr
Gly
His
Gly
Ser
His
Gly
Val
Phe
Val
Alloferon 10
SEQ ID NO 3
Ile
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
Pro
Alloferon 11
SEQ ID NO 4
Cys
Gly
His
Gly
Asn
His
Gly
Val
His
Alloferon 12
SEQ ID NO 5
Ile
Val
Ala
Arg
Ile
His
Gly
Gln
Asn
His
Gly
Leu
Alloferon 13
SEQ ID NO 6
His
Gly
Ser
Asp
Gly
His
Gly
Val
Gln
His
Gly
Alloferon 14
SEQ ID NO 7
Phe
Gly
His
Gly
His
Gly
Val
Alloferon 15
SEQ ID NO 8
His
Gly
Asn
His
Gly
Val
Leu
Ala
Alloferon 16
SEQ ID NO 9
His
Gly
Asp
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
Asp
Alloferon 17
SEQ ID NO 10
His
Gly
His
Gly
Val
Pro
Leu
Alloferon 18
SEQ ID NO 11
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Ala
Val
His
Gly
Val
Met
Alloferon 19
SEQ ID NO 12
Gly
Val
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
His
Gly
Alloferon 2
SEQ ID NO 13
Tyr
Ala
Met
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
His
Gly
Val
Phe
Ile
Alloferon 20
SEQ ID NO 14
Val
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
His
Alloferon 3
SEQ ID NO 15
Ser
Gly
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
Alloferon 4
SEQ ID NO 16
Pro
Ser
Leu
Thr
Gly
His
Gly
Phe
His
Gly
Val
Tyr
Asp
Alloferon 5
SEQ ID NO 17
Phe
Ile
Val
Ser
Ala
His
Gly
Asp
His
Gly
Val
Alloferon 6
SEQ ID NO 18
Thr
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
Alloferon 7
SEQ ID NO 19
His
Gly
His
Gly
Val
His
Gly
Alloferon 8
SEQ ID NO 20
Leu
Ala
Ser
Leu
His
Gly
Gln
His
Gly
Val
Alloferon 9
SEQ ID NO 21
His
Gly
Tyr
Thr
Ser
His
Gly
Ala
His
Gly
Val
Gemagglutin
377-388
SEQ ID NO: 24
His
Gly
His
Gly
Consensus
sequence
SEQ ID NO: 24
R1
His
Gly
X1
His
Gly
R2
Structural
formula
[0040] patent of the RF No. 2172322 illustrates alloferons sequence without consensus sequence presentation, which makes it impossible to precisely estimate core-heart part of peptides and separate significant modifications from insignificant.
[0041] Resulting from the analysis, alloferon family can be divided into 3 families with consensus sequences:
[0042] SGHGQ-HGV (SEQ ID NO: 25), VSGHGQ-HGV (SEQ ID NO: 26), SGHGQ-HGV (SEQ ID NO: 25), which is substantiated with the given computer estimations ( FIG. 1 ) of alloferon families peptides sequences.
Example 2
Peptide A1 Computer Modeling (Tertiary Structure Analysis)
[0043] To understand short peptides structure, it is possible to use computer modeling, allowing to estimate peptide structure in whole and its separate domains. In particular, we needed to estimate potential for creation of the present peptides complexes with Zn ++ ion. For this, computer modeling of A1 peptide with the following structure was performed: His-Val-Ser-His-Gly-Gln-His-Gly-Val-His-Gly (A1) (SEQ ID NO: 27). Simple A1 complex buildup with Zn ++ ion allows to demonstrate peptide loop formation, stabilized with coordinate bonds of histidine residues with Zn ++ ion.
[0044] A1 peptide computer modeling ( FIG. 2 ) showed that short peptide forms relax loop, where Zn ++ ion can interact with histidine residues accessible for interaction. In this case, general polypeptide structure fits the possibility to form Zn ++ ion complex at least with three histidine residues in loci 1.6 and 9.
[0045] The simplified model ( FIG. 3 ) Zn-A1 shows that significant portion of glycine residues is located in the N-end part of molecule. This corresponds to secondary structure of beta layers type. C-end part has alpha-helical structure with inside-exposed imidazole rings of histidine accessible for interaction with Zn ++ ion.
[0046] The Figure illustrates example with Zn ++ . Zn ++ can be located virtually in any position.
[0047] A—intramolecular complex Zn-A1, organized as a loop.
[0048] A—intermolecular complex Zn-A1, organized as a dimer. Aggregation can be performed by adding new A1 molecules due to intermolecular fusion of Zn ++ ion in a and b regions or in the center of linear polypeptide with interaction of Zn ++ and histidine residues in positions 6 and 9.
[0049] When analyzing A1 structure, high content and regular arrangement of histidine residues drives attention. FIG. 2 shows that A1 polypeptide forms almost perfect saddle-like structure. Histidine residues 1, 6 and 9 are most accessible for interaction with Zn ++ ion in this confirmation.
[0050] In this case significant conclusion can be made that complex formations with peptide excess comparing to Zn ++ can result in formation of intermolecular aggregates (FIG. 2 - ) Such structural transition fundamentally changes peptides properties making their structure, needed for bioactivity, compact, which was demonstrated in numerous studies [Rydengard V., Nordahl E. A., Schmidtchen A. Zinc potentiates the antibacterial effects of histidine-rich peptides against Enterococcus faecalis . FEBS Lett., 2006, Vol. 273, p. 2399-2406].
Example 3
Alloferon and its Closest Analogues are Zn ++ -Binding Peptides
[0051] Zn ++ ion binding with alloferon 1 (A1) and its homologs was studied by the method described [Shi Y., Beger R. D., Berg J. M. Metal binding properties of single amino acid deletion mutants of zinc finger peptides: studies using cobalt(II) as a spectroscopic prob. Biophys. J., 1993, Vol. 64, p. 749-753]. Zn ++ ion binding with A1 peptide was studied by the light-scattering method using ISS, Campaign, IL fluorimeter at 400 nm and excitation light 398 nm.
[0052] FIG. 4 shows graphs of Zn ++ ion interacting with A1 peptide.
[0053] For analysis conditions refer to Shi Y. et al. (1993)
[0054] A—(open circles) A1 and Zn(N0 3 ) 2 . interaction Excess molar quantity of Zn ++ ion comparing to peptide was 1:10. Firm line—peptide enrichment with Zn + ion. Ground peptide mass changed into aggregates with complete enrichment. EDTA was added to aggregates. Subsequent to addition of EDTA the complex quickly dissociated and peptide (alloferon) changed to soluble phase.
[0055] FIG. 4 shows that Zn ++ (Zn(NO 3 ) 2 reacts with A1 peptide, resulting in exponential increase of light diffusion and followed by peptide aggregation in the form of polydisperse nanoparticles up to 50-60 nm in diameter followed by formation of suspending coarse aggregates. When adding EDTA chelating agent aggregates and A1 peptide complexes are dissolved.
[0056] In this wise, A1 peptide can react with Zn ++ ion forming soluble complexes at the first stage.
Example 4
Peptides React with Zn ++ Showing High Affinity with Nickel Adsorbents
[0057] Chromatography at HiTrap columns showed that A1 acts as olygohistidine and has quite high affinity with the present adsorbent, and is completely eluted with imidazole solution. Elution was performed with gradient phosphate buffer/0.5 M imidazole ( FIG. 5 ).
Example 5
Type I Interferons Induction
[0058] Type I interferons induction was studied by the previously published method [F. I. Yershov., O. I. Kiselev. Interferons and their inducers (from the molecule to the drug) M.: Publ. House. Geotar—Media, 2005-P. 356, Chernysh et al. 2002]. FIG. 6 shows findings for drug tests studying I type interferons induction ability. As may be inferred from the given data, Zn-A1 peptide had maximum interferon induction activity. Zn-A2 peptide was somewhat inferior. Nonmodified A1 peptide showed quite high level of interferon induction ability, but it was significantly inferior to derivatives in complex with Zn ++ ion and matched cycloferon activity.
[0059] Example 6 illustrates that these data correlate with protective action of drugs in case of nonsurvivable death grippal infection in mice.
Example 6
Antiviral Activity of the Experimental Lethal Grippal Pneumonia in White Mice, Induced with a Virus Influenza
[0060] The model of lethal grippal infection of white scrub mice of both genders with weight 10-12 g from Rappolovo nursery was used for testing of peptide complexes antiviral activity. A/Aichi/2/68 (H3N2) flu strain has been used in the work, adapted to white mice in laboratory conditions with high pathogenicity, inducing infection with developing pneumonia and lethal outcome during 5-10 days depending on the viral dose.
[0061] Peptides and their derivatives were once administered abdominally to animals 6 and 12 hours before contamination in the amount of 1-2 μg/kg of animal weight. NSS or phosphate buffer in equal volume was placebo in control animal group.
[0062] Virus was previously titrated on animals and lethal concentration for mice has been determined. The animals were exposed to virus intranasally with slight ether anesthesia in the dose of 0.2 and 5 LD 50 . Each study group comprised 10 mice. The animals were observed during 15 days, i.e. the term when 100% animal death is observed in experimental flu. Weight and death of animals was recorded day-to-day in control and experimental groups. Based on received mortality data, mortality rates in each group (number of died for 15 days animals to total amount of contaminated animals in the group ratio), protective index. The findings are represented in the FIG. 5 . Analysis of findings showed that the action of studied drugs A1 relative to influenza A virus, pathogenic for mice was comparable to efficiency of the protective effect of reference drug Remantadin (80-87%—with dose of virus 1 LD 50 ). High protective effect of Zn-A1 complexes proves that formation of Zn ++ complex with A1 significantly potentiates type A1 peptides activity. Testing method, used in this case, proves that protective effect mainly should be attributed to interferon induction. The drug showed maximum activity when using in preventive scheme.
[0063] FIG. 7 shows protective effect of the studied drugs in lethal grippal infections of mice. Based on the above, we can state that the designed peptide has all the claimed properties.
[0064] Histidine-rich peptide complexes, primarily alloferon family peptides with Zn ++ ion, will make it possible to create drugs with directed mechanism of action and design them with regard to understanding of peptide properties and composition, and drug target structure.
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The present invention refers to proteins and bioactive peptides with immunomodulating and antiviral activity. Present peptide complexes have three-dimensional structure and are described by the following structural formula (SEQ ID NO: 23):
where: X 1 is absent or contains not less than 1 amino acid; R1 and R2 peptide chains, containing amino acid residues, His or Cys, interactable with transition metal ions, with R1 containing up to 5 amino acid residues or absent; R2 contains up to 3 amino acid residues or absent. Histidine-rich peptide complexes, primarily alloferon family peptides with Zn ions, will make it possible to create drugs with targeted mechanism of action, and design them with regard to understanding of drug target structure.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This is a continuation application, under 35 U.S.C. §120, of copending international application No. PCT/EP2012/060667, filed Jun. 6, 2012, which designated the United States; this application also claims the priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119, of German patent application No. DE 10 2011 078 804.2, filed Jul. 7, 2011; the prior applications are herewith incorporated by reference in their entireties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to an adhesive machine or device for constructing segmented rotor blades containing at least three prefabricated rotor blade parts, rotor blades of this kind, and a method for their manufacture.
[0003] Rotor blades for wind power plants are most often made out of a laminate containing glass fiber materials and resins, wherein a number of planar glass fiber structures is typically infused with a suitable resin, so as to fabricate a composite material with the geometry of a rotor blade. In order to manufacture the large-scale rotor blades, the glass fiber structures are first placed in suitable molds, and treated with the resin therein. After heat treatment, the resin is cured, and the entire structure is cured.
[0004] A rotor blade here consists of a number of different components, which all must be laminated or adhesively bonded with each other so as to realize the overall structure of a rotor blade. In addition to the outwardly visible rotor blade shells, rotor blades further exhibit load-bearing belts and webs in their interior, which are adhesively bonded directly or indirectly with the inner surfaces of the rotor blade shells.
[0005] In order to fabricate the overall structure of a rotor blade, the individual components are adhesively bonded or laminated with each other. Rotor blade shells typically already provided with the belts and webs (pressure side and suction side) are here placed one atop the other, adhesively bonded and, once the adhesive has cured, the rotor blade is completed.
[0006] However, the manufacturing process, which is typically based on a 2-mold technology, does have limits in terms of the realizable rotor blade geometries. For example, undercuts and twisted blade geometries not only complicate the process of placing rotor blade half-shells on top of each other, but also markedly hamper the durable and loadable adhesive bonding of these locations as the geometry becomes more complex.
[0007] This fact proves disadvantageous in particular during the construction of novel rotor blade geometries, which are distinguished by a more intensively spiral, i.e., twisted geometry. In addition, numerous novel blade geometries, especially in the area of offshore wind energy, exhibit such rotor blades with complicated undercuts and relatively strong torsions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] As a result, there exists a technical necessity to propose an adhesive device making it possible to avoid the disadvantages from the prior art during the construction of rotor blades. In particular, the adhesive device should also permit the realization of rotor blade geometries that exhibit stronger torsions and undercuts by comparison to conventional blade geometries. In addition, the adhesive device should be suitable for reducing the manufacturing times for a rotor blade. A partially automated or even fully automated production of rotor blades should also be enabled. The object of the present invention is further to propose such a rotor blade, as well as a method for its manufacture.
[0009] In particular, these objects are achieved by an adhesive machine or device for constructing segmented rotor blades containing at least three prefabricated rotor blade parts, exhibiting: a first accommodating region for receiving a first prefabricated rotor blade part, a second accommodating region for receiving a second prefabricated rotor blade part, and a third accommodating region for receiving a third prefabricated rotor blade part. The first accommodating region, the second accommodating region and the third accommodating region can be moved relative to each other in such a way that, after the three prefabricated rotor blade parts have been received in the proper accommodating regions in an open position of the adhesive device, these rotor blade parts can be brought into direct or indirect contact with each other via predetermined adhesion regions, and thus transferred into an adhesion position.
[0010] Rotor blade parts are here also to be understood as rotor blade segments.
[0011] In addition, rotor blade part prefabrication is also intended to encompass curing, i.e., partial curing and/or complete curing. In particular, the rotor blade parts prefabricated in this way exhibit a glass transition temperature Tg of 50° C., which corresponds to a cross-linking of about 90%. By contrast, a largely completely cured rotor blade part here exhibits a glass transition temperature Tg of about 65° C. The glass transition temperature is typically measured via dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) or dynamic differential scanning calorimetry (DSC).
[0012] The adhesion position is further distinguished by the fact that it represents a position suitable for adhesively bonding the rotor blade parts with each other. The adhesion position can here correspond with a closed position of the adhesive device, or also be a position that does not correspond with a closed position of the adhesive device, but with a position suitable for adhesive bonding.
[0013] In an especially preferred embodiment, the rotor blade parts are components accessible from outside on the completed rotor blade, i.e., they at least regionally exhibit an outer skin section. In particular, the rotor blade parts are not just belts or webs, whereas belts and/or webs can also be encompassed by the rotor blade parts.
[0014] In addition, the adhesion regions on the rotor blade are at least regionally visible from outside after its manufacture, i.e., at least one adhesion seam is visible from outside. In particular, the adhesion regions do not relate to adhesions on the components, for example the belt or web, that are no longer visible or accessible from outside following completion of the rotor blade.
[0015] The objects of the invention are further achieved by a method for adhesively bonding several, in particular three, prefabricated rotor blade parts for constructing a segmented rotor blade. The rotor blade parts are adhesively bonded by an adhesive device in such a way that at least one of the rotor blade parts, preferably all three rotor blade parts, are accommodated by the adhesive device, and brought into direct or indirect contact with another rotor blade part via predetermined adhesion regions so as to be adhesively bonded in an adhesion position.
[0016] Further objects of the invention are achieved by a rotor blade essentially fabricated out of a fiber-reinforced material. The rotor blade exhibits at least two separate adhesion regions, at which prefabricated rotor blade parts are adhesively bonded with each other to form a rotor blade.
[0017] Such an adhesive device along with the corresponding method for manufacturing such rotor blades make it possible to adhesively bond a plurality of prefabricated rotor blade parts with each other in a suitable manner, so as to realize a rotor blade geometry distinguished by torsions and undercuts that cannot be produced otherwise at the present time. Specifically, because the rotor blade parts are manufactured not just out of two half shells, the individual rotor blade parts can be prefabricated with the kind of geometry that distinctly facilitates the subsequent process of joining and adhesively bonding the individual rotor blade parts. As a result, even those rotor blade parts exhibiting an enhanced torsion or an undercut can be prefabricated without already having being joined with another rotor blade part.
[0018] According to the invention, the manufacturing method or adhesive device enables a departure from the previous 2-half shell fabrication method, thereby making it possible to manufacture rotor blades with complex geometries.
[0019] As a result, such a manufacturing method and adhesive device according to the invention permits the manufacture of so-called multi-segment blades, which are additionally distinguished by larger dimensions than conventional rotor blades previously known from prior art, as well as by a higher number of possible geometric configurations. The adhesive device according to the invention also diminishes the amount of work involved in adhesively bonding such rotor blades, thereby enabling an accelerated production from the time of adhesive bonding to the time of rotor blade completion. In addition, the adhesive device also permits suitable component positioning, so that even more complex rotor blade geometries can be realized. Furthermore, the amount of logistical work preceding manufacture is diminished, specifically because the rotor blades to be transported are relatively smaller in terms of their dimensions.
[0020] A first, especially preferred embodiment of the adhesive device provides that the adhesive device exhibit at least one additional, fourth accommodating region, which is configured to receive or mount a flange, which in particular can be adhesively bonded with at least one of the three prefabricated rotor blade parts over a predetermined adhesion region. This ensures that an entire rotor blade with flange for connection to the hub of a wind power plant can be fabricated in accordance with the embodiment. In addition, the fourth accommodating region ensures a controlled manipulation of the flange, so as to achieve a desired alignment and exact relative positioning of the rotor blade parts to the flange. Furthermore, separately accommodating the flange in a region not provided for receiving other relatively lighter rotor blade parts can improve weight distribution, making it possible to diminish the overall technical outlay for the adhesive device.
[0021] Another embodiment of the adhesive device according to the invention can provide for the automatic and/or course controlled transfer of the prefabricated rotor blade parts arranged in the three accommodating regions into the adhesion position. This makes it possible to manufacture a finished rotor blade more quickly on the one hand, while also enabling series production for relatively high throughput rates. In addition, the accuracy and precision with which the rotor blade parts are adhesively bonded with each other can also be elevated by a course controller. Furthermore, the positioning and repetition accuracy are distinctly improved.
[0022] The embodiment can further provide that the first accommodating region, the second accommodating region and the third accommodating region can be moved in such a way when transferring the prefabricated rotor blade parts arranged in the three accommodating regions that the prefabricated rotor blade parts can be brought into direct or indirect contact with each other for adhesive bonding purposes essentially at the same time, but in particular at a time offset not to exceed 30 minutes. This once again enables a relatively faster manufacture of a finished rotor blade, and ensures the foundation for series production. In particular, this also allows the realization of a 12-hour cycle for rotor blade manufacture, since joining the rotor blade parts in immediate chronological succession reduces the time required for completing a rotor blade.
[0023] Another embodiment of the adhesive device according to the invention provides that at least one of the four accommodating regions can be tilted relative to one of the other accommodating regions while transferring the prefabricated rotor blade parts situated in the four accommodating regions into the adhesion position. As a consequence, undercuts that could previously not be manufactured can be realized, enabling the construction of even more complex blade geometries. In particular, the blade angles can be individually adjusted while tilting.
[0024] Another embodiment of the invention provides that the first accommodating region, the second accommodating region and the third accommodating region execute a movement relative to each other that is perpendicular to the progression of the gravitational field while transferring the prefabricated rotor blade parts situated in the three accommodating regions into the adhesion position. The relative movement is hence essentially horizontal, wherein this horizontal movement causes the three rotor blade parts to move relative to each other and into an adhesion position in such a way that the rotor blade parts to be adhesively bonded can be easily monitored and controlled by the operating personnel before, during and even after having moved into the adhesion position. In addition, a horizontal movement requires less expended force, and hence energy, than a movement exhibiting a vertical movement component. As a result, this ensures essentially low energy consumption in comparison to other movement orientations. Alternatively, the movement can also take place parallel to each other, wherein this yields the corresponding disadvantages.
[0025] Another possible embodiment provides that the flange arranged or mounted in the fourth accommodating region remains stationary and immovable while transferring the prefabricated rotor blade parts situated in the first, second and third accommodating regions into the adhesion position. On the one hand, this enables a more accurate relative positioning of the flange in relation to the rotor blade parts, since a movement of the relatively heavier flange region can be avoided. In addition, this also simplifies the overall manufacturing method, since only the movements, and hence the relative positioning, of the rotor blade parts in relation to a fixed reference system (specifically that of the flange) must be taken into account. In addition, the position of the flange is typically preadjusted, so that arranging all rotor blade parts relative to the flange simplifies the overall alignment and precise arrangement of the rotor blade parts to each other. These advantages can also be noted with respect to an alternative embodiment, in which the flange is already rigidly joined with one of the at least three rotor blade parts.
[0026] Another preferred embodiment can also provide that the first accommodating region, the second accommodating region and the third accommodating region be arranged in such a way relative to each other that, after the prefabricated rotor blade parts situated in the three accommodating regions have been transferred into the adhesion position, either the suction side or pressure side of the segmented rotor blade to be constructed is oriented essentially parallel to the progression of the earth's surface on which in particular the adhesive device is erected. This facilitates an optically assisted adjustment of the individual rotor blade parts. In addition, the individual rotor blade parts can be suitably propped against the floor without having to worry about damage to the rotor blade parts or a change in their relative alignment.
[0027] Another embodiment of the adhesive device can also provide that at least one of the three accommodating regions be pivotable in design, in particular so that it can pivot by at least 90°. As a result, adhesive regions of the individual rotor blade parts can be made accessible to the operating personnel, which could otherwise only be reached with difficulty. As a result, specific rotor blade parts can be changed in terms of their position for the required application of adhesive, and then be returned to a single alignment with other rotor blade parts again for adhesive bonding. Pivoting can take place not just for applying an adhesive, however, but also for filling the receptacles of the adhesive device with the corresponding, prefabricated rotor blade parts. It here proves especially advantageous for a pivoting position to release one of the receptacles toward the top, opposite the direction of gravity.
[0028] Another embodiment can envisage that at least one of the accommodating regions be adjustable to a geometric shape of the prefabricated rotor blade part or flange provided as intended for accommodation. As a result, the adhesive device can also be used for manufacturing rotor blades with a deviating geometry. In particular, the respective receptacles for accommodating the rotor blade part are provided with inserts, which adjust or correspond to the geometry of the rotor blade part. If the objective is now to change the geometry of the rotor blade part, all that need be done is to change out these inserts so as to provide receptacles that also correspond to the new geometry. Alternatively, the inserts can also be correspondingly deformed, and thereby adjusted, by suitably applied actuators. According to the embodiment, this expands the variety of uses for the adhesive device.
[0029] Another embodiment of the adhesive device according to the invention also envisages that the first accommodation region be provided for receiving a prefabricated nose shell and/or the second accommodating region for receiving a prefabricated middle part segment and/or the third accommodating region for receiving a prefabricated rear edge segment of the rotor blade to be constructed. In particular, these rotor blade parts are adhesively bonded with each other in such a way that their adhesion regions are largely arranged or run in the longitudinal direction of the rotor blade to be manufactured. In addition, the area of the rotor blade referred to as the nose region exhibits a sometimes enhanced curvature and torsion. This also holds true especially for the area referred to as the rear edge of the rotor blade. As a result, in order to diminish or avoid problems during manufacture and subsequent joining, rotor blade parts that encompass these regions are prefabricated, and subsequently only adhesively bonded in a suitable manner. Adhesive bonding can here take place in adhesion regions that are better suited for a solid adhesive bond than the sometimes curved regions in the nose area as well as the rear edge area.
[0030] The embodiment can also provide that at least one of the first, second or third accommodating regions of the rotor blade to be constructed exhibit a longitudinal extension, which is essentially oriented parallel to the longitudinal extension of the rotor blade to be constructed. The longitudinal extension of the rotor blade here stretches from the flange of the rotor blade to the blade tip. In addition, the adhesive device according to the embodiment exhibits one or more receptacles whose geometric extension exhibits a direction of expansion that differs from the others in that it is at its maximum size. In terms of the embodiment, this is intended as the direction of longitudinal extension for the receptacle. Alternatively, the accommodating regions can also exhibit a longitudinal extension that runs perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal extension for the rotor blade to be constructed, or at a predetermined angle thereto.
[0031] Another embodiment can further provide that the adhesive device exhibit an adhesive apparatus, which can at least section ally move along the predetermined adhesion regions, in particular perpendicular to the directional progression of the earth's magnetic field along the predetermined adhesion regions. The adhesive apparatus makes it possible to apply the required adhesive onto the adhesion regions before joining together the rotor blade parts. Given the size of the rotor blade parts and corresponding adhesion regions, large quantities of adhesive must be applied, which according to the embodiment is applied with the adhesive apparatus for reasons of time and production efficiency. Adhesive application can involve human assistance, or be completely automated.
[0032] A further development of this embodiment can also provide that the adhesive apparatus be suitable for receiving at least one person, who can effect or monitor the application of adhesive on the predetermined adhesion regions of at least one of the prefabricated rotor blade parts. The at least one person ensures a suitable application of adhesive on the adhesion regions. He or she either uses a suitable device for applying the adhesive onto the required adhesion regions, or simply monitors the application of adhesive given an automatically or semi-automatically operating device. In particular, the adhesive apparatus also exhibits enough space for storing the adhesive. The adhesive used can be a conventional industrial adhesive, in particular an epoxy adhesive.
[0033] In addition, the adhesive apparatus can also move in the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade to be constructed. As a consequence, adhesive is applied especially efficiently in particular when the rotor blade parts exhibit a direction of longitudinal extension essentially corresponding to the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade to be manufactured, i.e., the adhesion regions also run in this direction of longitudinal extension.
[0034] The adhesive apparatus can also be distinguished by the fact that the adhesive apparatus is suitably configured for automatically applying adhesives to predetermined adhesion regions of at least one of the prefabricated rotor blade parts or the flange. Such an automatic application can occur by having the adhesion regions exhibit a suitable marking that can be detected by an optical recognition device and correspondingly supplied with adhesive. Alternatively, such an automatic application can also involve detecting and storing the scope and local positions of the adhesion areas in advance, and having the adhesive apparatus enable the application of adhesive based upon this stored information.
[0035] Another embodiment of the adhesive device can also provide that the adhesive device exhibit at least one tempering device, which is configured in such a way as to expose predetermined adhesion regions of at least one of the prefabricated rotor blade parts or the flange to heat on a locally limited basis. Such a tempering device can exhibit a resistance heater with metallic resistance heating wires. The latter can also be laminated into predetermined components, in particular into inserts of the accommodating regions for the prefabricated rotor blade parts. Such resistance heating fields can measure 1-2 m 2 in size, and be individually or separately actuated. Also provided for temperature regulation are temperature sensors. The geometry of the tempering device here essentially corresponds to the progression of the adhesion regions, wherein other prefabricated and already cured regions of the rotor blade parts are not supplied with thermal energy. This tangibly economizes on energy primarily by comparison to such adhesive devices, since the entire rotor blade to be manufactured is not supplied with thermal energy.
[0036] The adhesive device can further also exhibit at least one pressing unit, which is configured in such a way as to be able to press one or more belt ends of the prefabricated rotor blade parts against the flange for purposes of adhesive bonding. Above all, such a pressing unit enables a targeted connection of the rotor blade part and flange. According to the embodiment, the rotor blade part exhibits belts that are situated on the inside after the rotor blade has been completely finished. Alternatively, however, any other suitable region of one or more rotor blade parts can also be pressed against the flange. In addition, such a pressing unit can also encompass a tempering device.
[0037] Furthermore, the adhesive device can also exhibit at least one suction unit, which makes it possible to retain at least one of the rotor blade parts in the respective accommodating region under a vacuum. To this end, the adhesive device can exhibit aspiration ports in the respective accommodating regions, which interact with at least one suction pump, and establish a vacuum between the prefabricated rotor blade part and the accommodating region. This type of retainer leaves no damage behind on the surface of the rotor blade part, and is thus particularly well suited for mounting purposes.
[0038] Another embodiment of the method according to the invention for manufacturing a rotor blade can also provide for a course-controlled transfer of the rotor blade parts into the adhesion position. As already explained above, this enables a chronologically improved and more precise fabrication of the rotor blade. Course control preferably takes place with an accuracy of at least 1 cm, in particular of 0.5 cm, and preferably of at least 3 mm. As a consequence, the adhesion regions of the rotor blade parts can be positioned relative to each other precisely enough to ensure the required dimensional accuracy of the rotor blade.
[0039] A preferred embodiment of the rotor blade according to the invention provides that at least two adhesion regions at least sectionally run in the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade. On the one hand, this ensures that loads arising with a wind power plant in operation can be suitably distributed over the adhesion regions, thereby leaving no stress peaks to be expected in the adhesion regions. The situation would be different if the rotor blades had rotor blade parts that were adhesively bonded in such a way that the adhesion regions essentially run perpendicular to the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade. The adhesively bonded regions of the rotor blade can here represent weak points in terms of mechanical resilience, wherein a damaged or, in the worst case scenario, broken rotor blade is preferably encountered at these locations.
[0040] A rotor blade part can further encompass a nose shell. As a consequence, the nose region of a rotor blade can be fabricated separately, and preferably as a single piece, wherein the adhesion regions can be configured in such a way as to make the adhesive process largely free of complications. This is the case primarily when the adhesion regions are generally free of torsions and/or undercuts.
[0041] In like manner, a rotor blade part can encompass a rear edge segment. The rear edge region can hence be fabricated separately, and preferably as a single piece, wherein the adhesion regions can be configured in such a way that adhesive bonding can take place free of complications. This is the case primarily when the adhesion regions are generally free of torsions and/or undercuts.
[0042] A further development of the rotor blade according to the invention can also provide that the nose shell and rear edge segment be joined together by a middle part segment, which essentially stretches in the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade. Such an arrangement ensures that the middle part segment will absorb and convey to the flange the forces that are introduced by the nose shell and rear edge segment. The adhesion regions are here again aligned in the direction of longitudinal extension of the rotor blade, and can hence suitably distribute the stresses that arise during operation of the wind power plant over the rotor blade and introduce them into the middle part segment.
[0043] Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
[0044] Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a method and an adhesive machine for constructing segmented rotor blades, 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.
[0045] The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING
[0046] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of an adhesive machine or device according to the invention, which incorporates an embodiment of a rotor blade according to the invention;
[0047] FIG. 2 is a side view of the embodiment of the adhesive device according to the invention as depicted on FIG. 1 , which incorporates no rotor blade;
[0048] FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the embodiment of the adhesive device according to the invention as depicted on the preceding figures, which incorporates no rotor blade;
[0049] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a second accommodating region for receiving a middle part segment of an embodiment of the rotor blade according to the invention corresponding to the embodiment of the adhesive device depicted on the preceding figures; and
[0050] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an adhesive apparatus of an embodiment not further depicted of the adhesive device shown on the preceding figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0051] Referring now to the figures of the drawings in detail and first, particularly to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a perspective view of an embodiment of an adhesive machine or device 10 according to the invention, which incorporates an embodiment of a rotor blade 5 according to the invention. The rotor blade 5 consists of three different rotor blade parts 1 , 2 and 3 . The first rotor blade part 1 is here configured as a nose shell 1 , the second rotor blade part 2 as a middle part segment 2 , and the third rotor blade part 3 as a rear edge segment 3 . Adhesion regions 21 between the nose shell 1 and the middle part segment 2 are essentially oriented in the direction of longitudinal extension, and formed on both the suction and pressure side of the rotor blade. In a like manner, adhesion regions 22 between the rear edge segment 1 and the middle part segment 2 are essentially oriented in the direction of longitudinal extension, and formed on both the suction and pressure side of the rotor blade. Both the nose shell 1 along with the rear edge segment 3 are each joined with a flange 4 by a belt 6 , which is respectively anchored in the interior of the nose shell 1 or rear edge segment 3 . In addition, the flange 4 is situated in a fourth accommodating region 14 . The flange 4 is arranged in this way by tightening several of the bolts provided on the flange 4 . The bolting process fixes the flange 4 in place, so that the flange 4 could only be moved inadvertently, and after exposed to high mechanical forces.
[0052] In its depicted production stage, the rotor blade 5 further exhibits an opening 25 , which can still ensure access to the interior of the rotor blade 5 . The opening is necessary for even further processing the belts or webs inside the rotor blade 5 . After processing is complete, the opening 25 is closed with a component not further depicted, wherein the outer skin of the rotor blade 5 is secured to the flange 4 on all sides. The opening 25 is closed by gluing the boundaries of the component configured as adhesion regions with the middle part segment 2 and nose shell 1 with an adhesive. In addition, a device not further depicted can be used for curing purposes by exposing the adhesive to heat.
[0053] In order to manufacture the rotor blade 5 according to the invention, a first prefabricated rotor blade part 1 (nose shell) is first placed into a first receptacle 11 of the adhesive device 10 and attached therein. The attachment is established by suitably secured aspiration ports, which enable mounting under a vacuum. In a like manner, a third prefabricated rotor blade part 3 (rear edge segment) is placed into a third receptacle 13 of the adhesive device 10 and attached therein. The attachment is again established through vacuum-assisted mounting.
[0054] When inserting both the first prefabricated rotor blade part 1 and the third prefabricated rotor blade part 3 , care is taken during the fitting process to maintain a predetermined alignment and the required accuracy. To assist in the fitting process, the receptacles 11 and 13 exhibit inserts, which correspond to the geometric circumferential shape of the rotor blade parts 1 and 3 , thereby helping to bring about a perfect fit during placement. The inserts are each secured to a first retaining structure 15 and a third retaining structure 17 .
[0055] The retaining structures 15 and 17 are each braced against the ground on a set of rails 31 , and can be moved toward or away from each other thereon.
[0056] Situated at roughly the midpoint between the two retaining structures 15 and 17 is another second retaining structure 16 , upon which is also provided a second accommodating region 12 , which is not further depicted or visible. The second accommodating region 12 is used to receive the second prefabricated rotor blade part 2 , which is configured as a middle part segment 2 situated between the nose shell 1 and rear edge segment 3 in the rotor blade 5 depicted.
[0057] In order to manufacture the rotor blade 5 , the first retaining structure 15 with the first rotor blade part 1 (nose shell) received in the first accommodating region 11 provided therein and the third retaining structure 17 with the third rotor blade part 3 (rear edge segment) received in the third accommodating region 13 provided therein are now moved relatively toward each other, i.e., both are moved toward the second rotor blade part 2 received in the second accommodating region 12 . Therefore, the second accommodating region 12 as well as the second rotor blade part 2 incorporated therein remain spatially fixed in place, just as the flange 4 . The movement continues until such time as the adhesion regions 21 of the nose shell 1 and the adhesion regions 21 of the middle part segment 2 have established sufficient contact with each other. The adhesive applied to the adhesion regions 21 can here prevent direct and immediate contact. In any case, however, the two components approach each other closely enough to bring about an adhesive bond via the adhesive.
[0058] In a like manner, the movement takes place in such a way that the adhesion regions 22 of the rear edge segment 3 and middle part segment 2 come into sufficient contact with each other. Direct and immediate contact can here again be avoided by the adhesive applied to the adhesion regions 22 . In any case, however, the two components approach each other closely enough to bring about an adhesive bond.
[0059] The movement of the first retaining structure 15 and the third retaining structure 17 can be simultaneous or staggered in terms of time.
[0060] Once the adhesion position has been reached, thermal energy is supplied in a localized manner along the two adhesion regions 21 and 22 by tempering devices 40 , which each are provided in the first accommodating region 11 and the third accommodating region 13 . The tempering devices 40 are here arranged and geometrically configured in such a way that essentially only the adhesion regions 21 and 22 are supplied with thermal energy. This leads to a targeted curing of the as yet uncured adhesive in the adhesion regions 21 and 22 , thereby rigidly joining together the first rotor blade part 1 (nose shell), second rotor blade part 2 (middle part segment), and third rotor blade part 3 (rear edge segment).
[0061] Joining with the flange 4 likewise takes place with the first rotor blade part 1 (nose shell), second rotor blade part 2 (middle part segment) and third rotor blade part 3 (rear edge segment), wherein the adhesive is here cured in the adhesion regions not further provided with reference numbers by a tempering device not further shown.
[0062] According to the embodiment, the belt ends 6 on the side of the first rotor blade part 1 and the third rotor blade part 3 are joined by respective laterally arranged pressing units 50 , which can likewise be moved on rails in the direction toward the flange 4 . After a sufficient convergence, preformed surfaces press against the belt ends 6 , which are adhesively bonded with the flange, and thereby cause the belt ends 6 to press against predetermined regions on the flange 4 . Curing can take place on these regions through exposure to heat. A tempering device can again be provided on or in the pressing regions for this purpose.
[0063] The movement by both the pressing units 50 as well as the first retaining structure 15 and third retaining structure 17 can be course-controlled and individually actuated.
[0064] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the embodiment of the adhesive device 10 according to the invention as depicted on FIG. 1 , which incorporates no rotor blade. The fourth accommodating region 14 is clearly shown, and provided for retaining the flange 4 . The flange 4 is here held in place by several bolts of the bolt collar, which are accommodated by bolt receptacles 18 . According to the embodiment, the bolt receptacles 18 are configured as bushings 18 , through which the bolts are guided and tightened on the opposite side.
[0065] Also clearly evident is the second accommodating region 12 , which itself is placed on the second retaining structure 16 (the second accommodating region 12 as well as the second retaining structure 16 , which are both situated in the image plane behind the fourth accommodating region 14 , are foreshortened).
[0066] FIG. 3 shows a perspective top view of the embodiment of the adhesive device 10 according to the invention as depicted on the preceding figures, which incorporates no rotor blade 5 . Distinctly visible in the depiction is the first retaining structure 15 , which exhibits the first accommodating region 11 for receiving the first rotor blade 1 (nose shell) (not shown). Further discernible is the third retaining structure 17 , which exhibits the third accommodating region 13 for receiving the third rotor blade part 3 (rear edge segment) (not shown). Both retaining structures 15 and 17 are each arranged on one side of the second accommodating region 12 , which is secured to the second retaining structure 16 .
[0067] Furthermore, a pair of rails 31 arranged parallel to each other run both on the side of the first retaining structure 15 and on the side of the third retaining structure 17 , and are provided for a respective adhesive apparatus 30 (see also FIG. 5 ). Such adhesive apparatuses can be shifted along these rails 31 , so that all adhesion regions 21 and 22 of the rotor blade parts 1 , 2 and 3 not further depicted can be supplied and provided with adhesive. The rails 31 here essentially run parallel to the longitudinal extension of the second accommodating region 12 .
[0068] Also shown on FIG. 3 on the side of the first retaining structure 15 is a set comprised of three pairs of parallel running rails 31 . The latter allow the first retaining structure 15 to move in the direction toward the second accommodating region 12 . In addition, a set comprised of four pairs of parallel running rails 31 is arranged on the side of the third retaining structure 17 . These allow the third retaining structure 17 to also move in the direction toward the second accommodating region 12 . These rail pairs are arranged so as to run essentially perpendicular to the rails 31 , which are provided for the adhesive apparatus.
[0069] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the second accommodating region 12 for receiving a middle part segment of an embodiment of the rotor blade 5 according to the invention (not shown) based on the embodiment of the adhesive device 10 depicted on the preceding figures. The second accommodating region 12 is here comprised of two parts, and is held by the second retaining structure 16 . The fourth accommodating region 14 for mounting the flange 4 is provided at the end, elongating the direction of longitudinal extension of the second accommodating region 12 .
[0070] The second accommodating region 12 is interrupted in roughly the middle of its longitudinal extension, and exhibits a recess. This recess can be advantageous for adjustment purposes if it exhibits adjustment aids, which are not shown here.
[0071] FIG. 5 presents a perspective view of an adhesive apparatus 30 of an embodiment (not further depicted) of the adhesive device 10 shown on the preceding figures. The adhesive device 10 is suitable for accommodating several people (three individuals here), who can work on respectively different planes. The adhesive apparatus 30 exhibits two personal platforms 35 , which can be vertically moved (corresponding to the orientation shown). Individuals can be equipped with hoses (not depicted here), which are suitable for applying and metering adhesive (for example, commercially available epoxy adhesive). To this end, the hoses can also exhibit suitable discharge nozzles, from which the adhesive is dispensed.
[0072] On the other side of the hose, the hoses empty into a dispensing unit 36 , which is provided with a suitable control. The dispensing unit 36 interacts with a non-illustrated pump, which distributes the provided adhesive on the hoses. From the dispensing unit 36 , the hoses each branch off toward the top (corresponding to the present orientation), and are mounted on a hose bracket 38 for purposes of stress relief. The adhesive is taken from a storage container 37 .
[0073] For locomotion purposes, the adhesive apparatus 30 is made to abut against rails 31 (not further shown) by rail rollers 39 , and can be autonomously moved on the latter by a suitable non-illustrated driving device.
[0074] Additional embodiments may be derived from the subclaims. Let it further be noted that all features shown on the figures are here being claimed, whether in isolation or in conjunction with each other.
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An adhesive machine for constructing segmented rotor blades having at least three prefabricated rotor blade parts contains a first accommodating region for receiving a first prefabricated rotor blade part, a second accommodating region for receiving a second prefabricated rotor blade part and a third accommodating region for receiving a third prefabricated rotor blade part. The first accommodating region, the second accommodating region and the third accommodating region can be moved relative to each other so that, following successful receiving of the three prefabricated rotor blade parts in the proper accommodating regions in an open position of the adhesive machine, the rotor blade parts can be brought into direct or indirect contact with each other via predetermined adhesion regions and thus transferred into an adhesion position.
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RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/644,785, filed May 9, 2012, which is incorporated herein by reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Various embodiments described herein relate to an oil spill containment and recovery apparatus and a method for using the same.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Large oil spills can cause permanent damage to the aquatic environment. The oil also gets into the aquatic food chain, and directly contaminates fish and shellfish. Estuaries, where various species breed, also important links in the food chain, have become contaminated. In addition, fish, water fowl, and mammals living in the water can face damage and destruction.
[0004] There is also the potential for damage to the sea shore, such as beaches and waterfront property. This is due to the accumulation of heavy weight oils, such as crude oil. The only effective way to deal with this situation is to attempt to minimize the quantity of oil spilled.
[0005] Oil spills can occur when there are accidents or failures at an offshore drilling rig. The largest oil spill in history occurred in April of 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico after an explosion on an oil rig that killed 11 men and injured 17 others. The spill stemmed from a sea-floor oil gusher that resulted from the Apr. 20, 2010. On Jul. 15, 2010, the leak was stopped by capping the gushing wellhead after it had released about 4.9 million barrels (780,000 m 3 ) of crude oil. I An estimated 53,000 barrels per day (8,400 m 3 /d) escaped from the well just before it was capped. The spill caused extensive damage to marine and wildlife habitats and to the Gulfs fishing and tourism industries. Skimmer ships, floating containment booms, anchored barriers, sand-filled barricades along shorelines, and dispersants were used in an attempt to protect hundreds of miles of beaches, wetlands, and estuaries from the spreading oil. Immense underwater plumes of dissolved oil not visible at the surface were discovered. Tar balls occurred for months afterward. The amount of Louisiana shoreline affected by the oil spill was up to 320 miles (510 km) in late November 2010. In January 2011, an oil spill commission reported that tar balls continued to wash up, oil sheen trails were seen in the wake of fishing boats, wetlands marsh grass remained fouled and dying, and crude oil lies offshore in deep water and in fine silts and sands onshore. The effects of such an oil spill are long lasting. For example, in October 2011, a NOAA report stated that dolphins and whales continue to die at twice the normal rate.
[0006] Many of the oil spills occur because of leakage of ship's oil or spillage of oil tanker cargo. The increase in oil spillage can also be attributed to a greater number of tankers having a larger capacity to carry oil, which, in turn, allows a greater quantity of oil to be shipped from distant oil fields and refineries, leaving a higher probability of oil spillage. Double hulled Super Tankers simply hold much more oil and, when an accident occurs, the resulting oil spill can be massive.
[0007] Many oil spills occur from refueling of ships in a harbor. Of course, there types of oil spills are more prevalent as a result of ships gradually changing from coal to fuel oil for propulsion. Now that most use fuel oil, there are many small oil spills that occur within a harbor. The techniques for cleaning up large oil spills are many times used for smaller oil spills. Skimming devices, and floating containment booms are generally used to reclaim oil. Skimming devices include towed barges or self propelled vessels fitted with scoop type skimming structural are used to skim the water surface, removing oil therefrom. Depending on the quantity of the oil spilled, the recovered oil can either be stored temporarily on board the recovery vessel or pumped directly to another holding means. Another method, that can be incorporated with the first method or used by itself, is to deploy a flotation barrier for confining the spread of oil. Aprons of varying depth are attached to the flotation barrier to form a dike that blocks or at least retards the oil from spreading.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The embodiments will be readily understood by the following detailed description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of a spill collection system, according to an example embodiment.
[0010] FIG. 2 is s a top perspective view of a boom used in the spill collection system, according to an example embodiment
[0011] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a boom used in the spill collection system along cutline 3 - 3 in FIG. 2 , according to an example embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 4 is a stack of boom sections that are used to form the boom used in the spill collection system, according to an example embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fluid extractor, according to an example embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an extractor mount, according to an example embodiment.
[0015] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an extractor tray, according to an example embodiment.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an extractor grating, according to an example embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a grating support, according to an example embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first or right hand roller support, according to an example embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second or left hand roller support, according to an example embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a driven roller, according to an example embodiment.
[0021] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a driver roller, according to an example embodiment.
[0022] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an extractor gear, according to an example embodiment.
[0023] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an upper bracket, according to an example embodiment.
[0024] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an extractor spring, according to an example embodiment.
[0025] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a first extractor guide, according to an example embodiment.
[0026] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a second extractor guide, according to an example embodiment.
[0027] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a slide plate, according to an example embodiment.
[0028] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a plurality of slide plates engaged with a roller support, according to an example embodiment.
[0029] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of another fluid extractor called a bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
[0030] FIG. 22A is a perspective view of a press associated with the bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 22B is a bottom view of a press associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 23 is a perspective view a press plate associated with the bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a tray associated with the bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a grate associated with the tray of the bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a handle associated with the bulk press, according to an example embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0036] In the following paper, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the concepts underlying the described embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that the described embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps have not been described in detail in order to avoid unnecessarily obscuring the underlying concepts.
[0037] FIG. 1 is a top schematic view of a spill collection system 100 , according to an example embodiment. The spill collection system 100 includes a vessel 120 that has an extractor 500 on board, and a fluid absorbing boom 200 . The fluid absorbing boom 200 encompasses or encircles a spill which is shown as a spill area 110 . As shown in FIG. 1 , the fluid absorbing boom 200 encircles the spill area 110 two times. The fluid absorbing boom 200 includes a first or inner circle 201 , and an outer or second circle 202 . The boom 200 is made of material that selectively absorbs a particular fluid. For example, if the spill area is due to a petroleum product, the boom 200 is made of a material that absorbs petroleum more than it absorbs seawater. The inner circle 201 interacts with the spill area 110 and absorbs a majority of the petroleum spilled. The second or outer circle 202 also may absorb petroleum but generally is positioned as a safety measure. In other words, most of the petroleum is absorbed by the inner circle 201 of the boom 200 . In some instances, some petroleum may get beyond the inner circle 201 of the boom 200 . In that case, the outer circle 202 of the boom 200 absorbs the petroleum that has escaped or gotten beyond the inner circle tool one of the boom 200 . The extractor 500 is positioned on a vessel 120 that can store spilled petroleum. The extractor 500 squeezes the boom 200 to substantially remove the petroleum from the boom 200 . In some embodiments there may be one extractor on the vessel 120 . In other instances there may be a plurality of extractors 500 on vessel 120 . The vessel 120 also includes a ramp 130 . The ramp 130 guides the boom 200 to the extractor 500 on the vessel and back into the sea water. The ramp 130 also includes a portion 132 that lifts the inner circle portion 201 of the boom 200 over the outer circle portion 202 as it travels into the vessel 120 . After the extractor 500 squeezes the petroleum or spill fluid from the boom 200 , the petroleum or spill fluid drains or is pumped into a tank associated with the vessel 120 . The boom 200 travels in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1 . When the boom 200 travels into the extractor 500 on the vessel 120 is transitioned from a position on the inner circle 201 of the boom 200 a position on the outer circle 202 of the boom 200 . The boom 200 moves continuously in the direction of the arrows shown in FIG. 1 . The boom 200 comes in sections. The vessel 120 typically holds or stores a number of sections so that the boom 200 can be lengthened or shortened as needed. For example if the spill area 110 is small, the number of sections needed to form the boom 200 will be less than if the spill area 110 is larger.
[0038] FIG. 2 is s a top perspective view of a boom 200 used in the spill collection system 100 , according to an example embodiment. As shown the boom 200 comes in sections. The boom shown in FIG. 2 includes a first section 211 and a second section 212 . Each boom section, such as first boom section 211 includes a connector 213 located at one and of the boom section 211 . Each boom section 211 also includes an opening for receiving the connector 213 .
[0039] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a boom 200 used in the spill collection system 100 along cutline 3 - 3 in FIG. 2 , according to an example embodiment. The boom 200 includes a mass of fluid absorbing material 300 . As shown in FIG. 3 , the boom also includes an opening in the center of the boom 200 for receiving a connector, such as connector 213 . As mentioned previously of the boom 200 is made of material that selectively absorbs fluids or liquids. For example, Opflex Solutions LLC of West Hyannisport, Mass., USA manufacturers a material under the tradename OPFLEX which is a cross-linked polyolefin foam that absorbs nonpolar substances (like oil) and repels water. The OPFLEX material is 50 to 70% lighter in weight than most servants and contains narrative that speech its biopic radiation. Once it is properly run out or centrifuged, the material can be reused multiple time making it a low carbon impact product. In addition a boom made of OPFLEX material has 500% more surface area than conventional booms. One boom section weighing approximately 23 ounces can absorber approximately 6 pounds of oil, for example.
[0040] FIG. 4 is a stack 400 of boom sections that are used to form the boom 200 used in the spill collection system 100 , according to an example embodiment. The stack 400 includes a plurality of boom sections, such as boom section 201 and boom section 202 . The boom sections are situated within the rack 410 aboard the vessel 110 (shown in FIG. 1 ). In operation, the boom 200 can be formed by connecting a plurality of boom sections, such as boom sections 201 , 202 to form an elongated boom 200 . The length of the boom formed can be changed by varying the number of sections which are connected to form the boom 200 . As an oil spill or fluid spill is cleaned up the spill area 110 will become smaller. Thus as a cleanup continues, boom sections, such as boom sections 201 , 202 , can be removed from the boom 200 to shorten the boom and keep in contact with the spill area 110 .
[0041] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a fluid extractor 500 , according to an example embodiment. The fluid extractor 500 includes an extractor mount 600 . The extractor mount is mounted to the vessel 110 . In extractor tray 700 fits within the extractor mount 600 . The extractor tray 700 captures the extracted fluid, such as oil or other petroleum product, and moves it or directs it toward a tank or other container for holding the extracted fluid which is on the vessel 110 . Positioned within the extractor tray is an extractor grating 800 . The extractor grating 800 is supported by a grating support 900 . The grating support 900 supports one end of the extractor grating 800 . Also attached to the extractor tray 700 is a first roller support 1000 and a second roller support 1100 . The roller support 1000 and the rollers support 1100 , support a driver roller 1300 and a driven roller 1200 . The driver roller 1300 and the driven roller 1200 each carry an extractor gear 1400 . The extractor gears 1400 interact with each other so that the driver roller 1300 drives the driven roller 1200 via the extractor gears 1400 . In other words, the extractor gear 1400 associated with the driver roller 1300 is the driver gear and the extractor gear 1400 associated with the driven roller 1200 is the driven gear. In one embodiment of the invention, the driver roller 1300 includes an extractor gear 1400 on each end of the driver roller 1300 . Similarly the driven roller 1200 includes an extractor gear 1400 on each end of the driven roller 1200 . The extractor 500 also includes an upper bracket 1500 which connects the first or right roller support 1000 to the second or left roller support 1100 . The upper bracket 1500 also contains an extractor spring 1600 . The extractor spring 1600 is a leaf spring which acts or places a spring force on the driven roller 1200 . The upper bracket 1500 also includes a spring force adjustment device 510 which can include a handle 512 . The spring force adjustment device 510 through bleeding gauges and acme nut 514 which is carried by the upper bracket 1500 . The acme nut 514 provides a threaded opening for the upper bracket 1500 and a handle 512 . By turning the handle 512 , a threaded fastener (not shown) can be turned until a free end abuts the leaf spring 1600 . I further engaging the handle the leaf spring 1600 is further flattened which produces a higher spring force onto the driven roller 1200 . In this way the spring force or force on the driven roller 1200 can be increased or reduced to adjust the force that the rollers 1200 , 1300 apply to the boom 200 (shown in FIGS. 1-4 ). The extractor 500 also includes a second handle 520 which is used to turn our rotate the driver roller 1300 . Of course in another embodiment the second handle 520 can be eliminated and electric or gas motor driver can be substituted for the second handle 520 . The following FIGs. and following discussion will be used to further describe the compliments of the extractor 500 .
[0042] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an extractor mount 600 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor mount 600 includes a rectangular, flat section 610 and four corner sections 611 , 612 , 613 , 614 . Each corner sections 611 , 612 , 613 , 614 includes a first portion that abuts a first wall of the extractor tray 700 and the second portion that abuts a second wall of the extractor tray 700 . The flat section 610 includes a plurality of openings, such as opening 612 . The plurality of openings are sized to accept various fasteners used to mount the extractor mount 600 to a surface within the vessel 110 of the spill collection system 100 .
[0043] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an extractor tray 700 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor tray 700 is essentially a tray for receiving extracted fluid. The extractor tray 700 is a tray that has four side walls 701 , 702 , 703 , 704 . The extractor tray 700 is also a base for the extractor device 500 . The extractor tray sidewall 701 includes openings for fasteners. The extractor tray sidewall 703 also includes openings for fasteners. Fastened to the extractor tray sidewall 701 , is the second or left roller support 1100 . Fastened to the extractor tray sidewall 703 , is the first or right roller support 1000 . The extractor tray 700 , the first or right roller support 1000 , the second or left roller support 1100 and the upper bracket 1500 form a frame to hold the rollers 1200 , 1300 , the extractor spring 1600 , the adjustment mechanism 510 , and the drive mechanism 520 and the extractor gears 1400 .
[0044] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an extractor grating 800 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor grating 800 is held within the extractor tray 700 . The extractor grating 800 includes a number or plurality of elongated slots or slits, such as slot 810 the extractor grating 800 also includes a first edge 820 and a second edge 830 . The first edge 820 is longer than the second edge 830 . The first edge 820 is positioned proximate the driven roller 1300 and the second edge 830 is positioned near a sidewall of the extractor tray 700 . The extractor grating 800 also includes openings 801 , 802 .
[0045] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a grating support 900 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor grating 800 is supported by a grating support 900 . The grating support 900 is L-shaped in cross-section. The grating support 900 includes mounting holes or openings 901 , 902 . The mounting holes or openings 901 , 902 are sized to receive fasteners to fastened the gratings port 900 to the openings 801 and 802 and the extractor grating 800 . The grating support 900 supports the middle portion between the first edge 820 and the second edge 830 of the grating 800 . The grating support 900 provides a leg which sits on the bottom of the extractor tray 700 and spaces the extractor grating 800 from the tray bottom.
[0046] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a first or right hand roller support, according to an example embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a second or left hand roller support, according to an example embodiment. The first or right hand support 1000 is substantially the same as the second or left-hand support 1100 . The first or right hand support 1000 is a minor image of the second or left-hand support 1100 . For the sake of brevity and clarity, the support 1000 will be described with the knowledge that the support 1100 is made in substantially the same fashion. Support 1000 includes openings 1001 , 1002 . The openings 1001 , 1002 are sized to receive fasteners that fastened the roller support 1002 the tray 700 . The roller support 1000 has an elongated base 1004 and up turned sidewalls 1010 , 1020 . The elongated base 1004 and the up turned sidewalls 1010 , 1020 form a c-shaped cross-section. The up turned sidewalls 1010 , 1020 have a slight overhang 1011 , 1021 , respectively. The end result is that the roller support 1000 includes a first channel 1030 . The first channel 1030 is located between overhangs 1011 , 1021 . The channel 1030 is dimensioned to receive one end of the driven roller 1201 and one end of the driver roller 1300 . The channel 1030 also is dimensioned to receive the ends of the extractor spring 1600 .
[0047] As mentioned previously the left-hand or second roller support 1100 is substantially the same or a minor image of the right hand or first roller support 1000 . The left-hand or second roller support 1100 includes openings 1101 , 1102 for fastening the roller support 1100 to the extractor tray 700 . The right-hand roller support includes a flat elongated base 1104 with up turned sidewalls 1110 , 1120 . The up turned sidewalls 1110 , 1120 also include an overhang 1111 , 1121 . The distance between the overhang forms a channel 1130 which is dimensioned to receive one end of the driven roller 1200 and one end of the driver roller 1300 . In the flat elongated base 1104 of the left-hand roller support 1100 is an enlarged opening 1140 . The driven end of the driver roller 1300 passes through the enlarged opening 1140 . The handle or second drive means 520 is attached to the driven and of the driver roller 1300 .
[0048] With the first or right-hand roller support 1000 and the second or left-hand roller support 1100 attached to the extractor tray 700 the driver roller 1300 can be placed or captured in the channels 1030 and 1130 of the first roller support 1000 and the second roller support 1100 . More specifically, the driver roller 1300 is captured on the ends by the openings 1930 and the slide plates 1900 which are placed into the channels 1030 , 1130 of the first roller support 1000 and the second roller support 1100 , respectively. The extractor spring 1600 can also be placed in the channel 1130 so that the ends of the extractor spring 1600 are captured by the channels 1030 , 1130 . Again more specifically, the ends of the extractor spring 1600 are actually captured in the slots 1920 of a pair of slide plates 1900 . One of the slide plates is in the channel 1030 and another of the slide plates is in the channel 1130 . When assembled, the driver roller 1300 is fit within the opening 1140 in the second or left-hand roller support 1100 and the other end is fit within the channel 1030 in the right-hand or first roller support 1000 . The two ends of the driven roller 1200 are fit to the channel 1030 and the channel 1130 . One end of the extractor spring 1600 fits within the channel 1030 and the other end of the extractor spring 1600 fits within the channel 1130 . The upper bracket 1500 is then attached to the first roller support 1000 and the second roller support 1100 to complete the assembly of the extractor 500 .
[0049] FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a slide plate 1900 , according to an example embodiment. The slide plate 1900 includes a beveled edge 1910 and a beveled edge 1912 . The beveled edges 1910 , 1912 are capable of fitting with in the roller supports 1000 , 1100 . The slide plate 1900 also includes a slot 1920 which is dimensioned to receive an end of the extractor spring 1600 . The slide plate 1900 also includes a bearing opening 1930 . The bearing opening 1930 serves as a sleeve bearing and receives in and of one of the rollers, such as the driven roller 1200 or the driver roller 1300 .
[0050] FIG. 12 is a perspective view of a driven roller 1200 , according to an example embodiment. The driven roller 1200 includes a cylindrical body 1210 having a cylindrical surface 1212 . As shown the cylindrical surface 1212 includes a rubber coating or jacket that fits over the cylindrical body 1210 of the driven roller 1200 . In other embodiments, the outer surface can be formed of different materials, including different rubber materials having different durometer hardnesses for various applications. Attached the cylindrical body 1210 of the driven roller 1200 is a shaft 1220 . The shaft includes a first end 1221 and the second end 1222 . The first end 1221 includes a keyway 1223 . The keyway 1223 is used to attach an extractor gear 1400 to the first end 1221 of the shaft 1220 . Each of the first end 1221 and the second end 1222 of the shaft 1220 have necked down portions. The ends of the extractor spring 1600 ride on the necked down portions of the shaft 1220 .
[0051] FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a driver roller 1300 , according to an example embodiment. The driver roller 1300 includes a main body 1310 having a cylindrical covering 1312 thereon. Different driver rollers 1300 can be used for various applications. In some embodiments, the driver roller 1300 can have very aggressive groups that run substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the main body 1310 of the driver roller 1300 . The driver roller also includes a shaft 1320 having a first end 1321 and a second end 1322 . The second and 1322 includes a keyway 1323 . The keyway 1323 is used to attach another extractor gear 1400 to the second and 1322 of the driver roller 1300 . Generally, when used the extractor 500 will include a number of different rollers. There will be different driver rollers 1300 and different driven rollers 1200 for various applications. The first end 1321 of the shaft 1320 engages the channel 1030 of the first roller support 1000 . The second end 1322 of the shaft 1320 passes through the opening 1140 in the left-hand roller support 1100 . The second and 1322 engages the driver handle 520 or other drive mechanism for driving the driver roller 1300 .
[0052] FIG. 14 is a perspective view of an extractor gear 1400 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor gear 1400 includes a number of teeth 1410 , 1411 , 1412 , 1413 , 1414 , 1415 , and 1416 . Each of the teeth 1410 , 1411 , 1412 , 1413 , 1414 , 1415 , and 1416 is capable of either being driven or capable of driving another extractor gear 1400 . Thus the extractor gear 1400 shown can serve as either the driving gear or the driven gear. The extractor gear 1400 can be mounted to either the driven roller 1200 or the driver roller 1300 . Whether the extractor gear 1400 serves as the driving gear or the driven gear depends upon the roller to which it is attached. For example, if the extractor gear 1400 is attached to the driver roller 1300 , the extractor gear is the driver gear.
[0053] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a plurality of slide plates 1900 engaged with a roller support 1000 , and a plurality of slide plates 1900 engaged with a roller support 1100 , according to an example embodiment. As shown in FIG. 20 the slide plates 1900 fit within a channel 1030 of the roller support 1000 . As mentioned previously, the turned up sidewalls 1010 , 1020 have a slight overhangs 1011 , 1021 , respectively, and these form the channel 1030 . A first slide plate 1900 is inserted into the channel 1030 from either end of the right-hand roller support 1000 . A second slide plate 1900 is inserted into the channel 1030 . The first slide plate is positioned proximate the end of the right-hand roller support that is proximate the extractor tray 700 . The second side plate 1900 abuts the first side plate 1900 . The slot 1920 in the second slide plate 1900 is placed closest to the opposite end of the right-hand roller support. In other words the slot 1920 is placed closest to the upper bracket 1500 . The slot 1920 is dimensioned to receive an end of the extractor spring 1600 . The similar arrangement is formed on the left-hand bracket 1100 . The left-hand bracket also has to slide plates which slide into position within the channel 1130 of the left-hand roller bracket 1100 . The upper slide plate includes the slot 1920 which engages another end of the extractor spring 1600 . The cylindrical shaft of the driver roller 1300 is inserted into the opening 1930 in the lower slide plate 1900 . Similarly the ends of the driven roller 1200 are placed into the openings 1930 of the upper slide plates 1900 positioned within the right-hand roller support 1000 and the left-hand roller support 1100 .
[0054] FIG. 20 also shows the extractor spring 1600 or leaf spring engaging the slide plate 1900 in the assembled extractor, according to an example embodiment. As shown the end 1601 and the end 1602 ride within the slots 1920 of a pair of the slide plates 1900 .
[0055] FIG. 15 is a perspective view of an upper bracket 1500 , according to an example embodiment. The upper bracket 1500 includes a main body having openings therein. There are four openings 1501 , 1502 , 1503 , 1504 for attaching the upper bracket 1500 to the right-hand roller support 1000 and the left-hand roller support 1100 . The upper bracket 1500 also includes a larger opening 1510 . The larger opening 1510 receives an Acme nut 514 . The Acme nut 514 supports the adjusting device 510 which includes a handle 512 for making adjustments to the spring force produced by the extractor spring 1600 . A fastener, which includes a shaft (not shown) abuts the extractor spring 1600 about midway along the length of the extractor spring 1600 . The adjusting device 510 can be turned clockwise to further engage the shaft of the fastener with the extractor spring 1600 . As the fastener and is further engaged with the extractor spring 1600 , the spring force produced by the extractor spring 1600 increases. If the adjuster device 510 is turned in a counterclockwise direction, the end of the fastener disengages or produces a lesser amount of spring force acting upon the rollers 1200 , 1300 in the extractor 500 .
[0056] FIG. 16 is a perspective view of an extractor spring 1600 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor spring 1600 is a leaf spring having flattened ends 1601 and 1602 . The flattened and 1601 and 1602 ride within the channels 1030 , 1130 of the first or right-hand roller support 1000 and the second or left-hand roller support 1100 , respectively. Also shown in FIG. 16 is a fastener 1610 that is associated with the adjustment device 510 of the extractor 500 (shown in FIG. 5 ). Only a portion of the fastener 1610 is shown in FIG. 16 for the sake of brevity and clarity. The fastener 1610 is shown abutting the extractor spring 1600 about midway along the length of the extractor spring 1600 . It should be noted that different extractor springs 1600 can be provided with or for the extractor 500 . Different extractor spring 1600 would have different spring constants so that for a particular extractor spring different loads would be produced. Different loads may have to be produced in different circumstances and in different environments.
[0057] FIG. 17 is a perspective view of a first extractor guide 1700 , according to an example embodiment. The extractor guide 1700 is part of the guide system 130 shown in FIG. 1 . The extractor guide 1700 is attached to an input side of the extractor. The extractor guide 1700 includes sidewalls 1710 and 1712 . The extractor guide also includes openings for attaching the extractor guide 1700 to the extractor 500 (shown in FIG. 5 ).
[0058] FIG. 18 is a perspective view of a second extractor guide 1800 , according to an example embodiment. The second extractor guide 1800 is substantially the same as the first extractor guide 1700 . The main difference between the first extractor guide and this 1800 and the second extractor guide 1700 is the length or width of the sidewalls 1810 and 1812 . The length of the sidewalls 1810 , 1812 of the second extractor guide 1800 are shorter than the length of the sidewalls 1710 , 1712 of the extractor guide 1700 .
[0059] FIG. 21 is a perspective view of a fluid extractor 2100 , according to an example embodiment. The fluid extractor 2100 can also be referred to as a bulk press 2100 . The fluid extractor or bulk press 2100 includes a base 2110 and a frame 2120 attached to the base 2110 . The frame 2120 includes a first upright 2122 , the second upright 2124 , and a top weldment 2126 . The top weldment 2126 joins the first upright 2122 and the second upright 2124 to complete the frame 2120 . The tray 2400 is attached or otherwise coupled to the first upright 2122 and the second upright 2124 . Housed within the tray 2400 is a grate 2500 (shown in further detail in FIG. 25 ). The grate 2500 fits within the bottom of the tray 2400 . The grate 2500 is covered by a screen plate 2410 . Positioned above the grate 2500 is a press 2200 . The press 2200 includes a press plate 2210 and a press bar 2220 . The press bar 2220 includes a first end 2222 and a second end 2224 which are captured and a channel 2123 of the first upright 2122 , and in a channel 2125 of the second upright 2124 . The first end 2222 and the second end 2224 slidably engage their respective channels. The channels 2123 and 2125 guide the press bar 2220 along a path which corresponds to the first upright 2122 and the second upright 2124 of the frame 2120 . A series of gussets 2112 , 2114 , 2116 , 2118 connect the press plate 2210 to the press bar 2220 . Also attached to the press plate 2210 is a handle 2600 . The handle . 600 can be turned to move the press bar 2220 and the press plate 2210 in a direction which is substantially parallel to the first upright 2122 and the second upright 2124 of the frame 2120 . A threaded shaft is attached to the top of the press 2200 . The top of the threaded shaft is engaged in a threaded opening within the weldment 2126 . By turning the handle 2600 the press can be moved up and down with respect to the tray 2400 . Material can be placed within or on top of the tray 2400 and the handle can be turned to move the press 2200 into engagement with the material. The tray includes the grate 2500 which maintains the spacing between the screen plate 2410 and the tray 2400 . The tray 2400 captures any fluid forced out of the material. T's he fluid can be removed from the tray 2400 in any number of ways. For example the tray 2400 can be outfitted with a drain so that fluid in the tray 2400 merely passes down the drain. In another embodiment the tray 2400 can be emptied periodically.
[0060] FIG. 22A is a perspective view of a press 2200 associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. FIG. 22B is a bottom view of a press 2200 associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. Now referring to both FIGS. 22A and 22B , the press 2200 will be further detailed. The press includes the press plate 2210 and the press bar 2220 . Gussets 2112 , 2114 , 2116 , 2118 are attached to the press plate 2210 and to the press bar 2220 . The gussets 2112 , 2114 , 2116 , 2118 not only connect the press bar to the press plate 2210 and also distribute the force applied to the press 2200 across the surface of the press plate 2210 . Attached to the|press bar 2220 is a threaded fastener 2222 . The threaded fastener 2222 is used to attach to a threaded shaft to the press 2200 . The bottom of the press plate 2210 includes a number of welds that correspond to the placement of the gussets 2112 , 2114 , 2116 and 2118 .
[0061] FIG. 23 is a perspective view a screen plate 2410 associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. The screen plate 2410 sits atop the grate 2500 . The screen plate 2410 includes a plurality of openings, such as openings 2412 , 2414 and 2416 . The plurality of openings allow fluids to pass through the screen plate 2410 and into the tray 2400 . Thus, as the press 2200 applies a force to a material between the press plate 2210 and the screen plate 2410 , fluid is forced out of the material. The fluid passes through the openings and into the tray 2400 .
[0062] FIG. 24 is a perspective view of a tray 2400 associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. The tray 2400 , in the embodiment shown, includes an outer sidewall 2420 and a bottom 2430 . The tray 2400 also includes a hinge pipe 2440 which is attached to the outer sidewall 2420 of the tray 2400 . The hinge pipe is welded or otherwise attached to the exterior surface of the outer sidewall 2420 . The hinge pipe 2440 is reinforced with a first gusset 2442 and a second gusset 2444 . The hinge pipe 2440 receives a pin or other cylindrical body so that the tray 2400 can swing between a first position within the press 2100 and a second position outside the press 2100 . The tray 2400 can also be thought of as a swing out tray.
[0063] FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a grate 2500 associated with the tray 2400 of the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. The grate 2500 is formed of a first set of parts having a slot in one side of a grate element 2510 and a second set of grate elements 2520 having a slot in another side of the grate element 2520 . The grate can be formed by interconnecting the first set of grate elements 2510 with the second set of grate elements 2520 . The grate is finally formed and assembled by fastening the various grate elements to one another. For example, one corner of each of the intersections of the grate elements 2510 and 2520 is welded to form the grate 2500 , in one embodiment.
[0064] FIG. 26 is a side view of a handle 2600 associated with the bulk press 2100 , according to an example embodiment. The handle is annular in shape. Attached to the handle is a first threaded rod 2610 and the second threaded rod 2620 . In the embodiment shown, the first threaded rod 2610 is an acme rod having a right-hand thread, and the second threaded rod 2620 is an acme rod having a left-hand thread. Attached to the handle body is a first Acme nut 2612 and a second Acme nut 2622 . The first Acme nut 2612 has a right hand thread and engages the first Acme rod 2610 . The second Acme nut 2622 as a left-hand thread and engages the second Acme rod 2620 . One of the Acme rods 2610 , 2620 engages the Acme nut 2222 attached to the press bar 2220 . The other of the Acme rods 2610 , 2620 engages the threaded opening in the top weldment 2126 . The top weldment can also be thought of as a crossbar between sidebar 2122 and sidebar 2124 .
[0065] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that the specific details are not required in order to practice the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. It will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings.
[0066] The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
[0067] While the embodiments have been described in terms of several particular embodiments, there are alterations, permutations, and equivalents, which fall within the scope of these general concepts. It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present embodiments. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, permutations, and equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the described embodiments.
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The present invention relates generally to a spill collection system comprising a boom for surrounding a spill area and a method for using the boom. In addition, the invention includes several embodiments of extractors for removing fluid from a material such as the boom.
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CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a Continuation-in-Part of International Application Number PCT/US2011/062189 filed Nov. 28, 2011 which claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/420,856 filed Dec. 8, 2010, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to fasteners and fastening systems, and in particular to fasteners or staples and a fastener stock configured for enabling enhanced precision and uniformity in the feeding of the fasteners to a needle assembly of a fastening system.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Plastic fasteners or elastic staples having a flexible filament connecting enlarged side members thereof are becoming increasingly popular alternatives for attachment and securing a variety of different articles, particularly in retail and other, similar applications. For example, it has now become common for plastic fasteners to be used to attach product labels, price tags or other materials to fabric materials such as garments and apparel items. Alternatively, plastic fasteners are used as a means of securing a product or item to a hang tag or similar packaging without having to fully encapsulate the product within the packaging. Plastic or elastic fasteners can enable the products to be securely fastened to product packaging or tags without the risk of injury or damage to the product from the use of metal staples having sharp edges. In addition, the cost of the plastic fasteners typically is substantially less than other packaging methods such as metal staples, cable ties and/or twist ties.
[0004] Such plastic fasteners generally are applied or inserted using a fastener dispensing tool or system. Such fastener dispensing systems include hand operating tools, often referred to as “tagging guns,” and automated stapling equipment which feed and cut the fasteners from a continuously connected fastener stock supply to a needle assembly for insertion of the fasteners into an article, such as an article of clothing, etc. For example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,039,078 and 4,121,487 illustrate continuously connected fastener stocks and systems for dispensing plastic fasteners from such fastener stock. As indicated in these patents, the fastener stock generally is formed with a ladder-like structure including elongated side members with filaments extending therebetween at spaced intervals. The fastener stock generally can be fed or wound about a supply roll and will be fed by a feed mechanism to the needle assembly of the fastener dispensing system, whereupon the fasteners will be separated or cut away from the stock and inserted into the article.
[0005] In conventional systems, the feed mechanism for feeding the fastener stock to the needle assembly of the fastener dispensing system generally comprises a feed wheel or similar rotary mechanism that engages the filaments extending between the side members and pulls or urges the fastener stock forwardly to feed a next fastener into the needle assembly for cutting and insertion. Such rotary feed systems, however, typically can be somewhat bulky and can create variation in a cut location. The filaments of the fastener stock typically have a desired amount of elasticity or flexibility and thus can stretch or expand by varying amounts as the filaments are engaged by the feed wheel, causing a variation or difference in the distance that the fastener stock is pulled forward. Thus, a variation or inconsistency is created in the cut location for successive fasteners cut from the fastener stock. These inconsistencies or variation in the location at which the fasteners are cut or severed from their fastener stock leads to inconsistent and reduced sizes of the side members of the plastic fasteners that in turn can lead to improper retention of the fastener in use. Such rotating feed wheel systems also can be somewhat complex and expensive in operation.
[0006] Accordingly, it can be seen that a need exists for a fastener and fastener stock system that addresses the foregoing and other related and unrelated problems in the art.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.
[0008] It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved supply of substantially continuous fastener stock.
[0009] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The pair of longitudinal and continuous side members are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side members so as to connect the side members. Along at least one of the side members, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
[0010] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method of applying a fastener to an article. The method includes a step of initially feeding a substantially continuous fastener stock from a supply, wherein the fastener stock includes a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members that are linked by cross-pieces, which are extended and arranged at spaced intervals along the side members. A second step where at least one engagement notch is formed along at least one of the side members and engaged with a feed mechanism. A third step where the fastener stock is urged forwardly with the feed mechanism. A fourth step where the fastener stock is fed to a needle assembly of a fastener dispensing system. A fifth step where a fastener is cut from the fastener stock at a cut location, and a final step where the fastener is inserted into the article.
[0011] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The pair of longitudinal and continuous side members are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side members so as to connect the side members. The pair or longitudinal and continuous side members and the cross-pieces both have a flat side. Along at least one of the side members, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
[0012] It is another object of the present invention to provide paddle fastener stock as described above that is shaped to include a longitudinal and continuous side member and a plurality of paddle heads to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The longitudinal and continuous side member and paddle heads are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side member and paddle heads so as to connect the side member and paddle heads. The longitudinal and continuous side member, paddle heads, and the cross-pieces both have a flat side. Along the side member, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape.
[0013] The embodiments of the present invention described below are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed in the following detailed description. Rather, the embodiments are chosen and described so that others skilled in the art may appreciate and understand the principles and practices of the present invention.
[0014] Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description. It is to be understood, however, that the detailed description of the various embodiments and specific examples, while indicating preferred and other embodiments of the present invention, are given by way of illustration and not limitation. Many changes and modifications within the scope of the present invention may be made without departing from the spirit thereof, and the invention includes all such modifications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] These, as well as other objects and advantages of this invention, will be more completely understood and appreciated by referring to the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:
[0016] FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of a length of continuously connected fastener stock;
[0017] FIG. 2 is a perspective view schematically illustrating the fastener stock engaged by linearly moving fingers of a feed mechanism;
[0018] FIG. 3 is a perspective illustration of a fastener cut from the fastener stock according to the principles of the present invention;
[0019] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a fastener dispensing hand tool for applying fasteners;
[0020] FIG. 5A is a side view illustrating the fastener stock engaged by linearly moving fingers utilizing a tract mechanism;
[0021] FIG. 5B is a side view illustrating the fastener stock engaged by a linearly moving finger utilizing a tract mechanism;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a side view illustrating the fastener stock engaged by linearly moving fingers utilizing a carousel structure;
[0023] FIGS. 7 and 8 are side views illustrating the fasteners applied to articles of different thicknesses;
[0024] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a length of continuously connected paddle fastener stock; and
[0025] FIG. 10 is a perspective illustration of a paddle fastener cut from the paddle fastener stock.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0026] The apparatuses and methods disclosed in this document are described in detail by way of examples and with reference to the figures. Unless otherwise specified, like numbers in the figures indicate references to the same, similar, or corresponding elements throughout the figures. It will be appreciated that modifications to disclosed and described examples, arrangements, configurations, components, elements, apparatuses, methods, materials, etc. can be made and may be desired for a specific application. In this disclosure, any identification of specific shapes, materials, techniques, arrangements, etc. are either related to a specific example presented or are merely a general description of such a shape, material, technique, arrangement, etc. Identifications of specific details or examples are not intended to be, and should not be, construed as mandatory or limiting unless specifically designated as such. Selected examples of apparatuses and methods are hereinafter disclosed and described in detail with reference made to the figures.
[0027] FIG. 1 provides a perspective view of a length of continuously connected fastener stock 16 as constructed according to the teachings of the present invention. The fastener stock 16 includes a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members, or rails, 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 and plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces 13 . The fastener stock 16 comprises a plurality of connected fasteners, or staples, 10 ( FIG. 3 )
[0028] The side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 are spaced apart from one another by a desired fastener distance “d.” Along one or both of side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 , a series of engagement notches 25 generally will be formed. Each notch 25 will be formed at a location substantially corresponding to or in close proximity with an actual or desired cut location 22 for the fastener 10 ( FIG. 2 ). The cut locations 22 on the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 should be generally aligned or parallel with one another for consistent sized fasteners 10 ( FIG. 3 ). The notches 25 will generally be on an outer side 35 of the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 , facing outward and away from the cross-pieces 13 . The side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
[0029] The cross-pieces 13 extend between the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 , connecting the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 together. The cross-pieces 13 are arranged at spaced intervals along the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 . The cross-pieces 13 may be of a thinner or reduced cross-section as compared to the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 . Additionally, the desired approximate stretch range of the cross-pieces 13 can be varied depending upon the desired application of the fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ). The cross-pieces 13 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
[0030] Fastener stock 16 differs principally from prior art fastener stock in that fastener stock 16 includes the series of notches 25 formed along the sides of the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 . Referring to FIG. 2 , the notches 25 on the side member 18 - 2 assist in severing the fastener stock 16 at the proper cut location 22 to ensure consistent cutting of each fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ). For example, each notch 25 can be aligned with the cut location 22 , or can be off-set, shifted approximately one pitch away, from the cut location 22 . Typically, the notches 25 are approximately located at a midpoint between successive cross-pieces 13 . The notches 25 further are shown as being substantially square or rectangular; however, other notch configurations also can be provided.
[0031] As FIG. 2 indicates, the notches 25 in the side member 18 - 2 of the fastener stock 16 can be engaged by one or more linearly moving fingers, or pusher mechanisms, 26 of a feeding system 27 of the fastener dispensing system. Thus, instead of utilizing a rotary wheel that engages the cross-pieces 13 , which can stretch or bend due to their inherent flexibility; the present invention enables the linearly moving fingers 26 to engage the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 to feed the fastener stock 16 to a needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ). Unlike the cross-pieces 13 , the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 typically have less flexibility or range of stretching in their longitudinal direction indicated by arrow M. As a result, the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 can provide enhanced consistency in engagement and forward movement by the linearly moving fingers 26 of the feed system 27 . In addition, the notches 25 in the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 assist in ensuring that consistently sized fasteners 10 ( FIG. 3 ) are cut, engaged and inserted to a needle of a needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ).
[0032] Referring to FIG. 3 , the severed fastener 10 is shown. By severing side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) at the cut location 22 near the notches 25 and between successive cross-pieces 13 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), a plurality of individual plastic fasteners 10 can be produced from the fastener stock 16 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). The fastener 10 comprises a pair of cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 that are interconnected by a thin, flexible filament 23 . Cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 are derived from side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ), respectively, and filament 23 is derived from a corresponding cross-piece 13 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ). Depending upon the desired size, the fastener 10 may consist of cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 with notches 25 present.
[0033] The fastener stock 16 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) is generally formed by an extruding or molding process of a plastic or synthetic material such as polypropylene, polyurethane, nylon, polyvinyl chloride, or other similar durable, flexible thermo-plastic or elastomeric materials. Preferably, the plastic or synthetic material of the fastener will be both sufficiently flexible along the filaments 23 , and sufficiently stiff along its cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 so that the fastener 10 can be easily inserted and pushed through a needle slot of the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ). In addition, the cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 ( FIG. 3 ) of the fastener 10 must be a sufficient size and/or length to function properly and securely hold the article so that the fastener 10 has sufficient strength to hold or be retained within garments, paper, fabrics or other articles.
[0034] From the manufacturing process by which the fastener stock 16 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) is formed, a transverse cross-section of cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 and flexible filament 23 are generally in the form a flattened semi-ellipse, or flattened semi-oval, that includes a flat bottom surface on sides 34 - 1 , 34 - 2 , and 34 - 3 . This creates a D-shaped profile with opposing inner and outer surfaces that are generally flat with a rounded top surface. However, it is to be understood that the transverse cross-section of each of side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 and cross-pieces 13 could be modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0035] As indicated in FIG. 4 , the fastener stock 16 can be stored or wound about a storage reel 17 for feeding to the fastener dispensing system. The fastener stock 16 of the present invention may have a particular elasticity, which allows the fastener stock 16 to be wound upon itself and to travel through the needle assembly 21 . To attach the fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ) to an article, the fastener stock 16 is fed from a supply such as the storage reel 17 . As indicated by arrow M, the notches 25 ( FIG. 1-3 ) along the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 are engaged in a forward direction by the feed mechanism 27 . The feed mechanism 27 consists of the linearly moving fingers 26 that engage the notches 25 ( FIGS. 1-3 ). Similarly, the fastener stock 16 is urged in the forward direction by the feed mechanism 27 . The fastener stock 16 is then fed to the needle assembly 21 of the fastener dispensing system, which is depicted as a hand tool 11 in FIG. 4 . The individual fasteners 10 ( FIG. 3 ) are severed from the fastener stock 16 at the cut locations 22 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) along the side members 18 - 1 and 18 - 2 . The notches 25 ( FIGS. 1-3 ) assist in determining the cut locations 22 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) for the individual fasteners 10 ( FIG. 3 ). Typically, the cut locations 22 ( FIGS. 1 and 2 ) will be around the notches ( FIGS. 1-3 ) and approximately centered between the cross-pieces 13 . Once cut, the fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ) is inserted into the article by the needle assembly 11 . In addition to the hand tool 11 , the fastener stock 16 may be utilized by any complimentary fastener dispensing system such as a variable needle stapling assembly.
[0036] In addition to the feed mechanism 27 ( FIG. 4 ) described, FIG. 5A demonstrates how multiple linearly moving fingers 26 A, 26 B and 26 C engage the notches 25 on the fastener stock 16 toward the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ). The linearly moving fingers 26 A, 26 B and 26 C can be mounted on a track 32 that is incrementally indexed forwardly, indicated by arrow N, with each activation of the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ). Immediately before the fastener stock 16 reaches the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), the linearly moving fingers 26 A, 26 B and 26 C disengage with the notches 25 . Once disengaged, the linearly moving fingers 26 A, 26 B and 26 C can be retracted in an opposite direction, indicated by arrow R. A notch 25 B in the fastener stock 16 continues to travel forward to the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), and the linearly moving fingers 26 A, 26 B and 26 C move into engagement with a next set of notches 25 A.
[0037] In addition to the embodiment described in FIG. 5A , FIG. 5B depicts only a single linearly moving finger 26 D to engage the notch 25 of the fastener stock 16 . The single linearly moving finger 26 D is mounted to a track 32 A that is incrementally indexed forwardly, indicated by arrow N 1 , with each activation of the needle assembly ( FIG. 4 ). Immediately before the fastener stock 16 reaches the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), the linearly moving finger 26 D disengages with the notch 25 . Once disengaged, the linearly moving finger 26 D can be retracted in an opposite direction, indicated by arrow R 1 . A notch 25 D in the fastener stock 16 continues to travel forward to the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), and the linearly moving finger 26 D moves into engagement with a next notch 25 B.
[0038] Alternatively in FIG. 6 , one or more linearly moving fingers 26 D can be mounted on an elliptical belt or carousel structure 33 that incrementally moves the linearly moving fingers 26 D forward as indicated by arrow F, and thus the fastener stock 16 moves forwardly along a desired length of linear travel. Immediately before the fastener stock 16 reaches the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), the linearly moving fingers 26 disengages with the notches 25 . Once disengaged, the linearly moving fingers 26 are disengaged and move along a return path. A notch 25 E in the fastener stock 16 continues to travel forward to the needle assembly 21 ( FIG. 4 ), and the linearly moving fingers 26 D move into engagement with a next notch 25 F.
[0039] In addition to the embodiments described, other feed systems may be utilized including a rotary wheel type feed mechanism for the fastener dispensing system.
[0040] Once the fastener stock 16 is cut, the severed fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ) is inserted into articles using the fastener dispensing system. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the attachment of the fastener 10 in different configurations to secure stacks of articles 29 of varying thicknesses and shapes. In FIG. 7 , the fastener 10 is securing two stacks of articles 29 , while in FIG. 8 , the fastener 10 is securing eight stacks of articles 29 . In FIGS. 7 and 8 , the cross-bars 14 - 1 and 14 - 2 secure an article back 30 while the filament 23 punctures through the stacks of articles 29 and wraps around an article front 31 . The filament 23 provides flexibility and a desired approximate amount of stretch to the fastener 10 , which enables use in different fastening configurations. FIGS. 7 and 8 demonstrate how the fastener 10 may be used to secure stacks of articles 29 ; however, the fastener 10 may be used in a variety of applications including packaging and tagging materials.
[0041] Additionally, while the fastener 10 ( FIG. 3 ) of the present invention generally has been illustrated as the plastic staple or T-end type fastener, various plastic fasteners of other configurations such as paddle fasteners and loop fasteners can also be formed in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
[0042] FIG. 9 provides a perspective view of a length of continuously connected paddle fastener stock 37 . The paddle fastener stock 37 includes one longitudinal and continuous side member, or rail, 18 - 3 , a plurality of paddle heads 36 , and plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces 13 - 1 . The paddle fastener stock 37 comprises a plurality of connected paddle fasteners 41 ( FIG. 10 )
[0043] The paddle heads 36 and the side member 18 - 3 are spaced apart from one another by a desired fastener distance “p” and are parallel to one another. Along the side member 18 - 3 , a series of engagement notches 39 generally will be formed. Each notch 39 will be formed at a location substantially corresponding to or in close proximity with an actual or desired cut location 22 for the paddle fastener 41 ( FIG. 10 ). The cut locations 22 on the side member 18 - 3 should be generally aligned or parallel with one another for consistent sized paddle fasteners 41 ( FIG. 10 ). The notches 39 will generally be on an outer side 35 - 1 of the side member 18 - 3 , facing outward and away from the cross-pieces 13 - 1 . The side member 18 - 3 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
[0044] The paddle heads 36 are interconnected along a rectangular side portion 42 . The paddle heads 36 are typically rectangular in shape and may have rounded or pointed corners. The paddle heads 36 are connected to the cross-piece 13 - 1 by attaching near a midpoint 43 along an inner wall 39 of the paddle head 36 . The paddle heads 36 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
[0045] The cross-pieces 13 - 1 extend between the side member 18 - 3 and the paddle heads 36 , connecting the side member 18 - 3 and the paddle heads 36 together. The cross-pieces 13 - 1 are arranged at spaced intervals along the side member 18 - 3 and paddle heads 36 . The cross-pieces 13 - 1 may be of a thinner or reduced cross-section as compared to the side member 18 - 3 . Additionally, the desired approximate stretch range of the cross-pieces 13 - 1 can be varied depending upon the desired application of the paddle fastener 37 ( FIG. 10 ). The cross-pieces 13 - 1 can be of various lengths, intervals and thicknesses.
[0046] Referring to FIG. 10 , the severed paddle fastener 41 is shown. By severing the side member 18 - 3 ( FIG. 9 ) and paddle heads 36 ( FIG. 9 ) at the cut locations 22 near the notches 39 and between successive cross-pieces 13 - 1 ( FIG. 9 ), a plurality of individual plastic paddle fasteners 41 can be produced from the paddle fastener stock 37 ( FIG. 9 ). The paddle fastener 41 comprises a cross-bar 14 - 3 and a rectangular portion 38 that are interconnected by a thin, flexible filament 23 - 1 . Cross-bar 14 - 3 is derived from side member 18 - 3 ( FIG. 9 ), and filament 23 - 1 is derived from a corresponding cross-piece 13 - 1 ( FIG. 9 ). The rectangular portion 38 is derived from the interconnected paddle heads 36 ( FIG. 9 ) along the rectangular side portion 42 ( FIG. 9 ). Depending upon the desired size, the paddle fastener 41 may consist of cross-bar 14 - 3 with notches 39 present.
[0047] A transverse cross-section of cross-bar 14 - 3 , rectangular portion 38 , and flexible filament 23 - 1 are generally in the form a flattened semi-ellipse, or flattened semi-oval, that includes a flat bottom surface on sides. This creates a D-shaped profile with opposing inner and outer surfaces that are generally flat with a rounded top surface. However, it is to be understood that the transverse cross-section of each of side member 18 - 3 ( FIG. 9 ) and cross-pieces 13 - 1 ( FIG. 9 ) could be modified without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
[0048] Similar to the fastener stock 16 ( FIG. 1 ), the paddle fastener stock 37 ( FIG. 9 ) may be used by fastener dispensing systems.
[0049] It will thus be seen according to the present invention a highly advantageous notched fastener has been provided. While the invention has been described in connection with what is presently considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiment, and that many modifications and equivalent arrangements may be made thereof within the scope of the invention, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all equivalent structures and products.
[0050] The inventors hereby state their intent to rely on the Doctrine of Equivalents to determine and assess the reasonably fair scope of their invention as it pertains to any apparatus, system, method or article not materially departing from but outside the literal scope of the invention as set out in the following claims.
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An improved fastener stock is comprised of a pair of longitudinal and continuous side members to which are coupled to a plurality of equidistantly spaced cross-pieces. The pair of longitudinal and continuous side members are extended in a parallel spaced relationship, and the series of cross-pieces are arranged at spaced intervals between the side members so as to connect the side members. Along at least one of the side members, a series of engagement notches are present at spaced intervals between each of said cross-pieces members, and the engagement notches are rectangular or square in shape. A method of applying a fastener to an article is provided. The method includes initially feeding a substantially continuous fastener stock from a supply, engaging at least one engagement notch, urging said fastener stock forward, feeding said fastener stock to a needle assembly, cutting a fastener from said fastener stock, and inserting said fastener into an article.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of Invention
[0002] The present disclosure relates in general to a system for fracturing a subterranean formation by creating perforations in a wellbore that intersects the formation, where the perforations extend along the circumference of the wellbore and at substantially the same depth.
[0003] 2. Description of Prior Art
[0004] Perforating systems are typically used for forming hydraulic communication passages, called perforations, in wellbores drilled through earth formations so that predetermined zones of the earth formations can be hydraulically connected to the wellbore. Perforations are needed because wellbores are typically lined with a string of casing that is cemented to the wellbore wall. Reasons for cementing the casing against the wellbore wall includes retaining the casing in the wellbore and hydraulically isolating various earth formations penetrated by the wellbore. Without the perforations oil/gas from the formation surrounding the wellbore cannot make its way to production tubing inserted into the wellbore within the casing.
[0005] Perforating systems typically include one or more perforating guns connected together in series to form a perforating gun string, which can sometimes surpass a thousand feet of perforating length. The gun strings are usually lowered into a wellbore on a wireline or tubing, where the individual perforating guns are generally coupled together by connector subs. Included with the perforating gun are shaped charges that typically include a housing, a liner, and a quantity of high explosive inserted between the liner and the housing. When the high explosive is detonated, the force of the detonation collapses the liner and ejects it from one end of the charge at very high velocity in a pattern called a jet that perforates the casing and the cement and creates a perforation that extends into the surrounding formation. Each shaped charge is typically attached to a detonation cord that runs axially within each of the guns.
[0006] The perforations are sometimes elongated into subterranean fractures by adding a pressurized fracturing fluid to the wellbore. Elongating the perforations increases the surface area of the formation that is in communication with the wellbore, therefore increasing fluid flow from the formation, which in turn increases hydrocarbon production. Sometimes a particulate, referred to as a proppant, is introduced into the perforations and fractures for structural support and to maintain an open passageway for connate fluid into the wellbore.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] Disclosed herein is an example of a perforating system for use in fracturing a subterranean formation adjacent a wellbore, and which includes a gun body, and a perforating assembly in the gun body. In this example the perforating assembly includes shaped charge assemblies that each have an amount of explosive with a rearward side facing an axis of the perforating assembly, a forward side facing away from the axis of the perforating assembly, and lateral sides that extend between the rearward and forward sides and that are substantially planar, and. Bulkheads are also included with this example that are between each of the adjacent shaped charge assemblies, and that define barriers, so that when the amount of explosive in each shaped charge assembly is detonated, each amount of explosive that is detonated forms a jet that forms a perforation in a sidewall of the gun body that is angularly spaced away from an adjacent perforation in the sidewall of the gun body. Optionally included is a housing having a cavity on its outer periphery, and wherein the shaped charge assemblies are disposed in the cavity. This example can further include passages that extend radially through the housing and provide communication between the amounts of explosive and a detonating cord that axially intersects the housing. A liner may optionally be included on a surface of the explosive. The explosive may include a mixture having one or more of cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine, hexanitrostilbene, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, 2,6-pyridinediamine, 1,1,3 trinitroazetidine, and combinations thereof. The shaped charge assemblies may each have a V-shaped cross section with an apex that is directed towards the axis of the perforating assembly, and wherein the V-shaped cross section fully extends between the lateral sides. The perforating system can further include a plurality of perforating assemblies that are axially spaced apart from one another in the gun body to define a first perforating gun. A plurality of gun bodies may optionally be included that are connected end to end and coupled with the first perforating gun to define a downhole string.
[0008] Also provided herein is an example method of fracturing a subterranean formation which involves providing a downhole string, where the downhole string includes a gun body and a perforating assembly. The perforating assembly of this example includes shaped charges at substantially the same axial location in the gun body and that are directed radially outward from an axis of the gun body, the shaped charges each having an explosive and planar lateral sides. In this embodiment bulkheads are between adjacent shaped charges. The example method also includes inserting the downhole string in a wellbore that intersects the formation, forming a series of perforations into the formation, so that perforations in each series are angularly spaced from one another along an inner surface of the wellbore and at substantially the same depth in the wellbore, and creating fractures in the formation that propagate from the perforations by pressurizing the wellbore. The method may further include removing the downhole string from the wellbore, inserting a line into the wellbore, and directing pressurized fluid into the line that discharges from the line into the wellbore and is for pressurizing the wellbore. The fractures formed in the method may be in a minimum plane of stress in the formation.
[0009] Also disclosed herein is an example of a perforating system for use in fracturing a subterranean formation adjacent a wellbore which includes a gun body and a perforating assembly in the gun body. The example perforating assembly includes an axis, a midsection, and an outer surface that angles radially outward from the axis with distance from the midsection. Shaped charge assemblies are included in this example of the perforating system and that each have an amount of explosive with a rearward side facing an axis of the perforating assembly, a forward side facing away from the axis of the perforating assembly, and lateral sides that extend between the rearward and forward sides and that are substantially planar. Bulkheads are included that are between each of the adjacent shaped charge assemblies that define barriers, so that when the amount of explosive in each shaped charge assembly is detonated, each amount of explosive that is detonated forms a jet that forms a perforation in a sidewall of the gun body that is angularly spaced away from an adjacent perforation in the sidewall of the gun body.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
[0010] Some of the features and benefits of the present invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a side partial sectional view of an example of a perforating system deployed in a wellbore and in accordance with the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a perforating assembly for use with the perforating system of claim 1 and in accordance with the present invention.
[0013] FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of an example of a portion of the perforating system of FIG. 1 and in accordance with the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side partial sectional view of an example of the perforating system of FIG. 1 creating perforations in the formation that surrounds the wellbore, and in accordance with the present invention.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of an example of a portion of the perforating system of FIG. 4 during a perforating step and in accordance with the present invention.
[0016] FIG. 6 is a partial sectional and perspective view of an example of a stack of perforating assemblies in a housing and in accordance with the present invention.
[0017] FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view of an example of forming fractures in the wellbore of FIG. 2 and in accordance with the present invention.
[0018] While the invention will be described in connection with the preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents, as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
[0019] The method and system of the present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings in which embodiments are shown. The method and system of the present disclosure may be in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the illustrated embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey its scope to those skilled in the art. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. In an embodiment, usage of the term “about” includes +/−5% of the cited magnitude. In an embodiment, usage of the term “substantially” includes +/−5% of the cited magnitude.
[0020] It is to be further understood that the scope of the present disclosure is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, exact materials, or embodiments shown and described; as modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art. In the drawings and specification, there have been disclosed illustrative embodiments and, although specific terms are employed, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for the purpose of limitation.
[0021] FIG. 1 shows in a partial side sectional view one example of a downhole string 10 inserted into a wellbore 12 that is lined with casing 13 . The wellbore 12 intersects a subterranean formation 14 , and is capped on its upper end by a wellhead assembly 16 . A wireline 18 is used for deploying the downhole string 10 , where the wireline 18 is threaded through the wellhead assembly 16 for pressure control, and has an upper end that connects to a surface truck 20 . Wireline 18 provides one technique for deploying string 10 in the wellbore 12 , and in an embodiment includes a medium for transmitting signals and/or power. In one example, provided within truck 20 are mechanical means for raising and lowering the wireline 18 , such as a motorized reel (not shown), as well as communications systems (not shown) for transmitting and receiving signals via the wireline 18 to and from downhole string 10 . String 10 includes a gun body 22 , which is generally elongate and has a curved outer surface and resembles a tubular member. A connector sub 24 is provided on a lower end of gun body 22 for attaching additional gun bodies 22 that make up string 10 . Each gun body 22 is equipped with an outer housing 26 ; shown in dashed outline in the housing 26 are sets of perforating assemblies 28 .
[0022] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an example of a perforating assembly 28 . In the illustrated embodiment, the perforating assembly 28 has a midsection 29 , and a diameter that that increases with distance away from the midsection 29 . Thus in one example, perforating assembly 28 has a configuration that approximates an hourglass like shape. Perforating assembly 28 is made up of a series of segments, wherein each segment extends along an axial length of the perforating assembly 28 , and has an inner portion adjacent an axis A X of the perforating assembly 28 , and an outer radial portion that makes up a portion of the outer surface of the perforating assembly 28 . Thus each segment extends along a portion of the circumference of the perforating assembly 28 . The segments include a shaped charge assembly 30 , and bulkhead 32 , wherein a bulkhead 32 is provided within each adjacent shaped charge assembly 30 . In an example, bulkhead 32 is formed from a non-explosive material. Optionally, the bulkhead 32 remains substantially solid after detonation of shaped charge assembly 30 .
[0023] An example of a sectional view of perforating assembly 28 is provided in FIG. 3 and which is taken along line 3 - 3 of FIG. 6 . In the example of FIG. 3 , shaped charge assemblies 28 1 , 28 2 are shown stacked axially on top of one another. Further shown in FIG. 3 is a detonating cord 34 which extends along a path that generally follows axis A X . Shape charge assemblies 28 1 , 28 2 each include a case 36 that provides a structure for mounting the shape charge assemblies 30 and bulkheads 32 . Case 36 includes a generally planer and disc-like mid portion 38 that extends radially outward a distance from axis A X . Case 36 has an axial thickness that increases with distance away from the outer edge of the middle portion 38 and in which a cavity 40 is formed that defines an open and outward facing space on the outer periphery of case 36 . An explosive 42 is shown set within the cavity 40 and having a generally V shaped cross section on the axial view. An optional liner 44 , also having a V shaped cross section, is disposed on an outer surface of explosive 42 . A booster assembly 46 is shown on an upper terminal end of the detonating cord 34 ; booster explosive 48 is shown provided in passages 50 that extend radially outward within the case 36 and from axis A X into the apex of the cavity 40 . Initiating booster assembly 46 can create a detonation wave in detonating cord 34 that initiates detonation of booster explosive 48 and explosive 42 for forming jets 51 ( FIG. 5 ) that extend into the formation 14 ( FIG. 1 ). Optionally included with the gun body 22 is a spacer 52 which is a cylindrically shaped member shown set approximate to the upper terminal end of gun 22 . In the example of FIG. 3 , spacer 52 has a cylindrical configuration with a radius that exceeds its axial thickness. A filler material 53 is shown in voids between the adjacently stacked perforating assemblies 28 1 , 28 2 . The filler material 53 can be any particular matter as well as a cement or other matrix-like material for taking up space and providing structural support.
[0024] Shown in partial side sectional view in FIG. 4 is an example of the downhole string 10 having formed perforations 54 in the formation 14 . As discussed above, directing a signal to booster assembly 46 ( FIG. 3 ) via wireline from surface can initiate a detonation chain that detonates the shaped charges 28 ( FIG. 3 ) form aforementioned jets 51 that project radially outward and form the perforations 54 . An advantage of the perforating assemblies 28 described herein is that the shaped charge assemblies 30 ( FIG. 2 ) in each individual perforating assembly 28 are at substantially the same axial location within the gun body 26 ( FIG. 3 ). Thus the ensuing perforations 54 formed by detonating these shaped charge assemblies 30 are at substantially the same depth within the wellbore 10 . As explained in more detail below, an advantage of creating these perforations 54 at the same depth is that they are created in generally the same plane. Further shown in FIG. 4 are apertures 56 that are formed in the side wall of the gun bodies 26 and further illustrating how the strategic axial positioning of the shaped perforating assemblies 28 ( FIG. 2 ) creates the apertures 56 at discrete axial locations on the gun body 26 .
[0025] FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of a portion of the downhole string 10 and taken along lines 5 - 5 of FIG. 4 . Further, in the example of FIG. 5 the shaped charge assemblies 30 ( FIG. 2 ) have been detonated to generate the jets 51 that project radially outward and from the apertures 56 in the side wall of the gun body 26 . Jets 51 extend further outward and past the casing 13 which lines wellbore 12 . Detonating the shape charge assemblies 30 removes the explosive 42 and liner 44 that makes up the assemblies 30 and leaves voids 68 between the adjacent bulkheads 32 .
[0026] FIG. 6 is a side partial sectional view that illustrates a series of shape charge assemblies 28 1 - 28 n that are axial disposed within the gun body 26 to form a stack 62 within gun body 26 . Optionally, spacers (not shown) may be included between axially adjacent perforating assemblies 28 for strategically forming perforations within a subterranean formation. Further shown is the detonating cord 34 projecting into an upper end of the upper most perforating assembly 28 n .
[0027] Referring now to FIG. 7 , an example of the wellbore 12 is shown in side sectional view, where the downhole string 12 ( FIG. 1 ) has been removed from within the wellbore 10 and replaced with a fracturing system 64 . In this example, fracturing system 64 includes a pressurized fluid source 68 that is in communication with the wellhead assembly 16 via line 68 . Fluid from within the pressurized fluid source 66 makes its way into the wellbore 12 by way of a schematically illustrated tubular 70 . Tubular 70 depends downward from a lower end of wellhead assembly 16 and has an open end within wellbore 12 below a packer 72 ; where packer 72 provides a fluid barrier between tubular 70 and walls of wellbore 12 . In an example of fracturing, pressurized fluid from pressurized fluid source 66 is introduced into the wellbore 12 and adjacent the area where the perforations 54 ( FIG. 4 ) were formed. The addition of the pressurized fluid extends the perforations 54 and creates fractures 74 that extend radially outward from the wellbore 12 , and at a distance that is greater than that of the perforations 54 . The advantage of creating the perforations at substantially the same depth in the wellbore 12 is that the perforations 54 at each discrete depth adjacent wellbore 12 are within a plane of minimum stress. Therefore, the fracture 74 is also in this plane and will be substantially perpendicular to wellbore 12 . A drawback of known perforating systems, is that size constraints dictate that the shaped charges are arranged in a general helical formation down the axis of the perforating gun, which in turn creates perforations extending into the wellbore wall that follow a helical path by having adjacent perforations that are axially and angularly offset from one another. Accordingly, a fracture may be created in the formation 12 that is not in a plane of minimum stress and at an oblique angle with respect to the axis of the wellbore 12 . An advantage of fractures along the plane to minimum stress is that a greater amount of connate fluid within the formation 14 can then make its way into the wellbore 12 and be produced at surface.
[0028] The present invention described herein, therefore, is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned, as well as others inherent therein. While a presently preferred embodiment of the invention has been given for purposes of disclosure, numerous changes exist in the details of procedures for accomplishing the desired results. These and other similar modifications will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art, and are intended to be encompassed within the spirit of the present invention disclosed herein and the scope of the appended claims.
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A perforating system for creating perforations that azimuthally circumscribe an inner wall of a wellbore, and that are at substantially the same depth in the wellbore. The perforating system includes perforating assemblies that are housed in a gun body and spaced axially apart. The perforating assemblies have shaped charges positioned at selective angles around an axis of the gun body and at substantially the same axial location in the gun body. Bulkheads are provided between adjacent shaped charges, so that initiating the shaped charges forms angularly spaced apart perforations in a tubular in which the perforating system is inserted. Pressurizing the wellbore with fracturing fluid extends the perforations into fractures, where the fractures are normal to an axis of the wellbore and in a plane of minimum stress.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for recycling sealed cell zinc carbon and alkaline type batteries.
2. Description of the Related Art
Ninety-five percent of portable batteries are household batteries. The vast majority of these are sealed cell alkaline batteries. Once spent, most of these batteries are simply discarded and find their way to landfill sites.
A known method for recycling alkaline and zinc carbon batteries involves mechanically removing the casing from the battery cell and then using chemical processes to separate the solid materials of the cell. The three major solid components of the cells are zinc, carbon, and manganese. There are several problems with chemical separation processes. Firstly, the component materials involved are of low value while chemical processing is expensive. Also, additional waste streams are created with the chemical processes. In view of these drawbacks, this recycling method has not found wide spread use.
This invention seeks to overcome drawbacks of known zinc carbon and alkaline battery recycling processes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention, there is provided a process for recycling sealed cell zinc carbon and alkaline batteries comprising the steps of: pulverising at least one of sealed cell zinc carbon batteries and sealed cell alkaline batteries; bathing said pulverised batteries with acid; drying said bathed pulverised batteries; mixing said dried bathed pulverised batteries with granulated carbon steel to provide a mixture containing up to about 25% of said dried bathed pulverised batteries; and compressing said mixture into briquettes.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process for preparing batteries of the type having a steel casing, carbon, manganese, and zinc metals, and an alkaline electrolyte for use in the making of steel, comprising the steps of: pulverising said batteries; bathing said pulverised batteries with acid in order to neutralize said alkaline electrolyte; after bathing, rinsing said pulverised batteries; after rinsing, drying said pulverised batteries; after drying, mixing said pulverised batteries with granulated carbon steel to provide a mixture containing up to about 25% of said pulverised batteries; and compressing said mixture into briquettes suitable for introduction into a steel making furnace.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
In the figures, which represent an example embodiment of the invention,
FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a portion of battery recycling apparatus made in accordance with the invention, and
FIG. 2 is a schematic view of another portion of battery recycling apparatus made in accordance with the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
A sealed cell alkaline battery comprises about 20% zinc, 20% manganese, and 20% carbon. Steel, primarily from the casing, comprises, approximately, a further 20% of the battery. The balance of the battery comprises the alkaline electrolyte and other components, such as paper and plastic. The composition of a sealed cell zinc carbon battery is similar.
FIG. 1 shows the first stage 10 of apparatus for recycling zinc carbon and alkaline batteries. The batteries are placed in a hopper 12 which feeds them to a pulverizer in the nature of a grinding mill 14. The output of the grinding mill is positioned above an acidic bath 16. The bath 16 is provided with an acid feed inlet 40 and an effluent outlet 42. An inclined conveyor 18 has a lower upstream end 20 in acidic bath 16. The conveyor extends past a fresh water rinser 22 and into rotary dryer 24 at its raised downstream end 26. A collector 34 is positioned below the output end of drier 24.
FIG. 2 shows the second stage 50 of apparatus for recycling alkaline batteries. Collector 34 is positioned over a hopper 51. Hopper 51 feeds to mixing conveyor 52. A chute 54 feeds a hopper 56 which also discharges to the mixing conveyor 52. The mixing conveyor comprises a conveying and mixing auger 58. The outlet 60 of the mixer 52 is hinged to the mixer body and may be directed to feed to cavity 64 of hydraulic press 62. The chute 60 may also be moved out of the way of hydraulic press 62. The press 62 has a ram 68 registered with cavity 64. A controller 66 controls the degree to which hoppers 51 and 56 are opened.
In operation, sealed cell alkaline and zinc carbon batteries are placed in hopper 12 which discharges them to grinding mill 14. The mill pulverizes the batteries and drops the pulverized batteries onto conveyor 18 in acidic bath 16. A constant flow is maintained through the bath with fresh acid feeding through inlet 40 and effluent leaving through outlet 42. The conveyor slowly conveys the pulverized batteries through the bath while the acid neutralizes the alkaline electrolyte of the batteries as it combines with the electrolyte to form a salt and water. As the pulverized batteries move downstream along the conveyor, they leave the bath 16 and pass under rinser 22 which sprays fresh rinse water onto them. The pulverized batteries are then discharged from the conveyor into drier 24 which dries them. The dried pulverised batteries drop from the outlet of the drier to a collector 34.
After a collector 34 has been filled, it may be positioned over hopper 51 and a trap door in the bottom of the collector opened so that the collector discharges to the hopper 51. Granulated carbon steel is supplied to chute 54 such that it discharges to hopper 56. Controller 66 controls the degree to which hoppers 50 and 56 are opened and thereby controls the rate of discharge of material from the hoppers to the mixer 52. The conveying and mixing auger 58 of the mixer rotates such that material falling into the mixer is transported toward outlet 60 and is mixed as well. With the outlet 60 directed toward hydraulic press 62, material exiting mixer 52 enters cavity 64 of the press. When the cavity 64 is full, chute 60 of the mixer is deflected out of the way and ram 68 of press 62 extends in order to compress material in cavity 64 into a briquette. The briquette is removed from the cavity and outlet 60 redirected toward the cavity so that it is filled once more. Two rams may be provided such that the cavity of one may be being filled while a briquette is being formed in the other.
The granulated carbon steel supplied to chute 54 may be steel turnings, drillings, granules or other small pieces of steel. This granulated steel may be purchased as "waste steel" in the marketplace. Granulated "waste" steel typically has a low carbon and manganese content.
The fact that sealed cell zinc carbon and alkaline batteries contain carbon and manganese suggests they might be useful in steel recycling since steel comprises iron and carbon along with some manganese (with the percentage of carbon and manganese increasing for harder steels). However, an attempt to utilize the pulverized batteries in collector 34 directly in a steel making furnace would be fraught with a number of difficulties. Firstly, in a steel making plant which feeds scrap steel to steel making furnaces, conventionally feedstock is moved from place to place by use of electromagnets. Pulverized batteries are substantially non-magnetic and, therefore, would not be amenable to conveying by this approach. However, once combined with carbon steel into the briquettes of this invention, the briquettes can by moved with electromagnets. Secondly, loose materials tend to flare off rather than combining with the furnace mixture for steel making. The compressed briquettes of the subject invention substantially avoid this difficulty. Further, steel mills which recycle scrap steel provide specifications for the steel feedstock they will purchase. Typically the feedstock is required to have no more than 4% carbon, 11/4% manganese, and 1% zinc. Direct use of pulverized batteries from the collector 34 would provide an additive which did not meet these specifications. With the subject invention, the controller 66 of FIG. 2 controls the ratio of battery material to carbon steel in the briquettes. The controller may be adjusted so that each briquette has about 95% granulated steel and 5% of battery material. With this setting, the amount of manganese, zinc, and carbon from the battery material will each be diluted to about 1% of the briquette, which is well within the noted specifications. Further, since the granulated steel which forms 95% of the briquette typically has a low carbon and manganese content and no zinc, the composite briquette will generally remain well within the noted specifications and so may be used directly in a steel making furnace.
Briquettes with greater than 5% battery material can also be used as feedstock, provided they are mixed into a load of ferrous feedstock such that the there is no more than 5% battery material in the load. The maximum percentage of battery material in a briquette is limited by the requirement that the battery material combine with the granulated steel. Combining occurs with up to about 25% of battery material in the briquette and so this is a practical limit for the percentage of battery material in the briquettes.
When the subject briquettes are introduced to a steel making furnace, the paper and plastic from the battery material incinerate and the zinc fumes off (zinc has a lower vaporization temperature than the temperature used in steel making). The zinc which finds its way into the baghouse dust is actually advantageous since steel makers send their baghouse dust to recyclers (for extraction of useful metals) and a lesser charge is paid for baghouse dust having a zinc component.
As of January, 1994, alkaline and zinc carbon battery makers avoid using mercury and cadmium in their batteries. Nevertheless, there are still older batteries which will have a heavy metals content. A very small percentage of batteries which incorporate such heavy metals may be tolerated in the subject process.
Modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.
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Household sealed cell alkaline and zinc carbon batteries may be recycled for use in steel making as follows. The batteries are pulverized then run through an acidic bath to neutralize the alkaline electrolyte. Next the materials are rinsed, then dried and mixed with granulated carbon steel typically in a ratio of 5 parts battery material to 95 parts granulated carbon steel. The mixture is compressed into briquettes for introduction into steel making furnaces.
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Despite continuing attempts to reduce the overall rate of infection, studies show that one in every fifteen surgical patients still experiences some form of post-operative infection. The risk of infection varies widely with the surgical procedure, with the incidence of infection for some being staggeringly high. New Developments in Infection Control, Infection Control, 1(2), 76, March 1980. An approach to mitigating this problem in a practical manner is represented by the commercial availability of a surgical draping fabric with antimicrobial activity. This material, called ISO-BAC (trade mark of American Convertors), isolates the surgical incision site and in laboratory tests has achieved a 92-99% kill rate for many common pathogens.
It would be highly desirable to have an antimicrobial fabric bearing one, or some combination of, potent antimicrobial agents. For the purpose of this application an antimicrobial agent is any substance that kills or prevents the growth of a microorganism, and includes antibiotics, antifungal, antiviral, and antialgal agents. The antimicrobial agent of such a fabric should not be absorbed by the skin or other tissue with which it comes into contact so that relatively toxic agents may be successfully used topically. That is to say, the antimicrobial agent should be strongly bound to the fabric with no substantial likelihood of migration from the fabric itself. A second desirable property is that the bound antimicrobial retain a substantial portion of the activity it exhibits in its unbound state. Furthermore, such antimicrobial activity and strong binding to the fabric should be retained over long periods of time so that such a fabric may be readily stored. Finally, any method developed preferably should be suitable for use with a broad variety of common fabrics.
A generalized approach to this problem is discussed in French Pat. No. 2,342,740 which utilizes antimicrobial compounds covalently bound to relatively large molecular entities. This patent discloses the use of many combinations of antimicrobials and solid supports, including some suitable for use as fabrics. Although most combinations employ a direct linkage of the antimicrobial to the solid support, the patent discloses the use of an interposed entity (molecular arm) linking the support to the antimicrobial, and exemplifies several such entities.
The product disclosed herein utilizes an antimicrobial covalently bound to the fabric so as to maintain the antimicrobial at a distance from the surface. Although the patentees of the aforementioned patent have recognized the advantages of covalent bonding, the cited art fails to recognize and appreciate the substantial benefits accruing from keeping the antimicrobial agent away from the fabric surface while still having the antimicrobial firmly bound thereto. Contrastingly, the invention herein achieves these dual goals by aminoalkylsilylation of suitable fabrics, covalently bonding one terminus of a polyfunctional spacer moiety to the primary amino functionality, then covalently bonding another terminus to an amino group of an antimicrobial agent. What results is a fabric to which is firmly attached an antimicrobial agent via a long chain of intervening atoms so as to maintain said antimicrobial well away from the fabric's surface.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The purpose of this invention is to provide antimicrobial fabrics where the antimicrobial agent is distant from the fabric surface while covalently bound thereto. An embodiment is an aminoalkylsilylated fabric whose amino functionality is covalently bonded to one terminus of a polyfunctional spacer moiety, another terminus being covalently bonded to an amino group of an antimicrobial agent. In a more specific embodiment the aminoalkyl portion is aminopropyl and the polyfunctional moiety is glutaraldehyde. In another embodiment a combination of antimicrobials is used so that a broad range of bacteria are killed.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to antimicrobial products and a method of preparing them. More particularly, this invention relates to an antimicrobial product where the antimicrobial agent is held distant from the surface of the fabric while still being covalently bound thereto. These dual goals are achieved by covalent bonding of an antimicrobial agent via an amino group to one terminus of a polyfunctional spacer moiety, another terminus of which is covalently bonded to the amino group of an aminoalkysilyl grouping which is itself covalently bonded to the fabric surface.
The substrates of this invention are aminoalkysilylated fabrics, which requires that the base fabric have free hydroxyl groups. Suitable base fabrics include linen, cotton, wool, silk, cellulose-based polymers such as regenerated cellulose (rayon) and cellulose acetates where only a portion of the hydroxyls have been acetylated, fabrics based on, or incorporating, other polysaccharidic material such as dextran, poly(vinyl alcohol), collagen, and so forth. Other fabrics include whose which have been treated so as to furnish hydroxyl groups. Examples include nylons which have been partially hydrolyzed and reduced, and partially hydrolyzed polyesters. Blends of the above materials, either with other members of the aforementioned group or with other fabrics not having free hydroxyl groups, also can be utilitized.
The base fabric is aminoalkylsilylated, i.e., it is contacted with an aminoalkylsilane of the formula UVW Si(CH 2 ) n (NH(CH 2 ) m NH r H which is characterized as having the ability to react with surface hydroxyl groups of the fabric to form oxygen-silicon bond(s). The value of n may be from 1 to about 10, with n equal to 3 being a preferred material. Commonly m and r are a zero, but where a more hydrophilic aminoalkylsilane is desired m may be an integer from 1 to about 3 and r is 1. This chain of mediating carbon atoms in part acts as a spacer. The terminal amino group is subsequently reacted with one of the functional groups of a polyfunctional reagent acting as a bifunctional spacer moiety.
The groups U, V, and W, are selected from the group consisting of alkoxy groups containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms, and alkyl groups containing from 1 to about 10 carbon atoms. It is required that at least one of such groups is not alkyl, and it is preferable that any alkyl group contain no more than about three carbons atoms. Where U, V, or W is an alkoxy group, it reacts with the surface hydroxyl groups of the base fabric resulting in the spacer molecule becoming firmly attached to the surface. Thus the number of linkages between the silicon atom of the organosilane and the oxygen atoms of the core support may be equal to the number of alkoxy groups of the organosilane, although it may be that no more than two such linkages occur. Where U, V, and W are each alkoxy groups, the maximum attachment to the surface of the core support results, which is highly desirable.
Examples of aminoalkyl silanes which may be utilized in this invention include 3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltripropoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltributoxysilane, 3-aminopropyltripentoxysilane, 3-aminopropyldimethoxyethoxysilane, 3-aminopropyldiethoxymethoxysilane, 3-aminopropylmethoxyethoxypropoxysilane, 3-aminopropyldimethoxymethylsilane, 3-aminopropyldimethoxyethylsilane, 3-aminopropyldimethoxypropylsilane, 3-aminopropylmethoxyethoxypropylsilane, 4-aminobutyltrimethoxysilane, 5-aminopentyltrimethoxysilane, 6-aminohexyltrimethoxysilane, 10-aminodecyltrimethoxysilane, N-(3'-aminopropyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(3'-aminopropyl)-3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, N-(2'-aminoethyl)-3-aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, N-(3'-aminopropyl)-4-aminobutyltrimethoxysilane, etc.
Typically, aminoaklylsilylation is performed by contacting the base fabric and aminoalkylsilane at ambient, or a slightly elevated, temperature for a time sufficient to ensure silylation. Although a temperature less than about 50° C. will suffice, more elevated temperatures are not detrimental and will result in a shortened reaction time. When a shorter reaction time is desirable, a more elevated temperature is advantageous. Contact time will depend on temperature, and may range from minutes to about 18 hours. After reaction is complete, excess silane is removed by decantation, and adhering but unreacted material often is removed by washing the fabric.
The terminal amino group of the aminoalkylsilyated fabric is then reacted with one terminus of a polyfunctional, most usually a bifunctional, reagent. Ultimately two terminii of the polyfunctional reagent will be covalently bonded to amino functionalities, one arising from the aminoalkylsilyl grouping and the other arising from the antimicrobial agent. Thus the polyfunctional reagent serves as a spacer moiety, i.e., it keeps the antimicrobial agent well away from the fabric surface while being covalently bonded to it.
Any polyfunctional reagent capable of bonding covalently with amino groups of the aminoalkylsilane and antimicrobial agent may be used. Among these polyfunctional reagents are dialdehydes of the formula OHC(CH 2 ) n CHO, where n is an integer from about 2 to about 8, quinones, and trihalo-s-triazenes. Examples of suitable aldehydes include succindialdehyde, glutaraldehyde, adipaldehyde, pimelaldehyde, suberaldehyde, azelaldehyde, and sebacaldehyde, where glutaraldehyde is the reagent of choice. Among the quinones may be mentioned the benzoquinones, naphthoquinones, and anthraquinone, with 1,4-benzoquinone being preferred. Trichloro-s-triazene is the preferred trihalo-s-triazene. Among other bifunctional reagents which may be utilized in the practice of this invention, although not necessarily with equivalent results, are included diisocyanates, diisothiocyanates, dicarboxylic acid anhydrides, dicarboxylic acid halides, and so forth.
The concentration of the polyfunctional reagent is not critical and is generally on the order of from about 0.5 to about 5%. Aqueous solutions are preferred where solubility and unreactivity of the polyfunctional reagent permits. When quinones and triazenes are used with cotton, wool, or linen, acetone is an acceptable organic solvent. Dioxan, diethyl ether, tetrahydrofuran, and similar compounds also are suitable solvents. Contact time of the polyfunctional reagent and aminoalkylsilylated fabric varies with the reagent and the aminoalkylsilyl group, but generally it is less than 10 hours at ambient temperature, and often about one hour is sufficient. Excess solution is then removed, as by decantation, and adhering but unreacted polyfunctional reagent is removed by washing with solvent.
At this stage the aminoalkylsilyated fabric bears a spacer moiety one terminus of which has a functional group which can covalently bond to an amino group. This unreacted functional group is utilized to immobilize antimicrobial agents through the aforementioned covalent bonding, and one large class of antimicrobial agents desirable in the practice of this invention are polypeptides.
A working hypothesis is that antimicrobial agents are effective in this invention if they act on the cell wall or membrane either directly or indirectly. This hypothesis is a direct consequence of the desired attribute that the antimicrobial remain strongly bound to the fabric, which requires that the antimicrobial be effective without penetrating deep into the microorganism.
Within the framework of this hypothesis, examples of antimicrobial agents which may be used in this invention, either alone or in combination, include the polymyxins, bacitracin, circulin, the octapeptins, lysozyme, lysostaphin, cellulytic enzymes generally, vancomycin, ristocetin, the actinoidins and avoparcins, tyrocidin A, gramicidin S, polyoxin D, and tunicamycin. To the extent that the cited hypothesis is inadequate, other antimicrobial agents also might be usable, e.g., the polyene macrolide antibiotics, neomycin, streptomycin, etc. It is not feasible to give here an exhaustive list of potentially useful antimicrobials, but this may be found in compendia such as, "Antibiotics, Chemotherapeutics, and Antibacterial Agents for Disease Control," M. Grayson, Ed., J. Wiley and Sons, N.Y., 1982. Classification of antibiotics by their mode of action may be found in, "The Molecular Basis of Antibiotic Action," Second Edition, E. F. Gale et al., J. Wiley and sons, N.Y., 1981.
The nature of the covalent bond between the terminii of the spacer moiety and the amino groups depends upon the nature of the functional group present in the precursor polyfunctional reagent. The chemistry is summarized below, where the polyfunctional moieties of this invention are enclosed in a box. ##STR1##
The products of this invention can then be depicted as ##STR2## where Z=fabric
U=alkoxy or alkyl
Y=spacer moiety
X=antimicrobial agent
p=1, 2, or 3
n=integer from 1 to 10,
m=integer from 0 to 3,
r=0 when m=0, r=1 otherwise.
it being understood that N Y represents a covalent bond between nitrogen and a terminus of the polyfunctional spacer moiety, as summarized above, with the nitrogen bearing a hydrogen where the aforementioned bond is a single bond.
EXAMPLES
Twenty-two 4" squares of cotton cloth were equally divided between two 1 liter flasks. To each was added 150 ml. of an aqueous solution of 5% 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane and the flasks were agitated at 40° C. for about 18 hours. Excess solution was removed by decantation, and the derivatized cotton was washed for about 18 hours with running sterilized water.
To one of the flasks was added 150 ml. of 1.5% aqueous glutaraldehyde solution, to the other was added 300 ml. of 1.5% benzoquinone in acetone. After 1.5 hours excess solution was decanted from each flask and the swatches treated with benzoquinone were washed with two 200 ml. portions of acetone. The swatches were washed with running sterile water (1-2 ml./sec.) for about 18 hours.
Three or four pieces of similarly treated cloth were placed in a flask. To each such flask was added 100 ml of a 1 mg/ml solution in 0.1 M potassium phosphate buffer, pH 7.0, of either zinc bacitracin A, polymixin B, or egg white lysozyme which had been filter sterilized using a Nalgene type-S, 120-0020, 0.2 micron filter. The polymixin B sulfate had an activity of 7400 USP units/mg; lysozyme had 41,000 E 282 1% units/mg; bacitracin A had 59,400 units/g. Immobilization proceeded overnight at room temperature on an orbital shaker with agitation for 10 seconds every minute. After decantation of the antimicrobial solution, the swatches were washed with two 100 ml-portions of 2 M sodium chloride solution for a 5 minute period with agitation followed by an overnight wash in running sterile water.
Antimicrobial fabrics were subjected to two tests. The relative ability of the treated fabric to kill bacteria is called the fabric efficacy level (FEL), which is determined as follows. A 4"×4"square of cloth was folded twice and then a measured volume of bacteria-containing fluid was added to, and adsorbed by, the cloth. The cloth was then incubated in a humid petri dish for a given period of time (usually 30 minutes) after which the cloth was placed in a medium that possessed a pH of 9.0 and shaken vigorously by a mechanical shaker to release the bacteria. A measured quantity of fluid containing the released bacteria was added to an agar medium on a petri dish and the bacterial colonies were counted using an Artek automatic counter.
The detection of diffusion of antimicrobials is by a leaching test. In this test a sterile swab was dipped into a bacterial suspension and then used to streak an agar plate uniformly over its surface. A 1" square of fabric was lightly tapped onto the surface, and after the plate was incubated the width of the halo of non-growth
______________________________________CHARACTERISTICS OF SOME ANTIMICROBIALPRODUCTSCross- Anti- Zone oflinking.sup.a micro- Percent Kill.sup.c inhibition.sup.dSample Agent bial E. coli S. aureus E. coli S. aureus______________________________________1 G BA I 0 02 G P >99.5 1.5 03 G L >93.3 I 0 0.24 BQ BA I 0 0.25 BQ P >99.5 2.5 06 BQ L >96.7 I 0 0______________________________________ .sup.a G = glutaraldehyde; BQ = 1,4benzoquinone .sup.b P = polymixin B; L = lysozyme; BA = bacitracin A .sup.c ++ designates at least a 90% kill; + designates a kill from about 30 to about 89%; I designates a kill less than about 30% .sup.d Width of halo in mm. was measured. Where there is no diffusion o the antimicrobial agent there will be no halo.
The data show that bound polymyxin and lysozyme are quite effective against E.coli but ineffective against S.aureus. The data further show that in most cases there was negligible diffusion of the antimicrobial.
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An antimicrobial fabric is comprised of an aminoalkylsilylated fabric to which is covalently bonded an antimicrobial agent through an intermediate polyfunctional spacer moiety. The antimicrobial agent is maintained well away from the fabric surface, thereby minimizing surface effects on antimicrobial action.
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DESCRIPTION
This invention relates to transfer means for transferring a continuous elongate product between two stations, such as a pay-off reel and forming apparatus, or forming apparatus and a take-up spool or cutting station. More particularly, the invention relates to apparatus in which output from a continuous extrusion machine is wound onto a take-up spool. In addition, the continuous extrusion machine may be fed with feedstock or core material from pay-off reel.
Hitherto the output from such apparatus has been fed over a pair of spaced sets of rollers, one set adjacent the apparatus producing the continuous elongate product and the other set adjacent the take-up spool and permitted to hang as a curved portion approximating to a catenary curve therebetween, any transient slight mismatch between speeds of movement over the sets of rollers being absorbed by increasing or decreasing of the radii of curvature of the curved portion. A dancer arm bears on the curved portion partially to tension the curve and to sense the position thereof and adjust the speed of the take-up spool appropriately.
According to the present invention there is provided transfer means for transferring a continuous elongate product between two stations in which axial tensioning means adapted to exert traction on the continuous elongate product are positioned intermediate the stations to isolate the tension in the product adjacent one of the stations from the tension in the product adjacent the other of the stations, the tractive force being regulated in accordance with the speed of transfer of the product.
The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying, partly diagrammatic, isometric drawing of a wire feed transfer means forming part of a product line.
As shown in the drawing, wire 2 is transferred from an output end 4 of a forming machine (not shown) to a take-up reel 6 through first and second axial tensioning means 8, 10 of modular form. Each axial tensioning means consists of a pair of wheels 12, 14 mounted in a frame 16 and positioned to grip wire 2 passing through the nip 18 between the wheels. Each wheel of the pair of wheels is driven by a low inertia, printed circuit, motor (not shown) and is provided with a soft, resilient, tire (not shown). One of the wheels of each pair of wheels and the respective associated motor are mounted on a sub-frame (not shown) moveable by means of a threaded adjuster on the frame to vary the spacing betwen the wheels of the pair of wheels, and thus the nip.
The first and second axial tensioning means 8, 10 are positioned respectively at the entry and exist extremes of a portion of the product line in which a curved portion approximating to a catenary curve 20 is allowed to form. The vertical position of the curve is sensed by a dancer arm 22, the mass of which is reduced to a minimum such that a minimum of loading is placed on the curved portion. Alternatively, an ultra-sonic or optical sensor is utilised to determine the vertical position of the curve. In each case, a transducer (not shown) is arranged to produce a signal indicative of the position of the curve, and hence the tension in the wire.
Product speed sensing means 24 are bolted to the upstream face of the frame 16 of the first axial tensioning means 8 and include a pulley 26 positioned to be engaged by the wire product and driving a transducer (not shown) giving a signal indicative of the running speed of the wire product in the product line, from which is obtainable the length of the product, through integrating the speed sensing means signal output in relation to time.
The control circuitry (not shown) includes a pair of motor speed signal amplifiers connected to receive signals from the respective drive motors of the pairs of wheels 8, 10 and to transmit amplified signals to a preferential amplifier which delivers a signal to a tension speed comparator and a speed error comparator, arranged in parallel. A digitally set, analogue tension reference signal is applied to the tension speed comparator and a digitally set, analogue overspeed signal together with an amplified wire product speed signal from the speed sensing means is applied to the speed error comparator. The tension speed comparator and the speed error comparator are connected to deliver signals to a current limiter arranged to compare the two signals and select that indicating the least amount of error. The current error signal emanating from the current limiter is passed through a current error amplifier to a comparator arranged to generate a square wave pulsed signal utilising input from a triangle wave generator. The square wave pulsed signal is fed to a switch driver making appropriate adjustments to a power switch controlling power input to the drive motors. A feedback circuit is connected between the power switch and the current error amplifier to provide a control loop.
The signal emanating from the speed sensing means 24 is fed together with a signal emanating from the transducer associated with the dancer arm 22 or other curve position sensors to an electronic digital control system which is arranged to originate signals compensated for windage and frictional losses to govern the speed of the driven wheels of the axial tensioning means so that a predetermined and constant tension is produced in the wire product at all speeds. Control is effected through cascaded speed and electrical current loops such that if slipage occurs between the wire product and the driven wheels, the increase in rotational speed of the driven wheels is restrained, thereby encouraging re-establishment of positive driving traction. Control of the speed of progress of the wire product at the station subsequent to the second axial tensioning means is also effected by the electronic digital control system.
The axial tensioning means 8, 10 are of modular form permitting ganging together of two of more in series to achieve better traction in order to apply greater tension or to handle delicate products, such as thin walled tube, where the allowable pressure which may be applied is thereby subject to an upper limit. Alternatively, a ganged pair of wheels may have belts substituted for the resilient tires to form a belt drive having a lower inertia.
In an alternative arrangement, where a caterpillar belt type haul-off unit is employed, axial tensioning means are positioned upstream and downstream of the haul-off unit to regulate the tension in the product on entry to and exit from the unit.
In one installation, a continuous extrusion machine (not shown), such as that described in GB Patent No. 1 370 894, in which feedstock is introduced into a circumferential groove in a rotating wheel and is extruded as wire from an orifice in arcuate tooling extending into the groove adjacent an abutment positioned in the groove is arranged for the wire to be wound on to the take-up spool 6. Wire output from the continuous extrusion machine is passed through a cooler and successively over the pulley 26 of the speed sensing means 24 and the first and second axial tensioning means 8, 10 to the powered take-up spool 6. The wire 2 falls as a curve approximating to a natural catenary 20 curve between the first and second axial tensioning means and the ultralight dancer arm 22 is positioned adjacent the mid-point of the curve to sense the vertical position thereof.
Transducers respectively coupled to the speed sensing means 24 and to the dancer arm 22 originate signals which are fed to an electronic digital control system which in turn produces signals for controlling the speeds respectively of the first and the second axial tensioning means 8, 10 and of the take-up spool drive.
In operation, to start-up the product line, extrusion is commenced and the output wire fed through the cooler and over the pulley of the speed sensing means 24 and between the nip 18 of the first axial tensioning means 8, the drive of which is energised. Upon traction being applied by the first axial tensioning means to the wire, any risk of the wire fouling the cooler or the extruder during ensuing stages of start-up is largely avoided. The wire from the first axial tensioning means 8 is then carried in a curve under the dancer arm 22 to the nip 18 of the second axial tensioning means 10--which is positioned in the same horizontal plane as the first axial tensioning means--and the drive to which is then energised. Finally the wire is connected to the take-up spool 6 and the spool drive energised. The respective speeds of the continuous extrusion machine, the first and second axial tensioning means and the spool drive are then adjusted to give the required operating conditions and the automatic control system activated. The curve of the curved portion of wire between the first and second axial tensioning means is arranged to be of such radii as to provide a degree of transient tolerance between the speed at which wire is extruded and the speed at which the wire is spooled and thereby avoid axial deformation of the wire whilst not being such as to lead to radial deformation of the wire due to bend radii being too small. Since the curved portion of wire is allowed to form a curve approximating to a catenary, the mass of the dancer arm being minimal, the dynamic variations in the form of accelerations and decelerations, that is, the inertia of the arrangement, are reduced to a minimum, thereby reducing tension transients to a minimum. By appropriate positioning of the first and second axial tensioning means it can be ensured that the elastic limit of the wire material is not exceeded in the bends. In a situation where this is not achievable it is necessary to limit the plastic deformation to an amount which permits subsequent straightening without significantly affecting the wire.
By providing the first axial tensioning means 8, the extrusion die orifice is effectively isolated from the curved portion and an accurate, constant, tension may be maintained at the die, thereby assisting in maintaining extrusion quality by compensating for small inequalities in die flow.
By providing the second axial tensioning means 10 the curved portion is isolated from the take-up spool 6 thereby permitting compensation of the lay borne transients arising from the layered surface of wound wire not being even without transmitting the transient variation back down the wire and thereby avoiding the production of minor discontinuities in the wire from, for example, compensatory movement of the dancer arm.
With the first and second axial tensioning means controlling the extrudate tension and the spooling tension a more precise control is applied to the arrangement compared with previous arrangements in which movement of the dancer arm is utilised directly to control the spooler speed and speed variations are absorbed solely in the curved portion.
Since the curved portion approximates more closely to the natural catenary in the present arrangement as compared with previous arrangements in which the dancer arm is required to place a loading on the curved portion, the curved portion is inherently more stable. As a result, higher loop gains may be utilised in the electronic control system, again leading to a more positive control of the arrangement.
It will be appreciated that should a failure occur in the take-up spool drive, the axial tensioning means reduce the risk of a build-up of wire occuring and facilitate re-starting of the line.
It will also be appreciated that the axial tensioning means may be utilised in other arrangements (not shown) involving transfer of a continuous element. Thus an axial tensioning means may be utilised to feed the continuous element as feedstock or as a core element for co-axial continuous extrusion from a pay-off spool. Such feed may pass through a cleaner and induction heater. Additionally an axial tensioning means may be utilised intermediate a continuous extrusion machine and a drawing-down die through which the product is hauled by means of a capstan before passing over a set of rollers arranged to absorb any transient shock loading in the arrangement prior to winding on a take-up spool.
Where the continuous extrusion machine is utilised to produce a metallic sheathing around a core of platics material a shallow catenary curve 20 is employed to facilitate creep of the plastics material core within the sheathing during the forming process.
Arrays of guide rollers may be positioned at the end regions of the catenary curve 20 to limit curvature at those regions.
As a further alternative (not shown), particularly in an arrangement in which thin walled tubing is extruded, instead of a take-up spool, the second axial tensioning means in the previously described installation may be arranged to deliver extrudate as a straight product to cutting means to produce cut straight lengths of the product. Where the extrudate is of relatively small section, a rotating cutter and magazine may be utilised. The magazine takes the form of a three lobed rotor housed within a horizontally extending cylindrical sleeve open over a lower 120° of arc to register with the lobes on the rotor. A two part blade is mounted at the entry to the magazine, a first part being secured to the rotor and having suitable apertures aligned with interstices intermediate the lobes and the second part being secured to the cylinder with a single aperture in alignment with the interstices intermediate the lobes when in an upper segment of the sleeve. In operation, indexing means position the rotor with one of the apertures in the first blade registering with the aperture in the second blade. Extrudate is fed through the apertures into the corresponding interstice for a predetermined length, whereupon a control sequence is initiated to rotate the rotor and first blade, thereby severing the extrudate and registering the next aperture in the first blade with the single aperture in the second fixed blade to permit extrudate to feed into the adjoining interstice. The cut length of extrudate then falls from the open portion of the sleeve to suitable collecting means. Whilst the cutting and indexing step interrupts the feeding of the extrudate, where the cutting speed is fast in relation to the extrusion speed the interruption is readily absorbed in the curved portion of the line without developing damaging transients.
Alternatively, a flying saw arrangement (not shown) may be utilised in which the saw is accelerated to approximately extrudate speed before clamping to the extrudate and cutting to length. Any variation between the speed of the extrudate and the saw at the instant of clamping is absorbed in the curved portion of the line to avoid damaging transient shock loads.
As a further alternative (not shown), pullers may be provided in combination with the flying saw when relatively large section extrudate is involved. Since the tension produced by the pullers can be controlled closely, an almost flat curved portion 22 can be utilised since the transient loading on change-over of pullers is relatively small, thereby facilitating the extrusion of sections which would be adversely affected by imposition of undue curvature.
With heavier sections, the curved portion may be dispensed with, transient loading being absorbed in the axial elasticity of the extrudate. In one arrangement a reciprocable cradle is acceleratable to match the extrudate speed and carries the cutter mechanism. By controlling the cradle speed to keep the cutter mechanism central in the cradle a defined tension is generated utilising a pneumatic cylinder actuated puller. This serves to reduce significantly the rigidity coupled inertia of the assembly.
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Transfer means for transferring a continuous elongate product, such as wire, bar or tubular products associated with a continuous extrusion machine, between two stations in the production line. Axial tensioning means 8, 10 each consisting of a pair of resiliently tyred wheels 12, 14 positioned to grip the elongate product 2 and driven by a low inertia, electric, motor induce an axial tension in the elongate product 2. The elongate product forms a curve 20 of catenary form between the axial tensioning means 8, 10. A control signal indicative of the gravitational deflection of the curve is derived from an ultra-light dancer arm 22, or an optical or ultra-sonic sensor, and is utilized in combination with a signal derived from product speed sensor means 24 to control the speed of the low inertia, electric, motors and thus the tension in the elongate product. By providing the axial tensioning means 8, 10 a degree of transient tolerance is obtained between, for example, extrusion speed and spooling speed thereby avoiding axial and radial deformation of the elongate product during transfer along the product line.
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BACKGROUND
[0001] 1. Field
[0002] The present invention generally relates to signal transmitters, and more particularly to a transmitter that employs multiple carrier modulation schemes (such as polar modulation and quadrature modulation) under different operational, environmental, or other conditions.
[0003] 2. Background
[0004] The output power of code division multiple access (CDMA) wireless mobile transceivers must be tightly controlled over a significant dynamic range. Optimally, transmit power should rise and fall in harmony with the power of received signals. Namely when received signals are weaker, this might be because they originate from stations that are far away or because they are degraded by signal interference. In either case, this indicates a need to use greater levels of transmit power. Factors such as shadowing, fading, and simple transmission loss demand a wide dynamic range for a mobile station under power control.
[0005] There are many ways to modulate a transmitter's information onto a carrier. Quadrature modulation is a popular method. However, quadrature modulation tends to be noisy at high levels of output power, requiring substantial filtering to limit signal corruption. Nevertheless, with its economical power consumption, quadrature modulation is well suited to low output power regimes. Polar modulation is an alternative to quadrature modulation in which the amplitude and phase of the carrier are modulated directly. Polar modulation is better suited to high power levels than quadrature modulation, but performs poorly at low power.
[0006] Quadrature and polar modulation, then, have proven benefits under different circumstances. Conventional wireless mobile transceivers are designed to utilize the one modulation scheme that presents the most benefits and least drawbacks under the intended operating conditions. In fact, this conventional type of transceiver enjoys significant utility and widespread commercial use today.
[0007] Nonetheless, engineers at QUALCOMM INC. are continually seeking to improve the performance and efficiency of such mobile stations. In particular, QUALCOMM engineers have recognized that both polar and quadrature modulation schemes have different disadvantages, so that neither quadrature nor polar modulation is optimal for all dynamic conditions. As discussed above, though, wireless mobile transceivers are necessarily used over a significant range of transmit power levels, and these transmit power levels can change many times during a single call. Therefore, known wireless mobile transceivers are not completely adequate in this respect.
SUMMARY
[0008] Broadly, one aspect of the present invention is a dual modulation wireless mobile transmitter. The transmitter includes first, second, and third signal paths. The first signal path includes a polar carrier modulator coupled to a data input. The second signal path includes a quadrature carrier modulator coupled to the data input. The third signal path is coupled to an antenna and includes a switch configured to couple the third signal path to the first signal path under a first condition and to couple the third signal path to the second signal path otherwise. Thus, the transmitter enjoys the best of both worlds, utilizing quadrature or polar modulation depending upon environmental, operational, or other circumstances.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] [0009]FIG. 1 is an exemplary dual modulation wireless transmitter.
[0010] [0010]FIG. 2 is an exemplary digital data processing machine.
[0011] [0011]FIG. 3 is an exemplary signal bearing medium.
[0012] [0012]FIG. 4 is a graph of quadrature versus polar carrier modulation modes depending upon transmit power.
[0013] [0013]FIG. 5 is a graph of transmit power versus current consumption, and also showing quadrature and polar carrier modulation modes.
[0014] [0014]FIG. 6 is a flowchart showing an exemplary operating sequence for a dual modulation wireless mobile transmitter.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0015] The nature, objectives, and advantages of the invention will become more apparent to those skilled in the art after considering the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings.
[0016] Structure: Hardware Components and Interconnection
[0017] Introduction
[0018] One aspect of this disclosure concerns a communications transmitter, which may be embodied by various hardware components and interconnections, with one example being described by the various transmit components of the transceiver 100 of FIG. 1. The transceiver 100 includes various signal and/or data processing subcomponents, each of which may be implemented by one or more hardware devices, software devices, a portion of one or more hardware or software devices, or a combination of the foregoing. The makeup of these subcomponents is described in greater detail below, with reference to an exemplary digital data processing apparatus, logic circuit, and signal bearing medium.
[0019] A central processing unit (CPU) 106 is coupled to an input source 102 via an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) 103 , and also coupled to a user output 104 via a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) 105 . The CPU 106 is coupled, via a different DAC 114 , to a transmit modulator 118 . Additionally, the CPU 106 is coupled via a different ADC 116 to a receive demodulator 144 . The modulator 118 and demodulator 144 are selectively coupled to an antenna 142 by a duplexer 140 .
[0020] CPU
[0021] As mentioned above, the CPU 106 is coupled to the input source 102 (via ADC 103 ) and to user output 104 (via DAC 105 ). The input source 102 may include such components as a microphone, wireless internet connection, modem, or other source of customer, subscriber, or other user data to be encoded, modulated onto a carrier, and transmitted to a remote communications station. The user output 104 comprises a device for presenting information to a human user, and comprises an audio speaker in the illustrated example, although other embodiments may utilize components such as a visual display, modem, and/or other user interface.
[0022] The ADC 103 converts analog signals from the input source 102 into digital signals, which are provided to the CPU 106 . Conversely, the DAC 105 converts digital signals from the CPU 106 into analog signals for the user output 104 . The ADC 103 and DAC 105 may be implemented by known types of circuits. Moreover, in one example, the CPU 106 may be implemented by CPUs such as those utilized in commercially available wireless telephones. More particularly, the CPU 106 may comprise a combination of microprocessor, digital signal processor, and various custom logic components. The CPU 106 includes an encoder 108 , decoder 110 , and controller 112 .
[0023] The encoder 108 applies a digital encoding scheme to input signals from the input source 102 . In the illustrated example, the input signals comprise voice signals, where the transceiver 100 embodies a wireless mobile communications device. In one embodiment, the encoder 108 utilizes a single encoding technique such as code division multiple access (CDMA), time division multiple access (TDMA), or another technique for transforming raw data into a from suitable for reliable transmission. Optionally, the encoder 108 may comprise multiple encoders to apply different encoding techniques under different circumstances.
[0024] The decoder 110 performs the opposite function of the encoder 108 . For instance, in the illustrated example the decoder 110 removes CDMA or other encoding from signals from the receive demodulator 144 , providing the user output 104 with unencoded voice or other output signals. The decoder 110 , like the encoder 108 , may employ one predetermined decoding technique or different decoding techniques as appropriate to the type of encoding present on signals from the demodulator 144 .
[0025] The controller 112 comprises a software, hardware, or other processing subcomponent of the CPU 106 , or a separate unit entirely. In one embodiment, the controller 112 includes a transmit power selector that selects the level of transmit power to be used by the modulator 118 , and also controls the switch 128 according to the selected transmit power. In this respect, the controller 112 has a link 112 a with the switch 128 and a link 112 b with components such as 124 , 126 , 130 (which are discussed in greater detail below). The controller 112 may, for instance, use higher transmit power levels when the unit 100 is communicating with more distant remote stations, or over channels with more ambient noise or interference. Conversely, the controller 112 may dictate lower transmit power levels when the unit 100 is communicating with nearby remote stations, or over channels with less interference. The level of required transmit power may be determined, for example, by evaluating the strength or weakness of received signals, for instance. There are a number of known techniques to implement a suitable transmit power selector, some of which are discussed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,069,525, 5,056,109, 6,035,209, 5,893,035, and 5,265,119, the entirety of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. When implemented as a transmit power selector, the controller 112 is coupled to one or more components 124 , 126 , 130 (described below) of the transmit modulator 118 in order to implement the selected transmit power.
[0026] Alternatively, rather than selecting transmit power, the controller 112 may be implemented as a module to estimate transmit power consumption, or to measure received signal strength. In these embodiments, transmit power selection is performed by another aspect (not shown) of the CPU 106 . With these embodiments, the controller 112 regulates the switch 128 according to estimated or measured transmit power or according to received signal strength or transmit power consumption.
[0027] As mentioned above, the CPU 106 is coupled to the DAC 114 and ADC 116 . These may be implemented by known types of circuits. A signal path 138 includes the CPU 106 , DAC 114 , and any other components through which signals pass en route from the input source 102 to the transmit modulator 118 .
[0028] Transmit Modulator
[0029] The transmit modulator 118 includes signal paths 134 , 136 , and 132 . Both of the signal paths 134 , 136 receive input from the CPU 106 via an output 115 of the DAC 114 . The switch 128 couples the signal path 132 to one of the paths 134 , 136 in the alternative, in order to form a continuous signal path through the CPU 106 to the duplexer 140 via 138 , 134 and 132 , or in the alternative, 138 , 136 and 132 . Each signal path 134 , 136 includes a carrier modulator 120 , 122 and any optional, other circuitry 124 , 126 . The modulator 120 comprises circuitry to modulate a carrier, such as a radio frequency (RF) carrier, according the input signal from 115 utilizing the widely known and practiced polar modulation. The modulator 122 comprises circuitry for modulating a carrier, such as an RF carrier, according to the input signal from 115 utilizing the widely known and practiced quadrature modulation technique.
[0030] The signal path 132 includes the switch 128 and any optional, additional circuitry 130 . By selecting between the path 134 and the path 136 , the switch 132 dictates whether the modulator 118 utilizes polar or quadrature type carrier modulation. In one embodiment, the switch 128 comprises a single pole double throw switch, which may be implemented by electrical, electromechanical, mechanical, or software, or other appropriate means. The switch 128 may comprise a high power or low power component, depending upon whether the modulator 118 's power amplifiers are implemented in pre-switch components 124 , 126 or in the post-switch component 130 .
[0031] In the illustrated embodiment, the state of the switch is set by the controller 112 , which is operably coupled to the switch 128 by 112 a . In one embodiment, switch state is controlled according to the transceiver 100 's transmit power. Namely, the switch 128 selects polar modulation (the path 134 ) when the CPU 106 has elected to use high transmit power. Conversely, the switch 128 selects quadrature modulation (the path 136 ) when the CPU 106 has elected to use low transmit power. Configuration of the switch is set by the controller 112 . Instead of selected transmit power, the controller 112 may set the switch according to measured (actual) output power, the type of signal encoding that the CPU 106 uses (e.g., FM, CDMA, etc.), or a combination thereof.
[0032] The optional, other circuitry 124 , 126 , 130 includes components such as drivers, up-converter circuits, power circuits, amplifiers, and other such components as will be familiar to ordinarily skilled artisans familiar with wireless transmitter technology. Components placed at 124 , 126 are individual to the polar or quadrature modulation paths 134 , 136 , whereas any components at the site 130 are located in the common path 132 and therefore applied to signals regardless of whether polar or quadrature modulation is used. Optionally, the circuitry 130 and switch 128 may be changed in position. As another alternative, still further circuitry (not shown) may be added between the circuitry 124 , 126 and the switch 128 , or other sites as required. Ordinarily skilled artisans will also recognize a variety of other changes that may be made to the placement and configuration of the foregoing components, without departing from the present disclosure.
[0033] As mentioned above, the transceiver 100 also includes a receive demodulator 144 . The receive demodulator 144 performs a complementary function to the transmit modulator 118 . Namely, the demodulator 144 removes carrier modulation from signals arriving on the antenna 142 , and provides demodulated receive signals to the CPU 106 . The demodulator 144 may be implemented by a number of different well known designs.
[0034] The demodulator 144 and modulator 118 are both coupled to the duplexer 140 , which is coupled to the antenna 142 . The duplexer 140 directs received signals from the antenna 142 to the receive demodulator 144 , and in the opposite direction directs transmit signals from the transmit modulator 118 to the antenna 142 . The duplexer 140 may be implemented by a number of different well known designs. Among other possible contexts, the duplexer is applicable in CDMA systems, which use different frequencies to transmit and receive. As also contemplated by the present disclosure, a switch (not shown) may be substituted for the duplexer for embodiments utilizing TDMA or other encoding that use the same frequency but different time slots to send and receive data. Depending upon the details of the application, a variety of other components may be used in place of the duplexer or switch, these components nonetheless serving to exchange transmit and receive signals with a common antenna 142 . Alternatively, separate antennas may be used for transmitting and receiving, in which case the duplexer 140 may be omitted entirely.
[0035] Exemplary Digital Data Processing Apparatus
[0036] As mentioned above, data processing entities such as the CPU 106 , transmit modulator 118 , receive demodulator 144 , or any one or more of their subcomponents may be implemented in various forms. One example is a digital data processing apparatus, as exemplified by the hardware components and interconnections of the digital data processing apparatus 200 of FIG. 2.
[0037] The apparatus 200 includes a processor 202 , such as a microprocessor, personal computer, workstation, controller, microcontroller, state machine, or other processing machine, coupled to a storage 204 . In the present example, the storage 204 includes a fast-access storage 206 , as well as nonvolatile storage 208 . The fast-access storage 206 may comprise random access memory (“RAM”), and may be used to store the programming instructions executed by the processor 202 . The nonvolatile storage 208 may comprise, for example, battery backup RAM, EEPROM, flash PROM, one or more magnetic data storage disks such as a “hard drive”, a tape drive, or any other suitable storage device. The apparatus 200 also includes an input/output 210 , such as a line, bus, cable, electromagnetic link, or other means for the processor 202 to exchange data with other hardware external to the apparatus 200 .
[0038] Despite the specific foregoing description, ordinarily skilled artisans (having the benefit of this disclosure) will recognize that the apparatus discussed above may be implemented in a machine of different construction, without departing from the scope of the invention. As a specific example, one of the components 206 , 208 may be eliminated; furthermore, the storage 204 , 206 , and/or 208 may be provided on-board the processor 202 , or even provided externally to the apparatus 200 .
[0039] Logic Circuitry
[0040] In contrast to the digital data processing apparatus discussed above, a different embodiment of the invention uses logic circuitry instead of computer executed instructions to implement various processing entities such as those mentioned above. Depending upon the particular requirements of the application in the areas of speed, expense, tooling costs, and the like, this logic may be implemented by constructing an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) having thousands of tiny integrated transistors. Such an ASIC may be implemented with CMOS, TTL, VLSI, or another suitable construction. Other alternatives include a digital signal processing chip (DSP), discrete circuitry (such as resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors, and transistors), field programmable gate array (FPGA), programmable logic array (PLA), programmable logic device (PLD), and the like.
[0041] Operation
[0042] Having described the structural features of the present disclosure, the operational aspect of the disclosure will now be described. As mentioned above, the operational aspect generally involves utilizing a transmitter that employs multiple modulation schemes, such as polar carrier modulation and quadrature carrier modulation, under different operational conditions. Although the present invention has broad applicability to transmitters, the specifics of the structure that has been described is particularly suited for a wireless mobile communications station such as a wireless telephone, and the explanation that follows will emphasize such an application of the invention without any intended limitation.
[0043] Signal-Bearing Media
[0044] Wherever the functionality of the invention is implemented using one or more machine-executed program sequences, such sequences may be embodied in various forms of signal-bearing media. Such a signal-bearing media may comprise, for example, the storage 204 (FIG. 2) or another signal-bearing media, such as a magnetic data storage diskette 300 (FIG. 3), directly or indirectly accessible by a processor 202 . Whether contained in the storage 206 , diskette 300 , or elsewhere, the instructions may be stored on a variety of machine readable data storage media. Some examples include direct access storage (e.g., a conventional “hard drive”, redundant array of inexpensive disks (“RAID”), or another direct access storage device (“DASD”)), serial-access storage such as magnetic or optical tape, electronic non-volatile memory (e.g., ROM, EPROM, flash PROM, or EEPROM), battery backup RAM, optical storage (e.g., CD-ROM, WORM, DVD, digital optical tape), paper “punch” cards, or other suitable signal bearing media including analog or digital transmission media and analog and communication links and wireless communications. In an illustrative embodiment of the invention, the machine-readable instructions may comprise software object code, compiled from a language such as assembly language, C, etc.
[0045] Logic Circuitry
[0046] In contrast to the signal-bearing medium discussed above, some or all of the invention's functionality may be implemented using logic circuitry, instead of using a processor to execute instructions. Such logic circuitry is therefore configured to perform operations to carry out the method aspect of the invention. The logic circuitry may be implemented using many different types of circuitry, as discussed above.
[0047] Overall Sequence of Operation
[0048] [0048]FIG. 6 shows a sequence 600 to illustrate one example of the method aspect of the present disclosure. For ease of explanation, but without any intended limitation, the example of FIG. 6 is described in the context of the transceiver 100 described above. In this context, the sequence 600 illustrates the operation of the transceiver 100 related to signal transmission.
[0049] In step 602 , the CPU 106 receives an input signal from the input source 102 via the ADC 103 . In the presently illustrated example, the input source 102 comprises a microphone and the input signal comprises a signal representing audio signals output by this microphone. This input signal is digitized by the ADC 103 . Thus, in step 602 , the CPU 106 receives digital signals representing analog sounds sensed by the microphone/input source 102 .
[0050] In step 604 , the encoder 108 encodes the input signal from the input source 102 with a predetermined type of signal encoding. Optionally, if the encoder 108 includes facilities for multiple encoding schemes, step 604 also involves the CPU 106 selecting the type of encoding to be used. For instance, CDMA encoding may be used when the transceiver user is in an area serviced by a CDMA network, whereas FM encoding may be used when a CDMA network is not available but an FM network is available.
[0051] In step 606 , the controller 112 outputs information by which the switch 128 can determine its own operating state. Alternatively, the controller 112 itself may use this information to identify the proper setting for the switch, and directly configure the switch accordingly. In either case, certain information is used to determine switch state. In one embodiment, the controller 112 selects the level of transmit power to be used in the transmit modulator 118 . In this embodiment, to initiate transmitting at the selected transmit power level, the controller 112 provides representative instructions to the power circuits, drivers, or other components implemented in the transmit modulator 118 at 124 , 126 , and/or 130 . The controller 112 also advises the switch 128 of the selected transmit power; alternatively, the controller 12 may directly control the switch 128 , in which case it sets the state of the switch according to the selected transmit power.
[0052] In a different example, the controller 112 in step 606 estimates the level of transmit power being used by the modulator 118 , independent of the different component (not shown) that actually selects transmit power. The controller 112 outputs this information to the switch 128 , or directly controls the state of the switch based on this information. Transmit power may be estimated, for example, by a diode detector at the output of a power amplifier in the transmit modulator 118 .
[0053] In still another example, the controller 112 in step 606 measures the strength of signals received from the remote station with which it is presently communicating (i.e., transmitting and receiving). The controller 112 outputs this information to the switch 128 , or as an alternative, directly sets the state of the switch 128 based upon this information. The strength of received signals may be measured, for example, by received signal strength indicator (RSSI) circuitry in the transceiver's receiver (not shown). As a more particular example, received signal strength may be measured as taught by U.S. Pat. No. 5,903,554, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
[0054] Although step 606 is shown in a particular order relative to other steps 604 , 608 , step 606 may be performed at any other time prior to step 610 (at which time the output of step 606 is required to operate the switch 128 , as discussed below). After step 606 (as illustrated), the DAC 114 converts the encoder 108 's output into an analog signal, and provides this analog signal to the transmit modulator 118 (step 610 ).
[0055] In step 610 , the transmit modulator 118 selects the type of carrier modulation to be used, which in the present example comprises polar or quadrature modulation. More particularly, the switch 128 acts according to the information provided by the controller 112 in step 606 . For instance, if the controller 112 in step 606 indicated a high level of selected transmit power, or a high level of estimated transmit power, or a low received signal strength, then the switch 128 couples its path 132 to the path 134 in order to utilize polar modulation. If the opposite circumstances arise, the switch 128 couples its path 132 to the path 136 in order to utilize quadrature modulation. Alternatively, rather than the switch 128 acting upon such information from the controller 112 to decide which path 134 , 136 to use, the controller 112 may perform this decision itself, in which case step 610 involves the controller 112 directly setting the state of the switch 128 to one of the paths 134 , 136 .
[0056] In one example, the switch 128 may utilize a prescribed threshold of selected transmit power, estimated transmit power, received signal strength, or other condition. Above the threshold, the switch 128 selects the one of the paths 134 , 136 , and below the threshold the other path 134 , 136 , as appropriate. Alternatively, this decision may be made by the controller 112 , in which case, the controller 112 directly instructs the switch 128 to connect to a particular one of the paths 134 , 136 .
[0057] A different embodiment is also contemplated for selecting the state of the switch 128 to avoid “thrashing” between polar and quadrature modulation under borderline conditions. Namely, first and second prescribed thresholds are used as discussed below. This approach is shown by FIG. 4, with transmit power being used as the exemplary condition for determining state of the switch 128 . Below the first threshold (P1), quadrature modulation is always used. Above the second threshold (P2), polar modulation is always used. Even after transmit power starts to increase past the first threshold, however, quadrature modulation is still used between the thresholds, until the second threshold is reached. Likewise, polar modulation is still used as transmit power dips below the second threshold, but only as long as transmit power does not decrease beneath the first threshold. This approach is also illustrated by FIG. 5, where transmit power is shown against current consumed by the CPU 106 and transmit modulator 118 . In FIG. 5, polar modulation is used in the regime 504 and quadrature modulation used in the regime 502 .
[0058] In still another embodiment, switch state may be changed according to the type of encoding being applied by the encoder 108 , rather than transmit power or received signal strength. As a further example, a combination of signal encoding and estimated or selected transmit power (or received signal strength) may be used. For instance, the switch 128 may select polar modulation whenever the encoder 108 utilizes FM encoding, and also whenever the encoder 108 utilizes CDMA as long as transmit power exceeds a prescribed threshold (or receive signal strength does not exceed the threshold). In this example, the switch 128 only selects quadrature modulation when the encoder 108 utilizes CDMA and transmit power does not exceed the prescribed threshold (or received signal strength exceeds the given threshold). Furthermore, this approach may be modified by using dual thresholds to prevent thrashing, as discussed above in conjunction with FIGS. 4 - 5 .
[0059] Having configured the switch 128 as desired (step 610 ), various components of the signal path formed by the current configuration of the switch 128 perform their assigned functions (step 612 ). Namely, in the signal path 134 or 136 selected by the switch 128 , the applicable modulator 120 or 122 modulates its carrier, and the other circuitry 124 , 126 performs the function of its drivers, amplifiers, or other applicable circuitry. Also in step 612 , the other circuitry 130 carries out the function of its drivers, amplifiers, and the like.
[0060] In step 614 , the controller 112 reevaluates the current configuration of the switch 128 , or alternatively, the switch 128 reevaluates its own configuration based upon the output of the controller 112 . This is done to determine whether present circumstances dictate using polar or quadrature modulation. In step 616 , the switch 128 or controller 112 determines whether any change is warranted. For instance, this may involve the switch 128 determining whether the output of the controller 112 has changed, the controller 112 determining whether the CPU's encoding scheme has changed, the controller 112 determining whether the current transmit power or receive signal strength has changed, etc. If circumstances have not changed, step 616 advances to step 618 , where the switch 128 continues operating in its current state. Otherwise, if step 616 detects the need to change switch configuration, control returns to step 614 which is performed in the manner discussed above.
[0061] Other Embodiments
[0062] Those of skill in the art will understand that information and signals may be represented using any of a variety of different technologies and techniques. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips that may be referenced throughout the above description may be represented by voltages, currents, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or particles, or any combination thereof.
[0063] Those of skill will further appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, circuits, and algorithm steps described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the present invention.
[0064] The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and circuits described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration.
[0065] The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the embodiments disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an ASIC.
[0066] Moreover, the previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.
[0067] The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments.
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A dual modulation transmitter apparatus ( 100 ) includes first ( 134 ), second ( 136 ), and third ( 132 ) signal paths. The first signal path includes a polar modulator ( 120 ) coupled to a data input ( 115 ). The second signal path includes a quadrature modulator ( 122 ) coupled to the data input. The third signal path is coupled to an antenna ( 142 ) and includes a switch ( 128 ) configured to couple the third signal path to the first signal path under a first condition and to couple the third signal path to the second signal path under a second condition. Thus, the transmitter apparatus enjoys the best of both worlds, since it utilizes quadrature or polar modulation in the most appropriate circumstances.
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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to internal combustion engines with multiple cylinders, of the type comprising:
at least an intake valve and at least an exhaust valve for each cylinder, each provided with respective elastic return means which bias the valve towards a closed position, to control respective intake and exhaust conduits, at least a camshaft, to actuate the intake and exhaust valves of the engine cylinders by means of respective tappets, in which at least each intake valve has variable actuation, being actuated by the respective tappet, against the action of the aforesaid elastic return means, by the interposition of hydraulic means including a pressurised fluid chamber, into which projects a pumping piston connected to the tappet of the intake valve, said pressurised fluid chamber being able to be connected by means of a solenoid valve with an exhaust channel, in order to uncouple the variable actuation valve from the respective tappet and cause the rapid closure of the valve by effect of the respective elastic return means, electronic control means for controlling each solenoid valve in such a way as to vary the time and travel of opening of the variable actuation valve as a function of one or more operative parameters of the engine, in which the aforesaid hydraulic means further comprise an actuation assembly for each variable actuation valve, including an actuating piston slidably mounted in a guide bushing, said actuating piston facing a variable volume chamber communicating with the pressurised fluid chamber both through first communication means controlled by a check valve which allows only the passage of the fluid from the pressurised fluid chamber to the variable volume chamber, and through second communication means which allow the passage between the two chambers in both directions; in which said hydraulic means further comprise hydraulic braking means able to cause a narrowing of said second communication means in the final phase of closure of the engine valve, in which between the actuating piston of each variable actuation valve and the stem of the intake valve is interposed an auxiliary hydraulic tappet,
in which said auxiliary hydraulic tappet comprises:
a first bushing having an end wall in contact with one end of the stem of the variable actuation valve, a second bushing slidably mounted within said first outer bushing and having an end in contact with a corresponding end of said actuating piston, a first chamber defined between said second bushing and said actuating piston, which is in communication with a passage for feeding the pressurised fluid to said first chamber, a second chamber defined between said first bushing and said second bushing, and a check valve which controls a passage in a wall of said second bushing to allow the passage of fluid only from said first chamber to said second chamber of said auxiliary hydraulic tappet.
An engine of the type specified above is described and illustrated for example in European patent application 1 344 900 A2 by the same Applicant.
In engines of this type, it is important that the closing movement of each valve, determined by the elastic means associated with the valve when the pressurised chamber of the actuation system is discharged, be as fast as possible, and then to be braked in the final phase of the valve travel by the aforesaid hydraulic braking means. This requirement is particular important when starting the engine at low temperature. However, there are limits to the possibility of making the closing phase of the valve substantially instantaneous, which derive in particular from the mass of the moving members, from the load of the elastic means which return the valve to the closed position and from the viscosity of the fluid (the engine lubricating oil) used in the hydraulic system. To increase the closing speed of the valve, it would in particular be advantageous to minimise the diameter of the aforesaid variable volume chamber which is defined by the actuating piston of the valve within the related guide bushing, since said chamber must be, emptied of oil during the return movement of the actuating piston caused by the closing of the valve. However, in known solutions, here too there is a limit to the possibility of reducing said diameter, since the inner diameter of the guide bushing of the actuating piston must be sufficient to house the aforesaid auxiliary hydraulic tappet which is interposed between the actuating piston and the stem of the valve. If a tappet of any conventional type available on the market is to be used, the diameter of said tappet cannot be reduced beyond a certain limit.
To eliminate or at least reduce said drawbacks, the present invention relates to an engine of the type indicated at the start of the present description, characterised in that said first bushing of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet is mounted outside the guide bushing of the actuating piston.
Thanks to said characteristic, in the engine according to the invention the dimensioning of the inner diameter of the guide bushing of the actuating piston of the valve becomes completely independent from the outer dimension of the aforesaid auxiliary hydraulic tappet. It is thus possible, in particular, to adopt a guide bushing of the actuating piston with a smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of said auxiliary hydraulic tappet. Therefore, it is possible considerably to reduce the diameter of said variable volume chamber with respect to known solutions, with consequent possibility of greatly accelerating the valve closing motion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention shall now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, provided purely by way of non limiting example, in which:
FIG. 1 is a section view of a prior art engine, of the type described for example in European Patent EP 0 803 642 B1 by the same Applicant, which is shown herein to illustrate the fundamental principles of a variable actuation system of the valves,
FIG. 2 is a section view in enlarged scale of an auxiliary hydraulic tappet associated with an intake valve of an engine of a type similar to that of FIG. 1 , as previously proposed in the European Patent application EP 1 344 900 by the Applicant,
FIG. 3 is a schematic section view of an auxiliary hydraulic tappet in an engine according to the present invention,
FIG. 4 is a similar view to FIG. 3 , showing an embodiment example, and
FIG. 5 shows a diagram that shows the advantages of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
With reference to FIG. 1 , the internal combustion engine described in the prior European patent application EP A 0 803 642 by the same Applicant is a multi-cylinder engine, for instance an engine with four cylinders in line, comprising a cylinder head 1 . The head 1 comprises, for each cylinder, a cavity 2 formed in the base surface 3 of the head 1 , defining the combustion chamber, into which end two intake conduits 4 , 5 and two exhaust conduits 6 . The communication of the two intake conduits 4 , 5 with the combustion chamber 2 is controlled by two intake valves 7 , of the traditional mushroom type, each comprising a stem 8 slidably mounted in the body of the head 1 . Each valve 7 is returned towards the closed position by springs 9 interposed between an inner surface of the head 1 and an end cup 10 of the valve. The opening of the intake valves 7 is controlled, in the manner described below, by a camshaft 11 rotatably mounted around an axis 12 within supports of the head 1 , and comprising a plurality of cams 14 for actuating the valves 7 .
Each cam 14 which controls an intake valve 7 co-operates with the washer 15 of a tappet 16 slidably mounted along an axis 17 which, in case of the example illustrated in the aforementioned prior document, was directed substantially at 90° relative to the axis of the valve 7 . The tappet 16 is slidably mounted within a bushing 18 borne by a body 19 of a pre-assembled assembly 20 incorporating all the electrical and hydraulic devices associated with the operation of the intake valve, as described in detail below. The tappet valve 16 is able to transmit a bias to the stem 8 of the valve 7 , in such a way as to cause the opening thereof against the action of the elastic means 9 , by means of pressurised fluid (typically oil from the engine lubrication loop) present in a pressure chamber C, and a piston 21 mounted slidably in a cylindrical body constituted by a bushing 22 which is also borne by the body 19 of the subgroup 20 . In the known solution shown in FIG. 1 , the pressurised fluid chamber C associated to each intake valve 7 can be placed in communication with the exhaust channel 23 by means of a solenoid valve 24 . The solenoid valve 24 , which can be of any known type, suited to the function illustrated herein, is controlled by electronic control means, schematically designated by the number 25 according to signals S indicative of engine operating parameters, such as the position of the accelerator pedal and the number of engine revolutions per minute. When the solenoid valve 24 is opened, the chamber C comes in communication with the channel 23 , so the pressurised fluid present in the chamber C flows into said channel and an uncoupling is obtained of the cam 14 and of the respective tappet 16 from the intake valve 7 , which then rapidly returns to its closed position under the action of the return spring 9 . By controlling communication between the chamber C and the outlet channel 23 , it is therefore possible to vary at will the time and opening stroke of each intake valve 7 .
The outlet channels 23 of the various solenoid valves 24 all end in a same longitudinal channel 26 communicating with pressure accumulators 27 , only one whereof is visible in FIG. 1 . All the tappets 16 with the associated bushings 18 , the pistons 21 with the associated bushings 22 , the solenoid valves 24 and the related channels 23 , 26 are borne and formed in the aforesaid body 19 of the pre-assembled set 20 , to the advantage of the rapidity and ease of assembly of the engine.
The exhaust valves 70 associated to each cylinder are controlled, in the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 , in traditional fashion, by a respective cam shaft 28 , by means of respective tappets 29 , although in principle, both in the case of the prior document mentioned above, and in the case of the present invention, an application of the variable actuation system to command the exhaust valves is not excluded.
Also with reference to FIG. 1 , the variable volume chamber defined inside the bushing 22 by the piston 21 (which in FIG. 1 is shown in its minimum volume condition, the piston 21 being in its upper top stroke end position) communicates with the pressurised fluid chamber C through an opening 30 obtained in an end wall of the bushing 22 . Said opening 30 is engaged by an end nose 31 of the piston 21 in such a way as to obtain a hydraulic braking of the motion of the valve 7 in the closing phase, when the valve is near the closed position, since the oil present in the variable volume chamber is forced to flow into the pressurised fluid chamber C passing through the play existing between the end nose 31 and the wall of the opening 30 engaged thereby. In addition to the communication constituted by the opening 30 , the pressurised fluid chamber C and the variable volume chamber of the piston 21 communicate with each other by means of internal passages formed in the body of the piston 21 and controlled by a check valve 32 which allows the passage of fluid only from the pressurised chamber C to the variable volume chamber of the piston 21 .
During the normal operation of the prior art engine illustrated in FIG. 1 , when the solenoid valve 24 excludes the communication of the pressurised fluid chamber C with the exhaust channel 23 , the oil present in this chamber transmits the motion of the tappet 16 imparted by the cam 14 to the piston 21 that commands the opening of the valve 7 . In the initial phase of the opening movement of the valve, the fluid coming from the chamber C reaches the variable volume chamber of the piston 21 passing through an axial hole 30 drilled in the nose, the check valve 32 and additional passages which place in communication the inner cavity of the piston 21 , which has tubular shape, with the variable volume chamber. After a first displacement of the piston 21 , the nose 31 comes out of the opening 30 , so the fluid coming from the chamber C can pass directly into the variable volume chamber through the opening 30 , which is now free. In the inverse movement of closure of the valve, as stated, during the final phase the nose 31 enters into the opening 30 causing the hydraulic-braking of the valve, to prevent any impacts of the body of the valve against its seat.
FIG. 2 shows the device described above in the modified form which was proposed in the previous European Patent application EP 0 1 344 900 by the same Applicant.
In FIG. 2 , the parts in common with FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference number.
A first evident difference of the device of FIG. 2 with respect to that of FIG. 1 is that in the case of FIG. 2 , the tappet 16 , the piston 21 and the stem 8 of the valve are mutually aligned along an axis 40 . This difference does not fall within the scope the invention, as it is already contemplated in the prior art. Similarly, the invention would also apply to the case in which the axes of the tappet 16 and of the stem 8 were to form an angle between them.
Similarly to the solution of FIG. 1 , the tappet 16 , with the related washer 15 which co-operates with the cam of the camshaft 11 is slidably mounted in a bushing 18 . In the case of FIG. 2 , the bushing 18 is screwed into a threaded cylindrical seat 18 a obtained in the metal body 19 of the pre-assembled set 20 . A sealing gasket 18 b is interposed between the bottom wall of the bushing 18 and the bottom wall of the seat 18 a. A spring 18 c returns the washer 15 in contact with the cam of the camshaft 11 .
In the case of FIG. 2 also, as in FIG. 1 , the piston 21 is slidably in a bushing 22 which is received in a cylindrical cavity 32 obtained in the metallic body 19 , with the interposition of sealing gaskets. The bushing 22 is held in the condition mounted by an end threaded ring nut of the cavity 32 and which presses the body of the bushing 22 against an abutment surface 35 of the cavity 32 . Between the locking ring nut 33 and the flange 34 is interposed a Belleville washer 36 to assure a controlled axial load to compensate for the differential thermal expansions between the different materials constituting the body 19 and the bushing 22 .
The main difference of the prior art solution shown in FIG. 2 and the one, also known, of FIG. 1 is that in this case the check valve 32 which allows the passage of pressurised fluid from the chamber C to the chamber of the piston 21 is not borne by the piston 21 but rather by a separate element 37 which is fixed relative to the body 19 and it superiorly closes the cavity of the bushing 22 within which is slidably mounted the piston 21 . Moreover, the piston 21 does not have the complicated conformation of FIG. 1 , with the end nose 31 , but it is shaped as a simple cup-like cylindrical element, with a bottom wall facing the variable volume chamber which receives pressurised fluid from the chamber C through the check valve 32 .
The element 37 is constituted by an annular plate which is locked in position between the abutment surface 35 and the end surface of the bushing 22 , as a result of the tightening of the locking ring nut 33 . The annular plate has a central cylindrical projection which serves as a container for the check valve 32 and which has an upper central hole for the passage of the fluid. In the case of FIG. 2 as well, the chamber C and the variable volume chamber delimited by the piston 21 communicate with each other, as well as through the check valve 32 , through an additional passage, constituted by a lateral cavity 38 obtained in the body 19 , a peripheral cavity 39 defined by a flattening of the outer surface of the bushing 22 , and by an opening (not showing in FIG. 2 ) of greater size and a hole 42 of smaller size obtained radially in the wall of the bushing 22 . These openings are shaped and mutually arranged in such a way as to achieve operation with hydraulic brake in the final closing phase of the valve, for when the piston 21 has obstructed the opening of greater size, the hole 42 remains free, which intercepts a peripheral end throat 43 defined by a circumferential end groove of the piston 21 . To assure that the aforesaid two openings correctly intercept the fixed passage 38 , the bushing 34 must be mounted in a precise angular position, which is assured by an axial pin 44 . This solution is preferred with respect to the arrangement of a circumferential throat on the outer surface of the bushing 22 , for this would entail an increase in the oil volumes in play, with consequent drawbacks in operation. A calibrated hole 320 is also provided in the element 37 , which directly places the annular chamber defined by the throat 43 in communication with the chamber C. Said hole 320 assures correct operation at low temperature, when the fluid (engine lubrication oil) is very viscous.
In operation, when the valve needs to be opened, pressurised oil, bias by the tappet 16 , flows from the chamber C to the chamber of the piston 21 through the check valve 32 . As soon as the piston 21 has moved away from its upper end stop position, the oil can then flow directly into the variable volume chamber through the passage 38 and the two aforesaid openings (the larger one and the smaller one 42 ), bypassing the check valve 32 . In the return movement, when the valve is near its closed position, the piston 21 intercepts first the large opening and then the opening 42 determining the hydraulic braking. A calibrated hole can also be provided in the wall of the element 37 to reduce the braking effect at low temperatures, when the viscosity of the wall would cause excessive slowing in the movement of the valve.
As is readily apparent, the main different with respect to the solution shown in FIG. 1 is that the operations for fabricating the piston 21 are much simpler, since said piston has a far less complicated conformation than the one contemplated in the prior art. The solution according to the invention also allows to reduce the oil volume in the chamber associated with the piston 21 , which allows to obtain a regular closing movement of the valve, without hydraulic bounces, a reduction in the time required for closing, a regular operation of the hydraulic tappet, without pumping, a reduction in impulsive force in the springs of the engine valves and reduction in hydraulic noise.
An additional characteristic of the prior art solution shown in FIG. 2 is the provision of a hydraulic tappet between the piston 21 and the stem 8 of the valve. The tappet 400 comprises two concentric slidable bushings 401 , 402 . The inner bushing 402 defines with the inner cavity of the piston 21 a chamber 403 which is fed a pressurised fluid through passages 405 , 406 in the body 19 , a hole 407 in the bushing 22 and passages 408 , 409 in the bushing 403 and in the piston 21 .
A check valve 410 controls a central hole in a frontal wall borne by the bushing 402 .
In regard to the present invention, FIG. 3 shows a schematic section view of the end wall of the actuating piston 21 of a variable actuation valve and the related guide bushing 22 , as well as the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 associated with the actuator assembly constituted by the piston 21 and by the bushing 22 . As FIG. 3 clearly shows, the main different with respect to the prior art solution illustrated in FIG. 2 is that in this case the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 is completely positioned outside the actuator assembly of the variable actuation valve. More specifically, the first bushing 401 of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 is not positioned inside the guide bushing 22 . Thanks to this characteristic, the dimensioning of the guide bushing 22 is completely independent of the dimensions of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 . This is an advantage, since, if a hydraulic tappet of any conventional type available on the market is to be used, the outer diameter of said tappet cannot be reduced beyond a certain limit. On the other hand, there is an advantage, as discussed at the start of the present description, in reducing the diameter of the guide bushing 22 , since said reduction in diameter entails a reduction in the quantity of oil which must flow out of the variable volume chamber defined inside the guide bushing 22 from the upper end of the piston 21 when the engine valve has to close. It is thereby possible to obtain a substantial reduction in the closing time of the valve, with consequent advantages in terms of the efficient operation of the engine, with respect to the prior art solution illustrated in FIG. 2 .
With reference again to FIG. 3 , the inner chamber 403 of the hydraulic tappet is fed with oil from the engine lubrication oil in similar fashion to the one illustrated in FIG. 2 . The oil coming from a feeding channel 405 ( 2 ) reaches a circumferential chamber 406 ( 3 ) defined by an outer peripheral throat of the guide bushing 22 . From said circumferential chamber 406 , the oil flows, through a radial hole 407 obtained in the wall of the guide bushing 22 into a, peripheral chamber 408 defined by a circumferential throat of the outer surface of the piston 21 . Thence the oil passes into the chamber 403 through a radial hole 409 obtained in the wall of the piston 21 . The communication between the chamber 403 defined between the piston 21 and the bushing 402 , and the chamber 411 defined between the two bushings 401 , 402 , is controlled by the check valve 410 , subjected to the action of the return spring 412 . The operation of the actuator assembly 21 , 211 and of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 is wholly similar to the one described above with reference to prior art solutions.
In the case of the solution illustrated in FIG. 3 , both bushings 401 , 402 constituting the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 are positioned outside the guide bushing 22 of the actuator piston 21 .
FIG. 4 shows a variant, wholly similar, in principle, to the solution of FIG. 3 , which differs therefrom in that only the bushing 401 of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 400 is positioned outside the guide bushing 22 , whilst the bushing 402 is mounted within it. Otherwise, the solution shown in FIG. 4 differs from the solution shown only schematically in FIG. 3 solely in some constructive details. FIG. 4 also partially shows the upper end of the stem 8 of the valve with the respective return valve 9 and the respective end element 10 for bearing the spring 9 .
FIG. 5 is a diagram that shows the advantages of the invention. It illustrates the displacement X of the engine valve in the closing phase, as the angle of the drive shaft changes in three different situations. Diagrams A and B refer to the case in which, all other dimensions being equal, the inner diameter of the guide bushing 22 of the piston is respectively 11 mm (diagram A) and 9 mm (diagram B). The solution A substantially corresponds to the one illustrate in FIG. 2 , while the solution B becomes possible thanks to the present invention, because of the positioning of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet 14 outside the valve actuator assembly. As is readily apparent, the angle of rotation of the drive shaft required to obtain the complete closing of the valve is substantially reduced in the case of the present invention.
Naturally, a determining factor influencing the closing speed of the valve is the ratio between the narrow passage area of the solenoid valve ( 24 , FIG. 1 ) through which the oil present in the chamber of the actuator assembly returns into the low pressure area ( 23 , FIG. 1 ) and the area of the chamber of the actuator assembly, defined by the upper end of the piston 21 inside the guide bushing 22 . The diagram C shows the situation of an ideal actuator, in which the ratio between said areas is equal to 1. Obviously, this solution cannot be achieved in practice, but it is interesting to note that, thanks to the invention, a closing speed of the valve is obtained (diagram B) that is not much lower than the ideal solution represented by diagram C.
Naturally, without altering the principle of the invention, the construction details and the embodiments may be widely varied relative to what is described and illustrated purely by way of example herein, without thereby departing from the scope of the present invention.
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In an internal combustion engine with variable actuation valves, each variable actuation valve is actuated by an actuator assembly including an actuating piston slidably mounted in a guide bushing. Between the actuating piston and the stem of the respective valve is interposed an auxiliary hydraulic tappet comprising a first bushing and a second bushing positioned inside the first bushing in such a way as to define a first chamber between the second bushing and the actuating piston, and a second chamber between the two bushings of the hydraulic tappet. The first chamber is fed a pressurized chamber of the engine lubrication loop. A check valve controls a communication between the two chambers of the tappet, to allow the passage of fluid in the direction of the second chamber. The first bushing of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet is positioned outside the guide bushing of the actuating piston, so that said bushing can be dimensioned with a relatively small diameter, regardless of the outer diameter of the auxiliary hydraulic tappet.
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